Let’s talk about why so much marketing advice leaves you feeling frustrated, exhausted, and still not selling books, and what actually works instead.

The Problem With Most Book Marketing Advice

Have you ever Googled “how to market my book” or watched a few YouTube videos on book promotion?

If so, you’ve probably heard advice like:
“You need to be posting on Instagram every day.”
“TikTok is the only way to sell books now.”
“If you’re not running Amazon ads, you’ll never make sales.”
“Just be consistent! Keep showing up, and the readers will come!”

And while none of these things are completely wrong, they miss the bigger picture, especially for fiction authors.

Why This Kind of Advice Doesn’t Work for Fiction Authors

The biggest issue?

Most marketing advice is made for influencers, coaches, and nonfiction authors.

📌 Nonfiction authors sell books because people want to learn from them. They can create quick, educational content and easily build trust as an expert. (I know, this is what I’ve done. 😉)

📌 Influencers & content creators sell because their audience already follows them for their personality, so when they drop a book, their followers buy out of loyalty.

📌 Fiction authors? We sell books because readers fall in love with our stories.

And that means that the usual “grow a following and sales will come” strategy doesn’t always work for us.

Readers don’t usually buy fiction because they saw a pretty Instagram post. They buy because they’re excited about a story and feel connected to it.

So if you’ve been throwing content out there, hoping to grow an audience, and wondering why it’s not translating to book sales ~ it’s not you. It’s the strategy.

What Actually Sells Fiction Books?

Let’s simplify this.

🔹 Readers buy books because they’re emotionally invested in the story.
🔹 They stay loyal to authors because they feel a connection.
🔹 They keep buying because they’re excited about what’s coming next.

So, your book marketing should focus on three things:

✅ Getting in front of the right readers (not just any audience)
✅ Building excitement about your stories (so they want to keep reading)
✅ Making it easy for them to buy (without feeling like you’re constantly “selling”)

It’s not about being everywhere. It’s about being intentional with where and how you show up.

What If Marketing Didn’t Feel Like a Full-Time Job?

Here’s the thing:

Marketing doesn’t have to take over your life.

🚫 You don’t need to spend hours on social media.
🚫 You don’t need to feel like you’re constantly chasing trends.
🚫 You don’t need to exhaust yourself trying to “keep up.”

What you do need is a simple, streamlined approach that helps you attract readers, engage them, and turn them into fans without feeling like you have to be online 24/7.

Because book marketing isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what works.

📚 PS: If you’re tired of feeling like you’re marketing your books the wrong way and want a strategy that actually works for indie fiction authors, check out the Indie Fiction Authors Marketing Momentum Membership. Inside, we focus on marketing smarter ~ not harder ~ so you can reach more readers without burning out.

Join Here

2. Address Your Readers’ Biggest Question

When readers see a new book, they often wonder: “Sure, others love it, but will I?”
These real reviews show potential readers that they will likely love your book, too.

3. Create a Sense of Urgency with Time-Limited Offers

Nothing gets people clicking “buy” faster than a little urgency! Offer a limited-time discount or special pre-order rate. For example, a lower price just for the first week of pre-orders can drive readers to act quickly. When they see the countdown to the deal’s expiration, they’ll be more likely to order sooner rather than later.

4. Use Limited-Quantity Offers

Limited editions or exclusive items can drive sales by creating scarcity. If you’re planning signed copies, for instance, let readers know that only the first 50 orders placed directly with you will be signed. Or if you have exclusive merch (like bookmarks or character art), offer it to the first 100 buyers.

This feeling of exclusivity can be a powerful motivator for early orders, as readers won’t want to miss out!

5. Offer Time or Quantity-Limited Bonuses

Bonuses can add an extra incentive to buy. Think of offering an exclusive short story, behind-the-scenes insights, or character backstories for those who order within the first week. You can also make this a limited-quantity offer, like “first 30 pre-orders get exclusive access to [Bonus].”

These small but special perks make early buyers feel appreciated and create excitement around your launch.

By using these five tips, you can build up anticipation, gather pre-orders, and make a powerful impact on launch day.  

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When you’re ready, here’s how else I can help:

1. Join the Indie Fiction Authors Circle for just $25/year for ongoing support here

2. Take the Online Marketing Map for Indie Fiction Authors course here

 3. Book at 1:1 session with me here