Khimera9
Extraordinary Writer
Posts: 101
Registered: 3/26/2009
Member Is Offline
Mood: Nuts
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How do I make a Book Sell Well?
I've been working hard on my writing lately, revising and adding onto my current work and making sure it's perfect for when I release it, but it's
been bugging me alot as well. It's not really the agent finding or the editors. It's mostly come from the publishers and one of the most fearful
source of literature I can find in the modern world.
The bestsellers section.
I always look at that section, reading the back of whatever book was available, seeing the names of authors that's larger than the actual title of the
book, and seeing stephanie meyers always taking up the first place spot. It's always a pain in me to see it, because in my mind I'm always thinking
about those other 120,000 books that are published anually. It makes me wonder if the books that make it to the bestsellers are there because of their
story and writing, their marketing or campaigning, or simply pure luck. Either way, I feel that unless I'm prepared, my book will never be heard of,
and be crushed like many others.
So my question is, how does one make a bestseller, or at least a book that can sell? I don't know if there are any authors that have written something
huge and knows how it works, but any references to people, basic ideas, or easy to use tips would help. I know for a fact that most of the bestselling
works comes from marketing, but other than that I'm completely confused.
Thanks to anyone that can help. I feel that this place is a godsend for writing advice.
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sharkbytes
Master Writer
Posts: 1236
Registered: 1/17/2008
Location: Michigan
Member Is Offline
Mood: excited about eBooks, grumpy about Helium
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I have a niche book. People from outside that niche who read it are quite surprised to find that they liked it... it's not full of argot and inside
jokes. But it's a tough sell. It does best following live programs where I also talk about the same subject matter. Best seller? Probably get a
good agent... but that's the cynic in me.
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Kiro
Superlative Writer
Posts: 333
Registered: 12/18/2009
Location: Michigan
Member Is Offline
Mood: summer mood.
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My best guess would have to be one of either:
1: An agent that has connections
2:A publisher that sells the book everywhere, especially big stores in your country
3:A well-known author name, or from a well-liked publisher.
4: An excellent story
really, some bestsellers are such an eyesore sometimes i wonder how some people can read them... but they do, and i may be overcritical about writing
styles. For example, Robert Ludlum. His story is incredible in the Bourne Trilogy, but if you try and read it you`ll find it a little hard because of
his style(or his editor, or maybe both). People will overlook a few things in favor of an excellent story.
5: I would have to say a best bet for a debut author would be an absolutely compelling writing style mixed with a good story. A good writing style is
pointless without a good story, and like i pointed out before, the story is the most important.
That being said, trying to write a best-seller for the sake of writing a bestseller can put more pressure on you than it should. What i would want to
think about is writing a book i'll love in a style i'll love rather than compromising for marketability.
In any case good luck with your book. It takes a lot of commitment to write a full blown novel and i admire the people who take up the titanic task of
doing it!
~ Your friendly neighborhood vampire, Cristian
"Keep dreaming, Brad Moonglowaftervodkaski.... "
In the Workshop: Midnight Journal (The Transylvanian writes a vampire story)
Writing progress:
Your feelings are never wrong. Remember that when someone is trying to show you they are right and you are not. |
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Sevastian Winters
Superlative Writer
Posts: 412
Registered: 6/29/2009
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hopeful
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When you find out the answer, let us know... Until then, my best guess... write a damn good novel!
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Skwerly
Literary Master
Posts: 3475
Registered: 5/17/2008
Location: Yucaipa, California
Member Is Offline
Mood: Determined.
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It's kind of like buying a car. If you go to the (eek!) Honda dealership, you haggle about options such as air conditioning, power this or that, a
sunroof, the interior type, the price – on and on.
If you go to the Cadillac dealership, you pick one you like and drive it off. The Caddies sell themselves, and options aren't usually an issue.
Write a Cadillac. Anybody can get a Honda. 
I seemed to be looking down from an immense height upon a twilit grotto, knee-deep with filth, where a white-bearded daemon swineherd drove about
with his staff a flock of fungous, flabby beasts whose appearance filled me with unutterable loathing.
My AC page:
Derek's Junk
My Horror Writing Forum: http://writersofhorror.myfreeforum.org/index.php
I **love** creepy trees!
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Sevastian Winters
Superlative Writer
Posts: 412
Registered: 6/29/2009
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hopeful
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Well said! Well said!
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Sir Robert
Jr. Member Writer
Posts: 20
Registered: 5/16/2010
Member Is Offline
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Success is....
Well we are looking at this the wrong way, the publishers want to sell books, lots of books, they push the books that sell, the writer with name
recognition sell the most books. Many good books just do not get to the shelves and can not sell because they are not on the shelf. 90% of being a
successful writer is self promotion. 10% is writing and 10% is the stuff the publisher does.
[Edited on 5/17/2010 by Sir Robert]
Gentleman Adventurer, Soldier, all around nice guy.
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bralev57
New Member (Welcome me!)
Posts: 8
Registered: 8/4/2010
Location: La Paz, BCS, Mexico
Member Is Offline
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An extremely important part of your success is in working with a publicist. I recommend you do a search for one and see what you find. If you want to
create a bestseller or at least have a shot at it, you need the right publicity to go along with your work. It's not cheap (a minimum of $5-700.00
according to my sources) and well worth it in the time it will save you.
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czechwizard
Banned
Posts: 76
Registered: 7/12/2010
Member Is Offline
Mood: pending
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I agree with Sir Robert. Look at me, Nobody, please capitalize, makes me feel better. Wherever I go, I flash my Lady Gaga Sixth Gospel pentagram,
promoting myself beyond any reasonable doubt or belief.
It's not common to spawn 36 weird titles with weird covers and weird prefaces. What I write about, part autobiography, part fiction, makes curious,
intrigues, freaks out. My writing style is dramatically atrocious, tense, like raw sex, full of fury. I've known it all along, ever since 17 years
ago, that no publisher would ever even touch my hardcore stuff with a pole. Carving my dark writing "career", marketing a piece after piece, one on
one, one by one, either at VIP hotel rap rooms, with corpsepaint and full black metal gear - I appreciate showmanship or online at my studio, half
naked with $ 3 sandals on - I'm in the tropics.
People say that my Slaughter Catalogue 1993-2010 is appropriately creepy. Though a few dare label me an unspeakable, unthinkable, unstuck human ego
machine, I consider myself one of the humblest, most frugal creatures on earth, dissecting thoroughly all extreme aspects of the human animal we all
ultimately are. I know I'm being funny, but that's been my job for many years, being the dubbed Czech Hollywood Warrior Priest. I ploughed NYC and
Hollywood as a bold author, but I'm glad I ended up in Nicaragua as an internet marketing guru selling my own 36 E book franchise.
Which one is a bestseller ? Naturally, all, it's one bulk ! I think if "unsuccessful" writers didn't take my Serious Entertainment flippantly and went
my road less traveled by and learned something along the way, they would feel a bit successful, they might also call their little books
bestsellers.
One more outrageous thing, a few people told me how come I was making more on my really bad books, lol, judge for yourselves, folks, than the
bestselling authors at Barnes and Nobel. Humbly enough, I know better. My firsthand bit might or might not help.
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