Authors Must Focus On, Not Obsess Over Marketing

 

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Accidental or unintended success is not something you can work at, but you can intentionally not stress yourself out or obsessively focus on one narrow objective. It may feel counter-intuitive, to not zero in on the object of your desire, but the truth is, if all you do is laser in on a solo goal or task it can force you to be off your game.

I know some people are tasked with singular goals. Athletes want to win championships, military generals need a victory in war, and surgeons need to save their patients. But even in those cases, they don’t just succeed at something in one instance.

It is in a series of instances that they are tested, and it is an accumulation of winning smaller battles that positions them for a breakthrough. Each one really has to focus on getting their core fundamentals in line, so they can be put into a vantage point to succeed.

Think about it. An athlete’s success begins way before he competes. How he trains, how he stays fit, how he strategizes, and how he studies the competition is what will give him a better chance to win on the field.

Authors also must compete, every day in every way, to get the word out about their books. It takes a sustained, consistent, and persistent effort to market a book. One must focus on it to do well, but not obsess to the point they become blinded or fatigued by it. You want to care enough, even a lot, but not in a way that it impacts your judgment or ability to do what is needed.

One thing an author must be aware of is to avoid making marketing decisions based on ignorance, ego, or desperation. Simply determine what would make sense for you and your book by weighing your choice in the context of what the full menu of options available to you are. Don’t just latch on to what sounds good but is unrealistic, too costly, or merely shiny.

Know why you wrote your book and be aware of what your goals are. Then find marketing opportunities that are achievable and affordable that support your goals. Don’t worry about what other authors do — just customize your marketing to your book and goals.

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 8,600,000 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