What makes a best seller?

[Wanda]

Being published by a small press, with an equally small promotion budget, breaking through is tough, but like you said, it has been done. I figure you just keep getting the word out about your book, and if readers like it, sales will follow. The major publishers push hundreds of books, but only a few become New York Times Best Sellers. In the end, it is the readers who decide which books become popular.
http://www.WandaSnowPorter.com

[Sherri]

Sadly, I believe that's how it is now - but the publishing landscape is changing with ebooks. People look at me funny when I say this, but I truly believe we're on the verge of major changes to the book industry. I think having niche followings and a strong online presence is going to lead to more "gurella marketing" for indie authors that aren't represented by agents or big presses, and we will grow. It's going to take time and patience, but I believe that if we hang in there, then we'll be on the front edge of a change in the publishing industry.
Or maybe it's wishful thinking that we can take over the world from our laptops and tablets, without having to get out of our PJ's and leave the house. :)

[Lauryn]

I happen to agree with you, Sherri. I think things are changing. Traditional publishing is on the way out, at least as we knew it, and e-books and e-readers are making all the difference. Will marketing still be key in having a best seller - always, but the ways to market are changing.

http://laurynapril.blogspot.com

[Kameko]

We're in the Wild West of e-book publishing right now, where it's all madness and chaos and gunfights in saloons and horse rustling and sweaty, glistening cowboys fighting in the streets and...

Where was I?

Oh, right: the Wild West.

I am a BIG fan of everyone getting to publish their writing, because I do believe that everyone has a story to tell, and that conventional publishing is a business that can't take chances on every single thing that's sent to them (obviously), and so it's nice that there's a way to get stories out into the world that can bypass this traditional gateway, and aren't run-on sentences fun sometimes?

BUT.

So, so, SO much of the things that I see published could use some--to be polite--serious editing, spell checking, basic knowledge of punctuation, that sort of thing. You all know what I'm talking about. Just cruise around Smashwords for fifteen minutes if you're not.

Say what you will about the old way of things, but those publishers did make sure that the works they put out were polished, presentable and relatively free of basic errors.

That said, I'm glad to see them starting to be swamped a little by the rising sea of self-publishing. There's SO MUCH good stuff out there that doesn't have a chance to see the light of day the way the business of things has been in the past. I think there's every possibility of making a name and a living for yourself in the world of e-publishing. Matter of fact, I don't think there's any way to stop it.

So keep writing, everyone!

Ten years from now we can tell 'em all how the West was won!

[Darlene]

Error free, a great story, characters readers care about, ... and then a whole lot of hard work to get people to give your books a try.

[Steven]

A while ago, I read about a study that meant to find out the reasons why best selling books and hit records became so popular.

In the end, they said that ironically the main reason why something is popular, is because it is already popular. That sounds confusing, but the main premise is that popularity breads popularity, aside from any merit that work may or may not have on its own.

Which I guess makes my post a little pointless - How other than by sheer luck could we become popular then?

My best guess at it - Try to be as confident as you can. In a non-annoying, non-needy way, try to appear as popular as you honestly can. Like a peacock showing its feathers - it's beautiful, yes, but it needs to be really big if you're gonna notice it.
-Steven J. Carroll

[Tina]

Kameko wrote: "We're in the Wild West of e-book publishing right now, where it's all madness and chaos and gunfights in saloons and horse rustling and sweaty, glistening cowboys fighting in the streets and...

Wh..."
Very True.
I had an editor and really good proof reader. It's amazing what you miss yourself. I've had unfounded criticism still about my editing because people assume I haven't done a good job becasue i'm "self Published"
I agree it is the wild west at the moment - crazy stuff. I hope I strike gold. yeehaar! haha:)