本地出版業

回應.DC在"Collect Books"一post的回應，關於本地信徒閱讀風氣與基督教出版社的現況問題：

基督教出版業有以下問題：
1)食老本，來來去去都是那幾個本地作者
2)本地著作大多只把短文輯錄成書，只給本地信徒在公車上打發時間，對思想和信仰深度起不了大作用
3)老翻(譯)外國著作的路線，都以本地市場主導，跳不出本地教會狹小思想框框
4)有少數具實質內容的外國著作被譯成中文，但問題是，有能力有興趣讀這樣著作的人，早已讀了原著了(而且中文譯本的書價也不比原著便宜得多)。
5)引伸問題是，有這個高水平的本地作者及讀者實在太少，又或是出版社不願「投資」在年輕有潛質的寫手身上。

現代人的閱讀習慣已大為改變，寫blog讀blog也許成為新趨勢，不用花數十塊錢買疊紙張存放在家，要買的都一定是買有長線價值又或可以一讀再讀的高水平著作或參考書。閱讀最終的目的是在裡面而非在外面，所以KBarth提及"Think them!"也是很有道理的。

In response to the reply by .DC on my previous post "Collect Books," I observe the difficulties of Christian publishers and the reading habit in Hong Kong:

1. too few emerging writers come to the scene of publishing market, most "new" books are authored by well respected old writers (in terms of experience and reputation for three decades in HK).
2. Most published works are collected short 'light' essays, not fruitful for the mind but for bedtime reading.
   
3. Some are translated works for the popular interest of the major readers. It does no help to widen the narrow mind in the Church.
4. Very few high quality foreign language titles are translated into Chinese, but the appreciating readers may have already brought/read them in the original language.
5. In short, Christian publishers dare not "investing" on younger generation of writers.
   

I think the reading pattern has undergone dramatic change these years. The blogging community has contributed to a new style of reading experience, which may somehow replace the traditional publishing industry. In Barth's word, thinking is more important than collecting. Is it not the role that we bloggers doing now?