Hello, dear writers!
Today, we’re chatting about something that doesn’t come naturally to many of us: marketing. For those of you in the self-publishing lane, marketing is going to be a core element of your “indie business plan.”
From an editorial perspective, writers who build lasting careers treat marketing as an extension of the work itself. Think of it as building a relationship with readers who return.
Disclaimer: The information in this post is a summary of my 15+ years of experience in the industry. I’ve also hyperlinked sources where needed. Every author’s path will be different, and your experience may not be reflected here.
Start Now!
Don’t wait until your book is finished before thinking about your audience. Strangers have no reason to care about something they’ve previously had no reason to follow. You know I’m a fan of the harsh truth—and that’s it.
Think about this from your own reading perspective. When was the last time you found a “random” book, with very few reviews, knowing nothing about it, and read it? Exactly.
What works, consistently, is starting early and building familiarity over time.
There’s a reason so many successful indie authors prioritize email lists. Newsletter open rates often average in the 30-40% range, with engaged niche publications frequently exceeding that.
By contrast, organic social media posts may only reach a fraction of followers—often 1-8% on Facebook/Instagram pages, with some platforms performing higher.
For book launches, that difference matters because email gives you direct access to readers who already asked to hear from you. If you have 2,000 subscribers, hundreds are likely to see your launch email directly in their inbox. With 2,000 social followers, only a portion may ever see the announcement.
Writers who build an email list early often see stronger launches because hundreds of subscribers may reliably see a release announcement in their inbox, while a social post can disappear before most followers ever encounter it.
What does this look like in practice?
- Share short essays, insights, or behind-the-scenes thinking 1-2 times per week
- Talk about problems you’re solving in your writing
- Let readers see your process evolve in real-time, with real challenges and lessons learned
- Be YOU! Uniqueness matters.
Choose One Place and Stay There
The pressure to be everywhere leads to shallow engagement and will likely cause burnout. Most platforms (including Substack!) reward consistency.
There’s no magic in being everywhere. Most growth studies point to consistency as the real driver. Writers who choose one primary platform usually publish more regularly, develop a clearer voice there, and give readers a dependable place to return.
What works:
- One primary channel (newsletter, Substack, or a single social platform)
- A predictable cadence (weekly is enough)
- A clear tone and subject focus
From an editor’s perspective, consistency signals seriousness and, candidly, skills in time management. Like I mentioned in my previous post, Is Self-Publishing the Path for You?, going indie is a full-time job. You need to balance writing, editing, audience building/marketing, and more.
Be True to Your Voice
Writers trying to “build an audience” often dilute their voice or tread lightly to avoid turning away any potential readers.
What performs better in both engagement and conversion is specificity.
Be direct and true to your voice. Let your weird, lovely self be seen. Some of the best-performing posts on Substack are ones where the authors purposefully shared their unfiltered selves. More of that, please!
Readers respond to authenticity. Content with a clear perspective, recognizable point of view, or strong positioning often generates higher engagement than vague or generic content because people are more likely to react, comment, share, or remember it.
Take a position, even if it excludes some readers. One of the fastest ways for a writer to disappear online is to sound agreeable to everyone. Readers remember voices that stand for something. They return to writers who offer a distinct lens and say what many people sense but haven’t articulated yet.
Taking a position does not mean manufacturing controversy. It means being specific enough that some people will disagree, because specificity naturally creates edges.
What to do:
- Take a position
- Use concrete examples instead of general advice
- Write as if one thoughtful reader is paying attention
In editorial terms, this is the difference between competent writing and distinct writing. Distinct writing builds audiences.
Your writing can be technically flawless, but if it lacks soul, readers will turn their attention elsewhere.
Work Smarter, Not Harder
The most sustainable marketing comes directly from the writing itself. Writers who try to manufacture content separate from their work tend to burn out. Those who draw from their actual process produce material that is both easier to create and more aligned with their eventual book.
This matters. Readers who engage with your thinking are far more likely to buy your book than readers who follow you for unrelated content.
Try this:
- Share lessons from your current draft or revision
- Expand on themes your book explores
- Write short pieces that reflect your larger project
In practice, the strongest author platforms feel cohesive. You can see the book taking shape long before it’s published. This is what hooks readers emotionally before your launch date.
Focus on Depth and Consistency
Large audiences are appealing, though they’re often misleading. Many writers with large followings may struggle to sell books because their audience isn’t engaged.
Instead of subscriber count (!!), focus on the depth of engagement with your audience. Focus less on the numbers and more on the readers who comment on your content, open emails, and pay attention over time.
Many writers assume a reader sees one post about a book, feels inspired, and immediately whips out their credit card. That does happen occasionally, though it is not how most purchasing decisions work.
Most readers buy after familiarity has been built over time. They notice your name, see your ideas more than once, begin to trust the quality of your work, and then act when the timing feels right.
Marketing research has shown this pattern for decades. Repeated exposure increases recognition, trust, and likelihood of purchase. In publishing, that means a reader who encounters your content several times is far more likely to buy than someone who stumbles across you once in a crowded feed.
Focus on this:
- Open rates and replies, not just follower count
- Repeat readers
- Small signs of engagement (comments, shares, direct responses)
- Respond to engagement!
From a publishing standpoint, a smaller, engaged audience is often more valuable than a large, passive one. Trust me.
Make It Easy to Stay Connected…
Social platforms are unpredictable—and we have all experienced this in one way or another. Algorithms shift or posts suddenly seem to be hidden from readers. Trends influence what’s “hot.”
Direct channels, especially email, remain the most reliable way to maintain connection.
Writers who build email lists often outperform those relying only on social platforms when it comes to launch sales and repeat readership, because email provides direct access to readers who have explicitly chosen to hear from them.
Social platforms are valuable for discovery, while email is typically stronger for conversion.
What works:
- Clear calls to subscribe and what makes you unique
- Offering consistent value in your emails
- Treating your newsletter as your primary “home”
- Responding to reader comments and questions
An email list is your most stable asset as a writer.
…Then Utilize That Connection!
A book launch works best when it isn’t starting from zero. While this may seem like common sense, when you’re juggling all the other aspects of writing and publishing, it may not always be top of mind.
Writers with even a modest, engaged audience often see stronger early sales because they can activate readers quickly at launch through email, newsletters, podcasts, or social communities.
Early sales momentum matters on retail platforms like Amazon because ranking systems weigh recent customer activity heavily, which can improve visibility in category charts, recommendation placements, and search results.
Books that sustain steady activity in the first weeks often retain more discoverabilitythan books that launch without much fanfare.
What works:
- Warming up your audience before launch
- Sharing progress and building anticipation
- Inviting readers into the release process
Don’t be afraid to market your work. If you don’t do it, who will?
Epilogue
When done well and in alignment with your values and voice, marketing feels less like promotion and more like an extension of yourself. You write, you share, you engage, you return. Over time, readers begin to recognize your voice and look for it.
When your book is finally hot off the press, it should feel like the next step in a conversation that’s already been going on for a while.
If you’re struggling with this part of the process, drop a note in the comments and let’s involve others in the discussion. If you’d rather chat privately, reach out. I’m here for you.
Keep writing, my friends. The world needs your words.
In ink,
Allison
allisonink.com
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