Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Why Doesn't Sci-Fi Hit the Bestseller Lists?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the all-flesh-is-grass dept.

Pomeranian writes "Sci fi readers often deplore book bestseller lists -- because review editors actively ignore many sci-fi sales, since they don't consider that stuff "popular", even though sci-fi titles often sell in far greater numbers than "serious" highbrow lit. But this all might change soon, with the launch of Bookscan: New technology that tracks actual sales at the cash register with greater precision than ever before. When similar technology launched in the music industry ten years ago, it proved the popularity of "new country" and hip-hop overnight. This story in the Washington Post wonders: Will Bookscan do the same thing to sci-fi? NOTE: this is a *shameless* self-aggrandizing plug, because I wrote the Washington Post story! But I figured it'd be of particular interest to Slashdot readers" CD: While I'd love to see lists that are more reflective of reality, I don't think that a pure unadulterated list is in the interest of the reading public. When I worked at Waldenbooks many moons ago, we would commonly receive copies of one book, Dianetics, from the publisher, with our (And our competitors) sales stickers already on them. While this was an extreme case, it does serve as a cautionary tale about the lengths some will go to manipulate the numbers.

9 of 405 comments (clear)

  1. Not New... by Myuu · · Score: 4, Funny

    Shameless plugs on /., no way...when did this start?

    =P

    --

    forget it.
  2. Why Doesn't Sci-Fi Hit the Bestseller Lists? by Anonynnous+Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    My guess would be Harlan Ellison.

  3. The Bible and Shakespeare by bravehamster · · Score: 3, Funny
    Will this new technology automatically exclude these items, like all the bestsellers list today do? Cuz I don't want to have to hear the preacher down at church bragging about "The lords been topping the charts for 36 weeks now!"

    --
    ---- El diablo esta en mis pantalones! Mire, mire!
    1. Re:The Bible and Shakespeare by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      They tend to be worn out by excessive thumping.

    2. Re:The Bible and Shakespeare by Gilmoure · · Score: 3, Funny

      I would just like to say Shakespeare sucks the only reason he is so popular is because he is old and people think it makes them sophisticated because they read that crap ...

      Oh yeah, and his stuff is good.

      --
      I drank what? -- Socrates
    3. Re:The Bible and Shakespeare by Seanasy · · Score: 4, Funny

      If they adjust downward for theft the Bible won't make it.

      When I was a lowly bookseller at a big national chain, *cough* Borders *cough*, one of the most heavily shop-lifted sections of the store was the christian Bible section.

      Sweet, sweet irony...

  4. Sci-Fi Still won't be on the list by Myshkin · · Score: 5, Funny

    If you get an accurate count of books sold, I'm guessing that the only thing you're going to see on the best-selling list is romance novels

  5. What a great idea! by fritter · · Score: 4, Funny

    At last, an empirical method to prove what the best books are! After all, everyone knows that Titanic is, scientifically, the best movie ever made. Finally, my Danielle Steele novels and R.L. Stine paperbacks will get the in-depth, intellectual criticism they've been *begging* for!

  6. Re:Your comments, Sir, irritate me by happyclam · · Score: 3, Funny

    No, no... the assumption was that because you read slashdot, you don't read the Washington Post.

    --
    He looked at me and said, "Kid, we don't like your kind, and we're gonna send your fingerprints off to Washington."