Why Are Authors So Stupid?

 

The book marketing maze for authors has a lot of challenges. Writers, unfamiliar with the book promotional landscape, end up misspending money, wasting time, and making rookie mistakes. It often is not their fault. They need guidance, resources, and courage. But, authors must own up to when they are acting like complete dopes.  

One of the most common and biggest mistakes made by today’s author is (a) not having a web site and (b) when they do have a site, they lack having a way for web site visitors to email them.  

It bugs me because these are unforced errors — and easy to avoid or correct. Yet, too many authors, for weak excuses, do not have a web site.   

Do they not want anyone to find them or reach out to them?  

Authors that do not have web sites and undermine their best interests. Yes, I said it.  Maybe that sounds harsh, but it is true.   

Too many authors:  

* Mistakenly think their social media will suffice

* Believe it is too hard or costly to create a site

* Are just lazy or slow to act

* Just want to write books and not dwell on their marketing 

Well, news flash: You need to change your thinking. 

Now, if you were courageous, smart enough, and could afford to have a site created, you still may be a moron. Why? Because your site might be broken. 

I have visited many author web sites that, for some unjustifiable reason, lack a contact page. 

On a few sites, they listed the website address on the site when an email address was needed. Other sites just have content about their book, blog, etc., but offer no contact info. It is as if it never occurred to these writers that someone might want — or need — to reach them. 

Many authors list their social media platforms as a way to contact them, but to rely on that is not a smart idea. For instance, let’s say you list Instagram and Tik Tok, but your site’s visitor is only on LinkedIn and X — and therefore can’t communicate with you. Not such a smart approach, is it? 

As for the other excuses, they just don’t hold weight. They represent wait. Don’t delay or become your own enemy — have a web site created and make sure it has a clear-cut, easy-to-find, easy-to-use way of contacting you for site visitors.  

Do You Need Book Marketing & PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with over four million page views, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors like you to promote your story, sell your book, and grow your 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

This award-winning blog has generated over four million pageviews. With 5,000+ 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.”  Copyright 2025.

 

For the past three decades, Brian Feinblum has helped thousands of authors. He formed his own book publicity firm in 2020. Prior to that, for 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and as the director of publicity 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.

 

His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/whats-needed-to-promote-a-book-successfully).

 

He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, BookCAMP, 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. He served as a judge for the 2024 IBPA Book Awards.

 

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.

 

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