There is an army of indie publishers and authors who are very aggressive with digital. They are setting the tone for best practices in this new space. These publishers are budgeting for an array of formats right from the jump. They pay as much attention to detail on digital releases as print.
As industry ‘outsiders’, they are using digital as a way to level the playing field for their content. The reluctance of major publishers to invest in digital with the same vigor they invest in print, to price eBooks affordably, and to market their content in a variety of formats (rather than licensing it out to others) has become an indie publishers’ market advantage.
To say this group has been disruptive to the industry is an understatement. Consider that eBooks produced by non-traditional publishers now make up 60% of all Kindle eBooks purchased. This giant chunk of revenue is not included in the headlines publishers have been reading with regards to the shrinking eBook market. Perhaps the only thing shrinking is the grasp major publishers have on digital publishing.