Ebook Trends

Merry Christmas,

I'm curious if it will be this year or in the future that Christmas becomes the #1 book sales day of 2010.

Ebook growth is a great thing for readers; mostly due to the variety of new material to read. Instead of a laundry list of backlist or new titles making its way onto the Kindle, I recommend you Google your favorite genre. Be prepared to be knocked backwards with the flood of offerings if you Google "Romance Backlist."

I'm still sad at how much variety was kept out by the 'old guard' of Sci-fi & Fantasy. :( (My favorite genre.) Look how many of the top 12 are indie! Two thirds and +/- 1 that has been true since October (when I first started looking). Obviously I wasn't the only reader craving more variety.

Random House book Sales up 250% In my estimation, Random house has benefited by avoiding the beginning of the year e-book 'tiff.'

But indie authors had only a tiny market presence before e-books. Before ebook readers, the "Tyranny of shelf" space provided power to the publishers, if you will 'guilds' that controlled access. Now that 'journeymen' can get there works out, there will be a greater diversity. No longer are the publishers required for 'validation.'

Kindle sales exceed analyst predictions by 60% . That is extensive growth in ereaders. Every year ereader growth exceeds the predictions. Sadly, the news will continue to be filled with articles on their imminent demise. Unlikely... While I expect most ereading to be on other devices in 2011, I think ebook readers are a niche that is here to stay. Unless someone invents a tablet that works in the sun and is far easier on the eyes than an LCD.

Book publishing and selling is undergoing a tremendous change. I still think the major changes will happen in 2012 and 2013. We are witnessing the groundwork being laid. It is a 'push me' and 'pull me' situation. At first, readers bought e-readers for convenience. Now it is variety 'pulling' readers to ereaders. No longer do books have a 4 to 12 week shelf life.

My point is that the market has changed for reasons those in the industry didn't care about:
1. Shelf life no longer rules marketing (Now self life will only be limited by evolutions in language.)
2. Variety. Readers demand this. Those that do not want variety watch TV. ;)


In his snarky way, JA Konrath is letting people know there is a change.

And another link:
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Merry Christmas. No longer is it a question of when the change in ereaders will come. It is here. Ereaders are established. It is only a question of when ereading is half the book dollars. I'll stick with my prediction of January 2013; even though the trend is for earlier. ;)

Got Popcorn?
Neil