A Million Titles Published

According to RR Bowker, the company that compiles and tracks publishing stats, more than one million authors saw their books published in 2009. Though some might be updates of established titles or reprints of titles in public domain, most of the titles are new. Besides that, at least half of those titles were produced by small or micro-publishers (like me) who utilize POD technology.

Think about that for just a minute. If someone wants to buy a new, current book, there are a million titles to pick from. Then there's the hundreds of thousands from 2008, 2007 etc. etc. Then there are the classics that have been on the shelf for decades. Even for the most avid reader and book lover, choosing could become a daunting task.

What does that mean for you the author or author to-be? Whether you are published traditionally, via a "self-publishing/POD" company or independently, if you want to sell books you need to understand you are one voice among thousands.

If you're writing just to write or for friends/family, not a problem. But, if you wish to sell books, to get anyone's attention at all, you and your work must stand out in a big way. "Publish it and they will come" could not be further from the truth for the vast majority of writers and books. There's a lot more to it these days.

Not trying to scare you or discourage you from trying to get a book out. On the contrary, this is the reality of today's publishing world and not being informed is, in my opinion, one of the quickest ways to failure. Learn as much as you can about your craft, put the "wow factor" into your book from the beginning, be a student of marketing and you'll have a much greater chance at success.

Lastly, if you like numbers and want to see how the million breaks down by category etc. you can find the full article at www.bowker.com

Good Writing & God Bless,
Cheryl Pickett