The secret DNA behind bestsellers

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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Smashwords Self-Published Bestseller List, November 2014

Chanda Hahn grabs top honors on this month’s list of the bestselling titles published on the Smashwords platform with the YA novel 'Reign.' Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bestselling books 2014: the kids are all right

Books for children and young adults are top of the league, bagging seven of this year’s top 10, but non-fiction has endured another annus horribilisSee the chart in fullAt long last, kids ruled in 2014. Books aimed at them have often figured in the top 10 of the all-year sales chart for printed... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-12-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bestselling books of 2014: did the booksellers get it right?

What effect did Super Thursday have on book sales, and how well did eight leading retailers and pundits fare in predicting the top titles of the year?• Readers turn over a new leaf as celebrity sales stutter• ‘Amazon-free’ Christmas campaign diverts reported £5m worth of sales from online... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-12-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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iBooks Bestsellers: 'Unbroken' Continues Reign

With the movie adaptation of Laura Hillenbrand's 'Unbroken' hitting theaters tomorrow, on Christmas day, the nonfiction bestseller showed no signs of slowing down, holding on, once again, to the #1 perch on the iBooks Bestseller list. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple iBooks Category Bestsellers, December 21, 2014

The bestselling iBooks in mystery, romance, sci-fi, biography, fiction, children & teens, and more for the week ended December 21, 2014. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple iBooks Category Bestsellers, December 14, 2014

The bestselling iBooks in mystery, romance, sci-fi, biography, fiction, children & teens, and more for the week ended December 14, 2014. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Strong Foreign Rights Sales for 2014 French Bestsellers

2014 has been a good year for French publishers with strong foreign rights sales of several titles, including Nobel Prize-winner Patrick Modiano's novel. The post Strong Foreign Rights Sales for 2014 French Bestsellers appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-12-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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iBooks Bestsellers: No Stopping ‘Unbroken’

'Unbroken,' Laura Hillenbrand’s 2010 bestseller adapted into a film out Christmas Day, held on to the #1 spot in Apple’s iBooks store Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple iBooks Category Bestsellers, December 7, 2014

The bestselling iBooks in mystery, romance, sci-fi, biography, fiction, children & teens, and more for the week ended December 7, 2014. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Unbroken' YA adaptation follows original book to the bestseller lists

This past November, author Laura Hillenbrand published a young adult version of her 2010 bestseller 'Unbroken' (itself still on bestseller lists). The book for younger readers is also selling well, though reviewers disagree on whether it's necessary. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-12-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Haven’t Finished Reading that Bestseller? You’re Not Alone

Kobo has released data about how many people finish ebook bestsellers and data indicates that purchasing a book is no indication of willingness to read it. The post Haven’t Finished Reading that Bestseller? You’re Not Alone appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-12-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Kobo reveals its UK bestsellers and 'most read'

Romance is the main genre which Kobo platform users in the UK read all the way to the end, an inaugural Kobo Book Report on e-reading trends in the UK has found. Kobo has revealed both its top purchases, and which books readers actually completed. It found that romance was the most thoroughly... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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iBooks Bestsellers: 'Unbroken' Takes the Lead

Laura Hillenbrand’s 'Unbroken' ousted Gillian Flynn’s 'Gone Girl' from the top spot on Apple’s iBooks bestseller list for the week ended December 8. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple reveals iBooks bestsellers in UK

Apple’s iBooks store in the UK has released its "Best of 2014" list showing that titles with film tie-ins led to the highest sales on the platform among paid-for titles. In fiction, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (Penguin) sold the most units on the UK iBooks platform in 2014, followed by... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple iBooks Category Bestsellers, November 30, 2014

The bestselling iBooks in mystery, romance, sci-fi, biography, fiction, children & teens, and more for the week ended November 30, 2014. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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iBooks Bestsellers: Flynn, Hillenbrand Lead

Books with big screen adaptations dominated Apple’s iBooks chart for the week ended December 1. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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iBooks Bestsellers: Day Hits #1

Sylvia Day’s 'Captivated By You' jumped seven spots to hit #1 on Apple’s iBooks bestseller list, for the week ended November 24. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-11-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple iBooks Category Bestsellers, November 23, 2014

The bestselling iBooks in mystery, romance, sci-fi, biography, fiction, children & teens, and more for the week ended November 23, 2014. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-11-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Can Barnes & Noble's Black Friday 'secret weapon' reverse the chain's slumping sales?

Barnes & Noble will be offering 500,000 copies of signed works by major authors to kick off the holiday shopping season. But will it be enough? Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-11-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Britain's Next Bestseller signs real-life stories

Crowdfunding publishing initiative Britain’s Next Bestseller has offered publishing deals to three British women for books inspired by their own struggles in life. Britain’s Next Bestseller published Ria Frances’ Inflicted in paperback for £8.99 and as an ebook in September 2014 and Cath... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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