The publishing industry has undergone a rapid transformation as a result of technology, and it will have to continue to evolve.
Publishing business is made from both print and digital publishing. It’s possible to make a good income from paid employment, freelance work, your own publishing business or your own professional publishing services.
Publishing business involves high capital investment and is difficult to start due to piracy wars, copyright issues and authorisation from government and relevant institutions. You can start by publishing e-books, manuscripts, digital directories and guides, or to begin your own print publishing business.
There is also money to be made from local guides to entertainment, public events and services, where businesses pay to advertise, and from specialist trade directories, which require a fee from companies that want to be included.
Editing & Proofreading
Research
Many people in publishing get paid for editing manuscripts and digital text, and for proofreading printed or digital text. These services are always in demand for content creators, content developers, copywriters and other categories of individuals who write for publication or who want to make some money from publishing. Any business that uses printed or digital copy and contents with the right knowledge of experience can make money from editing or proofreading work.
Key Drivers of Publishing Industries
For book publishers, the rise of electronic reading devices like the Kindle has dramatically changed the dynamics of the industry. Major book publishers have done everything they can to sustain current pricing, even though the costs of producing e-books are far lower than the manufacturing process for printed books. With companies such as Amazon.com seeking to offer subscriptions for e-book services, major publishers don’t want to devalue their content even as their counterparts in the music and video industries have had to accept dramatic transformations to their business models.
Constraints
There are several challenges affecting the publishing business. They include;
Finance
Book Publishing is capital intensive. It’s a struggle for most authors and publishers to raise money for their book project.
Poor Reading Culture
Most people in Nigeria have a poor reading culture. The young mostly only read when they have an examination to sit for or in order to obtain a certificate.
The Economy
The high tariff placed on imported printing materials, Value Added Tax (VAT) discourages many people from publishing their books. That’s not to mention that these increased costs have tripled in the current COVID-19 infected world.
Piracy
This is one demon that the government is yet to find a lasting solution to, as books are regularly pirated and resold at cheaper prices to the detriment of authors and publishers, who can barely break even from the sales of genuine copies.
Dearth of affordable expertise
Most players in the Nigerian publishing industry lack the requisite expertise in writing, editing, and publishing books.
