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What Makes a Book a Bestseller?

What makes a book a bestseller? This article includes a bestselling book definition, the difference between bestselling books and critically acclaimed books, the benefits of being a bestselling author, and the four different types of bestselling books. It also talks about how many copies of a book must be sold for it to become a bestseller, the three different types of bestseller lists, and the most popular bestseller lists. This article is part of a series about how to become a bestselling author, written by a former literary agent who’s helped 400+ authors get literary agents and/or traditional publishers.

Bestseller Book Definition

Every author—and everyone who works in the publishing industry—is familiar with the term “bestselling book.” But what does it really mean? Part of what makes a book a bestseller is obvious: lots of sales. But there’s more to it than that. For example, a book doesn’t have to be beautifully written or “literary” to become a bestseller. It also doesn’t need to be meaningful or have cultural importance. However, every bestselling book must have a concept and content appealing to a broad audience.

What makes a book a bestseller? Bestselling books are usually featured on a major bestseller list, such as the New York Times, and sell more than other books in their category. Many have significant cultural impact. Other metrics used to determine which books become bestsellers include the time frame of the sales, the format of the book, and the geographical region. Bestselling authors generally have more distribution, marketing and promotion, recognition, credibility, respect, income, and impact.

Bestselling Authors vs. Critically Acclaimed Authors

Being a bestselling author isn’t necessarily synonymous with critical acclaim. While some books achieve both commercial and critical success (To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is an example), others may excel in one area but not the other.

• Bestselling Authors: Their books achieve widespread popularity and financial success, regardless of critical reception.
• Critically Acclaimed Authors: Their works are celebrated for literary merit but may not achieve mass-market appeal.

Authors like J.K. Rowling and Stephen King have managed to bridge this gap, earning commercial success and critical respect.

Benefits of Being a Bestselling Author

Being a bestselling author can have three types of benefits:

1. Personal: You can’t put a price on the joy that comes with your books being recognized, and developing a reputation for success.
2. Financial: Higher book sales often lead to larger advances and royalties; audio book adaptation; international editions and translations; TV, movie, streaming, or stage adaptation; merchandising and gaming deals; opportunities to publish additional projects; and other opportunites such as speaking and appearances.
3. Cultural: Bestselling books often shape cultural conversations, trends, and societal norms, making their authors influential voices.

How Many Book Copies Sold Make a Bestseller?

The number of copies a book must sell to become a bestseller varies. It’s safe to assume a book is a bestselling book if it’s sold millions of copies. But what about hundreds of thousands of copies? Tens of thousands of copies? Thousands of copies? You don’t need to sell millions of copies for your book to become a bestseller, but it usually needs to be many thousand.

Some bestselling books don’t appear on bestseller lists because they sell well over time—but there’s never a week in which their sales are so high that the book appears on a weekly bestseller list. The New York Times and others track which books sell the most copies each week. Only books that outsell other books in in their category appear on the list.

You can’t always tell if a book is a bestseller based on the number of copies it’s sold. For example, you’d need to sell many more copies of a mystery than you would for a nonfiction book about palm trees. That’s because there are a lot more mysteries published each year than books about palm trees.

Types of Bestselling Books

Most authors want to writing bestselling books because they know the term “bestseller” is shorthand for popularity and/or quality. Using the bestselling book label can influence people’s opinion of you and your work, and cause people to purchase your books. However, not all bestselling books are created equal. Which of the following bestselling book category would you prefer?

1. Major: The most commonly recognized bestselling book is one that has appeared on one of the most prestigious national or international bestseller lists such as that of The New York Times.
2. Minor: These are smaller, less-recognized but legitimate bestseller lists that are often regional or niche-specific.
3. Vanity or “In Name Only”: Some authors want to say they’re bestselling authors so badly, they’ll pay for a marketing program that helps them create an “Amazon bestselling book.” They promote their book heavily during a short period of time with the goal of getting enough people to buy their book to make it a bestseller in one or more categories. That way they can use the “Amazon bestseller” label. However, most authors who do this sell very few books (less than 100) during this period, and the “category” they become a bestseller in isn’t a major category like “mystery.” It’s typically a small sub-category like “1800s Welsh Mysteries.”
4. No List: Some bestselling books never appear on a major or minor list, but they’re bestsellers. You need to sell a lot of books in very short amount of time to appear on a major bestseller list. However, many books by bestselling authors sell very well, but slowly but steadily. Examples of successful authors who’ve never consistently appeared on bestseller lists include James Salter, Sylvia Plath, and Anna Sewell (the author of Black Beauty). Many bestselling authors who’ve written books in this category wouldn’t trade the number of books they’ve sold and their financial success for an appearance on a major bestseller list.

