On the Future of Books: A Discussion with Seth Godin

The industry of publishing ideas has been undergoing a revolution for more than a decade, and where it’s headed is still an open question.

As a writer, I’m excited by the possibilities. But lots of writers (and publishers) find it all a bit scary.

Today I share a conversation I had with best-selling author, blogger and publisher Seth Godin on the future of books, publishing and blogging. It was fascinating.

First, consider some of the major changes in publishing:

Amazon has become the world’s top bookseller, without a physical location. That has changed everything.Writers can now publish their work online, on blogs and websites, in forums and social networks.Writers have no editors. They are in direct contact with their readers. Their readers talk back, so that it’s a two-way conversation now.The lines between books, films, magazines, newspapers and websites have disappeared.Ebooks are on the rise — read on computers in PDF formats, on Kindles, on iPads, on smartphones, everywhere.Writers have no rules, no limits, no need to stick to written words, no pricing limitations, can share their ideas live as readers ask questions, and much more.

And that’s just the start.

Where is it all going? I talked to one of the sharpest minds in the industry to find out.

It was an amazing interview! Listen to me and Seth Godin here (about 26 mins long).

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Download the interview (24.9 MB mp3 file).

Some of the topics discussed:

Whether the new world of publishing is scary or notThe clear, well-lit path that publishing has been taking for more than a decadeHow lack of scarcity has changed publishing foreverThe new role of publishing in the online worldHow not to wait to be pickedHow Seth’s Domino Project deals with unsolicited requests from authorsHow the Domino Project planned to transform everything about publishingHow he eliminated cover images, shortened books, eliminated advances, and what he learnedWhether collectible editions of books work wellSpreading ideas through books, and how paid works vs. freeThe growing problem of people hating readingWhether you should publish how-to or cookbooks at allWhat types of books will sell well in the new landscapeThe problem of getting selected by the masses in the vast sea of millions of published booksWhy you don’t need that many followers/friends as an authorWhy the willingness to fail is so important, with so many options available to authorsA future where everything that happens is your fault — and whether that’s good or badThe horror stories of Pulitzer Prize winning authorsAmazon’s vastly important information about readersDeciding to publish your best ideas on your blog vs. your bookWhy Seth doesn’t have comments on his blogGiving up the goal of having everyone in the world like your stuffThe cycle of productivity, and having nothing next

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