The Printed Book is Back and It never Really went away

In 2014, Tech people and business execs said that the printed book was dead. The Kindle and the Nook would end printed books. Borders bookstores closed. Barnes and Noble had downsizing plans.

I have nothing against the Kindle. I have several titles published through KDP and I have loads of books to read on my Kindle.

The business people weren’t correct.

The printed book didn’t die. Actually the printed book stayed and increased sales. People ordered printed books during COVID.

There are more independent bookstores today than 2019. Barnes and Noble divested of the Nook. Is the e-book dying? No. There are millions of sales everyday.

It appears two things happened.

1 Corporate Publishers screwed it up. The ebook was the cheaper alternative to a big hardcover book. It was easier to carry a Kindle. The accountants didn’t like the less money so they jacked up the prices of the ebook to where it didn’t matter what version of the book you bought. The publishers didn’t want more book sales at a lower price. They wanted less sales at a higher price. It’s not that the writers demanded higher prices. They didn’t get better royalties. Smaller publishers that get the positives of the ebook pricing are doing well. Their authors sell and it’s what keeps the ebook alive.

2 Book stores realized that readers like to talk about their favorite books. They need a place to share the books. The small books stores host authors and reading groups. The corporate accountants at B&N screwed it up, but the smaller places figured it out. I like B&N and I hope they get some corporate people that are part of the writing and book community and they get back on track. Classics Bookstore in Trenton has new authors all the time. Libraries have author lectures all the time. There are book festivals now in places like Brooklyn, NY, Collingswood, NJ and Monclair, NJ.

There are plenty of new books out there. However you find them, however you read them, please enjoy.