Where Are Our Gen Z Book Readers?

 

“Twenty years ago the National Endowment for the Arts reported that 43% of 18-24-year-olds had not read a single poem, play, novel, or short story in the preceding 12 months,” says the New York Daily News. Have things changed much since that pre-social media report?

 

They likely have gotten worse.

 

Access to books, by virtue of the Internet, is greater than ever in the history of civilized society in America, but Gen Z readership is unique BookRiot cited how Gen Z prefers print books over digital books, saying:

 

“Gen Z readers vastly prefer physical print books over ebooks. Only 14% of sales in their age group were ebooks last year. When interviewed about why this is by Business Insider, the usual bookish reasons cropped up first: loving that beautiful book smell that can’t be replicated on an ereader; the ability to curate a physical book collection and acquire special edition copies; the growing practice of annotating and tabbing books in creative ways.

“The reasons don’t stop there, however. A number of Gen Z readers are citing digital eye strain as something print books give them relief from. Print books also make it easier to focus on the narrative, instead of the built-in distractions of your phone, ereader, or browser. More and more, young adults aged 16-24 are also participating in digital detoxes to decrease their exposure to social media.”

 

So, what will it take to get more young adults to read more books and shorter pieces of literary delight?

 

Whether things are consumed usually come down to one or more of these factors:

 

* Time

* Money

* Education

* Need

* Desire

* Awareness

* Availability

* Emotional Mindset

* Options

* Upbringing

 

Do younger people have:

 

1.      Time to read books? 

An hour a day will lead to a finished book in a week.

 

2.      Funds to buy a book? 

So many are free online or at a library.

 

3.      The knowledge and ability to read?

Our literacy rate is quite high.

 

4.      A need to read a book?

Not always, but sometimes a book is better than surfing the web.

 

5.      A desire to read a book?

If they need a break from Netflix, social media, or work/school, try a book.

 

6.      An awareness of books?

They are everywhere!

 

7.      An availability to read?

It is up to each of us to be available for things we value.

 

8.      Are they emotionally open to reading?

So many have anxiety and stress; reading should relax them.

 

9.      How were they brought up?

Gen Z is a product of Gen X and some older Millennials, and books were valued by those generations, so Gen Z should have been inculcated with the book value.

 

10.  How do books stack up against other content options?

This is where we hit a brick wall. Blogs, podcasts, videos, social media, websites, texting, apps, news feeds, streaming services, cable TV, music, video games, radio, magazines, newsletters, movies, plays, webinars, seminars, speakers, concerts… it is a long list of distraction and competition. Books are fighting for the young American mind.

 

My two teens are Gen Z. My daughter is a voracious book reader. Paper books at that. My son reads a lot — just not books. I guess one out of two ain’t bad, but we can do better. 

We need to.

 

Need PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with over 3.9 million page views, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!

 

About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.9 million pageviews. With 4,900+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and director of publicity positions at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.

 

Interview With Author Garry Moore

 

1.      What inspired you to write this book?

I wrote the book during lockdown during the Covid Pandemic. I wasn’t allowed to go to work for a year because of a lung condition. I’m a filmmaker and found it frustratingly hard to break into the industry. I had so many ‘nearly made it’ chances that I thought it would be useful to write a book about my experiences for other would-be filmmakers. 

2.      What exactly is it about and who is it written for?

The book is primarily my memoirs of my time as a filmmaker, trying to break into the film industry and the many problems I had along the way. One of the main through stories is how I came to make a film with a 15-year-old Jade Thirlwall who would go on to win the UK X-Factor with girl band Little Mix who would become one of the biggest girl bands in the world. I thought highlighting this story would garner a lot of interest and, as it’s the only film she ever made, I thought her fanbase would be interested, especially as the book includes many exclusive on-set photos of her taken at the time in 2007. The book also contains many stories and anecdotes of my time as a filmmaker so it’s also cautionary tale for aspiring filmmakers. 

3.      What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book?

I hope that general readers will get a better insight into how difficult it is to break into the film industry, how ruthless some people can be, or how indifferent some others can be towards you or your film or what you wish to achieve. As for the Little Mix fans who may read it, I hope they will get pleasure from hearing how Jade made her one and only film and see some rare photos of her that not many fans will have seen before. 

4.      How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design?

The book’s title was heavily influenced by the fact that I was writing about my time making a film with Jade Thirlwall of Little Mix. It’s a play on her band name. The cover was always going to feature a photo of Jade Thirlwall, but apart from that it was a template that was available on Amazon, as I self-published through Amazon KDP. I didn’t have the budget to hire anyone to create one specially. 

