| What makes a Bestseller? |
| Genre |
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5% |
[ 1 ] |
| How the book relates to current events |
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20% |
[ 4 ] |
| Who the author is |
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0% |
[ 0 ] |
| Other |
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75% |
[ 15 ] |
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| Total Votes : 20 |
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 Posted: Sun Oct 29, 2006 1:45 pm
I'm taking a literature class that only looks at Bestsellers. We have covered books from Bestseller lists from long ago, up until very recently, and with each book we're asked "why do you think this book became a Bestseller?". So, I thought I'd bring it to the I.R.T.I.A.
What is it about a certain book that you believe sends it to Bestseller fame?
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Posted: Sun Oct 29, 2006 1:47 pm
Sometimes, it's how deep and meaningful the book is.
(i.e. Memoirs of a Geisha, The House of the Scorpion)
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Posted: Sun Oct 29, 2006 7:04 pm
I would guess that it is a combination of all the things mentioned in your poll, plus the occasional fad and the amount of attention it gets by reviewers.
Sometimes a book will really touch people and stay a bestseller. Lots of people like to joke that the Bible is the world's all time bestseller.
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Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 9:36 am
How many copys are bought in a certain time frame.
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Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 7:05 pm
I'd say how many people make their friends read it but make them buy their own copy. heh...
nah, I'd probably agree with Bottousai-nii that it's alot of the stuff in your poll and what he said.
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Posted: Tue Nov 07, 2006 3:36 am
Controversial and easy to come into, but that doesn't make a bestseller a great book because of that.(The Da Vincie Code is one example)
In my personal opinion, a bestseller should be a timeles story that can be modified with time. The book shouldn't sound like a manual for a fusionreactor.
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Romantic Conversationalist
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Posted: Wed Nov 08, 2006 3:24 pm
I think it has to do with the quality, the realtion to current events, and timelessness, but I also think it has a lot to do with timing. Some (most) of my favorite books don't make anything close to the bestseller's list. When a good book is shared and many copies are sold, it becomes a bestseller. But an excellent book may be passed over by chance and timing.
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Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 12:16 pm
It's because it's either so thought provoking, many readers like it... or it's so dull and full of violence, people that dont usually read books love it.
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Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2006 6:15 am
I am guessing when the author is capable to come up with the perfect blend of elements.
Good authors write books that are good from cover to cover. If they leave you wanting more with every single word you read, then that's just brilliant and I am sure it will sell. A lot of books don't become bestsellers 'til they are made into films, so I am guessing that helps too, though I think a really good author doesn't need a film to have their books sell. Paulo Coehlo is probably my favorite author of all times. Once you read his books, you realize why they sell so well, haha. Is as if they've been written with a magic pen, honestly.
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Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2006 7:12 pm
Some books are only on the bestsellers list because they've been promoted shamelessly.
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Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 4:30 pm
A best seller? Well written, realistic charactors, compelling plot.... and enough advertising to get people to buy buy buy.
Alternatly, if the author has allready got a best seller out on the market their next book will almost certainly be a best seller as well - if only because people will think it is automatically as good as the first one.
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Posted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 8:29 am
Occasionally, books that deserve to be on a best seller list, for example due to excellent writing, a great story, etc, make it. But i often become disheartened by the amount of just simply horrible books that people seem to just eat up, due to being told that they're so controversial, and so wonderful. I often find them to be bland and uninteresting. Most of the time, it is due to the books being promoted shamelessly, despite much better literature being ignored.
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Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 9:57 pm
The guts make the glory, in my opinion. It has to have a good plot and characters to be a true bestseller.
And have you ever noticed that every other book you pick up is a "New York Time Bestseller"? rolleyes
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