How to Write a Bestselling Novel in Five Easy Steps!

So you’ve got that manuscript saved on the flash drive but you’re unsure what to do next?  You see that five or six other authors have become rich by self-publishing their novels but you’re not sure how to follow in their footsteps?  Learning how to write a bestseller may appear to be daunting, but by following these five easy steps you too can find yourself the author of a suggested download, both on Kindle and Nook.

1.      Be the author of a previously best-selling novel.  Industry research has indicated that nothing is more helpful in writing a best-selling novel than having already written another bestseller.  There is a reason why Steven King and JK Rowling have been so successful:  they know that success builds on previous success.  Follow the example of these authors and you’re sure to find yourself on the top of the Amazon Literature & Fiction to Explore list.

2.      Make use of television.  I can’t tell you how many writers fail to recognize the value of television as a tool to publicize their fiction and add big numbers to their sales.  A single appearance on the Daily Show or the Colbert Report can lead to more books being sold than an entire year of readings on the open-mic circuit.  Don’t be shy about contacting Conan O’Brien or, in a pinch, Charlie Rose.  Jonathan Franzen managed to convert a single cancelled appearance on Oprah into millions of dollars in additional sales.  His model for success can easily be yours as well.

3.      Be famous.  Although many writers cling to the notion of leading lives of quiet bohemian desperation, research shows that famous authors find themselves nearly twenty times as likely to write bestsellers as their unknown counterparts.  Authors ranging from James Franco to Madonna have demonstrated that fame does have its rewards.  While being a movie star or a marquee athlete may be the surest route to fame, you may find it equally lucrative to become a war hero or even an elected official (members of congress excluded).  Follow the example of Ethan Hawke and you too may find your hardcover next to the checkout counter.

4.      Have your book converted into a blockbuster film.   Books adapted into movies consistently outsell those that do not.  Robert James Waller has claimed that The Bridges of Madison County would have never have exceeded its niche as a quirky literary novel if not for the success of the Clint Eastwood film.  I suggest that you follow the strategy of Dan Brown, who frequently compares his characters to the actors and actresses who he would like to star in the film adaptations of his books.

5.      Believe in Yourself.  Studies consistently show that authors who believe in themselves outsell authors who do not believe in themselves by a ratio 100,000 to 1, which, ironically, matches the odds of you ever actually writing a bestselling novel.

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