Now that we’re at the start of an exciting new year, let’s look back at 2024 for indicators as to what we may see in the next 364 days in publishing. Rarely do trends come out of nowhere, so what might we expect?
I don’t have a crystal ball, but I have some predictions based on my work with authors, agents, editors, and publishers. I expect to see:
Micro-publishing emerges
One trend that is just starting to appear on the scene is micro-publishing, or producing short books on a very niche topic.
Just as micro-courses have become the preferred method of online learning, micro-books and workbooks will become popular formats in 2025. They address one small aspect of a larger topic and because they speak directly to a reader’s interests or pain point, they could do very well.
For example, if you’re an artist interested in improving your marketing efforts, you could buy a book all about marketing fine art. Or, if you are specifically interested in learning how to sell your art on Whatnot, you are more likely to buy a less expensive micro-guide to that specific topic.
I think there are going to be big opportunities in this category in the coming years.
Book length increasing
Then, conversely, I think traditional books are going to grow longer.
Yes, we’ve all heard that the human attention span has shrunk significantly. Whether due to the rise of digital media, our increased reliance on technology, the ubiquity of social media, the push to multitask and be more productive, or something else, we have trouble focusing for long periods of time. In response, we’ve witnessed the average length of nonfiction books decline. Where typical business books were typically 75,000-80,000 words long in the early 2000s, that average word count has shrunk to 50,000-60,000 today.
However, I don’t see it declining much more. In fact, I think we may see it start to see that trend reverse.
My rationale is that the books that are selling the best right now are rooted in stories. We want to read interesting stories, and it’s hard to tell a compelling story in only a few words. Some of our favorite fiction authors, such as Stephen King, for example, now break books up into multi-book series because the intricate stories take more time, e.g., The Bill Hodges Trilogy.
Ghostwriters gain recognition
Thanks to celebrity authors becoming comfortable admitting they worked with a ghostwriter to get their books done, we’ve seen an increased willingness to give due credit to ghosts. Part of this may be attributed to the emergence of authenticity as an admired trait, but the other element may simply be a recognition that there is no shame in asking for help.
With the coaching profession growing exponentially in recent years, there are advisors and coaches for everything from health to fitness, to wardrobe, language, negotiation, business scaling, parenting, divorcing — you name it. It makes sense that admitting you had help writing a book should not be a big deal. Unless you already have publishing expertise or an English degree, why wouldn’t you hire a collaborator or writing partner (a.k.a. a ghostwriter)?
In some instances, acknowledging that you have retained a ghostwriter can actually increase your odds of landing a traditional book deal, because the publisher will be reassured that the quality of the writing will be excellent. There is even an awards program for author-ghostwriter pairs.
Audiobooks remain a hot category
Podcasts and audiobooks remain the golden children of publishing.
You’ve probably heard that audiobooks and podcasts have been breakout successes for the last couple of years. Consumers are increasingly listening to books rather than reading the paperback versions. They are also seeking out podcasts for information and entertainment.
This new preference for audio content may stem from the popularity of fancy headphones of the last couple of years (Beats by Dr. Dre anyone?), but perhaps an even bigger driver could be the push to get employees back to their desks.
With employers looking to reduce or eradicate hybrid work situations, employees are being called back into the office. With that requirement frequently comes a commute. With more workers spending more time in transit, it makes sense that finding audio content to listen to would become popular.
Supplementary products grow more popular
Another type of content that became all the rage in 2024 was workbooks. I expect workbooks and supplementary guides to grow even hotter in 2025.
Demand for products that support the application of new information has grown in parallel to reader demand for takeaways and next steps in nonfiction books. For the last few years, readers of business and prescriptive nonfiction books especially have given high marks to titles that hold their hand and help them apply what they just learned. Readers have bought books in search of information they want or need and appreciate instruction in what they can do to start using what they now know.
That’s where workbooks started popping up on Amazon as ancillary materials, and sales have been brisk. Unfortunately, some workbooks are being created by unauthorized individuals trying to ride the coattails of popular authors, so don’t do that. Stick with creating extra products to support your own books. These supplementary products could include journals, checklists, blueprints, or guides to applying the lessons learned to other target audiences, for example.
Not only do these create an additional income stream but they also increase the value of the original book.
Hybrid publishing takes the lead
If you look at which companies are publishing books, you’ll see that hybrid and independent publishers took the lead numbers-wise several years ago. No longer are traditional publishers responsible for producing the majority of books each year, which topped 4 million at last count.
While many authors prefer to work with traditional publishers — long considered the industry’s gatekeepers — an increasing number are recognizing the benefits of partnering with publishers that use a different business model.
Although authors do not pay for production with traditional publishers, which is the big appeal, increasingly they are being asked to commit to a buy-back that effectively requires some payment to the publisher. Given this dynamic, many authors are shifting to exploring contracts with hybrid publishers, where payment for production is required, but potential profits on the backend are much larger.
Perhaps the biggest draw for hybrid publishers is speed, however. Given the pace of change at which the world is currently operating, the chance of information obsolescence is much greater. And for that reason, authors whose information is time-sensitive are opting to publish through independent presses that can release their books in a few months, versus the 18-24 months typical of traditional presses.
Both are terrific options, but unless you already have a massive following and are an established leader in your field, you are less likely to qualify for a traditional deal. Since many thought leaders are well-known in their niches but don’t necessarily have hundreds of thousands of social media followers, hybrid publishers are becoming a leading choice.
What other publishing trends do you foresee for 2025?