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Is the downturn in book sales permanent?

Posted on 2nd April, 2026

Since December all my writer friends have been complaining about poor royalties – my publisher is aware of this and told me  that it’s a general downturn in the publishing industry. After three years of cost of living problems I think even inexpensive e-books are  no longer being purchased. We can only hope things will improve as the weather does – fact that there are three wars being fought unnecessarily hasn’t helped the general feeling of  worry that things will get worse. We, in the UK, eventually managed to absorb the huge hike in energy prices caused by Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine. Now  Trump  and Netanyahu’s Evil and illegal war against Iran is going to have an even worse effect on the world economy.  I’ve read somewhere that the UK is likely to suffer the biggest economic downturn in Europe. That’s because we left the EU six years ago.

Up till now my book sales and those of my friends have remained buoyant, I heard the other day that someone I know made over £240,000 last year –  I thought I was doing well until I heard that! I can manage even if there is a  40% downturn  as I don’t have to rely on my writing income, but others do. It’s hard to understand how this has happened when books are so inexpensive– Boldwood books sell for between 99p and 3.99 – hardly a fortune. You can’t even buy a cup of coffee for that amount and I haven’t heard that coffee shops are doing badly.

What can we do to attract more readers? The books can’t be sold for less, so I’m not at all sure that anything we writers do is going to change things.

I’m trying not to check my sales every day,  moan about how little I’m making compared to last year, but remain positive and think how lucky I am to be able to write books at all at my age and  to still have anTop audience eager to buy them. I wouldn’t want to be a new writer as however enthusiastic, however brilliant, it’s even harder to make a living from writing than it was when I started over twenty years ago.

I have had two books out recently – one the first book in my new Regency series, The Earl’s Bride, did well initially but is now languishing somewhat.  The sixth book in my successful Harbour House series – Bad News at Harbour House – is now on preorder and I am keeping my fingers crossed that this garners plenty of preorders. I’m pretty sure that I would keep writing even if my sales didn’t really justify the time spent. It’s what gets me up in the morning and keeps me mentally alert. I love writing – but I love even more knowing that thousands of readers have enjoyed my books.

until next month

Fenella J Miller