The great debate continues regarding eBooks vs Print and it seems that for every battle lost, there is another one won.

Case in point, yesterday an author published with a large, well-known NY publisher said “I wish I could participate in your eBook promotions however, I’m not an eBook author.” Ummm, wrong. Sorry. Take a closer look and you will see that although you are with a NY print house, and a powerhouse at that, your books are indeed available in eBook format. How this fact escaped this author’s notice, I’m not quite sure. I attribute it to the fact that sometimes authors lucky enough (and make no mistake, luck plays a large part, in addition to talent and skill) to be contracted with a large NY print house can continue to toil away at the keyboard in the writer’s cave, blissfully remaining in ‘creative artist’ mode while their agent, editors and the marketing team at their publisher takes care of the dirty details. These authors are not down and dirty in the trenches fighting for every sale like eBooks authors, such as yours truly, are. I know what formats every one of my eBooks are available in, where they are distributed (as well as pirated) and by whom. And I know that my eBooks are also available in paperback format printed with the very environmentally friendly Print-on-Demand technology (one book ordered = one book printed. No waste there.)

The point?? Here is a giant LOSS for eBooks if authors don’t even know they are an eBook author.

Next up, a seeming win for eBooks comes in the fact that their mere existence has the print houses trembling in their boots. The link below is to an article that equates the print (or “Trade”) publishing world to a ponzi scheme in that it depends on the next huge best seller to cover their expenses and the cost of all those paper book returns. (Books ordered and shipped to bookstores do NOT mean books sold–hence landfills loaded with print books returned by booksellers to the publisher for a full refund)

http://media.einnews.com/nfm_news.php?wid=222998775&code=8abc0fb1

There is a link in that article to this blog titled “Why eBooks Must Fail”.

http://www.blackplasticglasses.com/2009/03/30/why-ebooks-must-fail/

I am calling this fearbased thinking a WIN for eBooks. Sadly, most pubs in the archaic print publishing world have not adopted the Adapt and Overcome credo, but instead would rather squash the competition of new eBook technology rather than accept and grow with it.

Technology has conquered some of the hurtles standing in the way of the eBook becoming mainstream, however, until the current outdated business model of Trade Publishing changes, and the stigma associated with Print on Demand deminishes eBooks are and will remain second-class citizens, at least until the good old boys currently running things are in diapers in the rest home and the next generation of today’s techno-savvy kids take over the world.