5.      What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers – other than run!?

It may not be for everyone but ‘Self-Publish’ rather than trying to get an agent to take on you and your book, who will then have to sell it to a publisher. The process can take around 3 years with a traditional publisher and you get around 12-15% in royalties, whereas with self-publishing you can publish within days and get way more royalty-wise. For e-books on Amazon you get 70% in royalties. On the down side you have to market your book yourself or pay for a PR company to do it for you. A traditional publisher will have the clout to get your book to all the retail outlets and have a budget to market it, so you have to weigh up what way is best for you. You may also get a sizeable advance if there is a bidding war for your book, but don’t hold your breath. I’d also add that you should check out thoroughly who you sign with before you sign with them. I thought I was signing with a reputable publisher when I first got a traditional deal for this book. I endured 3 years of incompetence with them and 3 days after they published the book, they withdrew it because their compliance department said I’d broken the terms of the contract, which I hadn’t. I eventually got the rights back and four months later self-published it, adding a further chapter to the book to explain what happened with that publisher, so just beware. 

6.      What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading?

I think there will always be a place for traditional publishing but I see a lot more people self-publishing these days. There has also been a surge of AI generated books using a variety of AI tools which can create a book in no time at all, but they are often nonsensical or of poor quality story-wise. I don’t know, I’ve never read an AI generated book, so I’m just going off of what I’ve read about them from third parties, but AI is moving so fast now that, this will definitely be something we see more of. Perhaps we will need to classify it in its own genre if AI generated. 

7.      Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book?

I think its self-explanatory – I’m a filmmaker and the book is about filmmaking and the encounters and problems, and wins I had. This is definitely a personal journey for me. This was my life. Still is, to a certain extent. 

8.      How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to?

Because this is a memoir, I don’t think there’s a particular style or someone I can compare myself to here. What I will say is that I try to be truthful. There are no overly exaggerated stories to try and sell the book, what you read really happened to me. 

9.      What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book?

The challenges I had, because this was real life and real people I was writing about, I had to be mindful of how I portrayed those people. Having said that, there are some diabolical stories about diabolical people in the book, so I have had to change a few names to avoid any legal comeback. Writing the book was quite an easy process as I was just writing about myself and things which happened to me. The only thing I worried about really was, whether I would be able to sustain interest long enough to fill an entire book. 

10.  If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours?

I think people should buy my book because it’s truthful, there are funny moments, shocking encounters, and a great insight into the filmmaking process. When you consider the fact that I’m not even in the professional filmmaking industry and all these things have happened to me, then what far greater things are happening there? What disturbing things are going on there? 

About The Author: Garry Moore is a multi-award-winning UK writer, producer and director of over 40 short films. His films have screened at many international film festivals and even at a United Nations funded event in Mumbai, India. His debut feature film, a thriller called ‘Melanie’s Grave’ is currently bring represented by Adler and Associates Entertainment, Inc and is due for release in September 2024. He is also an author, having his short horror stories published in the anthologies, ‘Twisted’ and ‘Twisted’s Evil Little Sister.

Link to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfgWpooYXHU0Bqwd0t05O4A

 

Need PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with over 3.9 million page views, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!

 

About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.9 million pageviews. With 4,900+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and director of publicity positions at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.

 

Interview With Author Linda R Mason

 

1. What inspired you to write this book?

Whilst raising my own children I was well aware just how crucial it is to give them the confidence and appreciation of who they are. I often observed their friends struggling with self-confidence and attempting to navigate their lives whilst in the process of growing up.  This motivated me to create a simple, easily understood story that would apply to all age groups in the hope that it may assist anyone searching for answers.  

2. What exactly is it about and who is it written for?
It's a story about Max the dragon who initially attempts to find out why his animal friends are happy. He tries to copy what each one of them does. That maybe being the same as them he will be happy too. He realises that he is not the same, and that they are also different from each other. He is confused and sad. The owl recommends that he takes the journey to the wizard for answers. This replicates the journey we all take in life. He then explores his own skills and returns to his animal friends to play an important part in rescuing a baby bird by simply being him. He is proud of his efforts and revels in the recognition and praise for his efforts. The story is for all of us. 

3. What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book?
Even though this is a story for children, it applies to any age group as it is a story of Max recognizing his skills and appreciating who he is and how he finally finds his place in life.

4. How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design?
His magnificent tail is unique to Max so his tail had to be the focal point of the cover. His smiling face showing his contentment and happiness was also important.

5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers – other than run!?
It's a lot of work, especially for the new writer. You need to be prepared for the long game. It takes a massive amount of changes, constantly. Read other books similar to the book you are writing. Learn from other authors by observing how they create the story. Question yourself why you like their story. I found that if I looked at one paragraph at a time, and to not move on until you are completely happy with it. Don't hesitate rewriting and rewriting all of it.  Also leave it for a week. On returning to it often you have renewed clarity and fresh ideas. 

