Beyond the Bestseller List: How Black Authors Are Redefining the Win

For years, the dream for many writers followed a familiar script: a strong advance from a major New York publisher, wide bookstore placement, and a bestseller badge attached to your name. That was considered the clearest sign that you had made it.

Today, more Black authors are questioning whether that single path should define success at all.

A Return to Independent Roots

Independent publishing among Black writers is not new. In the 19th century, when traditional publishers shut Black authors out, writers such as Frederick Douglass and Phillis Wheatley relied on subscription sales, church networks, and community distribution to circulate their work. They did not wait for access; they created it.

What is happening now reflects that same instinct. The technology is modern, but the principle remains familiar: build your own channel when the existing one limits you.

Redefining Success on Personal Terms

James McBride, whose novel The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store has sold over a million copies, represents what the industry would call traditional success. Yet in interviews, he has spoken openly about preferring a quieter life over public attention.

For McBride, fulfillment comes from teaching English at a church in Brooklyn, playing saxophone late at night, and maintaining a grounded family life. The commercial success of his books does not dictate how he defines a meaningful life. His example suggests that external recognition and personal satisfaction are not always the same thing.

Direct Sales as Strategy

Many authors are also rethinking revenue models. Selling through large online retailers often yields modest royalties per copy. By contrast, selling books directly at speaking engagements, workshops, festivals, or through personal websites allows authors to retain a larger portion of the profit.

This approach requires logistical planning and upfront investment in inventory, but it can significantly increase earnings per book. In this model, the author operates as both creator and retailer.

Subscription Boxes and Curated Visibility

Book subscription services have created another avenue for exposure and revenue. Companies such as BlackLIT, founded by Nia-Tayla Clark, curate boxes that center Black authors while also including products from Black-owned businesses. The focus extends beyond selling a single book; it builds a reading experience around it.

Call Number, created by librarian Jamillah Gabriel, highlights Black authors who may not receive major marketing attention. Its emphasis is discovery and circulation rather than bestseller rankings. In both cases, success is measured by readership and engagement rather than industry lists.

The Question of Ownership

A growing number of writers are also paying closer attention to intellectual property rights. Traditional contracts can require authors to relinquish long-term control over their work. Some are deciding that retaining ownership provides greater flexibility and long-term value.

Owen Odigie, founder of Opulence Entertainment, has built his platform around maintaining creative and financial control over Black storytelling. Retaining rights allows for expansion into other formats and markets without renegotiating control.

What Winning Means Now

The bestseller list remains significant. Wide distribution and recognition still carry weight. However, they no longer serve as the only markers of achievement.

For some authors, success means creative autonomy.

For others, it means stronger profit margins through direct sales.

For many, it means community engagement and sustained readership.

For others, it means ownership and long-term control.

The difference today is not that one path has replaced another. It is that more Black authors are actively choosing which path aligns with their priorities.

Success is no longer confined to a single definition.