TThe most important thing I see in my authors who achieve bestselling status is that they’re not out to write a bestseller. They are writing their book in order to spread a message. They have a clear, defined purpose and a passion to ignite the world with what they believe. Their book is their manifesto and their goals are, as bestselling author Jim Collins puts it, “big, hairy and audacious.” 

That goal might be to write a literary classic. It might be to change the world. Sometimes, an author says to me, “Diana, if I can reach just one person with this book, then all the work will be worthwhile.” That’s pretty big, hairy and audacious goal if you think about it: changing someone’s life. 

With this book, the author had a vital message to share with the world. We worked hard to hone that message until it was razor-sharp. Then, we spent months doing back-and-forth revisions until we were sure that the message was supported by deep research and excellent writing.

That wasn’t the end of it, however. 

After the book was done, the author sent it to experts in the field to get even more feedback that we incorporated into the book. They wanted to be sure they’d covered all the angles–and that they got great cover blurbs! 

The author invested in an excellent book packager for the cover, text, and interior images.

Meanwhile, the author understood that writing and publishing the book was only the beginning. She re-did her website and updated all her marketing to include the book. She went on social media to build a platform, blasted traditional media, and threw events to promote the book. 

In the end, it all paid off. Not because she sold a lot of books–which she did. Not because it became a bestseller–which it did. Her goal was to reach as many people as possible with her message, and everything else was gravy. 

That’s how you write a bestseller.