Starting a publishing house is one of those pipedream careers bibliophiles across the world fantasize about. What could be better than heading into work every day and creating the books people love to read? Or, as the question has been in recent years: is it even possible to head into work every day and create the books people love to read?
Like many industries, books have seen something of an overhaul in recent years. Alongside music, increasingly digital capabilities have left many publishers and booksellers in trouble. In fact, 2011 saw top name Borders closing their doors, and those ripples can still be seen in the publishing industry today.
If you’re considering starting something in this field, though, all hope is not lost. Recent innovations may actually have made it easier than ever for you to get your foot through this door. And, we’re going to look at why.
A broader market for book sales
As discussed in this article by the University of Southern California, e-books have had an undeniable impact on everyone from publishers to librarians. Still, the stats reveal that the impact isn’t as much as you might expect. E-book sales are quickly falling behind those of print books, and the panic surrounding this shift soon looks set to settle down.
Rather than spelling the end for publishes a more in-depth look into the issue suggests that e-books may help rather than hinder new publishing enterprises. After all, e-book sales among millennials, in particular, have opened up a whole new audience that publishers may have struggled to reach otherwise. That means a broader market for book sales if you break into e-books as well as physical copies. And that means more potential profit.
An ability to break into many niches
Publishers are also finding that the changing face of books as we know them has led to many potential publishing niches. And, as any entrepreneur knows, finding a good niche is fundamental when it comes to starting something new. Now, even big-name publishers are breaking into digital-only subsects, and even utilizing interactive online book capabilities to, again, grow their audiences. By making the most of these advancements in new and innovative ways, you may find that you can break into this market like you would have struggled to do just ten years ago.
The chance to put your fingers in many pies
As a business-minded person, you know that the more pies you’re able to get your fingers into, the better your chances of success. That’s why our last benefit of note is the possibility for publishers to get their fingers in many pies. From online platforms to e-books, audiobooks, physical print, and more, there’s no stopping the modern publishing journey! Big names like Vintage are even breaking into the content sphere, with an increasingly popular YouTube channel and podcast. By making the most of as many of these options as possible, there’s no stopping you from breaking into publishing in a big way this coming year.
