Blogger: Janet Kobobel Grant
Location: Books & Such Main Office, Santa Rosa, Calif.
You’ve heard it before, and you’ll hear it again: e-readers keep gaining momentum. Why should you care? Because it affects:
- how much readers pay per book
- which formats are losing out to e-readers
- and how authors make a living.
Aside from that, you don’t need to care.
Here are the latest stats from Bowker’s PubTrack Consumer service:
- 20% of readers reported in October they are likely to buy an e-reader compared to 10% in the 2009 holiday season.
- Just over 10% of readers in September and October said they read e-books on a daily or weekly basis compared to 3% a year ago.
- e-books accounted for 4.2% of unit sales in September and October, which is substantially higher than third quarter ’09 when e-books accounted for 1.7% of units.
- e-books seem to have taken market share from mass market paperbacks and hardcovers, but trade paperback sales have proven resilient in the past year.
Other results from the analysis of book-buying behavior shows:
- e-books readers are becoming increasingly loyal to the format. They want to buy e-books as opposed to physical books.
- the increase in e-book sales appears to be lowering the total dollar volume buyers spend on books. Dollars per buyer fell from $34.81 in ’09 to $31.64 in ’10.
- sales per buyer in fiction–an especially strong segment for e-books–dropped from $19.62 to $17.12.
- nonfiction spending declined less than fiction, falling from $19.56 to $19.00.
As a side note, none of these stats reflects the number of free e-books downloaded vs. purchased e-books. Many titles are being offered for free for limited times to introduce a series or an author to e-book purchasers. Publishers have found this a very effective way to drive readers to purchase books, but no study has been done to track what long-term affect such a marketing device has.
And one other item for you to make note of. Prognosticators have predicted that, with so many e-readers and i-Pads being given as Christmas presents, the strongest day for book sales in 2010 is likely to be the day after Christmas, when happy new device owners are loading their readers with books.
Gift cards are predicted to have a significant factor on book sales this holiday season as well, with the two weeks after Christmas being one of the strongest selling seasons of the year.
What does all this mean to you? As someone who makes a living writing books or who aspires to make a living writing books, times, they are a-changin’. In the past, publishers counted on hardback books to bring in the majority of profit; nowadays, publishers have to create new financial pictures. For the author, e-books translate into the need to sell more copies to bring in as much money as could be made from hardback books.
Also, as an author, you need to be aware that after Christmas is an increasingly important time to promote your books. Sure, your books still are great Christmas gifts, but you want buyers to be thinking about your book during the weeks immediately following Christmas as well.
Now, here’s what I’m wondering:
Did you receive an e-reader for Christmas?
Did you give an e-reader as a gift?
If you received one, did you download free book or buy books?
Did you buy physical books for yourself or for others during the holidays?
I bought myself a Kindle this fall. I have primarily loaded it with free books. I hunt for deals and freebies every week.
I still like having a physical book for a couple of reasons. I like to lend books to others, I collect some, and I re-sell or trade books regularly (paperbackswap.com is a great site!)
I will keep buying both kinds for a while, and I’m not sure that I’ll ever lean heavily on my Kindle. But, time will tell.
My sister got a kindle for Christmas and she loaded it with free and purchased books. I gave physical books for Christmas as presents. I am still hesitant about e books. As an author (not published yet) I want to be able to physically hold my “baby” and feel the pages that took so many pains taking hours to write. I am not opposed to publishers that wish to do both ebooks and physical books but have stayed away from publishers that do nothing but ebooks. Do you think that is a wise idea or my downfall?
Don’t have a Kindle (or other e-reader). . . yet. Did purchase books as gifts for Christmas to friends and relatives who also do not have e-readers. They were thrilled witht the books.
Janet, USAToday ran an article today on this subject. It said that Barnes and Noble sold 1 million ebooks on Christmas Day. More stats and information here:
http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2011-01-05-1Aebooksales05_ST_N.htm
Latayne C Scott
I’ve did most of the items listed. I already own an e-reader, and I purchase and download free books. I gave an e-reader for Christmas and purchased a book for the e-reader by the receiver’s favorite author on Christmas Day. And I gave actual books for Christmas.
