What makes a bestseller?

There's no exact formula for putting a book on the bestseller list, but it can't hurt to take advice from a couple of successful authors and a couple of publishing house representatives. At the recently held Manila International Literary Festival, the session on “How to be a Bestseller” was packed with writers and publishers. Xandra Ramos-Padilla of National Bookstore moderated the panel, which featured first-time author Samantha Sotto, popular writer Eros Atalia, sales representative Jennifer Javier of Simon and Schuster and Martin Rino Balatbat, South East Asia Regional Sales Manager of Random House. Eros Atalia, whose book "Ligo na U, Lapit na Me" was made into a movie this year, said his success was completely unintentional. "Hindi ko naman iniisip na may mga interesado sa sinusulat ko," he said. Atalia said that whenever someone asks who he writes for, his answer is the same: "Para sa akin." "Nagkakataon siguro na 'yung sarili ko ay gustong makipag-usap sa mga kagaya ko o katulad ko, pero 'wag lang sana kamukha ko," he joked. "Kung isulat mo ang mga bagay na ayaw isulat ng iyong panahon, at isulat mo 'yung mga bagay na hindi kayang isulat ng iyong panahon, baka ito 'yung tinig ng iyong panahon," Atalia quoted novelist Jun Cruz Reyes, who was his professor. Samantha Sotto, whose novel "Before Ever After" is a bestseller, confessed that she didn't have the answer, either. "I wasn't sure if it was something you could answer definitively. Unlike questions like, how do you find a literary agent, or how do you make sinigang?" said Sotto, who doesn't think of herself as a real writer. Market your book Sotto's advice is to market your book really well. “As the term suggests, 'bestseller' is not the best written book. I know for a fact that 'Before Ever After' would not have done as well if not for the support of National Bookstore and Powerbooks and Summit who've really helped spread the word about the book," she said. Sotto shared that the author's work doesn't end with finishing the book. Even before the launch, there is an endless list of things to do, from marketing events to sending out advance copies. Sotto said that she was given an author tool kit, which was a thick set of documents outlining all the things she needed to do in order to promote the book. "Once I saw that, I knew that the days of recluse writers were long gone. The kit made it clear that my responsibility as an author did not end when my agent sold my book," she said. "I had to be everywhere," added Sotto, who learned to blog, tweet, join countless online forums, create a book trailer, go on a blog tour, and of course, create a Facebook page. Sotto said that while she cannot quantify how much social media affected her book sales, she is certain that without it, she would not be able to know her readers."I wouldn't have known about a reader who had missed her MRT stop because she was so engrossed in a chapter. Or about another one who had painted her fingernails the cover design of the book, and another reader who every weekend reads the book to her blind mother. I'm new at this writing thing but I do know this: knowing my readers in this way is worth more than being on any bestseller list," said Sotto. Javier said that creating a bestseller is really a concerted effort. "Months before the book comes out, everyone goes into overdrive to make sure it happens," said Javier, recalling Brandon Mal's new series "The Beyonders" which debuted at number one. Balatbat said that a lot of things come into play. "Basic marketing sense will tell you that a nice product, a very good network, very good marketing and promotion will sell. In most cases, when you're published by a gigantic publishing outfit, it will work," he said, adding that it has to be a bestseller within the company first. "There's what we call an in-house buzz. If the employees are very passionate about the book, they encourage reviews about it on their own," he said. Sotto added that it's also a matter of economics. If a publisher pays a million dollars for a book, they're going to make sure it's on the New York Times Bestseller list, she said. In her case, Sotto said the onus was on her. "If you don't champion your book, no one else will," she said. —KG, GMA News The Manila International Literary Festival was held from November 16-18, 2011 in celebration of the National Book Development Board's 15th Philippine Book Development Month.