Latest news with #KindleDirectPublishing
Listly
4 days ago
- Business
- Listly
Crispy Stix Review: Start Your Digital Printable Biz TODAY & Earn $7K
To learn more or to get access, visit the official Crispy Stix page now. Create Simple Digital Assets — Like the Ones That Still Earn for Me Today WITHOUT: NO MORE RECURRING COSTS NO MORE LONG PROMPTS NO NEED TO GET TRAFFIC! NO NEED TO STOCK ANYTHING! NO NEED TO DO SALES COPY! NO NEED To WORRY About Copyright Issues NO NEED To Waste a Fortune on AD Spend NO NEED For Websites NO NEED For Formatting NO NEED To Spend Hours Hunting For Niches NO NEED TO WRITE OR DRAW! Introduction to the Product In today's digital age, entrepreneurs and creatives are continuously seeking innovative ways to monetize their talents and passions. One such burgeoning niche is the market for printable stickers—tiny, colorful, and versatile designs that have become a staple in planners, scrapbooks, journals, and even digital downloads. If you've been pondering how to tap into this lucrative trend without the need for advanced design skills or hefty software investments, then Crispy Stix might just be the game-changer you're looking for. Crispy Stix promises to revolutionize the sticker creation process by harnessing powerful AI technology to produce high-quality, commercial-use stickers effortlessly. Developed by Ike Paz, a seasoned expert in print-on-demand and Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), this cloud-based software aims to streamline your workflow, save time, and maximize profits with minimal fuss. Whether you're an aspiring seller on Etsy, Gumroad, Shopify, or another marketplace, Crispy Stix offers an accessible entry point into a trending marketplace. This review will explore the ins and outs of Crispy Stix, assessing its features, benefits, pricing, and whether it truly lives up to its promise. Alongside, I'll share my personal insights based on my experience with similar tools, helping you determine if investing in Crispy Stix aligns with your business goals. Vendor: Ike Paz Product: Crispy Stix Prduct Website : Join Here Launch Date: 2025-Jun-27 Launch Time: 9:00 EDT Front-End Price: $47 Affiliate Network: WarriorPlus Niche: Software The Product Brand: Who Created Crispy Stix? Background of Ike Paz Ike Paz is a highly respected figure in the online publishing and print-on-demand community. With years of hands-on experience in creating and selling digital products, Ike has built a reputation for launching effective, user-friendly tools that empower entrepreneurs to succeed without technical barriers. His portfolio includes various popular programs like Nurie Creator, Royalty Prints, Kawaii Town Prints, Crispy Prints, and the Done-For-You JC Coloring Book. What sets Ike apart is his deep understanding of the needs of beginners and experienced sellers alike. He crafts his products with simplicity, speed, and profitability in mind, ensuring even those with no prior design knowledge can generate professional-quality items quickly. Credibility and Track Record Ike Paz's success stems from his ability to identify trending niches early and develop tools that make exploiting these trends straightforward. His products consistently deliver value through comprehensive training, effective automation, and quality output. When it comes to Crispy Stix, his expertise in digital sales and printables shines through, offering users a tool that eliminates the typical learning curve associated with graphic design software. He has also demonstrated a commitment to customer support and ongoing updates, which is crucial for tools operating within fast-changing marketplaces like Etsy or Amazon KDP. His credibility as a product creator reassures buyers that they're investing in something reliable and backed by industry experience. Why Ike Paz's Products Stand Out Unlike generic software solutions, Ike's products are tailored with step-by-step guidance, making complex processes accessible. His focus on automation, combined with marketing strategies embedded into his offerings, helps sellers achieve tangible results faster. This approach is especially beneficial for newcomers eager to enter the sticker-selling space without feeling overwhelmed. What Will You Get with Crispy Stix? Full Overview of Content and Features When you acquire Crispy Stix, you gain access to a cloud-based platform designed for quick, easy, and professional sticker sheet creation. The main promise is that you won't need any design skills or expensive software—just input some keywords or prompts, and the system generates high-resolution stickers ready for sale. Here's what is included: AI-powered Sticker Generator: The core of Crispy Stix is its intelligent engine that analyzes your input and creates unique sticker graphics. High-Resolution Output: The generated files are optimized for print quality, ensuring every sticker looks sharp and professional. Commercial License: You get full rights to sell the stickers created—no restrictions, giving you peace of mind. Template System: Pre-designed templates help you customize and produce various sticker sheets rapidly. User-Friendly Dashboard: The interface is made simple for ease of use, even for complete beginners. Training Resources: Step-by-step tutorials guide you through