Cross-posted: Sobering Statistics about the Book Industry

Stephen Shapiro, author of Goal-Free Living, recently attended the 2006 Book Expo of America (BEA) — the annual convention of the book industry in DC. Here's what he learned:
• Each year, there are 172,000 new books published in the United States.
• Of the 172,000, only 1,000 books sell more than 50,000 copies in retail channels.
• Less than 25,000 sell more than 5,000 copies.
• 93% of books published (160,000) sell less than 1,000 copies.

So what does that mean for all of us who write with the hope (or if you're a more positive thinker, the intention) of getting published?

Part of what it means is knowing you have to build a platform from which you can promote your book before it's published.

I have a client (a husband-and-wife writing team) doing that right now. They're writing a book on successfully surviving a brain injury. While I help them get their book proposal in shape (through editing and consulting), they are placing articles in industry publications (for example, brain injury newsletters and Web sites), speaking at brain injury support groups and conferences, and conducting surveys to find out more information about what makes a recovery successful.

In short, they're putting themsleves out there, so that when it's time to publish their book, potential readers and book buyers will recognize their name.

I applaud them, and am in awe of what they've accomplished in just a short amount of time. And I intend to follow their example for my next book, after I finish the rough draft and know what I've got.