Would Authors Kill For A Best-Seller?

Writers are driven, even feeling compelled, to try to write something so powerful and prophetic.  All of the time.

Every sentence constructed, and each word selected, could or should make a statement, one that clearly shows the writer knows something and is insightfully sharing it with us.

This could come from the writer’s ego, wanting for praise about how he or she brilliantly crafted a book, but more likely it originates within the writer because there is a truth that is discovered and shared, and the writer desires being the messenger or conduit by which this idea, feeling, fact, dream, or whatever is conveyed.

The writer acts almost selflessly, purely seeking to impact and influence how one sees and lives life, looking to shape how we should view and experience how we contribute to our life and the lives of others.

Sometimes the writer acts as a scientist, seeking to find a cure for cancer or to discover the existence of other maladies that until now have gone undetected. Yes, again, it could be coming from a desire to be seen as a hero and savior. It could be done because the scientist seeks fortune from his work. Or it could be done purely as a servant to humanity, to help others.

Does one’s motive matter, as long as they are driven to succeed in a way that will benefit others?

Should it matter that a writer, purely due to jealousy, anger, fear, greed, or some other emotion, vice, or ulterior motive wants to write a great book that helps readers live better moments, if not lives?

What if somehow, with the writing of a book, someone is hurt, maybe even killed, as some kind of direct or indirect result? Is that a price we are prepared to pay for having a great book?

Case in point: An author, in order to write as he does, needs to be reckless in his personal life. He drinks, does drugs, and has sex with married women. As a result, perhaps the author overdoses or one of the husbands kills a cheating wife. Was the book worth the reckless behavior that caused the ensuing acts of grave consequences?

Another point: What if a writer knows that with the publication of a book, people could be snatched up by a corrupt government or come under the threat of known violent individuals? Is it still worth it?

I don’t believe authors make such calculations about their writings, but I do know many writers would sacrifice a lot to write a book that gets critical acclaim, wins awards, hits the best-seller list, or makes a difference in a life. 

What are you willing to do? 

 

What Do We Experience Together?

Spain recently won the World Cup and an estimated 1.5 billion worldwide and 63 million Americans tuned into the final game of the international soccer competition. Though those are big numbers in an era where viewing audiences are diverse, scattered, and their viewing choices are ever-expanding, it also shows how challenging it is to have unifying or common-experience moments. For all those who watched the soccer match, over 80% of the globe and 85% of America tuned it out.

This pattern holds true with most best-selling books. A book can hit the New York Times bestselling list and in the course of the year sell two million copies. This book, wildly successful by all accounts, still failed to be purchased by some 345 million other Americans. Fewer than one percent of our nation’s population will have bought that book that saw two million sales this past year.

 

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 7,800,000 page views. With nearly 5,700+ posts over the past 15 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 2026, 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) and (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/10-things-my-dog-taught-me-about-marketing-books). 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, three times at BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers Association, Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, five times at Morgan James Publishing Red Carpet, 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