Ed Rush’s Top Gun Author Live 2026: How To Market Your Book: Random Acts of Marketing (Don’t Work) | Before the Bestseller 191


Welcome to Part 2 of this special four-part series recorded live at Ed Rush’s Top Gun Author Live Event in Dallas. In this episode, I want to talk about something that doesn’t get enough attention: how to stop wasting your time and money on book marketing. After working with hundreds of authors, I’ve seen the same mistakes happen over and over again. The good news is they’re avoidable once you know what to look for.

We dive into why so many books lose momentum after launch, how simple marketing systems can keep your book moving long after release day, and why batching your content can save you hours every week. I also share why building even a small team can make a huge difference, how to avoid costly marketing and PR mistakes, and why studying authors who are just a few steps ahead of you is often more valuable than chasing the biggest names. Finally, I explain the simple “Three Rule” I use to decide whether a marketing activity is actually worth my time.

If you want to build a book marketing strategy that’s sustainable instead of stressful, tune in and let’s talk about how to make every hour and every dollar count.

Subscribe and leave a review. Your support helps more people discover the show, the author and their books.

Get the popular weekly book marketing 3-2-1 and get access to our Free Amazon Ads course when you subscribe to our newsletter here: https://getshelflife.com/category/newsletter/

Head to our new website for more content and updates: www.getshelflife.com

If you’re interested in connecting further or have any questions, feel free to email me at Alex@getshelflife.com

Alex Muscat

Recent PoDCASTS

3 secrets, 2 links, 1 book

Reader,Just 3 secrets today 🙂 3 Secrets 1. Just make the ask already! A BIG thank you to world-renowned violinist and newsletter reader Anthea Kreston for sharing her story with me. After mentioning to me that she’d toured with Yo-Yo Ma, I asked her if it was worth asking him for a blurb. She wrote back that she wasn’t sure he’d go for it, but that she’d send him a galley and make the ask anyway. “I took your advice and reached out to Yo-Yo and he gave me a terrific quote for the cover!…

LISTEN NOW

Subscribe for a copy of Before the Bestseller and level up your book marketing today!

Fill out the form below, and you’ll receive your copy shortly.