A novel idea

摘要

These are dark days for the book business. Borders, a once-huge bookseller, announced on July 18th that it will liquidate its remaining stores, leaving nearly 10,700 staff jobless. Publishers will lose a showcase for their wares, which could mean more laid-off editors. Yet the problem is not the supply: writers will still scribble for scraps. Nor demand: American book publishers reported growth across all platforms in 2010. It is just that no one is making money. The business needs fresh ideas. Enter Unbound, a British effort to "crowd-fund" books. Visitors to its website can pledge money for a book that is only part-written. If enough money is raised, the author can afford to finish it—and the pledgers will get a copy.