Are you always in learning mode? I like to think that I am. Here, I share some of the information bites I learned this week. Read all the way through the great book promotion idea for military books and the good news that bar code prices are decreasing to some rather shocking publishing statistics. For example, did you know that, while the number of published authors has increased around three-fold during the last decade, an incredibly huge number of books have gone out-of-print? Keep reading:
1. A military reunion is an excellent place to sell military-related books. I talked to an author at the Ventura Book Festival Saturday who said he sells hundreds of his WWII airplane books when he takes them to such reunions.
2. The price of bar codes is coming down. This is probably due to the fact that you can now buy software designed to create your own bar codes. I was sure I paid $30 for a bar code last year and the same company charged me only $11 this time around. Some companies offer a free bar code if you spring for some of their other services. Can anyone recommend a good software for creating bar codes?
3. Not every printing establishment, no matter what they may say up front, has the same level of communication with its customers. Give me a printing company with communicative, responsive employees any day over one with nicey, nicey upfront salespeople who disappear once payment is received. (Some of you would say the same thing about fee-based POD publishing services, wouldn’t you?)
4. How many books do you think have gone out of print? According to the folks at Bookfinder.com, somewhere between 98 and 99 percent of all books ever published are currently out of print.
5. In 1993, it was estimated that 81 percent of all Americans believed they had a book in them. Today, the number of adults actually producing books has tripled.
I’ve been discussing publishing with hopeful authors while wo/manning the SPAWN booth at book festivals for about 10 years. I was aware that the number of people who come to talk about their pending or potential publishing projects had increased and I guestimated that increase to be about threefold. I based this on the condition of my throat after speaking over the din at a busy book festival for 6 or 8 hours. I notice that I arrive home from book events in a more exhausted, but exhilarated state than ever before. Also, I’m selling more books and we’re signing up more SPAWN members at these events.
This week, I conducted research and learned that my figure is probably fairly accurate. I found that there are:
• 3 times more books being published now than in 1993.
• 3 times more children’s books being published now than in 1993.
• 4 times more fiction books being published now than in 1993.
Unfortunately, readership is not increasing at anywhere near the same rate. In fact, statistics show that it may be declining. I’ll explore the issue of readers versus reading material in the October edition of the SPAWN Market Update, posted October 1 in the member area of the SPAWN Web site. Join SPAWN at www.spawn.org.
I need your help:
• If you know where to find additional statistics reflecting the increase in published books and the decrease in readers, let me know.
• Are you aware of any good programs designed to encourage adults to read?
• Have you come up with or read about any solutions to the over-production of books and/or disinterest in the written word.
Plfry620@yahoo.com
By the way, in an attempt to offer a solution—hopefully, not add to the problem—I’ve revised my hallmark book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. It is scheduled to debut toward the end of September, 2007. Order your copy at the prepublication DISCOUNT price through September 20, 2007, only. http:www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html And be sure to order the Author’s Workbook, which is designed to accompany The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book.