Execs foresee leaven 2017

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From The Bookseller:

Book trade executives are optimistic and bullish about 2017, despite the political uncertainty of Brexit, looming European elections and Donald Trump taking up office in the US this month.

Publishing chief executives, leading agents and booksellers have given their predictions for the year ahead, with the overall outlook positive on the back of a second consecutive year of rising print sales.

Opportunities for the trade include an increase in export sales following a decline in the value of the pound, desire to read deeper non-fiction books in a so-called “post-truth world” heralding a “golden era” for the genre and the continuing boom in audio book sales –with Hacehtte UK chief executive Tim Hely Hutchinson predicting a 25% year-on-year growth in the format in 2017.

Ethnic diversity numbers will increase across the industry, foresees Pan Mac c.e.o Anthony Forbes Watson and the trade will then turn its head towards economic diversity in its staff. HarperCollins’ c.e.o Charlie Redmayne believes that the diversity initiatives of 2016 will continue in 2017, “fundamentally changing the look of our industry and the books which we produce – ultimately growing our businesses and making us more relevant to the society in which we live”.

Meanwhile, the perennial quest of how to reach new readers in an unpredictable age will be the focus for Penguin Random House’s chief Tom Weldon.

. . . .

While most are optimistic about the year ahead, there are some who are concerned about its prospects, particularly taking into account wider political events.

“Anyone who is optimistic about a world where a homophobic, racist, lying braggart is the president of the most powerful country in the world, and where Britain deserts its friends and allies in Europe is missing the greater part of their cerebral cortex,” according Profile’s c.e.o Andrew Franklin.

Link to the rest at The Bookseller

PG is not terribly impressed by the methods these experts utilize to forecast future book sales.

Ritually slaughtering an animal and examining its entrails might produce more accurate results.

24 thoughts on “Execs foresee leaven 2017”

  1. “Post-truth world” = “world of lies.” There, sorted that for ya.

    It seems lately that truth is whatever the best-funded mindless blowhard says it is. I reject it all.

  2. Bricks and mortar stores will continue to focus on in-store-theatre and will look forward to marking 20 years since the publication of J K Rowling’s first Harry Potter novel (Bloomsbury).

    Is this some sort of parody from The Onion?

    • “Is this some sort of parody from The Onion?”

      No, my understanding is The Onion rejected this piece as too far gone even for them. (Which says sad things indeed for this so-called ‘The Bookseller’ …)

    • HP and the SS is the 2nd best selling SF&Fantasy book on this “automatically generated every hour” Amazon page.

      https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Kindle-Store-Science-Fiction-Fantasy/zgbs/digital-text/668010011

      Another 5 are within the top 20, and others fall within the top 100, even though these are easily available from most libraries and, given their past sales figures, everyone who can read should own 1 or 2 copies by now.

      Thus, why not celebrate 20 years of HP? It’s what people are buying!

  3. “Anyone who is optimistic about a world where a homophobic, racist, lying braggart is the president of the most powerful country in the world, and where Britain deserts its friends and allies in Europe is missing the greater part of their cerebral cortex,” according Profile’s c.e.o Andrew Franklin.

    I wish you all could see how wide I’m grinning right now.

    My next major release is a novel titled Gunslinger to the Stars. Such a perfect year for this book! 😀

  4. homophobic, racist, lying braggart is the president of the most powerful country in the world

    Oh, come on. Like that’s never happened before! And they forgot misogynist, anyway.

    “This is going to be the best year ever. Except, maybe not.”

    Real good prognostication there, folks. Makes me want to buy shares in BPHs for sure. Yeah. No.

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