I love my e-reader for fiction reads, but I do not for non fiction. For example, I like to physically highlight and write in the margins of books on the craft of writing.
I have had the Kindle apps on my computer and phone for a while and got a Kindle this past Christmas – I have primarily free books or discounted books and also books I needed for research that I was able to get right away!
I love my Kindle and I really enjoy reading on it. I also have plenty of “book love” in my heart for physical books—since my Kindle arrived I’ve read an equal amount of e-books and traditional books. I’ve spent the same amount of time wandering bookstores as I have searched the online Kindle store.
I gave out a ton of physical books this Christmas, but am constantly referring e-books to my mom (an avid Kindle reader on her iPad).
I think they are a perfect compliment to each other and I’m excited to see what the future holds for e-books and the publishing industry!
Latayne, thanks for the link to a great article on this topic.
You know what I find chilling about the responses so far? Everyone is downloading free books onto their e-readers. We all want to keep publishing vibrant, but this use of e-readers actually has the opposite affect: It can create an unhealthy publishing climate. How can publishers continue if we read only free books? I’m just sayin…
Salena, most publishers are creating both physical and e-books, and I don’t know a single author who wants only an e-version of his or her book. Everyone who puts so much effort into the creation of a book wants to hold that baby in his or her arms and hand it out to friends, families and strangers.
I love the feel of a “real” book. I also tend to be a miser, so I probably would not have a Kindle had I not won one, but I love it! Like Heather, I use it only for fiction because I like to highlight and make notes in my non-fiction resource books. Like most who have commented, the majority of my e-books were downloaded free, but I haven’t had my Kindle long enough to have finished all the free samples and see if that will entice me to purchase books by the same authors.
I purchased several ink-on-paper books as Christmas presents for my parents (who would never use an e-reader) and for my college-aged son (who is an old soul and prefers dusty classics).
I love to write. I love to tell stories. I’ll probably continue to write as a hobby no matter what, but I think professional authors will weigh whether the time and effort they expend will be profitable in the end. Publishing is a business. A business can’t thrive unless it brings profit to the ones who create and supply the product.
“You know what I find chilling about the responses so far? Everyone is downloading free books onto their e-readers. We all want to keep publishing vibrant, but this use of e-readers actually has the opposite affect.”
I’ve actually wondered lately if publishers are seeing an increase in their clients’ book sales after offering some free books. The free books I have downloaded have mostly been author’s debut novels where the author already has a second or third published. This has introduced me to a couple of authors I might not normally have found and I now have three additional books (not free) on my to-be-read list.
I received a Kindle as a Christmas gift. I did not give any ereaders.
So far I have downloaded one free book, and one pay book. I expect that most I will download will be paid for.
Also, I gave 5 print books for Christmas. I still prefer print books.
Heather, the idea of offering a free e-book to introduce readers to a new author is the very reason most publishers are making the books available. And the idea worked with you just as publishers hope: You discovered new authors; you ordered (and paid) for additional books.
Every publisher I’ve talked to about whether free e-books generate more sales has trotted out very impressive stats on the kind of boost in sales the author’s other books receive.
But, as I’m reading how those who have posted on this blog are using their e-readers, I’m wondering if the concept of free e-books to increase sales might be on the way out.
I don’t own an e-reader and find myself reluctant to purchase one. My eyes get tired much more quickly while reading on screens, and I’m worried that I’ll have this problem when reading on an e-reader. Anyone else have that issue?
I purchased a gift card to a brick-and-mortar bookstore for someone who wanted a particular book this Christmas. I also bought myself several (paper) books in the last month. I even bit the bullet and bought most from brick-and-mortar bookstores, hoping to do my part to keep them around. Looking for Christian fantasy fiction in those stores is like a scavenger hunt! In one store I found several in the Christian fiction section, one in the regular young adult section, and one in the regular sci-fi/fantasy section.
