LGBTQ Book Sales Surge in U.S., Especially in YA

NPD BookScan recently shared a report showing an LGBTQ book sales surge in the U.S. The sales of LGBTQ fiction in 2021 was 5 million, twice as much as they were in 2020. The surge has only continued in 2022, with a 39% increase so far.

The increase has been led by young adult novels, specifically books like They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera, which had the biggest gains, and Hearstopper by Alice Oseman. Though the increase hasn’t been as big, LGBTQ book sales have also risen for adult fiction, with books like The House In The Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune, One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston, and On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong leading the way.

“What was once considered a niche area of publishing is now becoming mainstream, with a number of titles leading the national bestseller lists and books being shared across generations of readers. That’s something to celebrate today and every day.” Kristen McLean, books industry analyst for NPD, said in response to the findings.

Find more news and stories of interest from the book world in Breaking in Books.