Through July 25, US print unit sales are up by 4.1 percent versus 2019, according to NPD BookScan. Mary Trump’s book continues to perform well and sold more than 1.35 million units across all formats during its first week on sale in the US, according to Simon & Schuster. The New York Times offered a recent look at book sales through big-box stores like Target, Walmart, Costco, and Meijer, which have remained open as essential businesses and enjoyed increased sales. Meijer in particular is expanding its book department in 80 of its 253 stores, although that plan was in place prior to the pandemic. Meanwhile, Amazon reported that its online sales (of all products) increased 48 percent in the second quarter compared to last year.
Jane Friedman has spent her entire career working in the publishing industry, with a focus on business reporting and author education. Established in 2015, her newsletter The Bottom Line provides nuanced market intelligence to thousands of authors and industry professionals; in 2023, she was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World.
Jane’s expertise regularly features in major media outlets such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, NPR, The Today Show, Wired, The Guardian, Fox News, and BBC. Her book, The Business of Being a Writer, Second Edition (The University of Chicago Press), is used as a classroom text by many writing and publishing degree programs. She reaches thousands through speaking engagements and workshops at diverse venues worldwide, including NYU’s Advanced Publishing Institute, Frankfurt Book Fair, and numerous MFA programs.
