The Digital Transformation of the Book and the Impact of Romance Readers

The Digital Transformation of the Book

The Impact of Romance Readers

Dominique Raccah Sourcebooks, Inc.

February 2015

Today, all media are undergoing a transformation

…the transformation of books "is fundamentally different

[ 1. The ebook reader ]

Benefits of e-reading devices"BISG — US 2010 data

who is this customer: reader who reads a lot

In U.S., converted our most voracious readers first

Who is Today’s Core Trade "E-Book Buyer (in the U.S.)?

p  Woman (66%) p  45 to 54 years old

p  HH Income ~$77K Yr

p  Predominantly fiction readers

So heavy fiction readers (many of them romance

buyers) were the innovators and early adopters of ebooks

Benefits of e-reading devices"BISG — US 2010 data

[ 2. Will ebooks kill print ? ]

There are lots of "different kinds of books

© 2014, Book Industry Study Group, Inc.

77%  

23%  

Physical     Digital    

© 2014, Book Industry Study Group, Inc.

Ebooks are replacing our cheapest format…mass market books

$0.0    

$1.0    

$2.0    

$3.0    

$4.0    

$5.0    

$6.0    

2008   2009   2010   2011   2012   2013  

Hardcover   So?cover   Mass-­‐market     E-­‐Books  

[ 3. different authors’ career paths ]

Every day "3,500 books are

published* "in America

*Bowker 2013

Author  A  W-­‐M  &  Target  B&N  

library  

ebook  

Amazon  

Author  C  W-­‐M  &  Target  B&N  

library  

ebook  

Amazon  

Author  B   W-­‐M  &  Target  B&N  

library  

ebook  

Amazon  

3 debut authors launched at "same time (both physical + ebooks)

Author  A  W-­‐M  &  Target  B&N  

library  

ebook  

Amazon  

Author  C  W-­‐M  &  Target  B&N  

library  

ebook  

Amazon  

Author  B   W-­‐M  &  Target  B&N  

library  

ebook  

Amazon  

It’s important to think about where your reader might find you…

Some of what we know today…

p  The transformation of books is different

p  Print lives!

p  More important than ever that the author know where to find their reader

p  Romance readers have significantly shaped the ebook transformation

Thank you.

Email: dominique.raccah@sourcebooks.com "Twitter: @draccah