Today Nielsen Bookscan released their 2011 top 10 (in sales) lists for entertainment, advertising, and television. The Harry Potter films took 2 of the top 3 DVD spots, while The Help didn't make the list at all (although it took both top 2 spots on the adult fiction list--so maybe I'd like the book even better?). I was glad to see Bridesmaids make the list (who said women can't be funny?), and that American Horror Story, in my opinion the scariest show to hit the tube in our generation, topped one of the television lists.
In non-fiction, it's no surprise that the new Steve Jobs hardback took spot #2. I'm not into biographies, but I've heard great things about this one. And of course, heading up the Children's/Young Adult list were Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games books. Haven't quite gotten to those yet, but they're in my One of These Days pile.
What I found most interesting about the non-DVD lists is how DVD-oriented they were. And by that, I mean that even though the lists are for 2011, not all of the books were actually published in 2011. They simply sold the best in 2011. So obviously, the film industry had something to do with book sales this year (I'm sure that's not a first). Only a minority of the books on the Children's/Young Adult list were actually published in 2011, and one was published as far back as 2006. Water for Elephants made the Adult Fiction list, even though it was published 4 years ago.
Been to the movies, anyone?
But I like that films are inspiring people to read. At least we aren't giving up on the written word altogether. Although I do hope that in future years, when (fingers crossed!) my books are on the bookshelves, people will start buying the newly-published. Or maybe I should just push for film rights right from the start and build my audience that way...?
Check out the lists at Nielsen Bookscan.
TJ
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