[tenisha-bernal Posts: 3 Status: Offline I love kids' books!]

Hi Everyone,

My debut board book was published this past May and since this is my first book in the industry everything is completely new for me.

I’m wondering how many sales board book authors / illustrators typically see for their first book? I can view my sales weekly but I have no idea if the number I’m seeing is really good, really low, or somewhere in between? I’m hoping my book series get picked up but that will obviously depend on my sales. So I’m just wondering if anyone is or has been in the same boat as me and has some insight?

Thanks,
Tenisha

[David Wright Posts: 1,028 Status: Offline Tell me that again.]

I can't comment on numbers, but congratulations on your debut publication 

[Vijaya Posts: 7,104 Status: Offline Encourage]

Tenisha on your first board book!!! That's so exciting you are able to track sales, but I would simply enjoy the numbers going up instead of trying to gauge whether the amount is good or above or below. Consider instead what success means to you.

Sales is just one metric. Earning out is another. Making a difference in just one person's life is something you can't put a value on. And saving a life is of infinite value. I don't mean to dismiss your query about what sort of sales one can expect for board books but I've never seen a number. Most board books are priced under $10 so they'd need to sell in the thousands to break even. From my previous research, I know that most books sell fewer than 5,000 copies and go out of print in 2 yrs. I don't know if this is helpful for you to know. But I hope you will have steady sales.

[tenisha-bernal Posts: 3 Status: Offline I love kids' books!]

I can't comment on numbers, but congratulations on your debut publication 

Thanks so much!

[tenisha-bernal Posts: 3 Status: Offline I love kids' books!]

Tenisha on your first board book!!! That's so exciting you are able to track sales, but I would simply enjoy the numbers going up instead of trying to gauge whether the amount is good or above or below. Consider instead what success means to you.

Sales is just one metric. Earning out is another. Making a difference in just one person's life is something you can't put a value on. And saving a life is of infinite value. I don't mean to dismiss your query about what sort of sales one can expect for board books but I've never seen a number. Most board books are priced under $10 so they'd need to sell in the thousands to break even. From my previous research, I know that most books sell fewer than 5,000 copies and go out of print in 2 yrs. I don't know if this is helpful for you to know. But I hope you will have steady sales.

Thank you Vijaya for your kind words, I really appreciate them! And you're so right about making a difference