setting up your shop, listing products, and maximizing profits. How It Simplifies Your Workflow Most traditional graphic design software requires steep learning curves and significant time investment. Crispy Stix bypasses this hurdle by automating the design process, allowing you to generate multiple sticker sheets in minutes rather than hours. This efficiency means you can scale your sticker business much faster. Furthermore, because it produces print-ready files, it minimizes the need for outsourcing or additional editing, saving both time and money. The ability to create consistent, branded sticker sheets also enhances your product lineup, boosting customer trust and brand recognition. Compatibility and Delivery Being cloud-based, Crispy Stix can be accessed from any device with internet connectivity, providing flexibility whether you're at home or on the go. The files generated are compatible with most printing services and online marketplaces, including Etsy and Amazon KDP. My Experience Using Crispy Stix Ease of Use and Learning Curve As someone who has experimented with various design tools—from Adobe Photoshop to Canva—I can attest that Crispy Stix offers a remarkably intuitive experience. The onboarding is straightforward; just entering a few descriptive words or selecting options takes you into the generation phase. The AI does the heavy lifting, crafting graphics that look polished and ready for sale. The interface is clean, clutter-free, and designed for speed. Within minutes, I was able to produce several high-quality sticker sheets, each with distinct themes and styles. For beginners, this ease of use drastically reduces the intimidation factor often associated with graphic creation. Quality of the Generated Stickers The standout feature is the quality of the output. The high-resolution images are suitable for professional printing, and the diversity of styles ensures broad applicability for different niches. During my testing, I appreciated how the AI captured intricate details and vibrant colors, resulting in eye-catching designs. One minor observation was that certain prompts required slight tweaking for optimal results, but this is typical with AI-driven tools. Overall, the consistency and quality exceeded my expectations. Profitability Potential Considering the low upfront cost ($47) and the rapid creation process, the profit margin with Crispy Stix appears promising. Creating multiple sticker sheets daily could lead to a steady passive income stream, especially when marketing on platforms like Etsy, where printable stickers are highly sought after. Additionally, the commercial license grants full ownership to sell unlimited quantities, making this a scalable solution. From my perspective, the combination of speed, quality, and affordability makes Crispy Stix an excellent tool for beginners and experienced sellers alike. Product Price and Value Front-End Offer At a one-time payment of $47, Crispy Stix offers excellent value considering the capabilities and time savings it provides. Unlike subscription-based software, this is a flat fee that unlocks the entire suite of features, enabling unlimited sticker creation. Bonuses and Add-Ons The vendor includes substantial bonuses, such as templates, training modules, and possibly niche-specific packs. These extras amplify the initial investment's value, equipping you with everything needed to launch your sticker shop successfully. Is It Worth the Investment? Given the potential profitability, ease of use, and support offered, the $47 price tag seems reasonable. For anyone serious about building a printables business, Crispy Stix's automation and quality output justify the expense—especially when compared to the costs of hiring designers or purchasing expensive software licenses. Pros and Cons of Crispy Stix Pros No Design Skills Needed: Perfect for beginners wanting to jump into sticker sales. Time-Saving Automation: Generate multiple sticker sheets rapidly. High-Quality Output: Professionally designed, print-ready images. Affordable Pricing: One-time fee with no recurring costs. Full Commercial Rights: Sell without restrictions. Cloud-Based Access: Use from any device with internet. Support and Training Included: Guides to maximize your profits. Cons Dependent on AI Prompts: May require some trial and error for perfect designs. Limited Customization Options: Less control over individual elements compared to traditional design tools. Market Saturation: The popularity of printable stickers means competition is fierce; differentiation is key. Potential Over-reliance on Automation: Creativity limitations could arise if you seek ultra-specific custom designs. Expert Advice and Recommendations Should You Invest? If you're an entrepreneur aiming to capitalize on the sticker trend, Crispy Stix offers an efficient, cost-effective way to produce high-quality products without design expertise. Its automation capabilities enable rapid scaling, which is vital in competitive marketplaces. However, success depends on your marketing efforts, niche selection, and branding. Use Crispy Stix as a foundational tool but complement it with strategic product listings, SEO optimization, and premium branding to stand out. Tips for Maximizing Profits Niche Down: Focus on