The independent publishing market is growing rapidly according to a report recently released by Bowker, a provider of bibliographic information management solutions designed to help publishers, booksellers, and libraries better serve their customers. The report says that the number of self-published titles in 2012 jumped to more than 391,000, up 59% over 2011 and 422% over 2007. Additionally, ebooks are growing quickly in popularity; 40% of books that were self-published in 2012 were ebooks, up from just 11% in 2007. The report is based on an analysis of U.S. ISBN data.
One of the most interesting trends that can be gleaned from this report is the shift going on in the publishing market. “The most successful self-publishers don’t view themselves as writers only, but as business owners,” said Beat Barblan, Bowker Director of Identifier Services. “They invest in their businesses, hiring experts to fill skill gaps and that’s building a thriving new service infrastructure in publishing.” The analysis shows the growing prominence of a handful of companies that offer publishing services to individual authors.
Bowker’s research on self-publishing includes surveys of authors that provide insight into where the market is going and services required by these writers. Those who intend to self-publish most often plan to bring fiction to market, followed by inspirational or spiritual works, books for children and biographies. The majority cite finding a traditional publisher as an obstacle. They also feel challenged by marketing – a hurdle that becomes bigger with increasing numbers of books in the market.
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