Lists of Bestselling Books

For a book to be officially labeled a bestseller, it typically needs to appear on one of the major bestseller lists. Each list has its own methodology.

Major Bestseller Book Lists

Bestselling book lists are benchmarks of literary success, showcasing titles that have achieved significant commercial popularity. These lists not only influence readers’ purchasing decisions but also highlight the books that shape cultural conversations. Here’s an overview of the major bestselling book lists, each with its unique criteria and significance.

1. The New York Times Bestseller List

Overview: Arguably the most prestigious book list, the New York Times Best Seller List has been a trusted indicator of literary success since 1931. Being featured on this list elevates an author’s credibility and significantly boosts book sales.

Key Features:

• Categorized into fiction, nonfiction, children’s books, graphic novels, and more.
• Tracks sales across a wide range of retailers, including independent bookstores, chains, and online platforms.
• Considers diversity of sales channels; bulk purchases may be discounted in their calculations.

2. USA Today Bestselling Books

Overview: The USA Today list ranks the top 150 books across all genres and formats, offering a comprehensive view of what’s popular in the market. This list provides a straightforward snapshot of the nation’s bestselling books without subjective curation.

Key Features:

• Combines sales data from print, eBook, and audiobook formats.
• Focuses solely on raw sales numbers, without weighting for retailer diversity.
• No genre-specific or category distinctions; all books compete on the same list.

3. Amazon Bestsellers

Overview: Amazon, as the world’s largest bookseller, offers a real-time list of the top-selling books across multiple categories. Its accessibility and up-to-the-minute updates make it a valuable tool for authors and readers looking to identify trending titles.

Key Features:

• Updated hourly, providing immediate insight into sales trends.
• Includes subcategories for niche genres, giving visibility to a wide range of books.
• Tracks eBooks (Kindle), print books, and audiobooks separately.

4. Indie Bestseller List

Overview: Compiled by the American Booksellers Association (ABA), this list reflects sales from independent bookstores across the United States. This list highlights books that resonate with readers who value unique, curated literary experiences.

Key Features:

• Categories include adult fiction, nonfiction, children’s books, and regional bestsellers.
• Prioritizes books popular in indie bookstores, often spotlighting lesser-known titles.
• Data is collected weekly from participating independent retailers.

5. Publishers Weekly Bestsellers

Overview: Publishers Weekly (PW), a leading industry publication, provides a bestseller list based on sales data from major retailers. PW’s list serves as a respected resource within the publishing industry, often used by professionals for market analysis.

Key Features:

• Offers category-specific lists, including hardcover fiction, trade paperbacks, mass market titles, and children’s books.
• Uses sales figures from outlets like Barnes & Noble, independent bookstores, and major online platforms.
• Often includes industry analysis and trends.

6. The Wall Street Journal Bestsellers

Overview: The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) bestseller list is a concise weekly ranking of the top-selling books. The WSJ’s emphasis on business and nonfiction titles makes it a key list for professionals and thought leaders.

Key Features:

• Based on sales data compiled by NPD BookScan, which tracks over 85% of U.S. book sales.
• Includes categories like fiction, nonfiction, business, and children’s books.
• Focuses on print books, excluding eBook and audiobook sales.

7. Apple Books Bestsellers

Overview: Apple Books provides a digital bestseller list based on sales and downloads from its platform. This list is a vital resource for authors focusing on digital-first strategies.

Key Features:

• Focuses on eBooks and audiobooks.
• Offers genre-specific rankings, including romance, thrillers, and self-help.
• Updated regularly, reflecting current trends in digital reading.

8. The Globe and Mail Bestsellers (Canada)

Overview: Canada’s The Globe and Mail bestseller list highlights the top-selling books in the Canadian market. This list offers unique insights into Canadian literary tastes and trends.

