Small Publishers Who Successfully Met the Challenges of 2020
For independent houses, success appears to correlate with a cohesive publishing program and direct outreach to readers.
Industry Research
Like those in the US, UK’s book sales held up well in 2020
For the full year, UK’s Nielsen BookScan reports an estimated 5.2 percent increase in print unit sales over 2019.
At least some US independent bookstores saw sales gains in 2020
According to an ongoing survey of store owners across the country, some independent bookstores have been managing well during the pandemic.
Publishing deals increased in 2020, according to Publishers Marketplace
Publishers Marketplace, which has been tracking book deals for 20 years, has released 2020 stats reflecting that—even during a pandemic.
Closing Image: January 20, 2021
NPD BookScan, which tracks US print book sales through retail outlets, recently released the top 10 bestsellers of 2020. Barack Obama’s memoir, A Promised Land, released on Nov. 17, was number one,
Book sales update: January 6, 2021
Print book sales in the US remained strong through the holidays and end of the year. During the holiday season.
Closing Image: January 5, 2021
Creator apps and services had a breakout year in 2020, with increased use of Substack, Patreon, OnlyFans, Twitch, and Cameo—as well as TikTok.
Book sales update: print units up 8 percent versus last year
Print sales continue to run ahead of 2019 according to NPD BookScan, which tracks sales through brick-and-mortar and online retailers.
Closing Image: December 23, 2020
Written Word Media released the results of their latest author survey. This year, they’ve broken down responses based on authors’ incomes.
Emerging Story Platforms: Alternatives to Book-Based Storytelling
Emerging platforms continue to evolve and figure out what readers want, and all of them have modified their offerings or model at least once.