| The business of books is big business
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| | critical they get their books reviewed.
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| with 172,000 new titles released in 2005
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| | These results could also indicate that as
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| and sales in the United States of about
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| | an author becomes more successful, has
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| $40 billion. But what makes a book
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| | built a fan base and has had previous
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| successful? Are there any common
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| | bestsellers, reviews decline in
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| characteristics that can spur on sales?
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| | importance.
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| As part of the research for "The Making
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| | *Timeliness of Topic is of the Essence*
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| of a Bestseller" Dee Power and Brian
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| | Old news is bad news when it comes to the
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| Hill, the authors, surveyed over 100
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| | subject of a book's topic. Common sense
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| editors and agents to answer those
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| | dictates that there isn't much interest
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| questions.
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| | in topics that have already been hashed
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| *Previous Success is the Key Indicator of
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| | over by the daily news media. Since book
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| Future Success *
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| | production takes from six to 12 months,
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| Editors and agents are in agreement that
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| | it's an amazing feat to get a book on a
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| an author's previous bestselling book is
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| | hot topic out to the market at just the
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| the key factor in determining future
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| | right time.
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| success.
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| | *Word of Mouth and Fan Base*
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| *Quality of Writing is Paramount*
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| | Readers telling other readers about a
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| For writers yet to produce a bestseller,
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| | fabulous book they've just read has a
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| comfort can be taken in that both agents
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| | tremendous impact on success. Book buzz
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| and editors rank quality of writing
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| | is priceless in the publishing industry.
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| highly. Great writing wins out. However,
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| | Authors on the upward sales track take
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| there are no hard and fast criteria about
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| | their fans seriously.
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| what constitutes "great writing." It
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| | *What's Not As Important*
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| comes down to subjective judgments made
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| | Reviews have already been mentioned as
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| by individuals. Book reviewers may argue
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| | not having as great an effect on success.
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| that a successful book by the very virtue
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| | Promotional efforts whether those of the
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| of its sale's success can not be
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| | publishing house or the author's, fall
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| considered great writing.
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| | toward the lesser end of the scale in
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| *Reviews, Whether Good or Bad, Don't
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| | importance as well. Advertising doesn't
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| Count*
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| | seem to be as important either.
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| And speaking of reviews, the survey
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| | *Money Doesn't Count*
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| participants discounted the importance of
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| | Contrary to popular belief, or perhaps
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| reviews to nearly last place in sparking
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| | it's just wishful thinking on the part of
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| sales of a book. This contradicts the
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| | the author, the size of the advance paid
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| advice given to "new" authors that it is
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| | isn't a significant factor to success.
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