Most writers dream of becoming a best-selling author someday. With a global audience, anything is possible. Some books are more likely to hit the best-seller lists than others, however. Why is that? It might be because top-selling books often have several elements in common.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that if your book does not have any of these elements, it’s doomed. Never lose hope. Books that share certain elements often climb the charts quicker than others. Let’s look at what best-selling stories have in common.
If you write a best-seller, it will read like a movie
The books that do the best on the market often compel readers to wish someone would come along and develop them into full feature films. When you read your own book, do you feel like it would make a great movie? If so, then you might have a best-seller on your hands.
Best-sellers often contain simple vocabulary and short sentences
As mentioned earlier, if a book doesn’t have these elements, it doesn’t mean it won’t be a success. Consider Dickens, one of the most prolific authors of all time. Simple vocabulary and short sentences were definitely not his forte. Dickens was known for “waxing on” and on and on. This may be somewhat of an anomaly in that most best sellers simple wording and short sentences in common.
The most popular books have characters readers can relate to
When the characters of a book feel familiar to you, you want to keep reading the story all the way to the end; don’t you? This is because you can relate to the people in the book, even if they’re fictional. Best-selling books usually have this in common. Their characters are relatable.
There is often a hero or heroine in such stories, as well. And the best-selling books take readers on a journey, one that has a climax at some point or a problem to be solved or lesson to be learned.
Bringing your story to life
When you have a story to tell, you must tell it the way you see fit. It’s helpful, though, to seek guidance and support from someone who is experienced in publishing because he or she can provide recommendations to help your book achieve its full potential.
If you want to increase your chances of writing a best-seller, always ask someone to review your work and provide feedback. Even negative feedback can be helpful when presented in a respectful manner. Most importantly, keep the key elements in mind and do your best. You just might hit it big, someday.