Can we be of service?

As Penguin's Digital Publisher, I've had any number of conversations over the last few years with traditional book editors where I've tried to convince them that we're in 'the content business' rather than 'the book business'. I've realised, as I eat my lunch alone, that in a company full of book-lovers these editors don't really want to think of themselves as content producers, however I dress it up in sexy new-media jargon. Or, perhaps, because of the new-media jargon.

And as the debate about the value and price of digital content rages on, I'm testing out a new mantra on my suspicious colleagues; services not content. The idea, ill-formed as it is in my head, is that while we might continue find it a challenge to get consumers to pay for digital content, we might be able to use our skills, expertise and experience to create services that people will pay for. Services are what we do for writers, so perhaps there might be services we can create for readers. (note - I'm not the only person thinking along these lines - it's worth having a look at Bookseer and Bkkeeper, both from James Bridle and HarperCollins' BookArmy initiative). 

Well, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and so I'm happy to be launching our first 'service' - a suite of storymaking tools for children. At We Make Stories children (of all ages, though the site is aimed at 6-11 year olds) can create, print and share a variety of story forms. They can make pop-up stories, customise audiobooks, design their own comics, produce exciting treasure maps and develop a variety of entertaining adventures.

So we'll soon find out whether there is an audience for paid-for* services from publishers and whether, as well as publishing books that people want to read, we can develop services that people will find useful and entertaining. Otherwise, I guess I'll be looking for a new mantra before too long.

Jeremy Ettinghausen, Digital Publisher

*We Make Stories isn't free though it is very reasonably priced - and we've got free memberships for the first five people who leave a comment below

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Comments

[Rob Corradi]

Sounds very interesting, who was the lucky agency in the end?

[Ashleigh]

Would love to test it out with the free account! It sounds like a great idea. Penguin leading the way, as usual.

[Nick]

Sounds really great... Please, let me test it!!

[Stefano]

Sounds very interesting, and the fact that publishing houses are "in the content business rather than the book business" is too often forgotten (though there's plenty of examples from other businesses that clearly lead in that direction..)

It will also be interesting to see if the paid-for model is (already) a viable choice.

[pristyles]

I'd be interested to know how you're going to promote it? Through educational channels?

[Daniel]

in case someone above me doesn't want it... i'd love a free membership!

[Carolyn Jewel]

Gosh. Where are you getting the idea that it's a challenge to get consumers to pay for digital content?

If you follow the conversations among readers and users of ereaders (twitter is a rich source), I think you'll find that's not your challenge at all.

In the US at least, there are consumers more than willing to pay for digital content. But they're not willing to pay inflated prices and they despise DRM with a passion that should scare you away from implementing it. Seriously.

Your challenges are these:
1) Recognize that the digital format, in its current incarnation, offers LESS than a print book. Therefore, consumers are not willing to may MORE for digital than print. Stop with the rip off pricing.

On Amazon right now, the book City of Souls is available in mass market paperback for $7.99. The Kindle version is $9.99, marked down from $14.99 which is, apparently, the price all other digital customers are being asked to fork over. If you're a consumer, are you going to buy the digital version?

Fix your pricing model. If you sell your product for a reasonable and fair amount, people will buy it.

2) DRM screws your customers. They have multiple devices (Kindle, smart phone, laptops, netbooks) all of which can and do break and need to be replaced or upgraded. DRM is a horrendous impediment to syncing ebooks across devices legally owned or newly acquired. And now users are finding out they may actually have limited downloads and can't get their legally purchased books onto a new device. MAJOR fail.

Fix that, too.

3) Geographic restrictions are also a PITA. If a reader in Germany reads English well enough to want the English version, she should be able to purchase it without worrying she can't read it.

There are many more issues, but these are the ones that are killing you right now.

[Acornmoon]

I think there is a place for both digital and print. I am a published author/illustrator with many now out of print titles and hope that maybe there will be a way of making such books available again, all be it in a different format.

I am also a member of The Society of Bookbinders and treasure traditional books. Oddly enough many bookbinders are finding new work as they are asked to bind downloaded copies of out of print titles.

"We make stories" looks brilliant and just the sort of tool that would work for author/illustrator school workshops.

It is a brave new world indeed!

[Mark Watson]

Despite high profile presences at the launch of both the Kindle and the Sony eReader, Penguin's support for digital reading devices can best be described as "desultory" ... Penguin Classics, for example, are available for the eReader at the same price as the print editions; they aren't available for the Kindle at all, AND releases have sputtered to a near halt for the eReader. It's impossible to sign up for information about new ebooks, especially if your interested in particular categories of content, at either Penguin or for that matter Waterstones, Sony's risibly incompetent choice of a UK retail channel.

As one of the unfortunate early adopters of digital reading technologies, I feel thoroughly let down by publishers and retailers who can definitely talk a big story (see above) but who are still treating the market, and those consumers they manage to hook, as part of an informal science project.

[sapience]

there was a leaf and pebble they were fast friend . ond day flood came there and leaf was flowing with the flood at that time peeble came there and sat upon him and he save his life.one day it was raining and the pebble start dissloved.atonce leave was there and she sat upon him and save his life .what a great chemistry between them .
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