Hyperink.com Question of the Month: What do you think is the future of publishing?

Hyperink.com is asking writers where publishing is heading in future. Here’s my opinion:

In a world of digital music and movies, it is a no-brainer that digital books would follow. A recent article at Paid Content reports that e-books are outselling print versions on the U.S. bestsellers list. In a tough economy, this makes sense. E-books are less expensive to produce and therefore less expensive to buy. Readers don’t have to find a bookstore that carries the book or order it in the mail. Instead, they can order and read in minutes. Students can bookmark and annotate without writing in the book. Bookshelves full of books can be carried on one, low-weight device.

Still, many resist e-books, preferring to hold a “real” book instead. I used to be that person and admittedly, making the change to an e-reader has taken time. But like the horse and buggy, video tapes, and CD’s, traditional books are becoming an object of a time gone by.