Book Business

Bestselling Books in 1988

By Dan Balowon June 20, 2023

Today is a look back thirty-five years to the books selling well in 1988. This type of information helps put the present in perspective. Best-selling titles in the broader book market can often indicate what society, in general, is thinking (and reading) at the time. Looking at Christian books during a certain period should also show something about the church.

Doing so is another reminder that book publishing has a history; and if you are interested in writing, it is worth your time to gain some context. Publishing didn’t start in the last year or two; there are reasons why things happen today.

From data compiled by Daniel Immerwahr, currently associate chair of the history department at Northwestern University (IL), the best-selling books during 1988:

Fiction Bestsellers

Tom Clancy, The Cardinal of the Kremlin
Sidney Sheldon, The Sands of Time
Danielle Steel, Zoya
Robert Ludlum, The Icarus Agenda
James A. Michener, Alaska
Judith Krantz, Till We Meet Again
Anne Rice, The Queen of the Damned
Barbara Taylor Bradford, To Be the Best
Richard Bach, One: A Novel
Leon Uris, Mitla Pass

Nonfiction Bestsellers

1. Robert E. Kowalski, The 8-Week Cholesterol Cure

2. Lee Iacocca with Sonny Kleinfield, Talking Straight

3. Steven W. Hawking, A Brief History of Time

4. Donald J. Trump with Tony Schwartz, Trump: The Art of the Deal

5. George Burns, Gracie: A Love Story

6. Elizabeth Taylor, Elizabeth Takes Off

7. Harvey MacKay, Swim with the Sharks without Being Eaten Alive

8. David Cohen, ed., Christmas in America

9. Jean Nidetch, Weight Watchers Quick Success Program Book

10. Michael Jackson, Moonwalk

Christian Fiction and Nonfiction

(from a variety of sources)

Jerry Bridges, Trusting God

Stuart Briscoe, Everyday Discipleship for Ordinary People

Larry Crabb, Inside Out

Elisabeth Elliot, Loneliness

Tim LaHaye, Why You Act the Way You Do

The Life Application Bible: The Living Bible edition

Gordon MacDonald, Rebuilding Your Broken World

Eugene Peterson, Traveling Light

Frank Peretti, Tilly

Doug Sherman and William Hendricks, Your Work Matters to God

Gary Smalley, The Joy of Committed Love

Gary Smalley & John Trent, The Language of Love

R.C. Sproul, Pleasing God

Charles Swindoll, Living Beyond the Daily Grind

Philip Yancey, Disappointment with God

Let’s Talk About Money

By Steve Laubeon June 5, 2023

Hope that headline got your attention! Those of us who work with authors find that an area of consistent turmoil is when money is the topic. A major challenge is teaching authors when to talk about money and when not to talk about money. Let’s explore some of these challenges. And first, let’s assume you already have a literary agent. When to Talk Money With Your Publisher/Editor Never. That is …

Category: Book Business, Money, The Writing LifeTag: Book Business, Money

Will Someone Steal My Book?

By Bob Hostetleron May 18, 2023

It’s a common question I hear among writers, especially among those who are starting out in the long journey toward publication: “Will someone steal my book?” Or “my idea?” Or “my plot?” And so on. Some writers are loath to show their work to a critique group or submit to an agent or editor, for fear that someone will take their title or idea or writing and pass it off as their own. Believe it or …

Category: Book Business, Career, The Publishing Life, The Writing Life

The Never-Ending Stories

By Dan Balowon May 17, 2023

One of the reasons Christian authors can run out of things to write about is they write only from personal experience. Personal experiences are finite, and you are bound to run out of material. Your personal experiences give you one thing that can be used to write a hundred books: a perspective on God and living the Christian life, not only the actual things to write about. So, Christian writers …

Category: Book Business, The Writing Life, Theology

The Landmine of Fair Use

By Steve Laubeon March 13, 2023

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote on “The Cost of Permissions vs. Fair Use” which raised more questions. Therefore, I dug up a post I did on similar concerns. I replay it here to help you navigate these issues. Remember, I’m not an intellectual property attorney; I can only point to current best practices. Steve, What are the standard fair use rules for quotes of other published …

Category: Book Business, Contracts, Copyright, Legal IssuesTag: Copyright, fair use

Voices of Courage: Why Military Writers are Important

By Dan Balowon February 8, 2023

Successful books always come from a writer’s inspired, creative mind and heart. Every time we attempt to make publishing a science, making it more about business nuts and bolts, rather than art, serendipitous creativity seems to find a way around the science, nuts, and bolts. Effective and wise business planning is important, but Christian publishing’s guiding principle should be Proverbs …

Category: Agents, Book Business, Branding, Career, Encouragement, Faith, Inspiration

Money Problems?

By Steve Laubeon November 21, 2022

Money is of significant importance to every one of us. Some writers live on the revenue generated by their efforts. We represent a number of clients who are the main breadwinners in their families. It is unfortunate that the role of the agent is regularly defined by the size of the deal. The film Jerry Maguire made the slick, money-centered agent into a cliche with his client shouting, “Show me …

Category: Book Business, Money, PersonalTag: Money, thanksgiving

Publishing Is Publishing

By Dan Balowon October 6, 2022

Every part of the book publishing ecosystem adjusted its perspective to accommodate both traditional publishing and author-published works. It wasn’t long ago these two paths were treated as either/or decisions; but now they are both/and. Many traditional publishers offer author-paid services, some agents have indie services for clients, and a large number of authors publish both traditional and …

Category: Book Business, Book Business, Indie, Marketing, Self-Publishing, Trends

Write a Fan Letter Today

By Steve Laubeon September 19, 2022

Everyone likes being appreciated. It can be as simple as receiving a “thank you.” For the writer, a fan letter is like a cold drink of water in the middle of a desert wasteland. The writing life is a bit like placing your words into a bottle and tossing it into an endless ocean, hoping it doesn’t sink and simultaneously hoping someone somewhere will find those words and be …

Category: Book Business, Career, MarketingTag: appreciation, fan mail, thanksgiving

Publishers Are Book Investors

By Dan Balowon September 15, 2022

Traditional book publishers have a wide variety of employees, each with different but complementary abilities. Every task required to effectively publish a book is under one roof (metaphorically speaking these days, of course). Everything is geared toward publishing books well. The same could be said of many author-paid or indie publishers. Talented people with a goal of publishing well, working …

Category: Book Business