I would like to start hunting for wishlisted books to post, but there are so many on the Club Wishlist, I'm overwhelmed.

Any suggestions on how to decide which books to look for when I am out at yard sales, used book stores, etc..?

Cookbooks are always a big hit. People also have had a lot of luck with more recent nonfiction, paranormal romance, craft books (just make sure they're books, not a single craft pattern or booklet), etc.

You can print the top 50 as a guide, but pretty much anything that's a recent bestseller is likely to be snatched up pretty quickly. Also, be sure to avoid the top 50 posted, as those have hundreds of copies in the system already.

If you find a bunch of books but it turns out they're already in the system, go to the bazaar and advertise your shelf. If you even mention "I've got cookbooks" people will go and check out your shelf. :)

Also, if you're not looking to read before posting, do the finances on the cost of book plus shipping vs the cost of a credit. Unless you're wanting to be a very generous "book fairy", you'll want to target a total cost of $3.50 or less per book.

Good luck!

Michael,

Under 'Community', click on Top 50's and you can see the top 50 Requested and Wishes.  While you might not come across those particular books you can get a sense of some favorite authors.

You might also check 'Under the Hood' at the bottom of this page.

Another place to look is in the forums, especially 'Hidden Gems' and 'Book Bazaar'.  Members are making all kinds of requests and suggestions there.

When I am yard-saling for books, I am always drawn to the larger paperback trade-size that are quite newly published.  Usually those aren't so over-listed as older mass market books might be.

Hope some of these suggestions are helpful!  Happy hunting!

If you find a good deal on audio-cd's those usually go quickly if they aren't WL. I've found that erotic and paranormal romances go pretty quick.  Cooksbooks are a good bet.  A lot of the heavier, more expensive craft type books are usually a good bet if you can get them cheap.   I hadn't used many of my craft and cookbooks in years. So when I found out we were moving cross-country, I posted all but a couple favorites and almost all were WL.  Even the super heavy sewing book that weighed over 3lbs was only $3.50 to mail.   

There's no way to have the whole WL with you when you're out-it's just too long.  So I usually just stick with genres I like and might be interested in reading myself and browse that and see what's WL.  I'll also keep an eye out for books like Eat, Pray, Love or Water for Elephants that I know have long WL lines. 

Man!  I love these suggestions.  I will certainly try them.  Thanks so much and keep em coming!!

If you can get the internet on your phone, go to www.paperbackswap.com/mobile 

Enter the isdn number and do a search for wish list books.  A few seconds and it will tell you how many if any are wishing. Some of the strangest books are being wished for.

I use this feature quite a bit. It has saved me from having a huge bookshelf because books I thought might be wished for, were not always the case. On the other hand, books that I didn't think anyone would be wishing for had quite a list.

  I'm always on the lookout for books when I go yard saling.  Cookbooks for sure, even the community and church type books go quickly here. You have to post  them under "no isbn" but after I advertised in the Book Bazaar they were gone within hours.     Erotica, paranormal romance, cozy mysteries,(these are mysteries with a theme like coffee houses, caterers, florists, etc   and very little graphic violence or sex)  pretty much most of the vampire/werewolf type of books go fast as well.   There are several members always on the lookout for books on Autism. I picked up two fairly new ones a few weeks ago for .25 each and they were both WL.   

    Crafting, sewing, knitting, crocheting are also very big WL items here as well.    I tend to look for what I read, and if I see anything that looks good, and the price is right, I'll pick those up as well.  

You know, everyone says cookbooks go fast, but I have some pretty interesting cookbooks on my shelf that are not being requested!  Harumph...  :)

Go scope out the genre forums.  You'll learn pretty fast who the most popular authors are.  Buy books written by those authors.  They may not be wishlisted, but will move off your shelf faster.

In general (and that's a pretty broad statement), the following types of books move quickly and/or tend to be wishlisted.  I shop a lot of FOTL sales, so I know whereof I speak!

Cozy mysteries (published after 2000)

Memoirs of all kinds

Paranormal non-fiction, paranormal mystery and paranormal romance (NOT regular romance)

Newer Novels

Some mysteries, but you have to be very careful with this genre because only certain mysteries move fast.  Most sit on your shelf a while.    I've notice that both modern cozy mysteries and historical mysteries of all kinds move pretty fast.

