During his presentation in Readmagine 25 Rüdiger Wischenbart raised a series of thought-provoking questions that challenge the traditional understanding of what constitutes a book in the modern era and most of all within the professional community. What is a book? This question, though basic, resonated strongly with the audience in the Casa del Lector.
You can follow on this video how Wischenbart outlined a structure that explored various perspectives on the definition of a book. From the official UNESCO definition of 1964, which defines a book as a non-periodical printed publication of at least 49 pages, to many newer forms such as e-books and reading on mobile devices, he encouraged to broaden our traditional understanding and highlighted how the concept of a book has evolved beyond the physical boundaries of a printed page.
A particularly revealing case study was that of author Rebecca Yarros and her remarkable success in publishing romance novels. Despite being a relatively new figure on the literary scene, Yarros sold over 12 million copies of her novels in just two years in the United States.
Wischenbart also explored the changing dynamics of the publishing business, where new ventures and specialized publishers are challenging the dominance of traditional giants like Penguin Random House and HarperCollins, mentioning a publishing imprint founded by a team of women with a strong feminist empowerment focus, underscoring how such initiatives are shaping new trends and discussions within the industry.
Furthermore, a comparison was drawn between traditional publishing and emerging platforms like Amazon Kindle and Wattpad, emphasizing how the latter are democratizing publishing and expanding access to new voices and literary genres.
Wischenbart also highlighted that, much like other industries, the book business has evolved beyond the simple framework of production. He noted that it’s no longer sufficient to view publishing solely as the production of books. In today’s interconnected world, industries like Amazon, Netflix, and Spotify have demonstrated the importance of integrated value chains that blur the lines between production and distribution. This shift is also visible in the music industry, where recorded music has become just one part of a much larger ecosystem. While global recorded music used to dominate, platforms like Spotify now serve a broader role, and the overall music industry has diversified significantly.
Similarly, the book publishing industry is experiencing its own transformation. While the global book publishing market is estimated at around €130-140 billion worldwide, it is increasingly divided among different genres and categories, such as academic books, children’s literature, and educational materials. The top 47 publishing companies account for over half of the total market share, with the top 10 companies alone representing half of this. The level of consolidation in the book publishing industry is high, but it is still much smaller compared to industries like film or music, which are far more consolidated.
A key point made was the growing impact of newer markets such as manga, webcomics, and audiobooks. These segments are gaining ground quickly and, in some cases, are close to matching the market share of traditional consumer book publishing. Manga, for instance, has gained enormous traction, particularly in global markets, and webcomics like WebToon are pushing the boundaries of what is considered a book. Similarly, audiobooks have added a new dimension to the reading experience, where the act of «reading» now includes listening as a form of literary consumption.
One of the most striking statistics offered by Wischenbart was the dramatic increase in self-publishing, showing a chart with the number of ISBNs issued in the United States from 2011 to 2023, emphasizing how self-publishing has surged, especially with platforms like Kindle Direct Publishing. In 2019, a single self-publishing company significantly boosted the total number of ISBNs issued, showcasing the growing influence of self-publishing on the book market. In the U.S., fewer than one in four books comes from traditional publishers, a trend that is likely even more pronounced in the digital age.
The breakdown of the book publishing ecosystem is shifting, with self-publishing and independent authors playing an increasingly prominent role. This new model challenges the traditional author-publisher-retailer-reader relationship, creating new opportunities for authors to control the production and distribution of their work. While this model may be less radical in Europe, the basic pattern of disruption is the same.
One of the most important shifts highlighted was the change in power dynamics within the book industry. Traditionally, publishers and retailers controlled access to books, but today, authors have more influence, and the audience has a stronger voice in determining what becomes popular. This shift is a direct result of the digital transformation that has taken place over the last few decades. Authors now have more tools and platforms at their disposal to self-publish and reach global audiences, bypassing traditional gatekeepers.
Rüdiger Wischenbart used the analogy of the «blackbird singing in the dead of night» to reflect on how the book industry often sees itself: as a solitary, misunderstood entity, waiting for recognition. However, the speaker argued that this view is outdated. The book industry is not just about a single, solitary song being sung in isolation—it is a vibrant, interconnected ecosystem with numerous «birds» singing in different ways. This diversity is part of the creative force of the industry, and it’s essential to recognize and embrace it.
Jason Epstein predicted many of the trends that are shaping the book industry today, such as the rise of self-publishing and the increasing digitization of the book production process. He foresaw a «wilderness of choice» where writers and readers would meet in a «worldwide village» facilitated by new technologies. The digital transformation brought about by the Kindle and other e-readers in 2007 has fundamentally changed the industry, making it possible for authors to bypass traditional publishing channels and reach their audiences directly.
Wischenbart also delved into the economic and cognitive aspects of books, framing the discussion within the context of a rapidly transforming industry. He revisited again the metaphor of the «blackbird», but this time with a focus on the economic dimension of the book business. While the bird may symbolise the solitary pursuit of creating and sharing books, the reality is much more complex and he highlighted how the book industry is increasingly influenced by broader economic and technological forces, making it essential to understand these changes to navigate the future.
One of the key points made was the cognitive and cultural significance of reading. According to Michael Kowert, a noted academic, long-form reading—specifically reading books—plays a crucial role in developing cognitive skills such as abstraction, critical thinking, empathy, and patience. However, the speaker posed an important question about how this traditional view of reading holds up in the context of modern formats like audiobooks, oral storytelling, and genre fiction. Wischenbart underlined the fact that listening to audiobooks, while offering a continuous flow of information, doesn’t engage the brain in the same way that reading does. When reading, individuals self-regulate their pace, pause, reread, and interpret, which promotes deeper cognitive engagement.
Another of the most significant topics covered in Wischenbart’s presentation -that you may follow in the video- is related to the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the book industry. The speaker humorously recounted an experiment in which he fed articles and books about reading into AI, which then cloned the voice of his colleague Miha Kovač (speaker in a previous edition of Readmagine) and «interviewed» him through machine-generated responses. While the experiment was a playful demonstration, it also highlighted a deeper point: we are on the brink of a major shift in how books are created, consumed, and even written. AI is poised to play an increasingly significant role in the book industry, from generating content to aiding in book recommendations and marketing.
While AI presents exciting possibilities, the speaker cautioned that it also poses challenges to traditional models of authorship and publishing.
The metaphor of the «blackbird» was revisited one final time, symbolizing not just the solitary pursuit of books but also the broader, more interconnected world in which books now exist. The book industry, much like the bird, is singing its song, but it is no longer alone. There are many voices, many stories, and many channels through which books are shared and experienced today.
You can follow this presentation by Rüdiger Wischenbart in this video that is incorporated also to the ThinkPub Library of Digital Learning Objects.
