“You’re an Author? Me Too!” (NYTimes Book Review Essay)

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Is there any way to read this essay and not feel deflated? Rachel Donadio writes about the NEA’s report which showed that 53% of Americans hadn’t read a book in the previous year, but in 2007, (according to the industry tracker Bowker) 4000,000 books were published/distributed in the United States, up from 3000,000 in 2006. So, according to this research, fewer American are reading, while more are writing.  In the essay Ms. Donadio writes that IUniverse has grown 30% a year in recent years, producing now 500 new titles each month. Susan Driscoll, vice president of its parent company states that, “most writers using IUniverse sell fewer than 200 books.”

Yikes! How is it possible to feel motivated by these statistics? 200 books!?! After reading this essay, I wanted to crawl into a closet with my book proposal and lock the door, give up, throw in the towel….But then I thought, no way. There is no way after all this work that I could give up. I don’t know where this journey will take me, but I’m in it and when my book gets published, I’m going to make sure I sell at least 201 books!

 

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Filed under Publishing, posted by Amy S. Mercer, writing