Harry Potter goes e - without the publisher

Confirmed: J K Rowling to sell Harry Potter e-books exclusively from Pottermore website | The Bookseller

If big authors do not need big publishers, then what are big publishers for? | FutureBook

So, if the world's most popular author doesn't need a publisher anymore, exactly how many pairs of trousers did the world's collected publishers just need to change?

...AND she won't use DRM. This should be interesting.

Initial reactions:

Pottermore: your experiences | Children's books | guardian.co.uk

Pottermore throws off invisibility cloak | FutureBook

Publishers are struggling to find their place in the digital world same as the RIAA was ten years ago. I imagine that there will be a massive culling.

She's got a big enough name...most of the rest of the world will still need publishers.

Indeed. She has the luxury of wealth and accomplishment to back her righteousness. I like that she is thumbing her nose at the collectives, however.

Smart. Now she can make more money.

The 'Potterworld' site has probably been well bank rolled. Who would NOT go this way if they could. Losing 30% to a publishing house that just 'posts' your books that you then have to advertise like crazy to get noticed.... I am happy we even have that facility, but I would skip it in seconds if I thought it would work.... Good Luck to her, I hope this sets a new standard for powerhouse authors. We do live in interesting times. !!!!

Like she needs more money.

But, all the same, I'm sure it'll work for her because she's got enough fans willing to buy directly. I don't think it'll attract too many authors for a while...but maybe once a generation or two has gone by it'll be the new norm.

This is only the second published author that I've seen selling books on her/his own website. In both cases the books have been through the value-add process of a professional editor. Editors provide a real service to all people who love books. They filter out the utter (insert nasty word here) that is presently filling up the Amazon catalog and they proofread and remove obvious errors.

If you are interested in Science Fiction novels, you might take a look at Baen Ebooks and their "ARC" program. ARC (Advanced Reader Copies) books are books that are in "as received from the author", before they go through the editing process. You can pick up a copy of a novel months before the real copy comes out. The ARC copy is usually $15 and the edited copy is $6. There is a significant difference in the readability of the two versions that I bought. I don't see publisher/editors going away any time soon for Ebooks.