My writing week 3 (15)

Hi all,

Despite a concerted effort over the weekend I failed to increase my word count from that of the week before, discontinuing a rise in words that had been occurring over the past few weeks. Alas, life continues to intervene.

I wasted a lot of time trying to figure out the effect the ipad and kindle might have on the Australian book market. UK Amazon doesn't have its own kindle bookstore, they are directed to Amazon USA, so we won't be getting our own store in Australia. With their titles sprinkled among tonnes of cheap US ebooks, Australian publishers will have little choice but to charge the same.

With dirt cheap ebooks, the Australian paperback/hardcover market will be decimated. But at least we will have cheap ebooks. Instead of buying a $35 new release paperback written by a new Aussie author I will be able to buy the complete ebooks collections of Dan Brown or Stephenie Meyers.

I have been trying to like the concept of ebooks and ebook readers, thinking that it might make it easier for an new author to get published, but I don't think it will. Cheaper (e)books mean lower profit margins and thus less money to splurge on new authors. There will also be a flood of free ebooks from wannabee authors and a massively increased number of vanity publishers.

Technology is to be used, not worshiped. Ebooks readers are just crappy little electronic devices that add nothing of value to the reading experience.

Graham.

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