Do you read to better yourself? Have you sought answers to life’s difficulties in the written word? If so, you aren’t alone. Forbes.com claims the self-help market brings in more than ten billion dollars in the United States alone, and Canadians surely aren’t far behind. Self-help books are frequently featured on Canadian bestseller lists; The Globe and Mail even has a bestseller list dedicated specifically to self-improvement. Unsurprisingly, Edmonton’s self-help market is a huge, complex, and active.

Consider the large selection of self-help from the Edmonton public library. With over 500 self-help books in the system, it’s a great place for individuals seeking self-improvement literature. But it certainly isn’t the only location that offers these items. Self-help literature is all over the city. It’s so pervasive you probably pass it by without even noticing.

WHAT IS "SELF-HELP?"

Self-help exists in many formats,including hard and soft covered books, magazines, and pamphlets. Aside from libraries, these texts can be found at bookstores, grocery stores, second-hand shops, drug stores, and various wellness centers, and are stocked on free magazine racks, bestseller shelves, or under a variety of headings such as “lifestyle,” “inspiration,” or, of course, “self-help.”

But what specifically defines a text as “self-help?” The answer isn’t as easy as you might imagine. Does celeb advice about how to lose ten pounds and boost bikini confidence count as self-help? What about books on how to learn a new language? These texts encourage self-improvement, but may not immediately be shuffled into the “self-help” genre.

Even amongst self-help readers, the definition of “self-help” can be slippery. When I first took up this topic for research, an acquaintance told me that he thought self-help books were “kind of creepy.” Later, I learned that he owned quite a few texts that would be found in the self-help sections of bookstores. However, he never considered these books “self-help” because he read them to learn more about how people interact, and not to receive a boost to his personal self-esteem. To him, the “self-help” label represented an individualistic perspective (“I am reading to improve my happiness and my life”) with which he did not wish to identify. His learning-focused approach demonstrates that not all self-help is read for the same purpose. However, his unwillingness to label his books as self-help also exemplifies how the genre can be negatively stigmatized.

As a rule of thumb, albeit not without exception, self-improvement literature is often at least partially concerned with a reader’s mental welfare. But there are many aspects to an individual – mental or otherwise – and so there are many different kinds of self-help texts. Self-help often crosses into other genres, such as health, diet, and religion, which are central to personal happiness. This often makes it difficult to determine exactly what texts can be classified as “self-help.”

As self-help is such a large market, addressing a wider variety of audiences and topics, it is unsurprising that many publishers have sought to increase their profits by getting involved. Consider the Globe and Mail’s Self-Improvement Bestseller list for March 2016. Large publishers, such as HarperCollins and Random House are represented, along with lesser-known publishers, such as Hazelden Books. Edmonton’s own Lone Pine Publishing also prints self-help.

Most self-help texts fall into one of two basic categories. The first type of self-help texts are general and deal with the whole of a person’s life. For example, Ashley Rickards’ Getting it Together (pulled off of a bestseller rack at LondonDrugs) discusses many topics relating to wellbeing, including spirituality, physical appearance, family, and romance. Many books for young women fall into this category, promising better ways to style hair, save money on groceries, and find lasting love all in the same text.

image not found

The second type of self-help literature targets a single skill or life situation. For example, the paperback Rising Above a Toxic Workplace offers advice on how to deal with difficulty at work, offering strategies to cope with misused leadership and antagonistic co-workers. Other popular examples include improving leadership skills, dealing with the loss of a loved one, and coping with stress.

Both general and specific self-help texts can be found at commercial and independent stores. However, free materials picked up from magazine racks or coffee shops across the city usually fall into the second category, targeting a specific life situation such a divorce, or a specific aspect of identity, like religious faith. For example, Divorce magazine was found on a free rack outside of a local Safeway .

AUDIENCE

Self-help literature can also be examined by the demographic it targets, and there’s something for (almost) everyone. While the majority of the market consists of paperbacks targeting adults, the variety of materials available demonstrates the presence of a self-help market for people of many ages.

Incredible You! is a hardcover self-help book for children. Brightly coloured images are accompanied by simple rhymes about being happy and embracing creativity. While this book doesn’t have a narrative, much of children’s self-help includes a story and tips and tricks for kids to improve their lives. Self-confidence and family are common themes in kids’ self-help.

This book is from independent bookstore Ascendant Books located in downtown Edmonton, which specializes in self-improvement and metaphysical literature and offers both hard and soft cover volumes. Additionally, religious and spiritual bookstores often have a children’s section where kids’ self-help can be found, but these books are rarely on display or placed in high-traffic areas of the store. Ascendant Books is a rare exception to this rule, as the shelves of children’s books are near the front of the store and highly visible.