specific themes like seasonal stickers, pet motifs, or hobby-related designs. Bundle Products: Offer sticker sheets as part of larger printable bundles. Create Variations: Use different prompts to diversify your offerings. Leverage Multiple Platforms: Besides Etsy, consider selling on Shopify or Gumroad for broader reach. Engage Your Audience: Use social media to showcase your sticker creations and drive traffic. Conclusion Final Thoughts on Crispy Stix Crispy Stix emerges as a powerful yet accessible tool for anyone interested in the booming printable sticker market. Its AI-driven technology simplifies design creation, allowing users to generate stunning, high-resolution sticker sheets with minimal effort. The affordable one-time fee, coupled with generous bonuses and full commercial rights, adds exceptional value for budding entrepreneurs and seasoned sellers alike. While it's not a substitute for branding and marketing strategies, Crispy Stix provides a solid foundation to start or expand your sticker business. Its strengths lie in speed, quality, and ease of use, making it an ideal choice for those looking to jump into printables without the hassle of complex software or costly outsourcing. In summary, if you're ready to leverage the lucrative sticker trend with a tool that empowers creativity and productivity, Crispy Stix deserves serious consideration. Pair it with effective marketing, niche research, and customer engagement, and you could find yourself thriving in one of the fastest-growing segments of the online marketplace. Bonuses for KDP Included Don't forget! Purchasing Crispy Stix often comes with exclusive bonuses tailored for Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and printables. These bonuses can include niche guides, marketing strategies, design templates, and more—giving you extra leverage in your online selling journey. Maximize your investment by taking advantage of these special offers, and accelerate your path toward creating a sustainable income stream from your printable sticker empire. Disclaimer: This review is based on my personal experience and analysis of Crispy Stix as of October 2023. Always conduct your own due diligence before making purchasing decisions.e...
Engadget
5 days ago
- Business
- Engadget
AI might undermine one of the better alternatives to the Kindle
Kobo, a Rakuten subsidiary that sells ebooks and ereaders, has built its name on being a more open and author-friendly version of Amazon Kindle. However, a recent change to the company's self-publishing business has some writers worried that reputation might change. Last month, the company updated its Terms of Service for Kobo Writing Life , its publishing platform, which opened the door to AI features on the platform. With that new contract language going into effect on June 28th, authors seem no clearer on what it will mean for their futures on Kobo. For authors who haven't broken into (or have opted out of) traditional publishing both Kobo Writing Life and Kindle Direct Publishing offer a way to sell books without needing representation or a publishing deal. If they can provide their work and the information needed to make a store page — and have a willingness to serve as not only author but marketer — they have everything they need to sell their books. Agreeing to sell on one of these platforms comes with a list of conditions. The biggest is the split of sales. If an author sells their novel for $2.99 or more on Kobo Writing Life, they keep 70 percent of what they earn. On the considerably larger Kindle Direct Publishing platform, there are two royalty options — 35 percent and 70 percent — but both have a confusing litany of compounding factors , some of which can significantly reduce authors' earnings. The calculus of fees vs. exposure makes authors develop strong preferences for the platform they choose. But the terms of service under which their work is published are also important — and apparently subject to change with little warning. Engadget spoke with three authors who were surprised by Kobo's decision to experiment with AI. All of them noticed the company had published new Terms of Service because of a simple banner notification in the Kobo Writing Life Dashboard. Even now, a month after the terms were changed, the company is unable to clarify how the new terms would apply to existing work. There also isn't a means for authors to opt out. If anyone on Kobo is adamantly against any amount of AI use, their best and only option is to stop publishing there, and probably to pull their existing work from the platform. The authors we spoke to were surprised that Kobo didn't reach out about the proposed changes in advance, but also that the company was choosing to work with AI at all. "I appreciate their transparency in being candid about their use of AI," Michelle Manus, a fantasy author on Kobo's platform, wrote to Engadget over email. "What I think they vastly underestimated was the extent to which their user base dislikes AI." Kobo's new terms are explicit in saying that the company does not plan to use authors' work to train generative AI. It does, however, reserve the right to use "artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning algorithms or similar technologies" to "read, analyze, and