Capitalizing on the growing globalization movement associated with digital reading, it’s no longer enough to simply bring ebooks to a foreign market. Forward thinking companies are already preparing for the digital publishing revolution sparked by authors’ intentions to publish their own works, with several solutions providers working on expanding the reach of digital publishing. Penguin announced its recent venture with Author Solutions to bring self-publishing to the Indian book market. Together they have created Partridge Publishing to address the need for publishing solutions for Indian authors.
When Penguin’s parent company Pearson acquired Author Solutions last summer, there were some speculations as to the motives. What would a Big Six publisher want with a self-publishing service platform? It’s now become evident, as Pearson is focused on expanding Author Solutions into global markets, beginning with Partridge.
The new Partridge site is very user-friendly, reaching out to authors who may not have been exposed to a lot of previous information about self-publishing. A live-chat feature allows users to find help, and the downloadable publishing guide walks authors through the process of using Partridge’s features and options. The site also offers themed packages, from the very basic support package up to more all-inclusive tools that authors can opt to hire. Partridge will work in both ebooks and print books, allowing authors to reach as broad a readership as possible.
There is already speculation that other Big Six publishers like HarperCollins, who owns Autonomy, will be making similar moves into broader markets, affording authors who don’t have the opportunity to publish via the very limited constraints of the traditional markets in their countries the opportunities that self-published authors in other regions have already been enjoying.
Mercy Pilkington is a Senior Editor for Good e-Reader. She is also the CEO and founder of a hybrid publishing and consulting company.