Comments on: Redefining a Bestseller

By: annastan

annastan — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:38:52 +0000

Good point, Deb. There’s definitely a difference between the big sellers that are forced down our throats via advertising and those that succeed because of word-of-mouth. Blogs have referred me to some wonderful books that I might not have heard about otherwise. I wonder if the books that become popular through recommendations are more lasting than those huge sellers – I’d like to think so!

By: annastan

annastan — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:23:33 +0000

I would agree that a lot of bestsellers aren’t what we might call “good literature” but, then again, I guess they’re not really meant to be. Luckily, there are some books out there that do become big sellers that I would say are pretty literary (GRACELING, for example) so maybe things aren’t as bad as they seem?

By: Deb Cushman

Deb Cushman — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:05:15 +0000

Yet the really good books seem to find their way through word of mouth. Blogs play a big part in passing the information. While I used to find great books through my friends recommendations, I’ve found many good books from recommendations of my newer blog friends.

By: Mary Rand Hess

Mary Rand Hess — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:55:52 +0000

Interesting post. Thanks for sharing.

By: Andrea Vlahakis

Andrea Vlahakis — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:14:25 +0000

Great post–and great question. In a way I find it sad. I think we’re not a nation of readers in the sense of being widely read so much as being a people who have to have the latest must-have book. I can’t imagine anyone going out of their way today to read A Prayer for Owen Meany, for instance. (Unless Oprah tells them to.) And it’s a great book. A lot of bestsellers, aren’t. (I was tempted to say most aren’t.) But I tend toward literary fiction, so am I biased?

By: annastan

annastan — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:48:25 +0000

Good point! Since literary fiction flies so low on the radar, I wonder how much of it will be remembered. As for what will endure, I can’t even begin to image what the “classics” will be!

By: annastan

annastan — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:47:03 +0000

Yes, flexibility really seems to be the key. Since things change so much, sometimes even in just a year or so, who knows what the writing landscape will be like ten years from now? Luckily it seems like there are still people out there who enjoy good books, even if they’re not huge sellers.

By: Nelsa

Nelsa — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:16:48 +0000

Very interesting. Makes you wonder who will be the lasting literary greats from the 21st century – all we seem to be hearing about are the best-selling greats.

By: PJ Hoover

PJ Hoover — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:52:32 +0000

Oooh, great question, Anna. It’s very thought provoking. Things are so different now that they were 20 years ago and even were different 20 years before that. I guess that’s where we authors need to be super flexible.