process" writing for a variety of non-training purposes, including: "Enhancing the discoverability of Works" with tagging and targeted customer recommendations "Evaluating the suitability of Works" for sale in the Kobo store "Generating resources" like "creating keywords, promotional content, targeted advertisements, customer engagement strategies and other materials" "Providing recaps, reading assistance and accessibility features" Authors have taken issue with the apparent lack of recourse provided to them. What happens if a work is incorrectly tagged as one genre when its author believes it more directly fits another? Or what if the "promotional material" Kobo generates includes some kind of hallucination? The biggest issue for the writers Engadget spoke to was the potential for Kobo to deploy AI-generated recaps. Amazon implemented a recap tool on Kindle in April , using generative AI to help readers get back into a series or remember where they were in a novel, and some authors have already found examples of the company's AI inaccurately summarizing stories. "We would have immediately gone, 'Ah, okay, we see what you're trying to do, but we don't think that the thing you're suggesting is going to work to address the problem that you're trying to address," Delilah Waan, a fantasy author and YouTube creator, told Engadget. Since self-published authors tend to be more responsive to their audience, these kinds of issues could actually jeopardize that relationship. "Authors frequently get pushback from readers about plot choices, and I can only imagine the levels to which that could rise if they are receiving incorrect recaps of what happened in a book," Manus wrote. All of the authors Engadget spoke to admired Kobo's attempts to address complaints in public. On Bluesky, the company's CEO Michael Tamblyn posted a long thread getting into the logic of including an AI clause in the company's terms. Essentially, Tamblyn wrote, Kobo is trying to make the job of connecting readers with authors easier, and streamlining the moderation process that goes into maintaining the Kobo Store, all while avoiding trampling over copyright. "We are completely uninterested in creating new content using authors' books, and don't do anything that would allow us to do that," Tamblyn wrote. "And we don't want anyone else to do it either because we are in the business of selling books and would like to be able to keep doing that." Agreeing to not train generative AI with an author's work is what all professional writers have been encouraged to demand from publishers by The Authors Guild , a professional organization that advocates for writers and is currently participating in a lawsuit against OpenAI. By choosing to not train generative AI on books, Kobo is starting on the right foot. The dubious nature of what material gets fed into an AI model still leaves many questions, though. "Keep in mind, all of the models right now are illegally trained, and I mean all of the big LLMs [Large Language Models]," Mary Rasenberg, the CEO of The Authors Guild, says. "So they may be using an AI system that's not one of the big LLMs, but whatever system they're using may be based on one of the big LLMs." Kobo did not respond to a request for information about which LLM it plans to use. For work that might be misclassified or mislabelled, the company encouraged authors to contact them via its support email, which authors say has been responsive to complaints so far. The company says it has not begun testing what it describes as a "beta feature" for generating a "personalized recap" in the Kobo app. It notes that it's "not interested in doing whole summaries of books." Instead Kobo plans to make its recaps specific to each reader, around 150 words in length based on both the pages they read in their last reading session and the quotes they highlighted. Ebook platforms are taking a cautious approach to AI broadly. Authors who publish through the Apple Books platform can have AI-narrated audiobooks generated from their work, but doing so is completely optional. Barnes & Noble's Press platform doesn't currently offer AI products. Amazon's recaps are currently the most invasive use of AI across ebook markets, and authors can't opt out of them."It doesn't matter how much money we're making from Amazon. We all hate dealing with it," Waan said. She made it clear that self-publishing authors are scared of Kobo changing because it currently has author-friendly answers to most of Amazon's products. "I cannot describe how much we want Kobo to succeed, like we are rooting for them," she said. Every company seems keen to continue pushing the boundaries of where and how invasively it can implement AI. Waan's hope now is that Kobo engages in some kind of open forum with authors about its proposed uses for the technology. "I think it's really hard to decide, as an author, 'am I going to pull my books?,'" Waan said. "Because the minute you pull your books it's a whole headache, because you gotta update all the links. If you have ads running, you gotta pull them. It's not as simple as turning off a light switch." Difficult as it may be, that's a decision self-published authors will increasingly be forced to make. If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission.
