What’s in store for the book industry and its authors?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

In recent months publicity focusing in on the book industry has been quite poor. Authors and publishers are up in arms about the treatment of their work in regards to copyright issues, and there is much talk about the quintessential foundation of America: lawsuits. Many authors and publishers are worried about the rights to their books and who is going to be receiving the greatest share of their hard time and energy. As many within the industry know, most of the time the profits that seep back to the author have to be channeled through various mediums before they can be rewarded for their work. Did you know a book is considered a success when it sells around 5,000 copies for a fiction book, and 7,500 for a nonfiction book? This means that many authors are writing a few books at a time in order to remain afloat! May be lawsuits would be a good source of income in this case.
For many, even though the Internet poses copyright issues (as it did in the music industry). It also offers many new opportunities. As more and more individuals are starting to trust the Internet and its security more, readers are turning away from traditional bookstores, to online stores. Much of the trend within the book industry is to move towards online book sales, and e-books. Many authors and publishers are using this alternative marketing outlet, creating their own websites to promote books. With all of this change within the industry there are many who wonder: what will come next?
One answer could be “newbie” companies such as bookhitch.com. This new company has seen the changes within the industry, and the needs of authors and publishers to increase awareness of their work. bookhitch has developed a website that seems to be taking advantage of these new trends and has designed a savvy website that allows authors and publishers to list an unlimited amount of books, for free (there is a premium service which costs extra to have a picture of the book). bookhitch is place for authors/publishers to market their books and a site where readers can buy books that they would usually have to find by visiting numerous stores and sites. So what makes this company so unique besides the name? Next to the book listing the author/publisher places a link to where the book can be purchased. This link will take the reader to an authors/publisher website or wherever the book can be purchased. Helping readers to reward the authors directly for their work, and cutting out various channels where their money once flowed. A percentage here and there of their work is no longer taken out. So what’s the reaction so far? Go see for yourself! Look at the “Your views” page off the main bookhitch.com home page, and feel free to add your comments. The website was launched in May, 2006, and already has an astonishing number of books and hits to the website each day. bookhitch.com could be the website that many authors, publishers and readers have been waiting for.