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The Bestseller Desk · Author Services

How to become a bestselling author, with a private advisor at your side.

Every list rewards something different. We'll help you choose the one that fits your goals, plan the months before launch, and structure your bulk orders so they work for you. It's founder-led, personal advice, at BookPal prices.

Take the self-check Meet your point of contact
  • 15+ yearsReporting to the NYT, USA Today, ABA and Circana
  • Hundredsof USA Today bestsellers we've sold books for
  • Dozensof New York Times bestsellers we've sold books for
  • 10M+Books delivered since 2008
Choosing your list

Which list fits your goals?

The New York Times and USA Today lists measure different things. The right one depends less on your book than on what you want your launch to build.

Breadth of readers

The New York Times

Weighted toward individual consumer sales, the diversity of retailers they come from (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, independent bookstores) and how widely they're spread across the country. The list is designed so no one can simply buy their way on, so how bulk orders are structured matters.

  • Week one is everything. Almost every New York Times debut happens in release week. In practice, the 5,000 to 7,500 individual copies it takes (it varies with the season and the competition) are built up as pre-orders over the months before release, and they all count in release week.
  • When it makes sense. You have a big social following, strong media coverage or a podcast tour of 100+ shows, and your goal is to grow a direct consumer audience.
  • An honest caution. A Times run can be an ego move that works against your primary goal. We'll tell you if we think it is, and help you find the path that fits. Talk it through with your specialist.

Volume, week by week

USA Today

A weekly list of 150 spots that is much more volume-focused, and bulk sales count. It gets very competitive below about 2,000 copies, so the aim is to drive as many sales as you can in your week.

  • Built for speakers. It's much better aligned for keynote speakers and authors who sell 100 copies at a time to the organizations that book them.
  • Where we help most. BookPal regularly helps authors onto the USA Today list, by planning bulk orders around a strong release week.
  • Every week is different. The number it takes depends on what else is selling that week. Ask your specialist what your week could look like.

How do you feel about selling 5,000 or even 7,500 copies one at a time to readers all over the country before launch?

If that excites you, the New York Times may be your list. If those numbers give you pause and you'd rather grow your speaking business, selling 100 at a time, USA Today is likely the better fit.

Still between the two? Take the self-check or ask your specialist. We'll give you a straight answer.

A private self-check

Five questions. One honest suggestion.

Answer what you can. We'll suggest the list that fits the launch you're planning, or tell you it's worth a conversation first. Nothing is sent anywhere until you choose to share it.

  • Takes about two minutes
  • Your answers stay in this browser
  • Share them with Robin in one click
How large is your social following, across every platform and your email list?
What's your media and podcast plan for launch?
What does your speaking calendar look like?
How many bulk copies do you expect organizations to commit to?
When is your book published?

Pre-orders count in release week, so the months before this date matter most.

In plain English

How lists evaluate sales.

No list publishes its full method, but the principles are well understood. Here they are without the jargon.

  1. The reporting week

    Lists count sales in weekly reporting periods. For a new book, the week it's released is the one that matters most, because that's the week everything sold before launch is counted.

  2. Why pre-orders matter

    Every pre-order counts in release week. Months of pre-orders arrive as one strong week of sales, which is how most debuts are built. The earlier you start, the more time you have to build them.

  3. Breadth for the Times, volume for USA Today

    For the New York Times, where sales come from matters: a mix of retailers, from Amazon to Barnes & Noble to independent bookstores, and readers spread across the country. USA Today is about volume.

  4. No one can buy their way on

    Lists are designed so that no one can simply buy their way on. That's why we help you structure bulk orders so they support your goals rather than work against them, and we report every sale accurately.

Illustration. Pre-orders build over the months before publication, then all count in release week.

Every launch is different, and so is every week on the lists. Ask your specialist how these principles apply to your book.

Only at BookPal

Watch your launch week as we report it.

Authors with 500 or more copies of a title through BookPal get a private page showing the units we've reported for their books, per title, per list and per reporting week. It's updated live: the current week is recalculated every time you open it.

  • Units onlyThe number of copies, and nothing else. No buyer names, no prices.
  • Private link, no loginWe create the link for your titles and send it to you. Share it with your agent or publicist if you like.
  • Per title, per list, per weekThe New York Times, USA Today, the ABA Indie Bestseller List and Circana BookScan, each shown separately.

It shows what BookPal reports for your titles, so you never have to call and ask. Ask your specialist to set one up.

