Novel Marketing

Feeling overwhelmed by book marketing can lead authors to look for shortcuts. Shortcuts lead to expensive complications. Expensive complications lead to dead ends. Dead ends lead to suffering. Yoda would call this “The path to the dark side.” Does this sound familiar? How do you escape this overwhelming cycle? There are ten different stressors that can lead to book-marketing overwhelm. Most authors face at least one, and if you are completely overwhelmed, you may be facing all of them. In this week’s episode, you’ll learn: Listen in or check out the blog version of this episode to discover which stressors are hounding you and how to implement simple solutions to mitigate your marketing stress. Support the Show.

Being an author requires you to have hundreds of online accounts for different software and services. Websites such as Amazon, ConvertKit, Publisher Rocket, Patreon, K-lytics, Bookvault, AuthorMedia.social, AuthorsXP, BookBub, Kickstarter, Teachable, Bluehost, WordPress, Grammarly, and Plottr (to name a few) all require a username and password. Some authors avoid using helpful tools simply because they don’t want to create and remember yet another username and password. It seems like too much hassle, and their writing and publishing efficiency and quality suffer as a result. But what if there was a simple way to eliminate your password problems? There is! In this week’s episode you’ll learn If you’re ready to eliminate your password problems, listen in or check out the blog post version of this episode to find password peace of mind. Support the Show.

Can you make a living as an author without selling through Amazon? Many authors wonder. Amazon is the sole revenue source for many indie authors, but Amazon’s algorithms can disable your KDP accounts and cut off your income without any human reviewing the action. Authors find themselves pleading with a computer to reactivate their accounts while their livelihoods hang in the balance. While this scenario is rare, it does occur. That’s why some authors connect with their readers without relying on Amazon. How do you do that, and what type of author can pull it off? In this week’s episode, Connor Boyack shares his strategy for success and sustainability as a career author. You’ll learn Listen in or check out the blog post version to find out how Connor’s reproducible strategy can also work for you. Support the Show.

With the rise of AI authors, how do you prove you are a human author? Most authors prove their humanity with their names and photos. Your identity protects you from being called a bot writer. But what if you use a pen name? Will AI bring the age of pen names to an end? While pen names are going out of style, there are some reasons you might still consider using one. In this week’s episode, you’ll learn seven reasons authors use pen names and if those reasons still make sense in an era where your verifiable humanity has become a marketing asset. You’ll learn There are several great reasons (and a few bad ones) to use an author pen name. If you’re still trying to decide what your author name should be, or if you’ve used a pen name for years, this episode will give you some direction, so listen in or check out the blog version today. Support the Show.

I remember watching Steve Jobs's keynote presentation for the original iPhone. This magical new device, he said, would revolutionize our productivity. And at first, it did. But then, along came apps. Soon, user experiences were scientifically optimized to be as addictive as possible. An author's productive output is inversely correlated with time spent on the phone. In this week's episode, we'll talk about how to spend less time on your phone and more time writing. You'll learn Listen in or check out the blog post version of this episode to discover ten tips for leveraging your phone to increase your productivity and limiting its ability to keep you from writing your book. Support the Show.

Authors around the world are trying to reduce their reliance on Amazon. However, most of us still use and like Amazon. In fact, many authors earn most of their money from Amazon. But any company with a 90% market share can't be fully trusted. One way indie authors can reduce their reliance on Amazon is by selling directly from their own author websites. Selling directly provides protection from the changes at an international company. It allows you to retain more money, control, and flexibility over pricing, bundling, and so much more. In this week's episode, you'll learn about a new service called Bookvault that can print your special edition hardback, help you sell directly to readers, and take care of order fulfillment. You'll learn Listen in or check out the blog post version to find out how you can print high-quality hardbacks, outsource fulfillment, and sell directly from your author website, all without using Amazon. Support the Show.

