midlist

American  

[mid-list] / ˈmɪdˌlɪst /

noun

1. the part of a publisher's sales list of newly or recently published books consisting of titles that are expected to have average sales or success, as compared to the frontlist.

---

Etymology

Origin of midlist

First recorded in 1980–85; mid- ( def. ) + list ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

“I went from a midlist comic book author with one title out to being a person making national headlines,” Kobabe said.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 21, 2022

“Here I Am” has more teeming life in it than several hundred well-meaning and well-reviewed books of midlist fiction put together.

From New York Times • Sep. 6, 2016

My concern is not for midlist literary authors; my concern is for having an interesting book review to read.

From Slate • Sep. 12, 2013

“Right now,” Stanton says, “the world is not good at finding midlist or old books or books by first-time authors — a huge portion of the pyramid of books out there.”

From Salon • May 17, 2012

Secrets of Ya-Ya Sisterhood went from a midlist title to a bestseller by being passed from hand to hand by women in reading circles.

From Ebooks: Neither E, Nor Books by Doctorow, Cory