The online Publisher’s Weekly newsletter earlier this week offered an important article looking into the recent announcement by Amazon intimating that it may only distribute print-on-demand books prepared by its subsidiary Booksurge. The implications of such a move are signficant for writers considering the self-publishing route.
The article includes reactions from the CEO of Ingram Book Group, which has an interest in the competing POD publisher Lightning Source. Obviously, Amazon’s announcement is raising a lot of questions within the industry.
These questions are more fully explored in a blog article by Richard Curtis at EReads. Richard brought my attention to his own reactions via the comments section under the PW article.
Late in the week, PMA, an association of independent book publishers, issued its own statement, again reported by Publisher’s Weekly, objecting to the Amazon announcement and has called on Amazon to rethink its strategy.
Both the PW articles and the EReads reaction are important reads for writers as they look toward the future. This is a matter worth tracking.
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Comment by
Jeremy Osborne
11 Apr 2008
I figured it would only be a matter of time until Amazon did a bit of body-blocking with their weight. Thanks for posting this, I wouldn’t have found it if it wasn’t on your blog.
Comment by
Tom Colvin
12 Apr 2008
I was surprised myself, Jeremy, that word about the Amazon POD decision did not get more attention initially. Word, though, is beginning to spread. Maria Schneider, editor of Writer’s Digest, has posted about the issue on her blog at the magazine’s website, which will bring the matter to a lot more eyes. She’s also posted the full “open letter” from Amazon, explaining its actions, a letter which makes me even less happy with Amazon’s decision.