Four elaborately-dressed ladies consulting books in a private library. Engraving. Wellcome Collection. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Bill Bryson shared his concerns today in The Times about the sheer volume of books being published today, particularly in the world of self-publishing. He argued that the explosion in new titles—rising from 120,000 annually in the UK a decade ago to around 200,000 now—has made it harder for authors to be noticed and questioned whether too many people now write simply because they can. It’s a sentiment we’ve heard before: that an overabundance of books creates ‘white noise’, making it difficult for truly good writing to break through.

There’s some truth to this. A crowded marketplace does mean that discoverability has become one of the biggest challenges for authors, whether traditionally or independently published. Readers have never had more choice, and as more books flood the market, getting a new title in front of an audience is harder than ever.

But to see this only as a problem is to ignore the profound changes in publishing over the past decade—changes that have opened doors for writers who might otherwise never have had the chance to reach readers. The rise of self-publishing has disrupted an industry that was, for a long time, controlled by a handful of major players. It has allowed books that might have been rejected for commercial rather than literary reasons to find their way into the world.

Would a big publisher have taken a risk on a novel that doesn’t fit a marketable genre? On a memoir from an unknown writer with no media profile? On a history book that challenges accepted narratives? The traditional publishing model has always been, by necessity, selective—often favouring books with broad commercial appeal. Now, writers who might have been shut out of that system can publish their work and compete on their own terms.

Yes, the sheer number of books available means that many will struggle to sell more than a handful of copies. But isn’t it better that they exist, rather than being dismissed before ever having a chance? In a world where publishing was once dictated by gatekeepers, the ability to self-publish means that readers—not just editors in corporate boardrooms—can decide what’s worth their time.

It’s not a perfect system. The challenge of visibility is real, and quality varies widely. But the fact that publishing has become more accessible is ultimately a good thing. It has forced the industry to open up, making room for new voices and new stories that might otherwise have remained in a desk drawer.

At P-Wave Press, we believe that a book’s worth shouldn’t be determined solely by whether a big publisher thinks it will sell tens of thousands of copies. Whether through self-publishing or independent presses, authors today have more opportunities than ever to put their work into the world—and that, surely, is something to celebrate.

What do you think? Has self-publishing made the book world richer or simply more crowded? Let us know on X (formerly Twitter) and Bluesky.