Mint
04-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
How to share your Kindle e-books with a reading buddy
Let me be clear at the outset: This isn't a 'How to jailbreak your Kindle' manual. Nor is it a paean to Amazon. As someone whose working life has revolved around editing and reviewing books, I am all too aware of the problematic business model followed by the global behemoth when it comes to selling books, among other things. This piece is, rather, a PSA of sorts, for those who aren't aware of a less-visible feature in Kindle devices that allows users to share their library with others. Given Amazon's tendency to bury such options deep inside its ecosystem, it is likely that this hack may be news to many readers. If you want to legally share your library with another user, you can use the Amazon Household platform, and it works pretty much like Amazon Prime's family plan. Before I come to the nuts and bolts of the process, some statutory warnings and plain facts. For those who aren't already in the know, Amazon holds a near monopoly in the book-selling business, one of the segments with which the venture started. Currently, the company owns about 50% of the physical and 80% of the digital book market share. Amazon's e-commerce model, which is based on aggressive discounting and superfast delivery, even while incurring losses, has endangered brick-and-mortar bookshops around the world. While Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), the company's self-publishing platform, has made book publishing more egalitarian, it has also led to a drastic erosion of quality. The terms and conditions for putting out work on KDP are stringent—especially if a writer opts out of KDP's preferred pricing model, which leads to a steep reduction in royalty share. When it comes to audio-books, the royalty shares are higher in Amazon's favour. By default, Audible, the company's audio-books platform, takes a 60% cut from all books available exclusively on it. If a writer decides to opt out of the exclusivity deal, the share could go as high as 75%. A few years ago, best-selling fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson got into a pickle with Amazon over audiobook royalty shares for a series he had self-published. Amazon, apparently, conceded somewhat to his terms, though it's not clear how it tangibly changed the overall royalty structure for newbies and lesser known writers. Most shocking to a reader would be the fact that you don't own any of the books you buy on Kindle. As the fine print says, you aren't buying the book itself—as you would with a physical book you may purchase from a bookshop—but simply paying for a license to read it. Amazon can, at any stage, remove a book from your library if you violate its terms and conditions or the company is forced by other exigencies. In 2009, it deleted an e-book version of George Orwell's iconic novel, 1984, from Kindle devices, simply because the publisher who sold that edition didn't have the right to do so. In a series of informative videos, YouTuber Jared Henderson has been highlighting such misdemeanours by Amazon, including the fact that the company can change a cover of a book you purchased. Henderson saw this happen when a TV series based on Robert Jordan's fantasy series, The Wheel of Time, came out. Without seeking his consent, Amazon swapped the cover of his old Kindle edition with the new one. In a further tightening of the leash, Amazon recently decided to prevent users from downloading copies of the books they purchase and store them locally. This feature gave the option to users to strip the Digital Management Rights (DRM) from these files and share with others—much like you would lend out a physical copy of a book you've paid good money for to others, should you wish to. The silver lining in all this is that you can now at least lend your library to one adult and four kids in your family. You could either send an email invitation to the person you want to share your library with by following the steps described on the Amazon Household page. Or else, you can log into your Amazon account, go to Accounts & Lists, Shopping Programs & Rentals under it, and find Amazon Household there. Depending on the way you configure the Amazon Household account, you can share other digital content from your Prime library—games, shows, and movies—too. This is the closest you can come to sharing your digital library of books with your reading buddy—even if they are in another city—for now. Until Amazon decides to change its mind again.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Are ChatGPT-written children's books an easy side hustle?
