Novel Marketing

Without advertising, most books only sell to the author’s friends, family, and neighbors. People across the country or across town may never hear about your book. Amazon ads can help you reach beyond your social bubble. Many authors think they need a series to make ads work, but that’s not true. You can run profitable ads even if you only have one book published. In the latest episode of Novel Mar...

Publishing is changing faster than ever before. New AI tools are dropping every time you turn around, and the way authors write, publish, and sell books is being rewritten in real-time. On Novel Marketing has been committed to sharing evergreen marketing principles that do not change, which is why it's become such a trusted resource for authors. However, this strategy has left many authors on...

Too many writers waste hundreds or thousands of dollars on laptop features they’ll never use. Worse yet, some struggle along with outdated, unreliable machines that sabotage their creativity and productivity. Here’s what tech companies don’t want you to know: That pricey laptop with all the bells and whistles? Most of those features are totally useless for authors. ​This week’s episode​ is my 2025...

Description & Times Building an email list made up of more than friends and family can feel impossible, especially before you've launched your first book. Eventually, you have to attract strangers. But how? How do you convince strangers to join your email list? We've been using a surprisingly effective method for years, yet I have never dedicated an entire podcast to it. In this week...

Are you having trouble starting or finishing your writing? A subtle and sinister phenomenon may be keeping you from success. It may even be the reason your book is not finished yet. It might be why your book isn’t selling. What is it? Procrastination. You can’t beat procrastination by hustling harder; you need a plan that’s smarter. So, how do you escape the procrastination prison? One step at a t...

Blog version: https://www.authormedia.com/how-to-craft-a-cancel-proof-marketing-strategy/ A few years ago, getting canceled could end your career. But author cancel culture has changed. Now, it can supercharge book sales. But how? In this week’s episode of Novel Marketing, I spoke with book marketer Christine Eriksen about how an indie author used an unplanned controversy as a powerful book market...

How effective is your author website? In this week’s episode of Novel Marketing, I review the websites of top Christian Historical Romance authors, analyzing what they’re doing well and where they could improve. From SEO wins to missed opportunities, you’ll discover practical ways to enhance your own website. Find out:  What bestselling authors get right about website design  Common mistakes that...

It’s 2025, and authors are at war over AI. Some are embracing it, others are retreating to bunkers, and a few think it’s just another passing fad. But amid all the controversy, most authors are missing out on the AI advantage that everyone can agree on: AI can help you market your books, which gives you more time to write.    Most of us became authors because we love writing, not because we love m...

Science fiction is changing, and so are its readers. The cultural landscape that shaped the last 40 years of sci-fi is shifting, including thoughts about wokeness, AI, WWIII, population, and more. If you're still writing about overused and cliched sci-fi themes, you're missing the mark. In this week's episode of Novel Marketing , we explore: Why climate-change narratives are losing...

To indie publish or traditionally publish? That is the question. For years, indie publishing was seen as a fallback for authors who couldn’t land a traditional contract. But times have changed. Many indie authors now outsell and out-earn their traditionally published counterparts. And yet, while many traditionally published authors are switching to indie, it’s far less common to see a successful i...

If you’re thinking about writing a book series, you might want to reconsider, especially if you’re a new author. That’s not to say you should never write a series, but it can be a risky endeavor, and I can prove it with math. In this week’s episode , I break down why writing a series may limit your potential readership. You’ll learn: The four steps every reader must take for your sequel to sell we...

Have you ever set up a book table and stacked your books neatly, only to walk away with disappointing sales? You're not alone. But there is a better way to sell books from your book table at in-person events. In this week's episode of Novel Marketing , I sit down with Sarah Hickner, an expert in book table sales, to uncover: Common mistakes authors make at book tables (and how to avoid t...

Congrats on getting booked for a podcast interview! Whether you’re promoting your book or lead magnet, your audio quality on the podcast can make or break your credibility. In our latest episode , we share pro tips on: How to prepare for your interview (beyond just showing up) Microphone techniques that make you sound like a pro The gear you need (that doesn’t break the bank) What to do after the...

Serialized fiction has been captivating readers for centuries, from nightly bedtime stories to Charles Dickens' Great Expectations to modern writers on platforms like Royal Road and Wattpad. In this episode, I interview bestselling author Seth Ring, who shares how serialized fiction helped him write 25+ books, build a dedicated fanbase, hone his craft, and achieve financial success. Discover:...

Where is publishing headed in 2025? Are we witnessing the end of traditional publishing or the birth of something new? In this week's episode of Novel Marketing , we’re unpacking: The surprising trends reshaping the industry. Why successful indie authors are rejecting six-figure advances. How romantasy, premium books, and shifting political preferences are transforming bestseller lists. And o...

Many authors feel stuck. They're toiling away in obscurity, and none of their promotion efforts seem to go anywhere. Success in publishing is as much about who you know as what you know. And sometimes, the lack of knowing the right people keeps you from finding success. We still live in a world that's run by human people, and your connection to those humans will lead to your success. If...

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the endless task of writing, publishing, and marketing your book? From deciding which software to use for writing to figuring out how to keep track of all the characters in your story, the choices can feel paralyzing, and the number of things that need to be done can be very overwhelming. Besides your writing tasks, you have the business side of things: scheduling me...

Your author platform is your ability to spread the word about your book. As an indie author, your platform is directly linked with how large your book launch can be. Bigger platforms lead to bigger launches. All else being equal, traditional publishers always prefer large-platform authors to authors with no platform. So, how do you grow your author platform? This week’s episode is a webinar I rece...

Is your website’s Contact page serving your readers and web visitors? In the past, authors simply shared their email addresses on their websites. But that opened the door to a flood of spam, which drowned out real messages from readers. Connecting with your readers is essential to building your readership, so you can’t simply remove your email address from your website. But how do you create an ef...

Choosing the right setting can supercharge your book sales. Some people read a book just for its setting. A good setting can lead to spin-off products like board games, art books, coloring books, calendars, comic books, and even movies. Setting not only turns people on to a story, but it also turns people off. Every author must answer the question, “How can I place my story in a setting that reade...

Sometimes in marketing, it pays to zig when everyone else is zagging. In this digital age, when authors race to do everything online, it's easy to forget the magic of face-to-face interactions. Personal connections can transform your relationship with your readers and fellow authors. A book festival is a fantastic way to meet with readers and writers at the same time in real life. But what is...

As Yoda says, “Difficult to see the future is.” But difficult is not impossible. Causes have effects, and the more you have a sense of the rhythms of the past, the better you can sense the future. If it takes you two years to write a book, you owe it to yourself to ask, “What kinds of books will be popular in two years?” Reader preferences change over time, but sometimes they change rapidly. If yo...

Has inflation eaten away at your book profits? Perhaps you want to start advertising and need some margin. Or maybe readers are not taking you seriously with your book's current low price. You need to raise the price of your book, but how should you do it? Most authors raise prices quietly. One day, the price just goes up, and they hope no one notices. But that approach is a massive mistake a...

The last time I visited Barnes and Noble, I marveled at the comic book section. Western comic books only filled a couple of shelves, while around the corner, there was an entire aisle of manga comic books. I wondered, “Why is Eastern manga so much more popular than Western comic books from DC and Marvel?” As I investigated, I discovered an interesting and shockingly ancient answer. Western storyte...

Reader magnets are like real magnets. Sometimes, they aren't very magnetic, and other times, they're so magnetic that we can rapidly grow an email list of tens of thousands of readers. A reader magnet is supposed to magnetically draw readers onto your list so that when you have a book to announce, lots of folks are ready and eager to learn more or buy. But what if your reader magnet does...