Readers Asked Us: How Do I Know If My Book Sales Are Good?

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Australia is not the US. Not even close. We don’t have 330 million buyers, 50,000 bookstores, or a giant influencer machine pushing every second debut. What we do have is a tight market, strong libraries, loyal readers, and authors with unreasonable expectations… because they’re comparing themselves to overseas giants.

Flatlay of a laptop, coffee cup, documents, and greenery on a white desk, representing writing, analytics, and author workflow.

“Grif… what’s a good number of sales?”Writers ask me this a lot. Usually in a whisper, like they’re confessing a crime.

Short answer: It depends.

Long answer: buckle up — as I am about to give you the straight-talking, industry-backed version.

Australia is not the US. Not even close. We don’t have 330 million buyers, 50,000 bookstores, or a giant influencer machine pushing every second debut. What we do have is a tight market, strong libraries, loyal readers, and authors with unreasonable expectations… because they’re comparing themselves to overseas giants.

The Australian Sales Reality (No Spin)

Here’s what ‘good’ looks like for Australian self-published and small-press authors — based on data from industry bodies like the ASA, APA, IngramSpark AU, Nielsen BookData, and the lived reality of every indie I’ve worked with.

The Breakdown (realistic, not Instagram):

  • 25–50 copies – Standard for a quiet release. Yes, really.
  • 100 copies – Healthy. You’re reaching outside your immediate circle.
  • 150–250 copies – Strong performance.
  • 300–500 copies – You’re doing better than most indies in Australia.
  • 500–1,000 copies – Exceptional. Few get here.
  • 1,000–2,000+ copies – High-achieving indie. Libraries and word-of-mouth are kicking in.
  • 5,000+ copies – Australian indie breakout.
  • 10,000+ copies – Unicorn territory. If you hit this, buy a cake. A good one.

For perspective: The Australian Publishers Association reports that the median traditionally published Aussie book sells 700–1,000 copies in its entire life. And that’s with a publishing house behind it — marketing, reps, media, distribution, catalogue placement…the whole parade.

If you’re an indie doing 150+ in the first year? You’re not behind. You’re competitive.

Want sources? Grab these. Bookmark them. Use them. Quote them to anyone who tries to compare you to an American BookTok author with a movie deal:

The Part Nobody Tells You: Australia Is a Slow Burn

We don’t do the ‘launch boom’ culture here. We do library uptake, bookshop staff picks, school visits, local radio, author talks, community news, steady word-of-mouth and the “my cousin wrote this” effect.

Australian books often sell more steadily over time — not in one big 48-hour spike.

Your book might be quiet at launch… then pick up at month four. Or after a library talk.
Or when someone’s mum tells someone’s aunt who tells the local IGA manager.

It’s a weird ecosystem. But it works — slowly, consistently, locally.

How to Tell If Your Book Is Actually Doing Well

Forget the raw number for a second. Ask this:

1. Are strangers buying it?If the answer is yes, celebrate. You’re ahead of most new indies.

2. Are libraries ordering it?In Australia, libraries move mountains. They buy. They re-buy. They recommend.

3. Are reviews coming in?Doesn’t matter how many — if strangers review you, your book is alive.

4. Are events, talks, or workshops popping up because of it?That’s author growth money can’t buy.

5. Did you learn something that makes your next book stronger?That’s momentum. It compounds.

These are the metrics that matter long-term — the ones that actually build a career.

For Anyone Currently Panicking About Their Numbers

Take a breath. Here are the facts:

  • Most indie books sell slowly.
  • Most launches are modest, selling under 50 copies.
  • Most writers underestimate how small Australia’s market is.
  • Most readers never buy a book in its first month.

Here’s the other fact: Your book can grow for YEARS.

I’ve seen:

  • 30 copies sold a launch turn into 300 copies sold in a year
  • libraries adopt titles after month six
  • festivals pick up a book a whole year after release
  • book clubs revive a ‘quiet’ book overnight
  • local media create sudden spikes

If you’re not seeing big numbers yet, it does not mean your book has failed. It just means you’re in Australia.

And Australia takes its time.

Grif’s Quick, No-Nonsense Guidance

Want to know if your sales are “good”? Use this cheat sheet:

👉 Under 100 copies?Normal. Market your book. Don’t apologise for it.

👉 100–250 copies?Strong. Keep going. You’re on the right track.

👉 250–500 copies?You’re doing very well for an Aussie indie.

👉 500–1,000+ copies?You’re in the top tier. Celebrate properly.

👉 1,000–5,000+ copies?You’ve cracked a system many don’t. Build on it.

👉 5,000–10,000+ copies?You’re an outlier. In a good way. Keep the receipts — this is festival leverage.

“Good” isn’t a fixed number.
“Good” is progress, reach, longevity, and repeatability.

If you’re writing the next book? You’re already winning.

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