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The Publishing Series

Sell Your Books

Marketing Without the Hype

Most book marketing advice is written by people who never marketed a book

Gurus who decided book marketing was a niche they could dominate. Bloggers recycling advice from other bloggers who recycled it from somebody else. Consultants who have never published a book and somehow believe they’re qualified to tell you how to sell yours.

I’ve been in the indie publishing trenches for over a decade. Published across multiple genres. Run thousands of dollars in ads. Built email lists. Launched books that worked and books that failed spectacularly.

I’m not a marketing guru. I’m an author who worked out how to market books by doing it badly until I got better at it.

This exists because the indie space is drowning in bad advice. Authors get told to write more books as though that were a strategy, and to build a platform with no explanation of what that means or how.

What is inside Sell Your Books?

Who should read Sell Your Books?

Why did I write Sell Your Books?

Richard Lowe, the Writing King

In 2013 I quit as Director of Computer Operations and Technical Services at Trader Joe’s, moved to Florida and decided to make it as a writer with no idea what I was doing. My first book sold about a dozen copies because I’d written a decent book and done nothing to put it in front of anyone. Over a decade later I have 113+ books under my own name, thousands of dollars of ads behind me, and launches that worked alongside launches that didn’t.

► Behind the Book: Sell Your Books
How this one got written, what went wrong, and what got cut.

► I Quit My Job, Moved to Florida, and Sold Twelve Copies
One story from behind this book.

What do people ask about Sell Your Books?

How is Sell Your Books different from other book marketing guides?
Most guides are written by people who have marketed courses about marketing books, not books themselves. This one is written by someone who ran thousands of dollars in ads, had a platform terminated without explanation, and watched the Amazon advertising landscape become dramatically less profitable over five years. It includes what worked, what failed, what used to work and doesn’t anymore, and realistic numbers, not “here’s how I made $10,000 a month” success porn.
Do I need to read all 660 pages?
No. The four parts are designed to be used as reference. Part I is strategic foundation, read it first regardless of where you are. Part II covers tactics, use it as a buffet, take what applies to your situation. Part III addresses specific problems: large catalogs, books that won’t sell, marketing with ADHD, avoiding scams. Part IV covers revenue expansion beyond the basics. Go directly to what you need.
Does this cover wide distribution vs. Kindle Unlimited?
Yes, in detail. The wide vs. KU decision is one of the most consequential choices an indie author makes, and the right answer depends on your genre, your catalog, your marketing approach, and what you’re trying to build. The book covers the economics of both sides, the platform policies, and what working authors in different genres have found to be true in practice.
Is Sell Your Books for first-time authors or experienced authors?
Both, at different parts. The strategic foundation in Part I matters for anyone who hasn’t made explicit decisions about what they’re trying to build. The tactics in Part II are useful at any level. Parts III and IV are aimed at authors who have moved past the basics and need to address specific situations or expand their revenue model. The book is designed to be used at multiple stages of a publishing career.

Also in The Publishing Series

Marketing is going to find the readers

A decent book with real marketing beats a great book with none, every single time.

BUY FROM INGRAMSPARKAMAZONKOBOREAD THE INTRODUCTIONTABLE OF CONTENTS

Paperback and ebook.

Filed underBook MarketingMarketingSelf-PublishingPromotion

Introduction

Sell Your Books

They’re marketing gurus who decided “book marketing” was a niche they could dominate. They’re bloggers who regurgitate advice from other bloggers who regurgitated it from someone else. They’re consultants who’ve never published a book but somehow think they’re qualified to tell you how to sell yours.

This book is different. I’ve been in the indie publishing trenches for over a decade. I’ve published books across multiple genres. I’ve run thousands of dollars in ads. I’ve built email lists. I’ve launched books that succeeded and books that flopped spectacularly. I’ve made every mistake in this book and learned from most of them.

I’m not a marketing guru. I’m an author who figured out how to market books by doing it badly until I got better at it.

This book exists because the indie publishing space is drowning in bad advice. Authors are told to “just write more books” as if that’s a marketing strategy. They’re told to “build a platform” without any explanation of what that means or how to do it. They’re told success is just around the corner if they follow this one weird trick.

