The curious paradox of the author boom amidst declining readership raises several critical questions. While the ease of publishing has led to a proliferation of books, the attention economy remains fiercely competitive. Competing with countless digital distractions, traditional reading habits are getting reshaped. Over the last decade or so, the very definition of who is an ‘author’ is shifting shape. Oddly enough, this may be good news for book lovers.
Here are our five Bookstrapping insights –
1. The ease of publishing and shifting publisher roles is here to stay. Self-publishing platforms, such as Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, Smashwords, and IngramSpark, have democratized the publishing process. The publisher as gatekeeper has switched to modern publishers as enablers, empowering individuals to share their stories.
Anyone with a manuscript and internet access can become a published author. The desire to tell stories, share knowledge, and leave a lasting legacy remains a powerful motivator. Qualitative aspects remain a powerful albeit subjective tea-time conversation. BUT every author who pushes to be read, expands the conversation around books.
2. Books are not just a business by themselves; but also a means to build a business. Many books are written with a view to creating personal brands and conduits to business; these are marketed heavily in non-traditional modes as well. Other books are about organizations wanting to document their histories for posterity. The value of these books – to the stakeholders – is beyond the MRP of the book. These books become corporate giveaways and training tools.
3. For many, writing a book is a personal accomplishment, regardless of commercial success. Self-publishing also provides an opportunity for self-indulgence; like getting your own portrait painted. However, there’s more to this trend; as more and more niche audiences thrive online, creating dedicated communities around specific genres and topics, the era of the million-copy bestseller has made room for the small quaint book that touches your heart. Friends and family who would never have otherwise picked up a book; become readers.
4. In contrast to the clutch of bestselling authors who are global names, there are several regional success stories. Digital marketing tools, including social media, email marketing, and online advertising, have provided authors with direct channels to reach their target audiences. Communities where reading is celebrated with an element of added motivation, become powerful enablers.
5. Readers are book hopping too. The rise of audiobooks and e-books have provided alternative consumption methods, catering to evolving reader preferences. People are listening to books and switching between titles on Kindle; getting into specific chapters and out of them – rather than reading a book cover to cover.
So how does one reach a consensus on a serious author and a valuable book? A few trends emerge; English-language books, particularly those from the US and UK, enjoy significant global popularity and are widely exported. There is also a balanced distribution of authors by gender; except in genres, like romance and young adult fiction, which tend to be dominated by female authors.
Books in other languages, particularly those from culturally rich regions like Latin America and Europe, are gaining traction now through translation and increased international exposure. Every author is contributing to building a reading culture, even if it is to promote their own book.
Let the movement prevail! And lets allow democracy to shape this new future. Its infinitely better than a world without books!
Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta is a columnist and bestselling biographer. She is credited with the internationally acclaimed Red Dot Experiment, a decadal six-nation study on how ‘culture impacts communication.’ Asia’s first reading coach, you can find her on Instagram @OfficialReetaGupta.