10 Tips to Write a Bestseller Novel

Some of the most popular books in history include A Tale of Two Cities, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Twilight, The Hobbit, The Little Prince, and The Da Vinci Code. But what sets them apart and makes them bestsellers? Is it their ability to transport readers into a vivid and fantastical world, their captivating characters, their exploration of themes such as love and desire, or their fast-paced and gripping plot? Let's examine the essential elements that make a novel a bestseller.?

What defines a successful novel? The term "bestseller" refers to a literary work that has made it onto one of the major book lists, such as those published in the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, USATODAY, New York Times, or Publisher's Weekly. This is usually determined by book sales in America, which is still considered the ideal market for launching a book. However, there are other monthly lists that can be considered.

Recently, an algorithm was developed to analyze whether a novel possesses the necessary literary elements to potentially make it onto the New York Times bestseller list with 80 percent accuracy. When the algorithm was tested on works by authors like J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter), James Patterson (Women's Murder Club), and E.L. James (Fifty Shades), it predicted with over 90 percent certainty that their manuscripts would become bestsellers.

According to Jodie Archer, one of the co-creators of the algorithm, a successful novel must have the right balance of character development, plot intricacy, writing style, and underlying themes. Their research showed that readers of bestsellers preferred shorter sentences, simpler vocabulary, and stories driven by the voice of a central character. The algorithm also predicted that journalists were most likely to write debut bestsellers, and that bestselling authors tend to focus on one or two main topics for 30% of their book. For example, John Grisham writes legal thrillers, Danielle Steel explores family dynamics and relationships, Dan Brown delves into cryptography and conspiracy theories, and C.S. Lewis tackles the theme of good versus evil. Surprisingly, only 0.0001% of bestselling books revolve around sex, making novels like Fifty Shades somewhat of an outlier. Popular themes among bestsellers include death, marriage, doctors, schools, work, and even presidents.

Examples

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Published in the 1930s, this classic made little impact at first. However, it skyrocketed to become America's top-selling mass-market paperback in the 1960s, becoming a beloved fantasy story about creatures living in underground holes. According to Time Magazine, readers during that time saw it as an escape from their complex reality, where they could easily root for the hero and despise the villain. This simple good versus evil narrative perfectly suited the needs of that generation.

Twilight, Stephenie Meyer

Within its pages, this story showcases vampires, werewolves, and an otherworldly realm filled with extraordinary powers. However, at its core, it is a tale of love between two individuals from vastly different backgrounds. The yearning for companionship and understanding that resides within all humans is mirrored in this narrative. As one reader expressed to the LA Times, "It evokes the euphoria of first love and leaves you wanting to experience it again and again."

10 tips for writing a bestseller novel

A solid idea

The key to a bestseller lies in one captivating idea. While the story may become more complex, the core concept remains clear. For instance, Tolkien's works center around a journey to protect a home (The Hobbit) and destroy a powerful object (Lord of the Rings). Although he dedicated years to building intricate worlds and languages, these ideas are at the heart of his stories.

Plan it

After developing a solid idea, the next step is to map out the rest of your story. While some writers may meticulously plan every aspect, others may have a looser approach. Either way, it's important to have a sense of where your story is heading.

Type of book

To increase your chances of creating a best-selling book, it's important to understand the current market trends in literature. In the past, fiction books have outsold non-fiction, but according to recent data from Penguin Random House, there has been a shift with significant growth in non-fiction. While adult crime and thriller genres still dominate sales, there has also been an increase in recreational, children's, and young adult categories. Choosing between writing a novel or a novella may also affect your success.

Keep the audience in mind

Books that become bestsellers often do so because they resonate with a universal topic. As stated earlier, and as demonstrated in the examples, this can include themes such as the battle between good and evil, theories of conspiracy, challenges within families, or the complexities of human relationships.

Build your world

A writer crafts and creates the world in which their story takes place. The more realistic and detailed this world is, the more captivating it will be for the audience to immerse themselves in. Authors like Tolkien, Lewis, and Rowling spent years perfecting the worlds in which their stories unfold.

Believable characters

One crucial aspect of world-building for readers is creating believable characters. This can be achieved by giving them a well-developed history or backstory that shapes their identity and influences their present circumstances. Relatable characters, with flaws but likable qualities, allow readers to form a connection and root for their success.

Open with a good hook

Grabbing your reader’s attention from the very beginning of your novel is important. There have been some incredible opening lines in novels, like this line from Jaws (Peter Benchley): “The great fish moved silently through the night water, propelled by short sweeps of its crescent tail.” Get the tone and atmosphere right in the opening lines or paragraphs and you’ll set the stage for the reader.

Point of view

The point of view is the perspective from which the story is told. It can be told by a person narrating events (first person) or from a perspective that sees and knows all characters (third person). Most stories are told in third person and more bestsellers are in third person, but there are exceptions. Famous first-person stories include?The Hunger Games,?The Catcher in the Rye,?To Kill a Mockingbird, and?The Handmaid’s Tale.

Plot twists

A good plot twist surprises, keeps your reader guessing, keeps the stakes high, and helps build towards your explosive climax. Obviously, developing plot twists and laying them in the right point of your work is a skill. But it’s worth taking the time to do this.

Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite

The final tip in writing a best-selling novel is to understand your work isn’t complete after the first draft. All it is, is a draft. Revising and reworking to streamline your narrative is important.

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