Yes, writing a great book people read is marketing, too

Sorry to burst your bubble, but you're not too cool for marketing just because you "only wanna write the next book". You just love a different kind of marketing.

Oct 23, 2024

Hi,

Lots of people tell me they hate all marketing and "only want to write the next book" which is wild because, and I know this is gonna get your dander up if you're new to this, but writing the next book is marketing.

In fact, for over a decade writing the next book was basically the only strategy that "gurus" said was valuable. The idea was simple: the more books you have, the more opportunities there are for readers to discover your work. A larger backlist increases your visibility on digital platforms, making it more likely for readers to find your books through recommendations, algorithms, or simply browsing.

Then, you either put your books in KU (Amazon exclusive) and live on page reads or you put your first book in series free to give people a taste on all platforms (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Google Play, etc). Every time you launch, you slam through ads and/or book a bunch of book promo site to get you in front of readers, rinse, and repeat.

That’s literally the indie stack everyone ran for years and years and years. Writing a better book than the last time is still probably the best marketing (to a point). What is that point? I’ll let

Monica Leonelle

explain:

[The “just write the next book strategy] is less and less effective as the years in indie publishing go on. It was incredibly effective in 2011 when the common practice was basically 5 books to $5k per month. (Yes, it was literally this easy back then and KBoards was filled with this advice.)
In 2017 it became more popularized by Anderle as 20 books to $50k per year. Still was fairly effective, but far from 5 books to $5k per month.
Now I think there are a lot of authors for whom "write the next book" is not good marketing advice, and "work on your book catalog and get your book catalog working" is probably better advice. The books aren't bad, but it takes a lot to have a book stand out. Sure, quality over quantity, but that's *also* not the full picture in my opinion.
I think more than ever having both growth systems and monetization systems (which writing the next book basically is) are super important.
In a book I have been working on, I wrote: No audience is too small for a marketing system. No marketing system is too efficient for an audience-building effort.
I think the latter is closer to the truth for people with decently-sized book catalogs who have their systems in place...Like, it's not enough. You now need to do audience-building efforts regularly.

The reason I say to a point is that if you only have a couple books, and not a body of work, you probably should work on writing the next book and getting your books hookier.

Once you have a body of work, though, Monica is absolutely right. The bottom line is that writing a book your readers love so much that they share it is a major function of marketing.

I can’t imagine you being a writer if you didn’t want to connect with more readers on a deeper level so they fall further in love with your work, and that is the core of marketing.

Everything else is just throwing gas on a fire, but if there is no fire, then you’re just making a stinky pile of wood.

This first bit might have offended your delicate sensibilities because your writing is art and art is only great if it’s completely devoid of marketing, but the truth is that every decision you make in a book either increases or decreases the audience for it, and every word you write gets readers to fall deeper in love with your work.

So, whether you call that marketing or not, you’re certainly making decisions during your writing process that determine the marketability of your work.

The distinction between writing and “writing as marketing”

Let's say we all have the same "full-time" writing time and we split it down the middle, 20 writing hours and 20 marketing hours. I understand not many people have full-time hours to devote to their work, but if you have both writing and marketing time, then this might be a good frame for you.

Yes, those 20 writing hours are spent writing books, but what do we do with the marketing hours?

Most people default to one of the following as their main form of marketing:

Dissemination of information - Another group spends those 20 hours blogging, tweaking SEO, getting on podcasts, guest blogging, and basically borrowing other people's audiences to expand their reach. They aren’t writing more books in that time, but they are preparing a lot of other material to build interest in their work.
Building toward and executing a launch - This group is doing a lot of audience building activities and then flushing them out with a launch. Yes, everyone launches, but these people put outmoded attention to a launch. For almost a decade I lived on a cycle of building an audience, monetizing them with a launch, letting my audience recover before the next launch.
Nurturing their community - This group is deep in their community, doing live videos, picking people up, making people feel seen, and growing their community and making it stronger. This creates a group of devotees who talk about the community and bring in new people, hopefully growing it organically.
Securing partnerships - This group is trying to expand their network through aligning themselves with other people to bring their work into other formats or create new experiences. This is not to be confused with the dissemination of information people, who aren't partnering with others on projects as much as just using their audiences for a short time for back links and other social proof. Partnerships are about working together to bring something new into the world.
Write more books - These people spend those additional 20 hours writing more and not doing much else. They fall back on the old "the best marketing is the next release", so they likely create 2x the output of any other author, but they aren't doing much more marketing than just writing the book. That's where the extra 20 hours goes.

