0 New iPad Opportunities for Children's Writers

There's discussion out there about what the iPad will do to publishing. For the children's book, the iPad can offer new opportunities. Publisher's Weekly this past week was quick to provide examples of early adopters and industry leaders in story app efforts. Given the amount of the initial investment ($499), some are even speculating that parents might be willing to buy more books to read on the iPad than they might otherwise buy in traditional format. I know from personal experience that reading electronically has its charm. In fact, I go through more eBooks because I always have them with me and read in any spare moment. Which means I get used to having a book available, which means I need new books more often.... Instead of fearing the iPad, perhaps we should be looking forward to having early adopters help turn out a new generation of avid readers.

The iPad launched with two important apps that will already change the way parents read to kids. A Story Before Bed is a new service that lets parents record themselves reading a book. Kids can then play back that recording any time. It includes a library of 100 books to choose from. The International Children's Digital Library (ICDL) app from the University of Maryland provides access to a 4,000 title library of online children's books from 64 countries. (Check it out at http://www.childrenslibrary.org/)

As the iPad spawns the inevitable list of new applications, it will be interesting to see who first comes up with a viable one that allows children's writers to upload manuscript texts and sell them directly. I'm not sure that will necessarily be a good thing--I'm a big believer in the collaborative effort between editors and writers creating a better book--but I suspect it is coming.

Want to know more about the iPad and its effect on children's books? Check out the links below:

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/455914-The_iPad_Meets_the_Children_s_Book.php
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/childrens-book-ipad-apps-offer-multilingual-tales-longdistance-bedtime-stories-1934847.html

See what reading a regular book on the iPad looks like:
http://i.gizmodo.com/5458329/what-it-looks-like-to-read-a-book-on-the-apple-ipad-+-video

Happy speculating,

Martina