An author bought his own book to get higher on bestseller lists. Is that fair?

Author Mark Dawson has attracted criticism after bulk buying his own book gave him a high chart position. But that isn’t breaking any rulesFor any author, being able to describe yourself as a bona fide bestseller is key to conferring your career with a certain gravitas – and will often bring you even more sales. In the UK, while most book charts are tallied by Nielsen BookScan, the Sunday Times bestseller list – like the New York Times chart in the US – has become the gold standard. But making the bestseller list isn’t necessarily as straightforward as tallying sales. Not all is fair in romance and war (and other genres) when it comes to getting to the top of the charts.Take the case of Mark Dawson, a British writer who just over a week ago hit No 8 on the Sunday Times hardback list with his thriller The Cleaner, released by the independent publisher Welbeck at the end of June. This is a great achievement for any author or small publishing house, but Dawson had done something remarkable: he bought 400 copies of his own book, at a cost of £3,600, to push his sales high enough to make the top 10. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2020-07-20 15:59:35 UTC ]

Other news stories related to: "An author bought his own book to get higher on bestseller lists. Is that fair?"


Nevermind, Osman: Dave Grohl learns to fly at the top of the chart

Dave Grohl's The Storyteller (Simon & Schuster) has rocked straight into the UK Official Top 50 number one spot in its first week on sale, selling 50,367 copies through Nielsen BookScan's Total Consumer Market. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-10-12 01:06:45 UTC ]
More news stories like this


The Pound Project releases new story by illustrator Zeppelinmoon

Independent publisher The Pound Project is running a campaign for short story "Under Orion" by illustrator Amber Fossey, better known as Zeppelinmoon. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-10-07 23:21:35 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Nielsen Reorganizes Its Streaming Metrics, Rebrands Two of Them

After expanding its streaming measurement capabilities this year, Nielsen is combining its three streaming metrics into a single measurement suite--and rebranding two of them. Streaming Video Ratings, SVOD Content Ratings and Digital Ad Ratings will now now be offered in one measurement suite,... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2021-10-07 12:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


The Man Who Died Twice goes thrice for the top spot

Richard Osman's The Man Who Died Twice (Viking) has notched up a third week running in the UK Official Top 50 number one spot, selling 38,439 copies through Nielsen BookScan's TCM. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-10-05 18:06:50 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Dave and Goliath: maverick writer Eggers makes a stand against Amazon

The author likes small bookshops. So he won’t let the online giant sell his new hardbackThe plight of the high street bookshop, struggling against the power of the online giants, is a common complaint either side of the Atlantic. But not often do the prominent players, the authors and... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-10-03 08:00:23 UTC ]
More news stories like this


A ‘constant merry-go-round’: Nielsen and Comscore say the right things, but aren’t progressing fast enough for media buyers

The main measurement companies, Nielsen and Comscore, say they're trying to update and change metrics, but buyers remain frustrated by the lack of progress. The post A ‘constant merry-go-round’: Nielsen and Comscore say the right things, but aren’t progressing fast enough for media buyers... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2021-09-30 19:04:53 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Little Island refreshes logo and slogan

Irish independent publisher Little Island has refreshed its logo and adopted a new company slogan. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-09-30 03:55:16 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Evaristo, Moore and Logan get Nielsen Bestseller Awards

Bernardine Evaristo, Captain Sir Thomas Moore and T M Logan have won Nielsen Bestseller Awards for passing milestone sales thresholds during 2021. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-09-29 23:11:17 UTC ]
More news stories like this


ViacomCBS Allows Marketers to Transact on VideoAmp Metrics Instead of Nielsen

As the industry continues to explore alternative measurement solutions in the wake of Nielsen's public stumbles, ViacomCBS is offering its advertisers a new set of measurement metrics to transact against, alongside stalwarts Nielsen and Comscore. VideoAmp has been added to the fold, in a new... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2021-09-28 13:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


ViacomCBS adds VideoAmp as Nielsen TV ratings alternative

The network aims for ‘symmetry’ by having agencies use the same tool for currency they already use for planning and optimizing. Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2021-09-28 12:45:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


All Our Possible Lives: On Sylvia Plath, Matt Haig, and the Female Suicide Narrative

Matt Haig’s latest novel, The Midnight Library, has spent 40 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list since its publication in September 2020. The novel focuses on Nora Seed, a young woman living in her hometown of Bedford, England, who thinks she has nothing to live for. She decides to die... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-09-22 08:49:49 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Publishers should emphasise 'joyful' qualities of diverse books, Levine says

Publishers “should stop thinking about BAME talent as fulfilling a school requirement” and “should emphasise the joyful and literary qualities" of diverse books, Arthur Levine, founder of the independent publisher Levine Querido, has said. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-09-22 04:07:18 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Troubled Nielsen to update measurements for local television

Increasingly under fire from its clients, the Nielsen company says it will soon incorporate homes that have cut the cable cord and rely on broadband in its measurement of local TV viewership Continue reading at ABC News

[ ABC News | 2021-09-21 20:37:02 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Nielsen Sets 2022 Pivot to Impressions-Based Local TV Buying

Nielsen is shifting local TV from ratings-based buying and selling to impressions-based buying. In January, the company will move to impressions-based buying and selling in local markets across the country, it said today. Top line At the same time Nielsen will shift to impressions-based... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2021-09-21 14:38:25 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Richard Osman’s second book is one of the fastest-selling novels since records began

The Pointless presenter’s second crime novel, The Man Who Died Twice, has sold 114,202 copies in its first week on saleRichard Osman’s follow-up to The Thursday Murder Club, The Man Who Died Twice, has become one of the fastest-selling novels since records began.Published on 16 September, The... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-09-21 14:37:39 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Sally Rooney’s Beautiful World, Where Are You tops UK book charts

In its first week on sale, Rooney’s new novel has outsold Jamie Oliver and beaten day-one sales of her previous book Normal People by 1,200% at WaterstonesSally Rooney’s Beautiful World, Where Are You has shot to the top of the UK’s book charts, selling more than 40,000 copies in just five... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-09-14 14:20:14 UTC ]
More news stories like this


New Rooney is already 2021’s bestselling hardback novel, says Waterstones

Sally Rooney’s latest novel Beautiful World, Where Are You (Faber) is already the biggest-selling hardback fiction title of 2021 at Waterstones after just three days on sale, the chain's m.d. James Daunt has said. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-09-10 14:57:27 UTC ]
More news stories like this


TV trade group forms measurement task force amid Nielsen issues

VAB announces new group dedicated to forwarding video measurement, with NBCUniversal signing on as a partner.  Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2021-09-09 17:20:46 UTC ]
More news stories like this


The gold standard

The Children’s Laureate gives an update on her Life-changing Libraries campaign to fund primary school libraries. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-09-03 01:55:45 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Nielsen audience measurement hiatus tests Media Rating Council relevance

Nielsen seems to be betting the industry will shrug off its loss of accreditation.  Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2021-08-30 09:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this