Do you think these people are doing as much reading as before, but simply not in book form—like perhaps they are reading more short-form newsletters, for example. (!) Or reading as an activity has been supplanted by other activities (Netflix, video games, social media, pick a diversion).
I am sure they are doing lots of reading that isn't book form: the internet has actually radically increased the amount of words people read in a day imo (texts!). But if I were forced to name the single thing that moved people away from books per se it would be the phone, broadly construed (It's even a similar shape, and you scroll and browse on it, just like a book!).
I think about this when I teach college classes to students for whom mine may be the last literature class of an educational career. Ten or twenty years ago, I did not see a need to motivate students to keep reading independently after college. Now it's part of my curriculum. As democracy benefits from a flourishing publishing industry, so it's appropriate for public educators to encourage wide reading any way we can. I do think there is room for educators to be proactive about helping students choose their media participation and see its relevance to other areas of their lives from the first semester in university (and earlier).
I notice that being on Substack has increased my reading of new books, as I am eager to read all I can from the people I befriend and follow here.
I loved this— and it is soo true. I watched a webinar once, I think it was a publisher/editor speaking where they talked about the population of the US versus the number of copies of a book that sell and are considered a success. I don’t remember the exact numbers, but if you looked at the percentage, it was a very, very, very small amount of books compared to the actual potential reading population. It just kind of for me, put it into a little bit of perspective in the sense that there is a vast and large POTENTIAL audience. But, how do you get that potential audience interested in reading as an activity? How do you tap into that untapped potential? Because, as it seems, as you point out, we currently seem to be focusing on people who are readers, not people who don’t read— even though potentially they could become readers. And then as you also pointed out, the readers, seem to no longer be readers! So then again, losing audience. I was a reader as a kid, and then through college, though it dropped off a bit, because I had to read sooo much stuff for school, but I did always try to have at least one book for pleasure, even if it took me months to get through! And then in my mid-20s to probably mid-30s, it dropped off a bit. And I read sporadically. Now that I am a writer, I’m a reader, once again. Reading multiple books at a time. Not only those as potential comps for my writing, but also things that I just find interesting. So I’ve come back to reading at the rate I used to when I was much younger. And at this point, I don’t think I’ll give it up. I just think this topic poses interesting questions. The people are out there, you just have to get them interested. So I often wonder, then that we must ingrain reading as a pastime, as an activity when you are young. I was a teacher once, and always, always had books, had reading time— on your own, and as a class, on a daily basis, a multiple daily basis, so I would hope that those kids would grow up being readers, and even if at some point they stop, they can come back to it.
The question of reading books for Americans per se is outside the purview of this newsletter. but is certainly an important one. The stats are sobering.
Bridgette, I agree there’s a huge potential audience. People will always want stories. It’s ingrained in us to want know what the neighbors are doing, why is so-and-so better off than me, glad that catastrophe didn’t happen to me. Books and novels will always be a part of it. There’s so much competition now for people’s time. It’s up to us writers to produce stories people want to read.
Not surprised a book professional reads few books. Just as I wouldn't be surprised if a farmer didn't keep a vegetable garden in his/her spare time. If that makes sense : )
I had a conversation this evening with Claire Shanahan (for those who don't know, she's the chief exec of the Women's Prize) where we touched on this very subject, and that there is a major publishing house (apols for not being able to remember which, it's been a long day...) choosing to reduce their list in response to this issue. It's an interesting and I think positive step, but on a wider note, I feel we as an industry must look to the music industry and how those artists have responded to no longer being able to rely on sales of their music, their income instead focused on live performance. Obviously this isn't a like for like transferable modal to our industry, but it's the thinking round corners, and creative solutions that will carry us forward. I'm intentionally running a limited edition print run of my next novel, it being impossible as an indie author to compete with mainstream outputs. I realise this will make me no money, but the majority of authors haven't been able to live off their art for sometime anyway, so I may as well reframe it and see what comes of it. As for friends no longer reading books, I'm totally horrified by that, and agree that an antidote may be found in reducing the amount of books being published, and simultaneously improving their quality. So much more to say about this. Perhaps we should host a live round table event to discuss it?
I have long been thinking about this. I am a freelance editor, a mid-career change, and while I knew I’d never work in mainstream publishing, and I earn a living as a technical writer, I love editing fiction and I will work with an author from time to time. I can do this because of the rise of indie digital publishing. It is a privilege and a pleasure to work with writers who want to make their book as good as it can be..They know they won’t make money. Some are terrible writers, some are good—sucked in breath good. As you say, making art of any form is a road to economic precarity. So nothing has changed there. And why shouldn’t people write books, and produce them, just because might not be reviewed in a literary journal? Or sell a million copies? I agree finding the good books is the trick. When I used to regularly use libraries, when my kids were little and I’d swoop down the shelves grabbing half a dozen, it didn’t matter if they were crap. I’d return them and get more. I now subscribe to Everand (formerly Scribd) where I can access whole backlists of authors I love, and read more by new ones to me. I buy lots too, mostly digital now. I prefer reading this way now. And I read lots and lots of books—it’s joyous having them at my fingertips, just as music is now so accessible. I think the future has to be digital. While streaming has made it harder for musicians to earn enough, it is unquestionably good for the consumer. And now there are many moves in that industry to better protect artists and provide more returns directly to them, cutting out some of the costs. Bandcamp, for one. In publishing, we need to look at how to build closer economic relationships between consumers and artists. I know people throw up their hands and cry what about bookshops, but, like record stores, there will always be a place for them. I’ve written a few things on this and my thoughts on my blog are a bit more coherent than tapping away on my iPad late at night :) ://ysdraft.wordpress.com/2023/10/08/some-bookshops-may-be-thriving-but-thats-missing-the-point/ Thanks for the conversation.
Books never went to the economy of free, like music and journalism did, which is one thing that has saved the industry thus far. People still expect to pay for books, and libraries to buy them for their patrons.
I read the whole long Substack and every semester for the last few years, including summers, I assigned your wonderful book. This city is killing me. Students actually read the whole thing. I think there is a market for supplemental textbooks in social work and sociology oriented courses, which tells true stories about real people and communities that you read, and then apply theories discussed in the other readings to those stories. I think a textbook called this city is also killing me that replicated that book with case stories from Cleveland would be a good approach, perhaps a forward by Jonathan Foiles.
I just ordered it. Congratulations on getting out of the distribution business. At www.rnoph.org I was editor and also basically publisher for several years and it is no fun having to do both jobs, but that beloved journal is now under a new editor and new publisher. And people do read it! There are statistics to prove it.
In the shameless self promotion category I now have my own Substack speaking the heart. Michaelalandover.Substack.com.
Congratulations on getting out of the distribution business. I ordered his book. My daughter is a philosopher, who was just tenured unify like it I’ll get one for her as well.
I'm one year short of 70 and wrote my debut novel a few years ago and am deaf to the negativity and have hopes for a career ahead as an author and read more books than ever now. I am a deluded human, but happy to be one.
Thanks for this cold-shower dose of reality. I also love that the first time you talk about the effects on budgets for editing, design, and production, it's written as "slash eating, design, and production." I thought, wow, this woman is DEDICATED. She'd rather edit than eat. 😆 (where's the lie?)
Once again, hit: it out of the park, all the right notes, nail on head. I have been thinking about this soooooo much lately, feeling sorry for myself as an indie published author but also feeling for you indie publishers. And feeling despair overall. I would also love to address all the judgy things that you were diplomatically not addressing here. Thank you for making me feel less gaslit in this wacko world.
“I believe the quality of one’s writing is correlated with the quantity of one’s reading.”
This is 100% true of my own writing, I know that for sure.
Should I continue working on my novels and non-fiction proposals or quit?
I dunno--do you and your friends read a lot of novels and nonfiction? lol
Do you think these people are doing as much reading as before, but simply not in book form—like perhaps they are reading more short-form newsletters, for example. (!) Or reading as an activity has been supplanted by other activities (Netflix, video games, social media, pick a diversion).
I am sure they are doing lots of reading that isn't book form: the internet has actually radically increased the amount of words people read in a day imo (texts!). But if I were forced to name the single thing that moved people away from books per se it would be the phone, broadly construed (It's even a similar shape, and you scroll and browse on it, just like a book!).
I think about this when I teach college classes to students for whom mine may be the last literature class of an educational career. Ten or twenty years ago, I did not see a need to motivate students to keep reading independently after college. Now it's part of my curriculum. As democracy benefits from a flourishing publishing industry, so it's appropriate for public educators to encourage wide reading any way we can. I do think there is room for educators to be proactive about helping students choose their media participation and see its relevance to other areas of their lives from the first semester in university (and earlier).
I notice that being on Substack has increased my reading of new books, as I am eager to read all I can from the people I befriend and follow here.
I loved this— and it is soo true. I watched a webinar once, I think it was a publisher/editor speaking where they talked about the population of the US versus the number of copies of a book that sell and are considered a success. I don’t remember the exact numbers, but if you looked at the percentage, it was a very, very, very small amount of books compared to the actual potential reading population. It just kind of for me, put it into a little bit of perspective in the sense that there is a vast and large POTENTIAL audience. But, how do you get that potential audience interested in reading as an activity? How do you tap into that untapped potential? Because, as it seems, as you point out, we currently seem to be focusing on people who are readers, not people who don’t read— even though potentially they could become readers. And then as you also pointed out, the readers, seem to no longer be readers! So then again, losing audience. I was a reader as a kid, and then through college, though it dropped off a bit, because I had to read sooo much stuff for school, but I did always try to have at least one book for pleasure, even if it took me months to get through! And then in my mid-20s to probably mid-30s, it dropped off a bit. And I read sporadically. Now that I am a writer, I’m a reader, once again. Reading multiple books at a time. Not only those as potential comps for my writing, but also things that I just find interesting. So I’ve come back to reading at the rate I used to when I was much younger. And at this point, I don’t think I’ll give it up. I just think this topic poses interesting questions. The people are out there, you just have to get them interested. So I often wonder, then that we must ingrain reading as a pastime, as an activity when you are young. I was a teacher once, and always, always had books, had reading time— on your own, and as a class, on a daily basis, a multiple daily basis, so I would hope that those kids would grow up being readers, and even if at some point they stop, they can come back to it.
The question of reading books for Americans per se is outside the purview of this newsletter. but is certainly an important one. The stats are sobering.
Bridgette, I agree there’s a huge potential audience. People will always want stories. It’s ingrained in us to want know what the neighbors are doing, why is so-and-so better off than me, glad that catastrophe didn’t happen to me. Books and novels will always be a part of it. There’s so much competition now for people’s time. It’s up to us writers to produce stories people want to read.
Not surprised a book professional reads few books. Just as I wouldn't be surprised if a farmer didn't keep a vegetable garden in his/her spare time. If that makes sense : )
more like a farmer not eating any vegetables other than the ones they grew, for either work or pleasure.
❤️
I had a conversation this evening with Claire Shanahan (for those who don't know, she's the chief exec of the Women's Prize) where we touched on this very subject, and that there is a major publishing house (apols for not being able to remember which, it's been a long day...) choosing to reduce their list in response to this issue. It's an interesting and I think positive step, but on a wider note, I feel we as an industry must look to the music industry and how those artists have responded to no longer being able to rely on sales of their music, their income instead focused on live performance. Obviously this isn't a like for like transferable modal to our industry, but it's the thinking round corners, and creative solutions that will carry us forward. I'm intentionally running a limited edition print run of my next novel, it being impossible as an indie author to compete with mainstream outputs. I realise this will make me no money, but the majority of authors haven't been able to live off their art for sometime anyway, so I may as well reframe it and see what comes of it. As for friends no longer reading books, I'm totally horrified by that, and agree that an antidote may be found in reducing the amount of books being published, and simultaneously improving their quality. So much more to say about this. Perhaps we should host a live round table event to discuss it?
