Books and authors that sell consistently but are not bestsellers, occupying the middle ground between breakout hits and books that quietly disappear.
The midlist is the vast middle tier of published books that sell respectably but do not land on bestseller lists or become cultural events. Midlist authors typically receive modest advances, get less marketing support, and rely on steady readership rather than viral moments. The term is sometimes used dismissively, but being midlist is actually the norm for working authors. Most successful writing careers are built in the midlist, not on the bestseller list.
Most published authors are midlist authors, which means understanding the midlist is understanding the reality of a writing career. The midlist teaches you that sustainability matters more than spectacle. A midlist author who publishes consistently, builds a loyal readership, and grows their backlist can earn a solid living over time. Chasing bestseller status while ignoring the fundamentals of a midlist career is one of the fastest ways to burn out and feel like a failure when you are actually doing fine.
Klune was a midlist author for years before this book broke out through word of mouth and became a bestseller, proving that midlist careers can produce unexpected hits.
Yarros published over fifteen romance novels as a midlist author before Fourth Wing turned her into a household name. Her backlist of midlist titles then surged in sales.
Aaronovitch has built a devoted following and a long-running series without ever being a chart-topping name, embodying the midlist ideal of steady, sustainable success.
Find three authors in your genre who have published at least five books but are not household names. Look at their publication history, how often they release, and how their reader following has grown over time. Read interviews where they talk about their careers. This gives you a realistic picture of what a sustainable midlist career looks like, which is far more useful than studying only the outlier success stories.