Book publishing trends change every few years. From the increase in demand for ebook publishing and audiobooks to the rise of AI in book marketing, 2023 will experience some sizable shifts. With the development of online communities and digital book reading, Self-publishing authors will have many book publishing trends to watch this year.
Let’s read what’s in store for authors in 2023.
Book Publishing Trends in 2023 that Writers Need to Know
One of the few things that the two-year lockdown had zero impact on was reading. In fact, the pandemic increased digital book sales.
But 2022 was a significant year in the book publishing industry.
Where print book sales saw a drop by 6.6% between Jan and July 2022, losing ground to other entertainment forms, like Instagram, TikTok, and Netflix, eBook sales increased on Amazon Kindle by 100%.
That said, as self-publishing companies and authors adjust their strategies for consumers, 2023 will be different.
Consumers Will Continue to Buy More eBooks and Look Forward to Audiobooks
If you have been planning to publish your book as a digital book, 2023 is the year for you.
Over the last 10 years, the demand for eBooks has skyrocketed. eBooks outperformed all other book formats, with a sales total of more than $960 million.
But in the last year, 25% of US consumers alone have listened to audiobooks, making it an untapped opportunity for self-publishing authors and even more so for book publishing companies.
Audiobooks and Ebooks are going to be the biggest action masters of the book publishing industry in 2023.
With the evolution of self-publishing platforms like Writat, which offers end-to-end publishing solutions, it is getting easier for writers to create and publish digital books.
Click here to read how to publish an eBook and watch revenues rolling in.
Non-Fiction Books Will Sell More
From cookbooks to self-development and inspiration to business management, non-fiction book writers will find solace in 2023.
Although young adult fiction saw the biggest increase in sales with a 30.7% jump, 50% of all books published last year were related to education and science. In addition, genres like friendship, environmental preservation, self-esteem, self-reliance, and social justice performed quite well.
This year, non-fiction books will outsell fiction by a good margin. Nonfiction genres like children’s books, politics, memoirs and autobiographies, business and economies, self-help, and philosophy are expected to sell more in 2023.
There will be a huge demand for Children’s book authors to deliver stories representing children from all walks of life, caste, and community.
Storytelling that provides an opportunity to interact with the younger generation will thrive among teen readers and parents.
Read how to self-publish a book in the Children’s book category here.
Self-Publishing Will Be On the Rise
Good news for self-publishing authors at Writat.
While self-publishing a book have been on the rise since 2010, the pandemic and the popularity of eBooks pushed the trend even further.
Last year, half of the new book titles that appeared were self-published.
But do they sell?
Yes.
But it also depends upon your marketing game and, of course, the book’s content. But mostly, how well you promote your book in the niche market.
That said, authors who have successfully published their books with a traditional book publisher have also resorted to self-publishing platforms for better pay and more control.
Writat is a great self-publishing platform for authors looking for a ludicrously easy and lucrative way to publish their writeups.
The book publishing platform supports over 15 world languages, 10+ genres, and all three book formats. They have an inbuilt manuscript template for each genre, 500+ free book cover designs, four different publishing packages, and six standalone solutions for authors.
In 2022, 200+ authors from around the world registered on Writat and successfully published their books.
So, if you wish to begin your self-publishing journey in 2023, this is where you should start.
Having an Online Presence Will Be Inevitable
A great book cover and outstanding storyline wouldn’t be enough when it comes to selling your books to new readers in 2023.
Authors, particularly self-publishers, need to market their books across all channels and build an unwavering online presence.
In 2023, we will see a surge in consumers’ demand for author platforms, social media presence, and digital promotion for content, inspiration, author information, and direct engagement.
Veteran social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads will be the popular mediums for book marketing in the author community, followed by Hive, Mastadon, and Twitter.
What we recommend: Set up your own website and link your work there. Read our blogs to learn how to do it. Create a personal blog to build traction and improve brand image and a social media account to engage with readers personally.
You can also join BookTok to create short informational videos about your book. The online book club is filled with enthusiastic and passionate young readers. It could give your book the desired exposure.
Read our latest blog for inspiration: Social Media Marketing for Authors in 2023
Political, Journalism, Current Affairs, and Black Authors
The demand for diversity, strong opinions, and cultural representation has grown stronger over the past few years. And self-publishing platforms and traditional publishing houses are working hard to find authors who have diverse voices and writeups.
This year, we will see a significant demand for novels and books featuring political affairs, such as stories from Ukraine, written by authors who actively record such events, question them, and comment on them.
Novels that feature distinguishing characters, subjects, and marginalized or black voices will also be purchased more in 2023.
With so many things happening around the world, this trend will continue through 2024.
Book Summary Platforms Will be Used More Often than Not
Blinkist is the leading book summary platform, with over 18 million users already. The platform artistically summarizes non-fiction book content into simple audio and text summaries for readers that fit their reading habits and schedules.
They call it Blinks.
So, if you are a nonfiction book author, you know where to collaborate to get more readers.
And Finally, AI Technology Will Change How Books are Sold
AI technology and tools that track consumer behavior and buying and reading patterns will be the key driver in the book publishing industry for the next several years.
Many book publishers and authors are resorting to Artificial Intelligence to write articles and non-fiction books.
While AI is not ready to write compelling fiction, it can improve storytelling and audience engagement without being robotic.
Book publishers and self-publishing authors will utilize AI tech to classify content, check for plagiarism, market book, and acquire readers.
For instance, the first few chapters of a book will be read live on virtual events and social media, and AI-enabled trackers will track consumer behavior and data to boost sales.
The book publishing industry has adapted to changing conditions and rapidly evolved in the last couple of years. Writers have seen many opportunities and also threats in their publishing journey.
But we still aren’t sure how 2023 will unfold.
However, it will be quite interesting to see how these book publishing trends in 2023 play out for authors and publishers.
If you are looking for self-publishing inspiration and need assistance launching your book, contact our publishing expert at Writat.
