18 Tips For Authors On Writing Pursuasively To Sell Books

 

 

Website copy. Back covers. Blogs. Social media posts. Letters to the media. E-mails to bookstores and libraries. Ads. Sales solicitations. Authors have to write many words in order to sell a collection of words, or what we call a book. Here are 18 copywriting tips to help authors punch up their writing. 

1.      Determine the personality or voice of your marketing. Are you looking to sound like an expert, a comedian, a bully, a sexy person, a victim, or an intellect? Choose one or another. Remain consistent in how you speak and write, Don’t get out of character. 

 

2.      Either inform, entertain, enlighten, or inspire. Those are your choices. How will your book serve a need or desire? What do you want to be to your readers?  

3.      Don’t contradict yourself. Avoid confusion.

 

4.      Say what you mean and write how you talk.

 

5.      Pen short, simple sentences in small paragraphs. Where possible, use bullet points. 

 

6.      Shorter is better than longer but too short sounds like you lack substance or depth. Too long causes a society of ADHD citizens to twitch.

 

7.      Speak the lingp associated with your subject matter. 

 

8.      If the headline doesn’t draw a reader in what follows won't matter. 

 

9.      Coin a phrase or give something or someone a memorable nickname.

 

10.  Ask for the action steps that you seek, state facts, express passion and emotions, and appeal to your reader’s mindsets. 

 

11.  Write freely and throw all of your ideas onto paper. Then edit. And edit again. Write once, and cut twice. 

 

12.  Anticipate the opposition, reluctance, or ignorance that may plague a reader from appreciating what you are offering or saying - and take advance corrective actions. 

 

13.  Facts, opinions, emotions, numbers, what’s in the news, anniversaries, sex, money, travel, power, faith, education, pets, love, family, friends, and sports. These are the things most people understand and know about. Anything else may not be fertile or safe territory for you. 

 

14.  Be a storyteller, but make sure that the stories are short, understandable, and relevant.

 

15.  Sound authoritative. Be the Wizard of Oz - just don’t let anyone reveal an ordinary man is behind the curtain.

 

16.  Do you write things that sound believable? Unique? Exclusive? Interesting? Useful?

 

17.  Are you writing for your targeted reader - someone, not everyone?

 

18.  Write from your heart, convictions, experiences, fantasies, vision, mission, or sense of humor. Be authentic and take ownership of who you want to come across as. 

 

Lately, have fun. Writing is an art and a celebration point where every aspect of our lives converge, You write with a purpose and passion, and your drive to persuade others with your words will hopefully shine through.

 

 

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.

 

You can connect with him at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum/ or https://www.facebook.com/brian.feinblum