Britain’s Next Bestseller

There’s a new way for aspiring writers to get their books published, and that means there’s also a new way for crime fiction lovers to discover fresh new authors in the genre. Britain’s Next Bestseller might sound a bit like Britain’s Next Top Model, but it’s more like Kickstarter than reality TV.

You won’t see Lisa Snowdon or Tyra Banks on the site, but what you will see is a whole range of books that the website has pinpointed as possible hits. Each author then has to get 250 pledges to purchase their novel, and if they reach that number BNBS will publish the title and send copies out to all the people who pre-ordered it. As a purchaser, you’ll only be charged if the book you’ve supported reaches its target and is actually published. You’ll also get the book two weeks prior to its launch.

It costs £9.99 to pre-order a novel like Mac the Knife by LD Callow – which is currently working towards its target of 250 orders, though prices vary according to length. You’ll find some more crime novels on the site here. They include The Transition of Johnny Swift by Kerry J Donovan and The Cell, The Wolf & The Faith by Cal Sarwar.

If you’re an aspiring author, Britain’s Next Bestseller could be a good alternative to self-publishing in eBook format. You can submit a manuscript after signing up to the site. If it’s accepted, the site will create a promotion page for your book which includes a video about it. If you get enough pledges to buy your book, it’ll be published within about 12 weeks of reaching the target. Also, after you’ve reached your target of 250 pre-orders you’ll recieve £1 for each additional order. After the book is published, you’ll earn a handsome royalty of 50 per cent of net receipts going forwards.

The site is only in beta stage at the moment, meaning they’re still ironing out the design and shaking out any glitches. However the company has been in touch with CFL because of our readers’ past support for new authors.

Visit Britain’s Next Bestseller here.