This is some info my agent send me about book sales:
UK Hardcovers Fall Hard, But US Market Shows Resilience. The Bookseller reports on Nielsen BookScan UK data that shows “a slump across hardcover sales,” as unit sales for the top 5,000 hardcovers fell 14.3 percent for the first quarter of 2009. And the top 400 hardcover fiction title sales fell 17.2 percent in units in that period. In the US, however, a big rise in juvenile hardcovers helped the total market for hardcovers rise by almost 3 percent in the first thirteen weeks. Despite dire selected reports, for the outlets covered in the US by Nielsen BookScan, total unit sales for the first quarter declined only 2.1 percent, at 182.4 million books. Juvenile fiction was the strongest sub-category, gaining 10.4 percent this year, with adult nonfiction declining 8.4 percent, adult fiction flat, and juvenile nonfiction up slightly.
Random’s “More Selective” Acquisitions NPR’s story on blockbuster book deals from earlier this week was pretty standard fare, but we did take note of the moment when Random House Publishing Group spokesperson Carol Schneider said, “we’re acquring fewer books.” Asked for more information, she told us, “There are no specific numbers or formula involved here–we’re simply being more selective in all categories–literary, commercial, blockbuster.” NPR
The upside for me is the increased sales in YA. Hopefully that translates into an increase in buying.
Author
Seems like books for kids and teens are always selling. At least, that’s what I tell myself.
I did read a quote or two from editors who said they were still eager to acquire new YA even when their other depts are cutting back on acquisitions.
Parker P
I agree. I think YA fantasy and sci-fi is exploding.
That being said, I also believe that there are more YA writers joining the writer herd.