Help For Authors Who Resist Book Marketing

 

Who likes to go on a diet? How about setting a budget? Tackle a chronic health issue? Deal with a bad relationship?  

If you answered no one, then you also likely would not respond favorably to this question: Do you enjoy marketing your book?  

Why do authors not want to market their books?

 

• Fear of the unfamiliar— and of failure
• Not feeling ready to actively market it
• Unsure of what to do or where to start
• They say they have little time to do so
• They lack confidence in their marketing abilities

So, how do you get beyond the fears, challenges, and needs that block authors from doing what’s necessary to get their books promoted and sold? 

First, acknowledge that as the author you need to own the marketing portion. If not you, then whom? Books won’t market themselves.  

Second, make a list of goals and what you hope to accomplish. Then find experts who can help you -- or be prepared to do it yourself. Perhaps do both- -outsource some tasks, and then be prepared to do some things, and also accept the fact that some things simply won’t get done due to a lack of help, time, knowledge, skill, connections, etc.  

Third, have the mindset that it’s better to try - and fail -- than to sit on the sidelines and not pursue any marketing of your book.  

Fourth, seek out guidance. Plenty of consultants, webinars, books, social media posts, fellow authors, writer conferences, and author associations offer lots of guidance and help for you.  

Fifth, assess your strengths. If you like to speak, find bookstores, libraries, and venues to speak. If not, don’t. If you are good at researching things, find book awards to submit your book to. If not, don't. If you are social media friendly, use it to post about your book and your book’s themes. If you like videos, make videos. If you have a good voice, make a podcast. If you’re a good writer, blog. If not, don’t. You get the idea.  

Most authors just make excuses as to why they don’t market their book. It’s only natural. But it’s a losing strategy. Get out of your fear bubble and give your book a chance to succeed.

Need Book Marketing Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with 3.6 million page views, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!

 

About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.6 million pageviews. With 4,800+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and director of publicity positions at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.