Children’s self-help can also be bought at educational or teaching stores, indicating that self-help is used in schools as one method to teach social skills and encourage appropriate behaviour. For example, Problem Solving is a short paperback found at ##[place]scholar's_choice##, and includes images of children in a school environment. Both hardcover and paperback volumes are common to children’s self-help. A small paperback such as Problem Solving sells for less than ten dollars, while larger hardcovers can be priced over twenty.

Traditional bookstores, secondhand shops, and children’s stores are other places children’s self-help is sold. Libraries also offer a free alternative by offering some kids’ self-help. Unlike adult literature, these books aren’t commonly seen at grocery and drug stores. Texts for the youngest audiences are also missing from the free magazine and pamphlet racks across the city. This difference in visibility might be explained by looking at how consumers are buying these items. Children’s self-help texts seem to generally be planned purchases, meaning a consumer will decide to buy these books and then seek them out, rather than an impulsive buy spurred by the inclinations of the moment.

Texts for older children and teenagers are generally either targeted towards the whole demographic or specifically towards females. Paperback journal-style self-help manuals for girls of every age are popular and can be found at both independent and commercial stores. The American Girl series is particularly pervasive, and multiple volumes were on display at both Chapters and Walmart during my visits. These books discuss relationships, health, self-esteem, and physical appearance, and are particularly interested in guarding girls against eating disorders or other unhealthy diet practices. They sell for around ten dollars.

However, books specifically targeting younger males are rare. Aside from religious bookstores offering spiritual guidance texts, self-help print materials for this demographic are nearly impossible to find. When it is found, it is on the bottom of shelves or in out-of-the-way corners.

image not found

Contrastingly, adult self-help is the most common. Self-help materials for adults can be bought almost anywhere literature is available – grocery, drug, and bookstores alike. Topics vary, and include health, motivation, and financials, but books about marriage and stress management are particularly common. Sometimes they are meant to be read by single individuals, other times they are intended to be read as a couple, in group settings, or as a family.

The selection of adult self-help is also somewhat seasonal. For example, in May a store will offer motivational books for mothers, but those books will be replaced shortly after Mother’s Day passes with similar texts for Father’s day, or items aimed at healthy summer living.

Adult self-help found in grocery and drug stores are usually trade paperbacks that boast bestseller titles and celeb authorship, promising quick tips to a better life. Celeb authored books often hit bestseller shelves, with shoppers buying the item not only for its content but also because they are fans of the author. Bookstores and independent sellers might carry these titles as well, but also sell expensive hardcovers and books dealing with more sensitive issues, such as coping with a particular illness or dealing with prolonged grief.

A cheap paperback might cost about ten dollars, while a pricier hardcover could sell for thirty, but most self-help sell for about twenty dollars. Interestingly, the available paperbacks are almost exclusively trade paperbacks. Pocketbook self-help are nearly non-existent.

Self-help texts that specifically target adult women are more easily found than those that men. For example, after finding Minute Motivators for Women I searched for the masculine edition, only to be informed that although the masculine edition did exist, it was not readily available on the shelf. However, men seeking self-help need not worry. Although the shelves may be smaller, bookstores still sell men’s self-help and most commercial and independent sellers now offer online services that allow such books to be ordered.

The self-help market also includes books and pamphlets specifically for seniors, although it is considerably more difficult to find these texts. Aside from local bookstores, senior’s living centres can offer free materials. These items deal with seniors’ safety, life adjustment, and the grief practises. They are often printed on thick or glossy paper.

While the targeted audience and the topic of a self-help book certainly affects where the item is made available and its popularity, there are other influences that should be recognized. For example, consider your local Sobey’s grocery store. Their current advertising contract with Jamie Oliver means that his healthy eating books are on display and visible to customers, and therefore more likely to sell and become popular.

But whether the item is a teenager’s journal or a senior’s brochure, there are some general similarities regarding the format of self-help print.

FORMAT & LAYOUT

Self-help texts generally resemble a step-by-step manual. Titles often boast “10 Ways” to do this, or “7 Steps” to improving that. These books often include graphics, diagrams, glossaries, and indexes. For example, the book shown here is structured around readers’ completion of checklists. Interestingly, some advertisements and flyers have also tapped into this trend by presenting their advertisement as a kind of self-help. A fashion retailed might offer ten ways to freshen your wardrobe for spring, or a home improvement store might present five steps to a healthy garden.

Self-help literature also uses features of popular magazines, like quizzes, “top 10” lists, and reader FAQs. While these can certainly add content and helpful bits of information, they also make the print item more entertaining and reader-friendly. Several readers I talked to would admit to doing these quizzes just for fun, and not necessarily because they wanted to improve themselves. Comics and humour also make for an easier read. While certainly not in every text, adult self-help in particular often uses laughter to illustrate ideas.

Occasionally, self-help can also take a narrative form. The popular Chicken Soup for the Soul series is often featured on bestseller racks at commercial stores and uses motivational stories to help inspire readers to improve themselves and their lives. This literature is less direct, suggesting basic principles to live by rather than specific and detailed advice. Interestingly, these books are almost always housed under the “self-help” label despite lacking concrete guidance.

