Reader Michael Downend this morning brought to my attention a sobering opinion piece by the highly-regarded New York Times columnist Paul Krugman entitled “Bits, Bands and Books,” published last Friday.
The Amazon Kindle e-book reader, Krugman declares after playing with one for a couple of months, “is a good enough package that my guess is that digital readers will soon become common, perhaps even the usual way we read books.” His column explores the implications of that.
Readers are chiming into the discussion with Letters To The Editor, three of which were put online today. They worry not only about the future of the book, but also about the future of writers
Provocative stuff…
Sorry, comments are closed.
Comment by
Kristi Holl
10 Jun 2008
Regardless of how we read books in the future, writers will still be needed to write them. And until all the baby boomers die off, there will be a huge demand for printed material. They’re used to print books–and their eyes can only take so many hours of screen reading. And can you picture cuddling up with your grandchild and a Kindle to read a bedtime story?
Comment by
Tom Colvin
10 Jun 2008
Well, yes, Kristi. I agree. BUT Krugman’s main point is that writers will earn less and less, or even NOT be paid at all for their writing, which will be available for very low cost or even free. Instead, writers must discover how to earn a living at ancillary activities: readings, book signings, sales perhaps of T-shirts, etc. That, of course, will take a huge reorientation by writers.
As I am also a musician, I already see this very clearly. CD sales are declining. My own CD has been “pirated” in the Philippines, at I get nothing at all from it. Most of our material is available online for free. [Search Google and YouTube for LAMPANO ALLEY.] We only earn money from T-shirts, mugs and the occasional major music festival.
The same will happen to writers, as the Kindle catches up with mp3 players in popularity.