(NewsNation) — Social media users claim they've made thousands on self-publishing platforms by writing and illustrating children's books using ChatGPT and AI images. The books are mostly for sale in a digital ebook format. Ebook sales are expected to grow to more than $15 billion by 2027, making up 17% of global book sales. But this literary shortcut may not be a sure-shot way to big rewards. Is meme coin crypto the key to get rich quick or another scam? Children's books are 'an effortless way to use AI to make over $10,000 a month,' one content creator said, gaining more than 36,000 likes on TikTok. The creator said, 'AI will do the writing for us.' Another influencer claimed profits of $500 a day from children's books that only required a few prompts to ChatGPT. Influencers say all you have to do is come up with an idea, give ChatGPT prompts to write the book, use an AI picture tool like Midjourney to illustrate the book and then post to a host website like Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing or Etsy. The plan is billed as zero or low cost because ChatGPT does all the work. Creating content like children's books using ChatGPT is pretty straightforward, but making money off of it is an entirely different beast, John Warren, Program Director of publishing at George Washington University, said. The book will still need to be marketed and stand out so people actually buy it, and with so much competition that won't be easy, he said. When something is easy to produce, a lot of users will enter the market, increasing competition and decreasing prices, Andrey Simonov, a professor at Columbia University's Business School, said. Making fast money on vending machines: Is it that easy? 'I just don't believe it,' Ian Lamont, founder of i30 Media Corporation and Lean Media consulting, told NewsNation. 'If you were making that much money, you don't want to tell other people how to do it, because then there'll be more competition for your own for your own books.' 'The reality is, it's very difficult to make money on Amazon or any other platform because even though the barriers to entry are low, quality will eventually matter,' he also said. Children's books seem to be easier to generate for ChatGPT than other types of fiction, Lamont said. 'I don't think we're seeing many fiction books yet because ChatGPT is just not capable of writing good fiction, with the exception of maybe writing some very simple children's stories,' he said. For some of the influencers advertising this plan, the real business appears to be teaching others how to sell ebooks and other digital products with their own how-to guide, experts say. These guides may come at minimal cost or even as a free download, but once you give up your email address, you will then be 'relentlessly spammed' to sign up for a master class or a special creators group, which can cost hundreds or even up to $1,500 per month to join, Lamont said. There is a rapidly growing industry of people teaching others how to make money using AI content. 'If I am a creator who put this video online, you could ask, why would I tell everyone? Why wouldn't I keep making money?' Simonov said. 'And of course, they are doing it because what they want is for this to go viral.' If these videos become popular and attract a lot of attention, more people will watch them and they will gain revenue, subscribers and followers, he said. One content creator who tests out passive income pitches on social media said he did not earn a single penny six months after posting a children's book. 'What they leave out when it comes to this side hustle is that you have to pay to promote that book,' the creator said in his videos, adding that websites have thousands of books for buyers to choose from. 'You're not just going to get that book posted and then show up first on the search results when someone searches for a kids' book. You're going to really need to play that SEO game or actually pay for advertising.' 'That doesn't mean it's an impossible side hustle. You just need to know the work that it's going to take to put in.' ChatGPT can help you save money on your bills The ecosphere of AI-generated digital products is still the 'wild west' Warren said. Laws still need to catch up as they had to with other fast-moving technology, he said, adding that part of the problem is the inability to know for sure which sources ChatGPT extracted from. Lamont said it's largely an 'honor system' and can easily be circumvented. Amazon has a policy requiring creators to flag AI-generated content. In a statement to NewsNation, Amazon spokesperson Tim Gillman said the company is 'constantly evaluating developments that impact that experience, which includes the rapid evolution and expansion of generative AI tools.' Gillman said the company has 'content guidelines governing which books can be listed for sale' and 'proactive and reactive methods that help us detect content that violates our guidelines, whether AI-generated or not. We continue to enhance our protections against non-compliant content, and our process and guidelines will keep evolving as we see changes in AI-driven publishing.' The company said its Kindle Direct Publishing platform has lowered volume limits on new submissions from publishers and has rolled out Identity Verification for authors and publishers who now may be prompted to verify their identity using their government-issued identification. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Observer
