Heavy fiction readers, especially romance readers, were early adopters of ebooks which helped drive the digital transformation of books. While ebooks are replacing mass market print books, print still accounts for the majority of book sales and different formats appeal to different types of readers. It remains important for authors to understand where their target readers discover and obtain books across various channels like libraries, bookstores, and online retailers. The transformation of books continues to evolve as new formats emerge but print will continue to be significant.

1. The Digital Transformation
of the Book
The Impact of Romance Readers
Dominique Raccah
Sourcebooks, Inc.
February 2015

2. Today, all media are
undergoing a transformation

3. …the transformation of books
is fundamentally different

4. [ 1. The ebook reader ]

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

6. who is this customer:
reader who reads a lot
In U.S., converted
our most voracious readers first

7. 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

8. So heavy fiction readers
(many of them romance
buyers) were the innovators
and early adopters of ebooks

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

10. [ 2. Will ebooks kill print ? ]

11. There are lots of "
different kinds of books
© 2014, Book Industry Study Group, Inc.
77%
23%
Physical
Digital

12. © 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

13. [ 3. different authors’ career paths ]

14. Every day "
3,500 books are
published* "
in America
*Bowker 2013

15. 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)

16. 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…

17. 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

18. Thank you.
Email: dominique.raccah@sourcebooks.com "
Twitter: @draccah