True crime

Newer cookbooks

Historical fiction - especially if it was published in the last few years

Christian fiction - again especially if it was published in the last few years

Newer Chick Lit 

Fantasy series books - especially young adult fantasy series books

Stay AWAY from:  romance that isn't paranormal, and anything written by massively popular authors like Grisham, James Patterson, Nora Roberts, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, etc.  (unelss it was published in 2008 - in which case it's OK)

Lynne has some great suggestions there, and I agree with her lists. One thing I would add would be any type of Pagan/Wiccan books--either reference books, spellbooks, pagan history books, etc....those are almost always wishlisted and if not, they are snapped up within a couple of days.

For mysteries, often the more obscure series are wishlisted--I have many series books on my WL for example that are not what you'd call 'hugely popular' books/series/authors, but are recognized as 'quality series' by those in the "mystery community." Most have just a few people (often 5-10 or so) wishing for them but they are seldom posted so you sit waiting for them forever it seems like--those are the ones I always love to get, even moreso than the really popular ones!

Cheryl

Cheryl, I noticed your not 'hugely popular' comment and I can relate. I checked your WL and saw you have two of Elena Santangelo's on it. I just recently discovered her and am reading "Hang My Head and Cry" now.  I'm just sorry there are only three in the series.

Many of the above suggestions are really good.  I find that usually anime/manga books go quickly also.

I've like to browse the new WL additions.  You can get an email daily with a link to stuff placed on WL the day before.  You can drill it down to specific genres if you like.  I find after looking at that for a few days, I have a better idea what books and authors are gettting put on WL a lot.  Some I've never heard of but I recognize the names or covers when I'm out shopping.

I have told people that if it has vampires in it -it' will go fast!  I don't like vampire type books - but many do.  The science fiction/fantasy (not romantic fantasy - but many people like them, too)  have lots of wishers.  I tend to put books I run across with lots of wishers on them onto my Reminder list.   The Christian books I've found are over-populated here.  Everyone else's mothers must be like mine and send them all the same books I receive. :D

The thing I found interesting was when my daughter gave me her horse training and maintenance books because medically she can no longer be around horses (it broke her heart) and they  went within hours of my posting them.  I was amazed.  Wish I had more! 

Also there are many  people who want Revolutionary and Colonial American history books (not textbooks).  I just bought a few for my husband for his birthday at  bargain prices from Amazon.  They all have WL's.

About the cookbooks - I was amazed to see that there are 173 people wanting  Sandra  Lee's  Semi-Homemade Crockpot Cookbook!  There are 46 waiting for Lynn Abbey's crock pot cook book!

Books on health issues seem to have some WL's.

Really wish I had more books on horses.  LOL!!

I'm loving these suggestions!!  Thanks again.  I do have a couple of questions - one not related to the WL books question.

1.  What does FOTL mean?

2.  I have 2 books that I have been trying to upload pictures for the covers to, but they are not appearing.  They are both under 5 MB.  Why wouldn't they be accepted??  Any ideas?

___________________________________________

I got my uploading problem resolved and thanks for the info on FOTL !!  I have also picked up a few good books from our local library.  I'm good to go!!

FOTL is Friends of the Library, the volunteer organization that helps the libraries.    Most FOTL organizations host sales of books to raise money for the library.

Michael, did you upload from the book data page or the Upload Book Covers link? If you did the former, re-submit using the latter. There's some sort of bug with the former.

The UBC link is at the bottom of the page. If you use it, wait a few days. They have to be approved before they'll show up. :)

most of jodi picoults books are wishlisted

If you go to freecycle.org and sign up to be a member of their Yahoogroup you can find all kids of great things you might want that other people don't but prefer to give them away instead of throwing them away.  My daughter has got her baby girl clothed up to 5 yrs old now for free - and many were brand new and never worn clothes.  some were high dollar lables, too.  She's gotten a lot of other great things as well including furniture. 

But she keeps her eyes open for  the books for me.  She got me several great books to put on my PBS bookshelf and even a couple that were on my own wish list.  Each town or area of the country has it's own local group so it's not like you are going to be shipping things or mailing them.  You just make arrangements to meet or to pick up whatever you're lucky enough to lay claim to.  It's a great thing for everyone.  I would imagine that you might get some books that aren't WL'ed but those you could add as freebies or put into BB's or even leave around your area for people to find and read for free!  I don't do the official bookcrossing thing - but I do leave books in public for others to find.