Why The Classics Keep Selling

With no shortage of new authors making their marks in the literary world, and with an ever expanding library available at out very fingertips thanks to self publishing and ebooks, it may be tempting to think that the classics have fallen out of favor and that sales should be dwindling. That thought would be incorrect. Despite an ever expanding landscape of literature, not to mention visual and auditory media competing for our attention, the classics are thriving and copies keep flying off the shelves. Here are two big reasons why the classics just keep selling.

TV and film adaptations. It may be that Hollywood is short on ideas, or it may just be that they know what sells, but regardless of the reasons more of the classics are being adapted into TV and film than ever before. Content providers turned content producers like Netflix and Amazon are only adding to the trend, as each seeks to up their output in an effort to attract a larger audience.

Publishers are playing with new cover designs. Re-release after re-release, publishers had been sticking to the same old stale book covers that we’ve all come to associate with the classics. Recently, however, publishers such as Penguin, OUP, Everyman and Vintage have been experimenting with radical new looks, designs, and branding strategies. Their efforts appear to be bearing fruit, as younger generations appear to be buying up the books as much for their visual appeal as for their content.

Looking to get acquainted with the classics? Visit our online library at www.readplot.com for a wide variety of ebooks, audiobooks, music, and more, accessible anytime from your favorite devices.