Book Blizzard

I was looking at figures on how many books are published per year and the number has climbed close the 200,000 range for the US and UK each. This blizzard of books creates problems that are two sides of the same coin.

When faced with an overload of choices, people tend to stick with the familiar or those recommended by trusted figures (Oprah, etc). Too many choices are probably helping established brand authors appear as safe choices vs unknowns. The author's problem is cutting through the noise and appear as a credible alternative to the reader's regular safety blanket choices.

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Marie Pacha wrote:

When I go to a bookstore I have to admit that I first look for new books by authors I know I like.

I think the key to this sentence is when I go to a bookstore. Biggest problem for a new author is having works distributed via bookstores. On-line is easy. Promotion, distribution, and stores willing to stock is a mountain an author may not be able to scale on their own.

Online, in a store or in a library, I do it like Marie. I look for writers I enjoy reading or writers I know. A newcomer gets little if any notice. That's probably not good but it is the way it is.

I browse the sections I like. I also read magazines that have reviews in the genre I like (Locus) to find out what's new. I read books by newcomers all the time. Keeps the genre fresh.

Just remember all those big names were once new, just like you and me.

I get a catalogue, Quality Paperback Books, in the mail once a month describing the latest books and recommendations. I read it to get an idea of the new books out there. Our family did wish lists on amazon.com this year and I enjoyed a journey through books and posted many, some from amazon, some from the catalogue and some I had found in bookstores.

No one bought me any books! I also had a toaster on my wish list because the old one set off the smoke alarms at Thanksgiving when my daughter visited. My daughter bought me the toaster, but everything else on the wish list is still there. It was fun to list the books however.

Carol

I will buy anything that grabs me, regardless of who wrote it. I buy online 9 out of 10 times when buying new books, and even my antiquarian shopping's more online than off now. I've bought self-published books from ebay (the writers were the sellers) just because I liked the cover or description. Too many books, too little me... if only I could live a thousand years longer than I will.

I don't really own many books by living famous names, except Stephen King. My husband bought 'Misery' for me years back, and I'm a sentimental old sausage so I've got a soft spot for King.

Thinking about how my family/friends buy books, I can't think of anyone who just buys what's 'hot' according to everyone else.