Is selling 5000 copies of a book good?

Yes, selling 5,000 copies of a book is generally considered good, often a success, especially for debut or small press authors, as most books sell far fewer copies, but the definition of "good" depends heavily on publisher size, genre, advance, and format (hardcover vs. ebook). For major publishers, 5,000 might be "fair," while for independent presses, it can be a significant win, with many books selling under 1,000 copies lifetime.

How many books sell 5000 copies?

The book world (aka my twitter feed) is abuzz with a recent stat in the New York Times that only 1% of books sold more than 5,000 copies in 2021. (This after a previous stat that only 2% sold that many in 2020).

How many copies of a book sold is considered good?

Thus I usually say that the “average” book sells 10,000 copies with a major publisher. But if all their books only sold 10,000 copies, they might struggle financially. There have to be exceptions to the rule. Be aware that the word average means that for every book that sells 15,000, there is one that sells 5,000.

What is considered a good amount of books to sell?

If a novel sells 10000 copies in a year it is doing well. For a first time novelist, with little track record, a figure of 2000 copies per year is probably closer to the truth. Granted the figures in the post are based on Literary Fiction, a genre that is notoriously difficult to sell.

How many books do you need to sell to make $100,000?

If you're self-publishing, you'll need to sell roughly 25,000–30,000 books to hit $100K. For traditionally published authors, the number climbs to 60,000+ depending on royalties. The journey is long—but achievable. With the right strategy, even a first-time author can join the six-figure club.

Lessons from selling 100,000 copies as a self-published nonfiction author

Is selling 3,000 copies of a book good?

Research suggests that the “average” self-published, digital-only book sells about 250 copies in its lifetime. By comparison, the average traditionally published book sells 3,000 copies, but… only about 250-300 of those sales happen in the first year.

What is the 5 finger rule for books?

The number of fingers they're holding up by the end of the page tells them if the book is the right level: 0-1 fingers: It's too easy. 2-3 fingers: It's just right. 4-5 fingers: It's too hard for independent reading (best read aloud with a buddy).

How many books sell 50,000 copies?

Note that only about 1% of new releases from the top 10 publishers sold more than 50,000 units, and roughly 66% of books sold less than 1,000 units over their first year.

How much does the average book seller make?

$32.6K is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers. The median wage is $35.2K / yr.

Can authors make 100k a year?

Most people make over $25,000 and 1 in 8 people who sell their books have advances of over $100,000. I honestly was really surprised by this in a good way. It means it's quite possible to make… quite good money on your book.

How many copies do first time authors sell?

For new authors, average book sales are low: traditionally published debuts often sell 3,000–5,000 copies lifetime (with 250-300 in year one), while most self-published books sell under 250 copies, though marketing can boost sales to thousands, notes Spines and Scribe Media. A successful debut is an exception, not the rule, with many authors selling far fewer books, but quality and sustained marketing are key to moving beyond initial sales figures, say Mary Adkins and Josh Bernoff. 

What is the 3 book rule?

In his famous book the 4-Hour Work Week, Tim Ferris shares this theory that if you read 3 books on a topic from different authors, you'll become more knowledgeable about it than 99% of people you know. It's a bold claim but it makes sense. Tim's not saying you'll become an expert surgeon by reading 3 books on surgery.

What is the average income for self-published authors?

'Indie Authors' Earnings 2023' found that the average incomes of self-published authors are rising, with a 53% increase in 2022 over the previous year. The median revenue in 2022 for self-published (indie) authors was US$12,749.

What are the odds of being a successful author?

Something like 0.08% of books published in the US annually (300,000) make the US Best Seller lists. To break this down, you have a better chance of winning the lotto (1 in 300M) and being struck by lightning twice (1 in 9M) than writing a book, getting it traditionally published, and making the Best Sellers list.

What is the 50 page rule?

The "50-page rule" is a guideline for readers and writers: readers give a book about 50 pages (or fewer if over 50 years old, subtracting age from 100) to get hooked before quitting, while writers aim to hook readers by page 50 with compelling voice, clear stakes, and inciting incidents to establish momentum and conflict, making it a crucial early benchmark for a manuscript.
 

What is considered a best-selling author?

A "bestselling author" is someone whose book sells in very large numbers, achieving a spot on a prestigious list like the New York Times, USA Today, or Publishers Weekly, indicating high popularity and sales volume, though the criteria vary from major national lists to Amazon's hourly genre rankings, allowing many authors to claim the title based on different thresholds. 

How much can you make if you sell 5000 books?

Let's also say your book retails for $15 and sells 5,000 copies in the first twelve months of publication. Keeping in mind the publisher sells at a 50 percent discount (or higher) to retail outlets, here's the math: 14 percent royalty x $15 retail price x 5000 copies sold x 50 percent discount = $5,250.

How much do authors typically make on their first book?

First-time authors typically get a modest advance, often $1,000 to $10,000 (sometimes more for high-demand books), paid in installments before publication, plus royalties (e.g., 10-15% of list price for hardcovers, 25-35% for e-books) after the advance is earned back, while self-published authors forgo advances for potentially higher royalties (up to 70%) but bear all costs and marketing. Earnings vary greatly, with many debuts earning very little beyond the initial advance, as the publisher recoups costs before paying further royalties, notes this Quora post and Reddit users. 

What 30 year old makes $1.8 million self-publishing on Amazon?

Meet Alex Rivera (not his real name, but his story is fiercely real). Alex turned 30 last year. He doesn't live in a mansion (yet), but he did pull in $1.8 million in revenue last year.

Does owning 1000 books make a library?

There is also no single answer to the question about how many books it takes to be considered a library. The dictionary definition of 'library' ranges from the building that contains books to a very general collection of books on its own. There is no mention of a number.

What is the #1 most sold book?

The #1 best-selling book of all time is The Bible, with estimated sales and distribution exceeding 5 billion copies, though exact figures are hard to track due to its age and wide, often free, distribution. For a single-volume work of fiction, Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes is often cited as the best-selling novel, with hundreds of millions of copies sold, while religious texts like the Quran and political books like Quotations from Chairman Mao also have massive distribution numbers. 

How much do authors get per copy sold?

Authors' earnings per book vary wildly, from under a dollar to several dollars or more, depending heavily on publishing model (traditional vs. self-published), format (hardcover, paperback, ebook), and sales volume, with traditional authors getting 5-15% of retail price, while self-published authors can earn 35-70% of the list price after platform fees, but often cover all costs themselves, according to sources like Spines, Reedsy, and Get a Literary Agent, as seen in snippets. 

What is the 7 second rule book?

He discovered that when people were given 7 seconds or less to decide their opinion, they were more likely to base it on gut instinct rather than analysis or logic. The 7-Second Rule was first popularized by Thomas Corley in his book Rich Habits: The Daily Success Habits of Wealthy Individuals.

How to tell if a book is too hard?

Do a five-fingers vocabulary check. Ask your child to hold up five fingers and read one page of a book. Each time your child doesn't know a word, put one finger down. If all five fingers end up down, the book is too hard.

Does it hurt book page count?

H.D. Carlton's popular dark romance novel, Does It Hurt?, is generally around 430-432 pages, depending on the edition (paperback, Kindle, etc.), with newer printings often listed at 432 pages and older ones around 430, making it a substantial read in the dark romance genre.