[Publishing] E-books: Why Do They Succeed on wadiz?

3-Line Summary of the Story 

• #1. Discovery: The share of “e-books” in adult reading has increased significantly. Driven by the trend of “multi-jobbers” seeking to generate income outside their main jobs, e-books that support this have become steady bestsellers.
• #2. Succeed: Why were various books on money-making strategies able to emerge and succeed in the wadiz e-book funding market? We examined the reasons behind this success through representative case studies. 
• #3. Expand: It’s not just about income-generating guides. From e-books by photographers and designers to those in the creative field—wadiz offers even broader possibilities.

#1. Discovery

The End of Print Books? E-books Are Different.

Do you know the average number of books read per year by adults in Korea? It’s said to be about 4.5 books. That puts us near the bottom globally. Some people are even worried about the collapse of the book market. It’s clear that overall numbers are declining. Still, the positive news is that there’s a ray of hope within this small market: the e-book market. 

As of 2019, e-books accounted for just 8.1% of the total publishing market. Sales figures weren’t particularly high either. But what matters is the growth trend. In 2020, e-book sales reached approximately 87.5 billion won, a 13.7% increase from the previous year. 

While everything else came to a standstill, e-books continued to grow.

The growth of e-books is largely attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. Amid the pandemic, when outdoor activities were inevitably restricted, people sought cultural activities they could enjoy at home. According to a survey by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism,the proportion of “time spent reading e-books” within adults’ total reading timehas risen significantly since the onset of the pandemic. 

Kyobo Book Centre also released survey results showing that e-book sales in 2020—when the pandemic took full hold—increased by 21% year-over-year compared to 2019. Just as the pandemic significantly drove online shopping adoption among middle-aged and older adults, e-books also soared on the wings of the pandemic.

E-books’ Biggest Supporters: “N-Jobbers”

E-books, already riding the wave, gained an additional boost: side hustles. In 2022, the number of “N-jobbers” (side hustlers)generating income outside their main jobs reached 547,000, a 41% increase compared to 2017.These individuals have consistently turned to e-books to acquire the specialized knowledge needed to earn money.

E-books on topics like how to list products on e-commerce platforms and monetizing blogs—which focus on generating income—are steady sellers in the e-book market. In fact, on the class platform <Taling>, e-books related to “Investment/Startups” and “Personal Finance” account for over 50% of sales, reflecting the intense interest in these topics.

#2. Succeed

E-books have emerged as a hot topic as a means to diversify income streams. The “funding market” is where a wider variety of income-generating know-how is gatheredthan on any other platform. For potential customers interested in side hustles or multiple jobs, “e-book funding” is no longer an unfamiliar term. 

On wadiz, too, the e-book funding market is showing remarkable momentum. Several books on money-making strategies have already attracted attention by raising over 100 million won. The range of categories—covering individuals, influencers, and creators—is broader than anywhere else. Why have so many books on money-making strategies emerged on the wadiz funding market, and what has enabled them to succeed? 

A Look at Successful Projects
“Why Do E-Books Do So Well on wadiz?”

① Because it is an irreplaceable platform in the e-book market.

According to wadiz’s internal data, more than 200 funding campaigns for e-books related to “side hustles” were launched in 2022 alone. This trend has been steadily expanding since 2019. This means that, on average, about 20 e-books were launched on wadiz every month. The total funding raised for these projects also increased approximately 20-fold compared to the same period, reaching about 8 billion won. With both supply and demand growing, the e-book crowdfunding market appears to have firmly established itself. 

The reason wadiz was able to fully embrace the “side hustle” and “e-book” trends is that it’s a platform where anyone—from individuals to small and large brands—can take on new challenges regardless of their scale.

The same holds true in the e-book sector. If you have your own experience and know-how, the starting line is fair for everyone.Against thisbackdrop, individuals with revenue-generating expertise across various fields have been able to emerge through wadiz funding. This is why, fueled by the rise of multi-jobbers, wadiz has grown into an indispensable platform in the e-book market. 

② wadiz customers (supporters) recognize the practical value of e-books.

So, who are the supporters looking for e-books on wadiz to help them pursue side hustles? 

