I think 2011 will see the fall and rise of the publisher. If publishers take note of what is happening and embrace the changes that have been creeping up on them.

Ever since the emergence of desktop publishing we have seen more and more creative people publishing their own content. To be honest it has been going on for a long time in zines and other cheap publications, thanks to photocopying. But with the advent of social networks and digital formats these publications can now be distributed with ease.

For the first time in history an author can create content and distribute it direct to their readers. This is the digital revolution, and it is here… now.

So what role can publishers have in this direct to reader scenario? Well there are two areas that they need to address.

Publisher as service provider

Any good author knows that they need a good editor. Authors can write a good story, they are ideas people who can craft these ideas into an engaging narrative. But they need to be shaped and honed into the final, focused and grammatically correct books that they should be. A decent publisher can provide this as a service to the author, and together they can provide a product that neither could create on their own.

Publisher as brand

A publisher can draw an audience to themselves if they have a defined and strong brand. Publishers will need to make sure they have clear and obvious lines of publications for readers out there. A publisher who, for instance, has a number of good horror books on their list, will draw horror fans to their brand. As this happens, authors will see that that particular publisher has a fan base that they could write for. All this is emphasised in the socially networked world we now exist in.

As we head into 2011, I think it will be publishers who are able to offer both of the above, that will continue to play a role in this publishing revolution.

But then this is only my opinion, what do you think?