The short answer, is no.
This is a question I’ve heard many times over the years. An author may have a marketing team that utilizes Amazon’s algorithms and paid opportunities to get their new book released to the top of specific categories on Amazon. For example, your book may become a #1 bestseller in the category of women’s health. But does that mean you can start calling yourself a “bestselling author” and using that label in your marketing, bios, and social media? In the opinion of 99% of the literary community, the short answer is no.
“What? Why not? My book was the #1 book on Amazon for three hours!
No, it was not the #1 book on Amazon. It was the #1 book in a single category of Amazon, which is good, but that is very different than saying it was #1 on Amazon overall. After all, there are more than 500 categories on Amazon.
The simple fact is that becoming a bestseller in a category is a paid opportunity, meaning that you can pay someone to help you achieve this task. It has nothing to do with sales—you can sell three copies and become an Amazon bestselling author.
Here’s a quick reality check: Do a simple Google search on “how to become an Amazon bestseller,” and you’ll see results from marketing services with headlines such as the following:
How to Get a Bestseller on Amazon in 24 Hours
How to Get an Amazon Bestseller with a BLANK Book!
That should be a red flag, yet many new authors are so eager to add “bestseller” to their bio that they fall for this gimmick and, sadly, pay thousands—even tens of thousands—of dollars without any guarantee of selling books.
As Brent Underwood explains in his article “Behind the Scam: What Does It Take to Be a ‘Best-Selling Author’? $3 and 5 Minutes,” you can become an Amazon bestselling author even without a book and for less than the cost of a gallon of gas today.
I cringe when I see new authors being taken advantage of.
Why Does It Matter Where My Book Is a Bestseller?
Because . . . being called a bestselling author is a result of making one of the prestigious bestseller lists such as the New York Times or Wall Street Journal. Don’t get me wrong; there are issues with these lists, including editorial bias and authors/publishers who game the system by buying their books in bulk. However, systems and filters still measure actual book sales, so it means something when you’ve hit the “list.” For some categories, you have to consistently sell upward of 10,000 copies per week, for at least two to three weeks, with sales spread out among retailers. This is no small task.
As a publicist, I advise most authors to forget about the lure of bestseller status, at least for their first book, if not for the first ten years of being an author—unless they already have a massive platform in place with thousands of engaged followers eagerly awaiting their first book—and even then, the book needs to be very popular for people to buy it consistently over a few weeks.
Adding “bestselling author” to your bio is not something you should focus on initially. Instead, concentrate on creating a quality book, promoting the hell out of it for at least a year (or seven!), and building a career as an author that will help you earn the title of bestseller the right way so that it has the value and prestige you’re ultimately seeking.
Are there people who won’t know the difference and be impressed by the bestseller title achieved through Amazon? Sure. But anyone in the industry will know the truth. If your goal is to publish more books, especially with a traditional publisher, they’ll ultimately see right through it, hurting your brand and reputation.
Becoming a good author is a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t be lured into the falsehoods and sales gimmicks of those trying to take advantage of unknowing authors. If you can’t add the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, or Publishers Weekly to the cover of your book, wait. It’s not time yet. Invest now in building an audience that loves your work and a platform to reach those readers consistently.
In the words of the great Wayne Dyer, one of the bestselling authors of all time, “Consult your inner-truth barometer, and resist the temptation to tell people only what they want to hear.” I recommend you apply that advice to your situation: resist the temptation to damage your character for a title you think others need to hear. Just saying “I’m an author” is a credibility boost. Celebrate that achievement and make it mean something. “Bestseller” will come when the time is right.
Excerpted from, The Good Author MBA Starter Kit (ebook)
“All overnight success takes about 10 years.” — Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon
FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS, I’ve been a book publicist. I’ve worked with #1 New York Times bestselling authors, first-time authors, aspiring authors, and everything in between. I’ve booked authors on some of the most popular media outlets in the U.S., including Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The New York Times, NPR, Bloomberg, Forbes, CNN, AARP Magazine, Reader’s Digest, etc. My primary experience has been with nonfiction authors in the self-help space, including mind/body/spirit, health and wellness, business, psychology, and some memoirs. Of the hundreds of authors I’ve worked with, I’ve noticed several things that set apart those who are just “releasing a book” from those building careers as authors.
