Discussion questions for April 24 class

[jeffreybarry]

Post your discussion questions on the readings for April 24 as replies to this issue. Thanks!

[clevelande19]

First, based on the Vox article, which of the five bestseller lists seem the fairest and why? Should these lists be more transparent or secretive with their methodologies?

Second, based on Margaret Atwood's talk about the publishing pie and what was said about ebooks in the Penguin Random House video, what are some of the problems and benefits the internet has created for authors? Do you think any aspects of the ebook industry need to change to accommodate authors?

[brueggemanw21]

1. Regarding Craig Mod, has the creation of ebooks, pdfs, the Kindle, etc. made printing books less profitable, and if so has it made the overall business of publications run more smoothly with many different platforms to buy books off of, therefore making it as a whole more profitable?

2. Atwood discussed how she began to publish her own books and works to begin. Obviously they would not be able to make as many copies, or as much money, but is this still a valid way of getting publicity and your book to the public, especially with the creation of the Internet and e-books today?

[duganb21]

1. Taking into account the vox article, what would be the motivation behind discrediting conservative books? also, given the various ways to collect data on book sales which one would be best to accurately depict a best sellers list?

2. Given the various new platforms, one can purchase ebooks on is the printed book becoming less and less valuable, and further will printed books die out looking within the span of the next 50-100 years?

[emmapthai]

1. From the Vox article, should people be putting less faith in the importance of a "bestseller" distinction? Why does that title even have such importance to publishers and authors?

2. Based on the Mod video, could the design benefits (clearer screens and better type) of ebooks not only outweigh the design benefits of paper books but also surpass paper books in terms of design?

[daytonconklin]

1. Based on the Vox article, why do you think that the best-seller lists do not fully disclose their methods of ranking the books and weighing the purchases? Do you think this allows them to have a bias?

2. Based on the Penguin Random House video, what do you think the publishing industry's outlook on their current method of publishing books, as technology is becoming more prevalent? In what ways do you think that publishing company's might have to adapt for the future?

[robwarren100]

1. Regarding the Atwood video, how much longer will the publishing industry have advantages over releasing a book on the internet for free?

2. Regarding the Craig Mod article, how much money does one need to crowdfund for a kickstarter campaign now, in order to compete with iPads, kindles, etc?

[hannac21]

1. Regarding the Vox article, how can the best-seller lists be consolidated and improved upon? Are there new technologies that can improve the accuracy of the tracking of sales and limit publishers driving up the popularity of their own books?

2. Regarding the Atwood video, she talked about how she originally published her own books as a way of getting started. In today's world, would it be easier to publish your own book online and still get noticed than it was for Atwood to do the same thing but in print?

[huthj21]

1. Based on the Vox article, why are people motivated to buy a book that has "bestseller" on the cover. Has this ever influenced your decision on buying a book?

2. Based on the Atwood video, how do you think change can be good for the publishing industry?

[mitchellc21]

1. Ebooks can provide users with a much greater experience than just a book to read, how can ebooks continue to revolutionize the reading industry and how important is this new “experience” to the growth and innovation in publishing? (Mod Video/Blog)

2. How important are marketing techniques and bestseller lists to the ebook industry? With more and more available data such as ratings and reviews, is the role of marketing, such as attractive covers designs, becoming somewhat obsolete? How should the industry continue to adapt to these trends? (Vox Article/Mod Video)

[barrettdowd]

According to Margaret Atwood, graffiti, blogging, internet posts and others are all considered to be forms of publishing. How will these changes in how to publish impact authors of traditional books?

In reference to the Vox article, how can we ensure consistency and accuracy with the NY Times Best Seller list?

[richsurdy3]

1. Based on the Vox article, do you think there is a holistic way to determine if a book is a bestseller?

2.Based on the lengthy process to publish physical copies of books, why do you think places like Penguin Random House are still successful in an industry potentially doomed by technology?

[colemanlucas]

1. Craig Mod discusses the differences in user experience when reading a physical book versus an e-book. Which form do you personally prefer and why?

2. According to the Vox article, a book's placement on the best-seller list is very important to sales. Do you personally consider these lists when choosing your books? If not, what influences your reading choices?

[copelande21]

Based on the vox article, we are fairly confident that the New York Times best-seller list is biased towards certain genres. How does this bias affect our culture and prevent certain trends in our community?

With the newest trends in the publishing industry, how likely is it that printed books will become obsolete in our society within the near future?

[fonviellem21]

1. Vox Article: How did the general consensus of "you have to sell at least 5,000 books in a week, or maybe 10,000" in order to be on the best sellers list come about?

2. Atwood video: She published her own books to get started in the publishing industry, for someone looking to get started now with a big influence would it be better for them to focus solely on publishing books online or printing their books as well?

[raula21]

1. Craig Mod talks about how the future of marketing for books is changing, and people don't walk into stores anymore but rather care about "how many stars a book has". Will the style of marketing of e-books change or will it still be dependant on "how many stars" or "how many comments" are on the book.

2. Craig Mod brings up the idea and importance of "scarcity" and "physics". He touches on what direction the industry is going and how e-books will still envoke the sense of "scarcity", but will future generations feel a need for a physical book, or a sense of nostalgia towards the scarcity of a book?

[govanc22]

1. Craig Mod discusses how people lack emotion when it comes to ebooks due to their lack of scarcity and boundaries. Do you think this will change over time?

2. How do you think publishers feel about the emergence of ebooks?

[changj19]

1. The Vox article goes into great detail about what it takes for a book to be labeled as a 'Best Seller', which "offers prestige" to the author and the title. How does this aspect of book publishing apply to other forms of media?

2. Based on Craig Mod's blog post, how has platforming evolved in digital publishing across all mediums (text, video, software, games, etc.)? How has the rapid availability and affordability of newer technology shaped the publishing industry?

[halfant99]

1. How has the transformation of the publishing industry to a more digital-focused industry impacted the continuation of print-books and other publications?
2. To what extent can digital prints be more valuable to the development of education in relation to innovation as opposed to printed publications?