Why Authors Should Not Place Bestselling Stamps on their Book Covers
Many authors before publishing dream of becoming a bestselling author. To see our name listed on Amazon, or any other outlet as a bestseller brings with it recognition, as well as monetary gain, in some cases. Who wouldn't want to be considered a "bestselling author"? Though it is our desire to see all of our authors succeed, it is absolutely not our practice to deceive or to stretch the truth when it comes to what a bestselling author means in the publishing industry. Many authors fail to understand the publishing criteria for actually being an Amazon Best Selling Author, as well as a best selling author in major publications, such as The New York Times. Based upon Neilson Book Scans, a book must sell an estimated 1094 books across all channels, including bookstores, to become an Amazon #1 Bestseller for that particular day (328 books to rank in the top 5). Amazon's rankings shift every 24 hours, so though a book may show #1 in a specific category for that 24 hour period, this does not mean it is a bestseller. It simply means it ranked in that specific category. This can mean that if no other book sold any copies in that 24 hour timeframe, or if your book sold 2 and another book sold only 1, then your book will show a ranking of #1. Authors should not be deceived by these rankings and therefore choose to add a bestselling stamp or text on your book claiming to be a #1 Bestseller.
Most famous authors do not even add these stamps to their books, because their publishing companies see no real benefit in doing so, especially if your name is not known in bestselling circles. It only makes an author appear deceptive, especially when your sales and/or stats are easily viewed by Neilson Book Scan and other outlets. The goal as a first time author is to sell as many books as you can, and to get your name recognized through events and/or book signings (where most of your profits will originate) so you can build your reputation as an author. I started out as an author. I wrote 3 books before becoming a publisher. I did okay, selling a couple thousand of my books. It was not until 15 years later that my books sold an estimated ten thousand copies. Because I took the time to build my presence as an author, and not rush the process by stretching the truth about my sales, people began to trust me as an author. Now, my customer base is solid and many buy each and every book I release. Some authors get huge breaks and get very lucky on their first book and can sell one million or more copies, landing them on the New York Times Bestsellers list. This would be our desire for every one of our authors, but the reality is, this doesn't happen every day. In the meantime, push your book every day, as if it was just released. This is your vision and it is up to you, ultimately, to keep that vision alive and prospering. Simply put... we don't place stamps on our author's books if they rank #1 in a specific category on Amazon. It can actually be more of a hindrance than a benefit. You can read more about best selling lists and rankings on Amazon if you are really serious about ranking on these lists at http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/tips-for-hitting-best-sellers-lists.
