There are plenty of authors who write for love of the craft. But most of us also want our carefully crafted words to be read by the masses—and maybe rake in some royalties along the way.
When it comes to literary validation, hitting a best-seller list is one of the most universally recognized achievements. Even the most humble writers don’t hesitate to add “New York Times best-selling author” to their bios once they’ve earned it.
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But the reality is that landing on the major rankings takes more than just talent and a killer plot. Becoming a best-selling author is just as much about marketing and promotion as the actual writing.
That can be a scary notion for introverted writers who would rather hide behind their bylines than scream “buy my book!” from the rooftops.
With that in mind, we’ve compiled expert advice to help ensure your next book reaches more than just your creative writing group. Follow these six steps, and you’ll be well on your way to best-seller status.
Quick Links
- Know Your Audience Before You Write
- Choose Your Publishing Path
- Build an Email List
- Build Your Author Brand
- Invest in Professional Help
- Focus on Long-Term Success
- FAQs
1. Know Your Audience Before You Write
Rule No. 1 for becoming a best-seller: The work starts long before the book is released—as in, while you’re still writing.
If you want to set up strong sales from the start, you need to know your prospective audience and write with them in mind.
“Think of what the felt need is and how you’re going to reach someone,” says literary agent Esther Fedorkevich, founder of The Fedd Agency.
“If you’re writing a women’s book on dieting, you need to be thinking: What is going to resonate with that reader? What will the publicity angle be when the book goes on sale? What are people going to be drawn to and remember about the book?”
Understanding your audience shapes everything—from your book’s positioning and cover design to your marketing strategy and the platforms you’ll promote it on.
2. Choose Your Publishing Path
Traditional publishing or self-publishing? It’s a question every author wrestles with as the industry continues to evolve.
While some authors without an established platform may not have much choice (if traditional publishers don’t show interest), the decision isn’t always straightforward, even for those with options.
The best approach is to consider your promotional opportunities and timeline, then choose the route that best enables you to market your book effectively.
“The beautiful thing about self-publishing is that you don’t have to wait—when your book is done, you can have it up as an eBook two weeks later,” says Fedorkevich. “With a traditional publisher, once the manuscript is done, it’s a year or more before your book releases.
“So if you have something big happening—a lot of speaking dates, a timely topic, media momentum—and need your book out now, then you need to self-publish.”
Traditional vs. Self-Publishing: Quick Comparison
| Factor | Traditional Publishing | Self-Publishing |
| Timeline | 12–18 months after manuscript | Weeks to months |
| Upfront cost | None (publisher pays advance) | $2,000–$10,000+ for editing, cover, etc. |
| Royalty rate | 10–15% of cover price | 35–70% depending on platform |
| Creative control | Limited | Full control |
| Distribution | Bookstores, libraries, wide reach | Primarily online (Amazon, etc.) |
| Marketing support | Varies (often limited) | Entirely on you |
3. Build an Email List (It Beats Social Media)
A solid promotional plan should be in place at least six to nine months before your book’s release. Most authors assume this means posting constantly on social media—but that’s not where the real sales come from.
According to Tim Grahl, author of Your First 1000 Copies: The Step-By-Step Guide to Marketing Your Book, social media is often a big time sink with minimal return.
“Social media is the 90 percent of work that gets you 10 percent of results,” Grahl explains. “I’ve launched books with people who had well into six figures of Twitter followers, and the amount of book sales that came from that was pitifully low.”
The solution? Use every platform—social media, speaking engagements, your website—to collect email addresses from potential readers.
“The No. 1 thing every author should be doing, if they’re not doing anything else, is building an email list—that’s where you get direct access to people,” Grahl says.
“If you follow 100 people on Twitter, you don’t even see 1 percent of all the updates in a day. But think about how you interact with your email—you probably look at 95 to 100 percent of what comes in. That’s why you need to show up where people are actually paying attention: their inbox.”
Note: This doesn’t mean you should ignore social media entirely. Platforms like TikTok (#BookTok), Instagram, and YouTube have helped launch countless authors to best-seller status. The point is that email gives you owned access to your audience—you’re not at the mercy of algorithms.
4. Build Your Author Brand, Not Just Your Book
This may seem counterintuitive, but aggressively pushing your current title—instead of promoting your personal brand as an author—can actually limit your long-term success.
Literary mega-stars like Stephen King and John Grisham have built-in fan bases that buy every book they release, almost automatically. That should be your goal—especially if you plan to write multiple books across different genres or topics.
“If you’re trying to build something up for a specific book, that’s really short-term thinking, because this is hopefully going to be one book of many,” says Grahl. “You need people to be fans of you more than any one book.”
Focus on building an audience that will follow your career—not just buy one title and disappear.
5. Invest in Professional Help
Despite your best solo efforts—email lists, speaking engagements, social media—generating massive buzz often requires professional support. Traditional media coverage (TV, radio, major publications) still drives significant book sales, and most authors don’t have producers at Good Morning America on speed dial.
That’s where experienced publicists and book marketing professionals come in.
Meryl Moss, president of Meryl L. Moss Media Relations and founder of BookTrib.com, has helped place numerous books on The New York Times best-sellers list.
“It’s important to hire not just a professional, but a professional team with a track record of success specifically with authors and books,” says Moss.
“A campaign roadmap should include targeting traditional media (TV, radio, print) as well as online media (well-trafficked websites and blogs), securing speaking engagements, launching a social media campaign, and building a Goodreads presence. It should also include unique marketing ideas tailored to the book’s specific audience. A team with different strengths is required to execute a cohesive strategy designed to deliver results.”