TRENDS

Adult colouring books are currently very popular, both in Edmonton and the rest of North America. In fact, they have become so popular that the world’s largest manufacturer of pencil crayons, Faber-Castell, has felt a strain on their supplies. While they are primarily in book or craft stores, these items can also be tracked down in retail shops. Interestingly, they are generally not grouped with other “self-help” books, but are still advertised as stress-relievers and personal care items.

However, not everyone who picks up these items considers them therapeutic. They can also be its to encourage creativity, to experiment with colour combinations, or just for fun. I talked to happy colouring book consumer who claimed she never thought about the books as therapeutic. Originally, she wanted one as a hobby, and now she uses them as an alternative to television in order to reduce screen time.

Images in these books range from abstract designs to natural settings to depictions of trendy characters or series, such as Harry Potter or Frozen colouring books. Unless part of a larger franchise, the artist is displayed prominently on the book credit, and at times used for marketing. For example, Millie Marotta, illustrator of the two bestselling color books Animal Kingdom and Tropical World frequently has her name and books on display at Chapters. These colouring books come in various sizes and formats, including paperbacks, hardcovers, and even books of postcards. They range in price from ten to forty dollars.

Spirituality is another extremely common in self-help literature. Many books or magazines offer readers advice from spiritual leaders to help to get in touch with their inner self, tap into an existential state of being, or grow in religious faith. Depending on the orientation of the text, readers may find themselves encouraged to take up forms of meditation and yoga, begin prayer practises, or read holy books.

Religious bookstores carry a great deal of self-help. The Fig Tree, Iqra Books, and Generations LDS Bookstore are some of the religious bookstores in Edmonton.

Free spiritual magazines are offered at various locations in the city, such as coffee shops, grocery stores, and health centres. For example, Issues of Empowerment is a print item found on a free magazine rack outside Healing Connections Wellness Centre. It, and similar items, are generally printed on lower-quality paper and include many advertisements for local meditation classes and natural healing services or supplements. More than just funding, however, these advertisements are central to the magazines’ message. Connie Brisson, editor of the local Mosaic Magazine, refers to the promotion of these services as a “community resource,” as readers are pointed towards nearby businesses or individuals who can aid them in their life’s journey.

Mosaic is an excellent example of the popularity of these spiritual self-help magazines. It is based in Alberta, has many contributions from local writers and artists, and can be found free to readers at over one hundred locations in Edmonton, including on free magazine racks, at local coffee shops, and at wellness centres. The magazine also includes personalized advice from psychics and astrologers in the form of readers’ Q&A, which encourages the local audience to become involved with the magazine and provides them with another opportunity to improve their wellbeing and connect with Edmonton-based services.

While the dedicated readership of such spiritual self-help magazines read psychics’ advice and horoscopes seriously, not everyone who picks up such magazines reads them with the same regard. Because these texts are free, they may often fall into the hands of individuals who hold many different beliefs. Some approach these texts with skepticism, others find astronomy laughable, and a few will read the horoscopes and intentionally try to prove them wrong. Texts are not always read as the creators intend.

Another common theme in self-help is the physiological functions of the brain and the body. Rather than encouraging readers to re-examine their souls, this literature often call for the re-examination of readers’ diets, exercise programs, and relaxation habits. Health and natural eating is extremely popular in both self-help books and magazines. At times, it may be impossible to differentiate between “science” or “health” items and self-help. For example, when browsing a local Safeway, psychology and other wellness magazines were mixed in with fitness titles such as the popular Women’s Health and Men’s Health, suggesting that these items share a common genre.

image not found

One way to differentiate between these items would be to examine the end goal promoted by the fitness exercises. A fitness magazine might present certain exercises as an effective method to building muscle, while a self-help magazine would suggest particular exercises to relieve stress. For example, alive is a self-help magazine was picked up at Callingwood Vitamin Centre Ltd which stresses clean eating and health practises in order to improve overall wellness.

Similarly, Apple is a free magazine found at over 100 locations across Edmonton, including grocery stores, libraries, and cafés. It is distributed by Alberta Health Services and aims improve Albertans’ wellbeing by offering advice about health and family living.

Another trend in self-help is animals and domestic pets. The hardcover book The Healing Power of Pets was found under the “animal” section at a second-hand Goodwill store. Similar texts, usually paperbacks, can also be found on at grocery or department stores. Some of these books advise on the health and mental wellbeing of pets themselves, and others discuss how readers can use animals in their lives to improve their own well-being.

CONCLUSION

It’s worth reintegrating the scope of Edmonton’s self-help market. The variety of targeted audiences, selling locations, and text content often make it difficult to pin down specifics. A more detailed look at any of these areas, as well as further investigating reader's perception of the self-help genre, could be avenues for future research. However, one thing is certain: the market is alive and active.

Last Updated: Feb 14, 2017