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The truth about “Best Sellers”

Good Morning- October and the fall weather are among us. Which means cooler weather and holidays. With Halloween on the horizon, consumers in the United States are expected to spend $12.2 Billion on the holiday with costumes, candy, decorations, etc. A $2.1 Billion increase from 2021.

The Truth

The New York Times best-seller list has long been a benchmark of literary success, but recent developments have raised questions about its objectivity. The Times admitted an "editorial" component, adding subjectivity to its rankings. This revelation sparked debates about the list's credibility, as it's now apparent that book placement isn't solely based on sales figures.

The Subjective Side of Best Sellers

The New York Times recently admitted that there's an "editorial" part in how they make their best-seller list. This means it's not all about numbers; it involves someone's judgment. This has raised questions about how fair and objective the list really is.

In response to this, many in the book industry are turning to Nielsen for a more clear-cut and numbers-based alternative. Nielsen focuses only on actual sales data, which is different from the New York Times' more secretive method.

Cracking the Code Behind the List

The New York Times keeps the exact details of how they create their list a secret. People in the book world have some ideas about where they get their data, like Amazon, ReaderLink, individual stores, and BookScan, but the Times says they don't use these data aggregators.

Some say that the Times might consider things like where the book is sold and who's buying it when deciding rankings. But the Times insists it's all about how many copies are sold.

Strategies to Become a Best Seller

Authors and publishers have different tricks up their sleeves to get on the list. They use strategies like preorders and speaking engagements. Some even do what's called "bestseller campaigns," where they buy their own books to boost their sales numbers.

There have been some controversies lately, like books finding sneaky ways to get on the list or claims that the list has a political bias. But if you look back in time, you'll see that many different authors and publishers from all political backgrounds have made it onto the list.

In Conclusion: Navigating the World of Best Sellers

The New York Times best-seller list is still a big deal in the book world. But it's not as straightforward as it seems. As things change, it's important to realize that what makes a book a "best seller" is not as straightforward as the title seems.

This weeks newsletter will be very short, I’m on Vacation in Maui, Hawaii at the moment. The Voyage will be back in full swing next week.

Talk soon..