The article discusses how digital self-publishing has changed the book industry and how it is affecting print publishers. Statistics from the Chinese Association of Publishers’ Research Office show that in 2020, digital book sales in China increased by 6% to 35 billion yuan ($5.75 billion), while print book sales fell by 9% to 92 billion yuan ($14.57 billion), with print publishers seeing their profits decrease by 10.8% to 9 billion yuan ($1.44 billion). There have also been efforts by major publishers such as Beijing Gehua Press and Hunan Lijiang Publishing House to plan for digital publishing. However, smaller publishers are also struggling to adapt and some traditional publishers like Shanghai Translation Publishing House are experimenting with digital publishing to rescue their profits. Digital publishing is also changing the reading and writing habits of Chinese readers, resulting in different publishing needs. Overall, the article emphasizes the need for traditional publishers to embrace digital publishing to remain competitive in the industry’s transformation.
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