We are all aware of the big shift from printed books to electronic books in the past few years, but if it were up to author Lawrence Watt-Evans, another form of publishing to people would increase in popularity -- writing on coffee mugs. The book is called the Ethshar serial, and he quotes "instead of posting his chapters on the web, where anyone can read them for free, I'll be distributing the story on mugs, one page per mug, a new page every day."
This is not only a very creative way to showcase your work and gain exposure, but it's a great method of increasing sales. With one chapter on each mug, people will have to pay up to 3,000$ to finish the book, with each coffee mug from cafepress.com priced at 12.99$ each.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Printed on Mugs
- Authors and publishers can explore new creative ways of showcasing their work on coffee mugs to increase sales and gain exposure.
- Chapter-a-day Distribution
- The serialization of stories or novels, one page per mug, provides readers with a daily dose of content and can generate a steady stream of revenue.
- Physical Merchandising
- Printing content on physical merchandise like coffee mugs offers authors and publishers a way to monetize their book or brand beyond traditional book sales.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Publishing
- Publishers can explore new and innovative ways to distribute stories beyond traditional book publishing, including creative merchandise like coffee mugs.
- E-commerce
- Online stores can offer authors and publishers a platform to sell and distribute content on coffee mugs or other physical merchandise.
- Coffee Industry
- Collaborations between coffee shops and publishers can utilize branded coffee mugs as a way to promote books and authors while providing a unique product for customers to purchase.
