The Future of Reading and Writing

I received a copy of this article from April 1, 2013’s Washington Post from my wonderful parents who live in the DC Suburbs.  Mom thought it would be something of interest to me, and too right she was!  It’s a fascinating look at how (8) individuals in the industry have taken to the changes in the industry:

Mark Athitakis, Book Reviewer, he has a blog here on WordPress and can be found here

Ginnie Cooper, Librarian at a DC Public Library

Raphael Sagalyn, The Literary Agent

Bettina Lanyi, The Aspiring Novelist

Richard Peabody, The Writing Teacher

Jennifer Miller, The Novelist-Entrepreneur

Mark LaFramboise, The Bookseller

David Miller, The Publisher

Very interesting read, good concepts from almost all sides brought to the forefront; the publisher, the authors, the librarian, the publisher, the reviewer, and the teacher – amazing assembly with several really good points made.  The integration of eBooks into libraries as seen through the eyes of the librarian – the reviewer’s inability to put notes in the margins of the books he’s reading on his eReader – ironic huh?  The publisher who is seeing first hand the evolution of the industry – books are no longer just books but an integrated media – newspapers are no longer just newspapers but an experience.  The literary/writing instructor guiding nubile minds of would be authors through the trenches of an evolving industry.  One where simply submitting a manuscript to a publisher is no longer the only option – but where authors are also entrepreneurs marketing their books and themselves.  Sometimes through the traditional route of going through the agent to the publishing house to finally the bookseller – who wishes to retain his customers through an age-old sales custom of building relationships.  The self-published author has to find a way to join hands essentially with the bookseller, whom may be able to point them to an agent, who will then hook them into a publisher, who then sells the concept, its cyclical really.

And yet, each member of this group is separate – each moving moving forward while trying to navigate this new landscape – one rich with opportunity yet fraught with unknowns.  Where it goes, and where it ends is unknown – what is known that each contributors “Map & Compass” is slightly different – a variation on the same theme:  Go Digital, while trying to adapt, as the industry has done for centuries.  The advent of digital media/eBooks/eReaders is just another turn in the evolution of the industry.

Here is a link to the Article on Cape Cod Online (it’s been archived through the Post)