Can Even Bestselling Books Feel Insignificant?

 

Can a book be outsold 95-1 by another book — and still be considered a best-seller? 

Absolutely. Not only can it happen, it has happened. 

On the Publishers Weekly Bestsellers list of November 21-27, the last spot on the Mass Market Frontlist, Rodeo Christmas at Evergreen Ranch by Maisey Yates sold 1,926 copies. Bestseller.  

On the Hardcover Frontlist Fiction, Go Tell The Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon, is No. 1 — and it sold a whopping 182,941 copies! Bestseller. 

Big Shot, the 16th Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, sold half as many copies as Gabaldon this past week, but he sold 18 times the number fellow bestselling children’s authors Rowling/Kay sold this week for Harry Potter: A Magical Year: The Illustrations of Jim Kay.

So what is my reason for pointing out these statistical anomalies in the world of book sales? 

One, to give you hope: You don’t have to sell tens of thousands of books to be a bestseller. 

Two, to show you that even bestselling authors can feel dwarfed by others: There will always be someone that outsells you. So what? You still penned a hit book! 

Three, to remind you that even wildly successful books are bought by fewer than one in every 10,000 people, and that many best-sellers don’t even sell to one person for every 100,000 Americans in the week it hits a best-seller list. 

So, have hope and keep things in proportion. Write. Market. Market some more.

Please Contact Me For Help

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres.

 

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About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on Twitter @theprexpert. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2021. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America. For more information, please consult: linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum.