Best Seller, or...

 

I apologize in advance. This is going to be a little long. But I'd like to talk about the whole best-selling author thing. What exactly does that even mean?

Growing up, I always thought a best-selling author was someone who sold tons of books and made tons of money—authors like Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Mary Higgins Clark… you get the picture.

But once I stepped into the world of self-publishing, I started noticing something interesting. Many indie authors were calling themselves “best-selling authors,” even though, when I checked their books on Amazon, they had maybe five reviews (sometimes less!) and plenty of typos and errors.

So how can that be? How can someone with a handful of reviews and a poorly edited book call themselves a best-selling author?

Well, here’s what I’ve learned through experience:

A flashy cover and a catchy blurb can sell books—at least at first. Friends, family, and curious readers might buy your book because it looks good. But once they actually read it, if the story falls flat, if it’s full of mistakes, or if it just isn’t well-written, those sales won’t last. The reviews (if any) won’t be glowing, and most readers won’t come back for more—unless they’re family or friends who feel obligated to support you (and are quietly cringing inside).

So, back to the “best-selling author” label. I decided to dig a little deeper into what it really means—and what I found might surprise you.

What “Best-Selling Author” Really Means

So, here’s what I found out. The term “best-selling author” isn’t as glamorous—or as official—as it sounds. There isn’t one universal rule or authority that decides who qualifies. It all depends on where you’re selling and how those rankings are tracked.

Take Amazon, for example. Their “Best Seller” badges are based on hourly sales rankings within specific categories. That means if your book sells more copies than others in your category for even one hour, you can technically claim “Amazon Best-Selling Author.”

Sounds impressive, right? But here’s the catch—some categories are super niche. If you publish your book in something like “Paranormal Mystery Featuring Left-Handed Detectives,” you might only need a handful of sales to hit #1. Voilà! You’re a best-selling author.

That’s not to say all best-seller labels are meaningless. Hitting a major list like The New York Times, USA Today, or Wall Street Journal is a whole different story. Those lists track verified sales across multiple retailers, not just one platform, and competition there is fierce. That’s the kind of best-seller status that truly reflects widespread readership and recognition.

So yes, someone might be a legitimate “Amazon best-seller,” but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve sold thousands of books or become a household name.

The bottom line? The best-selling author label can mean very different things depending on context. And while it’s exciting to celebrate milestones—because every sale is an achievement—it’s also important to stay grounded and honest about what those titles really mean.

At the end of the day, titles and labels are nice, but they don’t define your worth as an author. What truly matters is the quality of your work, the connection you build with your readers, and the growth you achieve with every book you write.

Anyone can slap “best-selling author” on their bio, but not everyone can write a story that touches someone’s heart, makes them think, or inspires them to pick up your next book. That’s what lasts.

So instead of chasing labels, focus on your craft. Keep improving. Hire good editors. Learn the business side of publishing. Build genuine relationships with your readers and other writers. Because while “best-seller” might look great next to your name, being a storyteller who makes an impact is far more meaningful—and something no ranking can ever measure.