The long tail again. The tail is interesting in that there is a bulge at the end where books continue to sell and there is quality out there at the end. But, again there is a very specific problem for fiction.
Our nonfiction book about short term therapy for stepfamilies is still out there selling a little bit after over ten years. It is a perfect example of the long tail. The publisher did not consult us but it is clear that they went to POD production since it seems doubtful that they have the book lying around after ten years. Or, anyway, that is my assumption.
A major issue with POD is cost. POD production is cheaper than it used to be and quality is higher but it is still costly per unit. With our stepfamily book, though, it sell for $32 and change so it is possible to absorb the POD cost. Not so with our fiction books. The cost of POD takes up way too much of the cost of the book. In fact, it makes it a money loser. It seems unlikely that the long tail will apply to fiction any time soon given these economics.