Oh, how the industry loves a shiny new debut author! And wasn’t instant success the dream for most of us? And longevity! Don’t we all want to be that author whose readers wait with breathless anticipation for our latest and greatest? But while publishers may fall all over themselves for the fresh face or the perennial bestseller, the fact of the matter is, publishers can’t round out their catalogues without regular contributions from authors who sell but may not be “known” names.
A.K.A the midlist
What do I mean by midlist?
Midlist authors are writers who produce work that is commercially viable, desirable to publishers, but for one reason or another might not have made a big splash in the market—yet.
USA Today bestselling author Serena Bell seemed to agree when I asked how she’d define it: “Midlist is such an interesting term. There are millions of books on the market right now, and only a teeny, tiny fraction of them are bestsellers. But there are tons of authors making money off their writing, many of them in relative obscurity. They might not have ever hit a list or been in a bookstore, but they could be living off their author income. So, to me, midlist just means ‘not super visible.’”
Agent Kate Testerman of kt literary had a somewhat similar take. “In all honesty, I love a midlist author. To me, that phrase speaks to an author whose books consistently sell, who has a good relationship with their editor and publishing house. Likely, it also means their contracts are earning out, and the publisher wants to acquire further books with them.”
For me, being a midlist author means I know how to craft a novel I’m proud to put out into the world. I know my voice and have connected with enough of an audience to create some demand for my next book. My agent is excited to represent my work, and publishers keep offering new contracts. Bottom line: I’m in the mix even if I’m not a global success story.
How do we define success as authors?
Like many authors, I believed my first book would be an instant bestseller. I imagined my book tour, how charming I’d be on the early morning talk shows and could envision thousands of copies of my beautiful book flying off the shelves…
Spoiler alert: none of that happened.
What did happen? My publisher asked what I was working on next. For the last 15 years, someone—my editor, my agent, my readers—has been asking me what I have planned for the next book I write.
If there’s one thing every author knows, it’s that the definition of success is ever-changing
I guess we can say, “What’s next?” is my new definition of success.
When I asked author Kristina Knight how her definition of success has changed, she said, “When I started out, success was defined by hitting the USA Today or NYT lists. When that happened, I’d be successful. Well, I haven’t hit either, but I still feel successful. I’m telling the stories I have to tell, I have a group of readers who love my books, and a stack of letters from readers telling me how this book or that book helped them through a difficult time. That is success to me.”
What’s your definition of success today?
But knowing who we are as writers and setting more realistic expectations for what happens to our books once they leave our hands doesn’t mean we are not chasing our dreams.
Karen Booth has written more than 45 books. Over the years, she has garnered praise from readers and starred reviews from the trades, and she isn’t anywhere near done.
“I’m still striving, and I’m still hungry, so I don’t know how much my idea of success has changed,” Booth said. “I still want one of my books to break out. I’m still hoping to make a list, something so many of my peers have accomplished, but it hasn’t happened for me yet. I suppose I’ve learned to ride out the highs and lows a little better. There is no linear trajectory in publishing.”
Consistency is king
The nicest thing one of my editors ever said to me was, “I don’t ever have to worry about you, Maggie.” I strive to make sure this testament to my professionalism remains true. Whether I’m publishing a book traditionally or independently, I’m a part of a publishing team that involves agents, editors, cover artists, and readers, and I never want to let my team down.
Booth agrees. “A big part of being a long-term midlist writer is you need to know your strengths and play to them. I’m professional, and I don’t take things too personally. I know I’ve had projects funneled in my direction because my publisher knows they will get a great book, on time, and I will promote the heck out of it. That’s really all they want.”
But what do they want?
Publishing’s perennial question.
Even successful agents like Testerman can’t answer it, but she does have some insights that may come in handy the next time we feel like we’re spinning our wheels. “There is a certain alchemy involved in being a lead title, but a midlist career is achievable with consistent work on both the craft of writing, and the arguably harder work of publishing, with all the self-promotion and often uncredited labor that entails. If we consider any average, the middle is the most common, and by that same logic, a publisher’s midlist is the most common category for new books. In fact, I’d also argue that midlist translates most easily into backlist, which, as we know, is often where a publisher’s money is made.”
Ah, yes. Our old friend: the backlist
Here’s the thing no one talks about much: midlist authors are awesome at creating profitable backlists. But in a business that can often feel more demoralizing than uplifting, how do we keep moving forward so we can continue to generate a backlist?
“My overarching advice is to always be professional and productive,” Booth said. “Keep going. It’s so easy to feel discouraged, and there will be many times when you get the proverbial kick in the teeth, but if you want a long, sustainable career, you need to learn to roll with the punches.”
Bestselling author Kelly Farmer believes this is where the ability to publish independently can enhance a writer’s career. “The advice I would give for a sustainable writing career is to be flexible and learn to pivot. If you have a book that’s a hard sell traditionally or died on sub, go ahead and self-publish it or find another non-traditional route to get it in readers’ hands.”
Being able to pivot is the midlist author’s superpower. This is why many midlist authors are hybrid traditional/independent publishers. We know how to write books that sell, but we also know how and when to push boundaries when it comes to making our next book innovative. And we know traditional publishing is watching. Take a look around the bookstore. Traditional publishing is taking notice of authors with established followings and helping them broaden their reach. This particular trend—while not genre specific—places midlist authors in a good position to be poised to pounce.
Just look at what you’ve done
Have you ever taken the time to truly assess where you started and where you are now? Do it!
Make a list of your achievements. Trust me, they are impressive. Revisit your author bio and be sure to sing your own praises.
Gamify your success, if that appeals to you. I have an author bingo card I created early in my career filled with various types of author milestones. Every now and then I look at it to see if I can mark off another space. I may not be a household name, but I’ve hit BINGO many times.
Celebrate. Innovate. Create.
Don’t let a label get you down
The most important thing to remember is that “mid” means we’re halfway there. We’ve already jumped so many hurdles, and in many ways we’re ideally situated to move to the next level. All we need is that bit of alchemy Testerman mentioned earlier. So, yes, some people may think midlist authors are those who have not quite “made it” in the world of publishing, but I would argue we are the ones literally making it. We are experienced authors who can offer readers choice and variety in an industry that seems to be shying away from the margins.
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Maggie Wells writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense featuring strong, independent heroines and charming, sexy heroes who find love in unexpected places. A Publishers Weekly Bestseller, Maggie’s books have been praised for their witty dialogue, steamy romance, and realistic character development.