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Why Cell Phone Fiction Is Part of Publishing's Future

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Why Cell Phone Fiction Is Part of Publishing's Future publishingperspectives and Wednesday, May 26, 2010 BOOKEXPO AMERICA 2010 This publication is available at the following booths: Turning Browsers into Buyers (and at 35 hotels across Manhattan) The Worldview from IDPF 2010 Booth #4429 Booth #2541 By Edward Nawotka Conversations about publishing during these contentious times tend to begin and end with the “digital ques- Stores in NYC tion.” And, while in previous years at BEA there was growing angst that digi- Booth #3705 tal publishing was a sinkhole threaten- ing to swallow the industry, confidence is growing as publishers, distributors and marketers are finding solutions Booth #2265 to the key questions of how to attract readers, and how to convert them from Booth #2341 browsers into buyers. Audience at the IDPF Digital Book Conference (Photo: Ben Papaleo) Sometimes, the solutions are so simple as to seem almost elemen- IDPF Digital Book world conference “browsers to buyers” over the past 12 tary: “What we believe is that you use that took place yesterday. months. Citing his company’s work with While romance is also seen as Booth #3776, readers to find readers, and content to Millsandboon.co.uk—the UK e-book something of an exception, since it is 3777, 3877 sell content,” said Tyler Ruse, senior director of solution consulting for subsidiary of Harlequin—Ruse noted a clearly defined market with raven- that with something as simple as imple- ous readers, much the same can be Booth #3673 LibreDigital, an e-book conversion and promotion company based in Austin, menting “book previews” into the site, said for the manga market, particularly (continued on page 3) Booth #3870 Texas, during a morning session at the they have seen a 16% conversion from in a country Booth #3340 Global Market Forum: Who Will Buy Spain’s New E-books? 3341 By Emily williams As the Spanish publishers get Booth #4340 ready to unveil their digital platform, Libranda, later this week, BEA con- Booth #3673 vened a panel to discuss the Spanish book market in the US and the poten- tial for new Spanish e-books to reach Booth #3822, readers here. Ediciona’s Arantxa Mel- 3823, 3928, lado, moderated a lively debate between 3931, 4031 Booth #4140, Patricia Arancibia, Spanish book buyer 4141 for Barnes & Noble, and Planeta CEO Subscribe to Jesús Badenes, with Larry Bennett from Publishing Perspectives Baker & Taylor playing the distributor’s part of peacemaker. Spain’s new Libranda platform is designed to work as a distributor, selling e-books exclusively through booksellers rather than direct to con- Booth #3466 sumers, a model Badenes says they will Sign up for our FREE daily email edition at extend country by country to the rest of the Spanish- (continued on page 13) www.publishingperspectives.com PUBLISHING PERSPECTIVES & KIRKUS REVIEWS 2 BOOKEXPO AMERICA 2010 PUBLISHING PERSPECTIVES & KIRKUS REVIEWS 3 BOOKEXPO AMERICA 2010 Shanda Brings Chinese-style E-publishing to the US Big Ideas from “Reading Happens Everywhere”: IDFP Conference cont’d like Japan. said Michael Tamblyn, executive vice this translates into a company able to (continued from page 1) By WenguaNg HuaNg tabase of three million user-generated Paul Saffo Speaking at president for content, sales and mer- cater to a genuinely global book buying Shanda Literature Ltd (SDL), one titles. In all, some 930,000 writers have the same IDPF session on the “Global chandizing for Kobo—the Canadian market—something that the large con- Futurist and Stanford University of China’s largest online publishers contributed to Shanda’s sites. For titles Digital Book Community,” Daihei e-bookseller. On the face of it, it’s an glomerate publishers, many of whom professor Paul Saffo will be lecturing at of reader-generated literary works, is that attract the most number of read- Shiohama, head of international busi- obvious statement, but Tamblyn was continue to struggle with relinquish- the newly re-christened Yale Publish- planning to set up a US subsidiary in ers, Shanda works to publish them as ness for Voyager, the leading Japanese quick to point out that this doesn’t just ing legacy models for new ones, must ing Course later this summer. As a San Francisco and launch or acquire an traditional books and then adapt them e-book retailer, pointed out that the mean devices, but geography as well. acknowledge is the way forward. long-time industry observer, he notes English-language literary website that for other types of media, such as films, e-book market in Japan was valued at Taking just a single day of sales for If digital does anything, it pools four things publishers can do now to specifically targets mainstream Ameri- cartoons or games. some $600 million per year —double Kobo e-books, Tamblyn said the com- readers from around the world into one improve