The real beauty of a number one Western is not really sales or the acclaim, it’s the knowledge that the Western readership has the clout and the influence to send one of their chosen reads to the top of the bestseller chart. It sends a message to the world. That message in a bottle says, “We like this book and we want to see it as the number one book.” Messages, as you all know, are very important. The louder the message, the more we take notice of that message. When C. Wayne Winkle hit the number one position with “Gideon Parnell: The Beginning,” it was a message—and one that said how much readers enjoyed that book, series and author. You see, it’s that kind of message that makes us all committed to making sure readers around the world are given the very best Westerns to read, and that’s why we believe Westerns can be successful for the author who wishes to please the readership.
The ‘formula’ you keep hearing about is a form of message too. It’s a clear indication to the reader that we understand what they have been telling us. We understand what they say they would like, and we are committed to giving the reader what they want. Because of the symbiotic relationship all authors and readers have, it’s important to make sure everyone is on the same side.
“Gideon Parnell: The Beginning” hit all the right notes. The right cover, the right advertising, the right approach. It is a book written to the sales formula. But C. Wayne Winkle isn’t the only one who has been turning out gold using this approach. Far from it. Over the last few months, after implementing the recipe, we were faced with brand new number one bestsellers from Mike Mackessy, D.M. Haggard, and a multitude of top-notch, high-quality top twenty bestsellers from Harvey Wood, Scotty V. Casper, Gene Turney, Charles Ray, Robert Hanlon, Ken E. Consaul and many others. The list could go on forever—but who has time for that? The way readers have reacted to these books shows us that the message has been heard loud and clear, and they want more. I have often mentioned the NEW WAVE. Well, this is a wave that will continue to keep rolling against the rocks and will continue to keep pleasing readers. Everything is done to the formula. The tried and tested always wins out, and now you have to ask yourself—are you ready to use the formula to sell more of your own books?
What is the formula? What is the recipe? Well, friends and neighbors, perhaps you and I need to have a chat. As we move into the new year, I am sure we will find ourselves face-to-face having a conversation anyway. There’s no way to ignore the fact that readers need new stories, and if you have a story for them, you may want to sit yourself down, look at the formula, and sell a few copies of your book. It’s only fair that a reader gets the chance to discover you, the author, and vice-versa. Overall, 2020 was a dynamic and exciting sales year for Westerns, and I believe with the rules that have been proven to stand true, we will repeat the same for 2021.
If you are interested in learning the formula, why don’t you drop me a note below? During this Easter season, it’s always a good time to yell over to your neighbor and say ‘Howdy!’ Well, I’m yelling over to you. Howdy, friend!
You must log in to post a comment.