We consider the first four things marketing for sure, but there is a large group of people who are basically exchanging marketing time for more writing time like I talk about in the last bullet point. Because it looks like writing time, it’s easy to say “I hate marketing”, but in reality spending more time writing the next book is its own type of marketing.

Making a book so amazing people can’t help but talk about it part of a marketing strategy called "ambassador marketing", and revolves around the act of turning fans into evangelists of your work who go out and proselytize about it.

The #1 way to excel at ambassador marketing is to write the best books ever.

If you write a book your fans talk about, they will bring in new fans. If you write a book that fans can’t stop talking about, they will naturally bring in new readers, creating a powerful, organic marketing engine for your work. To achieve this, focus on writing a story that deeply resonates with your ideal reader—something that speaks directly to their interests, emotions, and needs.

Craft compelling, relatable characters, and include memorable moments that evoke strong reactions, whether through laughter, tears, or surprise. When readers feel emotionally connected to your book, they’re more likely to recommend it to others who share their tastes, spreading the word in a way that no amount of paid advertising can replicate.

Once you start seeing more humans organically coming into your ecosystem and reading your books with more fervor, it means you're writing the kind of books that are shared with people, and that those people are able to easily talk about your book.

Doing this intentionally is the crux of our Storyurge course, where you’re baking these elements intentionally into your book. One of the best ways to bake this into your book is through creating a shared language that allows your fans to communicate together on a deep level without you needing to be in the mix at all.

Shared language is a set of phrases, terms, or ideas that become a common reference point for a community. In the context of books, shared language helps readers connect with your work on a deeper level and makes it easier for them to discuss it with others. This might include catchy phrases, memorable quotes, or unique terms specific to your book’s world or themes. It also means dropping in easter eggs from pop culture that people can bond over.

Shared language creates a sense of belonging among readers and makes your book more memorable and easier to talk about, effectively turning your fans into ambassadors who naturally promote your work.

To create shared language, start by identifying the key themes, emotions, or concepts in your book that resonate most with your ideal reader. Develop distinctive phrases or terms around these elements that readers can latch onto. Examples of shared language in books include George Orwell’s "1984" with terms like “Big Brother” and “Orwellian,” J.R.R. Tolkien’s "The Lord of the Rings" with “Hobbits” and “Middle-earth,” and Stephenie Meyer’s "Twilight" with phrases like “Team Edward” and “Team Jacob.” These terms not only define the world of the books but also create a common vocabulary that fans use to connect and discuss the stories.

Incorporate these terms consistently throughout your writing and marketing. Encourage their use by including them in your book’s blurb, on social media, and in any promotional materials. The goal is to make your language not just a part of the reading experience, but also part of the reader’s everyday vocabulary when they talk about your book.

How to conceptualize writing as marketing

So, if you "just want to write the next book", awesome. Here are some things to think about as your designing your series to make it more marketable without you doing more marketing.

