Algorithm Aims To Predict Fiction Bestsellers 146
benonemusic writes "Three computer scientists at Stony Brook University in New York believe they have found some rules through a computer program that might predict which fiction books will be successful. Their algorithm had as much as an 84 percent accuracy rate when applied to already published manuscripts in Project Gutenberg and other sources. Among their findings was that more successful books relied on verbs describing thought processes rather than actions and emotions. However, some disagree with the findings. Author Ron Hansen said style is not the key, but instead readers' interest in the topics in the book." There has been work done already on finding the formula for a hit song, and using analytics to craft a blockbuster movie.
Re:Stagnation (Score:5, Insightful)
On the upside, Noam Chomsky will be overjoyed by this development; soon software systems will be developed to 'generate' hit books. Someone get Angelina (Mike Cook's, not Pitt's).
I see, so Angelina Jolie used to be an academy-award-winning actress, but now she's just Mrs. Pitt?
Re:can it explain... (Score:5, Insightful)
50 shades is a textbook example of a perfect marketing campaign. It cannot fit an algorithm, it's a total outlier.
They sent out press releases to all the agencies about the new phenomena of women using the wonderful anonymity of e-readers/tablets to read Mommy porn, like that "50 shades" thing.
Journalists just repeated the press releases, over and over again, almost exactly word for word, on various networks, because that's a topic that draws viewer attention.
And suddenly everyone knew that apparently a lot of people were reading that "50 shades" book, and that reading it was both cool and risqué. Jackpot.
I read one page of the book that was published on a website. It was worse than the transcript of a reality TV show. it wasn't just bad literature, it was barely passable English.
But the marketing was absolutely brilliant.
Re:If I had a penny (Score:3, Insightful)
So, a love triangle with a vampire, a werewolf, and a girl with the emotional depth of a zombie?