Authors Should Know Their Worth Like Phil Ozersky

 

I recently wrote a blog post about Ron Wayne, who missed out on billions of dollars when he panic-sold his 10% stake in Apple for a paltry $800, just shortly after the company was formed. He is an example of a don’t when it comes to authors not believing in their craft and willingly taking some risks in order to seek out a greater payday.

Well, now I can encourage writers to be like Phil Ozersky, and to learn from his ability to demand more from others, and to know your worth.

Who is Phil Ozersky you ask?

Back in the late 1990s, during baseball’s steroids era and juiced baseballs, guys were breaking one home run record after another. In 1998, an exciting home run race took place between St. Louis Cardinal Mark McGwire and Chicago Cub Sammy Sosa. Both obliterated the then-season record of 61 by Roger Maris in 1961. Big Mac (McGwire) won the home run title with 70 long balls. He broke the record with 15% more homers than the record-holder. By contrast, Maris set the record by hitting just one more than Babe Ruth’s then-record 60 of 1927.

Suffice to say, it was an amazing feat and an exciting end to a season-long battle. When No. 70 was hit, the ball went into the stands. The fan who caught the ball at St. Louis’ Busch Stadium, was offered an autographed bat, ball, and jersey in exchange for the historic ball. Phil Ozersky agreed, provided he also got to meet the famed slugger. Big Mac declined and the deal was off.

Ozersky sold the ball at an auction and it fetched three million bucks just a few months after the home run had been hit. He was wise to sell it fast. Barry Bonds, another doper, would break the record with 73 just a few seasons later. Bonds’ record is tainted and many recognize Aaron Judge’s 62 from a few seasons ago as the true record.

Though Ozersky almost gave the ball away for peanuts and a sentimental meet-and-greet, he had the discipline and sense of worth to demand more than what he was offered, and when he did not get it, he was able to cash in bigly.

Authors should always keep that in mind. Don’t fear failure, like Ron Wayne, and hold out for more and believe in your value, like Phil Ozersky.

About Brian Feinblum

This award-winning blog has generated over 5,850,000 page views. With 5,600+ 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 2026.

 

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