The changing face of publication

Almost every day I read news of the changing face of publication via literary agents' blogs and newspapers and it scares me and excites me. On one hand, it may be easier for new voices to break into the market with the surge towards electronic books. On the other hand it might be harder; with more people trying to find an easy way to publish their writing how will you get noticed? If e-books are cheaper to produce, will there be more of them out there and therefore more writers in the way of you finding readers? I don't know, and nobody else seems to know yet either, not even the big wigs of the publishing world. The publishing world as we know it is on the brink of change and it's all happening so fast. I just hope there's room for me when I finally have my manuscript finished. Here are just a few of the changes that have taken place in the past year:

• E-book sales are on the rise as sales of Kindles and other electronic reading devices increase
• The bad economy effects the publishing world with a decrease in overall books sold, therefore a decrease in books published, which means publishers are tightening their belts and taking less chances on first time authors
• Some publishers are no longer offering ARC's (advanced reading copies) to authors, a powerful tool in gaining positive books reviews before publication to boost reader awareness of their book
• Several magazines and newspapers have ceased publication 

It's a scary time for authors right now, especially new ones like me who haven't even gotten a foot in the door yet. It all makes me wonder if I will still get my chance. But when it comes down to it, I love writing with all my heart, and I will keep writing no matter what. So what if there's more competition, there's always been competition. The world will always need literary agents and publishers to be the gatekeepers and help people find the cream of the crop to read, even if everyone can self publish an e-book. I am determined to be a childrens' author and no amount of competition or change is going to bring me down.