Publishers Weekly Reports Drop in Book Sales
According to Publishers Weekly, quoting the U.S. Census Bureau, bookstore sales fell 6.5% in February, lowering the total dollar amount to $1.01 billion.
I’m never sure what to make of statistics like this. A billion dollars of book sales is a whole bunch; February is a short month and I can’t find the original release to figure out if they correct for short months or what.
What probably is or will be true is the major trade publishers will be even more skittish about contracting with new authors. But this isn’t really news. The majors have gotten less and less interested in content and more interested in the bottom line, which, in my mind translates to easy sales. Ever since the consolidation of publishing started, when non-book companies started buying publishing companies, it has been harder for the new author with a new approach to sell there.
But there’s also been a surge of small press and self-publishing success. Somehow, it seems one way or another, truly good books in all genres eventually find their audience.
Write well and often,
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POSTED IN: Business of Freelance Writing, Musings From A Freelance Writer
5 opinions for Publishers Weekly Reports Drop in Book Sales
Mike Sieber
Apr 16, 2007 at 12:15 pm
I read an article awhile ago (wish I’d saved it) about how the big book publishers are really only going after the ’sure thing’ like a new Harry Potter or Stephen King release, which has opened up the small press market that’s more geared toward quality content.
Anne Wayman
Apr 16, 2007 at 2:56 pm
exactly!
Steve Shickles
Apr 16, 2007 at 5:18 pm
I have one word… Internet.
Tom Chandler
Apr 17, 2007 at 10:45 am
I’m considering an essay book as an extension of my fly fishing blog. In that niche, a publisher isn’t going to provide marketing support — or much in the way of anything else.
It didn’t take long to figure out self-publishing is the way to go for those with an online audience.
There’s no reason publishing’s going to escape the online revolution any more than advertising is…
Anne Wayman
Apr 17, 2007 at 12:15 pm
Steve, is the ‘net or is it the degrading of our public school systems?
Tom, go for it, and if you haven’t considered lulu.com, take a look… that’s where my next self-publishing project is going.
A
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