Our Top 5 Predictions for Writers and Publishers in 2024
Welcome to 2024, Evergreen Authors!
It’s already the first month of 2024, and we are filled with all the same gloom and doom predictions posts as you are from the publishing world:
Fears around TikTok book publishing
And don’t even get us started on AI, and all the ways that it is threatening the very existence of creativity as we know it.
It can be really easy to see this news and think writing your own stuff just simply isn’t worth it any more. And publishing it? What’s the point?
If you know us here at Evergreen Authors, you know we are all about giving you sound, realistic advice for your creative careers. No cheerleading, no nonsense.
So before we go into our predictions, let’s first be very clear on how we feel about the publishing space in 2024:
Relax. There is STILL no better time to be a creative person!
5 Predictions for Writers and Publishers in 2024
1) We will have a much needed social media reckoning
If you’ve been in the publishing business as long as we have, you know that social media has moved and changed at light speed.
There was a time in the recent past when we strongly encouraged authors to build their platforms on Twitter, and touted it as one of the most important tools in our toolbook for connecting with our audience.
Now? We can’t remember the last time we logged into Twitter. Or X. Or whatever it’s called now.
The thing we authors need to remember is that while there was a time when social media was this authentic connection tool, those days are behind us.
Don’t get us wrong—there are still plenty of opportunities for connections on social media! All we’re saying is that it’s not the primary focus of social media anymore, at least not on the major platforms.
Even TikTok, the current most powerful social media platform by all accounts, isn’t “social” in the way that we remember the early days of social media being.
Oh, and did we mention it’s an election year?
If you are active on social media, or even considering being more active on any social media platform in 2024, we can’t stress enough the importance of staying on top of the trends there.
Take advice that is current, and be nimble. Marketing yourself and your book online will require you to focus on authenticity in ways you might not have considered before.
2) AI isn’t the threat people think it is
Whew, this is a controversial opinion, but bear with us.
At Evergreen Authors, we see ChatGPT as a really useful tool. When we were first starting out in publishing, the structure of a press release, a sell sheet, an SEO-driven blog post, could be brand new to indie authors, and required hours of research or even employing professional writers.
Now, all you need to do is type, “Write me a press release for my book” into Open AI, and you’re set.
Sort of.
The media is quick to point out all the ways that AI drivel has saturated the book market.
Oh, and don’t forget about the plagiarism.
Why? Well, because it’s true! And downright salacious!
But we would encourage you to step back and get unemotional here.
Yes, AI is exceptionally powerful.
Yes, people are taking advantage of that power.
However, we would argue that knowing that AI is out there has only made our audiences more discerning about quality content.
From our vantage point, AI is a great tool for authors to use to create structure, research ideas, or even play around with voice and tone.
But as far as writing stuff for you? Taking away the very essence of your message? That we have yet to see.
People are going to use AI to write nonsense for them to publish.
Let them.
Don’t be worried about what others are doing. The advent of AI has the potential for writers to truly tap into their creativity so their book can rise to the top on its own merit.
3) Smoother, more open processes
For ages, the publishing process was a bit of a mystery.
You got an agent, then a book deal, then magically a book appeared and made you famous. (Or at least, that was the process for the tiniest fraction of a percent of us!)
Then came self-publishing, which blew the lid off the traditional publishing world.
Suddenly, authors were deeply connected to every single part of the publishing process, from content editing to proofreading to interior design.
They became experts on all the work that goes into publishing a book, and the biggest takeaway was this:
Publishing is really, really complicated!
There are certainly pros and cons to having authors so intimately involved in their book’s publication.
However, in our work with both authors AND publishers, we’re predicting that 2024 is going to see a surge of simplification around these processes.
And this is a good thing. A great thing!
Simple, streamlined, and efficient processes mean that more authors will feel empowered to create.
4) Children’s books written for children
This article from Lit Hub has been at the forefront of our mind since summer, 2023.
So many of the books our children have been gifted, so many of the books Iwesee on bookshelves at the bookstore or at school, are books written with a very clear agenda.
Be nice.
Be inclusive
Be kind.
Do those books have a place? Certainly. We love them!
But what about the silliness?
What about the books that DON’T teach a message?
Can children’s books be silly in a world where everything needs to have an educational purpose?
If you ask us, 2024 is the year for books to get weird, unique, different.
Not just children’s books, but adult books, too.
And frankly, we can’t wait.
5) Craving for community
We’ve been saying this for years, and we will continue to: writers crave community. With each other, with their audience, with their work.
In 2024, we’ll be watching all the ways that authors create and manage communities. Here’s what we predict:
Facebook groups will remain powerful, and part of that power will include more careful moderation, especially in this election year.
Alternative online groups, like Circles and Mighty Networks, will continue to grow and adapt to the people using them, including creating better and better user experiences.
Writer’s groups will expand to include DIY course creation, marketing, and other important tangible assets. We can’t wait for this!
Don’t let any of the negativity fool you—2024 is going to be a great year for you and your book!
As with all things, move forward with intention and stay focused on creation and marketing plans that will bring you JOY in the coming year.
