It’s about the future.
Recently my posts have been about
how the job market has changed, how the economy has changed and how the middle
class employee is being made obsolete.
I was in Wal-Mart the other day
purchasing a 6 pack of beer when I noticed that approximate 1/3 of the cashier
aisles had been closed off and the machines removed.
I asked a Wal-Mart employee about
it and she explained that those manned cashier aisles were being replaced by
automatic checkout machines. For those unfamiliar, they are computerized machines
that you, as the purchaser, run the bar code of the product past the barcode
reader, which tallies up your bill. Then you pay by inserting your card or cash
into the machine.
These eight new machines will
replace 7 cashiers (one will remain to oversee the process and to punch in the
code when a customer wants to buy alcohol or tobacco products.)
How many of you remember gas
station attendants? When was the last time you saw one?
Those cashiers will be losing
their jobs. (In fact, when I asked my cashier if she was concerned that her job
was being phased out, she was stunned, obviously not having considered the
possibility. Then she said, “Well, I’m the best cashier they have on the line,
they won’t be replacing me.”
I believe that paraphrased line
was once said by one John Henry, the Steel Driving man.
I am in the process of creating
two new Ari Publishing websites. The first one will focus on supplying new authors
with the knowledge, products, software and marketing tools they’ll need to get
their books in the hands of new readers.
There are too many Print on
Demand and vanity press scams that con new authors into thinking that by signing
with them, their novel will miraculously rocket to the top of the best seller lists.
It won’t. In fact, in order to
make any money at all the author has to sell it at an unrealistically high
price. In addition the product is poorly produced, has a cookie cutter cover
and ordinary graphics. At the new Ari Publishing website we’ll show them how to
produce a novel they can be proud of and sell at fair market value.
And regarding the publishing
industry itself, well, the sales statistics are beyond grim; in reality you can
almost hear it’s death knell. Here are some of the stats following the
introduction of the electronic reader from the American Association of
Publishers (AAP):
In February 2007 adult hardcover sales were $111.9 million. It
dropped steadily over the next few years until February 2011 where it hit a
record low of $46.2 million. Paperbacks have dropped as
drastically from $128.8 million in 2006 to $81 million in 2011. Mass market
books have plummeted 50% since 2008!
On the other hand during the 2012
holiday season, purchases of electronic reading devices DOUBLED. Ebook sales
have more than made up the difference with audio books rapidly gaining market
share. In 2013 ebooks and audio books sold more copies (downloads) than hardcover, paperback
and mass market books combined!
The reasons are obvious. If you’re
stuck inside on a dreary day with nothing to read, you’re out of luck. With an
electronic reading device you can instantly download nearly any book you want. If
the print is too small, with a book, you are again out of luck. With an ebook
you simply push a button to increase print size.
If you have to drive
somewhere, the book gets closed. With an ebook reader like Kindle you simply
switch to narrate and the kindle
electronic voice will read the book to you as you drive. Want to lay on the
couch and read? After a few minutes your arms start giving out under the weight
of that hardcover. Kindles and Nooks weight less than most paperbacks and are
less than ¼ inch thick.
My point? If you are seriously
considering a career as a author, you’ll have a far better chance at breaking into the industry if you have garnered a loyal following with your inexpensive self-published
ebook than you will with any POD or vanity press novel especially if you’re an unknown trying
to catch a break.
I’ll give out the link when the site
opens and I hope all my writing buddies will stop by and look around.
The second site will be
constructed to help those who have been downsized and haven’t been able to
secure another well-paying steady job. There, anyone who wants to learn how to
sell products over the internet can learn how. I recently did a 10 part series
that was so well received, I’ve decided to make it a regular thing.
One last note. Thanks to all of
you that downloaded Storytime over the past few days. I hope you enjoy it as
much as all the other readers did, and if you do, please write a quick review
here: http://amzn.to/11KogDw
Talk to you soon,
Zack