One key to becoming a bestselling author is the selling. And one element of sales is the sales pitch. Some authors think pitches are only to be used for pitching agents at writers conferences, but you can actually use a sales pitch whenever you talk about your book. Your sales pitch convinces readers to care about and read your book. The stronger your pitch, the better your sales. I’ve talked a lot about pitching novels in the past, but in this week’s episode, we’ll discuss a powerful recipe for pitching nonfiction that works so well that it can even work for fiction. You’ll learn In the blog post version of this episode, you can download the 8-page companion worksheet to help you discover which pitch formula works best for you and use it as a guide for writing a great sales pitch for your book. Support the Show.

My first DOS computer had no mouse. Its screen had two colors: green and white. Today, computers have mice and complex graphics, and there is no need to be a computer programmer in order to use a computer. Technology gets easier to use each year. Even though it's easier than it used to be, sometimes you still need help. Many authors find that the biggest obstacle keeping them from writing, publishing, or marketing is technology. Authors lacking technical sophistication often get pulled into overpriced schemes like hybrid publishing and struggle to succeed. So, how can you learn to learn technology? In this week's episode, you will learn the keys to If you're ready to have a little fun and fewer tech headaches, listen in or check out the blog version of this episode and learn how to master technology. Support the Show.

A few months ago, we released an episode called The Starving Author: How to Market Books When You Have No Money. After the episode aired, several authors asked me a similar question: “What do we do if we do have money to spend?” You see, not all authors are starving. Some writers have spent years saving money, and they want to know how to get the best return on that money when they invest it in book marketing. So, how do you supercharge book sales if you have money to spend? In this week's episode, we’ll discuss marketing opportunities available to authors with a sizable marketing budget. You’ll learn If you have a bigger budget for book marketing, opportunities abound. Listen in or check out the blog post version to find out which marketing expenses will yield the best return on your investment. Support the Show.

Author Media has a list of over 10,000 subscribers, and around half of them open our emails, which means our open rates hover around 50%. That’s a high open rate! It’s partly because new subscribers join our email list through webinars I present for writers and authors. By the end of each webinar, attendees know enough to want to open emails from Author Media and me. Plus, the comments, questions, and polls associated with the webinar allow me to get to know my audience better. If you want to get to know your “Timothy” and grow your email list by adding subscribers who want to open your emails, it might be time for you to host a webinar. But how do you deliver webinars readers want to attend? In this week’s episode, you’ll learn 12 tips for hosting educational and entertaining webinars people want to attend. You’ll learn Listen in or check out the blog version to find out how you can build an email list full of your “Timothys” and grow an engaged tribe through hosting an author webinar. Support the Show.

An Uber driver's most valuable asset is his car. A photographer's camera is critical. An Uber driver with a broken car can't make money, and a photographer with a cheap camera will slowly starve. What is the critical tool for an author? What tool will help you earn money and keep you from starving? Your laptop! You write, edit, and promote your book on your laptop. A reliable, compatible computer is key to your success. Put another way, an old, unreliable computer is a terrible liability. Investing in a good laptop is not just a smart move, it's a potential tax-deductible business expense for professional authors. But how do you know what kind of laptop is best for you? In this week's episode, you'll find out: Listen in or check out the blog version of this episode to find out what kind of computer will best help you in your writing career. Support the Show.

When readers browse Amazon, they have already decided to purchase a book. The only question is: Which book will they choose? What if there was a way to reach readers at this pivotal moment and persuade them to pick your book from the list they're considering? There is! It is called Amazon Advertising, and it has become one of the most popular forms of book promotion for indie authors. However, many authors feel intimidated by the idea of running Amazon ads. In this week's episode, you'll hear from Alana Terry, a USA Today bestselling author of over 40 books and Amazon ads expert. You'll discover If you've wanted to sell more books on Amazon but have felt overwhelmed by the process of running ads, listen in or check out the blog version of this episode to find out the quickest way to get started. Support the Show.

