According to the Association of American Publishers (AAP), which should add the disclaimer “20th Century” or “Old School” to their name, announced that Q1-2012 ebook revenue increased 28% to $282 Million while hardcover dropped a couple notches to $229 Million. Paperbacks dropped big time (big duh) to $98 Million. We knew the day would arrive. What we don’t know is how much of that increase was 50 Shades and other “romantica”.
The other thing we don’t know is: what quantity of books independent authors sold through alternate channels. Still a nascent industry, there are no consolidated numbers. On June 12, 2012, Bowker, keeper of the ISBN flame, created roughly 1.2 million unique ISBN numbers in 2011. Not all indie authors use ISBN numbers, opting for Amazon’s free numbers.
The good news is, total sales of books are up. Hopefully, that means more people are reading!
What is the real number? What do you think? Add your comments below.
Peace, Seeley James
