Special Series: Beyond the Book - somersault

Special Series: Beyond the Book

In multiple articles and videos, PBS’ MediaShift (@mediatwit) describes how digital technology is disrupting the book industry. “The rise of ebooks is poised to overtake sales of print books soon, and people are reading books on Kindles, iPads, Nooks and more. Plus, the equation for authors is changing, as they get more tools to go around traditional publishers and go the self-publishing route.”

In "Ebook Publishers Must Provide Flexible Access to Avoid Media Hell," Dorian Benkoil (@dbenk) says

Trying to consume an ebook can be an infuriating experience.

Consumers like me want to enjoy the digital version of a book when, where and how we want. We love to be able to read it from multiple screens, search it automatically, share annotations, even have the text read aloud as we drive or do dishes.

In theory that's the promise of the new world of book publishing. But in practice, we're blocked at many turns and end up looking for other solutions. For publishers and booksellers, that's not a good thing, and can even be quite costly.

Read the article in full.

Other articles in the series are:

“The Book Publishing Industry of the Future: It's All About Content” by Felicia Pride
“5 Reasons Ebooks Are Awesome, Even for the Very Reluctant” by Jenny Shank
“How a Novelist Bypassed His Publisher and Raised $11,000 on Kickstarter” by Simon Owens
“5Across: Beyond the Book - Ebooks and Self-Publishing,” a video roundtable discussion moderated by Mark Glaser
“Is Amazon Short-Changing Authors?” by Jon Peters
“Mediatwits #25: The 800 Pound Gorilla of Ebooks: Amazon,” an audio podcast hosted by Mark Glaser and Rafat Ail

See the “Beyond the Book” special report section.

Let Somersault (@smrsault) help you navigate the churning waters that are 21^st century publishing.

Somersault Group

Announcing Somersault Group, doing business as Somersault. We believe the unprecedented changes occurring in the publishing world aren’t a crisis; they’re a playground of possibilities. We're here to help clients embrace change and leverage it to fulfill their mission. We're flipping the publishing world right-side up! Due to rapidly churning communication technology and seismic shifts in the book market distribution landscape – from the Internet to eReaders and the iPad to individual book print-on-demand capability – publishers expect authors to take more responsibility for the development, promotion, and sales of their books. Somersault helps publishers, agents, ministry partners, and Christian authors adapt to these changes with dexterity. We combine the experience and vision of Somersault publishing executives with the integrated marketing and technology expertise of digital natives. We honor good ideas and the creative people who embody them. We believe in the power of books to change lives, and are committed to help authors tell their stories and actively engage their readers. We want to be known for our nimbleness and responsiveness. Anticipating and embracing the future, being attentive to consumer behavior, inviting collaboration, and encouraging entrepreneurship are our core values, as we operate within the framework of having fun and reflecting the kingdom of God. We’re seeking ‘blue water’ opportunities, be they pond, lake, or ocean. We provide authors with brand counseling, editorial direction, research capabilities, marketing strategy, Internet and social media presence, and a comprehensive portfolio of publishing assistance. Our mission is to change lives by connecting inspirational content creators with readers using exceptional creativity, right-now technology, and old-fashioned personal care. See all our social networks on our Google profile. Contact us at hello@somersaultgroup.com, 1.616.551.1539, 131 Division Ave. S., Suite 300, Grand Rapids, MI 49503-4215.

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