Publishers Weekly coverage of the just-concluded BEA (@BookExpoAmerica) includes the following: According to Bowker’s (@Bowker & @DiscoverBowker) newest figures of books produced, last year there were 211,269 self-published titles (based on ISBNs) released, up from 133,036 in 2010.
Vice president for Bowker Market Research Kelly Gallagher reports more statistics:
· The most popular genre in terms of units is fiction (45%), but nonfiction leads in sales (38%)
· The average price for a self-published fiction book is $6.94, while nonfiction titles command $19.32
· While ebooks accounted for 41% of self-published units, they only accounted for 11% of sales because the average self-published ebook sold for $3.18, while trade paperbacks had an average price of $12.68 and hardcovers averaged $14.40.
· Amazon’s CreateSpace (@CreateSpace) was the largest player in the self-publishing space last year, publishing 57,602 titles; Author Solutions' (@authorsolutions) various imprints did 41,605 books.
Gallagher also says Bowker is developing a self-publishing White Paper, and is creating a self-publishing bestsellers list.
In Bowker’s annual report on US print book publishing for 2011 (compiled from its Books In Print® database), preliminary figures from US publishers lead Bowker to estimate that traditional print book output grew 6% in 2011, from 328,259 titles in 2010 to a projected 347,178 in 2011 (that's 951 books published every day), driven almost exclusively by a strong self-publishing market. Bowker says this is the most significant expansion in more than 4 years for America’s traditional publishing sector; but removing self-publishing from the equation would show that the market is relatively flat from 2010.
“Transformation of our industry has brought on a time of rich innovation in the publishing models we now have today. What was once relegated to the outskirts of our industry — and even took on demeaning names like ‘vanity press’ — is now not only a viable alternative but what is driving the title growth of our industry today,” says Gallagher. “From that standpoint, self-publishing is a true legitimate power to be reckoned with. Coupled with the explosive growth of ebooks and digital content – these two forces are moving the industry in dramatic ways.”
Genres that contributed to the robust growth in the Traditional sector include:
· Education, with a hefty 20% increase
· Music (up 14%)
· Philosophy & Psychology (up 14%)
· Religion (up 12%)
· Juveniles (up 11%
· Biography (up 11%)
· Business (up 11%).
· Publishing mainstay Fiction – the largest genre – turned around a multi-year decline with a notable 13% increase.
And according to a report by the Association of American Publishers (@AmericanPublish), US publishers in the Trade sector saw significant sales increases worldwide in both print and e-format English-language books in 2011.
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