E-books Do Not Change Publishers Protocol

The once slow paced facet of publishing, electronic books are now growing steadily in the market place. It is a great debate on whether or not e-books will surpass cloth or physical print copies of books. The incline of e-books sales is a telling sign of where the industry is headed. There were several questions posed by Professor Arnie Grossbaltt on just that fact. He wanted to know should publisher actively look at e-books differently. Such as considering the key function list given in reading of figure 1.3 in John Thompson’s book Books in the Digital Age in regards to digital publishing. The questions asked: What, if anything is missing from this list; are there any activities that no longer apply? With respect to the list of value-add activities for traditional print publishing, what areas are most affected by a transition to digital publishing? Can you rank or score the value-add areas by degree of impact from the transition to digital publishing? Consider your responses above in light of different market segments. How would your ratings above change if you were focusing on each of the market segments below in turn: trade publishing, scholarly publishing, reference publishing, professional publishing, and educational publishing?


In respect to the six key functions of a publisher formulated in Thompson’s book Books in the Digital Age there is no add -value activity missing for digital publishing transition . Here brings in the conundrum of e-publishing things have to be looked at in different terms. All activities need to be looked at carefully though transition has happened. Whether a physical or electronic book a book is still a book. Now things are done cheaper because of low overhead for manufacturing costs unlike with physical book. Though all protocol is the same key functions switch places for e-publishing.

Undoubtedly the add value list is changed, but for a solvent use for e-publishers. Content development most definitely is most changed. Content development step number three is less valued due to the fact the, “an author is in excellent condition and needs very little input” (25). But, the determining factor is if the original gatekeeper (i.e. acquisition editor of original publisher) do enough to make book a viable e-copy. It would be less creating content, but cultivating content to adhere to electronic guidelines. The point of sale would be different once turned into an e-book it less intermediaries to get book to last point of the publishing chain as shown in figure1.1 (20). This would then differentiate marketing strategies. Ranking the functions are as follows 1. Content Acquisition 2. Financial 3.Management 4. Quality Control 5. Development of Content 6 Sales and Marketing. The position change only because the cost of and e-book cost is more on the front of the publishing process that is why more management is needed. Taking in account subsidiary rights and production process of e-book. All different types of publishers use different models of key publishing functions.


In reference to all other areas of publishing such as these: trade publishing, scholarly publishing, reference publishing, professional publishing, educational publishing add value list are fortified more in various parts. Take trade publishing for instance in financing it is books more front end of the publishing process (pre-press cost). Trade publishing is on the high end of giving higher advances to authors and quality production exclaims Thompson. Where as in college textbook the more money put in to content development, “ moreover, major college text book publishers have relatively high overhead costs, since they commonly support large sales forces, among other things.” The publishers of college text draw on big number of prints to solidify investments and make GPM. Scholarly publishing has low cost for manufacturing which it makes it more profitable on returns. All other publishing market segments such as reference publishing, professional publishing, educational publishing, will most definitely be changed as well. As Thompson states, “While the basic economics of book publishing are common to different sectors of the industry, the details vary great deal from one type of publishing to another” (27). So whether e-publishing or any other publishing schema the key functions stay same it is where publisher put dollars that change. It could be in acquisitions or marketing, the add value list is still sufficient for any book life cycle.