Marketing is work. It’s not sexy. It’s not a shortcut. It’s running ads, writing descriptions, building email lists, analyzing data, testing strategies, failing, adjusting, and trying again. It’s boring, repetitive, and necessary if you want to make money from your books.

This book is for indie authors serious about treating publishing like a business. You’re not a hobbyist. You’re not writing for the joy of it (though I hope you enjoy writing). You’re writing because you want to make money, build a career, and maybe eventually quit your day job.

This book isn’t gentle. I’m not going to coddle you or tell you marketing is easy or you’ll be successful if you just believe in yourself. Marketing is hard. Many fail. Most books don’t sell. That’s reality.

But the authors who do succeed aren’t special. They’re not more talented. They’re just willing to do the work everyone else won’t do. They market their books. They learn what works. They keep going when it’s hard.

Table of contents

Sell Your Books

  • Preface: Why This Book Exists
  • Introduction: The Wall of Marketing
  • What You’ll Find Here
  • Who This Book Is For
  • A Quick Note on Humor
  • Let’s Get Started
  • Where to Start
  • Part I: Strategy
  • Chapter 1: Before You Begin: What Are You Actually Building?
  • Chapter 2: Understanding the Game
  • Chapter 3: Know Your Reader (They’re Not Everyone)
  • Chapter 4: Building Your Author Platform
  • Chapter 5: Pricing and Positioning
  • Part II: Tactics
  • Chapter 6: Your Cover Is Your First Sale
  • Chapter 7: Your Book Description Sells (Or Doesn’t)
  • Chapter 8: Building Your Launch Team
  • Chapter 9: Launch Parties (Online and In-Person)
  • Chapter 10: Reviews (Getting Them and Surviving Them)
  • Chapter 11: Social Media That Doesn’t Suck
  • Chapter 12: Amazon Advertising Demystified
  • Chapter 13: Newsletter Magic
  • Chapter 14: Podcast Tours and Media Appearances
  • Chapter 15: Speaking and Workshop Opportunities
  • Chapter 16: Publishing Platforms: Pros, Cons, and What to Watch
  • Chapter 17: Wide vs. KU: The Most Important Decision You’ll Make
  • Chapter 18: IngramSpark: The Distribution Backbone
  • Chapter 19: ISBNs: What They Are, How They Work, and Why They Matter
  • Chapter 20: Beyond Amazon
  • Chapter 21: Getting Your Books Into Libraries
  • Chapter 22: Getting Your Books Into Bookstores
  • Chapter 23: Traditional and Hybrid Publishing
  • Part III: Special Considerations
  • Chapter 24: Marketing for Authors with ADHD
  • Chapter 25: What to Do When You’ve Got a Portfolio of Many Books
  • Chapter 26: What to Do When It Simply Won’t Sell
  • Chapter 27: When to Write the Next Book Instead
  • Chapter 28: The Small Things That Add Up
  • Chapter 29: AI Tools for Book Marketing
  • Chapter 30: Scams and Cons to Watch Out For
  • Chapter 31: In-Person Marketing
  • Chapter 32: Facebook and Meta Advertising
  • Part IV: Expanding Your Revenue
  • Chapter 33: Audiobooks
  • Chapter 34: Selling Direct
  • Chapter 35: Special Editions and Kickstarter
  • Chapter 36: BookBub and Promotional Tools
  • Conclusion: Now Go Sell Some Books
  • Appendix: Setting Up Direct Sales: A Step-by-Step Case Study
  • What You Need Before You Start
  • Part One: Setting Up Lulu Direct for Paperback Fulfillment
  • Part Two: Setting Up BookFunnel for ebook Delivery with Email Watermarking
  • The Complete Customer Experience
  • Pricing Your Products
  • Ongoing Maintenance
  • Glossary
  • Index
Categories and tags
CategoriesBook MarketingPublishing
TagsBook MarketingMarketingReading LifeSelf-PublishingWriting Craft
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