Publishing: What to Expect in 2014

Reality, Predictions, Strategies

REALITY

“«This is another benchmark moment», said publishing consultant and DBW partner Mike Shatzkin. «The number of small- and self-published books achieving real commercial success will continue to rise; the gatekeeping role of established publishers will continue — gradually and then, sooner or later, suddenly — to fade to relative irrelevance. What’s the over-under for self-published titles in the top-10 by the end of the year? Three? Six? It surely is higher than two!»”
Self-Published Ebooks Are Nos. 1 and 2 Best-Sellers, Average Price Drops to All-Time Low | Jeremy Greenfield | ow.ly/s6SUX

PREDICTIONS

“In a big year for e-books, two behemoths went to court while new services and companies emerged. Apple faced allegations over e-book pricing, calling into question the prices of e-books in general. Amazon went to court over access to e-books but saw its case tossed. New services from Amazon and streaming e-book companies emerged in the market, while Nook still declines”
Top 10 E-Book Trends of 2013: Apple Loses; Amazon Wins; Prices Drop | Lauren Simonis | http://prsm.tc/F58fbj

“Readers are savvy about the books they want to read and authors they want to engage with and 2014 will make it all about them. Being an author means serving your reader in ways that really speak to them directly.“
Readers are key. Book Marketing Predictions for 2014 | Penny C. Sansevieri| http://ow.ly/s6Teu

STRATEGIES

“Micro-publishing is not new, but when I use the term, I am referring to both the size of my publishing “house” and the length of my publications. In other words, micro-published books are short, tight, and swift. Experienced authors can deliver them in a steady flow, which can be less demanding and taxing than what it takes to create full-length books.”
6 Ways Micro-Publishing Strengthens Your Author Career | Kristina Katz | http://prsm.tc/7mlgBv

“The ability to sell ebooks as an independent author is easier than ever before. In some ways, a cult-like following has developed for self-published ebooks among cost-conscious readers and techno-geeks. Many people feel cool downloading books at cheap prices and helping drive the e-reading revolution. If you want to join the fray and sell ebooks to a wider audience, use these five tips to market like a pro.”
How to Sell Ebooks: 5 Proven Tips | Rob Eagar | http://ow.ly/s6VAU

BONUS LINK

“This market is changing so rapidly, what we predict today will be obsolete in another year. Or a matter of months. I don’t make predictions, but here are a few lessons I’ve learned.”
Ten Things I Learned About Independent Publishing in 2013 | Elizabeth Hunter | http://ow.ly/s5sFI

Twitter: @gg
(My italian blog)