NEW YORK – November 2, 2009 – "While I take a back seat to no one in arguing that publishers owe it to readers to provide books in all formats at reasonable prices, and that the customer ultimately drives the business, it's important to remember that publishers have another set of customers who are in play and upon whom they are equally dependent" says Don Linn, former Owner/CEO of Consortium Book Sales & Distribution. "Those customers are called authors and creators and we need to balance their economic realities with those of readers."The impact of pricing on midlist authors, the workhorses of most publishers' backlists, is the topic of discussion in Linn's op-ed, Caught in the Middle: Publishing's Other Customers, published today on the Digital Book World blog.
"We need these writers and a significant component of a publishers' role is to sustain, encourage and build their careers," Linn explains. "When content's price and value is pushed below a sustainable level for publishers, these writers will suffer."
Linn—a publishing veteran who recently founded and quickly disbanded his epublishing initiative, Quartet Press—will be moderating a provocative panel discussion, New Business Models: Changing the Commercial Rules of Publishing, at the upcoming Digital Book World Conference, January 26-27, 2010 in New York City. Panelists will include Diane Naughton, HarperCollins; Richard Nash, Cursor; Eoin Purcell, Green Lamp Media; and Chris Morrow, Northshire Bookstore.
Digital Book World will also address the pricing issue head on with Ebook Pricing: What They Should Cost, and Why, bringing together Tim McCall, Penguin Group USA; Michael Tamblyn, Shortcovers; and Kassia Kroszer, BookSquare to discuss how publishers should approach the subject of eBook pricing, as well as how much control they actually have. In Back-Loaded Book Deals: No (and Low) Advance Contracts, Profit-Sharing and Other Innovative Business Models, speakers Roger Cooper, Perseus; Robert Miller, HarperStudio; and Susan Ginsburg, Writer's House will discuss their own new models and how the new terms can represent a win-win... and when they don't.
Find a schedule-at-a glance and learn more about Digital Book World programs and events and register by November 20 for a discounted early rate to the Conference at www.digitalbookworld.com or follow @digibookworld on Twitter or join the Digital Book World group on LinkedIn.
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Digital Book World is owned and operated by F+W Media, Inc., a leading multimedia company. For nearly a century F+W has provided information and inspiration for core enthusiast communities, including writing, art, graphic design, outdoors, antiques & collectibles, woodworking, among others. The Company’s charter publications Writer’s Digest magazine and Writer’s Market, continue to be the key resources for aspiring and published writers alike. In addition to more than 500 new book titles a year, the Company maintains a backlist of more than 2,500 titles, publishes nearly 40 magazines, owns and operates dozens of informational and subscription-based Web sites, and operates a growing number of successful consumer and trade shows annually.