I received a Kindle as a birthday gift last July and love it–no eye/screen issues, either. I download plenty of free books. But I also purchase e-books for my children’s homeschool and for my writing research (immediacy counts).
We gave a Kindle to our new college graduate this December. She’s married to a Brazilian and hopes to teach English overseas, so I foresee her carrying an entire e-library along when she goes.
I also gave several print books to various family members this Christmas. Books–no matter what their form–matter to me. And as a writer who loves to read, I’m excited about anything that has people interested in books. As electronic publishing continues its growth, I can only pray the need for books and writers continues.
Thanks for some thought-provoking statistics and an insightful post.
P.S. Lynn, you do know you can highlight and make notes on your Kindle? No, it’s not the same as hard copy–but it is possible.
Probably Elvis has already left the building, and I might be writing this for the benefit of myself, but I couldn’t help to jump in on this one. My Christmas present was a Kindle and I have already loaded up close to 800 books…most of these free. Interestingly, about 400 of those classics are already on my bookshelves (bought in most cases for $1 each at used bookstores, by the wsy). This is how I want to read from here on out. Much more comfortable. Much more compact. And how glorious! Push one button and I’m reading just about any book out there without leaving my beach chair.
I was one of those book hugging, cuddle before the fire, you’ll take my printed book out of my dead, cold fingers type of person…but no more. I’m a changed man with Kindle fever. If I could only figure out how to squeeze all of my bookshelves into the Kindle…I would. I expect the rest of the world will follow suit as well as it just makes too much sense. So publishing world…you better figure this out.
Although I think this is devastating news for the Penguin Classics, I believe in the end people will read more AND spend more. People value their time over their money and will not read a full length free book, when they REALLY want to read the latest $10 book. Victory publishers. Victory writers. Not so much traditional bookstores.
I don’t own an e-reader, but I use Kindle on my Mac and my iPhone. The application is free, and I’ve bought a bunch of books (and downloaded freebies).
I’ve also downloaded the free sample chapter, and wound up buying the paperback edition.
But here’s the kicker… I notice that as I’ve read free stuff (most notably, all the Tarzan books), I’ve burned time I would have spent on purchased books. It’s not so much financial as it is time for me. Less time to invest in $$$ books.
Lovin’ the series. Thank you.
My Christmas Kindle is due to arrive early Febuary (Amazon’s supplies to the outside-US market ran out apparently). I have downloaded a few free ebooks ready, and I’ve also added a number of books to my Amazon wish-list, to purchase when it comes.
For me Kindle is a dream-come-true. Although the secular bookshops near me are well resourced the Christian fiction market is very poorly represented. In the past I’ve relied on buying books cheap second-hand (and paying large postage), which doesn’t benefit the author at all. Now I’ll be able to buy the books I want and support the authors financially without a prohibitive financial outlay. And, knowing me, the books I fall truly in love with I’ll want to buy in hard copy as well anyway. Win win.
A quick question for you: does the author receive higher royalties from ebooks than from paper, considering the lessened cost of production?
I do not have an e-reader yet, but imagine that I will have one sometime in the next … 10 … years or so. Hah. (We’re on a quite a budget right now.) I do love the pages of a physical book (as we’ve talked about here before), but I could see myself liking e-readers. Just perhaps not enough to fully replace my physical books until much later.
But I did give and receive physical books at Christmas. They’re some of my favorite gifts to give (and get)!
Interesting statistics. Thank you for sharing. It’s definitely a trend (though I would think a long-lasting one) to watch.
I received a Kindle for Christmas, and I ordered a few free books, a few paid books, and some games so far. I used a gift card I had received LAST Christmas to buy several print books for myself. I also bought a print book as a gift for someone else. I love print books, but I like the idea of bringing several e-books with me when I travel (especially with the money charged by the airlines for baggage now). I hope there will always be print books out there.
