Table of Contents

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The Making of a Bestseller synopsis
Authors, editors, agents, experts and booksellers interviewed
Reviews
Table of Contents
The first chapter of The Making of a Bestseller Chapter One

Chapter 1 The Incomparable Thrill
A Mount Olympus for Authors * First the Struggle, Then the Thrill * Tremendous Rewards, But Tremendous Pressure

Chapter 2 Making the List – How they Work
Against the Odds * A Brief History of How the Bestseller Lists Began * How the Lists Work *

Chapter 3 What Causes A Book To Become Successful?
The Most Important Factors * Previous Success is the Key Indicator to Future Success * Listening to the Marketplace

Chapter 4 Reviews The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
The Impact of Reviews * How Books Are Chosen To Be Reviewed * Now Everyone’s a Critic * A Last Look *

Chapter 5 Changes in Reader Taste
Views from the Authors * The Challenges for Editors * The Great (and acrimonious) Debate * Commercial vs. Literary

Chapter 6 Editors and Publishers
The Path to Publication * Authors and Editors Working Together * Why Editors Decline Nonfiction * And Saying No to Fiction

Chapter 7 Literary Agents
The Role of a Literary Agent* Are Agents Supersalespersons, Gatekeepers* Editors’ Perspectives on the Agent’s Pitch* Incredible Competition in the Hunt for an Agent

Chapter 8 Getting the Books on the Shelves and Out the Door
How Bookstores Select Titles * Emphasis on Chain Retailers * Book Clubs * How Bookstores Impact New Authors’ Careers

Chapter 9 Establishing a Brand Image with Readers
Are Authors “Brands”? * Author’s Views on Brand Image * How to Create a Brand * Can Branding Be Taken Too Far?

Chapter 10 Promotion: Publishers’ and Publicists’ Efforts—And of course Bookstores
Publishers Pack a Promotional Punch * Promoting Off and On the Internet * The TV Book Club Factor—The Wild Card of Book Promotion * The Author As Product Spokesperson * The Bookseller

Chapter 11 Climbing the Marketing Mountain
The Author’s Efforts, and Creating Word of Mouth Buzz

Chapter 12 Building A Career
A Tale of Two Authors * Getting Started * Midlist, Front list or Backlist * How Authors Manufacture Their Own Luck * Coming Back For Seconds

Chapter 13 From The Bookshelf To The Silver Screen
The Synergies of Book and Movies * The Process of Adaptation

Chapter 14 Where Does The Idea Come From?
The Magical Process of Inspiration Emeril or Edgar? A Visit To The Idea Factory So Many Ideas, Only One Lifetime: The Process of Giving an Idea the Green Light

Chapter 15 The Process of Writing
Choosing A Genre * Research * Planning and Plotting * The Discipline of Writing * Evolution of an Author’s Style

Chapter 16 The Bestselling Author’s Life
Changes to Their Lives * Money, Money, Money * Could Bestselling Authors Become Even More Famous? * Fame, Recognition, and Let’s Not Forget Money—But That’s Not All

Chapter 17 The Ups and Downs
The Pressure to Stay on Top * An Author’s Time Is Not Her Own *The Glorious First Success * A Perspective on Long-Term Success

Chapter 18 Wisdom From the Bestselling Authors, Editors and Agents