Following on from last week, we’re going to expand upon some key concerns about the digital revolution in publishing. Today we’re tackling the concept that the digital boom will lead to the death of the book.
Firstly, let’s clarify. The death of the book seems like a ridiculous notion considering that most students and much of the general public are well acquainted (in one form or another) with the electronic book. It’s not only our generation of tech-savvy students and young adults, otherwise knows as ‘tech-natives’, that are using electronic devices to access textual material, but a wide scale of the population.
So, the book, as in the electronic book is well and truly alive. But what does that mean for the traditional trade paperback?
Some members of the trade see a direct correlation between increased electronic book sales,and a decrease in the sales of paperback books. This alongside the ever developing and increasing amount of available electronic reading platforms provides a threat to the traditional industry; increasingly e-readers, multi-media technology such as the iPad and even mobile phones are being used to read books and publications. As a result, the market for traditional print seems to be shrinking rapidly.Surely though, to begin the eulogy of the trade paperback would be too hasty?
As far as I am concerned, yes. It is far too early in the development of the digital revolution to decide that the trade book is dead, or on it’s last legs. Of course, electronic literature grows in popularity due to the low-cost, 24/7 availability and practicality, but that does not mean that the paperback book is significantly losing a market.
Maybe surprisingly, the market for paper books has not decreased as far as originally predicted, not in the slightest. The statistics show that the death of the book is not quite so near. According to the BBC sales of physical books only dropped by 1% from 2012 to 2013. Furthermore, it appears as though the digital market is perhaps increasing in certain genres and not in others- for example, fiction books are becoming increasingly popular on digital outlets, however non-fiction books such as cookery books, and children’s books remain primarily paper books.*
Currently the surge in digital sales may profess doom and gloom for the physical book, yet there is still hope. Sales of paper books are not decreasing as much as originally expected, in fact, the paper book still stands strong. In the long run, the paper book trade is still significant and looks to remain alive for a considerable time to come. In light of this, the death of the book is not likely, instead the book is diversifying, available on more platforms, with digital appealing to cater for certain genres, and the physical book controlling other markets.
Sophie xxx
Do you agree? What do you think will be the future for the book?
Give us your opinion on The Digital Debate!
If you have any questions you’d like to ask, topics you would like us to cover or responses to our blogs, please contact us at thestudentpublisher@gmail.com or post/comment back and we’ll try our best to respond quickly.
* Cellan-Jones, Rory., ‘The Book’s not finished yet’, BBC News, <www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22366415> [Accessed 21/03/2014]
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