The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-10

stock idea rs being applied to books with assort-
ments of fifty or 100 proved titles carried by the
druggist and statiOner."
The Case of Harold Bell Wright.
Speaking rather offhandedly, we are of opinion
that not more than two living American writers of
fiction have achieved anything like 100 per cent.
sale Of their books. These are HAROLD BELL
WRIGHT and GENE STRATToN- PORTER.
We are indebted to Mr. FRANK K. REILLY, presi-
dent of the Reilly Lee Company, Chicago, selling
agents for the original editions of all Mr.. WRIGHT's
books for the following figures:
"We began wrote Mr.. REILLY, with That
Printer of UdeH's-selling, as l remember the fig
ures, about 10000. Then The Shepherd of the
HRLs-about 100000, think Then the others in
fast growing quantities. For The Winning of Bar
'bdrG Worth we took four orders in advance which
totalled nearly 100000 copies. On When Mans
Man we took the biggest single order ever placed
for a novel at full price-that is, a clothbound,
regular $135 book-2500OO copies from the
Western News Company The advance sale of this
1916 book was over 465, 000."
Mr. REILLY wrote at the beginning of March,
1919, from French Lick Indiana. At that time
Mr.. Wrght's publishers had in hand novel, The
Re-CreGttOn OF Brian Kent, to be published Au-
gust q, 1919. They had arranged for first print
ing of 100000 copies, and certain of selling
100000 copies before August as you are of going
to sleep some time in the next twenty-four hours.
1t necessary to make preparations for the sale
of 100000 copies of the new novel before August
81, 1920.
The sale Of 100000 copies of The Recreation
OF Brian Kent within year of publication may be
said to achieve 100 per cent. circulation so far
as existing book merchandising facilities allow.
The sale, within ten years. of 67O,733 copies of
GENE STRATToN-PoRTER story Freckles ap-
proaches 100 per cent sale, but with far too much
retardation.
Securing 100 Per Cent Sale
How has the 100 per cent. sale for the Harold
Bell Wright books been brought within hailng dis
lance?
Before us lies circular which must have been
mailed to most booksellers in the United States
early in the spring of 1919. 1t is headed: "First
Publicity Advertisement of Our 100000 Cam
paign." Below this legend is an advertisement of
The Recreation of Brian Kent Below that is a
statement that the advertisement will appear, 81
simultaneously with the books publication, in ''mag-
aznes and national and religious weeklies having
millions upon millions Of circulation In addition
to this newspaper advertising will cover all of
lows list of magazines, national and religious
weeklies covered by our signed advertising con-
tracts. " So
There are 1872 Of them. The range is from the
Atlantic Monthly and the New Republic to Vanity
Fair and ToDn Topics in one slant; from System
and Physical Culture to Zion's Herald and the
Catholic Meas; from life to Needlecrat; from the
Photopldy World to the Girls Companion; from
the Outlook to the L0okout-and to and fro and
back and forth in web covering all America be-
tween the two Portlands.
The secret of the sale of Mr.. WRIGHT books, so
far as the External Factor is concerned resides in
the fact that his stories have been brought to the
attention of thousands upon thousands who, from
one years end to the other, never have new book
OF fiction thrust upon their attention by advertising
or by sight Of the book itself
Of this External Factor, more in this place next
week
THE BEST OF THEIR KIND.