their prospects in an increas- can writers and readers. Acknowledging the differences in that of the United States. “A full 80% of pany had delivered e-books to readers giant community. The important point ingly digital future. Hongli Zhou, SDL’s chief copyright culture as well as the publishing envi- sales were to cell phone users and the in more than 170 countries, including of this isn’t so much that “readers are officer (CCO), told Publishing Perspec- ronment between China and the US, e-books bought primarily by women one title to Vanuatu. everywhere,” but that publishers, book- learn from Earlier disruptive tives the US expansion is part of the Zhou notes that Shanda’s US subsidiary in their 20s,” he noted, acknowledg- “The company was built from the sellers, and digital service providers the technologies: company’s global development strategy. will be managed by Chinese executives ing that “Japan is uniquely ahead of ground up to respect foreign rights,” world over are on equal footing and “We want to test our unique business and technical staff who are well versed “Look at the period of television, the world in this regard and manga is he said, and accordingly they now do have an opportunity to take advantage model in the US which is a mature and in the Shanda operations, and will hire from about 1951 to 1964. ,” says Saffo. uniquely suited to reading on mobile business with 200 countries, including of the vast global marketplace. “You’ll find that something as simple important market for digital publishing Shanda COO Hongli Zhou (third on the left) and CEO Hou Xiaoqiang (second on the right) local editors, managers, engineers and phones.” A key component of Voyager’s work with key retailers, such as Borders Rather than a sinkhole, digital and a leader in the global publishing sales people who are experts on the US as the introduction of remote control strategy has been to think of every in the United States. Kobo offers books publishing is proving to be a portal industry,” said Zhou. “We hope to cre- “We’ll provide a valuable channel for literary Web sites in China. Writers market. forced TV producers to completely screen, from computers to those on in six locally denominated currencies transporting publishing into a brave ate an open and culturally-appropriate American readers to access the best can register with Shanda and post Citing the American National re-imagine the way they told stories in video cameras, as a potential place for and, contrary to the perception that new world. literary platform that features diverse Chinese contemporary fictions in Chi- their work on any of the six sites they Basketball Association’s success making programs. Suddenly, they had to find people to read. e-booksellers can be mavericks who literary styles and values, and appeals na and at the same time enable Chinese choose. Readers accessing the sites can inroads into China, Zhou is confident a way to hook viewers. History doesn’t “Reading happens everywhere,” flaunt convention, they collect tax. All to a cross section of the American writers to enter the Western market.” At read the first half of a book for free and that the Shanda’s commercial model repeat itself, but sometimes it rhymes.” public.” the moment, SDL is working with US then pay a small charge for the rest of will work well in the US. “All good SDL also intends to bring English consultants to conduct further market a book. The company splits the profits things will eventually be accepted, no dont’ lay off thew rong People translations of popular Chinese fiction research. with the author. matter where they are,” he said. Publishers, like many industries, stick to the convention of “last in, first out.” “Hit Like a Fist”: CEOs on the Digital Age to Western readers through its US site. At present, SDL operates six Collectively, Shanda claims a da- “But these young people are the one’s By karen Holt ously and have them priced that way.” about digital piracy, alluding to how EVENT: Zhou will discuss the Shanda business model at a session entitled “Bringing Literature Online and Comparing Experiences between who know the Internet and digital Power agent Esther Newberg He predicted e-books will hurt sales the music industry was rocked by il- China and the US,” on Wednesday, May 26 from 2:00 to 3:00 pm, in Room 1E02. technology better than anyone, making spiced up Tuesday morning’s blandly of their low-priced competitor, the pa- legal downloads. While musicians have them indispensable,” says Saffo. “I don’t titled event, “CEO Panel: The Value of perback. Newberg’s more dire forecast: responded to the drop in royalties by think the big publishers have fired their a Book,” repeatedly shooting pointed “The paperback’s going to go bye-bye.” making money performing, that may Exclusive Discount for BookExpo America! CEOs fast enough.” comments and questions at the rest of Penguin Group CEO David not be an option for authors.
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