Every author needs readers, and some writers dream of becoming a best selling author with readers who line up to buy their books. Becoming a best selling author is a matter of timing, luck, and giving readers what they want. Some successful writers have done that, even with their first books. Do you have what it takes to join the ranks of a best selling author?
What Do Best Selling Books Have in Common?
Every best selling author has learned to tap into what readers want. With a combination of timing, marketing, strong writing, and the ability to reach readers, they excite readers, sell books frequently, and routinely climb the best seller lists.
If you want to become a best selling author, it’s helpful to know what these books share. You may want to read these best sellers to learn what these writers do well.
Fiction
The top sellers in fiction have:
- plots you can’t put down.
- intriguing, attractive characters.
- struggles and obstacles that must be overcome.
- relatable main characters.
- well-drawn settings.
Most of these best sellers are in the genre of fiction. The top best selling author in the world is Danielle Steel, who writes romance novels. Following closely behind are horror master Stephen King, fantasy author J.K. Rowling, mystery writer Sue Grafton, and romance writer Janet Dailey.
Self-help
What about nonfiction books? Some of these have become smash best-sellers, too, and you’ll notice that most of the top nonfiction sellers are how-to or self-help books.
People eagerly snap up any book that promises to fix long-standing problems in their lives, whether they’re about money, relationships, work, health, or spirituality. If you can come up with a winning solution, formulate it into a 10-step system, and appeal to a specific need many people have, you will sell books frequently.
True stories
People love true stories about famous crimes, intriguing historical people, and newsworthy events. If you can combine storytelling flair with a fresh take on a historical event, you can join the ranks of these top sellers.
True crime books are huge sellers. Ann Rule, Kathryn Casey, and Gregg Olsen are among the authors who have sold millions of books describing gruesome murders and the people who commit them.
Historical events can make good material for a best-selling book.
“The Perfect Storm” by Sebastian Junger was an account of a doomed fishing vessel that became a smash best-seller and was made into a movie.
Jon Krakauer wrote two nonfiction books that were made into movies and became international bestsellers. “Into the Wild” told the story of Christopher McCandless, who chose to abandon normal life and stake out a living in the Alaskan bush; and “Into Thin Air,” about the deadly 1996 Mt. Everest disaster.
Currently, the top selling nonfiction books on Amazon include “The King of Diamonds: The Search for the Elusive Texas Jewel Thief” by Rena Pedersen, and “The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder” by David Grann.
If you can write compellingly about a historic event, or tell a great true crime story, you may become a best selling author.
Get the Timing Right to Become a Best Selling Author
Sometimes, the difference between success and failure comes down to timing. If you’re a celebrity, your memoir could be a big seller. It could also be popular if you lived through or witnessed a newsworthy event. In most cases, though, memoirs are not big sellers.
Timing can also affect how well readers respond to the subject of a book. In 2023, Robert Kennedy, Jr., emerged as a newsworthy political figure. In 2024, Maureen Callahan published her nonfiction book “Ask Not,” about the women of the Kennedy family. The timing was perfect, and the book became a big seller.
In 2001, Charlaine Harris published her first Sookie Stackhouse vampire novel. The series became a huge seller and was turned into the HBO TV show “True Blood.” In 2005, Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight” series became another huge hit about vampire romances, and it set the stage for the future vampire romances of the era, including Richelle Mead’s “Vampire Academy” series.
It seems the decade of the 2000s was the perfect time to launch a vampire romance novel. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t publish one now. If your story is a good one, it will stand the test of time.
Give Your Book a Professional Edge
You can become a best selling author if you give yourself the best chance of success. Often, that means investing in professional help for your book.
Understand Publishing Trends
Part of becoming a best selling author is understanding the publishing trends that might affect whether you sell books frequently. While an exceptional story is a timeless element of any book, it’s important to know what the current book buying trends are.
Rise in Self-Publishing
One of 2024’s notable trends is the rise in self-publishing. These days, you don’t need to sign with a commercial publisher to become a best selling author. In 2010, around 150,000 book authors requested ISBN numbers. By 2020, that number grew to more than 1 million.
Distributors of e-books have reported large increases in the number of writers they work with who are self-published. The trend even extends to proven writers like Adam Nevill, who published 19 novels with a publisher, including award-winning books, before self-publishing his book “The Reddening” in 2019. He did it to have more control over the marketing and to earn more money.
L.J. Ross is a self-published writer who has become a top e-book seller ever since publishing her first book, “Holy Island,” in 2015. She has been on Amazon’s bestseller list seven times in one year.
Ross told the digital magazine Mashable that she credits her emphasis on a good story and excellent design for her success. “The cover was bright and eye-catching, featuring a strong landscape, which at the time was a little more unusual for a crime fiction novel.” She described her book as an old-fashioned, closed-room murder mystery with a modern twist.
These numbers, and the success of these authors, are proof that self-publishing is an established trend. If you plan to self-publish, you are in good company with many other writers.
Independent publishers
As large publishing houses merge into a few large giants, independent publishers have emerged as an alternative. These small publishers may have print runs of only 1,000 or so books. On the other hand, they are more likely to take on unknown writers and unusual genres. They are growing in strength and popularity among writers looking for a home.
Prepare for Your Success
Writing a book is a great accomplishment, even if you don’t become a best selling author. If you write the best book you can, market it correctly, and connect with readers, you will find a willing audience and sell more books. When it’s time to print your book, work with the experts at Dazzle Printing. Contact us for a free estimate.
