If there was still doubt in anyone’s mind that self-publishing is not only viable but here to stay, a new report from Bowker might cement it once and for all. The rate of ISBN purchase for self-published books has increased by more than 218% since 2011, back when the digital revolution arguably took off. The Bowker report, “Self-Publishing in the United States, 2011-2016 Print vs. Ebook,” highlights a number of results that demonstrate just how serious both authors and readers are about self-published works.
“Overall, we believe that these numbers point toward an ongoing maturation and stabilization of the self-publishing industry,” said Beat Barblan, Director of Identifier Services at Bowker in a press release. “Tracking these trends and comparing the numbers over the years provides tremendous insight into this industry. This enables us to respond by offering the best tools and support to independent authors, according to their current needs.”
Lest this mislead anyone as to the state of self-publishing, it’s worth noting that this information refers to authors who purchased their own ISBN numbers–either on their own or as part of a project them completed with the help of a publishing service provider–as opposed to using a free Amazon-assigned number.
Other key findings in Bowker’s report show that self-published print publishing is still on the rise, even though the number of self-published ebook titles are in slight decline. To read the full report and find specific numerical data pertaining to the self-publishing industry, click here.
Mercy Pilkington is a Senior Editor for Good e-Reader. She is also the CEO and founder of a hybrid publishing and consulting company.
