A book can be sold, but a true reader cannot be bought
A book is more than just a book’s pages. They embody the author’s thoughts, experiences, emotions, imagination, and years of creative work. A good book fosters a connection with its reader that transcends momentary fame or commercial success. But in today’s publishing industry, the term “bestseller” has become a mere publicity tool. Little information is available about a book’s actual sales, yet it can be promoted as a bestseller through its cover, advertisements, social media pages, or authors. This raises an important question: Can the mere label of “bestseller” make a book a bestseller?
Ideally, “bestseller” should imply actual sales and sustained reader demand. When a book sells reliably and transparently, and sells a large number of copies, it can be considered a bestseller. However, if sales or ranking figures, platforms, or measurement periods are not provided, the claim becomes questionable. It’s natural for readers to ask, “Bestseller according to which list? How many copies sold? During what period? On which platform was the book most popular? Is there any independent verification of the figures?” If you don’t know the answers to these questions, “bestseller” will become a marketing gimmick rather than a genuine achievement.
With the advent of social media, this type of promotion has become much easier. Creating eye-catching posters, taking appropriate photos for book launches, making videos, securing support from schools, and receiving reviews and congratulatory messages can all make a huge impact. A book can be found anywhere on the web and thus appear to be very successful. However, there is no clear correlation between visibility and readership. A hundred likes doesn’t necessarily mean you have as many readers. Seeing a photo of someone holding a book doesn’t mean they actually read it. Similarly, having a lot of comments doesn’t mean readers are deeply interested in the content.
You can buy a book, but you can never buy a true reader.
Sometimes, hundreds or thousands of copies of books are sold during a campaign, institutional event, network, or organized promotion. But this is not a lack of sales. Both authors and publishers have the right to profit from and promote their books. The problem begins when sales are exaggerated to create the illusion of popularity. There is not much difference between honest and misleading promotion, but it can have a profound impact on readers’ trust.
This creates a true readership. A true reader buys a book, reads it carefully, ponders its contents, discusses it, and recommends it to others. A reader who reads such a comment is far more valuable than hundreds of artificial promotional comments. There’s nothing better for an author than having someone say years later, “I read your book, and it changed my perspective on something.” This kind of response doesn’t come from advertising. It’s only possible through quality writing.
The problem isn’t limited to book sales. Excessive praise isn’t limited to other areas of art: the same applies to book reviews. In the modern era, almost every new book is called “brilliant,” “historic,” “unforgettable,” or “a work of genius.” When every book is called a masterpiece, it becomes difficult to distinguish it from other books. A good book review focuses on the positive aspects of a book but also highlights its shortcomings. Providing constructive criticism is not an insult to an author. Literature is an important aspect of literary development. If people receive honest criticism, they can improve themselves as writers, and they have a better basis for deciding what they should read.
Readers should consider the subject matter, the quality of the writing, the author’s previous works, unbiased reviews, and suggestions from writers whose literary criticism they respect. Readers should draw their own conclusions from reading this book. Literature becomes meaningless if it is not analyzed and appreciated.
A bestseller is primarily driven by commercial success, while a timeless book is driven by cultural success. Bestseller lists change, publicity periods expire, and market trends fade. However, a valuable book can remain relevant for many years. A book that is little read at the time of publication sometimes becomes very popular later. Its true success can be gradual, as readers discover it, appreciate it, and tell others about it. Word of mouth remains the best and most reliable way to spread the word about a literary work.
Advertising can bring the reader to the book and the book can keep them in the book.
Therefore, transparency in the use of the term “bestseller” is essential. It is crucial for authors and publishers to clarify the basis for making such claims, on which platforms, and over what period. Literary institutions and publishing platforms can also establish systems that keep reliable records of sales and assess actual readership. This will prevent readers from being misled and ensure truly successful authors receive the recognition they deserve.
A work is truly created only after it’s completed. Words like “great,” “popular,” “excellent,” and “bestseller” may attract readers’ attention, but the final decision rests with readers and time. An author can promote a book, but they can’t create a genuine love connection with readers.
There are no statistics available to determine what constitutes the best book in literature – the most important achievement isn’t the number of copies sold. Rather, it’s the number of readers who feel a change within themselves after reading it. A book may be a bestseller, but that doesn’t necessarily give the author more readers. True readers are attracted by honest writing, powerful ideas, rich use of language, and emotional connection.
Ultimately, the market can provide visibility, advertising can arouse curiosity, and a bestseller can make an impression. However, trust is only established by a good book. So, while sales figures can tell us how many copies were sold, it’s only over time that we can determine how many readers remember a book. This is the difference between a book that sells and one that stays.
