Self-publishers mostly work in niches.
But everyone hopes that their book breaks out of the niche and becomes a bit mainstream.
Like the “Celestine Prophecy” did and “Rich Dad Poor Dad” and “Women are from Venus and Men from Mars”
One in the spiritual niche, one in the creating wealth nich and the third title in the relationships niche.
Each of the authors has a great story to tell of their path to a big seller.
However the numbers are clearly against it.
Check out the facts below.
Of 950,000 titles you coulds say that only 25,000 really “made it”.
… with the “average book” selling only 500 copies.
Just shows you pick a niche you are passionate about, write the book, record the audio, record a video, do a speaking tour.
A Bookselling Tail – 7/17/2006 – Publishers Weekly
Here’s the reality of the book industry: in 2004, 950,000 titles out of the 1.2 million tracked by Nielsen Bookscan sold fewer than 99 copies. Another 200,000 sold fewer than 1,000 copies. Only 25,000 sold more than 5,000 copies. The average book in America sells about 500 copies. Those blockbusters are a minute anomaly: only 10 books sold more than a million copies last year, and fewer than 500 sold more than 100,000.
So are all the rest of the books simply failed blockbusters? Of course not. As the book industry has known for decades, there’s virtue in niches—books that aren’t for everyone, but really thrill those they are for. The trick is finding a way to make a business in niches, rejoicing in the rare blockbuster if it comes, but not having to depend on it.