The tools we use for writing have evolved over the centuries, from quill and inkpot to the printing press, to the word processor to AI. Recent developments in AI tools for writers have sparked everything from laughable images to controversy and fear. Is AI evil? Is it safe? In this week’s episode, we’ll discuss what you need to know about AI in our current day. You’ll learn Listen in or check out the blog version of this episode to learn what to watch for and how AI can increase your writing output and improve your craft. Support the Show.

Almost every traditionally published book goes up for preorder before it comes out. However, the advice surrounding preorders can be confusing for indie authors. Some indies say preorders are critical. Others say having a preorder for your book can hurt sales. Who is right? Should you set up a preorder for your book? Are preorders a good idea or a bad idea? Preorders can help or hurt, depending on what kind of author you are. In this week’s episode, you’ll learn: Listen in or check out the blog version of this episode to learn the benefits and drawbacks of making your book available for preorder before its launch date. Support the Show.

You’ve heard me talk about the Five Ps of Marketing, and in this week’s episode, we tackle the third P: Place. In other words, where should you sell your book? Many authors struggle to find the right place to sell their books. Whether you're an indie or traditional author, you must discover the best places to sell. So, how can you unlock the power of place for your book? In this episode, you’ll learn: Selling your book in the right place is important for connecting with the right readers and making sales. Listen in or check out the blog post to find out how place impacts your book sales. Support the Show.

The term "self-publishing" doesn't mean that you sit in a cabin in the woods all by yourself and emerge with a published book as if you'd done it all singlehandedly. It's rare to find one person who has all the skills required to turn an idea into a physical book. We need cover designers, formatters, web designers, assistants, and more. You might be self-publishing, but you will need some help. But what if you don't know anyone who can help? Where can you find skilled professionals who can produce the high-quality work your book deserves? I asked Ricardo Fayet, the cofounder of Reedsy, a curated community of book professionals In this week's episode, you'll learn Listen in to discover how Reedsy can help indie and traditional authors create beautiful, compelling, and marketable books, and find all the related links in the blog version. Support the Show.

This year marks the end of an era. The Book Launch Blueprint is entering its seventh and final year. Since we began offering it in 2018, it has been one of our most popular courses. Launching a book is one strategy that works well for indie and traditional as well as fiction and nonfiction. But why is a book launch so important? In this week’s episode, you’ll discover Registration for the final cohort of the Book Launch Blueprint course is now open. Listen in to learn a few book launch secrets and get an overview of the course, or check out the blog version of this episode. Support the Show.

How much money does it cost to become a professional author? Any profession will cost you when you're just getting started. If you're broke, I recommend listening to my episode titled The Starving Author: How to Market Books Without Money. Assuming you have some money, you need a spending plan. But how much money do you need to budget for the first five years of your writing career? I asked Kent Sanders, host of The Profitable Writer Podcast and founder of the Profitable Writer Community, a membership group that serves writers and helps them become more profitable. In this week's episode, you'll learn Listen to the podcast or read the blog version, and be sure to ask your questions and leave your comments on AuthorMedia.social. Support the Show.

Email marketing is one of the most powerful tools for connecting with readers and selling books. Obviously, you want a lot of email subscribers, but it doesn't matter how many subscribers you have if they don't open and read your emails. How do you craft the kind of emails that capture your reader's attention and help you sell more books? In this week's episode, you'll learn If you don't yet have your first 1,000 newsletter subscribers, listen in, and you'll be on your way to 1,000 subscribers. Be sure to check out the blog version for a long list of links related to growing your email list. Support the Show.

A few years ago, the popular buzzword in the author world was "tribe." Building a tribe of readers was seen as the key to success. Reader relationships are still important for authors, so why did the term "tribe" go out of fashion? Having a tribe of readers is still an incredible asset that will help you sell your books and raise your profile amongst readers, but you need to know how and where to build a tribe if you want it to grow. In this week's episode, you'll learn: If you've been wondering how to listen to your Timothy or eavesdrop on a conversation between several of your target readers, listen in to find out how and where to build your tribe or check out the blog version of this episode. Support the Show.