What’s in store for books in 2012

Just how will 2012 bring changes to what and how we’re reading? We asked Jason Boog, the man behind GalleyCat, a widely read blog about the publishing industry, for his predictions.

1. A push toward reading locally: Boog hopes the trend toward eating locally will extend to consumers supporting another local movement: their neighborhood bookstore. “People are really upset about Amazon taking away business from local bookstores; I see a lot of backlash. I hope this translates into people supporting them,” he says. Boog doesn’t see a bright future for them if we don’t. “I don’t think local bookstores have much of a chance [if not], especially as digital books become more popular,”?he says.

2. Amazon will take over your life: “On the other side of that ‘reading locally’ coin,” counters Boog, “is there is going to be a huge Amazon blitz this year.” He points to their host of inhouse imprints currently in the works: “They’re launching a romance imprint, science fiction, fantasy — the list goes on,” he says. “They’ve also spent time acquiring a great team of editors. Although we don’t know the outcome yet [of these changes], it’s going to be fascinating to watch.”

3. Digital is still on the rise: “We’re going to see a lot more attention focused on self-published authors,” says Boog. He points to the careers of self-published writers like Amanda Hocking and John Locke as evidence. “They got big book deals which, in turn, inspired a whole new wave of people to get into self-publishing.” Boog says that many established authors are looking toward e-books to publish their back list — or if they get a book deal they aren’t happy with it. “The stigma is receding.”

4. The year of Occupy Writers: “My hope is that the kind of moment that started with Occupy Wall Street extends to writers. Writers deserve a fair wage, jobs that are stable,” he envisions. “I really hope this is the year writers organize.”

More on Occupy Writers

On top of his duties at GalleyCat, Boog is also writing the book “Will Write for Change: How New York City Writers Survived the Great Depression” (check out his other blog at www.sadmen.tumblr.com). “During the Great Depression, writers were in the same boat as we are now, but they weren’t sitting down or taking it,”?he notes.

Follow Dorothy Robinson on Twitter @DorothyatMetro.