Romance Writers of America put together their yearly stats about book sales recently for the year 2014. In print sales, romance comes in a close second to general fiction (whatever the heck that is). General fiction captured 24.2% of print sales with romance following at 22.3%. In digital sales, romance claimed the top rank with 32.1% of the sales with thrillers a distant second at 15%. An interesting note about digital sales is that fantasy lurked in at #5 with 5.7%. I love reading fantasy and science fiction but they seldom make the top of the lists for units sold. I know from my own fantasy writing, my sales numbers are minute compared to how much romance I sell.
Another thing of interest to me in the report was the list of growing subcategories in romance that are really gaining in digital sales. Science fiction is one of them and for once I'm actually writing what is currently popular with my two published space opera series and my third series that is coming soon.
My birthday was last week and my dear children came up with some great gifts. Three gift cards to bookstores, a really cool thumb drive that my daughter bought for me in Oman(it's shaped like a dagger), and a half dozen cans of iced coffee. My dear husband bought me that Shark Rocket I've been eyeing because my vacuum cleaner is just too heavy to lug up and down the steps. Yes, we've been married long enough that I appreciate household items for gifts when they're meant to make my life easier. He bought me flowers too.
I checked two things off my 'to-do' list last week and only added one. What we call progress in my little writing office. It's also that time of year when I start shopping around for my new desk planner. You've heard me rave about The Old Farmer's Almanac Engagement Calendar for the past two years, but I always look to see if there's something else that I might like better. Things I require in a planner are that it be spiral bound so it lays out flat and that it displays a week at a time. It also must have enough space for each day for me to jot down appointments, blogging ideas and my to-do lists. The bookstores are putting their selections out now as they prepare for Christmas shoppers.
Good things to look ahead to this week for me. My husband doesn't need me to help with his paint job anymore. I'm having lunch with a friend on Tuesday and going to give blood that day. That always makes me feel good. And I should get more writing done since I'm not painting.
What are you looking forward to this week? Do you us an appointment calendar and if you do, what requirements do you have for your choice? Do you mind getting household items for gifts? Did you find anything interesting or surprising about those book sales stats?
24 comments:
Happy belated birthday! And wow, a dagger-shaped thumb drive? How cool!
I'm planning to buy myself new planners soon, too. (I always get two--one for normal planner stuff, and the other to jot down my daily art progress.) I always get mine from Peter Pauper Press, since it's the one brand to meet all my requirements for planners. (You wouldn't like them, since they're not spiral-bound, LOL.)
Happy birthday. I am going to be musing about the 28 (or plus) people coming to Thanksgiving...it takes a lot of planning and prep!
Yeah, science fiction sales are never great. Bummer I can't do the romance part.
Glad it was a good birthday. My wife is to that point where appliances make her happy.
And my iPad is my calendar. Thank God for Siri.
Yeah, science fiction sure is meh with sales. But oh well. Sounds like a good birthday was had, anything to make life easier is a good present indeed.
Those certainly sound like good gifts to me!
I'm looking forward to getting more words done on my NaNo ms. Moving the story forward, slowly but surely, kind of like a tortoise. :)
Hi Susan - sounds like excellent presents all round ... anything to make your heart sing, and to make your workload easier ... your Almanac sayings are fun to read here ... cheers and enjoy that lunch and then giving of your blood - always need to do that ... Hilary
Happy belated birthday! Sounded like a nice day! I have to laugh about getting household items for gifts. Now it doesn't bother me, we've been married 35 years, but our first Valentine's Day as a married couple, hubby comes home with an ironing board for my gift. In his defense, it was a thoughtful gift because we didn't have one and I would iron on the floor using a towel between the floor and my item I was ironing. I did wonder though if the romance was over :)
I don't have much to keep track of so I don't use a calendar or planner, but they are always fun to look at when shopping :)
betty
Shark Rocket - I love the name.
If science fiction romance is popular, I wonder how fantasy romance is doing?
We're definitely writing in the wrong genre. Time to sell out and write some romance!
Happy belated birthday and cheers to all of the cool gifts you got. Admittedly, I'm a fan of functional birthday presents. Still not a fan of ties or socks, though.
Belated happy birthday, Susan. I am sure you had a great day with all those cool gifts you got. :D
While books remain the gift of choice for me, household items are welcome too, especially if they save time, as I can then spend that time reading. :D
P.S. I have never understood what general fiction means. I think I have a vague idea, but then I don't understand why that segment would be so popular. I probably have got that wrong.
Romance has long seemed to be a good selling genre. There sure are a lot of those books out there--you'd think they might start running out of original ideas.
This week? I'm going to Vegas. I'll probably get little useful accomplished as far as writing or blogging. Hopefully I'll have a good time.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!!!
Romance is getting more and more successful...now-a-days, people want an escape, especially a romantic one. Which is why sci-fi romance is becoming popular.
Happy (belated) Birthday! Your gifts sound awesome. Especially that thumb drive in the shape of a dagger. :D
Happy Birthday, I think romance books are great, used to buy alot at one time.
Yvonne.
Happy birthday! How appropriate for you to get gift cards for bookstores. That sounds about right :). Happy writing. I hope the book sales for all you romance writers stay high.
Thanks for your comment. I do the digital ones on the android tablet screen. Have you played those? No mess, no fuss. Just a few puzzles here and there. Fun stuff.
At work, I'd be lost without my calendar, but I don't use one at home ... yet :)
Happy belated birthday - those are awesome gifts!!
Have a great birthday.
I have to be honest, non-fiction is my favorite which clashes with my sudden urge to write fiction. I have enjoyed exploring genres and reading fiction the past five years. I read everything written by Frank Herbert thirty so years ago. I like science fiction a great deal but literary fiction is my favorite.
You're sneaky keeping your birthday from us, Susan. You sly devil. Sounds like you have very considerate children and husband.
I'm looking forward to my husband coming home from a business trip! He was supposed to come home tonight, but we've got a big snow storm moving in, so his flight was canceled. Happy Birthday! I hope you keep scratching off more to-dos than you add.
I'm like Betty. Our first Christmas, hubby bought me a crockpot. LOL! I didn't know what to say. Today, I'd be thrilled if he bought me something useful.
Funny how our perspective changes. Happy birthday, sweetie!
I tried to switch calendar types for 2016 to a full-month that's not in book form. I think I wasted my money because I already have the urge to go back to the store and buy my usual weekly planner in a spiral bound book.
Sounds like you had a happy birthday (and I wish you many more).
Those stats almost make me wish I was a romance writer!
I've always believed romance was the top-selling genre. Those 'general fiction' figures probably contain a healthy dose of romance too. Your birthday sounded like fun! I'm lusting after your shark vac now!
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