There Were More Six-Figure Book Deals in 2024

puEvery quarter Publishers Marketplace — the primary source of news within the traditional publishing industry — shares important data based on the book deals that have been announced.

And the third quarter report was a doozy.

For context, the general consensus at the beginning of 2024 was that publishers were trying to slash as many costs as possible.

The main reason for that was inflation, but also: pressure from shareholders.

That’s right. Even though traditional publishers are purveyors of art and culture and creativity, they are also multinational public corporations that behave . . . well, like multinational public corporations.

Hence the focus on profitability.

However, that seems to have turned around the collective ships a bit.

According to an email sent out October 15, Publishers Marketplace showed that:

• U.S. deals were up 7.5 percent over last year.
• Adult nonfiction rebounded fully, up 16 percent, to set a new record for the period
• And most notably —

Six-figure deals and what they call “major” deals (over $500,000) were at all-time highs