Here are two representative examples that illustrate the characteristics of these supporters. First, last June, Maker Geum-ran raised approximately 300 million won through a funding campaign for the e-book *How to Automate Smart Store*. The project attracted over 3,000 supporters. Surprisingly, both the Rewards and maker satisfaction scores reached a perfect 5.0 out of 5.0. 

Additionally, Maker Bomtail launched both an e-book and a VOD titled [The Secret Guide to Creating Emojis]. The average price per Reward in this funding campaign was approximately 210,000 won.Despite this being a far from low price point, the project attracted850 supporters in just about a month. 

Why did the majority of supporters who participated in these two projects choose to fund high-priced Rewards and feel such great satisfaction? The answer lay in the wadiz funding detail page (Story). 

The Funding Story by Geumran Maker: Persuading Supporters in Various Ways

Given the nature of crowdfunding—which introduces products or services that don’t yet exist—the funding story must differ from a typical e-commerce product page. It must convince supporters of “why they should back this product or service.”

Wadiz supporters are familiar with this type of funding story structure. Evenif the page is long,they make an effort to understand the project’s value.They don’t back a projectsimply because the makeris famous or because others say it’s good;they evaluate projects based on their own criteria. 

Influencer Oh Eun-hwan, who launched a package combining a lecture and an e-book titled [How to Become an Influencer], shared his thoughts on the funding campaign, saying, “Wadiz supporters are intellectual individuals who read long stories and interpret them based on their own judgment.” 

I Tip A positive sign for aspiring makers preparing for e-book funding The number ofsupporters on wadiz who recognize the value of e-books is growing day by day. In 2022 alone,approximately 60,000 supporters participated in the “E-books for Side Hustles” funding campaign—a figure more than three times higher than the previous year. The average funding amount per supporter also nearly doubled, reaching around 140,000 won. This shows that once supporters recognize the utility of an e-book and deem it valuable, they are willing to participate in funding even substantial amounts. An e-book filled with your own expertise—this is only possible on wadiz, where people who truly appreciate its value come together.

③ It offers guaranteed fans and revenue, as well as new opportunities for personal branding.

As you accumulate pieces of experience within a particular field, you naturally develop something unique that sets you apart from others. In an era where your personal history becomes your brand, this “personal branding”. An increasing number of makers are using wadiz funding as an opportunity for personal branding.

For example, Maker Im Seo-mi first launched her 2020 [English Conversation Through TV Dramas] e-book funding campaign on wadiz and raised approximately 10 million won. 

This was followed by enthusiastic support from supporters. Seizing this momentum, the maker planned an encore funding campaign the following year along with a significantly upgraded series of content, launching two additional funding campaigns. The resultswent from 10 million won to 50 million won, and then from 50 million won to 100 million won.The campaignraised increasingly higher amountseach time. This was achieved by consistently communicating with supporters to launch follow-up funding campaigns at the right time and actively incorporating their feedback to improve content quality.

Through wadiz funding, the maker built expertise in the field of “English conversation.” And in the process, they were able to build a loyal fan base that trusted and followed them, as well as a solid capital base. Ultimately, the wadiz funding experience itself became the maker’s personal branding. Now, without the need for lengthy explanations ,just a few lines with the project link are enough to prove the maker’s expertise. 

#3. Expand

Just as e-books help diversify revenue streams, e-books in the maker spacecontinue to be a hit. Explore a wider range of topics to discover your own potential. 

① A Photographer’s E-book: A Guide to Retouching Portrait Photos

A photographer with 100,000 social media followers launched a guidebook containing photo editing know-how through funding. The ebook compiles shooting techniques and color correction methods honed throughout their career as a photographer, accompanied by various examples.

With the current trend of taking and being photographed in distinctive portrait styles, this project successfully capitalized on the trend and achieved a cumulative funding total of 200 million won.

② Designer’s E-book: Color Master Kit

Do designers have to limit themselves to creating visual outputs? They can leverage their design know-how and skills to produce e-books. Bubakiki, a maker who creates visual-related services and products, launched a funding campaign for a color kit PDF to spread awareness of color combination concepts more widely.

As the maker noted, “In an era where visual content has become increasingly important, color combinations have become a concept everyone needs.” If you have expertise you’d like to share in your field, you can always try launching an e-book funding campaign. 

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Written by Joo Hee-jae, Han Ji-hye Edited by Han Ji-hye Design Jeong Yun-bi