6 Things That Help Authors – And They Cost Nothing!

 

 

I get paid to help authors strategically and effectively market and promote their books. What I do for them – or show them how to do – is based on experience, logic, and the marketplace. But one area that I can’t really do for you is to give you the six characteristics most successful authors exhibit. You have to discover, embrace, and live them.

 

The foundation for book marketing success revolves around these six areas:

 

1.      Good Attitude

2.      Think Opportunistically

3.      Be Energized

4.      Stay Friendly

5.      Be Giving

6.      Bright Aptitude

 

Master these half-dozen attributes and you will be unstoppable – unless you stink at writing, of course. But assuming you can produce even moderately decent books, when coupled with the development of these six areas, you will be unstoppable.

 

Let’s look at each of them more closely to see what role they each play in getting your books marketed, published, and sold.

 

1.      Attitude – Be optimistic and hopeful of what you can accomplish. Be confident and believe in yourself. Display that confidence to others. Show resilience and be able to endure rejections, setbacks, or challenges. Be enthusiastic and show it in your voice, smile and energy levels.

 

2.      Opportunistic -- Be able to pounce on the opportunities presented to you. Create your own opportunities that are not so apparent. Be willing to take risks, even make big bets. Be willing to beg, trade with, or pay others to get what you need.

 

3.      Energy – Put in the time and effort that is necessary. Hustle and always be on the move. Be willing to travel, put in long hours, and do some heavy lifting. Do what others won’t or can’t do and go the extra mile.

 

4.      Friendly – You can network your way to getting what you need or want. You act friendly and in turn, people will want to help you. People do business with those they like, so be likeable.

 

5.      Giving – Charity: donate some of your book’s proceeds to a worthy cause. Freebies: give away books or content to building up reviews and word-of-mouth. Offers to help: be helpful to others by being a good listener, offering to assist in some way, or displaying a level of kindness.

 

6.      Aptitude – Your level of knowledge – either about what you write, how to market, or of the world-at-large – will greatly contribute to your ability and skillset to achieve. You can’t change your IQ, but you can learn more about things like social media or where to find book reviewers.

 

Now, once you have developed and mastered many or all of these areas, you are not guaranteed anything. You still need professional help, to be organized, and to be lucky. But the foundation to your success begins with the six areas that are free and accessible to you.

 

About Brian Feinblum

This award-winning blog has generated over 5,000,000 page views. With 5,400+ posts over the past 14 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 was recently interviewed by the IBPA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0BhO9m8jbs

 

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