If you are like me, you love the feel of a book in your hands. There is something comforting about holding it and turning the pages as you follow the adventure being brought to life before you. While a physical book in your hands is still the norm, eBooks and audio books are making a surge in popularity. Plus where you buy your books is changing rapidly.

In 2016, micropublishers, Indie Authors (I’m one of them), and the presses associated with Amazon account for over a 50% market share. This figure is huge. This means traditional publishing is experiencing a shrinking marketing share. According to a January 4, 2017, posting at Written Word Media, the public’s perception of self-published books is changing. Most Indie Authors are not available in brick and mortar stores, but the public is seeking these authors out.

While there are numerous self-published books needing attention from editors and proof-readers, an increasing number of Indie Authors are producing quality, well-edited work. I personally use a professional editor, a proofreader, and a careful final read through before I publish my novels.

Major publications are pricing their eBooks at close to hard copy prices. Most eBook Indie Authors are pricing their work at $2.99. Let’s think about this pricing for a few moments. There is no cost to an eBook. No paper, no printing press expense, and no shipping cost, none of the traditional costs associated with a hardback or paperback book. So why does an eBook by a famous author cost as much as his printed work? It shouldn’t. Thus the increasing success by indie authors and their product.

Now we come to the concept of Kindle Unlimited. This is the lending library of the internet, so to speak. My current novels are on Kindle Unlimited. If you are a member, you can read them for free. They are not yours but can reside on your Kindle as long as you want, until you need to download more than your allotment of ten novels. Then you have to return titles. Not to worry, authors who allow their work to be on Kindle Unlimited get paid for each page read. It is an infinitesimal amount per page, but if enough pages are read, we get paid for you reading our work. Kind of cool, if you ask me.

Now the next, new trend. Audible.com. The Pew Research Center reported in 2016 a 14% increase in audio book listeners. This is huge. With the growth of devices like Amazon’s Echo and Google Home, you can listen to a book while you do laundry, clean house, cook dinner, or sitting on the back deck with a glass of wine. This does not include those who listen in their car during the morning commute. One of the positive’s about digital audio books, unlike books on CD’s you get from the library, THEY DON’T SKIP if someone has carelessly handled them. There is nothing more frustrating than listening to a book on CD and right at a critical moment the disc starts stuttering. Been there, done that.

So, what are the trends you, as a reader, should be aware of? Audio books and eBooks are the waves of the future. Physical books will always, uh—maybe we should say, probably, be around for a long time. Modern lifestyles dictate eBooks and audio books will only grow in popularity. Brick and mortar books stores will continue to be challenged about their relevance. Who would have predicted twenty years ago, Sears, Kmart, Radio Shack, and a number of other brick and mortar retailers would be on the cusp of disappearing from the retail scene. Remember Borders? I do, I still miss them.

The same goes for traditional publishers, who seem to demand quantity of releases over quality of releases. They will need to reevaluate their place in the publishing industry and how they go to market.

I will continue to self-publish as it affords me the freedom to offer my novels in the formats I like. Currently, both The Fugitive’s Trail and The Assassin’s Trail are offered in both paperback and eBook. I am happy to announce, both are also available as audio books on Audible.com. My third novel will be released as an audio book sometime early fall. The same narrator will perform all of the Trail series books.

Regardless of the format of the books you enjoy, continue to read.

Peace.

2017 – A YEAR OF CHANGE FOR BOOKS AND THOSE WHO READ

J.C. Fields

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