Writing and reading

[Freak Out]

I was surfing a book publishers site and came across a link to this read, I was stunned at some of the reading numbers stated there as well as some other publishings stats. If I don't have at least 5-10 books in waiting to be read I feel the need to go buy a few.

Some startling statistics
by Robyn Jackson

So you want to write a book. Well, why not? So does about 80 percent of the United States population according to a survey by the Jenkins Group.

Anyone who has ever tried to find an agent or get a manuscript accepted by a publisher knows what a tough business writing is. Even if you do get your book published, there's no guarantee anyone will buy it.

The following statistics about book publishing and reading were found on www.parapub.com, the Web site of self-publishing guru Dan Poynter. They'll give you an idea of what you're up against if you want to write books for a living.

1/3 of high school graduates never read another book for the rest of their lives.
42 percent of college graduates never read another book after college.
80 percent of U.S. families did not buy or read a book last year.
70 percent of U.S. adults have not been in a bookstore in the last five years.
57 percent of new books are not read to completion.
70 percent of books published do not earn back their advance.
70 percent of the books published do not make a profit.
(Source: Jerold Jenkins, www.JenkinsGroupInc.com)

53 percent read fiction, 43 percent read nonfiction. The favorite fiction category is mystery and suspence, at 19 percent.
55 percent of fiction is bought by women, 45 percent by men.
(Source: Publishers Weekly)

About 120,000 books are published each year in the U.S.
(Source: www.bookwire.com)

A successful fiction book sells 5,000 copies.
A successful nonfiction book sells 7,500 copies.
(Source: Authors Guild, www.authorsguild.org)

On average, a bookstore browser spends 8 seconds looking at a book's front cover and 15 seconds looking at the back cover.
(Source: Para Publishing, www.parapub.com)

Each day in the U.S., people spend 4 hours watching TV, 3 hours listening to the radio and 14 minutes reading magazines.
(Source: Veronis, Suhler & Associates investment banker)

Statistics can be manipulated, and these paint a fairly bleak picture, but don't give up. Write that novel, pitch that nonfiction book idea to a publisher. Follow your dream. Just don't kid yourself about how easy it will be to get published. Sure, a lot of crap gets published, but the better your manuscript is, the likelier you'll be to see it in print.

One of the keys to publishing success is to target your audience. Notice what's on the best seller lists. All those John Grisham mysteries and Nora Roberts romances and the like tell you what people are reading.

Publishing is a business, and publishers want books that fit neatly into a genre because they know there's a huge audience for mysteries and romances, even cookbooks. Books that don't fit into a genre will have a harder time finding a publisher, no matter how good they might be. It's all about money, honey.


Robyn Jackson is a newspaper features editor with 20 years experience. She is also the author of three unpublished historical novels and plans to become a life coach specializing in helping writers achieve their dreams. She writes a weekly column about writing on her Web site, www.robynjackson.com.

[BallHawk]

If those statistics are accurate, then that is just pathetic.

[the_idle_threat]

These stats are kinda sad, but when you look at all the entertainment options out there: the Internets, Cable TV, DVD, Video Games, Magazines, etc., not to mention talking on cell phones and actually going out and spending time with other people (overrated :P ), there is little time left for most people to sit down and read a book.

However, I think the Internets have many people reading and writing---blogs, message boards, etc.---more than ever before. So all is not lost. I don't believe we are turning into an illiterate society.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I tend to agree with you idle. I read a lot. I just don't have the time to read a novel much. Between work, occasionally hanging out with friends and family, taking care of my child, yardwork, etc. I have about 2 hours/day of free time. I usually spend that time on the Internet or watching a sporting event on occasion.

[oregonpackfan]

If those statistics are accurate, then that is just pathetic.

I agree. This is why in the world of politics, candidates are going for the 30 second political ads on TV and the radio. They bank on the average American not taking the time to read about the issues and the candidates complete stances.

[BallHawk]

If those statistics are accurate, then that is just pathetic.

I agree. This is why in the world of politics, candidates are going for the 30 second political ads on TV and the radio. They bank on the average American not taking the time to read about the issues and the candidates complete stances.

Exactly. And that's how Bush won in 2004.

With a little help from his Swiftboat friends, too, of course. :wink:

[HarveyWallbangers]

You libs can have your little stroke fest, but equating people buying books to them lacking intelligence is outdated. Hell, a lot of the reading material that I'm interested in (e.g. programming books or other programming resources) I can get for free on the Internet.

[the_idle_threat]

I suspect that sales of nonfiction books in particular will suffer more and more in this digital age of information. Why buy a book if you can simply google the subject and/or look it up on wikipedia?

[packinpatland]

I can't remember when the last Christmas was when 'books' were not the main gifts. That's all we give each other. You should see our liberaries! I personally love books, and am very pleased and proud to have passed that down to my daughters.
I truely hope that we are not in the minority. Judging from the long lines at Borders during the holidays, maybe .............................the written word still stands.

[Patler]

You libs can have your little stroke fest, but equating people buying books to them lacking intelligence is outdated. Hell, a lot of the reading material that I'm interested in (e.g. programming books or other programming resources) I can get for free on the Internet.

