What will I learn about: why literary quality is not the defining factor of a best-selling novel, and why predicting a hit has historically been as difficult as winning the lottery?

Understand why literary quality is not the defining factor of a best-selling novel, and why predicting a hit has historically been as difficult as winning the lottery.

What will I learn about: the groundbreaking 'bestseller-ometer' algorithm, which can analyze anonymous manuscripts and predict New York Times bestsellers with an astonishing 80 to 90 percent accuracy?

Discover the groundbreaking 'bestseller-ometer' algorithm, which can analyze anonymous manuscripts and predict New York Times bestsellers with an astonishing 80 to 90 percent accuracy.

What will I learn about: Learn why a novel's specific topics are far more crucial to its overall success than the bookstore genre it happens to be categorized in?

Learn why a novel's specific topics are far more crucial to its overall success than the bookstore genre it happens to be categorized in.

What will I learn about: the surprising truth about what really sells, realizing that crime is the most successful topic while sex is virtually nonexistent in top-selling novels?

Find out the surprising truth about what really sells, realizing that crime is the most successful topic while sex is virtually nonexistent in top-selling novels.

What will I learn about: the art of plotting by focusing on emotion, as data proves that readers crave an exciting emotional roller coaster over high-quality prose?

Master the art of plotting by focusing on emotion, as data proves that readers crave an exciting emotional roller coaster over high-quality prose.

The Bestseller Code

Anatomy of the Blockbuster Novel

Jodie Archer & Matthew L. Jockers

★ 4.4 / 5(47 ratings)

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Science Motivation & Inspiration

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💡Did you know that a computer algorithm can predict with over 80% accuracy whether a manuscript will become a bestseller before a single copy is sold?
💡Have you ever wondered what hidden patterns in plot, character development, and even punctuation separate a global hit from a book that never finds an audience?
💡What if you could unlock the 'DNA' of a blockbuster novel to discover exactly which themes and writing styles consistently capture the hearts of millions of readers?

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Key Takeaways from The Bestseller Code

✓Understand why literary quality is not the defining factor of a best-selling novel, and why predicting a hit has historically been as difficult as winning the lottery.
✓Discover the groundbreaking 'bestseller-ometer' algorithm, which can analyze anonymous manuscripts and predict New York Times bestsellers with an astonishing 80 to 90 percent accuracy.
✓Learn why a novel's specific topics are far more crucial to its overall success than the bookstore genre it happens to be categorized in.
✓Find out the surprising truth about what really sells, realizing that crime is the most successful topic while sex is virtually nonexistent in top-selling novels.
✓Master the art of plotting by focusing on emotion, as data proves that readers crave an exciting emotional roller coaster over high-quality prose.

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from The Bestseller Code

Mind Map

The Bestseller Code

The Algorithm+

Topics Over Genre+

Emotional Arcs+

Writing Style+

Gender and Background+

Titles and Characters+

Industry Impact+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8

According to the book, what is the historical relationship between a novel's literary quality and its likelihood of becoming a bestseller?

A. High literary quality is the most reliable predictor of a book's bestseller status.
B. Popularity and high sales often have little to do with critical acclaim or literary quality.
C. Books with poor literary quality rarely make it to the New York Times bestseller list.
D. Critics and computer algorithms generally agree on the literary quality required for a bestseller.

Question 2 of 8

When analyzing a novel's potential for success, what did the 'bestseller-ometer' reveal about the importance of topics versus genre?

A. A book's genre is far more important to its success than its underlying topics.
B. The topic of sex is the most reliable driver of a book's commercial success across all genres.
C. A novel's topic determines its success more than its genre, with crime being the most successful topic.
D. Topics are largely irrelevant as long as the book fits neatly into a popular genre like young adult or sci-fi.

Question 3 of 8

Based on the algorithm's analysis, what was the primary reason for the massive success of 'Fifty Shades of Grey'?

A. Its highly sophisticated and complex prose style.
B. Its heavy focus on the topic of sex and kink.
C. Its innovative use of a new, previously untested literary genre.
D. Its delivery of an emotional roller coaster and an intimate human relationship.

Question 4 of 8

What type of writing style does the algorithm identify as most common among bestselling authors?

A. Complex syntax with a wide variety of adjectives and adverbs.
B. A simple, clean style with common words and shorter sentences.
C. Clever turns of phrase and highly experimental sentence structures.
D. A sophisticated, highly literary style that challenges the average reader.

Question 5 of 8

Why did the algorithm often score female writers (or those it perceived as female) higher in terms of having a bestselling style?

A. Female writers naturally use more complex and sophisticated vocabulary.
B. Many top female authors have journalism backgrounds, which teaches a blunt, simple, and appealing style.
C. Female writers are more likely to write in the romance genre, which guarantees a bestseller.
D. The algorithm was biased to favor emotional themes over plot-driven narratives.

Question 6 of 8

What modern trend in book titles does the algorithm identify as highly effective for bestsellers?

A. Describing the main character in a few simple words, often using the empowering article 'The'.
B. Using a single, abstract noun to create an air of mystery.
C. Naming the book exactly after the main character's first and last name, like in the nineteenth century.
D. Using long, poetic phrases that describe the setting of the story.

Question 7 of 8

Which verb does the algorithm identify as the most popular in a bestseller because it propels action and moves the story forward?

A. Want
B. Need
C. Think
D. Love

Question 8 of 8

Which novel achieved a perfect 100-percent chance of success according to the 'bestseller-ometer,' despite not being a big hit with critics?

A. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
B. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
C. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
D. The Circle by Dave Eggers

The Bestseller Code — Full Chapter Overview

1Recommendation
2Publishers struggle to predict bestsellers, since literary quality doesn’t appear to be the deciding factor.
3An algorithm for predicting a novel’s success could support the future of publishing.
4Topics are crucial to a novel’s success.
5Emotion in the plot is essential to a book’s success.
6Most bestselling authors skip fancy phrasing and write in a simple style.
7Female authors, or authors the algorithm identifies as female, score higher on style.
8A title that points to a strongly written character can make a major difference.
9The bestseller-ometer can recommend novels and give new authors a chance to succeed.
10Final summary

The Bestseller Code Summary & Overview

The Bestseller Code (2016) reveals the remarkable story behind a newly developed computer algorithm with the power to unlock the secrets behind the most popular best-selling books. By analyzing over a thousand bestsellers, patterns have emerged that show us which themes, plots, styles and characters contribute to earning a book a spot at the top of the charts.

Who Should Listen to The Bestseller Code?

Readers wondering what makes a book popular
Writers and authors looking for widespread success
Computer geeks who love a good algorithm

About the Author: Jodie Archer & Matthew L. Jockers

Jodie Archer is an author and former editor at Penguin Publishing in the United Kingdom. She has a PhD from Stanford University and has acted as a consultant for various writers and literary businesses.

Matthew L. Jockers is an English professor at the University of Nebraska as well as the director of the school’s Nebraska Literary Lab. His previous academic writing explores the field of text mining and the digital analysis of writing.

The Bestseller Code

If You're Curious About These Questions...

Listen to The Bestseller Code — Free Audiobook

Key Takeaways from The Bestseller Code

Learning Tools

Mind Map

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

The Bestseller Code — Full Chapter Overview

The Bestseller Code Summary & Overview

Who Should Listen to The Bestseller Code?

About the Author: Jodie Archer & Matthew L. Jockers

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