tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32896410.post2330617056298973960..comments2023-07-02T06:11:56.794-05:00Comments on Survival of the Book: Reasons I'm E-Worried, but not E-ScaredBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09277741178537732462noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32896410.post-44304204596432027622009-10-02T15:24:04.569-05:002009-10-02T15:24:04.569-05:00I guess I'm much more optimistic about new tec...I guess I'm much more optimistic about new technologies and smart innovations that will make those filters possible. We just have to get used to the idea that sometimes the good stuff will start at the bottom and work its way up to something like the NYT book review. <br /><br />And I don't think there's a need to get rid of the people who evaluate the quality in books - we just don't have to completely ignore the books that don't make the cut anymore. Because some forms of publishing are so cheap, the really good books can get the benefit of the big marketing campaign, the featured spot at Borders, but the rest can still be available to those who are interested.Jonhttp://www.ebooksyearntobefree.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32896410.post-43110324200353171402009-10-01T21:08:23.687-05:002009-10-01T21:08:23.687-05:00I appreciate comments left by both Jons. Oops, tha...I appreciate comments left by both Jons. Oops, that doesn't sound right.<br /><br />Jon, I guess I'm not sure that successful models are out there for helping readers find their way through the "tons of garbage" that will be unleashed on the world. And as others have said, there is also the concern that people will be so involved in their own areas of interest that they will never look to other areas to expand their thinking, instead just sorting through the garbage being published in US history, or romance, or manga, or whatever they like, never lifting their head to see whats going on next door.<br /><br />And JonJ, I have experienced a moment with a writer when they go from being very protective of their writing to handing it over, not just to an editor (me), but to the designer, to production people, to the marketing folks that will help spread the word. If this process is handled well, it becomes an exciting team effort that is gratifying for the author and for others. A world in which authors proudly edit and publish themselves without any help, clutching their pennies of earnings, is not a very happy one, it seems to me. It's not my lunch I'm worried about, it's the community aspect of publishing and the excitement of getting behind a new voice and/or idea as a group. But I won't deny a slight bit of technophobia, which I prefer to think of as technoskepticism.Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09277741178537732462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32896410.post-81882553949237175172009-10-01T16:18:10.075-05:002009-10-01T16:18:10.075-05:00"I'm constantly amazed at the tinny noise..."I'm constantly amazed at the tinny noise coming from college kids' headphones."<br /><br />Well, if you were <i>wearing</i> the headphones, dude, it wouldn't sound tinny!<br /><br />Seriously, this post is just technophobia, mixed with some justified panic that one day self-published writers will actually learn editing skills and eat your lunch. In fact I have; my partner has; my son has. It's a hell of a lot easier than learning to write in the first place, and a hell of a lot cheaper than handing over most of the gross to some self-appointed 'gatekeeper'.Jon Jermeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12802157835972797573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32896410.post-244002814987415012009-10-01T13:30:50.952-05:002009-10-01T13:30:50.952-05:00By editorial process, do you mean a professional e...By editorial process, do you mean a professional editor working with the author to create a better book (from fixing typos to major structural changes), or do you mean the publisher/editor deciding which books are fit for public consumption?<br /><br />Because the first part won't go away because of ebooks - people still want quality literature, and a good editor goes a long way towards making this happen.<br /><br />But with such low costs of distribution these days, and not just for ebooks, the idea that only something that a publishing company is willing to take a risk on is worth sharing with the world is an idea that needs to go away.<br /><br />Sure, we'll get tons of garbage and books that should never have seen the light of day. But that doesn't detract from the really good stuff so long as we have ways of finding it. It used to be that the seal of approval from a publisher was the only way to do that. That's not true anymore.<br /><br />So, don't worry about professional editing. That's not going away. But some other parts of the publishing industry will, and I think that's going to be a good thing.Jonhttp://www.ebooksyearntobefree.comnoreply@blogger.com