6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading?
Books I think have become more respected and valued. I believe that books will never leave us. To own the books that you love, you can re-read and love them endlessly. I think publishers need to improve their communication with new writers. Obviously, AI is now a complication. I'm not sure how publishers are handling this. 

7. Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book? 
Absolutely! My challenges as a child taught me so much. And of course, the big learning curve when you start your career. Working in various industries. Then being a sole parent and then grandparent. I've had a very interesting life that I could write a book about haha. 

8. How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to?
I guess it's down-to-earth. Hopefully it gives a clear picture of the message in the story. I think my writing is probably similar to many children's books that attempt to tell an entertaining story with a message.  

9. What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book?
Learning how to write! Getting the message in the story across. I think we know what we want to say but are we saying it clearly. Learning how to create interesting characters who all react differently in a situation. 

10. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours?
Children and young adults are needing support more than ever before. Social media has eroded their self-image and confidence. My book can be read and discussed in the classroom. To be used as a personal development tool. Parents can read it to their children and talk about Max's journey. Anyone can read it and apply it to their own life. 

 

About The Author: Linda has a passion for the natural world, and whilst working amongst animals and observing all their different behaviors and specialties, she soon realized that all the answers we need are found in nature. She has also worked in industries in roles that were specifically people focused. In her work as a behavioral counsellor and personal development trainer, she was a keen observer of essential human needs. She is now a grandmother and continues her quest to assist young people in finding their way in life

See Instagram: LindyLou

See Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/linda.mason.986?mibextid=LQQJ4d

 

Need PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with over 3.9 million page views, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!

 

About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.9 million pageviews. With 4,900+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and director of publicity positions at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.

 

Interview With Author John Morgan Freas

 

 

1. What inspired you to write a book? When the United States invaded Afghanistan and Iraq, I started doing research on ways to prevent terrorism and war, and then my interest expanded to include all kinds of violence. Eventually, I found the same factors are involved in causing all kinds of violence, and the same prevention strategies can be used. I wanted to share this information with as many people as possible, and I decided a book was the best way to do that.  

2. What exactly is it about and who is it written for? The book describes the cost of violence, the causes of violence, and the strategies that can be used to prevent it. It shows the importance of teaching values and skills that are needed to settle disputes without violence, the importance of resolving conflicts in the early stages, and the advantage if using a third party to help resolve some conflicts. It is written for parents, teachers, legislators, policy makers, and concerned citizens, because violence prevention strategies require multiple approaches and multiple types of people.

 

3. What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book? I hope each person will begin to understand the things that need to be done to prevent violence, and each person will be inspired to choose at least one thing they can do to help with this process.

 

4. How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design? I wanted the title to be simple and clearly state what the book was about. I wanted the cover design to be colorful, but not obscure or detract from the title.

 

5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers—other than run? This is my first book, so I do not feel qualified to give advice, but I definitely wanted this book to be based on well documented facts instead of just my opinion. Consequently, I thought it was important to do a lot of research and document it well. I think that is important for this kind of topic.

 

6. What trends in the book world do you see—and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? I think a lot of books are being published now, and I think more books are being self-published.

 

7. Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing

this book? In both my personal life and career I have worked with people of different races, religions, economic levels, sexual orientations and handicaps. I have seen the effects of child abuse, poverty, discrimination, spouse abuse and religious intolerance. This experience has made it easier for me to understand the research that has been done showing the relationship between these factors and violence.

 

8. How would you describe your writing style? My writing style is simple and straight forward. I like for thoughts to flow freely instead of being convoluted. I wanted this book to be written in language that everyone could understand, so I tried to avoid the kind of jargon some academic books use. I think that was important.

 

9. What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book? Even though I was retired, I was operating a farm and involved in several volunteer activities, so I had limited time to do the research. At first the research was for my own learning, but when I decided to put the information into a book, I had to go back and collect more specifics for the footnotes.

 

10. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours? My book can provide a life-changing experience, because it can help a person become a better parent or teacher or policy maker or neighbor. It also can provide inspiration for a person to become more involved in the process of preventing violence in  the home, on the streets, or between nations.

About The Author: I received a BA degree in chemistry and masters in social work from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. My entire professional career has focused on helping to solve social problems. I have worked in community action agencies and a delinquency prevention program that also provided resettlement services to people returning from prison. I also worked as a social worker with the North Carolina Crippled Children’s Program and as a data systems manager for the North Carolina Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children. After retirement in 2002, I volunteered with the Traphill Volunteer Fire Department and Grace Clinic of Yadkin Valley, and have been active in Galloway Memorial Episcopal Church. My wife, Mary, and I have raised two wonderful daughters, and in retirement I have raised beef cattle and honeybees.  

 

Need PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with over 3.9 million page views, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!

 

About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.9 million pageviews. With 4,900+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and director of publicity positions at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.