#164: Why Bestseller Lists Don’t Tell the Whole Story

​​In this episode, Becky sits down with Kathleen Schmidt—founder of Kathleen Schmidt Public Relations and author of Publishing Confidential on Substack—to pull back the curtain on the New York Times bestseller list. Kathleen explains why bestseller lists are more curated than many authors realize and why hitting the list is far less predictable than most people think. This candid conversation will help authors reset expectations about bestseller lists and focus on more impactful strategies that support long-term success.

During the episode, you’ll learn:

1. About Kathleen, her career, and her company, Kathleen Schmidt Public Relations.
2. The gap Kathleen saw in publishing, which inspired her to create her Substack newsletter.
3. The details of Kathleen’s Substack article that uncovers the truth about various bestseller lists—particularly the New York Times.
4. How the New York Times bestseller list is selected.
5. What surprises Kathleen the most about the issues relating to various bestseller lists.
6. Who benefits from the current bestseller system, and who is disadvantaged by it.
7. The most worthwhile goals authors can set beyond landing on a bestseller list.
8. What Kathleen would most like to change about the bestseller ecosystem.
9. Strategies Kathleen has seen used by some of the most successful authors to sustain consistent book sales over time.
10. What has worked for Kathleen in terms of building her online brand and presence.

Don’t forget to check out our show notes, which include action steps and resources.

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