Lindsay, that was one of the main reasons I got the Kindle. I had the app on my computer but never used it, because my eyes get very tired at the computer.
The Kindle and other e-readers like it (not the iPad, though) have an ink technology that is supposed to be kind on the eyes. So far, I have had not eye strain with it, and I tend to read it at night after I’ve spent the day on the computer.
I received a new laptop for a combo Christmas and bday present. I downloaded the Kindle App for Pc’s last night to receive the free ecopy of The Centurion’s Wife. I also bought 10 books on Tuesday at the brick and motar store. I would buy the next two book’s in the series if I enjoy the first.
I will be more likely to download the freebies, but beings I live an hour one way from the closest book store, the idea of having a book in a few minutes is appealing.
Thanks for the post, Janet. Good food for though.
I received an iPad this Christmas. Before that I had downloaded the Kindle app and the Nook to use on my iPod.
I am one of those who downloads free books and would only spend money on a book if I had to have it. Which means, I’d pay for nonfiction books but probably not a fiction book (though I have paid for a few fiction e-books).
I noted that I was looking to see who published the book before downloading. Why? Because I didn’t want to download a book that I couldn’t trust. Which raised a lot of red flags since I am someone who believes self-publishing is a very viable way to go. I determined from this that to succeed as a self-published author, I need to create a publishing company with a name that reflects what I write.
Also, of the three e-reader apps I’ve used, I prefer the Kindle. The Nook was difficult to read from. The i-Book just didn’t have a good enough selection and was difficult to search. But the Kindle was easy to use both in downloading and reading and a great selection.
I’ve wondered about that and appreciate your insights. I think you’re right on.
On a related note I’ve listened in as writers with a book they hoped to sell talking about posting pages or chapters on their blogs as a way to attract followers, maybe agents/editors. That sounds like giving away for free what you later want to be paid for. What’s your take on doing that, Janet?
Great conversation, everyone. Michael, I’d say you’re a Kindle overachiever, having downloaded 800 books since Christmas.
I do agree that having the classics on my Kindle is great. I’ve re-read some that I wouldn’t have otherwise.
And I swooned with happiness when I first bought my Kindle. I’ve probably tripled the number of books I’ve read since using an e-reader. I find it fun to shop for a new book, knowing I can have it on my e-reader in mere seconds, and love that I can download a sample of the book for free to help me decide if I want to buy it. I most often do make the purchase.
Regarding Lenore’s question about whether it makes sense to post pages or chapters of your manuscript on your blog, I’d say that depends on who’s reading your blog. If it’s your friends and neighbors, you’re unlikely to snag an agent or editor. But if you have significant readership, agents and editors who troll the blogosphere might locate it. But I have to say, that seems like a pretty dicey way to try to get attention.
I’m on the third Kindle and I am a huge e-book fan. I am always an early adapter so when the second Kindle came out I happily upgraded from my first. When I bought the new iPad and gave my Kindle2 to my husband who loves it.
Unfortunately I do not like the iPad for reading books. It’s way too heavy, too clunky and you can’t read in the sun. So I bought myself the Kindle3 for reading. Perfect little device. I love the colorful new leather lighted covers. I read manuscripts on the Kindle and find I hold them to a higher standard– in line with all the fine books I read on it. It makes a manuscript “feel” like a book and I tend to analyze it in that light.
I have almost no free books on my Kindle. Time is my most valuable commodity when it comes to pleasure reading so price is not a factor. I pick the book I long to read.
If you’ve been holding out because you love the “feel” of a book, hold out no longer. That response is because of the experiences, wisdom and adventures you’ve enjoyed between the covers. It has nothing to do with the paper and ink. I look at my kindle with the same sentimental reaction now. I’m very tactile and I love the “feel” of my red leather-covered Kindle. My attachment becomes tangled up with all the wonderful stories stored inside.
It may be a little late to add a comment to this discussion, but I also received a kindle for Christmas. I had been downloading freebies for awhile to read on my smartphone.
