| I have often mulled over the phrase don't judge a book | | | | reported that The New York Times created their |
| by its cover' but I had never thought it would be most | | | | Children's Books section in 2001 to separate the Harry |
| apt for the publishing industry where every other day | | | | Potter series and clear out a space for other titles in |
| you have a new best seller. And I say this because | | | | the number 1, 2 and 3 spots on their Fiction list, which |
| the term best seller is one of the most abused | | | | Harry Potter had been hogging for over a year! |
| terminologies in the publishing field. Like many of you, I | | | | The New York Times collects both wholesale and |
| also went by what the name suggested - best seller - | | | | retail data, thus being perhaps more inclusive and |
| meaning a book that perhaps sold the most or a book | | | | closer to reality in terms of actual public popularity. |
| that sold over a million copies or an equivalent number. | | | | Then there is the Book Sense best seller books which |
| But I was wrong. I was surprised to learn and perhaps | | | | determine elite status only from sales generated |
| now you are that there are NO set number of copies | | | | through independent book stores. I find this method of |
| or any standard formula that defines which is a best | | | | data collection a bit skewed considering that some |
| seller book. All well known lists use different criterion to | | | | people only shop for books in the larger chains, never |
| determine which are best seller books and which are | | | | going inside their neighborhood book shop. |
| not. | | | | Amazon, the giant online bookseller has yet another |
| One theory that is gaining favor with the majority is | | | | way of naming best seller books on their list. Amazon |
| any book that is high on current popularity charts may | | | | updates its list every hour, with data collected on sales |
| be called a best seller. However, I am a bit skeptical | | | | from their own site. (How else could they update their |
| with that and not without reason. Who are the people | | | | list so quickly?) |
| who figure in the popularity charts? It is no secret that | | | | In fact, many self-published authors use cleverly timed |
| publishers use innovative marketing strategies, to | | | | marketing campaigns where buyers receive something |
| influence agents, editors, retailers, and buyers to affect | | | | free from the author, like an e-book or a free trial |
| the popularity of their books on sale. | | | | version of software, for purchases made on a certain |
| You'd also think that a book would have to be | | | | day in a certain time frame. All to achieve, if only for |
| terrifically good reading to gain best seller status, at | | | | an hour, a coveted spot on Amazon's top 100 best |
| least that's what I thought. Well, I was wrong again | | | | sellers list. |
| because the novel I read from last week's best seller | | | | So you can see there's many a way to construct a |
| books list was a ho-hum read, and left me wondering | | | | best seller books list. What's number one on one list |
| if something was wrong with me! | | | | may never see the light of day on another. So look |
| I discovered that some lists usually have two divisions, | | | | over that book before snatching it off the shelf. See if |
| fiction and non-fiction. In fact, I was quite taken aback | | | | what's inside is of interest to you and yes never judge |
| with the following piece of information: it's been | | | | the book by its cover! |