Writing paints the picture

Writers are like artists in many ways, the stroke of the key is similar. Very few people write in a linear fashion, but it is a tweaking process of creativity in the revised that feels like plucking a word out here, putting the finishing touches through verbs and adjectives over there. Those of us who love the written word remember picking up and being fully absorbed into the world that comes alive with each sentence. The art of the scribe is not dead, there have been decades of transformation and transition with social media, the distractions of the digital world. But even there, the massive availability of online libraries offers free access to any number of classical and contemporary works, and digital books through Amazon, Google Play and the major retailers are picking up a decent percentage of overall sales.

Books continue to be a thriving market

Billions of dollars are spent each year on the written word, whether it’s downloaded to the smart phone, or tablet, words are important. There has been a slight decrease overall, but the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Economics Daily, shows that the interest and demand in books overall represents a significant industry.

Consumer spending on recreational reading rose 22.9 percent in 2020 and another 1.8 percent in 2021, reaching $15.2 billion.

Even in the slow years, in 2019, books of all genres were about $12 billion in sales. Interestingly, baby boomers are the strongest buyers. For now, the strength is in the hard copy, but as seniors come more online, and get comfortable with tablets and devices, that transition to the digital market will expand.

In the meantime, the choices are many

These days, there is print on demand through Amazon, but e-books are definitely are gaining more sales action.

The e-reader market revenue is forecast to grow in the coming years, reaching roughly 23.12 billion U.S. dollars by 2026,” according to Statistica.

We’re happy to report that books, in whatever form, are not going away anytime soon.

Self Publish Tips.  In a recent read, I was very surprised that an English professor produced such a finely written book, except for that missing period at the end of a sentence. It can happen to the best of us, but when it does, it sticks out and diminishes the copy. Make sure that your book is ready to go to press without typos. Contact us, we have eyes on you!

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