Novel Marketing

If you write picture books, chapter books, or middle-grade fiction, you know the challenge: kids read your books, but adults buy them.So how can you let young readers know about your books? Where can you connect with your readers? By meeting them in person in school classrooms!In this week's episode, award-winning author Becca Wierwille shares how school visits became her best book marketing strategy and how you can start doing them too.In this episode, you’ll discover:How to get your first (and second!) school visitWhat to include in your presentation to keep students engaged and coming back for moreHow to make it easy for school administrators to say "Yes!" to your visitSchool visits are fun! Listen in or read the blog version to discover how you can connect with young readers, positively impact schools, and sell more books.Support the show

What’s up with ruthless heroes and romantasy?And what if the real reason your book isn’t selling has nothing to do with your writing and everything to do with the zeitgeist?In this week’s Novel Marketing episode, we’re ​featuring an episode of Author Update​. We unpack the massive cultural shift that's changing what readers crave. From romantasy's domination to the hunger for noble dark heroes, we explore what sells and why in the new "spirit of the age."In this episode, you’ll discover:The future of books with morally gray, sword-wielding protagonistsHow Gen Z’s love for brutal heroes reveals a deeper desireWhat the shift from grimdark to noble bright means for your next story​Listen in​ or read the ​blog version​ to dive into the vibes shaping the future of fiction.Support the show

Ever wonder how some authors consistently sell a thousand books a month?What marketing tactics are they using? How can I get those results too?In the latest episode of the Novel Marketing Podcast, I talk with Susan Neal, author of nine books and CEO of the Christian Indie Publishing Association. Susan shares how she layers her marketing efforts—from podcast interviews to press releases—to drive book sales month after month.Here’s a taste of what you’ll learn:Which tactics helped her sell 7,000 books in 8 monthsHow to successfully pitch podcasts, blogs, and media outletsHow to avoid common author mistakes that hinder salesWhether you’re launching your first book or looking to grow sales of your back list, listen in or read the blog version. You’ll be inspired by Susan’s method and eager to try her tactics.Support the show

Publicity has always been important for authors. Mark Twain promoted his books by writing letters to the paper, and even Agatha Christie, who was known for being very private, still did interviews with prominent newspapers. Yet some authors think this kind of publicity is old-fashioned. In a world dominated by social media, do we even need traditional PR anymore?If you've ever wondered how to get your book featured in the media—or whether it's even worth trying—you won’t want to miss this episode of Novel Marketing.In this week’s episode, you’ll hear from veteran publicist Marika Flatt from PR by the Book to talk about:Whether or not traditional media still mattersThe difference between earned media, paid media, and everything in betweenWhat mistakes to avoid when giving interviewsThe surprising way Good Morning America and Joe Rogan differ when it comes to book salesWhether you’re ready to hire a PR firm or just want to understand how media can help spread the word about your book, listen in or read the blog version of this episode.Support the show

You’ve optimized your book for AI, updated your website, polished your metadata, maybe even watched our AI Optimization for Authors episode.But how do you know if any of it is working?In this week’s episode, you’ll discover how to measure your AI optimization success. Because the hard truth is that if ChatGPT, Grok, or Gemini doesn’t know your book exists, it won’t recommend it to readers.In this episode, you’ll discover:    How to find out if AI has read your book    Which LLMs like ChatGPT, Claude, and Grok know about your book    A new tool that shows how visible your book is to AIIf you’re a Novel Marketing patron, you already have access to exclusive tools that test the “big six” AIs and help you pinpoint what to improve.For your book to rise, AI must recognize it.Listen or read about how these tools work, and then unlock the tools at www.PatronToolbox.comSupport the show

Well, this is embarrassing.After 12 years of teaching authors how to build better websites, I realized I’ve never covered the most important page on your site: your book page.Your book’s webpage isn’t just for selling your book anymore. It’s now key to showing up in Google search results and getting recommended by AI tools like ChatGPT.In this week’s episode, you’ll learn:The biggest mistake authors make when creating book pages (and the easy fix!)The elements your book page must have to help AI and human searchersWhat your book page needs to outrank Amazon and Barnes & NobleThe critical section most authors skipYour book deserves a better web presence, and your readers deserve an easy way to find it. Listen in or read the blog version to learn how to design an effective page that helps readers discover you and your books.https://www.authormedia.com/how-to-create-sales-optimized-book-pages-for-your-author-website/Support the show

The publishing industry is facing significant challenges. We just went through a major zeitgeist shift, and reader preferences radically changed. AI also showed up in a big way, so it should be no surprise that several traditional publishers are struggling to adapt.What happens to you and your book if your publisher goes bankrupt? How will you know if your publisher is headed that way?In ​this week’s episode​, we uncover eight warning signs your publisher might be on the brink and what you can do now to protect your rights, royalties, and your book’s future.Tune in to learn:• The #1 red flag that predicts publisher collapse• What you can do to ensure your book doesn’t end up in publishing purgatory• How you can sustain your readership and career through a publisher bankruptcyWhether you’re with a small press or a major house, ​listen in​ or ​read the blog version​ to learn the signs of publisher bankruptcy. If you’re on alert, you can avoid some major hindrances to your career.Support the show

You work hard to create content for your audience. But how do you get more mileage and reach out of each piece you create?One way is to adapt your content for another platform. I recently started adapting my podcast into a YouTube channel.But how do you do that?I learned the hard way how not to do it.To gain traction on YouTube, you have to respect YouTube as a platform. You can't just shovel your podcast audio onto it and expect good results.I had an interesting conversation about this on the School of Podcasting hosted by Dave Jackson. Dave has been podcasting for 25 years, and we discussed the differences between YouTube and podcasting and how to successfully adapt a podcast to YouTube.If you've ever wanted to get more mileage out of your content, this week's episode is for you.You'll learn:How YouTube viewers behave differently from podcast listeners, and what that means for your contentWhen is a good time to launch your YouTube channelThe secret ingredients that make titles and thumbnails perform wellWhether you're launching a new YouTube channel or trying to grow an existing one, listen in or read the blog post to discover how to avoid common pitfalls and grow your audience with confidence.Support the show

Have you been dreaming about publishing a book that actually sells?The hard truth is that most authors fail because they jump straight into writing. They spend months writing a book only to find out later they made a key mistake, and nobody wants to buy the book.I've helped thousands of authors go from blank page to profitable launch, and in this week's episode, I'm giving you the roadmap. You'll learn my complete six-step process as well as how to avoid common pitfalls and rookie mistakes.In this episode, you'll discover:The first thing you should do (even before writing chapter one)Which people and tools can help you polish your manuscript (and the right order to use them)How you can get free lifetime access to my course How to Get Published (Only in June!)If you're serious about publishing a book that sells, this is the episode you can't afford to miss.Listen in or read the blog version to learn how to successfully publish a book and avoid common mistakes.Support the show

Have you ever followed popular marketing advice that worked wonders for someone else but completely fell flat for you? Or have you watched another author succeed with a strategy you were told would never work?That’s because book marketing isn’t one-size-fits-all.In this week’s episode, I talk with USA Today bestselling author Russell Nohelty about Author Ecosystems—a framework that helps you understand the type of author you are and which marketing strategies are most likely to work for you.You’ll discover:Why some authors succeed with rapid release while others succeed with traditional launchesHow to identify your own ecosystem and tailor your marketing strategy accordinglyWhich types of authors complement one another bestWhether you’re struggling to gain traction or just want to work smarter, this conversation will give you clarity and direction.Listen in or check out the blog post to find links to the Author Ecosystems quiz and other resources to help you determine where you fit in the author ecosystem. It’s a great place to start.Support the show