Magazine Newsstand Decline Follows That Of Newspapers & Books

It's no secret that printed publications are decreasing in popularity. But the speed at which it is happening is accelerating.

Newstand sales of single issues -- big moneymakers for publishers -- are down 9.6 percent across the board compared to last year. Somes sales are going to the digital world, while others are just disappearing.  According to the Audit Bureau of Circulation, digital subscriptions are up by over 150% but the 5.4 million e-subscriptions olnly represents 1.7% of the marketplace. Last year it made up 1% of the market, so the growth rate is fast. As more iPads and tablets flood consumers, we'll likely see a bigger migration from print to digital. However, one important note, overall paid and verified circulation was only down .1 percent from last year, so people have not lost interest in magazines.

The top 10 digtized magazines are:

1. Game Informer
2. Maxim
3. Cosmopolitan
4. Poder Hispanic
5. National Geographic
6. Popular Science
7. O
8. ESPN
9. The Magazine
10. Parenting

Interview With Author Mike Jeffries 

1. What type of books do you write? I write non-fiction books; primarily about children, divorce and parental alienation -- a very destructive family dynamic affecting countless children, parents and extended family members every year.  There isn't a lot of information out there about parental alienation so my efforts hopefully fill a void and help families dealing with some very painful situations.

2. What is your latest or upcoming book about? I'm actually taking a break from my usual topic and collaborating with a colleague on a book about the communication skills needed to excel in the corporate environment.  So often people are promoted into managerial positions based on their technical expertise, but they have no formal training in how to communicate effectively with their people.  Good communication skills -- including writing, presentations, conflict resolutions and one-one-one or small group feedback sessions -- are the keys to engaging people and helping both the individuals and the organization succeed.  

3. What inspired you to write it? Very simply, we identified a need.  We ran a very successful communication training program designed to help managers improve their communication and leadership skills.  The program was so successful we decided to turn it into a book.  This opportunity couldn't be more different from the events the led me to write A Family's Heartbreak: A Parent's Introduction to Parental Alienation.  In that case there was both a need in the marketplace and an opportunity to deal with my own pain over losing my son to parental alienation.

4. What did you do before you became an author? I've been writing professionally for more than 30 years.  I started writing radio news and sports stories in Washington D.C., and then wrote freelance articles for newspapers and magazines.  These days the majority of my writing takes place in the corporate world.  I write speeches for CEOs, corporate video scripts, blogs, announcements, press releases and marketing materials.  Writing isn't all I do but it's a big part of it.

5. How does it feel to be a published author? Being a published author is extremely gratifying.   I hear from people all over the world who just want to say "thank you" to me for sharing my story and a little information.  Whenever we sell a book in Australia, South Africa, England, Israel or any of the other far away places where we've sold books, I remember writing A Family's Heartbreak in this dumpy little apartment I was forced to rent after my divorce.   I can't believe the words I wrote in that apartment are traveling around the world and touching people.

6. Any advice for struggling writers? Write what you know about and write with passion.  

7. Where do you see book publishing heading? Clearly, the marketplace is evolving.  I think there will always be people who want to hold a book in their hands and put it on a shelf when they've finished it, but their numbers are dwindling and authors and publishers need to adjust their expectations when it comes to sales, revenues and profits.  I also think the internet, and blogs in particular, are providing an outlet for authors to develop their ideas and skills.  Much like the entertainment industry makes "straight to video" movies I think we'll see more and more "straight to online" books by authors and bloggers.  

For more information, please see www.afamilysheartbreak.com.

Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person.