Comments on: The Mysterious Science of Bestselling Books http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2007/07/the_mysterious_2.html The Law, the Universe, and Everything Sun, 22 Nov 2009 12:47:09 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.3 hourly 1 By: Frank http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2007/07/the_mysterious_2.html/comment-page-1#comment-53269 Frank Tue, 10 Jul 2007 21:58:43 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2007/07/the-mysterious-science-of-bestselling-books.html#comment-53269 I'll second the Black Swan recommendation. This page may also be of interest: http://nymag.com/news/features/2007/profit/32906/ "Out of every eight books, one is very profitable, one is very unprofitable, and six either break even or lose money." "Best Ways to Make Money: Underpay writers. 'The most-profitable books are highly successful authors early in their career with a contract that doesn’t reflect their success,' says Olson. Some writers sign multi-book contracts, which pay off big if the first book’s a blockbuster." I’ll second the Black Swan recommendation. This page may also be of interest:

http://nymag.com/news/features/2007/profit/32906/

“Out of every eight books, one is very profitable, one is very unprofitable, and six either break even or lose money.”

“Best Ways to Make Money: Underpay writers. ‘The most-profitable books are highly successful authors early in their career with a contract that doesn’t reflect their success,’ says Olson. Some writers sign multi-book contracts, which pay off big if the first book’s a blockbuster.”

]]> By: Keith http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2007/07/the_mysterious_2.html/comment-page-1#comment-53268 Keith Tue, 10 Jul 2007 14:59:27 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2007/07/the-mysterious-science-of-bestselling-books.html#comment-53268 What you're referring to is precisely the phenomenon that Nassim Nicholas Taleb describes in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Black-Swan-Impact-Highly-Improbable/dp/1400063515" rel="nofollow">The Black Swan</a>. Unknown unknowns. Largely unpredictable events that have a tremendous impact. I believe that book sales are one of the very examples that he cites. Once one moves away from the well-known authors and series, it's exceptionally difficult to predict which books will remain atop the charts, and which will fall flat. What you’re referring to is precisely the phenomenon that Nassim Nicholas Taleb describes in The Black Swan. Unknown unknowns. Largely unpredictable events that have a tremendous impact.

I believe that book sales are one of the very examples that he cites. Once one moves away from the well-known authors and series, it’s exceptionally difficult to predict which books will remain atop the charts, and which will fall flat.

]]> By: Matt http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2007/07/the_mysterious_2.html/comment-page-1#comment-53267 Matt Tue, 10 Jul 2007 06:38:56 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2007/07/the-mysterious-science-of-bestselling-books.html#comment-53267 I think you should change your book title to _The Hourly Orgasm Weight-Loss Plan_. If that wouldn't make it a best-seller nothing would. (Or you could always get on Oprah!) I think you should change your book title to _The Hourly Orgasm Weight-Loss Plan_. If that wouldn’t make it a best-seller nothing would. (Or you could always get on Oprah!)

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