Why self-publish your ebook?
The book publishing industry in recent years has been undergoing a massive shake-up - mainly due to the rise of the ebook and Amazon, and the slow demise of traditional bookshops.
Back in 2012, Amazon revealed that its ebook sales had overtaken sales of printed books - for every 100 printed books sold, it was selling 114 ebooks in the UK. It also reported a 400% rise in UK self-published authors using Kindle Direct Publishing.
Research by Nielsen shows that Amazon now controls 88% of the ebook market in the UK, and 83% in the US, its biggest marketplace.
In 2020, a record 395 million books were sold in the UK - up 6% on 2019. Of these, 95 million were ebooks. Print sales fell below 70% of the market share for the first time, with ebooks back up to 25% for the first time since 2016. Ebooks also claimed 50% of the Adult Fiction market in the UK.
Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the number of books bought online in the UK rose to 261 million in 2020 - which was 2.5 times as many books bought in person from bookshops.
All these figures reflect the massive sea changes in the industry and illustrate how it is vital for authors to cash in on the ebook revolution.
Thousands of authors are also bypassing book publishers and heading down the self-publishing road in the hope of greater earnings.
Back in 2012, Amazon revealed that its ebook sales had overtaken sales of printed books - for every 100 printed books sold, it was selling 114 ebooks in the UK. It also reported a 400% rise in UK self-published authors using Kindle Direct Publishing.
Research by Nielsen shows that Amazon now controls 88% of the ebook market in the UK, and 83% in the US, its biggest marketplace.
In 2020, a record 395 million books were sold in the UK - up 6% on 2019. Of these, 95 million were ebooks. Print sales fell below 70% of the market share for the first time, with ebooks back up to 25% for the first time since 2016. Ebooks also claimed 50% of the Adult Fiction market in the UK.
Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the number of books bought online in the UK rose to 261 million in 2020 - which was 2.5 times as many books bought in person from bookshops.
All these figures reflect the massive sea changes in the industry and illustrate how it is vital for authors to cash in on the ebook revolution.
Thousands of authors are also bypassing book publishers and heading down the self-publishing road in the hope of greater earnings.
What you will earn in ebook royalties . . .
Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing pays 70% royalties to self-published authors on an ebook's minimum list price of £1.77. Below this, it pays a rate of 35% on ebooks, with a minimum list price of 77p. For paperbacks, KDP pays 60% royalties, although printing costs are also deducted, so authors' earnings from paperbacks are lower than with ebooks.
These rates compare very favourably with the author royalties offered by the traditional publishing houses, which can be as low as 10% of the publisher's gross earnings on the ebook.
These rates compare very favourably with the author royalties offered by the traditional publishing houses, which can be as low as 10% of the publisher's gross earnings on the ebook.
Website designed and created by Jim Bruce, ebooklover.co.uk
© All text copyright of the author 2024
© All text copyright of the author 2024