2021 is here and it's a new year full of new challenges and new opportunities.
If you ended the year on a high, then it's a chance to continue building to new successes. If you ended the year on a low, it can be a time to regroup and reset.
One of the best ways to do both is by writing your next (or finishing your first) book! And there's never been a better time to do it.
The Rise of New Reading Habits
Much like PublishDrive, StreetLib, a digital publishing platform based in Italy, has written about the huge increase in eBook and audio-book sales and lending over the last year, with projections that suggest 2021 will be even bigger.
In the previous newsletter, I wrote about three of the four major markets for books (although perhaps not explicitly). To clarify, here they are again.
A la carte
Think online sellers like Amazon, Apple, Kobo, etc. and brick-and-mortar stores like Waterstones and WHSmith.
Libraries
Self-explanatory. Digital lending has seen a 30% increase in 2020 as compared to 2019 and libraries are becoming a large market for digital content.
Subscription Applications
Services that provide content for monthly subscriptions. One example is Audible from Amazon which, for a low monthly cost (compared to the full price of an audio book) provides its members with one free book per month and regular sales.
The fourth market, which has recently become popular (as I can attest to from my 12-year-old who is on it regularly and now does most of her reading there) is Mobile Reading Apps. Think WattPad.
If you're unfamiliar with this, it's essentially an online platform where authors can write and present chapters as they are written. Readers can follow and support their favourites.
Popularized in Asia, mobile reading apps are now catching on among readers, especially teens, in the West. These sites/apps typically feature a certain amount of the story for free with the ability to pay for more, or for the reader to subscribe for full content.
If you're having trouble getting motivated to write, it could be a good place to start since you can build your audience as you go.
Featured Local Indie Author
Debut Yorkshire author Graham Clift has just released the print version of his entertaining memoir titled North Facing - Late Flowering. The e-book is currently available for pre-order and will be released January 29.
A touching and humorous memoir about working the land, the pains and passions of adolescence, and social history. With characters you'll love, and one you'll love to hate. Some of the real working people's stories will touch your heart, and there's a princess you might never forget.
If you enjoy Yorkshire-based coming of age stories, why not check it out.
It's free and easy to use. Simply paste the plain text version of your description into the box, format it using the simple tools provided, and click the 'Generate My Code' button at the bottom right. The Generator will convert your formatted text into the correct HTML code recognized by Amazon.
New! Our Office Hours
If you're looking for someone to answer questions about writing, publishing, or marketing your book, I'll be starting weekly office hours via Zoom.
The Office Hours will alternate weekly between Fridays at 11 am and Wednesdays at 4 pm.
The first office hours is this Friday, January 8 at 11 am and you can join any time during the hour via the following link:
