Non-Fiction Self-Publishing Statistics

Fruitbat · Aug 24, 2011

So, I hear a lot about self-publishing fiction, but what about non-fiction?

Anybody know anything or where to find it? Success stories, what sells (and doesn't sell), any statistics on it at all?

Thanks!

Fruitbat · Aug 25, 2011

Self-Published Nonfiction?

I've heard tons about self-published fiction, but very little about self-published non-fiction.

Anybody done it, know anything about it or where to find anything about it? Top sellers, which topics do well and which don't? Anybody know how to check out sales ranking (and what that means in the equivalent of copies sold) on Amazon?

Anything? ;o)

Sheryl Nantus · Aug 25, 2011

I've picked up some excellent nonfiction books by Chuck Wendig and James Scott Bell on the craft of writing.

They've got established credits and I've loved every word.

CaoPaux · Aug 25, 2011

Please don't start multiple threads on the same subject. Merged.

Fruitbat · Aug 25, 2011

Sorry, CaoPaux. After I did not get any replies in the one section, I decided to try the other, but I should have asked.

Sheryl, are these books about self-publishing non-fiction or writing it? I didn't understand.

I guess there is just not much interest in this topic. I wonder why, when it seems to me like self-published non-fiction might actually have more of a market than the fiction, when it's practical how-to topics anyway.

In fact, the whole non-fiction section seems pretty slow, aside from memoirs.

Maybe non-fiction writers tend to be more working in the field of their topic than considering themselves "writers."

I dunno. ???

Sheryl Nantus · Aug 25, 2011

Fruitbat said:
Sorry, CaoPaux. After I did not get any replies in the one section, I decided to try the other, but I should have asked.

Sheryl, are these books about self-publishing non-fiction or writing it? I didn't understand.

I guess there is just not much interest in this topic. I wonder why, when it seems to me like self-published non-fiction might actually have more of a market than the fiction, when it's practical how-to topics anyway.

In fact, the whole non-fiction section seems pretty slow, aside from memoirs.

Maybe non-fiction writers tend to be more working in the field of their topic than considering themselves "writers."

I dunno. ???

Sorry for not making myself clear - their books are on writing fiction and how to improve your writing craft.

the only big nonfiction books I see out there are usually on how to publish your ebook, yatta yatta yatta. And there's a slew of those competing for the writer's attention.

other than that, can't help you much...

Terie · Aug 25, 2011

Actually, it has long been the case that self-published nonfiction does better than fiction. After all, many of the good-selling self-pubbed books (until very recently) were those that public speakers self-pubbed to sell at their speaking engagements, or niche books (such as local histories) that had an audience, just not a big enough one to interest a commercial or trade publisher. It's only the recent boom in self-e-publishing that has put SP fiction onto the map at all.

ResearchGuy · Aug 25, 2011

Fruitbat said:
. . .
Anybody done it, know anything about it or where to find anything about it? . . .

If I can judge from personal observations (and reading) much self-published non-fiction is sold in ways that will not show up in public sales statistics. For example, I can point to individuals in my area who have sold thousands or tens of thousands of copies of their nonfiction books through direct, or relatively direct, means (booths at crafts shows, presentations at professional conferences, sales to educational organizations and via college bookstores but not through a distributor). They are relatively unusual cases, but still show that it can be done and is being done.

Anyway, you might want to join IBPA, SPAN, or both, and a local affiliate of one or both. Get out and meet folks in the business.

Edited to add: check out www.parapublishing.com, and Dan Poynter's books on self-publishing.

--Ken

Diana_Rajchel · Aug 25, 2011

I can only share my experience, which is recent. I am also in a very niche market sector for nonfiction. I published give/take on July 4th, and to date I've sold around 20 copies. I'm also in a very niche market, relatively unknown (written 10 years, but it's scattered) and am still building a following. I've been doing my own marketing thus far, and finding bugs in the process- like the perception that CreateSpace doesn't offer in-print at wholesale (it does.)

Give the obstacles of perception and my unknown status, however, I feel like I'm doing pretty good for a first time out.

Hiroko · Aug 25, 2011

Terie said:
Actually, it has long been the case that self-published nonfiction does better than fiction. After all, many of the good-selling self-pubbed books (until very recently) were those that public speakers self-pubbed to sell at their speaking engagements, or niche books (such as local histories) that had an audience, just not a big enough one to interest a commercial or trade publisher. It's only the recent boom in self-e-publishing that has put SP fiction onto the map at all.

Kind of adding to this, when people (at first) were stumbling between traditional and self-publishing, they were told to self-publish if your book had a niche market OR it was a book you wanted physically for family/friends/yourself.

Obviously fiction is more widely read than non-fiction, but I assume there is a healthy market for the field. The only kinds of books I really see as far as non-fiction goes are books on book marketing/self-publishing

ResearchGuy · Aug 25, 2011

Hiroko said:
. . . Obviously fiction is more widely read than non-fiction. . .

Maybe, but not obviously, and probably not by nearly as much as you might think, especially when you consider the amount of reading people do for educational, professional, and personal development purposes.

--Ken

Hiroko · Aug 25, 2011

ResearchGuy said:
Maybe, but not obviously, and probably not by nearly as much as you might think, especially when you consider the amount of reading people do for educational, professional, and personal development purposes.

--Ken

Oh. True. :x

I suppose the better statement to make, then, is that as writers, we're met with tales of fiction being sold more often than non-fiction.

Terie · Aug 25, 2011

Hiroko said:
Obviously fiction is more widely read than non-fiction,

This is neither obvious nor true.

Nonfiction sells much more than fiction. Go to your local non-specialist bookstore and compare the sizes of the fiction and nonfiction sections if you need proof. Also, more nonfiction writers can live off their writing than fiction writers.

(Although the circumstances are extremely weird and not anything like comparable to a typical case, I make more money off the one nonfiction book I've had published than the four fiction ones combined. And none of that holds a candle to what I make in my tech writing day job...which, as I constantly promise my boss, is not fiction.

)

Non-Fiction Self-Publishing Statistics

Fruitbat

.

Fruitbat

.

Sheryl Nantus

Holding out for a Superhero...

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless

Fruitbat

.

Sheryl Nantus

Holding out for a Superhero...

Terie

Writer is as Writer does

ResearchGuy

Resident Curmudgeon

Diana_Rajchel

Writing from my Seaside Palace

Hiroko

Which of them was the machine?

ResearchGuy

Resident Curmudgeon

Hiroko

Which of them was the machine?

Terie

Writer is as Writer does