Which Questions Do Authors Need To Answer?

 

 

If you look at a map for marketing a book, your journey will take you to certain areas that are vital for success. It really comes down to knowing which questions to ask – and how to find answers to them.

 

There are scores of questions to be asked for you to answer, but the 25 below provide for a good foundation to get you in the right direction.

 

In researching your answers, be sure to seek out many points of view from multiple types of sources. Fellow authors, writer associations, author Facebook groups, publishing blogs, book trade publications, writer magazines, writer conferences, author podcasts, and books on marketing are all good places to start.

 

The more you know and understand – and the faster your education process takes – the better off you will be to execute a successful book marketing campaign. Kep asking questions - -and work hard at obtaining the answers.

 

Here are 25 questions you should ask yourself:

 

1.      What is my marketing plan for my book?

 

2.      What are my goals when marketing it?

 

3.      Will I hire a book promoter or marketer to help me do certain things and to teach me how to do things?

 

4.      How do I get more book sales?

 

5.      How do I sell the foreign language rights?

 

6.      How do I get my book turned into a TV show or more?

 

7.      Should I turn the book into a series?

 

8.      Can I create spin-offs to the series?

 

9.      Should I publish an audiobook?

 

10.  What should go on my website?

 

11.  Which platforms for social media should I be on?

 

12.  What should I be doing on each one?

 

13.  How do I get more professional book reviews?

 

14.  What should I do once I receive the reviews?

 

15.  How do I get more customer reviews on amazon?

 

16.  How do I improve and expand upon the distribution of my book into the marketplace?

 

17.  Where should I speak to promote my book?

 

18.  How do I go about arranging for these speaking events?

 

19.  Which awards should I apply for – and when do I have to submit by?

 

20.  How can I land a literary agent?

 

21.  How do I find a book publisher?

 

22.  How can I establish my writing legacy?

 

23.  What products or services can I create based on my book?

 

24.  How do I get more testimonials?

 

25.  How do I write books that are more marketable?

 

 

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