“Book
publishing” is not one thing, but a grouping of many approaches to getting
books published and sold. Self-publishing, indie book publishing, university
presses, traditional publishers, POD, e-book only, and audiobook publishing are
each very different from one another, in terms of the process to publish, the
format of the finished product, and the distribution process. Where will book
publishing, in all of its parts, be in 2021?
It
seems like one needs to consult a calendar and a thermometer in order to
literally take the temperature of the book market. Depending on where you live,
the nation is entering different phases of re-opening from the corona pandemic.
This fall, many experts fear a resurgence that could force us to shutter our
lives again. So my prediction for 2021 is: Who knows?!
But
we can predict potential outcomes based on different scenarios. For instance,
we know what life looks like – with or without corona, so depending on which
phase we are in, things become more predictable.
When
bookstores are open, more books are sold. These are more browsing
opportunities, more speaking engagements to push books, and a more secure feeling
about the book world. When they are closed it is indicative the industry has
problems.
As
time goes by, what shocked us becomes the norm, and we use this time to learn
new skills, change how we publish and market books, and expand our efforts to
the digital universe. The book industry marches forward no matter what.
So
let’s look at how the book publishing industry is changing:
POD – More people
will publish this way. No inventory to manage and no upfront costs. If the book
fails to get traction, no loss. If stores are not open, the book is still available.
The two drawbacks: POD is not taken as seriously by the media and books only
get sold when there is a demand. POD books usually are not in stores, where
people can otherwise discover them.
University
Presses
– Their books are sold on campus, both as texts or in campus bookstores. They
often sell beyond the campus, but only when the author speaks somewhere or does
book signings. With corona, university presses suffer.
E-Books – Like POD, but
without any printing costs, they can be sold on any site, 24-7, and are
corona-immune. But the vast majority of book sales pre-corona came from printed
books, so e-books are not the ideal way to go unless there’s a paper book
version too.
Conferences – The book
industry has so many important bookfairs, writer conferences, library
gatherings, Book Expo America, writer workshops, etc. – and all of these have
been wiped out or attempted in some diluted digital forum. This is the area
that really is mssing, where people network, publishing deals are made, and
writers are discovered. All of this looks shut down or sluggish for the next year.
Self-Publishing – This won’t slow
down – and may even speed up with corona, especially if publishers are delaying
books or cutting down their acquisitions of new books. In such cases, where does one go but to self-publishing?
Writers – I would assume
more books than usual are being written this year. What else is a writer in
quarantine to do? Also, there is so much material out there to inspire writers,
pandemics, protests, the election – so we will no doubt see books influenced by
these events in 2021.
Amazon – While they
continue to sell tons of books, especially when stores were closed and people
did not want to venture out, other competitors have stepped it up, notably
Walmart and Target. Best of all, Bookshop, which helps indie booksellers launch
their online business, has grown wildly during the pandemic.
Book
Marketing
– Always the most important component, book marketing is even more instrumental
to a book’s success when traditional routes such as bookstore and library
appearances evaporate. Utilizing a professional publicist or marketer is
crucial to succeed. Further, using the tools of virtual marketing – social media,
blogging, podcasting, online seminars, digital courses, and zooms with
bookstore patrons – are critical.
So
where will book publishing be in 2021?
It
will be in a better position to handle things because 2020 is forcing it to
re-invent and strengthen itself. But if you ask me will we see Book Expo 2021
or school readings by authors, or a book award ceremony in person next year, my
response is: Did we vaccinate everyone or discover a treatment that saves most
patients?
Smart
book publishing over the next 6-18 months will be where we position ourselves
to succeed in any environment and not to assume anything. For all we know, a
cure can be found tomorrow – or next year could be harsher than three months ago.
Our crystal ball is covered in Covid-19 right now, but we must push forward and
continue to grow all of book publishing.
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