A Blueprint for Book Publishing Transformation: Seven Essential Processes to Re-Invent Publishing

Authors: Bill Trippe, Vice President & Lead Analyst; David R. Guenette, Affiliate Analyst; Karen Golden, Affiliate Analyst

This report is primarily focused on book publishing, e-books, and how book publishers are adapting their traditional processes to digital publishing. After the devastating economy of late 2008 and early 2009, book publishers are seeing more numbers that are positive. The revenues for digital publishing – and e-books specifically – are very strong and promise to continue to grow. However, while there are many bright spots, other process areas lag. Particularly challenging is the rapid-fire addition of new channels and business models and the need for book publishers to codify these models in their internal processes and systems even before they can fully evaluate how valuable they are. This report contains:

- Background on the rise of e-books and digital publishing;
- Analysis of the seven essential processes of book publishing, and considerations for e-books and digital publishing in general;
- Exploration of what a digital book is;
- Analysis of current digital publishing practices and the digital publishing industry outlook for the future;
- Case studies in digital publishing;
- Digital book publishing industry directory.

Open table of contents

Acknowledgements
A Blueprint User’s Guide
Executive Summary
Digital Comes to Book Publishing
Book Publishing’s Seven Essential Publishing Processes
What is a Digital Book?
Digital Book Publishing Industry Outlook
Blueprint Case Studies

Wolters Kluwer Health: Digital – and the Right Partner – First
McGraw-Hill Higher Education: Going All Out Digital Starts with XML-Early Education
John Wiley & Sons: When Digital Means Print
Hachette Book Group: Sticking to Standardization and Best Practices

Appendix A: Blueprint Study Methodology
Appendix B: Survey Results
Appendix C: Blueprint Sponsors and Vision Statements
Appendix D: Digital Book Publishing Industry Directory
Appendix E: The “Blueprint” Team

Tables & Figures

Table 1. New Title Production Numbers, 2008 and 2009
Table 2. Non-Traditional Book Production Numbers
Figure 1. Publisher Type
Figure 2. Worldwide E-Books Market by Segment, Content Sales Only, 2009
Figure 3. Worldwide E-Books Market as a Proportion of Total Books, 2009
Table 3. Regional E-Books Market Size and Growth, 2009
Figure 4. Percentage of Gross Revenue from E-book Publishing Today
Figure 5. Expected Gross Revenue from E-book Publishing in Five Years
Table 4. Kindle E-Book Availability by Book Type, Spring 2010
Table 5. Sample E-Book Cost and Revenue Analysis
Table 6. Differences Across E-Book Devices, Smartphones, and Tablets
Figure 6. Book Publishing Segments Represented in Blueprint Survey
Figure 7. Software System Used in Planning
Table 7. Klopotek Modules
Table 8. Focus on Publishing Software Modules
Table 9. Firebrand Technologies Title Management Solutions Modules
Figure 8. Digital Editions Considered During New Title Planning
Figure 9. Relative Timing of Digital and Print Title Development
Figure 10. Digital-Only Title Consideration
Figure 11. DAM Usage Versus Other Solutions
Figure 12. End Format for Print Books
Figure 13. Usage of Outsource Services for Print Publishing
Figure 14. Usage of Outsource Services for E-Book Publishing
Figure 15. Lulu.com’s Recent Charge Schedule for POD Books
Figure 16. Promotion and Marketing Activities
Figure 17. CoreSource as Distribution Channel
Figure 18. CoreSource Fulfillment Platform
Figure 19. Firebrand Technologies ONIX Platform
Figure 20. E-Book or Print Book?
Figure 21. Untethered Device Adoption Rates
Figure 22. The Voyager Company’s 1991 “Expanded” Book
Figure 23. Disney Reader, with Callouts of Interactivity
Figure 24. Interactivity Takes Many Forms
Figure 25. Online Access to Digital Texts
Figure 26. Mixable Textbooks
Figure 27. Digital Printing and Digital Workflows
Figure 28. BISG “Point of No Return” Findings
Figure 29. Kinds of Digital Publications Produced by Book Publishers
Figure 30. Length of Time of XML Used by Book Publishers
Figure 31. Percentage of Titles in XML at Book Publishers
Figure 32. Reasons for Using XML
Figure 33. Use of XML Repositories for Content and Metadata
Figure 34. Reasons for Using XML Repositories
Figure 35. Reasons for Not Using XML Repositories
Figure 36. Perception of E-Books’ Support of Digital Printing
Figure 37. Reasons for Using Digital Printing
Figure 38. Book Publishing Companies’ E-Book Production Numbers
Figure 39. Digital Formats in Use at Book Publishers
Figure 40. Respondents’ Reasons for Digital Publishing
Figure 41. E-Readers Galore!
Figure 42. Levels of Interoperability Among Publishing Processes at Book Publishers
Figure 43. A Glimpse of Integration to Come? North Plains TeleScope Publishing Platform
Figure 44. Level of Rich Media Use in Digital Publishing Efforts Today
Figure 45. Level of Rich Media Use in Digital Publishing in Five Years
Figure 46. “Columbus: Discovery” Multimedia Title, 1991
Figure 47. “The Elements,” a Contemporary Enhanced E-Book
Figure 48. A Sampling of Video Formats
Figure 49. A Copia E-Reader, Showing a Reading Community Review Page
Figure 50. Disruptive Technologies on the Horizon
Table 10. Major Cloud Vendors and Services
Figure 51. Respondents’ Self-Identification with Specific Publishing Process
Figure 52. Respondents’ Identification of Size of E-Book List
Figure 53. Position Title Breakout for Planning
Figure 54. Position Title Breakout for Editorial and Production
Figure 55. Digital Publishing Gross Revenue Percentages Today
Figure 56. Digital Publishing Gross Revenue Percentage Projections in Five Years