Some Good News For Writers

I’ve blogged a few times about the depressing state of the publishing industry in the UK - see More Bad News for Writers and Bimbo Publishing.

So I was relieved and pleased to come across a more heartening report on ABC News that says that small publishers are thriving in the face of common wisdom.

This is due partly to digital technology which offers print on demand (known as POD) – a book is stored in digital format and when it is ordered by a customer or bookstore, the printer can do the equivalent of “click on Print” and the material object book can be produced and shipped within a few days. This saves on warehousing costs for stock and the risk of having excess unsold stock.

Traditionalists often query the value of POD because of print quality issues. Technology has come a long way in a short time and the quality is pretty good - it can be difficult to tell the difference between a POD book and a ‘warehouse’ book. The second edition of The Flame Tree is published using POD technology and I am more than happy with the look and feel of the book.

The ABC News report also says that some writers also prefer the intimacy of working with a small publisher as there is more opportunity for a more personal working relationship.

Read the full item here - http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/print?id=2043027