The Digital Minds Conference on April 15 had an impressive number of attendees, given that it took place on the Sunday before the London Book Fair. Conference Chair, Evan Schnittman, still listed as Bloomsbury in the program (he officially starts at Hachette Books Group on April 30) emceed the event. Pottermore‘s Charlie Redmayne gave one of the three well-received keynotes, but panels dominated. “Blurred boundaries” pitted traditional publishers like HarperCollins against successful self published authors like Kerry Wilkinson and agents/e-entrepreneurs like Ed Victor, along with Michael Tamblyn from Kobo, and all held their own in a lively exchange. Tweets abounded (check out #digiconf12 for a tasting).
An excellent, much- tweeted children’s panel brought together Sara Lloyd, the moderator, from Macmillan UK, Belinda Rasmussen, Macmillan UK children’s, Kate Wilson, founder of Nosy Crow, Eric Huang from Penguin Children’s Licensing, Business Development and Jeff Gomez, principal in Starlight Runner. They talked about how content providers can thrive in a nonlinear digital environment, and how each age group requires different access points to that content. Huang talked of the success of Moshi Monsters, whose website has to be updated almost daily because “kids expect that. ” This is not the case with the younger market, which likes the familiarity of a revisited story. Wilson talked of how “Parents like apps, which is a kind of ‘walled garden,’” where their children will be safe. Gomez talked about how, as they play video games, “tweens and teens get used to a nonlinear world, which forces us to tell stories in ways that they’re used to navigating” but Wilson reminded the audience that “in the end we are storytellers. Our conversations are stories. They satisfy us – I don’t think that goes away.” Rasmussen agreed, “Never underestimate the importance of spotting and shaping a good story – abilities that now reside with book editors.”
As is the case at LBF, which started today, much focus is on the growth of world markets. At Digital Minds, that focus was on ebooks, and a panels was devoted to three markets – France, Spain and Germany. Spain has the largest penetration – 2.5% – but Germany, as the second largest global book market, according to Siobhan O’Leary, who presented stats on the country, has the most potential. However, as with Spain, fixed prices on ebooks (set usually at 20%of the print price) along with a 19% VAT, keep ebook prices on par with print. So the market is only at 1%, despite significant digitization of content.
In France, 1.5 million tablets and 145,000 ereaders sold last year, with ebooks at 1%, or 2.5% including apps. Apps are popular for art books, comics and children’s, but not much from non-illustrated.
Skoobe is a Bertelsman and Holtzbrinck subscription ebook library with partnerships with over 70 German publishers. For €9.99 per month, subscribers can check out two books every month through an iOS app (an Android version is in the works).
The day ended after a presentation by Audible‘s Don Katz, whose Amazon-owned audiobook company is poised for growth; and drinks to toast the sunny weather, successful conference, and the beginning of another sold-out London Book Fair.
