Quote and Overview
"E-books’ declining popularity may signal that publishing, while not immune to technological upheaval, will weather the tidal waves of digital technology better than other forms of media, like music and television."
Alexandra Alter’s article “The Plot Twist: E-Book Sales Slip, and Print is Far From Dead” examines the future of print. Though the rise of the e-book once provoked panic among lovers of print, the numbers show that digital sales have slowed considerably over the past few years, and it seems that print has remained resilient in the face of technological advance. Published in 2015, the article offers readers the opportunity to consider the changes that have already occurred in the industry since its publication. Dr. Laurence Roth introduces this text.
Discussion Questions
1. Why do you think digital publishing is less popular now?
2. What other industries could be affected by these technological advancements?
3. This article was written 3 years, how do you think the publishing industry has changed since the publication of this article?
4. How do you think the publishing industry was able to become successful again?
5. What do you think are some challenges that the publishing industry faces now or will face in the near-future?
Alexandra Alter
Alexandra Alter has written for the New York Times since 2014, focusing on publishing and the literary world. Prior to writing for the Times, Alter focused on books and culture for The Wall Street Journal where she was a reporter for seven years. She has a bachelor's degree in religion from Columbia University and received her master's degrees in religion and journalism from Columbia as well.
In-Class Activities
1. Have students research local bookstores or bookstores from their hometowns. They can collect data on the challenges with digital publishing and discuss it with peers or write a short reflection on their findings.
2. Have half of the class research traditional publishing and have the other half of the class research digital publishing. Compare and contrast the different findings as a group.
