Posted by John Duff
At the London Book Fair a panel of distinguished publishers was asked “whether the digital transition in book publishing was an evolution, with publishers adapting over time, or more revolution, in which old powers are swept away quickly, sometimes violently” (as reported by Publishers Weekly). John Makinson, the Chairman of Penguin Group (of which Perigee Books is a member) responded, “I’ve never been to a revolution, but what’s happening doesn’t feel very evolutionary.” He noted that at every step, something dramatic is happening, from different forms and formats, to apps, mobility, and social networking activity, and the “changing character of content” is shifting the role of the publishers, forcing them to learn new skills.
As the publisher of a somewhat quirky imprint within Penguin, I have wondered how our rather eclectic list of titles will not simply survive but thrive.
Over the past few years Perigee has changed. We’ve all but abandoned the broad-ranging reference books that used to be a staple of our list in favor of “popular” reference that features high- and low-brow trivia, books of useless information, and “packaged” content that is meant to be enjoyed and shared rather than downloaded and ingested. While we have not left behind the prescriptive non-fiction which comprises most of our backlist, we’ve certainly tried to adapt to and anticipate a new book selling and book buying environment.
A recent financial statement showed that our sales of physical books were up over last year (and last year was a very good year for the list). But, unlike many of my colleagues’ imprints (and other publishers), our eBook sales, while certainly on the rise, did not jump dramatically as a percentage of the overall sales.
Could it be that the kind of books we publish will be the last hurrah for physical books? It is hard to imagine that anyone is going to leave an eReader or tablet next to the toilet in place of The Book of Useless Information series, which now occupies this space in countless homes throughout the country. Or can we believe that our enticing craft books—from Extreme Pumpkins to Sock and Glove—could provide the same reader experience in an electronic format as they do in printed book form? Would the eBook versions of Imbibe or Punch or The Lost Art of Real Cooking make as delightful gifts as a certificate to download these books? Can the sheer pleasure of holding the chunky little full-color Learn Something Everyday ever be replicated digitally?
Each of these titles is a testament to the value of the physical book. And what we’ve realized is that even as the shelf space in bookstores shrinks, we are enjoying a very positive reception in the non-bookstore retailers—big box stores, mom-and-pop gift shops, and retailers known more for their hipster fashion or home décor than books. We are able to look at these alternative markets for physical books and fine-tune our publishing accordingly while still keeping our market share among traditional booksellers.
Even though we might be enamored of the touch, feel, look, and smell of the printed book, we can’t (and won’t) ignore our commercial potential in the digital world. So in our cautious “evolutionary” way, we are using the content of our physical books to create and inspire new products—and to generate new experiences for readers. From amplified eBooks, such as Graham Kerr’s Growing at the Speed of Life, which features video and hyperlinks, to the forthcoming Wreck this App, inspired by Keri Smith’s phenomenal Wreck This Journal, we are, in fact, expanding the readership for our books (or for our content, if you will).
The thrill of this business in the 21st century is discovering the potential that technology gives us to reach new readers and to enhance the reading experience—and still enjoy the rewards of publishing the traditional way.
Comments