Noelle Millholt

Subscription ebook services have been a buzzworthy topic in recent years, but are they a good deal for authors and publishers? That was the topic of a standing room only panel, moderated by Smashwords founder Mark Coker who noted the promise of subscription models as well as the "legitimate challenges" they face-specifically, what he called the "Goldilocks principle," ensuring that readers are getting enough value to continue subscribing; publishers are making enough money to justify their involvement; and, of course, the subscription service itself is financially viable.