Exactly. Reading some of the garbage that is written today is hardly worth the time it takes to read it, or the expense of buying the book. I am guilty of not finishing a lot of books I buy. If after a couple hours I put it down, and am not anxious to get back to it, it often goes unfinished. That is not my fault. It was junk, in my opinion, and I will have likely gone on to a different work. Should I force myself to finish it just because I bought it? Heck no, I'll just go on to something that appeals to me more.

There is nothing wrong with reading newspapers, magazines, newsletters, even various blogs. Its not important whether or not you read a novel, or a book of any sort. What is important is if you read something, and if you make an effort to stay informed about the things that concern you.

[Bretsky]

Couple really good Packer books out

If you are a fan of Leroy Butler he has a great autobiography. Must read and can be completed in hours.

Favre also has a couple good ones.

I read a lot on the NET; for the most part I only read book books on planes when I go on vacations.

[Patler]

I can't remember when the last Christmas was when 'books' were not the main gifts. That's all we give each other. You should see our liberaries! I personally love books, and am very pleased and proud to have passed that down to my daughters.
I truely hope that we are not in the minority. Judging from the long lines at Borders during the holidays, maybe .............................the written word still stands.

I belonged to many bookclubs at various times of my life, and as a result have read most of the books people say you should. Started a leather-covered collection of classics, but it got too expensive at that time of my life. I have a decent library myself.

We always bought a lot of books for our kids, All are voracious readers, except one. One son will reads several books at a time, bouncing back and forth between them. One daughter was traveling abroad for a one month service gig in a poverty ravaged area of the world, and spent two hours in a bookstore the day before she left stocking up for her trip. Her carryon bag was mostly books!

Funny thing is, the one son who never reads a book, never really wanted to, is every bit as well informed as the others. For some reason he is intimidated by the thought of reading a book, but listens to the news, reads papers and magazines, reads on line and loves museums.

[packinpatland]

Reading is a 'luxury', that most people just don't have time for anymore. You pretty much have to be sitting in one place to do it............altho books on tape are pretty nice.
I love looking at my library and seeing the different 'phases' of my life.

I recently reread a Mitchner book (The Source), one of the main characters, an archaelogist was probably in his forties. The first time I read the book, I was in college, that archaelogist seemed sooooo old, now................... not so much :roll:

[Patler]

Reading is a 'luxury', that most people just don't have time for anymore. You pretty much have to be sitting in one place to do it............altho books on tape are pretty nice.
I love looking at my library and seeing the different 'phases' of my life.

I recently reread a Mitchner book (The Source), one of the main characters, an archaelogist was probably in his forties. The first time I read the book, I was in college, that archaelogist seemed sooooo old, now................... not so much :roll:

Funny how we do that as we get older! :lol:

My parents and inlaws, who were SO OLD when we got married were much younger than I am now.

My kids are just "kids" but when I think of myself at their age, well.....

[MJZiggy]

You libs can have your little stroke fest, but equating people buying books to them lacking intelligence is outdated. Hell, a lot of the reading material that I'm interested in (e.g. programming books or other programming resources) I can get for free on the Internet.

Exactly. Reading some of the garbage that is written today is hardly worth the time it takes to read it, or the expense of buying the book. I am guilty of not finishing a lot of books I buy. If after a couple hours I put it down, and am not anxious to get back to it, it often goes unfinished. That is not my fault. It was junk, in my opinion, and I will have likely gone on to a different work. Should I force myself to finish it just because I bought it? Heck no, I'll just go on to something that appeals to me more.

There is nothing wrong with reading newspapers, magazines, newsletters, even various blogs. Its not important whether or not you read a novel, or a book of any sort. What is important is if you read something, and if you make an effort to stay informed about the things that concern you.

I can't do that with fiction. I don't tend to get as wrapped up in computer books, but with fiction, I keep going in the hope that it will get better, but most just don't. I have to learn how to let go of them.

[Fosco33]

With all my plane travels, I've knocked out at least 15 300+ pg novels in the past 9 months alone. That's nothing to say for the amount of writing/reading/emailing and surfing I do on a daily basis. Heck, my bookshelf is very outgrown to the point where I had to buy another (and that one is filling up).

"You are a combination of the people you've met and the books you've read"

Scary that people don't read books much anymore - but I wonder if the internet has improved overall articles read - you gotta hope....

[Partial]

You libs can have your little stroke fest, but equating people buying books to them lacking intelligence is outdated. Hell, a lot of the reading material that I'm interested in (e.g. programming books or other programming resources) I can get for free on the Internet.

Precisely right. Why is it pathetic that the medium I choose to read is not a book? Is interacting on a message board forum not improving my vocabulary, opening my eyes to the new ideas, and providing me the same enjoyment that reading a book would?

It's the same thing. Just a different medium. Personally, I read about 50-60 news articles a day. I have a slight obsession with digg. I enjoy it, I learn from it, and most importantly I learn from it.

To be blunt, I think the world would be a better place if more people would read up on a random, wide variety of non-fiction topics via newspapers, etc. rather than reading the latest dan brown novel. To each his own, though.