Research reveals Australian publishing is keeping up

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Digital technologies and online giants Amazon, Google and Apple are said to have put a massive dent in onshore book sales in Australia, but a new study by Macquarie University has found a silver lining.

The Australian first study of the state of the country’s book publishing industry reveals the impactful ways publishers across trade, education, scholarly and literary sectors have dealt with digital disruption.

Drawn from 25 interviews with senior Australian publishers including Allen and Unwin, Hardie Grant Books, Seizure, Overland, Monash University Publishing, and Wiley among others, the report looks at the structural changes within the industry and the impact this is having on book sales.

The state of the industry

After several years of decline, 2015 saw a boost in onshore book sales. But this is mostly accredited to adult colouring books. Historically, upswings are usually due to blockbusters, titles such as Harry Potter, Twilight, and Fifty Shades of Grey.

Just over a third of trade books sold in Australia are written by Australian authors, according to industry estimates.