Book Clubs on a Mission to Change Publishing Industry
Wednesday, April 25th, 2012Much to the chagrin of the well-entrenched, stodgy traditional publishers, the landscape of the publishing industry has literally been transformed overnight. Changes in recent years have brought about an exciting era for both authors and readers. The advent of self-publishing and the proliferation of e-readers has moved power away from this tightly knit old-boys network and into the hands of the reader.
During this period, we’ve seen a rise in the power of Amazon, bloggers, and now the average reader. Thanks to the web-tocracy most of us now inhabit on a daily basis, each person’s voice has power. Simply clicking ‘Like’, leaving a comment, or writing a blog post adds our vote to the never-ending stream of consumer preferences that weaves its way through our networks. When enough people cast their vote in one direction, we can make a real difference and make something go ‘viral’.
In recent years, experts began predicting the fall of publishing, and ultimately reading. Considering society’s thirst for online interactions, which are only the sum of a series of short-lived bursts of information, it was an understandable conclusion. The demand to be entertained, in which each new image, news article, or video tries to steal your attention from the last, has had a perilous effect on our attention spans. Add to that the growing acceptance of poor grammar and spelling to communicate through Twitter and texting, and it would seem that the experts had it right. Shockingly, the opposite has actually been true. The amount of people reading is actually on the rise. We attribute this trend to a revival of interest in book clubs. Conduct a quick search on Bing and you will see that book clubs are springing up everywhere. Celebrities such as Oprah have made book clubs en vogue. For proof of these trends, look no further than websites such as Readers Circle, Book Club Reading List, and GoodReads.
There are book clubs that actually focus on creating this viral event for authors. One such club is The Lit-Tank, hosted by Book Club Reading List. It is the literary equivalent of the television show, The Shark Tank. Instead of vetting entrepreneurs and their business ideas, members interrogate authors and vote for one of three self-published books selected to compete for the group’s promotional support that month. After an author’s book is selected, the group reads it. If they like the book, the members will follow a simple one-week plan to help drive traffic to the novel through various online activities. This offers the author a valuable service. Knowing they may have played a significant role in launching an author’s success makes the group’s efforts more meaningful.
The rules of the game are changing so fast that we’ve simply done away with the old rule book. The result has been a unique self-fulfilling prophecy. Greater access to high-quality literature by up and coming writers at cheap prices has created demand for e-readers. When people make this investment, they are more likely to increase their desire for e-books. As the traditional publishers double-down on reality TV celebrity fluff that does little to enhance our lives, and they try to peddle it at premium prices, consumers become more willing to give self-published novels a try. People are joining book clubs like The Lit-Tank to have more input and let the publishing industry know which books and authors truly deserve their attention.
Looking for a medical thriller? Steve Pojerova is a twenty year veteran of the publishing industry with a knack for spotting up and coming talent. When he’s not reviewing books or entertaining his online book club, he’s busy blogging about the ever-changing publishing industry.