How are you helping your readers talk about your work? To help your readers talk about your work, you need to give them the tools and language they need to easily describe your book to others. This can include a compelling tagline, a memorable quote, or a clear description of the themes or problems your book addresses. Create shareable content, like graphics or short excerpts, that readers can easily post on social media. Encourage your readers to share their thoughts through book clubs, social media challenges, or even through incentivized reviews. Remember, word of mouth is powerful, but it only works if readers have the right words.
How are you making your book packaging so killer that people have no choice but to one-click buy it? Your book’s packaging is the first impression it makes—it’s your silent salesperson. Invest in a professional cover design that speaks directly to your target audience and genre conventions. Your title and subtitle should be clear, compelling, and keyword-rich to catch the attention of both readers and algorithms. The blurb needs to be concise, intriguing, and promise a clear benefit or resolution that the reader craves. Incorporate testimonials or review snippets that create social proof. Your goal is to eliminate any hesitation in the buyer’s mind—make the book look so good that it’s an instant 'add to cart.'
How are you signalling to the right people to buy your book? Signaling to the right audience is about aligning your book’s presentation with their expectations. This starts with understanding your ideal reader: What do they value? What do they want? Use targeted language in your marketing materials, and make sure your cover design, blurb, and even your author bio speak directly to them. Use keywords in your book’s metadata that your ideal readers are likely to search for. Run ads that are narrowly targeted to demographics that match your readers. Your goal is to speak so clearly to your intended audience that they recognize the book as something made for them.
How are you using your book to build your audience and your list? Your book isn’t just a product; it’s a lead magnet for building a deeper connection with your audience. Include a call to action in your book to join your mailing list in exchange for something valuable, like a free bonus chapter, a workbook, or early access to new content. Use the end of your book to link to your social media or website, inviting readers to engage with you beyond the last page. The goal is to turn one-time readers into lifelong fans who eagerly anticipate your next release.
How are you taking advantage of trends so that your books have virality? Staying current with trends can help your book tap into the broader cultural conversation. Monitor what’s popular in your genre, on social media, and in the wider entertainment landscape. Leverage these trends by tying them into your marketing efforts, whether that’s through timely social media posts, themed content releases, or even adjusting your advertising language. However, be genuine—only align with trends that naturally fit your book and brand. The goal is to make your book feel relevant and timely, increasing its chances of catching the wave of virality.

None of this is about “writing to market”, either, at least not in the traditional way we tend to mean that phrase.

Yes, anything you write is written to a market, even if it’s a market of one, but “writing to market” is the specific process of creating books that cater specifically to current market demands and reader preferences of the broad publishing landscape, despite how you might feel about them.

It doesn’t mean researching popular genres, trends, and broad reader expectations to align a book’s content, style, and themes with what is selling well.

It does mean writing a book with the intention to resonate deeply with people, and that there are enough people to share your work to build a fandom.

Then, it means packaging your book in a way that people who will resonate deeply will immediately know they are in the right place with your book, with a great, on brand cover, blurb, and look inside for people to discover and fall in love with easily.

On top of that, it means designing your entire online experience (website, blog, social media, etc) so that those same people can understand what they are going to get in your work.

“Writing as marketing” means thinking about the "ambassador journey" and making it easy for people to talk about your work to people who would like it.

To make it easy for readers to talk about your work, provide them with the tools and language they need to share it effortlessly. A catchy tagline or hook that encapsulates your book’s core appeal can also serve as a quick, memorable way for readers to pitch your book to others. Additionally, including discussion guides or book club questions at the end of your book can spark deeper conversations and make it easier for readers to articulate what they loved about your work.

Encourage readers to leave reviews and recommendations by offering simple calls-to-action in your book, emphasizing that even brief comments can make a big impact. By removing barriers and making it simple for readers to promote your book, you can turn their enthusiasm into effective word-of-mouth marketing, amplifying your reach through genuine, organic advocacy.

Additionally, if you do a good job with your shared language, then you empower your readers to talk with each other, and you don’t have to do much aside from nudge them together. It also gives them a clear "entry point" for your writing that people can easily send others to where they can discover, understand, and engage with your book, even if they’ve never encountered your writing before.

This starts by crafting a compelling hook—a strong first chapter, an intriguing blurb, or a striking cover design—that immediately grabs attention and sets the tone for what’s to come. Your entry point should clearly communicate the core appeal of your book, whether it's the unique storyline, relatable characters, or the emotional journey it promises. A well-crafted blurb that highlights the main conflict or question your book addresses can serve as an effective entry point, drawing readers in with a clear sense of what they’ll gain from diving into your story.

