3 | Book marketing secrets
1. Mindset secrets
There’s no such thing as writer’s block. It’s only the writer giving in to self-sabotage. You can’t think your way out of resistance; the fix is to sit down and work, and once you do, you’re okay.
Drop the word “aspiring.” If you’re writing, you’re a writer.
Persistence is the one skill that matters most. He was 52 when his first book was published, after 35 screenplays. Nobody expects a concert pianist to make it overnight, so don’t expect it of a writer either.
Put yourself in a position to get lucky. His “blind luck” breaks came after decades of work.
Take notes like a pro. Refusing feedback can end a career. Learn to handle rejection, and success too.
Learn to validate yourself. Even the big wins happen alone in a room, with nobody cheering.
Do it out of love. He borrows Elizabeth Gilbert’s deal with her writing: “I will never ask you to support me. I will always support you.”
2. Launch & promotion secrets
Say yes to as many podcasts as possible.
Run a weekly blog or newsletter to build a list you own. His is “Writing Wednesdays.”
Offer access as a reward for bulk buys. Buy 25 copies and you got a 30-minute Zoom call with him. About 50 people took the offer, and each one handed out copies to people they knew.
Run contests, prizes, and giveaways. Anything that gets people to pay attention.
Don’t count on your publisher to market the book. Even with a traditional publisher, he and his partner do nearly all of it.
Grow your platform before you pitch. Publishers check your social following first.
Bring a hook when promoting fiction on podcasts. Describing plot or characters is boring, so tease one intriguing nugget instead.
If you’re unknown, build authority first, then launch. Start a blog, podcast, or speaking on the topic. Niche down until you can plant your flag.
3. Long-game strategy
Make the book your best marketing. Ad dollars behind a book that resonates earn far more.
Write timeless, not topical. News-driven books spike and then crash; books with depth build over time.
Expect a long tail. Real momentum took 5–10 years for him. The War of Art was already selling well before Oprah took it higher.
Self-publish nonfiction when you own the audience. He keeps all the money, and a publisher wouldn’t do more than he can.
Keep your social content on-theme with your nonfiction. His Instagram is essentially ongoing War of Art material.
Treat fiction and nonfiction as separate audiences. Nonfiction readers are easy to find by problem or topic. Fiction readers are scattered, and Amazon won’t tell you who they are. His nonfiction fans rarely cross over to his novels.
Know the landscape has changed. Two New York Times raves made Gates of Fire, but review-driven discovery is “gone, gone, gone.”
Be skeptical of bestseller badges. Big institutional bulk buys game the lists.
