After nearly 16 months since the world has been hurled into the grips of a devastating pandemic, the print book industry, thought to be the hardest hit, saw a steep increase in sales compared to a year prior in 2019. In the United States single unit sales increased by 3%, and in Italy, 15 million more printed books were sold in the first six months of 2020 than any other year – an increase of nearly 44%.
It’s understandable that minimum freedom of movement and strict lockdown regulations has reignited the popularity of reading. But as the world starts to regain traction with major vaccine rollouts and a sense of normality returning, can we expect the industry to keep these figures going in the new year?
Although the uncertainty remains questionable, award-winning author J.J. Hebert and MindStir Media are transforming the book industry, raising popularity among self-publishing authors and young writers. After his debut novel in 2009, ‘Unconventional’ Hebert soon saw an opportunity for innovation, bringing to life MindStir Media which has now seen more than 700 publications made under his ownership.
Let’s flip the coin and focus our attention on the increasing importance of self-publishing authors coming to life. On platforms such as MindStir Media, newly acclaimed authors have gained a sense of understanding, having a firm foot to stand on before diving into the world of print publications. The brainchild of Hebert, which is now endorsed by Shark Tank’s Kevin Harrington and Mariel Hemingway, puts the authors in control of how their work will be distributed.
The industry is constantly being challenged, and Hebert has sought to bring about a host of contemporary solutions. J.J. who already has four #1 Amazon Best Sellers under his name, and a long list of contributing publications including Entrepreneur Magazine and a Forbes Business Council member is looking to advocate for authors and writers of any type.
The work done by MindStir Media has become a reflection of the type of person and the amount of dedication Hebert has for the future of the self-publishing industry. His adversity landed him to become a notable figure within the literary community, and recent features in Forbes, Inc, and Yahoo! Finance, among others, raise the awareness of the work Hebert is setting out to accomplish.
The ties Hebert has created with his platform at MindStir Media set out to put the self-publishing author at the center of their work. Allowing them the exclusive rights to their work and the distribution thereof.
The question now remains whether authors such as Hebert and MindStir Media can completely flip the industry to preserve the awe-inspiring creativity that’s filled pages for millennia. The self-publishing authors MindStir has brought to our shelves is but a fraction of what we can expect from the media publishing company in the years to come. Yet we remain hopeful that the growing popularity of literature will never subside, but once again extend our expectations.