How will digitisation shape the future of publishing?

My book the ‘Earth has Fever,’ ‘Die Erde hat Fieber,’ ‘De Aarde heeft koorts,’ is published as a ‘Book on Demand’ and as ‘E-Book.’ Because I believe very strong that digitisation will shape the future of publishing.

The organisers of the Frankfurter Book Fair have conducted a major survey to find out how digitisation will influence the future of the publishing industry, and who will be the thriving force behind it.

Over 1000 industry professionals from over 30 countries responded to the survey, issued via the Frankfurt Book Fair Newsletter.

The most interesting results:

China’s digital influence in international publishing predicted to increase threefold in next five years

Consumers, Amazon, Google believed to drive the digitisation process

online bookselling named as most important development of the past 60 years

As the much-hyped e-readers hit the stores, and digitisation continues to revolutionise all aspects of the book trade, this year over 70 per cent of respondents revealed that they feel ready for the digital challenge. The survey also reveals that current opinion is divided on the future of the e-books and digital content to overtake traditional book sales as early as 2018, whereas a third predict that this will never happen.

The industry predicted, however, that consumer attitudes would evolve-with over half thinking that Internet users will be more willing to pay for digital contenct in five years time than now.

Interesting not?