With the advent of new technologies, the publishing industry is changing. This means that there are, amongst others, new opportunities for automated book production. Automating your book production process can save you time and money. This is because you can delegate the time-consuming and tedious tasks involved in structuring and cleaning, formatting and converting to intelligent software platforms.

Automating your book production process frees you to be more creative with your final product while cutting back on production time, thereby ensuring that your book meets all the requirements for electronic publication. Also, automation and online processes are convenient because they allow you to work from anywhere in the world. All you need is an internet connection and a computer.

Most importantly, you can rely on the results. This is because automated systems such as Bookalope are designed to create high-quality books that meet all the requirements for publication.

The rise of ebooks

While print books continue to be attractive to consumers, ebooks are in equal or even more demand. Ebooks are becoming increasingly popular, with some estimates suggesting that sales are expected to grow at an average rate of 7% between 2020 and 2025. What does it mean for us as consumers of books and other publications? Well, for starters, books will be more available than ever before. You will have access to more books at a better price and quicker manner. From Amazon, Apple and Kobo to small independently owned bookstores on the corner, people who love to read will no longer be bound by the limitations of geography.

Several factors are driving this shift;

• the increasing use of mobile devices,
• the declining cost of ebooks, and
• the increasing quality of ebooks and ebook reading devices and apps.

The future of publishing

Technology is reshaping the publishing industry in many ways. These changes will likely continue in the coming years, hopefully resulting in an industry that is more dynamic, global and competitive than ever before and an industry that’s able to embrace these new technologies, instead of fighting them.

The future of publishing needs to embrace intelligent automation to continue to stay relevant. With tools such as Bookalope, you can convert your manuscript into a beautifully formatted accessible ebook with just a few clicks. No more worrying about the technical details or hiring expensive designers – the tools take care of everything for you.

How technology is currently shaping the publishing industry

1. Ebooks are on the rise

Thanks to ebook readers and apps like Kindle, iBooks and Nook, people are buying and reading more ebooks than ever before. This trend is good news for self-published authors and independent publishers, who can reach a wider audience with their books.

2. Print books are becoming collectibles

In an increasingly digital world, print books are increasingly prized as physical objects. This has led to a resurgence in interest in quality print books, particularly among younger readers.

3. Technology is changing the way we read

We’re not just reading books on our screens, we’re also listening to them on audiobooks and interacting with them in new ways through augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). This trend is good news for writers looking to experiment with new storytelling formats.

4. Ebooks are more accessible than ever before

Accessibility has been a major issue in the publishing industry for decades; however, with the advent of technology, both publishers and readers have found easier ways to create and access their favourite books. Ebooks are becoming increasingly popular as people realise how convenient they are. You can buy them instantly, download them to most devices and carry around thousands of ebooks without breaking your back.

5. The growth of independent publishers

In response to the challenges of traditional publishers, there has been a growth in the number of independent publishers. These companies are often more agile and able to adapt to the changing market, which has led to their success.

6. Traditional publishers are losing ground

In the past, traditional publishers held a monopoly on the publishing industry. However, with the rise of self-publishing and ebook sales, they are starting to see their traditional domains challenged. This is bad news for them, but good news for authors and readers who now have more freedom than ever before.

7. Publishing ease

When you’ve written your perfect manuscript and secured a publisher, the hard work is almost done. By leveraging technology to help with the conversion aspect of publication, you can take some of the stress out of the process and ensure that your book meets all necessary standards before it goes to print. Ultimately, this will make the publishing process more efficient for you and reduce costs in the long run too.

Takeaway

New technology has transformed publishing from an archaic trade to a dynamic, collaborative and, most importantly, creative process. In this exciting landscape, publishers have easier options than ever before when it comes to creating and publishing books and readers have better access to books than ever.

So if you’re a publisher, I’m sure you’re busy editing and packaging the books. That’s to be expected. So if you haven’t started leveraging new technology, like Bookalope, to help automate the once-time-consuming processes of formatting and publishing your work, perhaps it’s time to consider it now.

Oluwatoyin Jegede is a digital marketer who specialises in assisting brands in digital promotions in several capacities, majorly via branding, content creation, ad campaign management and Search Engine Optimisation. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication, with a major in Journalism. When she’s not working, however, she’s either reading romance novels, watching historical docu-series or listening to pop music.