There’s a lot of doom and gloom in the news how this is the “worst year for books“. Personally, I’m trying not to buy in to the bad news. If you watch this interview with Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, you’ll learn that 10% of all books Amazon sells are through the Kindle. That’s a remarkable number for a few reasons.
- The publishing folks I know quickly disregard the Kindle (thought this was DOA)
- I’ve only ever seen 2 Kindles “in the wild” (mine was one)
- It’s an expensive machine ($359 before you get your first book)
Despite this, I’m proclaiming it a success. We don’t know how many units have been sold, but if you read reviews from folks that own Kindles, they quietly rave. Why quietly? Maybe it’s because they are dropping close to $400 on a device that really does one thing really well (displays text). That might be a little embarrassing (especially if you’re a techie that shows off how his/her iPhone can do back flips).
Plus, it’s centered around reading. You won’t see an iPod-esque, action-packed ad around a guy reading Stephen King’s UR
Despite these opinions, still, 10% of all books going through Amazon are direct to this device. Plus, now you can get your Kindle books on your iPhone!
So, who’s the big winner? I think there are a few: Authors, Amazon, publishers, and entrepreneurs. If this device continues to spread…
- Publishers will see an increase in existing sales
- Authors will have a real option in self-publishing
- Amazon gets deeper control of the whole distribution chain (and are a sneeze away from controlling production)
- Entrepreneurs have another option for spreading their message(s).
So, don’t get caught up in this “worst year ever” stuff. There’s a ton of opportunity out there!
