It is said that the average author sells 250 copies of their book.
In reality, the median for self-published books is probably closer to 100-200 copies, with many selling fewer than 50. The average figure of 250 copies is inflated by authors like Stephen King at the top end of the market.
The math goes like this:
10 authors sell: 10, 50, 100, 150, 200, 200, 250, 300, 400, and 50,000 copies.
Mean: 5,166 copies
Median: 200 copies (half sold fewer, half sold more)
The game most authors play is the Attention Competition – do a better job than the competition, and you might sell north of 1,000 copies.
But the game is designed by the platforms. Amazon, traditional publishers, and social media algorithms benefit from authors competing for visibility, buying ads, and obsessing over rankings. The house always wins.
There is, however, a choice. You don’t need to play by the house rules.
A positive-sum, relationship-building game looks like this:
Success = relationship with the reader
Winning = becoming a trusted voice in your field
Strategy = create opportunities for connection, not sales
Game theory is compelling, but sometimes it pays to ask: What game am I playing, and what would happen if I focused not on winning but on staying in the game?