If you’re reading this, you’ve likely wondered why it seems like, for some authors, things come so easily. They write a new book, land on all the national T.V. shows and glossy magazines, and sit on the bestsellers’ lists for weeks, months, or even years.
Meanwhile, you feel like the C-list author waiting in line for the most exclusive club, watching all the popular authors skip past the bouncer and enter through a side door to success. They’re inside dancing and celebrating while you’re out there pounding the pavement, knocking on doors, and still feeling like an outsider at the year’s biggest party.
Photo: Patrik Giardino/Corbis
Or, maybe you’re new to this whole publishing game and want to put your best foot forward as you go out there with your new baby—your first book.
Publishing has many secrets, and many people don’t want to give away the secret sauce. But I believe in abundance—meaning there’s more than enough attention to go around! In my ebook, I teach you the essential foundational tools you need to become a Good Author—that is, one who’s set up for a career as an author.
| The Good Author MBA = MINDSET. BRAND. ATTITUDE.
Why am I doing this, you might ask? Well, it makes publishing professionals’ jobs easier when an author comes to the table prepared, educated in the process, and with the right goals in mind. Authors usually have to spend years struggling and learning by trial and error before they know the tools I’m giving away – it’s like a fast pass to the front of the line so we can all get to the fun part: putting great work out into the world.
The Good Author takes the long view - the very long view.
Publishing a book isn’t something that happens overnight— or shouldn’t be. It’s more like one marathon after another. Writing a book is just the start (which could take years), then there’s producing the book (editing, design, print, distribution, marketing, and promoting, and of course, selling). You might finish your manuscript and feel like you want to sleep for a month; then, someone from the next phase (editing or design) grabs you by the shoulders and escorts you to the front of their line. Becoming an author is an exhausting accomplishment not meant for the weak. It will likely test you in many ways, but hopefully, it will be one of the most rewarding steps in your career. Just brace yourself for the long haul!
10 YEARS IS A THEME
Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, once said, “All overnight success takes about ten years.” And my former publishing company boss also told new authors, “It takes ten years to become an overnight success.” (That scared some but was a relief to others.)
More often than not, new authors see the success of others in the limelight and only know about what they’ve done recently to get media attention. They don’t realize the blood, sweat, and tears that likely went into that moment in the spotlight. When you look a little deeper, you’ll find that they’ve been working toward that moment for years—often 10—by serving their audiences. Unless you’ve survived some miraculous life-altering event, or unless you’re already a celebrity (which likely took at least ten years to become), get into the right mindset by taking the long view when it comes to releasing a book. Look at a decade broken down into smaller increments of years, not months or weeks.
BEHIND THE BESTSELLER TRUTH
I was fortunate enough to work with Dr. Wayne Dyer, referred to as “The Godfather of Motivation” and one of the bestselling authors of all time, with an estimated 100 million copies sold of just his first book, Your Erroneous Zones. People often only saw the results of his success once he was a regular guest on Oprah, Ellen, PBS, and so on. What they didn’t realize is the grassroots approach he took to his author career, relentlessly pursuing bookstore appearances, group lectures, and media appearances to anyone who’d listen; selling books out of the back of his station wagon; and making bestseller lists before the publishing industry even took notice.
THE GOOD AUTHOR TAKEAWAY
The Good Author looks at their book’s publication date as an important milestone for many reasons: it’s a “launch date,” a point of liftoff, and the focus of tons of preparation, but it’s only the beginning of an author‘s journey that could last for many, many more years, or even a lifetime. Maintain a mindset focused on the long game, and you’ll begin to measure success in milestones, not moments.
There is no magic formula for becoming a bestseller, short of building a brand and engaging platform over the course of many years. Selling thousands of copies of a book each week is no small task - and actually quite rare in the book publishing industry. But that doesn't mean you should not strive for this goal! There are some critical elements authors should be aware of in terms of the complexities of the best seller lists: https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/9/13/16257084/bestseller-lists-explained
