Digital Revolution and the Book Publishing Industry

Throughout the history of book publishing industry, there have never been a profound and turbulent change as the one been brought by the digital revolution. Digital technology today more than ever has transformed the publishing industry than any other time. Therefore, the digital revolution has brought not only tremendous economic opportunities to the publishing companies but also extended the unparalleled success for authors and writers. It is important to know that although the digital transformation has been benefited the publishing companies and some authors. However, it has also played an important role to liquidate the small to medium book sellers as they are no longer able to compete with global chain monopolies. Therefore, as David Malouf said in his lecture that “publishing industries these days are demand driven not quality driven”.

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The digital revolution is still a new phenomenon for not only publishers but also for booksellers and authors. It is similarly important to understand and consider that the digital revolution pendulum is still swinging and no one is aware where it will stop. But authors, particularly new and emerging writers must be flexible and adoptive to new technologies. They can use these technological and digital platforms to their advantage and could increase their reader’s realm. However, the question will be still the same as today, where and what will be the role of the books in an era preoccupied with super-fast computers and the light wave speed internet? How the book publishing industries will be transformed by the economic and the technological upheaval of coming times. And it is certainly another matter. Nonetheless, it is imminent that the changes will certainly occur in different shapes and forms. As David in his lecture noted that “throughout my writing careers I have observed upheaval changes in the publishing industries as the companies have come and gone but only those who accepted the changes stood out”. However, he also mentioned that “I stood with one publishing company only” as he found easy to work and deal with one publisher.

Books particularly digital books in the digital era will become a standard work of the publishing industry at the beginning to middle of the 21st century. It will be of great interest for upcoming professionals in the publishing industries, young students and other policy makers to not only be adaptive but also embrace the new digital age and transformation.

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I remember from the very first day of the festival that Sunil was in conversation with Richard as both talked about the irruptive nature of digital world. He mentioned that “We are living in a brutal globalised economy” that no one is immune from side effect of it. Sunil also mentioned that he suffered personally from this digital world as he “lost his computer and personal hard drive” where the book was written for almost six to seven thousand words in length. Therefore, he has lost all the hard work of two and half years in a simple incident of burglary however, he was not sure if he wanted to publish the writings which he has lost. 
On the other hand, as a new and emergent writer he also benefited tremendously from the digital age. Within a short period of time, after publishing his book he became well-known to the readers and publishers. Therefore, it would be easy for him to publish his new work easily with possibly any publishing company in the world. Thus, his success is partly linked to digital world.

Well, although he had lost some work in the beginning of his writing career because of digital technology however it did not bothered him as the digital world compensate for the loss he has occurred. 

Image Courtesy: Becc K.