Facts About Readers: What People Read and How

Originally published on March 23, 2017. Last updated on April 28, 2026.

The secret to success in book publishing has always been knowing the market. Diving deeply into current reading habits is just the start, and knowing how and why people buy is the next step after learning what they read. Understanding your audience is key to building your author platform. Some great data came from both a 2025 YouGov® survey as well as one from Written Word Media that can help inform your next steps when creating sales and book marketing plans.

The YouGov survey, conducted among U.S. adults 18 and older from December 15–19, 2025, was carefully designed to reflect the country’s mix of ages, genders, races, education levels, regions, voter registration, and participation in the 2020 and 2024 presidential elections.

Are People Reading?

Short answer? Yes. Statistics for 2025 are consistent with similar surveys from 2024 and 2023. Though fewer people seem to have been reading, the numbers have remained remarkably stable recently. 

Here's a high-level look at that YouGov survey data:

• Six in 10 Americans (59%) say they read at least one book in 2025.
• The median American read two books in 2025; on average, Americans read 8.
• 19% of American adults do 82% of the country's book reading.
• On average, adults in the United States who are 65 and older read substantially more books (12.1) than those 45 to 64 (6.4), 30 to 44 (8.2), and 18 to 29 (5.8). But all four age groups have the same median number of books read.
• While those 65 and older are no more likely to read any books than younger Americans, they are more likely to be heavy readers.
• Americans who pay more attention to what's going on in government and public affairs are more likely to read more books than those who pay less attention.

What Are They Reading?

Formats

• Of the Americans who did read in 2025, only about half of them read only one type of format. The other half read books in multiple formats (physical, digital, audio)

• Only 14% of Americans say they prefer digital books, but these are some of the country's heaviest readers. 13% of them said they read 50 or more books in 2025.
• Overall in 2025, 46% of Americans read at least one physical book, 24% read at least one digital book, and 23% listened to at least one audiobook. 29% of Americans consumed books in multiple formats, while 23% say they read only physical books, 5% read only digital books, and 2% consumed only audiobooks.

Genres

• The top 5 genres people read or listened to in 2025 are: 
  
  1. Mystery & Crime
  2. History
  3. Biographies & Memoirs
  4. Thrillers
  5. Fantasy

• While some genres—such as biographies, thrillers, and fantasy—attract similar proportions of men and women, others show clear gender differences.

  •  42% of male readers picked up at least one history book in 2025, compared with 20% of female readers, while 32% of women who read at least one book read a romance, compared with 12% of men.

What Are They Spending?

Written Word Media's 2025 reader survey of 3,589 active and engaged book lovers looked at how much readers are spending on their habit, with the following results: 

• Median monthly spend on books: $15
• Average monthly spend: $29.56
• Majority spend under $5 per ebook 
• 25% download free books

Readers tend to be very thoughtful about how they spend and are drawn to good value. More than 80% of readers said they're extremely likely to buy additional books from an author they already enjoy. In other words, if you're able to capture their interest once—whether through the first book in a series, a special promotion, or a standout single title—they're very likely to return for more.

How Are They Discovering Books?

Written Word Media's survey also found that readers are most often finding new books in the following ways:

• Amazon: 68%
• Email newsletters: 64%
• Goodreads: 46%
• Friends and family: 45%
• Social Media: 42%
• Libraries: 29%
• Author websites: 30%
• Bookstores: 27%
• AI tools: <1%

These results only serve to emphasize the importance of making your books discoverable by optimizing your metadata, sharing purchase links with friends, family, and fans; and building your author brand by optimizing your author website. 

What Readers Want from Authors

When Written Word's survey asked readers if they wanted to know more about the authors they read, 24% said yes, while 59% said it depends on the author or the genre. 

Here's what readers do want to know about: 

• Since information on future projects is what readers seem to be most interested in, be sure that your future newsletters and social media accounts all have a "What's Next" section, even if it's just a mood board. This keeps them interested and engaged. 
• Readers value your insight and trust your taste. Creating curated lists or making book recommendations help position you as a trusted voice in your genre. 
• Share deleted scenes, Q&As with your main characters, or reveal your inspiration behind some of your specific plot points. Readers are looking for "inside the story" and behind-the-scenes content, and will respond to your sharing such info with them.

Applying What You've Learned

This is all great information—but how do you actually put it to work? Here are a few simple, practical ways to turn these statistics into real-world marketing steps:

• Prioritize Series and Lead Magnets: The data shows that more than 80% of readers are likely to buy more from an author they already enjoy.  

• • Focus your marketing on a "gateway" book, such as the first in a series or a standalone. Once you win readers over with one great story, statistics show that they're highly likely to become long-term fans of your entire catalog. 
    • At a trade show or festival, if you're giving away galleys of your newest title, be sure to spotlight the first in that series as well, and offer a discount on their purchase. 
    • On your author website, offer a free download of (or an excerpt from) the first book in a series with the purchase of a new title. 
    • For those who have devoured your series, offer a buy one/get one deal of a copy of one of your standalones with purchase of a new series title.
• Optimize for Online Discovery and Newsletters: Two of the most powerful ways readers are discovering books are via online search and email. 
  • Before you publish, spend time reviewing your metadata - all of the keywords and categories featured in the basic details of your book listing. 
  • Make building an email list your top priority so you can reach that 64% of readers directly. As Lynda Hammes, cofounder of Tertulia, shared in a recent post: "An email list is your most valuable long-term asset as an author…bar none. Start building it the moment you know you're going to publish. Not after your second book. Not after your launch. Now. Every day you wait is a reader relationship you didn't get to start."

Reach more readers with a checklist of tips to enhance your book’s metadata—plus a worksheet to brainstorm keywords specific to your book!

• Leverage Social Proof: A big chunk of how readers find their books is through Goodreads (46%) and from friends/family (45%). 
  • Encourage your readers to leave reviews and share your book(s) on social media. This can trigger the organic word-of-mouth growth that these stats highlight. 
• Price Strategically for Ebook Readers: The survey shares that a majority of readers spend less than $5 per ebook, and 25% of them actively look for free books. 
  • While you should be offering your books in all formats when possible, offering the ebook format of some of your older or standalone titles at a lower price can help you capture those readers who want to "try out" an author before spending more on their more recent titles. 
  • Your print book may have been on the market for years, and you might now see the ebook as a way to relaunch the title and spark new sales. Keep in mind that if you publish only an ebook without a print edition, you are choosing to compete exclusively in the digital marketplace.

Closing Thoughts

Success isn't just about writing a great book—it's about understanding the people who read it. By moving away from guesswork and leaning into reader insights, you can start showing up where your readers are already looking. Every small, data-backed change you make today builds a stronger bridge to your future fans. Remember, you’ve already done the hard work of writing the story—now use these tools to make sure it finds the audience it deserves.