As the distribution and pricing shakes out and as the industry transforms, we can choose to buy or not buy, depending on our interest and the price. Should we not want to pay Macmillan's proposed $14.99 ebook price, we don't have to. The price will eventually come down, once the title has been on the market for a while.
In the meantime, if you don't want to buy a book or ebook, there are plenty of online web sites where you can download free ebooks. Whether you have a Kindle, a nook, Sony's Reader or any other brand, thousands of titles are available (Amazon lists 420,000 on their web site alone), including over 500,000 in the public domain.
This is just the beginning. The electronic readers change almost daily and new manufacturers and new models are in constant development. The technology is also in its infancy, developing new screens and better battery life, as well as new features.
Watching the changes in this industry is almost as exciting as reading a good book. The staid book market is morphing into a dynamic industry, and the fun has just begun.
1. New Book Titles and Editions; Bowker - http://www.bowker.com/index.php/book-industry-statistics
2. Book writers and music artists sometimes have expenses and other costs applied against their percentages. Deduct 10% to 15% of their total for an agents fee and their total drops considerably.
Article comments
1 - Lynn Voedisch
As both an author and reader, I'm thrilled with the arrival of the Kindle and its competitors. Easy to read, pack and carry for the reader--and the Kindle transfers the information to your iPhone or iPod Touch. I'm less enthused with the Sony Reader because it doesn't support the Mac. However, they will all agree on a single design one day.
As an author, I watched a once moribund book (when print sales dropped to zero) start to rebound. I got a nice little royalty check at the end of this year, which means people out there are choosing the ease and the relative cheapness of the Kindle.
Books aren't going away, but the E-books are a great addtion. I can't wait to see what the iMacs bring to the table.