Building a Bestseller

Gaming the bestseller lists is an enormous undertaking, and even if you figure it out and have the time it takes to organize and put a plan in motion, the ranking algorithms change and you have to relearn it for the next book.

Then—even if you do get somewhere with it—you sink as soon as a new book in your niche comes along, and all you really have is bragging rights for a past effort.

“My book was an Amazon bestseller last year.”

Really? Does anyone care? I don’t have enough interest in old bragging rights to put that kind of time into it.

People often ask about our release dates and promotional plans. I know this stuff works, but I personally hate seeing everybody say the same things on the same day about the same new book or product. Write a quality book or make a substantial product that will hold up over time, and then give it time to grow a reputation that will last. That’s where the sales will come from, and that’s how you’ll make a contribution.

And those books… those are the real bestsellers.