Book-Remarks.com

Reader Assessment Survey Results

The Reader Assessment Survey for Book-Remarks.com received an overwhelming response and garnered a variety of data. Thank you kindly to all the individuals who participated in the survey.  The data compiled is now posted for your review and might be considered useful to current or future authors, as well as to those whom are employed within the publishing industry.

The results are as follows:

Question 1: How many books do you read per month?

I.    0-1          -    11 respondents    or 15.1%
2.   2-3          -    28 respondents  or 38.4%
3.    4-5           -   20 respondents    or 27.3%
4.    6+           -    14 respondents    or 19.2%

Total number of respondents = 73

Assessment: Average books read per month is 2-3. Based on our observations with readers, most will buy more books than what they can read per month. Some readers may purchase 10-30 books per month and compile them for later enjoyment.

Question 2:  What is your age range?

1.    14 and below        -        0 respondents     or 0%
2.    15-20                   -        0 respondents     or 0%
3.    21-29                   -        8 respondents     or 14.5%
4.    30-36                   -       14 respondents    or 25.4%
5.    37-44                  -       15 respondents  or 27.3%
6.    45-54                  -       15 respondents  or 27.3%
7.    55 and above        -        3 respondents    or 0.054%

Total number of respondents = 55

Assessment: Some people don't like telling their age which will explain the reason why there are less responses to this question than to some of the others. However, the main point is the fact that the average age of readers who responded are those who fall in the 30 to mid-50's category. This group of people will have more disposable income and may list reading as one of their hobbies or forms of entertainment.

Question 3:  Name five (5) of your favorite authors:

FINAL TALLY - The top 18 authors who received the most votes are as follows:

1.    Eric Jerome Dickey                        -    21 votes

2.    Terry McMillan                               -    18 votes

3.    Lolita Files                                     -    14 votes

4.    E. Lynn Harris                                -    13 votes

5.    Bebe Moore Campbell                    -     10 votes

6.    Margaret Johnson-Hodge               -      9 votes (tied at 6)

6.    Kimberla Lawson Roby                  -       9 votes (tied at 6)

7.    Walter Mosley                                -       7 votes (tied at 7)

7.    Donna Hill                                      -      7 votes (tied at 7)

8.    J. California Cooper                       -      5 votes (tied at 8)

8.    Timmothy B. McCann                      -      5 votes (tied at 8)

8.    Toni Morrison                                 -      5 votes (tied at 8)

8.    Connie Briscoe                                -      5 votes (tied at 8)

8.    Gwynne Forster                               -      5 votes (tied at 8)

8.    Omar Tyree                                     -       5 votes (tied at 8)

9.    Tananarive Due                                -       4 votes (tied at 9)

9.    Rosalyn McMillan                              -       4 votes (tied at 9)

9.    Zane                                                -       4 votes (tied at 9)

Assessment: Because this was a write-in vote, readers were allowed to choose the first five authors that came to their mind. More than 90 authors were listed and the choices included some of our most well-known African-American writers such as Ernest Gaines, Gary Hardwick, and non-African American writers such as Mary Higgins Clark and Sidney Sheldon.

The complete list of favorite authors (from A to Z) is found below:

Rochelle Alers                                          Breggie James                                 Jacquelin Thomas

Maya Angelou                                          Brenda Jackson                                Trisha R. Thomas

Tina McElroy Ansa                                   Brian Keith Jackson                          Wanda Thomas

Michael Baisden                                       Sheneska Jackson                              Tracy Price-Thompson

James Baldwin                                        Beverly Jenkins                                  Gayle Tiller

Angela Benson                                         Yolanda Joe                                       Vincent Tyler

Connie Briscoe                                        Margaret Johnson-Hodge                    Omar Tyree

Parry A. Brown                                       RM Johnson                                        Iyanla Vanzant

Rainelle Burton                                       Stephen King                                       Alice Walker

Octavia Butler                                         Sandra Kitt                                       Carl Weber

Bebe Moore Campbell                              Dean Koontz                                     Dorothy West

Colin Channer                                          Slim Lambright                                 Diane McKinney Whetstone

Mary Higgins Clark                                   Gloria Mallette                                   Ralph Wiley

Pearl Cleage                                            Marcus Major                                     Valerie Wilson Wesley

Evelyn Coleman                                       Og Mandino                                        Richard Wright

J. California Cooper                               Gabriel Garcia Marques                       Shay Youngblood

Virginia DeBerry                                     Brandon Massey                                  Zane

