Answering the Question of Global Decline in Book Sales

This post was inspired by an article I read, asking readers to give their thoughts on the possibilities of why book sales are on the decline, globally. I've since lost track of the article, despite having read it not more than an hour ago, however anyone with more energy than me (tonight), should be able to do a quick Google search and make it resurface.

To avoid parading the appearance of seeming over confident on this matter, I started to toy with the question, but decided I'm not in a mood for laughing. Besides, I've harped on the matter enough times that even a hostile reader would know why book sales are reportedly declining. This activity has little to do with a global or local recession, or piracy, or even the gradations competing for our attention.

What's more to the center of the plate, are the rewards of writing a book.

Writing, within and of itself, is quite therapeutic. Many writers speak of this, though this therapy is mostly a by-product of that rant type of writing. The stuff that needs to stay on the pages of our journals and not see the light of day.

The rewards come in after we've ironed out them rants and massaged them words into meaningful stories ready for publication. Can't nothing be a higher source of personal satisfaction and achievement if I wrote the accolade myself. It's like running a marathon and winning. Without asking, I know I don't share this feeling alone.

But here are some other rewards of writing a book.

— FANS! Receiving simple messages such as, "I love the way you write," or hearing a reader rave, "your characters are over the top phenomenal… I love all of your books!" Genuine comments from fans like this, makes the whole process fun.

— But what makes the process worthwhile is entertaining the appetites of readers craving our style of writing. More, more, more. These readers want more. Yes, book sales might be declining on a global scale, but libraries are full of starving readers!

— And yet still, the most amazing reward has to be mastering factors that influences reluctant readers to becoming readers. Oh, I don't think it gets any better than enticing a wary yawning listener to open a book and have, he or she, not only calling to let us know how they couldn't put the book down, but dropping back by to borrow another… and another… and another book.

Anything that comes after the fans, an audience, and growing readers… things such as book sales, recognition, getting professionally reviewed, or how about something akin to hopping on a global bestseller list, well, that’s like cherries on top! I'm sayin' plop! Plop! Plop! PLOP! Can you see where I'm going?

Promoting literacy is the sweetest reward that keeps building and building.

Now who was it that slipped me this book, The Homegrown by Harry Deshpande? Surprisingly, compared to what I've previously read in this cultural genre, the writing was very focused, and a real page-turner beyond that. Liked the art work too.