On Critiquing Manuscripts & Top 3 Books Per Year

I think today's post is just going to be about what I've been doing lately, whether it's truly interesting, or not....

I've been critiquing my writing partner Lan Chan's manuscript (go find her blog over here) and just doing it in my own way, really. I thought if I'm going to take notes while I read each chapter, then why not write out those notes as coherent sentences and give them to her to read as part of my critique? Thus, I've been doing that, and it prevents me from forgetting largely what my notes mean after I'm done writing them. I think it's a good strategy. 

But, boy oh boy is critiquing HARD! Yeah, it is, isn't it? But, I'm so happy to do it because I also love being helpful and giving her input that will make a difference to her story. And, I have to admit that she really is a fabulous new author who writes like a pro already, so she's made my work a lot easier. Thank you for that, Lan!

Sometimes, I do weird things like research and statistics, just for fun. Can't get any nerdier than that, right? Well, lately I've been curious about the trends that have occurred in the book industry in recent years--namely the trend that has vaulted Young Adult literature over the head of everything else. 

I like to read YA literature and write it, although I read and write adult literature, as well. But, I thought it would be interesting to see which new YA sci-fi/fantasy series were the top 3 sellers in each of the past eight years. I can't even explain why I wanted to do this, but it just popped into my head and I went with it. What can I say?

Since there's no existing reliable way to research actual book sales statistics, I had to do my best to extrapolate from such free resources as Amazon.com and Goodreads.com. This is NOT a scientific nor perfectly accurate assessment, but it's as good as anyone else's not working high up in a big publishing house. From Amazon, I looked at current sales rank because past sales rank is not available, and from Goodreads I looked at the number of ratings each title received from members. These indicate books selling (Amazon) and books being read (Goodreads).

What were the results of my unscientificness? These are new series books and do not include sequel titles.



2012 (so far, but the year's not over yet!)

1. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (released yesterday!)
2. The Selection by Kiera Cass (have not read)
3. Cinder by Marissa Meyer (have not read)

2011

1. Divergent by Veronica Roth
2. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
3. Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi (have not read)   

2010

1. Delirium by Lauren Oliver
2. Matched by Ally Condie
3. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

2009

1. Fallen by Lauren Kate
2. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
3. The Maze Runner by James Dashner (have not read)

2008

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
2. Graceling by Kristin Cashore (have not read)
3. Gone by Scott Westerfeld (have not read) 

2007 

1. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
2. Marked by P.C. Cast (have not read)
3. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (have not read) 

2006 

1. Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz (have not read)
2. Glass Houses by Rachel Caine (have not read)
3. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer (have not read) 

2005 

1. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (dropped)
2. The Uglies by Scott Westerfeld (have not read)
3. Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder (have not read)


I haven't gone back further than this yet, but I plan to. Although, before 2005, YA wasn't selling as well as Middle Grade due to the popularity of the Harry Potter series. But, once Twilight came out in late 2005, it rocked the book world and teen fiction became all the rage for the first time.

I'm really surprised by the Graceling series because I just didn't know it was so popular. It debuted the same year as The Hunger Games, but still did very well, not nearly as distant a second place finisher as I thought it would be. And, I'm shocked by Life As We Knew It doing so well the year it came out in 2006. I decided to buy it on my Kindle because it's only $3 right now! I had no idea it was all that great of a book. 

I intend to read all of these books, even though I've read several of them already, and I pre-ordered Shadow and Bone. I really wonder how that book will hold up during its first 6 months and which 3 books will end up holding those spots when this year comes to a close. 

Stuff like this is so exciting! And, it's a good idea for those of us who write in this genre/reading grade to read the books that impacted in the industry the most from year to year. We can learn so much about the craft and how to write marketable fiction just from these gems out there.