King still managed to far outsell almost all electronic books published by the major publishers. According to the Times , publishers say typical e-books sell far fewer than 10,000 copies. One publishing analyst says the actual number is closer to 3,000. Hardly the long-awaited new model for writers or for publishing. Direct digital publishing makes sense in some contexts.
Textbooks seem to have a natural niche for selling on the Net.
Scientific, academic and other research could be published on the Net, shared and peer-reviewed and sold instantly. Each Spring, gardeners might love e-books on climate, bulbs and the tools to plant and take care of them. Many are centered around communities of interest. Because they are not mass-marketed, increasingly popular open media sites are freer in voice and diversity as well as cost. On a bookstore shelf, King is a lethal competitor against other books and writers, even many movies and TV shows.