“A midlist author is one whose books are well received but have failed to make a commercial breakthrough; whose work sells solidly but unspectacularly, who’s well known within the writing community but the majority of book buyers have never heard his name.”
— David Armstrong, “How Not to Write a Novel: Confessions of a Midlist Author,” 2003
Some people say that midlist doesn’t apply to genre fiction writers—that we’re our own species altogether. It’s true that publishers have their own set of expectations with a genre book. There’s an established audience for the book. Plus, it’s easy to project sales by comparing the novel with similar books in the genre.
But midlist and genre writers do still face some of the same questions from aspiring writers and readers:
Could I make a living from my books? Wellllll….I wouldn’t quit the day job. I think you can get to a point, though, where you have a good backlist of books with your name on it (you’re collecting royalty checks on those) and you’re continuing to produce books (at least one a year, if not more) that you can get a nice income. I’m not there yet, myself. :)
“Should I know who you are?”
No. Unless you’re an avid cozy mystery reader, then there’s no way you’d know me out of all the other writers in the store who aren’t bestsellers. But it’s a question that always really rattles me. I think it’s because of the person asking the question—they think they should know you. So they feel uncomfortable and it’s a feeling that’s contagious.
The times that someone does know who I am, there has usually been 1) a local write-up with pictures that coincides with 2) me looking as horrible as possible after finishing yardwork.
What’s nice about the midlist? You’re not making so much money from your advances that you have to sell an extraordinarily high number of books for the publisher to reach a sell-through.
What should a midlister keep an eye on? : Sales. It’s not a favorite thing for many authors to watch—we’re not usually business people. But, as literary agent Kristin Nelson put it, success as a midlister
… also depends on where they are in the midlist. There are different levels—the consistently-selling midlister versus the midlister who is now having declining sales for each subsequent project.
Consistent sales are a good thing. :)
For me, writing is something I’d be doing even if I weren’t making money at it. And, really, I think that the fun of it, the challenge,and even the frustration involved in writing should be what spurs us on. Unless we really hit the big time, our biggest reward will probably be the feeling of satisfaction we get from the writing itself.
ELizabeth – I hadn’t thought of the whole midlist thing, but it makes a lot of sense. Like you, I would probably write even if not one person ever bought what I wrote. But I think most of us also have dreams of “making it big.” Thanks for the reminder, too, about watching sales. As you say, not my favorite thing. But it does matter. I would say, too, that people whose names aren’t household words have to work even harder to promote themselves. Again, not my favorite thing, but I am finding it matters.
As a reader, the midlist is a hot-button issue for me. I love the midlist. I’ve never been a fan of single books – always of an author’s career, and especially of series books.
And in the past, that’s where the bulk of sales really came from. But massive distributors like Barnes and Noble really rig the system to kill the midlist. For the longest time you couldn’t help but have diminishing sales, because BN would not order any more books than the total you sold last time.
Luckily Amazon has made the midlist much more viable again. I have high hopes for ebooks as well. I can now find authors who had disappeared on me much more easily.
When people hear that you’ve sold a book, they immediately think you’re making a lot of money. If they only knew. Nice to know other midlisters. I love writing and to be paid, even the small amount, is icing on the cake. :)
Elizabeth, thanks for the insight on the midlist author. Are there examples, in mystery fiction, where the author is able to make it past midlist? What does it take? For example, would M.C. Beaton still be considered midlist?
I’m in the blissfully ignorant stage of editing my ms for submission. Therefore, I still have the “big dreams.” (Ha!) I’ll be thrilled to sell my book. Totally, unabashedly thrilled. ;-)
No, you can’t live on midlist sales. That’s why I also speak – that income I CAN live on.
Yeah, don’t you hate that awkwardness?
I like to think of it this way. Midlist is just a stop on the way to Bestsellersville.
I know all about being on the midlist. Borders won’t even carry my book in their fantasy section though Barnes and Noble had been pretty good.
Though I love my day job I would resign in a minute if I suddenly make it ‘big.’
Margot–Watching sales ISN’T fun and I really grudgingly do it, but I know it’s all part of the process. Writing is so much a business now than it ever was before–and the writers are very responsible for the promotion end of things.
Kathi–Everyone should know the cliche of the starving artist (which isn’t far off the mark!)
The Daring Novelist–You’re right–I think B&N blows the curve sometimes for the midlist authors. But e-books I think could possibly level the playing field, as you mentioned.
Diane–I’m not the speaker you are–wish I could be!
Bobbi–Yes, Beaton would still be considered midlist because she hasn’t hit the bestseller list in a big way (as far as I’m aware.) She’s a *consistent* seller with a very strong fan base in the US and UK, so I’m sure her publishers love her…but she should be considered a midlist writer.
Debra–I think we should dream big, and stay rooted. :)
Susan–I’m sorry to hear that about Borders! They’ve been pretty good to work with for me, but I have heard other writers have problems with them (and, actually, the other major chains.)
I’ll take midlist! Better than bottomlist.
Very interesting stuff, Elizabeth. I haven’t got that far along this roller-coaster ride, but it’s good to see the market realistically :)
I know a lot of books I read use “midlist” as a dirty word, but I think you’re right that consistency can lead to success. As long as your sales aren’t declining and you’re doing what you love, then you’re ok. Bestsellers are usually freaks of nature that are as impossible to predict as lightning strikes and winning the lottery. You can’t depend on them.
Very good post, Elizabeth. I always found it odd that if I tell someone I’m a writer, they ask, “Have I read your book?” You almost want to ask back, “How would I know?”
P.S. I love the book cover for Delicious and Suspicious.
Helen
Straight From Hel
Alex–I’m with you!
Alan–At least we’re paying our dues, right? No one can say we’re overnight successes. :)
Helen–I think their reaction is one of the main reasons that I don’t tell people I’m a writer most of the time. Awkward!
Thanks re the book cover. :)
Very interesting – my views are similar to yours, Elizabeth.
Martin–Thanks! And thanks for dropping by.
Jemi–There are so many scary articles that have come out about “the death of the midlist,” but I just haven’t seen it. I think it’s a comfortable place to be.
Lorel–Absolutely! At least you can be sure of working for the publisher if you can maintain sales with some level of consistency.
Of course there are also midlist crime writers. And many of them are really good (like you and Margot). I think it will be like that as so many people struggle to become writers these years, but what bothers me is that many of the bestsellers are pageturners all right, but the plots and endings are so far from credible that you can only laugh at them.
Well said. I’ll take this to heart. I liked the image of you being recognized when you’re looking your grungiest.