Would-Be Writers: Statistics on Books Sales in the US
Sobering stats for those who would write.
According to an article by Chris Anderson in the July 17 issue of Publishers Weekly, in 2004:
-950,000 titles out of 1.2 million tracked by Nielsen
Bookscan sold fewer than 99 copies
-Another 200,000 sold fewer than 1,000 copies
-Only 25,000 sold more than 5,000 copies
-The average book in America sells about 500 copies
-Only 10 books sold more than a million copies
-Fewer than 500 sold more than 100,000
-Nearly 200,000 new titles are published each year
Hat Tip: Broadman Holman Publishers
So you're saying there's a chance!
Posted by: Alex | August 02, 2006 at 04:08 PM
Exactly! Great allusion, Alex.
Posted by: GL | August 02, 2006 at 06:11 PM
These figures need interpretation. The 200,000 books published every year includes everything, not just fiction or the titles on the bestseller lists. There are cookbooks, chapbooks, gift books, calendar books, text books, tech books, journals, and board books for 1 year olds.
I'd be interested in sales figures for fiction and how well the used bookstores sell their stock.
Posted by: Phil W | August 03, 2006 at 12:24 PM
Good questions, Phil. I'd be interested in the same data.
Posted by: GL | August 03, 2006 at 12:41 PM