Why Are So Many Bad Books Published?
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Why do so many “bad” books get published? It's a question I get asked all the time from writers who are frustrated that books they see in the bookstore are mediocre or poorly executed while the book that they're querying is getting rejection after rejection. How did this mediocre story with sloppy writing get published while your novel is just gathering dust?
You're certainly not alone in this feeling — after all, Goodreads has a dedicated list called “The Worst Books of All Time,” so plenty of other readers also share in your frustrations about what's being published.
I've worked in the book publishing industry for nearly a decade, so today I'm going to break down the five reasons why books you think are bad still get published. This is an important lesson for any aspiring author to learn, particularly if you have your eyes set on traditional publishing.
1. They Provide an Emotional Experience
There are several reasons why a “bad” book might get published, but the top reason is that they provide an emotional experience for the reader. That could be the heart-racing suspense of a thriller, or a swoon-worthy love story in a romance, or escapism in a fantasy.
Even anger or outrage is an emotional response that could draw readers to a book. That's why there's often a lot of buzz around controversial books that some readers love and others hate — these debating opinions lead to even more people talking about the book and then purchasing it. How many people read Fifty Shades of Gray, for instance, to see what all the fuss was about?
Many people often categorize books and especially novels as “bad” if they're unserious or have mass appeal, which tends to apply to books that lean more commercial in genre rather than literary. As a book editor, I personally don't agree with the notion that books that are commercial are worse than books that are literary because these books are serving different functions in the market and targeting different readers.
So, even if a book isn't necessarily critically acclaimed — even if it doesn't contain the most beautifully written sentences — it can still provide a satisfying reading experience. Not all books have to be incredibly deep or move the reader to tears or make them reflect on some major life lesson; if a story taps into some relatable human emotion that readers are excited to experience or curious to explore, then it's probably going to find some amount of success, even if its execution is not necessarily top-notch.
2. They Hit the Timing Jackpot
The next reason why bad books get published is because they hit the timing jackpot. Sometimes the popularity of a book comes down to being published at the right time.
That said, it's impossible to try to “time” or game the publishing market. The traditional publishing industry tends to move at a snail’s pace, and by the time you secure your literary agent and then get a book deal and finally see your book on the shelf, it could be a matter of years. By then, trends have come and gone — there's no telling what specific genres will be trending by the time your book is published, which is why you really can't and shouldn't try to write to trend.
That's also why there is an element of luck to publishing. If a bad book is published at the right time and hits on a certain trend, that could contribute to its success. For example, romantasy is a genre that's skyrocketing in popularity right now.
These publishing trends can be frustrating for authors, particularly if you're not writing in a genre that is particularly hot at the moment. But remember it is not a requirement to be writing in a trending genre to get a book deal — every year, there are plenty of books being published by traditional publishers, both in trending genres and in non-trending genres.
Also keep in mind that trends are cyclical; just because your genre isn't trending right now doesn't mean it won't be next year or the year after that. Who knows? Maybe your genre will be the next big thing in publishing.
3. The Publisher Sees Dollar Signs
Another top reason why bad books get published is because the publisher sees dollar signs. Although writing a book is an art form, publishing is a business, first and foremost. Publishers are ultimately going to choose the books that they think they can sell to the most readers because they're interested in making the most profit. So, if an author has a strong platform or a dedicated fan base already, that is going to factor into a publisher's decision on whether to publish that book.
That's why you see a lot of celebrities getting book deals, especially in the non-fiction space. On the fiction side, that's why you see series authors dominating bestseller lists and being prominently displayed at bookstores. Go into any bookstore and you'll undoubtedly see books by prolific authors like James Patterson. That's because authors like these have a dedicated fan base who will continue to buy those books again and again and again, no matter what the author puts out next. In cases where an author is already bringing a strong fan base or platform to the table, execution might be lower on the publisher’s list of priorities because they know there's automatically going to be a certain number of people who buy the book already.
When it comes to debut authors who don't have a platform, execution becomes higher priority — but I don't want this to scare you off because I promise you do not need a large social media following or platform to get a book deal.
4. They Meet Genre Expectations
The next reason why bad books get published is because they meet genre expectations. One thing that popular “bad” books get right is that they target a very specific genre and specific audience, and then they deliver on the experience that readers of that genre are looking for.
Readers of certain more commercial genres, like cozy mysteries or paranormal romance, are going to look for certain beats in their stories. If an author brings a super intriguing premise and has a solid plot, that's likely going to go a long way with those readers, and they may be willing to overlook writing that isn't as strong.
People are often quick to condemn books that maybe are more simplistic in their writing style (again, this applies more to books we call “commercial” rather than literary), but at the same time, that's what makes them more accessible and appealing to a broad audience. When it comes to commercial genre fiction, sometimes the story and plot hold more weight to a reader than the actual writing style.
5. “Bad” in Publishing is Subjective
Finally, bad books get published because what's deemed a “bad” book is subjective. The fact that you see books that you think are bad on bestseller lists and in bookstores just proves how subjective this industry really is. Clearly, not all the readers who flocked to buy that book thought it was bad. And looking back at how that book got published, a lot of people had to believe that it had some merit: first the author, of course, then the author's literary agent (in the case of traditional publishing), and then their entire publishing team.
Every book out there has readers who love it and readers who hate it. Those “bad” books you personally hated probably have some five-star reviews, and if you check the reviews of your favorite book that you love, I guarantee you'll find some one-star reviews as well.
I know it can be frustrating when you're querying and getting rejections to see books that you think are worse than your book get published, but try to take this as an encouraging sign that you will find your audience as well. After all, if the only books that got published were the books that everyone agreed were great, no book would get published because we would never arrive at a consensus. All art, including books, is subjective.
Thanks so much for reading, and happy writing!