By the numbers
Last updated November 2, 2026
For executives, publishing is usually worth it when the book is built to create authority and opportunities, not only royalties. The published figures below, collected by Big Impact Books, show why: most titles sell modestly, so the value for a leader often comes from what the book opens up.
Every statistic on this page is quoted as published, with its source linked. None of these are Big Impact Books figures.
33.9%
BookScan found that only 33.9 percent of the titles in the sample were selling more than 1,000 copies in their first year.
$32B to $33B
Book industry revenues were approximately $32 billion in 2005 and approximately $33 billion in 2025, showing no growth.
3.9%
Revenue for the 1,416 publishers that report results to AAP's StatShot program increased 3.9% for the first half of 2026.
-3.5%
Adult nonfiction sales rallied in June, up 7.1%, but were still down 3.5% for the year to date.
11%
Total sales in June 2026 were up 11% over a year earlier.
73%
73% of authors choose the wrong partner initially, costing them an average of $2,400 in rework and 4 months of delays, based on HMD Publishing's analysis of books on its platform.
340%
HMD Publishing writes that the cheapest option costs 340% more in the long run.
Adult nonfiction was down for the first half of 2026, and most titles never pass 1,000 copies in year one. A CEO who measures a book only in royalties may be disappointed. A CEO who measures it in speaking invitations, media interviews, and client conversations is playing a different game.
That is the case Big Impact Books makes for an authority book, and why it pairs publishing with marketing and publicity rather than stopping at launch.
New here? Start with the full guide to book publishing for CEOs.
Yes, by published industry data 5,000 copies is a strong result. BookScan figures cited by Berrett-Koehler showed only 33.9 percent of the titles in that sample sold more than 1,000 copies in their first year. For an executive, 5,000 copies also means 5,000 readers who now know your thinking, which can matter more than the royalty income itself.
More in the FAQ: Is selling 5000 copies of a book good?Relatively few. There is no reliable public count, but BookScan figures cited by Berrett-Koehler showed only 33.9 percent of the titles in that sample passed 1,000 copies in their first year, so 50,000 is far beyond the norm. Executive authors rarely need that number: a book that reaches the right decision makers can support business growth at much smaller volumes.
More in the FAQ: How many authors sell 50,000 books?A beginner author earns the same per-copy royalty as anyone on the same contract; what usually differs is how many copies sell. BookScan figures cited by Berrett-Koehler found only 33.9 percent of the titles in that sample sold more than 1,000 copies in their first year. For executives, the larger return often comes from the authority, clients, and speaking a book supports.
More in the FAQ: How much does a beginner author make per book?Divide $100,000 by what you earn per copy. At $5 per copy, that is 20,000 copies; at $10 per copy, 10,000 copies. These are simple arithmetic examples, not typical earnings. Many executive authors measure return differently, counting new clients, speaking invitations, and media opportunities, which Big Impact Books treats as the bigger value of a book.
More in the FAQ: How many books do you need to sell to make $100,000?A book supports business growth by making your expertise visible and trusted. It can open doors to speaking, media interviews, podcast guesting, and client conversations. Big Impact Books calls this an authority engine: the book keeps generating opportunities long after launch, especially when the author keeps promoting it and repurposes its chapters into content.
More in the FAQ: How can a book support business growth?Published by Big Impact Books
