We’re always writing about the effects of filesharing on the music industry, but sometimes it’s interesting to look at how much of an impact filesharing is having on other sectors. The world of book publishing is a prime example.

Books are shared by filesharing users in the same way as music and movies are. Book publishers have likewise been forced to assess how they do business and how they should approach the world of filesharing.

While some hip authors have taken to making pirate copies of their own works available for filesharing, there are others who take the whole thing a bit more seriously. However, even some major publishers have been looking into the idea of making material, be it chapters or entire works, available through filesharing networks.

One possible solution for authors comes in the form of smashwords.com, a website where authors can upload their novels as Word documents and then decide how much they want to charge. It’s an interesting concept that has come in direct response to filesharing.

Do any of you use filesharing networks to get books?

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