Is it possible to predict whether a book will sell well? Former publisher Jodie Archer and Matthew L Jockers, of Stanford University’s Literary Lab, built an algorithm to find outYour program can identify, from scanning 20,000 books, ones which made the New York Times bestseller lists with 80% accuracy, and one of your key discoveries was that the topics covered in a novel – marriage, work, technology – are more important than its genre in terms of predicting its success. Why?JA: If you look at a bestseller list, you might think it was very diverse in genre – a Stephen King alongside a Jojo Moyes. But certain topics were strong indicators of a bestseller, regardless of genre. “Human closeness” came out on top. This doesn’t mean romance – it could be talking with someone you are intimate with or shopping with a parent. It may be to do with pacing – when Dan Brown knows he has to slow his pace down a little bit and let the characters reflect before a big chase scene in the Vatican, his characters talk it out. John Grisham does it perfectly because in all the legal machinations and suspense and back stabbing, there are always scenes where a lawyer gets a bottle of red wine and a Chinese takeaway and sits on the couch with his female counterpart and they chew the cud for a bit. It is almost the opposite of a formulaic how-to; make a boy meet a girl, make them fall out. Related: Bestselling books 2015: Fifty Shades still on top Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2016-09-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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After the film adaptation of 'The Martian' dominated the box office during its opening weekend, Andy Weir's novel stayed put at #1 on Apple's iBooks bestseller list, for the week ended October 5 Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-10-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The bestselling iBooks in mystery, romance, sci-fi, biography, fiction, and more for the week ended September 27, 2015. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-10-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The newest member of Miss Peregrine’s brood is the #2 book in the country. Plus J. Kenji López-Alt drops some food-science knowledge, and Elizabeth Gilbert, Jan Karon, Bill O’Reilly, and others have big debut weeks. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-10-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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With the film adaptation of Andy Weir’s 'The Martian' set to open in theaters on October 2, the novel topped Apple’s iBooks bestseller list for the week ended September 28. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-09-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Why not her, indeed? Mindy Kaling’s new book is #1 in the country. Plus, the fates are kind to Lauren Groff’s latest, sales for a pair of faith-based diet books are anything but slim, and much more. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-09-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The bestselling iBooks in mystery, romance, sci-fi, biography, fiction, and more for the week ended September 20, 2015. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-09-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In the early 1960s Jeremy Tarcher packaged book deals for celebrities, which resulted in such comical titles as "Phyllis Diller's Housekeeping Hints" and Johnny Carson's "Happiness Is a Dry Martini." Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2015-09-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Make Me' by Lee Childs was once again the top selling title in Apple’s iBooks store, for the week ended September 21 Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-09-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The first cookbook from the independent Paula Deen Ventures debuts at #8 on PW’s hardcover nonfiction list. Plus, the latest James Bond outing, Salman Rushdie’s new novel, and much more. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-09-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The follow-up to the worldwide phenomenon will answer reader questions and offer advice on moving, packing, and dealing with other less than joyful topics. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-09-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The bestselling iBooks in mystery, romance, sci-fi, biography, fiction, and more for the week ended September 13, 2015. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-09-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Lee Child’s 'Make Me,' released September 8, debuted at the top of Apple’s iBooks bestseller list for the week ended September 14. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-09-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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‘The Girl in the Spider's Web,” which continues Stieg Larsson’s Millennium series, is the #1 book in the country. Plus the literary journey to the next Star Wars movie begins, a Philadelphia bakery's book debuts in hardcover nonfiction before its official on-sale date, and much more. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-09-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'The Girl in the Spider's Web,' David Lagercrantz's continuation of the late Stieg Larsson's Millennium series, took the top spot on Apple's iBooks bestseller list for the week ended September 7. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-09-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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On the 'Der Spiegel' bestseller list for 28 consecutive weeks now, this novel, according to its acquiring editor at Knaus Verlag, has garnered mass appeal by tapping into a universal theme: "the profound human desire for a place to belong." Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-09-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bryan Stevenson’s Carnegie Medal–winning ‘Just Mercy’ get a big bump this week, landing at #8 overall. Plus Sue Grafton knocks Harper Lee from the #1 spot in hardcover fiction, Brené Brown debuts strong in hardcover nonfiction, and much more. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-09-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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EL James' consistently bestselling "Grey" fell a staggering eight spots to #12 on iBooks bestseller list for the week ended Aug. 31. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-09-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The German digital literary scene boasts a new bestseller list: the Tolino Ebook Bestseller List. Tolino, a German bookseller alliance, is Germany’s counterpart to Amazon. The post Move Over, Kindle Charts: Tolino Launches Ebook Bestseller List appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-08-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A Swedish self-published book, The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep, uses hypnotism to put kids to sleep and it's selling, but there's backlash. The post Swede Self-Publishes Book to Put Kids to Sleep, Becomes Bestseller appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-08-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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