23-04-2025
- Business
- Observer
The enduring power of print in a digital age
A recent report by Canon, titled 'Think Books: Imagine the Next Chapter in Printing and Publishing', reveals that over the past two decades, the world of publishing has experienced dramatic shifts that have deeply affected authors, publishers, distributors and readers alike. These shifts began in 1994 when Amazon introduced technology-based reading models that disrupted traditional sales frameworks, accelerating in 2007 with the launch of the Kindle e-reader. Although digital publishing was not as widespread at the time, this period laid the groundwork for today's fast-evolving publishing landscape. The Economist described it then as 'a powerful, long-lasting and adaptable technology.' Canon notes that the global book industry, valued at $151 billion, is three times the size of the music industry and exceeds the European film industry by 15 per cent, highlighting its economic strength despite market fluctuations. Surprisingly, the Canon report affirms that printed books have proven 'far more resilient than expected,' even after the rise of digital publishing. While Amazon pioneered this digital revolution - allowing authors to publish and sell via Kindle Direct Publishing - and companies like Microsoft introduced digital reading software, the print book has not disappeared. Rather, it has fluctuated in popularity, sustained by publishers and expanded through digital platforms that market and deliver physical books at competitive prices. Today, the relationship between printed and digital books is complex. With the rise of self-publishing and concerns around intellectual property rights and digital security, one key question emerges: How can digital platforms preserve the communicative and emotional dimensions traditionally linked to printed books? To explore whether digital media is widening the gap in access to printed books, the OECD conducted a survey among university students. The results were revealing: students who read printed books reported greater enjoyment than their peers, and reading levels between print and digital formats were similar. Even digital-preferring readers still owned sizable personal libraries. Though digital access has expanded reading across socio-economic backgrounds, printed books remain more emotionally engaging and reader-friendly. The OECD study also found that students who balance digital and print reading perform better on international reading assessments such as PISA and enjoy reading more overall. This demonstrates the enduring value of print in learning and enjoyment, even as the digital market continues to grow. According to the Global Book Market Size and Trends report, the book industry was valued at $150.99 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 4.2 per cent between 2025 and 2030. Growth is being driven by increased consumer spending, rising literacy interest and innovations like audiobooks and interactive content. Significantly, access to printed books remains a key growth factor. Despite the rise of digital and visual formats, printed books still dominate with an 84.12-per cent share of global revenue in 2024. This is attributed to growing concerns among parents and consumers about excessive screen time. Print is perceived as more reliable, less harmful to eyesight and easier to navigate - qualities that digital formats, vulnerable to piracy and data loss, often struggle to match. The continued popularity of international book fairs further confirms the staying power of print. These fairs - bustling with publishers, authors and readers - offer vibrant spaces for cultural exchange and intellectual engagement. They demonstrate that the book market remains an evolving, living space of dialogue. The upcoming Muscat International Book Fair, set to open on April 24, is a testament to this resilience. With 674 publishers from 35 countries participating and over 52,205 printed books published between 2024–2025, the fair reflects a strong and growing demand for physical books - even amid the expansion of digital platforms. Celebrating the printed book is not about dismissing the digital. Both formats enrich the reading experience in their own ways. The printed book remains a trusted companion - tactile, lasting and intimate - while the digital book offers unmatched access and innovation. What matters most is that the culture of reading endures. The Muscat International Book Fair offers more than just the opportunity to buy books. It's a space to meet authors and publishers, engage in vibrant discussions and explore emerging ideas. As a cultural event with social and economic impact, it continues to affirm the value and future of the book industry - on paper, and beyond. (Translated by Badr al Dhafari and the original version of this article was published in Arabic in the print edition of Oman newspaper on April 19)