Additionally, it’s important to make your book easy to find and accessible across multiple platforms—whether it’s available in print, ebook, or audiobook formats. Ensure your website or author platform clearly directs new visitors to a dedicated landing page that introduces your work and offers a free sample, like the first chapter or a short story, to entice them further. Consider creating a series starter or a prequel that serves as a low-risk entry point, offering potential readers a taste of your writing style and story world without the commitment of a full-length book. The key is to eliminate any confusion.

Product-led growth

I know you’re ready to tune out hearing a business term like Product-led growth (PLG), but I swear it’s relevant to you as an author, so stick with me for like five more paragraphs.

Product-led growth is a business strategy where the product itself drives customer acquisition, conversion, and retention. Instead of relying primarily on traditional sales and marketing tactics, companies using PLG focus on creating a product so compelling and easy to adopt that it attracts users organically. Examples include:

Slack, which grew by offering a freemium model that lets teams start using its collaboration tools for free, making it easy to scale within organizations as its value becomes apparent.
Dropbox also utilized a freemium approach, allowing users to store files for free with the option to upgrade for more space, driving growth through user referrals incentivized by additional free storage.
Zoom is another prime example; it provided free access to its video conferencing service with limited features, which became a standard tool for remote work and virtual meetings due to its simplicity and user-friendly experience.
Canva grew rapidly by offering a free, easy-to-use graphic design platform with powerful features that cater to non-designers, encouraging users to explore premium options as they become more invested in the product.

I know thinking about business terms can make writers zone out, but does any of that sound familiar to you? Freemium to hook people, focusing on the product to sell itself, organic growth through attracting new buyers and having them evangelize for the product?

Doesn’t that kind of sound like books to you? It definitely does to me. Books can be seen as product-led growth in several ways:

The book itself as the product: The core of PLG is letting the product demonstrate its value, and in the case of books, the content is the product. A well-written, engaging book that resonates with readers can naturally lead to word-of-mouth recommendations, reviews, and social media shares, driving organic growth without direct marketing.
Free samples and excerpts: Similar to freemium models, offering free chapters, excerpts, or sample audiobooks allows potential readers to engage with the content before purchasing. This strategy helps hook the reader by giving them a taste of the book's value, which can lead to increased sales and reader loyalty.
Reader experience and retention: Books that provide a memorable and impactful experience encourage readers to return for more, follow the author, or explore other works by the same publisher. This is akin to the retention aspect of PLG, where the product keeps users engaged and drives repeat interactions.
Building a community of advocates: Books can foster a community of dedicated fans who actively promote the content, akin to turning users into advocates in PLG. This happens through book clubs, fan pages, or even social media discussions, where readers share their enthusiasm and encourage others to read.
Low barrier to entry: E-books, affordable pricing, and availability on platforms like Kindle Unlimited or other subscription services reduce the barrier to entry, making it easier for readers to discover and commit to new books, similar to how PLG reduces friction in the adoption process.

In essence, books embody product-led growth by leveraging the quality and appeal of the content to attract and retain readers, fostering organic growth through reader satisfaction and advocacy.

Books, publications, and anything where you are trying to get people to read your work as the main vehicle for growth is a PLG company. Free first in series, a trial membership, free book giveaways, etc, are all ways to hook people through product. PLG companies are wildly successful, with some of the highest profit margins in all of tech.

Using a PLG strategy with books means taking the friction of sales away and making it easy to consume your work before they know they love it. Thus, either putting it into KU, where they can read for free, or offering at least one book free so that people can try it.

The biggest cause of friction is money, and removing it is the best way to convince people to give your book a go.

While it's not the only method to market your books, “writing the next book” is traditionally the one book marketing experts talk about the most. So, if all you want to do is write the book, how are you making that book shareable? How are you writing a beloved book that people can't help but tell people about it?

Are you joining group promos, anthologies, and deeply discounting your books during sales events to find new people to read them? Do you have a Bookfunnel or Storyorigin account? If not, then why not?

It's so easy to book a promotion with Written Word Media and drop your pricing. It's so easy to join a Booksweeps or even to just put your book free.

So many of my friends use that as their only strategy, and guess what? That's marketing, too.

If you love writing great books that people love, then congratulations.

You love marketing.

What do you think?