I have long been thinking about this. I am a freelance editor, a mid-career change, and while I knew I’d never work in mainstream publishing, and I earn a living as a technical writer, I love editing fiction and I will work with an author from time to time. I can do this because of the rise of indie digital publishing. It is a privilege and a pleasure to work with writers who want to make their book as good as it can be..They know they won’t make money. Some are terrible writers, some are good—sucked in breath good. As you say, making art of any form is a road to economic precarity. So nothing has changed there. And why shouldn’t people write books, and produce them, just because might not be reviewed in a literary journal? Or sell a million copies? I agree finding the good books is the trick. When I used to regularly use libraries, when my kids were little and I’d swoop down the shelves grabbing half a dozen, it didn’t matter if they were crap. I’d return them and get more. I now subscribe to Everand (formerly Scribd) where I can access whole backlists of authors I love, and read more by new ones to me. I buy lots too, mostly digital now. I prefer reading this way now. And I read lots and lots of books—it’s joyous having them at my fingertips, just as music is now so accessible. I think the future has to be digital. While streaming has made it harder for musicians to earn enough, it is unquestionably good for the consumer. And now there are many moves in that industry to better protect artists and provide more returns directly to them, cutting out some of the costs. Bandcamp, for one. In publishing, we need to look at how to build closer economic relationships between consumers and artists. I know people throw up their hands and cry what about bookshops, but, like record stores, there will always be a place for them. I’ve written a few things on this and my thoughts on my blog are a bit more coherent than tapping away on my iPad late at night :) ://ysdraft.wordpress.com/2023/10/08/some-bookshops-may-be-thriving-but-thats-missing-the-point/ Thanks for the conversation.
Books never went to the economy of free, like music and journalism did, which is one thing that has saved the industry thus far. People still expect to pay for books, and libraries to buy them for their patrons.
I read the whole long Substack and every semester for the last few years, including summers, I assigned your wonderful book. This city is killing me. Students actually read the whole thing. I think there is a market for supplemental textbooks in social work and sociology oriented courses, which tells true stories about real people and communities that you read, and then apply theories discussed in the other readings to those stories. I think a textbook called this city is also killing me that replicated that book with case stories from Cleveland would be a good approach, perhaps a forward by Jonathan Foiles.
Well how wonderful is this to hear! And thanks for giving me the perfect excuse to promote Jonathan's 3rd book with Belt, out December 3: https://beltpublishing.com/products/reading-arendt-in-the-waiting-room-a-philosophy-primer-for-an-anxious-age
I’m reading it and plan a Book Corner. Here’s me in the Cleveland Clinic Waiting Room before successful Cataract Surgery with none other than Dr. See! https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/q3oogljvfxrp6iusvot1s/Reading-Reading-Arendt-in-the-Waiting-Room-Rust-Belt-Press-by-Jonathan-Foiles.jpg?rlkey=ig2br4jq4pmgorf7yvjhe7snz&st=ese0gecc&dl=0
I just ordered it. Congratulations on getting out of the distribution business. At www.rnoph.org I was editor and also basically publisher for several years and it is no fun having to do both jobs, but that beloved journal is now under a new editor and new publisher. And people do read it! There are statistics to prove it.
In the shameless self promotion category I now have my own Substack speaking the heart. Michaelalandover.Substack.com.
Congratulations on getting out of the distribution business. I ordered his book. My daughter is a philosopher, who was just tenured unify like it I’ll get one for her as well.
I'm one year short of 70 and wrote my debut novel a few years ago and am deaf to the negativity and have hopes for a career ahead as an author and read more books than ever now. I am a deluded human, but happy to be one.
"I can't imagine a better advertisement than someone reading my book on a subway," David Sedaris told KQED Forum just before the pandemic. https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101865941/david-sedaris-finds-humor-profundity-in-middle-age . These spaces are called ecologies of attention.
COVID, like the 1918 Flu Pandemic, was a seismic sociological event. https://tracingvrl.substack.com/p/tracing-brief-is-this-thing-still .
Thanks for this cold-shower dose of reality. I also love that the first time you talk about the effects on budgets for editing, design, and production, it's written as "slash eating, design, and production." I thought, wow, this woman is DEDICATED. She'd rather edit than eat. 😆 (where's the lie?)
lol I caught that upon rereading and decided to just leave it. At least until after lunch!
Oh, do leave it! Smiles are at a premium these days.
Once again, hit: it out of the park, all the right notes, nail on head. I have been thinking about this soooooo much lately, feeling sorry for myself as an indie published author but also feeling for you indie publishers. And feeling despair overall. I would also love to address all the judgy things that you were diplomatically not addressing here. Thank you for making me feel less gaslit in this wacko world.