Think Books Become Bestsellers Just Because They're Popular? Think Again!

I hate to break the news to our patrons but the bestseller lists are somewhat rigged. As an author who took advantage of the perfectly legal system writes: "Theoretically, as long as one has enough money to purchase 3000 of their own books while using the tactics of a bestseller campaign to do so, they are basically guaranteed bestseller status." The name of at least one of those games is a company that, for a price, will buy your books via a formula that will not be detected by the bestseller rankers who are supposed to be able to weed out these tricks.

In a post on Leapfrogging.com, bestselling author Soren Kaplan confesses:

I played the bestseller game using unwritten rules. And as I reflect upon what I experienced and learned, it’s clear to me that anyone with enough money can potentially buy his or her way onto a bestseller list. Although most authors attempt to pre-sell books to their existing networks, theoretically, as long as one has enough money to purchase 3000 of their own books while using the tactics of a bestseller campaign to do so, they are basically guaranteed bestseller status. When I have told this same story to friends, family, and my close colleagues, most end up with their jaws on the floor.

Out of the millions of books published each year, very few become bestsellers. Most first-time authors are unaware that these campaigns exist and, if they are, most are unable to apply the strategy because the costs and pre-selling requirements are beyond their reach. In the bestseller campaigning process, a book’s quality – good or bad – has surprisingly little to do with it.

It’s no wonder few people in the industry want to talk about bestseller campaigns. Bestseller lists are revered, longstanding, and – of course – incredibly influential. The fact that it has become standard practice to work the system that determines which titles wind up on these lists is not exactly good PR for an industry that’s already in turmoil.

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So the next time you see a book on a bestseller list, don't assume it won a popularity contest to get there.