I think the real value of the “freebies” on Amazon is that it is getting us all comfortable with the e-reader format. Excuse the horrible analogy, but it’s a bit like a dealer offering someone free drugs to get them hooked. When I first had an iPod, I thought I would still only buy cds and load them on myself, so I would always had the “real” copy. No more. I’ve relied on iTunes (and Amazon mp3s) for two years now and can’t remember the last time I bought an actual cd.
Now I’m looking at paying for eBooks that I want and thinking, “But what if I want to share it and what about the smell of the pages?” I think, for me, these concerns will eventually fade and I will just click and buy like I do with music.
Karen, I think you will rapidly adjust to reading exclusively on your Kindle.
I just returned from the hair salon where my stylist was crowing about her “most favorite Christmas gift in [her] life.” Yup, a Kindle. She couldn’t stop talking about it. She’s already read four books on her e-reader and has bought several others. I mean, the woman is positively gobsmacked. I just grinned and said, “I know the feeling.”
I was just at a ‘schmooze’ meeting of the SCBWI in our town. We met at Barnes and Noble, met the manager, Scott, and he gave us interesting details on the Nook. On Christmas day and up to two days later there were so many Nooks sold with people trying to register them that the company site for registering crashed. It’s back online since then, but I think we need to be aware that ebooks are getting ‘running legs’ under it. I’ve personally been thinking of getting my four chidren’s books I just re-issued in print form into ebook format.
I must be old-fashioned for there is nothing I like better than the smell of a book; the comfort of curling up in bed with a book; and passing on my favorite books to family and friends. I still treasure giving and receiving books. Looks like I am odd-man out in the group.
I know I’m commenting a little late, but I just had a change of mind over the holidays. I love browsing the book stores and I love holding a book, so when my husband bought me a Kindle for Christmas I was excited, but I wasn’t sure how much I was going to like it. I love it! I have downloaded more free books than paid books. The the thing I love the most is being able to hear about a good book, look it up and buy it immediately.
I’m late to the party, but for what it’s worth …
I’m a debut novelist with a platform created over four years of podcasting my stories to a global market. I signed with an indie last January and my second book came out just before Christmas.
I bought a kindle about a year ago and I love it, but there are some aspects that I think writers – in particular – need to be aware of.
1. Impulse buys. Your readers can buy a book anywhere, any time. This is a return to pulp, to the real meaning of mass market.
2. Other devices. I own a Kindle, but I also have the kindle app on my Blackberry and I read 3x more books on my phone than on the Kindle. I always have my phone with me. I can read in line, read while I wait for kids, read while I’m cooking, or making tea. While there are maybe 70 million Kindles (ponder that as a market), there are easily 5x more devices that run the app.
3. It may be my market segment (sci-fi) but my sales are 90% ebook, 10% trade and other formats. These are pretty significant numbers because it means I make more in ebook sales than I did in salary as a PhD. Now consider that the fastest growing segment in ebook is Romance. (No more “cover guilt”.)
4. Everybody keeps talking about the small segment that’s the ebook market place. How much of the nearly $400million would it take to make a nice living and compare that to how many people are competing in that segment. It’s a smaller market, not only in buyers, but also in sellers – which should allow early adopters to stake out some prime turf, as people like Joe Konrath are discovering. The Big 6 are hamstringing themselves on price and contract which leaves the door open for nimble indies and savvy self-pubs to start regaining market share.
Finally, a note on “free books” on the devices. I loaded a few when I started. I think everybody probably does. They get old. Fast. I don’t see these as a threat to the market, but a kind of gateway drug. The first taste is free but if you want the *good* stuff, it’ll cost ya…and not that much.
Just my opinion. Your mileage may vary.
I think in the future, publishers may move from the free-download-no-strings model to something like what Thomas Nelson is doing for Stephen Lawhead: http://www.facebook.com/StephenRLawhead?v=app_100986888577
Free, but requiring the user to submit contact data first.