How Does A Really Good Book Get Discovered?

I often tell authors that even if they have written a book with the cure for cancer, no one will buy it unless they know it exists. My point is that it doesn’t matter how great a book is if no one has the ability to discover it. But now I am really wondering: What if a book does have the cure for cancer and it really has not been discovered?

 

There were something like 2.7 million books published just last year. Millions more were released the year before that, and millions more will be pumped out this year as well. What if an amazing book has been published, one that cures cancer or a disease, or solves a major problem or really helps readers enjoy life—but it has not been widely bought and read? It likely has happened.

 

One can assume there are many good books that are published that don’t find readers. The books were under-promoted and lacked good distribution. Of the few readers the books may have garnered, none of them were willing and or able to spread enough word-of-mouth praise to get the masses aware of the book’s existence.

 

Imagine if you knew a secret that could change the world, but something stops you from sharing it, such as the threat of violence, lawsuits, or the harming of those closest to you. I am sure that exists right now. So, even with a book out in the open, it is just like a secret that can’t be shared, because no one sees or hears it.

 

Maybe you have such a book, one that can transform lives, shock the world, fix a problem, cure a disease, or help us live more satisfyingly – but you just can’t get the word out about it. What would you do in that situation?

 

If your book is so amazing, it should get discovered - -but only when a concerted effort to push the book is made by the author. The book can’t sell itself when no one knows about it. You can’t get word-of-mouth sales unless enough people already found and read the book. Your job is to get the book discovered.

 

Step 1 To Discoverability: What?

Beside what can be done to get attention, such as speaking engagements, advertising, influencers, websites, etc.

 

Step 2 To Discoverability: Who?

Figure out who can help you – for a free, as a volunteer, as a favor, as a payment of a debt, for trade, or out of guilt or fear. Use them to help you.

 

Step 3 To Discoverability: When?

Have a timeline to execute all of the big and little steps to your marketing plans execution.

 

Step 4 To Discoverability: Where?

Improve your levels of distribution and book availability. Being on amazon is a start, but your book needs to be available for sale on other stores, online retailers, your web site, at events, etc.

 

Step 5 To Discoverability: Why?

Have your elevator pitch and tagline down pat. People should know why they should buy your book – what need or desire does it fill that no substitute can fill the void?

 

Step 6 To Discoverability: How?

For your what, as in, what you will do to market your book, figure out the details of how you will do these things. You may have identified advertising as one of your tools. Ok, so now figure out where to advertise, for how long, for how much. How will you measure its success? Know the how, or the details behind your “what.”

 

Your book does not have to cure cancer to be a worthwhile read that deserves discoverability, but if you truly believe that your book is exceptional, you better have an exceptional book marketing campaign to alert the masses or it will be as if it was never published. 

 

Do You Need Book Marketing Help?

Brian Feinblum 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 5,250,000 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