The advancing army of ebooks

As a small publisher, just starting out on the road to bestsellerdom and Booker award dinners (because that's what it's all about, right?), one of the most important issues to address is the rise of the ebook.

I say rise, because even if the ebook's percentage of today's market today is relatively minor - research stats vary, but it's only a few per cent, if that - you can rest assured that the number is rising, and isn't likely to fall away any time soon.

Eighteen months ago, I shook my head and smiled mockingly when someone suggested I might want to buy an ebook reader and give them a whirl. No chance, says I. I'm a traditional kinda guy, and I know what I like and I like what I know.

Earlier today I was reading Peter Cox's column in The Bookseller, where he talks about the pricing of ebooks and the recent standoff between Amazon and Macmillan. As interesting as the column is, it was the comments it attracted that caught my interest. There are still those within the industry, or commentating on the industry, who continue to dismiss ebooks out of hand. It's their opinion, of course. But, having delved into the ebook phenomenen since I somewhat harshly dismissed them, I now find it hard to believe anyone connected with publishing can brush the ebook off like an irritating sprinkle of dandruff on the shoulder of their pristine suit.

We may still be a long way off the rule of the ebook, but today's younger generation will only further embrace them.

Pricing remains the key to ebooks. Sure, the technology needs to improve (and come down in cost, which it surely will), as does the quality and quantity of titles available as ebooks. But to my mind, if ebooks are pitched at the right level - be it by the publisher or the 'bookseller' - then the market will sit up and take note.

What is that price? If a new paperback costs £7.99, what would we pay for the same title as an ebook? £3.00? £3.50? Lower than a three...? I don't know, but everyone has a level at which they will be persuaded.

There are markets that Nemesis can look to tap into with ebooks. There are communities of Manx across the globe, throughout America, South Africa, Dubai, New Zealand and Australia. Having written a couple of books, I know the difficulty of selling to these communities when it costs so much to ship the book over, particularly if it's a somewhat weighty tome.

Ebooks could just be the answer. In fact, they are the answer; we just need to persuade our fine, upstanding potential customers around the globe that that is the case.

And so the research continues. Has anyone tried an ebook reader? How did you find the reading experience? What price would persuade you to ditch the hard copy and go with the ebook? And surely there are some authors, your favourites, for whom you'd be happy to fork out for the hard copy, regardless of how cheap the ebook might be...?

Thanks for reading
JohnQ