I see two primary ways to look at it. On the positive side, you could say it gives us a new distribution channel for our writing–a new way to be seen and read. On the other side, it could cause problems in negotiating rights.

How Big Will e-Readers Get?

Personally, I don’t see this kind of technology ever replacing print magazines and newspapers for several reasons:

• The devices are expensive, and even in its second generation, Amazon hasn’t been able to make the Kindle truly affordable to the masses.
• The functionality is limited–why spend $300+ on a simple e-reader when these days you can buy a netbook in the same range with far more functionality?
• Magazines and newspapers aren’t always sold to people searching for the content. It’s one thing to assume e-readers would be valuable to normal subscribers, but there’s something to be said for those impulse buys (there’s a reason we use catchy headlines on the cover / front page).
• Many buyers will simply prefer print versions. That goes beyond the end readers who just like the feel of paper in their hands, don’t want to stare at screens any more than they already do, or want the ability to cut out clips of recipes, articles, or anything else in their favorite magazines. It also applies to subscribers wanting the paper versions available to their customers (think about magazines in your doctor’s waiting room or at the hair salon).

The Biggest Impact on Writers

Because I highly doubt e-readers will every really replace print publications on the whole, I don’t think the impact on writers will be huge in the foreseeable future.

However, I do think it’s important that writers are conscious of the changing publishing environment as it does impact their ability to negotiate rights. The rights we should probably be keeping an eye on now are first electronic rights. If we were used to selling print rights to certain publications, future contracts might be changing as those publishers need to secure electronic publishing rights as well.

Authors and book agents went through this with the Kindle and how it affected a book’s “in print” status, as I’m sure some journalists and magazine columnists / feature writers did as well. What I’d like to know today is how electronic readers (or even print publications launching online versions with the same content) have already impacted your job as a writer, or how you expect that they might. Maybe you’ll have some other ideas for positives or negatives about the new readers Hearst will be releasing.