karen_w_newton (karen_w_newton) wrote,
karen_w_newton
karen_w_newton
  • Mood: pensive

Bricks and mortar? Or a millstone around a businessman's neck?

My Helpful Friend (MHF) sent me a link to a Salon article on a small press that was struggling to stay afloat. A bunch of independent books stores are having everything but bake sales to try to help them do it—sort of like the poor folks in It's a Wonderful Life who empty their wallets to save George Bailey. MHF is convinced print on demand (POD) books are going to save small presses and independent stores, but I feel like POD isn't yet up to saving the bricks and mortar of the real world. It's too clunky right now. I don't know if the small presses and the independents will be able to hold out until POD is more seamless and more (pardon my oxymoron) mass market.

E-books now, they could be the dawn of a new day, but it might well be a day without bricks and mortar.
Tags: publishing
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