Damn! Why Didn't I Write That?

Quill Driver Books

Chapter One

    Could You Have Written Any of These?

    A select representation of the hundreds of titles that earn thousands
and even millions of dollars for their authors every year

    Sales figures given below were gathered from reports in PublishersWeekly, from publishers' catalogs, from book cover crowings (over150,000 sold!), from book Web sites, or from the authors themselves.

     Sales figures for many titles are for one year or less. Some arecumulative over several years. A few "copies in print" figures are alsogiven, and actual sales are lower at press time but may exceed the numbergiven in the near future. Some figures reflect sales of trade paperbacks,others hardcovers. Most are a combination. By the time you readthis, the figures will, for most titles, be substantially higher.

     These figures are accurate enough only to illustrate what kinds ofbooks succeed in the nonfiction market. Due to the many variables involved,it's impossible to provide pinpoint accuracy for any book currentlystill in print.

    This is only a skimming of the successful titles. Although I've includedsome books by famous authors, you'll notice far more from lesserknown or unknown authors. I've left out many for space reasons.

    You can search for the latest best-sellers by category (cookbook,religion, politics, self-help, etc.) at Amazon.com.

    ? Celtic Needlepoint, Alice Starmore, 50,000 copies sold.

    ? Mark of the Grizzly, Scott McMillion, 50,000 copies sold.

    ? Your Baby and Child, Penelope Leach, over 50,000 copies annually.

    ? Stretching (fitness), Bob and Jean Anderson, over 55,000 annually.

    ? The Joy of Meditating, Salle Redfield, 58,000 copies sold.

    ? The Flat Tax, Richard Armey, 59,000 copies sold.

    ? How to Live With a Neurotic Dog, Stephen Baker, 60,000 copies sold.

    ? Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English, Patricia O'Conner, 60,000 copies sold.

    ? Surviving the Breakup (effects of divorce on the family), Judith Wallerstein, 60,000 copies sold.

    ? Miracles Happen When You Pray: True Stories of the Remarkable Power of Prayer, Quin Sherrer, 61,400 copies sold.

    ? Been There, Should've Done That: 505 Tips for Making the Most of College, Suzette Tyler, 62,000 copies sold.

    ? Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong, James Loewen, 62,000 copies sold.

    ? The Quotable Star Wars, Stephen Sansweet, 63,000 copies sold.

    ? Paint Your House With Powdered Milk, and Hundreds More Offbeat Uses for Brand-Name Products, Joey Green, 63,000 copies sold.

    ? Fingerprints of the Gods (evidence of a lost civilization), Graham Hancock, 65,000 copies sold.

    ? You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Stupid or Crazy?!: A Self-Help Book for Adults With Attention Deficit Disorder, Kate Kelly and Peggy Ramundo, 65,000 copies sold.

    ? 101 Best Home-Based Businesses for Women, Priscilla Huff, over 65,000 copies sold.

    ? The Western Guide to Feng Shui, Terah Collins, 66,000 copies sold.

    ? Breaking the Rules: Last Ditch Tactics for Landing the Man of Your Dreams, Laura Banks and Janette Barber, 67,200 copies sold.

    ? Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus, Lee Strobel, 67,926 copies sold.

    ? Raising a Daughter, Jeanne and Don Elium, 69,000 copies sold.

    ? Do What You Are: Discover the Perfect Career for You Through the Secrets of Personality Type, 2nd Ed., Paul Tieger and Barbara Barron-Tieger, 69,000 copies sold.

    ? Almost Vegetarian (cookbook), Diana Shaw, 70,000 copies sold.

    ? 199 Great Home Businesses You Can Start For Under $1,000, Tyler Hicks, 70,000 copies sold. This is one of many similar home business titles Hicks has written, with total sales in the millions.

    ? The Bindi Body Art Kit (instruction book, bindi paint, and removable, self-stick jewels for 12, 13 and 14-year-olds), Beth Margetts, 70,000 copies sold.

    ? The Patient's Guide to Prostate Cancer, Marc Garnick, 70,000 copies sold.

    ? The Complete Potter's Companion, Tony Birks, 70,000 in sales to date, with 10,000 selling annually.

    ? From Panic to Power (anxiety control), Lucinda Bassett, 72,000 copies sold.

    ? Civil War Curiosities, Webb Garrison, 73,728 copies sold.

    ? A Woman's Guide to Tantra Yoga, Vimala McClure, 75,000 copies sold.

    ? Smart Love: The Compassionate Alternative to Discipline That Will Make You a Better Parent and Your Child a Better Person, William J. Pieper and Martha Heineman Pieper, 75,000 copies sold.

    ? 1001 Sex Secrets Every Woman Should Know, Chris Allen, over 75,000 copies sold.

    ? The Modern Man's Guide to Life, Denis Boyles, over 75,000 copies sold.

    ? 1001 Sex Secrets Every Man Should Know, Chris Allen, over 75,000 copies sold.

    ? DK Children's Illustrated Encylopedia, 76,000 copies sold.

    ? The World's Best-Kept Diet Secrets, Diane Crow, 76,500 copies sold.

    ? You Know You're Anonymous in Washington When ..., Anonymous, 78,000 copies sold.

    ? Wonderful Ways to Love a Child, Judy Ford, 79,772 copies sold.

    ? Starting on a Shoestring; Building a Business Without a Bankroll, Arnold Goldstein, 80,000 copies sold.

    ? The World's Dumbest Criminals, Daniel Butler and Alan Ray, 80,000 copies sold.

    ? Life's Little Frustration Book, Jerry McTigue, 80,000 copies sold.

    ? The Next Place (a juvenile title on death and dying), Warren Hanson, over 80,000 copies sold.

    ? 97 Ways to Make Baby Laugh, Jack Moore, 81,000 copies sold.

    ? Polish Your Furniture With Pantyhose, Joey Green, 85,000 copies sold. This is a book about alternate uses for common household products of all things. Note that he is also the author of Paint Your House With Powdered Milk; publishers love spinoffs!

    ? Make Your Own Time Capsule, Steven Caney, 88,000 copies sold.

    ? Reading People, Jo-Ellan...