EXTRA! -- Is it possible to still adequately compensate the top textbook authors for their work through the type of advertising structure you have in place?
Doran -- The royalty percentage college textbook publishers pay authors is not radically different than other types of publishing. The challenges for the industry are in other dynamics. These include the cost of free material textbook publishers provide instructors, a highly efficient used book market that begins replacing the publisher’s business very early in the product life cycle, and a very savvy end-user. College students are finding all sorts of ways to find replacement products, or share a textbook or, increasingly take a course without buying any textbook.
Book Business Extra Q&A -- Freeload Press CEO Talks About His Mission to Offer Students Free, Downloadable Textbooks
EXTRA! -- Is it possible to still adequately compensate the top textbook authors for their work through the type of advertising structure you have in place?
Doran -- The royalty percentage college textbook publishers pay authors is not radically different than other types of publishing. The challenges for the industry are in other dynamics. These include the cost of free material textbook publishers provide instructors, a highly efficient used book market that begins replacing the publisher’s business very early in the product life cycle, and a very savvy end-user. College students are finding all sorts of ways to find replacement products, or share a textbook or, increasingly take a course without buying any textbook.