Key Features:

• Tracks sales data from Canadian retailers.
• Includes categories like fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books.
• Provides a mix of domestic and international titles.

9. The Sunday Times Bestsellers (UK)

Overview: The Sunday Times bestseller list is the UK’s most prestigious book list, covering sales in Britain and Ireland. It serves as the gold standard for bestseller recognition in the UK.

Key Features:

• Categories include fiction, nonfiction, children’s books, and paperbacks.
• Tracks weekly sales data from major and independent retailers.
• Highly influential within the UK publishing market.

Specialized Bestseller Book Lists

Specialized bestseller lists offer valuable insights into niche markets, highlighting books that resonate within specific communities or genres. Here are some specialized bestseller lists:

1. New York Times Audio Bestseller List: This category tracks the top-selling audiobooks. With audiobooks becoming a major revenue stream, this list underscores the importance of the format in today’s market.
2. Amazon’s Best Books of the Year: While not region-specific, Amazon’s annual list highlights top books across various categories, reflecting broader reading trends.
3. Barnes & Noble Bestsellers: This list features top-selling books across genres and formats, offering a comprehensive view of popular titles.
4. IndieBound Indie Bestsellers: Curated by IndieBound, this list reflects sales from independent bookstores, highlighting popular titles among indie readers.
5. Blackboard: African American Bestsellers: This list focuses on bestselling titles written by and about African Americans, highlighting works that may not appear on mainstream lists.
6. Goodreads Current Bestsellers: Goodreads offers a list of books that are currently popular among its users, providing a snapshot of trending titles based on user engagement and reviews.
7. Powell’s Books Bestsellers: Powell’s, a renowned independent bookstore, provides a weekly list of its top-selling books, highlighting titles favored by its unique customer base.
8. NPD BookScan Bestseller Lists: NPD BookScan tracks book sales across various retailers, providing detailed bestseller lists that are often used by industry professionals to gauge market trends.

Regional Bestseller Book Lists

Regional bestseller lists offer valuable insights into local reading trends, also highlighting books that resonate within specific communities or genres. Here are some notable regional bestseller lists:

1. The New York Times Regional Lists: In addition to its national list, The New York Times provides regional bestseller lists, offering insights into local reading habits.
2. Publishers Weekly Regional Lists: Publishers Weekly compiles bestseller lists that include regional data, providing insights into book sales across different areas.
3. Regional Indie Bestsellers Lists: Compiled by the American Booksellers Association (ABA), these lists reflect sales from independent bookstores across nine U.S. regions, including California, New England, and the Pacific Northwest.

Conclusion – What Makes a Book a Bestseller?

Making a book a bestseller is no small feat. It requires a combination of a compelling concept and/orwriting, strategic marketing, strong sales, and, sometimes, a bit of serendipity. While the process of creating a bestselling book varies, all bestselling authors enjoy the benefit of leaving a lasting imprint on the literary world. For aspiring writers, the path to bestseller status may be challenging, but the rewards—personal, financial, and sometimes cultural—are worth the effort. And, now that you’ve read “What Makes a Bestselling Book?” click here for the next article about becoming a bestselling author, “How to Write a Bestselling Book.”

The Bestselling Author, LLC

Established in 2011, The Bestselling Author has helped 400+ authors get literary agents and/or traditional publishers. Writers who’ve worked with Literary Agent Undercover, a division of The Bestselling Author, have gotten six-figure book deals; been on the New York Times bestseller list; had their books adapted for TV, stage, and feature film; had their work licensed in 40+ countries; and sold many millions of books.

Notable authors include Nelson Johnson, author of Boardwalk Empire, which Martin Scorsese produced for HBO; Leslie Lehr, author of A Boob’s Life, which is currently being adapted for an HBO Max TV series by Salma Hayek; and Scott LeRette, author of The Unbreakable Boy, which was published by Thomas Nelson and is now a major motion picture by Lionsgate starring Patricia Heaton, Zachary Levi, and Amy Acker.

The founder of The Bestselling Author, Mark Malatesta, is a former literary agent, literary agency owner, AAR member, and Marketing & Licensing Manager for the gift and book publisher Blue Mountain Arts. He is now an author coach and consultant. Click here to see Mark Malatesta reviews.