ABSTRACT
Ebooks are digital publications applying technology to transmit fiction and nonfiction works to computer screens and handheld devices. Ebooks at first disrupted traditional formats by affording the means of electronic access to authors’ works. Assisted by groups like Project Gutenberg, ebooks also preserved the library of publications in electronic format for popular distribution. Independent authors now have the capacity to circumvent traditional publishing outlets and reach new audiences through ebook technology. It allows access to audio volumes, text-to-speech works, interactive narratives, and an enhanced experience with multimedia content.
This format may have disrupted the publishing industry, but was itself disrupted by new marketing strategies and access options. Amazon, for example, the market leader for electronic reading, revamped the way it distributes ebooks moving to capture the market with its powerful Prime services while competitors strive to follow its lead. The ebook future promises innovations for both authors and a wider readership.
