By Yashika M, Hayley Cadel and Alexandra Constable
With the turn of a new year, predictions are made for the upcoming year. In this article, we are looking ahead to the year 2023 and the book trends predicted for the year. Key to the role of a successful publisher is predicting trends ahead of time and catering to an audience before there is a demand. In this article, we look at what trends experts are predicting will be big in 2023.
A key trend predicted for 2023 is the continued rise of audiobooks, with fans of the format increasing yearly. There are many appeals of audio, with some enjoying having a novel read to them and others enjoying how it allows for greater multitasking. It also provides an easier outlet for non-English speakers to gain access to translated books. The pandemic brought with it a surge in audiobook interest due to people spending more time at home. Sales increased revenue by 20% in 2020 with a total of 60% growth having taken place since 2016. It would be impossible to discuss books in 2023 and not mention Prince Harry’s new book Spare, which has broken records to become the fastest-selling non-fiction book ever. The controversial release of the written and audio version of Prince Harry’s memoir has garnered mixed reviews since its release was announced. However, with many authors reading the audio version of their texts, the spoken word acts as an illuminating insight into a book and gives the narrative greater authenticity. 2023 expects the release of more exciting audiobook titles such as Hamra and the Jungle of Memories by Hanna Alkaf, which is a Malaysian spin on the fairy-tale Little Red Riding Hood.
Additionally, a continued trend is the interest in political memoirs and non-fiction. With the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the current political landscape, commentators are predicting that there will be a continued interest in books which tackle political issues. With readers wanting to make greater sense of the world, it is likely that more will be turning to political books which help them do this. A political book due to be released in 2023 which has sparked our interest is Who Gets Believed? by Dina Nayeri, which interrogates what constitutes believability and what lies behind those who are believed by society and those who are dismissed.
However, it is not just the political memoir which is likely to do well. It is predicted that the political will bleed into self-help with readers turning to books to help make changes to their lives, with books on climate change and the cost of living crisis predicted to accommodate this. While self-help books have been trending more and more in recent years, what stands out is how the genre has mastered the art of staying relevant with the times. Not only are more and more people opting to read self-help, but production sales have witnessed an 11% rise from 2013 to 2019. This is changing the audience's inherent tendency towards self-help books. If more people indulge in making themselves aware of issue-specific content and context, that would be beneficial to gain life skills and budgeting skills and would help create change on an individual level.
Moreover, an increase in tech start-ups is predicted, with platforms similar to Blinkist likely to increase in volume. Currently, Blinkist summarises non-fiction books in text and audio form, allowing a reader to gain the gist of a book in a short burst without having to read it – a potential appeal to those who want to consume content quickly. These platforms are becoming increasingly abundant and are adding functions to minimise effort when it comes to reading books and making the process user-friendly and easier.
Finally, unexpectedly the trend for celebrity authors shows no sign of dwindling. Whereas previously celebrities authored memoirs, they are now branching out to fiction writing. Since the success of The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman and Murder Before Evensong by Reverend Richard Coles, more celebrities are branching out to write fiction, specifically cosy crime. HarperCollins are set to release The Sequin Mysteries co-authored by Shirley Ballas and Sheila McClure. The first book in the series Murder on the Dance Floor is due to be released in 2023.
These are some of the major trends that are predicted to rise throughout 2023. However, we wanted to leave you with some specific recommendations of books that fall into these exciting and upcoming categories. Firstly, we are super excited about Diane Abbott’s new memoir A Woman Like Me, set to be released in August 2023. Abbott is set to discuss the hardships she faced as a black woman in her journey to the only ever state-educated MP. Another book we are so excited to recommend to you is Tom Hanks’ The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece, set to be released in May 2023. This novel is set to charter the making of a miraculous movie whilst delving into the changes of a post-World War II America.
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