Amid the debate between traditional publishing and indie publishing, including all the concerns about the quality of self-published works, we are reminded again about one hard reality: bookstores as we know them are ceasing to exist.
Yesterday’s article in the Detroit Free Press chronicled the death throes of one local Borders store. And with shelf-space for new novels shrinking, I wonder whether indie publishing will become the only way for most aspiring writers to get their works published. Maybe some new model will arise to bridge the gap between the traditional model — which relied on stores like Borders — and the wild west of self-publishing, but who knows? Today, Joe Konrath wrote again about this new reality, and his prognosis for traditional publishing isn’t good. I have not made a decision about which avenue to pursue with my own novel, but I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t concerned about traditional publishing and the diminishing venues in which to sell their wares.
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| The Grim Reaper has arrived for Borders |