Fiction Writing Made Easy | Top Creative Writing Podcast for Fiction Writers & Writing Tips

#180. Student Spotlight: How Her Debut Novel Became An Amazon Bestseller With Margaret Mantor

Feb 11, 2025

In this engaging discussion, Margaret Mantor, a science-fantasy romance author from Denver, shares her journey to becoming an Amazon bestseller with her debut novel, Air And Ashes. She reveals how strategic marketing tactics, not just social media, propelled her success. Margaret talks about the importance of giving away books for free, utilizing BookBub promotions, and embracing feedback from beta readers and editors. She also reflects on her decision to self-publish and shares valuable insights for aspiring authors looking to navigate the industry.

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Episode notes

Intro

00:00 • 4min

From Concept to Bestseller: A Debut Author's Journey

04:00 • 2min

Embracing Feedback: The Writer's Journey

05:59 • 5min

Navigating Character Motivation in Storytelling

10:59 • 2min

Navigating Feedback and Self-Publishing

12:42 • 19min

The Power of Celebrating Small Wins in Writing

31:26 • 2min

Building Connections in the Writing Community

33:17 • 9min

Discover how a debut author turned her first novel into an Amazon #1 bestseller using strategic marketing tactics instead of relying on social media.

Meet Margaret Mantor, a science-fantasy romance author from Denver whose novel Air And Ashes hit Amazon's bestseller list one month after launch. Tune in to hear us talk about why giving away books for free can lead to more sales, how to use BookBub promotions and newsletter features to skyrocket your Amazon rankings, and why using social media to promote your book doesn’t always work.

Episode Highlights

[03:45] Meet Margaret, a science-fantasy romance author from Denver

[05:03] Celebrating becoming an Amazon bestseller one month after launch

[05:51] How Margaret's high school story idea became an Amazon bestseller

[07:24] Working with a developmental editor and handling feedback

[13:35] The revision process: Beta readers, line editors, and proofreaders

[18:26] Why Margaret chose self-publishing vs. traditional publishing

[20:33] Book marketing strategies that actually worked without social media

[26:55] Key lessons learned and best advice for aspiring authors

[34:35] Looking ahead to book 2 and how it’s already better

If you’re an aspiring fiction author who wants to successfully self-publish your book (without using social media to market it), this episode is for you!

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

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