Reader Research
Having a reader base is essential to an author’s success. And more and more readers are turning to ebooks to get their fix, though according to Forbes print is still big. However, a survey found that people who own ereaders and tablets read 60% more than other readers. USA Today found that people read more on tablets than ereaders, and Venture Beat reported more people read on smartphones than tablets (though Publisher’s Weekly reported that adults don’t read as much literature as they used to).
According to Galley Cat, kids who read for pleasure do better in school (Salon also wrote an article arguing that making reading a chore was terrible for kids). And Publishing Perspectives created an infographic showing how much kids should read.
Salon wrote that reading is not yet a social activity, but though Readmill tried before it was bought by Dropbox. Still, reading seems to be becoming more social, with sites like Goodreads, The Pigeonhole (and its new private book clubs), and others.
If you want to know more about readers around the world, then check out Publishing Perspective’s chart.
Other Sites for Readers
There is a whole lot to read out there, and sometimes it’s hard to find something that suits your preferences. For readers looking for other books (and short stories, articles, etc.), here is a list of additional places to find them (in no particular order; some are paid, some are free):