By Hannah Johnson
In an interview with Publishing Perspectives, Eva Bonnier said that English-language book exports “can be a problem” for publishers in markets like Sweden where many people buy and read English books. If it takes a year for a Swedish publisher to put out a translation, many readers have likely already bought the English version and won’t buy the translation.
The export of English-language e-books to markets like Sweden is creating demand among readers for e-books, which is good news for publishers facing flat or declining print sales. However, the rise of English as a global language along with the huge selection of English-language e-books means that US-based platforms like Amazon and Apple are attractive options to many readers around the world.
When will the selection and availability of local e-book editions increase to a level that will attract readers to buy from local publishers or platforms? Or should these markets simply wait for Amazon to come in? When will local e-book editions and platforms compete with English-language editions for readers?
Tell us what you think in the comments.