… and I feel fine!
This article (sent to me by client and friend Byron Thompson) predicts the demise of publishers at the hands of retailers like Amazon and Apple.
Meanwhile, this article predicts the decline of—you guessed it—retailers like Amazon and Apple, at least when it comes to selling books and other media like music.
These types of articles sometimes make us wring our hands and fret: what, oh what, are we to do?
How will we ever survive without NY publishers… or even worse, without retailers like the mighty Amazon and the amazing Apple?
I think there’s nothing to worry about, and let me tell you a story that illustrates my thinking why:
Back when I was in middle school, I loved reading Michael Crichton sci-fi thrillers like Congo, The Andromeda Strain, and Sphere.
This was around the time when the first Jurassic Park movie came out.
One time, I remember being so wrapped up in one of his books during lunch hour that I missed my next class!
And where did I buy most of my Michael Crichton novels back then?
Why, my local Borders Books, of course.
You know—the chain that declared bankruptcy in 2011!
My point is that publishing players, including retailers, come and go—but readers will always seek out great books.
Sometimes they may even miss class in the process!
If you don’t want to be vulnerable to the winds of change in the publishing industry yourself, the best insurance policy you can have is your own platform.
That way, you’ll always have fans, regardless of whether people are buying books at a physical store or renting them from an online retailer on a subscription plan.
It seems like a daunting task, but we’ve made it as easy as possible for you.
If you haven’t already, register to check out the presentation “The ONE Way to Market Your Book.”
And go delight your fans!
Happy Wednesday,
Grael
Grael Norton
Wheatmark, Inc.
PS: Have you ever lost track of time while reading a book? Tell me which one was the cause in the comments section below!
