Customer Reviews

The Making of a Bestseller: From Author to Reader

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This hand-wringing book is about bestsellers; it does not (and can not) define how bestsellers are made. This celebration of creative writing is about writers paying their dues and being discovered. Vanderbilt discusses the effects titles, advertising, author name recognition, perseverance, bestseller lists, reviews, testimonials and blind, dumb luck had on books that made it to the charts. It is a well-written, scholarly study of successful literature with references and footnotes. This book makes a couple of references to nonfiction but is almost entirely about fiction. If you like this book, you will also like Seven Strategies in Every Bestseller by Tam Mossman. I liked them both. Dan Poynter, author of 82 books (nonfiction). DanPoynter@ParaPublishing.com

All book lovers should read "The Making of a Bestseller." All hopeful authors must read it. This isn't another one of those formulaic, "how to" texts. This author has thoroughly researched the publishing industry, and the book abounds with provocative and inspirational experiences. Aspiring authors will be heartened to find the impressive company they're in as the voices of well-known writers speak of the trials and tribulations encountered on the road to publication. Mr. Vanderbilt's book not only provides encouragement to hopeful authors, it presents a frank and invaluable overview of the publication process. No reader or writer should miss this one.

This book was lent to me by a University Professor who recommended it as the most comprehensive and thought-provoking study of the publishing industry he's read in years. I couldn't agree more. As a potential author, I found The Making of a Bestseller an encouraging and thought-provoking work. It offers a clear look into the world of publishing, therefore, demystifying the process for those of us just embarking on this sometimes frustrating journey. Insightful and uplifting, one cannot fail to come away without a great deal of encouragement. I, for one, found myself wondering, if F. Scott Fitzgerald faced similar adversity and prevailed, why can't I? One thing we writers must learn: A thick skin is required in this business. This book is not for the unrealistic or faint-hearted. But neither is a career in writing.

This is a great book and I thought I'd say so. I found an interview with the author on the internet and bought the book. I wondered why I didn't see it interviewed in any of the publications I subscribe to--especially Writer's Digest. Do we really need another Harry Potter review? Everybody loves those books--they sell themselves. Hey reviewers--We want to hear about books like this one!

Whether you're trying to publish a book -- or just enjoy reading -- this book is a necessary delight. From the clever chapter titles to the extensive Bibliography and Index, this book has fantastic info and insider sizzle on each page. It offers practical insights on sales reps, best seller lists, books on consignment, cyber sales, literary reviews and convincing a publisher to take a chance on you in an industry where 500,000 books are published each year and "only a handful hit the jackpot". Wonderfully interwoven are fascinating stories of authors whose wives practiced the sensitive art of selecting the right book title (Steinbeck) and writers who pack their literary offspring into car trunks and drive onto the bestseller list by visiting local newspapers, TV, radio and book shops (Dyer-The Erroneous Zone). Captivating stories and quotes by authors from Jacqueline Susann and Truman Capote to Ernest Hemingway and John Knowles march through this book like caustic, vulnerable and sometimes vicious soldiers hell-bent on winning the publishing war. The elegant language and style of this compendium make IT as appealing as your favorite book. Perhaps, Mr. Vanderbilt says it best: "how ... unknown authors journeyed against all odds onto the best-seller lists is a story that rivals their fiction".

Mr. Vanderbilt's book is fascinating for anyone interested in the world of books. It is well-researched and documented yet highly readable and often entertaining. Provocative issues are raised about the simultaneous need for both talent and luck in the writing process. Many interesting insights into specific experiences of authors and titles read like "inside Hollywood" vignettes. REALLY A GOOD READ!

A friend of mine gave me this book after I got another of the million rejections of my writing. I really liked it because its got lots of interesting information instead of just advise. You can see from what happened to other writers how publishing works. What I got out of it: "Hang in there and keep the faith." :)

Anyone interested in how an author writes a book will surely be fascinated by "The Making of a Bestseller". A must for any writer mystified by how a book finds a publisher and then an audience. This is the book. I found it an intriguing peek behind the curtains of a big business that seems to act like it's still a cottage industry. This book by Arthur Vanderbilt, which I just happened to see at a local bookstore, reads like a novel. Terrific wordsmith! I am so glad I spotted it and have read it. I think it will become a classic. Well deserved, and anyone interested in the world of books would find its reading well worth it.

Anyone who enjoyed Annie Dillard's "The Writing Life" or Eudora Welty's "One Writer's Beginnings" is going to like "The Making of a Bestseller". It is an insightful look at the creative process and a realistic look at exactly what happens to a manuscript once it leaves the author's hands: not always a pretty sight. This book should be required reading for every writer, editor, agent, and publisher, as well as for anyone who loves to read.

I plan to utilize "The Making of a Bestseller" as a text in my creative writing courses. It's a great resource on the writing life as well as thoroughly good reading.