Article:  |
A Computer Book Author's Manifesto | |
| Subject: | Cost is an issue | |
| Date: | 2004-12-14 04:50:43 | |
| From: | jwenting | |
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At the height of the boom there were so many books being released that the only thing that could sustain books WAS that very boom. As the economy dropped like a stone people lost the money to buy all those books. And a lot of that money hasn't returned now that people once again have jobs (or some of us do). As to WANTING to learn, that's why I usually purchase books. My employers never paid a dime towards my training, I'm completely self-funded (which costs me about 10% of my disposable income). But that means that as my income drops so does the money I've available to purchase new books. If book prices rise at the same time to make up for lost sales (publishers attempting to get the same revenue out of lower volume) I can buy even less. Where in 2001 I'd purchase maybe 2-3 books a month in 2002 (when I lost my job) I purchased that many in the entire year simply because I couldn't afford any more (not having any disposable income apart from just enough to pay the rent and some food for half a year does that). In 2003 I once again got a job but noticed that the number of titles interesting me had dropped to almost nothing. Lots of hyped tech as usual but I'd probably grown up enough to no longer be interested in that until it settles down a bit so I pass them by. Now it's 2004 and I'm once again updating my library but more slowly (maybe 1-2 a month, down 50% from what it used to be). I think many of your (potential) customers are in a very similar position to me. They'd purchase books if they were interesting and have real value rather than just because they follow the latest hype. So the market is indeed still there but many authors (as well as publishers) may be approaching it incorrectly if they think the customer still has the same attitudes and buying habbits (but at a lower level) than he did a few years ago. |
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