Example

Prepared for: Sample Author · private link

Your Title Here

Example only: units per list and reporting week, with invented numbers
Reporting weekNYTUSA TodayABACircana
This week live412412412412
Release week2,8602,8602,8602,860
Week before96969696
Example only. The title and units are invented to show the layout.
The advisory desk

Attention that grows with your launch.

Every author gets honest advice. As your plans with us grow, so does the level of service around you.

  1. For every author

    This guide and a specialist

    Everything on this page, plus a specialist who will answer your questions, explain how each list treats bulk sales and quote your orders.

    Talk to a specialist

  2. 500+ copies of a title through BookPal

    Your private, live reporting page

    Units per title, per list and per reporting week, updated live on a private link. Committed orders count toward the 500.

    See the reporting page

  3. 1,000+ committed bulk copies

    Robin, and a seat with our founder

    A personal introduction to Robin Woolsey, who leads Author and Publisher Partnerships, and, by invitation, a 30-minute strategy session with Tony DiCostanzo, BookPal's founder.

    Meet Tony
Tony DiCostanzo, founder of BookPal
Tony DiCostanzoFounder, BookPal
The founder

A founder who has sat on every side of the table.

Tony DiCostanzo has spent more than 30 years across startups, business turnarounds and Fortune 500 leadership. As BookPal's founder, he has driven more than 10 million book sales and supported hundreds of bestsellers. He spent four years as a literary agent, has run strategic launch campaigns for dozens of books, and owns a publishing company, Maison Vero, so he understands a launch from the author's side, the publisher's and the bookseller's.

His focus is helping authors sell more books through strategic partnerships with publishers, businesses and schools. He has been recognized among Orange County's Top 40 Under 40 and featured in Forbes, Inc. and Publishers Weekly. Authors with 1,000+ committed bulk copies can meet him by invitation, through Robin.

Start with Robin
Robin Woolsey
Robin Woolsey Author and Publisher Partnerships
Your point of contact

Your launch has a dedicated point of contact.

Robin is the dedicated point of contact for authors and their teams. With a focus on high-touch service, she makes sure every corporate, bulk and special-market order moves smoothly and at scale, from the first conversation to the last delivery.

Tell Robin about your launch (all optional)

Your specialist will reply personally within one business day.

Questions authors ask

Frequently asked.

Something else on your mind? Call 866-522-6657 (8:30 am – 5 pm PT) or email sales@bookpal.com, and a specialist will help.

How do you become a bestselling author?

Choose the list that fits your goals, build pre-orders in the months before release, and structure bulk orders so they support those goals. The New York Times rewards broad individual sales across retailers and regions; USA Today rewards volume in a single week. No one can promise a placement, but a clear plan gives your book its best week. Talk to a specialist and we'll help you build yours.

Do bulk book sales count toward the New York Times bestseller list?

The Times is weighted toward individual consumer sales and the diversity of retailers and regions they come from, and the list is designed so no one can simply buy their way on. That means how bulk orders are structured matters. We report every sale accurately and help you structure orders so they support your goals. Ask your specialist how this applies to your launch.

How many copies does it take to make the USA Today bestseller list?

There's no fixed number, because it depends on what else is selling that week. USA Today publishes a weekly list of 150 spots, is much more volume-focused, and counts bulk sales. It gets very competitive below about 2,000 copies, so the aim is to drive as many sales as you can in your week. Your specialist can walk you through what your week could look like.

Why do pre-orders matter so much?

Lists count sales by reporting week, and every pre-order counts in release week. That's why almost every New York Times debut happens in week one: months of pre-orders arrive as a single strong week. Start early, and talk to your specialist about building your pre-order plan.

Can BookPal promise my book will make a list?

No, and no one honestly can. Each list applies its own rules, and every week's competition is different. What we can promise is accurate reporting, straight advice about which list fits your goals, and a plan built around your launch. Talk to your specialist to start one.

What is the live sales reporting page?

Authors with 500 or more copies of a title through BookPal, committed orders included, get a private page showing the units we've reported for their books, per title, per list and per reporting week. It's updated live, shows units only, and opens from a private link with no login. Ask your specialist to set one up.

How do I get a strategy session with Tony DiCostanzo?

Authors with 1,000 or more committed bulk copies get a personal introduction to Robin Woolsey and, by invitation, a 30-minute strategy session with Tony, BookPal's founder. Start with Robin, and she'll take it from there.

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