What Professional Help Might Include
- Book publicist — Pitches media, secures interviews and reviews
- Book marketing consultant — Develops overall strategy and launch plan
- Social media manager — Handles platform-specific promotion
- Book cover designer — Creates a cover that sells
- Professional editor — Ensures your manuscript is polished
- Launch team coordinator — Organizes early readers and reviewers
6. Focus on Long-Term Success (Not Just Launch Week)
This might sound contradictory in a guide about becoming a best-seller, but hear this out: If your goal is to be a successful author well into the future, obsessing over list placement might not be your most important task.
“Typically, books that hit the best-seller lists do it within the first two weeks of release for two reasons,” Grahl explains. “One, all your presales count for that first week; and two, it’s much easier to get media buzz around new books.
“But I don’t think most writers should fixate on the best-seller list. Some books generate 4,000 sales in a week and hit the list—but then total sales drop off, and they don’t sell another 500 copies for the rest of the book’s life.”
The better approach? Think long-term.
“I’m not after getting a ton of sales in one week; I just want my book to keep selling, keep selling, keep selling,” Grahl adds. “That’s what’s going to get my name out more; that’s what’s going to connect me to more readers.”
A book that sells steadily for years—building your reputation and reader base—is often more valuable than a flash-in-the-pan best-seller that’s forgotten a month later.
What Makes a Book a “Best-Seller”?
The term “best-seller” gets thrown around a lot, but what does it actually mean?
- The New York Times Best Sellers List — The most prestigious list, based on sales data from a curated sample of retailers. Making this list typically requires thousands of sales in a single week, though the exact threshold varies by category and competition.
- USA Today Best Sellers List — Based on pure sales volume across all formats and retailers. Generally requires 5,000–10,000+ copies sold in a week.
- Amazon Best Sellers — Updated hourly based on sales rank. You can become an Amazon “best-seller” in a niche category with relatively few sales—but topping major categories requires significant volume.
- Wall Street Journal Best Sellers List — Similar to NYT, based on sales data from multiple retailers.
Keep in mind: “Amazon Best Seller” in a narrow subcategory is not the same as hitting the New York Times list. Be specific about your goals—and honest about what different achievements actually represent.
The Bottom Line
Becoming a best-selling author requires a blend of creativity, strategic marketing, and a deep understanding of your audience. Writing a compelling book is just the starting point—the real challenge lies in effectively promoting it and building a personal brand that resonates beyond a single title.
Whether you choose traditional publishing or self-publishing, the fundamentals remain the same: know your audience, build direct relationships through email, invest in professional support when needed, and focus on long-term reader engagement rather than chasing a single week of sales.
The path to best-seller status isn’t just about hitting a list—it’s about building a legacy as an author whose work continues to find and captivate readers year after year.
FAQs About Becoming a Best-Selling Author
Q: How many books do you need to sell to be a best-seller?
A: It depends on the list. To hit the New York Times best-sellers list, you typically need to sell 5,000–10,000+ copies in a single week, though this varies by category and competition. Amazon’s “best-seller” status in a niche category can be achieved with far fewer sales. The USA Today list generally requires a similar volume to the NYT.
Q: How long does it take to become a best-selling author?
A: There’s no set timeline. Some debut authors hit best-seller lists immediately; others build audiences over multiple books before breaking through. Most successful authors spend 6–12 months (or more) building their platform and marketing strategy before their book launches.
Q: Can self-published authors become best-sellers?
A: Yes. Self-published authors regularly hit Amazon best-seller lists, and some have reached the New York Times and USA Today lists as well. Success requires strong marketing, a high-quality product, and, often, a pre-existing audience or platform.
Q: How much do best-selling authors make?
A: Income varies dramatically. A New York Times best-seller might earn anywhere from $50,000 to several million dollars, depending on advance, royalty rate, total sales, and subsidiary rights (film, audio, foreign translations). Many “best-selling” authors in niche Amazon categories earn far less. The median income for full-time authors is around $20,000–$30,000 per year.
Q: Do I need a literary agent to become a best-selling author?
A: For traditional publishing with major houses, yes—most require agent submissions. For self-publishing, you don’t need an agent. However, an experienced agent can help negotiate better deals, navigate the industry, and connect you with the right publishers.
Q: Is social media important for selling books?
A: It can be, but it’s not the most effective channel for direct sales. Platforms like TikTok (#BookTok), Instagram, and YouTube have helped launch many authors—but experts consistently say email marketing delivers better ROI. Use social media to build awareness and grow your email list, not as your primary sales driver.
Q: What’s the best genre for becoming a best-seller?
A: Romance, thriller/suspense, and fantasy/sci-fi consistently dominate best-seller lists. However, the “best” genre is one you’re passionate about and can write authentically. Readers can tell when an author is writing purely for market trends.
Q: How do I get my book on the New York Times best-sellers list?
A: There’s no guaranteed formula. The NYT list is based on sales from a curated (and undisclosed) sample of retailers, with editorial discretion. Strategies include: concentrating sales in launch week, presale campaigns, bulk orders (though these are often discounted by the list), wide distribution, and strong media coverage. Working with an experienced publicist helps.
Q: Should I hire a book publicist?
A: If you have the budget and a book with commercial potential, a good publicist can significantly amplify your reach—especially for traditional media coverage. However, publicists typically cost $3,000–$15,000+ for a book campaign, so weigh the investment against your realistic sales expectations.
Q: What’s more important: writing a great book or marketing it well?
A: Both matter, but you need a quality book as the foundation. Great marketing can launch a mediocre book to initial success, but it won’t sustain sales or build a loyal readership. Conversely, a great book with no marketing may never find its audience. The most successful authors do both well.
Last updated: January 2026