I read a recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle entitled something including the words “Publishers” and “R.I.P.” The article went on to lament the status of book sales and dwindling employment in the traditional book sector. It was the subtitle that caught me, which mentioned the current economic status making it tougher than ever to sell books.
It is true that book sales are down. In the traditional sector. But numbers show that book sales are weathering the economy quite well. Forbes magazine published an article a few months ago noting Amazon’s whopping 38% growth over the past year. It is simply that the economy in this case is shifting. Readers are finding books in new and non-traditional places like Amazon where reader reviews, Kindle editions, and discounted prices help engage readers in a real-time review dialogue along with various options to dig into good material. The cool thing is that self-publishing offers the flexibility, control, and support to meet that changing wave in the market.
Good news for self-publishing authors.
So let’s all keep writing.
– Karl Schroeder
Self Publishing Advisor 