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Welcome to Season 5 of The Book Marketing Action Podcast with Becky Robinson, where we give you information you can immediately implement to increase your influence and market your books more successfully.
In today’s episode, Becky delves into the world of digital book ownership with Joshua Stone, CEO of Book.io—a platform that allows readers to buy ebooks and audiobooks and sell them on a global secondary market, with publishers and authors earning royalties on the sales. The conversation centers around the limitations of current ebook licensing models, championed by platforms like Amazon, which prevent true ownership of digital content. Joshua sheds light on how Book.io is disrupting this monopoly, offering a solution that restores the rights of authors and the autonomy of readers.
Key Points From This Episode:
[01:41] Joshua shares about himself and his work in the world.
[02:49] Why is digital book ownership such a messy endeavor for authors? Joshua explains.
[07:17] Joshua talks about what the current ebook and audiobook market is like for both readers and authors.
[15:00] Learn more about what Book.io is and how authors and publishers are using it as a new way to experience digital book ownership.
[20:17] Joshua elaborates on how Book.io is non-exclusive, allowing authors to publish their digital books in traditional formats as well.
[23:02] Joshua talks about the digital exchange of ebooks and audiobooks on Book.io and the benefits of passing digital books from owner to owner.
[26:32] How does Book.io work for first-time authors who might be struggling to find an audience for their work? Joshua explains how it could help those authors.
[30:06] (AD) Learn about our Book Marketing Strategy Live Course.
[31:30] Joshua discusses the value of borderless knowledge sharing.
[35:00] Joshua reveals whether or not he thinks it’s possible to truly break up the digital book monopoly.
[39:25] Joshua shares how new technology options within Book.io can help authors combat the worries they have about AI.
Action Steps:
- Explore the possibility of publishing and distributing your book digitally through Book.io. Fill out the form and someone from their onboarding team will contact you.
- Explore Book.io as a reader and purchase a book from the platform. Experience the difference of actually owning the content and being able to resell it.
Resources:
- Follow Book.io on X (formerly Twitter) and join the Discord.
- Follow Joshua on X (formerly Twitter).
Key Quotes:
Consumers don’t actually own their digital books. They are just effectively buying a rental license to look at the book. —Joshua Stone
Technology hasn’t evolved in the ebook and audiobook space, basically since it was invented. And I feel like it’s definitely time that occurs, and it’s going to usher in a lot of new changes. —Joshua Stone
That’s really what we’re doing—taking the freedom and the transparency, and the ownership and agency that you have when you purchase a physical item, and having that exact equivalent exist on the digital side as well. —Joshua Stone
The books on Book.io are not like any digital book has been in the past. They are more like a physical book, except they don’t deteriorate, and you can always see exactly who owns them. —Joshua Stone
I see AI as a tool set, just like Photoshop or even just like a word processor. —Joshua Stone
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Read our latest article based on key takeaways from this episode.
Explore our archives! Listen to Becky’s five favorite episodes:
- Episode 125 with Michael Bungay Stanier
- Episode 121 with Juliet Starrett
- Episode 112 with Clint Pulver
- Episode 108 with AJ Harper
- Episode 106 with Jane Friedman
I am the founder/CEO of the Weaving Influence team, the author of Reach: Creating the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause, and the host of the Book Marketing Action Podcast. I’m a wife and mom of three kids, and I enjoy running, reading, writing, coffee, and dark chocolate.