The Web has been a boon for self-expression, but while just about anyone can blog, a physical book remains the dream of many writers. Rare are the blog-to-book breakthroughs of such authors as Julie Powell, whose blogging homage to chef Julia Child led to a book and a film.
Advances in digital technologies have created new ways to publish and consume the written word. Innovations ranging from the print-on-demand technologies by Hewlett-Packard and Xerox to the advent of Web-connected e-readers such as Amazon's Kindle and the Sony Reader are changing the way books are produced, distributed and read. Speculation abounds that Apple is working on its own e-reader.
Writers, meanwhile, are exploring avenues such as Scribd, which is showcasing digital works known as "e-books," and FastPencil, which bills itself as a one-stop shop to help authors create, publish, distribute and sell their physical books.
At the very least, these startups represent a low-cost alternative to conventional vanity publishers. And they could help writers execute end-runs around publishing houses to achieve mainstream success.
This returns control to authors, but with control comes responsibility.
All in all, I think it is a great trend for both authors and readers. It gives both new ``venues" to find each other.
The big publishing houses will never go away, but many of the little ones have. With this new technology ``small" publishing will make a come back (hopefully in a very big way).
