number of books sold

[roger901]

Is there anywhere on the web, where you can find how many books were sold of a specific title. (I want to tell publishers my book is like so and so and it sold x number of copies.)
Thank you

 

[GreenKnight]

I would suggest your premise is flawed. If a book has sold enough copies to influence their judgement, the publisher will certainly have heard of it. If they haven't, the book is not successful enough.

The real problem, though, is that they won't take your word for it that your book is 'like' Book X, the number 1 bestseller. If it is, then this should be obvious enough from the sample chapters you submit to them.

 

[Stewart]

Is there anywhere on the web, where you can find how many books were sold of a specific title.

The only place I know is Book Scan. But their site tells nothing, other than giving contact details for their sales department. I would guess that there was nothing of what you want on the web.

(I want to tell publishers my book is like so and so and it sold x number of copies.)

I have to agree with GreenKnight that your thinking is flawed here. You can compare two books all you want but such comparisons - be it plot, writing style, target audience, etc - will not imply that if one reaches ludicrous sales figures then the other will.

Of course, based on your question, I sort of suspect we're not talking about a normal publisher. Are we?

 

[roger901]

To clarify my thinking...I've written a novel of crime fiction that is Wiccan/Pagan oriented. There is not a whole lot of Pagan fiction out there, and I wanted to show numbers of other Pagan fiction novels that I could at least show a publisher of the market for such work.

roger901

 

[sirmyk]

Your publisher, whether self- or traditional, should be able to tell you how many copies have sold.

 

[rjam2]

I agree the first post may have an impractical use, as originally stated.

But I disagree that it is "flawed thinking" to want to know how many copies of a book have been sold.

The desire for knowledge, so long as it is within legal and moral bounds, is usually a sign of good thinking.

The number of copies of a book that have been sold, is information frequently desired. A large, unmet need represents an opportunity to market a useful service.

It raises legal and moral questions, when people and organizations, thwart reasonable and legitimate needs of fellow humans.

National Security, public safety, and ownership rights for intellectual property and private property, have their place.

But if someone wants to know how many copies of a book have been sold, and especially if the author wants to know; it seems rather petty to block that knowledge. And it seems unwise to suggest that since such information is not available now, it never should be.

Information should be available, if it has constructive and practical use; even if not everyone can find the practical uses.

From what I've seen in a brief scan, traditional publishers and affiliated sources, usually have only the # of books distributed or wholesaled; not the number actually sold or retailed.

Publish-on-demand or self publishers may do better at this.

For small volume books, this could be a service they (or someone) could add and sell for a reasonable fee.

 

[Forest Elf]

To clarify my thinking...I've written a novel of crime fiction that is Wiccan/Pagan oriented. There is not a whole lot of Pagan fiction out there, and I wanted to show numbers of other Pagan fiction novels that I could at least show a publisher of the market for such work.

roger901

There is actually a lot of paranormal / wiccan type stuff out there now a days.

There are even some publishers that cater to that.

Try Samhain Publishing or Llewellyn.

Good luck!