My guess is that book publishers will get roaylly pissed if ebooks got too disruptive (too cheap or too much oryalty going to authors) and then would strong-arm writers into not doing any digital sales at all.
It's better to wait till more books are sold in electronic form than dead-tree form and then dictate your own conditions to publishers.
At least that's what I want to think, Bezos seems like a nice fellow so I feel like finding a good reason for him keeping 65%.
Digital publication is going to kill the B&M industry, at least as it exists now, anyway.
The purpose served by the publishers, for the author, was to invest in a young, talented author's career. Publishing houses knew that they were losing money, but the purpose of doing so was to build a relationship so that, once the author had built a reputation and was a money-winner, the investment would pay off.
Now, advances are at McDonalds rates and publicity budgets are nonexistent. The only thing they have to offer is distribution, and that can be handled electronically.
I disagree the B&M's provide services that people like. Browsing, reading, social space. Been to an Barns & Noble lately, very much like Starbucks. In that they are selling a lifestyle and environment more than they are selling coffee. When books are distributed and produced digitally they will get POD and service the niche that still wants paper.
Publishers and distributors, they are Dodo's. They cost more and aren't as good as digital distribution/production.
> Been to an Barns & Noble lately, very much like Starbucks.
Question: why can't Starbucks replace them then? It's a serious question - why can't Starbucks' have a e-book kiosk, where you can browse and buy books for your Kindle/Sony Reader/Nook/etc? Seems like that would include the best of both worlds - the environment to socialize and read, and the efficiency of digital distribution.
I was talking about B&M publishers, not bookstores.
Bookstores will find a way to adapt, especially because the major publishing houses aren't going to die; they're going to be like IBM and Microsoft-- too big and important to disappear, but less important.
It's better to wait till more books are sold in electronic form than dead-tree form and then dictate your own conditions to publishers.
At least that's what I want to think, Bezos seems like a nice fellow so I feel like finding a good reason for him keeping 65%.