Ch. 53 | How to Become a New York Times Bestseller
Show Notes
On today's chapter of the Word Weaver Podcast I’m diving headfirst into a highly Googled topic for most writers and aspiring authors, and that is how to land your book on the coveted New York Times bestseller list.
For many of us, the credibility, ego boost, bragging rights, external validation and readership that come along with this prestigious credential after years of toiling away behind a keyboard = the equivalent of our Super Bowl ring or Olympic gold medal. Becoming a NYT bestselling author is traditionally seen as the holy grail for an author in the publishing world.
However, it’s important to note that the NYT bestseller list is not a true measure of bestselling status, which accounts for total actual sales. It’s largely controversial, as the list is subjective and a lot of the criteria is reportedly a “trade secret,” meaning a lot of it is arbitrary and has been subject to curated elitism.
That being said, if you, like many writers, have your heart set on becoming a New York Times bestselling author, I chat about what it takes to get on the list including:
Understanding what the NYT is looking for exactly
Obtaining fast sales, captured within a week, not cumulatively (Think: 10,000 min copies in 7 days, again this is relative/can vary, but in case you really are just looking for a ballpark number)
Diversity of sales across multiple retailers throughout the country
Establish a large author platform
Have a pre-order email list before you launch
I also discuss the importance of pre-order sales (probably your best bet for having a shot of getting onto a bestseller list)!
Word Weaver Podcast Links
Instagram: @wordweaverpodcast
Website: louiseclairejohnson.com/podcast
#wordweaverpodcast
Intro Song: Late July by Shakey Graves
Outro Song: Way With Words by Bahamas
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