Eric Jerome Dickey                                Timmothy B. McCann

Phil Duck                                                Bernice L. McFadden

Tananarive Due                                      Rosalyn McMillan

Michael Eric Dyson                                 Terry McMillan

Leslie Easedale                                      Mary Monroe

Lolita Files                                            Toni Morrison

Gwynne Forster                                    Walter Mosley

Ernest Gaines                                        Victoria Christopher Murray

Nikki Giovanni                                      Gloria Naylor

Donald Goines                                       Evelyn Palfrey

Donna Grant                                         Alexs D. Pate

Vanessa Davis Griggs                            James Patterson

Linda Dominique Grosvenor                  Kayla Perrin

Gary Hardwick                                     Ann Perry

James Earl Hardy                                 Francis Ray

E. Lynn Harris                                      C. Kelly Robinson

Donna Hill                                            Kimberla Lawson Roby

Langston Hughes                                  Earl Sewell

Travis Hunter                                       Sidney Sheldon

Zora Neale Hurston                              Gayle Jackson Sloan

Question 4: What types of books do you enjoy reading the most?

1.    Contemporary Fiction (Connie Briscoe, Terry McMillan)              -    59 votes  - Number 1 voted category

2.    Literary Fiction (Alice Walker, Toni Morrison)                             -    33 votes

3.    Erotic Fiction (Zane, Darline Dorce-Coupet)                               -    23 votes

4.    Humorous Fiction (Carl Weber, Van Whitfield, JJ Murray)            -    37 votes  - Number 3 voted category

5.    Non-fiction (Jewell Parker Rhodes, William July)                        -    20 votes

6.    Romance (Gwynne Forster, Sandra Kitt)                                     -    26 votes

7.    Relationship Novels (Marcus Major, Curtis Bunn)                          -    31 votes

8.    Novels that combine genres (Eric Jerome Dickey)                     -    46 votes  - Number 2 voted category

9.    Mysteries (Walter Mosley, Paula L. Woods)                                 -    33 votes

10.  Suspense (Gary Hardwick)                                                         -    24 votes

11.  Political Thrillers (Eric James Fullilove, Chris Chambers)              -   11 votes

12.  Science Fiction/Horror (Brandon Massey, Tananarive Due)            -    20 votes

13.  Self-published works (ReShonda Tate Billingsley)                         -    27 votes

14.  Christian Fiction (Sharon Ewell Foster, Angela Benson)                 -    28 votes

Total Number of Votes = 418

Assessment: Contemporary Fiction received the most votes as the books that readers enjoy reading. However, if writers are skillful at combining genres, that may be a trend of storytelling that readers embrace. They enjoy storylines which incorporate romance, suspense, drama, erotica, and humor. The Color of Love by Gary Hardwick is an example of such a novel. It is categorized as suspense but also entails romance, action, humor, etc. and is a popular read of the moment. In addition, plots which touch on societal issues such as racial profiling, cultural diversity, driving-while-black or other current issues within the community are storylines that may captivate readers' attention.  Bookclubs are always looking for books that are ripe for deep discussions. They are looking for more than the average boy-meets-girl storyline which has been considered overdone within the African-American reading community.

Question 5: Where do you normally purchase your books?

1.    Online bookstores (Amazon.com, BN.com)       -    35    or 18.71%   Number 2 voted category

2.    Local African American bookstores                  -    29    or 15.5%     Number 3 voted category

3.    National chain stores (Waldenbooks, Borders)   -    39    or 20.8%     Number 1 voted category

4.    Online discount bookstores (Half.com)                  -    15    or  8.02%

5.    African-American online bookstores (Cushcity)      -    11    or 5.88%

6.    Online bookclubs (Blackexpressions.com)              -    24    or 12.83%

7.    Grocery stores/Airports                                       -     5    or 2.67%

8.    Black expos, book fairs, literary conferences         -    17   or 9.09%

9.    Other                                                                 -    12   or 6.41%

Total number of votes = 187

Assessment:  Readers are open to purchasing their books through a variety of means. Buying online remains a popular way to purchase books especially if discounts are associated with the purchase. On the other hand, some readers are very loyal to purchasing their books solely from African-American bookstores.

Question 6: Please identify your gender:

Male        -      3 respondents or 4%

Female    -    71 respondents or 96%

Total number of respondents = 74

Assessment: Not surprisingly females represented an overwhelming portion of the readers that visit the Book-Remarks.com website. Women continue to be major consumers of fiction (literary and commercial), romance, and Christian fiction works.

Prepared by Cydney Rax
Updated February 11, 2002

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