Nine features that may surprise you.
Written “Creating a Bestseller: Success Stories from Authors and Publishers, Agents and Behind Them”, (Dearborn Trade, 2005), we wanted to find out what separates the elite of the publishing industry, the best-selling authors, from all the thousands and thousands of writers who one day aspire to be on the best-seller lists. We interviewed 24 of today’s most popular authors, some of whom have remained on the bestseller lists for decades. As a group, these authors have sold more than 500 million books. It turns out that writing talent isn’t the only separating factor; in fact, it may not even be the most important factor.
Find out what you, as a writer, can have in common with top-selling authors like Nicholas Sparks, Catherine Coulter, and Susan Elizabeth Phillips, and what you can learn from them.
1. Perseverance is key
Almost all of the best-selling authors faced the same struggles early in their careers that less successful authors face, even unpublished ones. Immediate success is rare. One distinction of best-selling authors is that they are not so put off by a lack of early success. They persevere. His desire to succeed is enormous. Best-selling authors often have to demonstrate the patience and stamina to write multiple books before they are remarkably successful.
2. Write, write and write
The productivity, the writing output, of the best-selling authors is much higher than that of the average writer. They have the discipline to get up each day and produce high-quality work. They don’t wait for the muse to touch them on the shoulder. The literary output of some authors is phenomenal, such as Catherine Coulter, who wrote “Point Blank,” which has produced more than fifty bestsellers so far in her career.
3. They like to write and write and write
They would rather write than do anything else. It’s not just that successful authors are more disciplined, although that’s part of it; they just enjoy writing more than other writers. Many aspiring authors enjoy the idea of writing, not the hard work itself. Top-selling authors seem to thrive on hard work, and they work a lot more than we might suppose. Iris Johansen, author of “Countdown,” writes two books a year, not because she has to, but because she can’t. Writing is his passion.
4. Promotion is constant
Top-selling authors never stop promoting their books, no matter how successful they are. Many still market at the grassroots level, not just through national television or radio interviews. They take the time to visit and meet with individual bookstore managers at both chain stores and independents. They never relax and think they have “made it.” After ten bestsellers, including “The Notebook,” Nicholas Sparks continues to tour with each new book.
5. Marketing is essential
Even if they have never taken a business course in college, they have an innate sense of marketing concepts, such as branding and product differentiation. They closely observe trends in the literary market. They understand what their books have to which readers respond favorably. They take a strategic approach to their careers and realize that being a successful author involves much more than writing itself. Carly Phillips’ big break came when Kelly Ripa recommended “The Bachelor” on The Kelly & Regis. It wasn’t just luck that earned you the recommendation, but a concerted effort on your part and your publicist.
6. Fans are an important asset
Best-selling authors listen carefully to what their readers are saying and go to great lengths to meet or exceed their fans’ expectations, but they don’t necessarily pay much attention to what book critics are saying. They don’t even necessarily expect good reviews. Word of mouth support from readers and booksellers is more important to them than reviews. Linda Fairstein, author of “Entombed” and the Alexandra Cooper series, loves book signings. At your level of success, you don’t have to, but you love talking to your readers.
7. The more successful, the more pressure
Top-selling authors face more pressure as they become more successful. As you climb to the top, the demands on your time increase. The main authors lead three very different lives. First, the quiet and lonely academic life of being a writer. Then, participate in the team effort within the publisher to make the book the best possible book. It is about learning to advise and collaborate with the professionals of the publishing house. Finally, the author must participate in the public life of trying to sell books to the mass public. They have to master all three lives if they are to continue to achieve best-seller status. Susan Elizabeth Phillips worked for a month without a day off when “Ain’t She Sweet” was released.
8. They are grateful
Top-selling authors are well aware of how lucky they are to have reached the top of their profession. They sincerely appreciate their loyal readers. They recognize that they have been chosen to receive a surprisingly rare special distinction from a competitive and bustling market. The success, fame, and financial rewards they have earned often go beyond the wildest dreams they had when they first sat down to write a book. Christopher Paolini attributes the support of teachers, librarians, booksellers and fans to the success of his first book, “Eragon.”
9. There is no single profile for a bestselling author.
The best-selling authors are rarely the best graduates of prestigious college writing programs. Writing may have been a second or third career for them, and the publishing industry values authors who bring life experiences to their work, in fiction or nonfiction. Top-selling authors span all age groups, many different professions, and diverse educational backgrounds. There is no single profile for what a bestselling author looks like.