At a writing conference last year, industry professionals said publishing has changed more in the last seven months than in the last twenty-seven years combined.
It’s true. Publishing is in frenzied state of mind-boggling change and rapid-fire flux. No one really knows what the new industry normal will end up looking like. While it’s a time of change, I don’t think it’s a time to be afraid.
One change has been the massive effort by publishers to digitize books. There can be certain drawbacks for authors with previously published OOP (Out Of Print) books. Especially when contracts are vague regarding the recovery of rights on those books. If you’re entering into contract, pay close attention to Digital Rights Reversion clauses and Digital Royalty Rates.
That said, I believe it is of great benefit to authors that publishers are digitizing our books. This applies if you’re an aspiring author trying to break in. Or if you’re an established author with books in print, yet not available in stores.
Category (mass market) books have a shelf life of under a month before books become unavailable or hard to find. E-reader sales are on the rise. This is great news for authors. It means our books will be available for download for YEARS. Not just weeks or months if you write single title (longer length) books. So take heart!
I attended a reader-friendly writing conference last year. My Love Inspired category romance books were sold out of print at conference time. The conference hosted a Meet the Author event where authors sat at round tables, leaving every other chair open for readers. In five minute stints every single person who sat next to me instantly downloaded one or more of my books onto e-readers they brought to conference. I was blown away. These sales wouldn’t have happened had my books only been in print form. The only way to get older print books is by hitting up eBay or used book vendors.
Fact: readers are veering toward e-readers and e-books. Does this mean print books are becoming extinct? No. However, e-book sales will continue to rise at alarming rates but don’t be alarmed. This means our books could be available long after we are. LOL! Could be a decade but my opinion/prediction is that e-book sales WILL eventually overtake print book sales.
Do you own an e-reader yet? If so, what kind? What features do you love about it? What features would you change/improve? If you don’t own an e-reader, which one appeals most?
My next book releases August 2011 (The Doctor’s Devotion-Love Inspired Books). My award-winning Wings of Refuge Series (Love Inspired) remains available at online booksellers. Links on my Web site: www.cherylwyatt.com.
Don’t have an e-reader? I give away Kindles regularly on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Cheryl-Wyatt/125195854163734
To join my page, click the link and hit “Like.”
Hope to see you there! In the meantime, I’d love to hear your take on e-readers and E-books. 
Warmly, Cheryl Wyatt
Born Valentine’s Day on a naval base, RN Cheryl Wyatt writes Inspirational military, medical and rescue romance. Her Steeple Hill debuts earned RT Top Picks plus #1 and #4 on eHarlequin’s Top 10 Most-Blogged-About-Books, lists including NYT Bestsellers. She is a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award Winner and a Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence finalist.