Further increases in sales of books from Wales

As Welsh-language publishers are finalising their arrangements for the Bedwen Lyfrau Festival held at Crymych, Pembrokeshire, this weekend, the Welsh Books Council noted that the latest increase in annual sales reflected the new optimism within the publishing industry.

Sales of books from Wales through the Council’s Distribution Centre for 2007/08 showed an increase of 13.4% on the previous year and a remarkable 25.35% increase over two years.

The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales, naturally, had a significant impact on sales last year and contributed to the overall increase of 25% in sales of English-language books for adults. The ever popular categories of history (+30%) and biographies/autobiographies (+78%) performed extremely well.

Welsh-language books for adults also showed a healthy increase of 20% in sales with fiction (+35%) and books for learners (+29%) amongst the strongest categories.

Gwerfyl Pierce Jones, Director of the Welsh Books Council, said that the publishers were to be congratulated on the range and quality of their books. ‘They are more aware than ever of market trends,’ she added, ‘and see the benefit of forward planning and targeting specific audiences. The Bedwen Lyfrau Festival is one example of the optimism within the industry, with the Festival expanding every year and attracting a wider audience of new readers.’

While preparing for the Bedwen Lyfrau Festival, which will be held at Crymych this weekend, Myrddin ap Dafydd from Gwasg Carreg Gwalch said: ‘This is the third Bedwen Lyfrau Festival to be organised by Cwlwm Cyhoeddwyr Cymru, the group of Welsh-language publishers – and one of its main aims is to promote the spirit of buying books and giving them as presents which is seen in festivals in both Barcelona and the Basque Country. These latest sales figures by the Welsh Books Council are most welcome – and show that the Welsh publishing industry is without doubt developing in the right direction.’

Mick Felton, the publisher at Seren, agreed: ‘We’ve seen sales in Wales increase through a variety of outlets, and our authors receive a wider recognition through shortlistings for a variety of literary prizes. It’s up to publishers like Seren to make the most of this flowering of talent from Wales.’