Writers in the Storm

by Ann Kimbrough

Writing the book is only half the job. The other half is getting strangers to care.

It’s kind of a Field of Dreams moment where “if you write it, they will come.”

I’m all for the Hollywood hoopla, but the facts aren’t as cinematic. It’s math. It’s visibility. For me, it was also trial and error. The first time I self-published, I heard that it’s better to sell a series than one book. The thinking is that if you write a series, all the hard work you do to promote one book will sell all the books in your series. So, sell smarter.

I heeded the advice, wrote a series, self-published it, and sat back waiting for readers to come. And waited. They didn’t come. No one cared. Actually, to be fair, no one knew I wanted them to care.

I tried all the common things they say to try, like Facebook and Amazon ads. My budgets were pretty small, so my sales were small too. The best service I found was Freebooksy. At the time, it cost $169 to blast the first book in my cozy mystery series to their email list. It worked! Best sales I’ve ever had, even with the promo book being given away for free.

Of course, Amazon also pays by read-through rate, so the free ebooks earned money, as well. I also sold all the other three books in the series at full price. It was enough money to earn back what I’d spent and take my husband out to dinner. If you’re like me, that’s not enough.

The Goal

Let me be honest. I don’t publish books to sit on my office shelf or give as gifts to friends and family. I love writing, even when it gets hard. Writing is oxygen. I want to sell my writing to strangers. One day, I want to be sitting on a plane and notice that the passenger next to me is reading my book.

For that future to happen, I must sell books. A lot of them. Not just for the money—though let’s not pretend that doesn’t matter. I want sales because sales mean success. They mean impact. They mean this thing I spend hours, days, years building actually connects. And yes, sales silence the naysayers. We all have them. Sometimes they’re other people. Sometimes they’re the voice in our own head, but we didn’t choose the easy money. We chose fiction.

Believe me, I’ll read anything about selling fiction. Not that there’s a lot out there, it’s usually: “Make $5K/month with 5 Easy Tips!” The problem is… they aren’t talking about fiction writing. They aren’t really talking about non-fiction writing. The tips cover all the side hustles writers can do to earn money. Spoilers: The number one piece of advice is to teach other writers how to write. Hmm… that doesn’t work for me, but I believe in a good side hustle.

Changing the Approach

Never thought I had anything in common with Simon & Schuster, but I do. We all do. We have to convince strangers to care.

How does that look? It means finding a new way to show off your fictional world—for free—so readers become invested in your writing journey. One way to do that is through a side hustle. The goal is to show readers what you write and invite them into your world, where all the information is available for them to pick and choose, and hopefully become super fans and read all your books.

The best tool for this is YouTube, because users actually go to it for entertainment.

Best Side-Hustle I’ve Found for Fiction Writers

YouTube

When it comes to fiction books, you might not think it’s a big part of YouTube. I usually call it YouTube University, and it is widely considered the second biggest search engine. However, it’s so much more than that, and with success comes expansion. YouTube has definitely embraced entertainment in all its forms, becoming a hub for all creatives. And it’s not just my observation. In January 2026, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan said, “YouTube is the epicenter of culture. Our creators are reinventing entertainment and building the media companies of the future, and we continue to be the best place for them to grow a business.”

Genre matters, so test out YouTube by searching for your book genre and seeing which channels cover what you write. At some point, all genres will be represented, but currently, children’s, romance, and mystery have followings. Fiction channels use a couple of standard formats. One is the author reading their book, or some variation. It can be with the author on camera or just reading over a static shot.

The future, however, is something more dynamic. Right now, you can find channels with AI images and AI narrators. I’ve seen romance sites that do this, and they are very simple, which means there’s a huge opportunity to create better content—especially in the writing, which is our Superpower. I find most of these videos are clickbait. They tell a story, but it’s clearly AI-generated with no human help when it comes to grammar, pacing or storytelling.

Check Out the Competition

These videos run about an hour, so there are plenty of opportunities for ad breaks. The ones in the romance genre can get over 250,000 views, but they vary. As a channel grows, the views grow, too, and that means the creator is making money, and possibly affiliate marketing money.

Pros & Cons

The Pros: These kinds of videos are ripe for an upgrade. Create ones with better images and stories, and they could find a loyal audience.

The Cons: Creating high-quality AI images comes with a learning curve and a cost.

Another Con: You must monetize your YouTube channel before you can make any money, and there are several hoops you’ll jump through. You have to join the YouTube Partner Program, have a thousand subscribers and either 4,000 watch hours or 10 million Shorts views in the last 90 days. Yes, you’ll work for it, but you already know how to build something from nothing. You wrote a book.

The BEST PRO is that YouTube is exploding in this space—and creating this kind of channel doubles down on your writing skills. What better way to sell your books than with something you’ve written? It exposes your work to an audience immediately, subtly inviting viewers to follow links and discover everything you create. That turns a stranger into someone who cares.

A YouTube channel also maximizes your storytelling. You can adapt your existing self-published books, present them visually, and expand your fictional world beyond the page. Instead of waiting for readers to find your work, you invite them in.

Writing the book is only half the job. Showing up where readers already spend their free time is the other half.

Have you tried turning your stories into video? Does this spark any ideas for you?

About Ann

Ann Kimbrough is an optioned/produced screenwriter, SAG/AFTRA member, and Tell Me a Mystery on Substack weekly releasing installments, including historical mystery The Harvey Girl, FBI/dark magic thriller Darkly, and The Time Witch time travel adventure, as well as Conversations w/Coffee.

Find Ann at:

• www.annkimbrough.com
• On Substack: https://tellmeamystery.substack.com/
• Harvey Girl books Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/HGbooks
• Fit Girls books Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/FitGirlsAmazon
• Ann's books on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/AnnOnAmazon
• On Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EverythingAnnKimbrough

Featured image from Pixabay.

by Penny Sansevieri

Reviews are the social proof engine that powers book sales, but most authors approach them with a mix of urgency and guesswork. The truth is that readers rely on signals to make fast decisions, and reviews lead that list.

Industry data shows purchase likelihood surges when a title has even a few thoughtful opinions, with a major lift between zero and five and another trust jump beyond twenty. While we all admire pages with hundreds of comments, the more actionable goal for most writers is a consistent stream, not an overnight spike. A steady cadence feels human, reassures shoppers, and keeps the retail page alive for both algorithms and browsing readers who want easy choices and clear proof.

Chasing volume through shortcuts often backfires.

Amazon’s systems flag bursts of near-identical, unverified, or ultra-short reviews, and they scrutinize IP activity, phrasing patterns, and timing. A sudden wave of forty in a day reads like manipulation, especially if every note says “Great book!” with nothing specific. Families, office teammates, and review swaps can trigger removals when signals align, and appeals rarely restore what’s lost. Instead of pushing for a pile-on during release week, map a longer path.

Think of reviews as compounding trust: five this month and five next month outpace fifty in a weekend. You’ll serve the algorithm, impress shoppers, and protect your account integrity.

So what does compliant outreach look like?

Keep the ask simple and honest: if you enjoyed the read, please share your thoughts on Amazon or Goodreads. Avoid language that implies reward, obligation, or a star rating target. Offer early copies freely, but don’t demand a post in exchange; soft expectations paired with respectful reminders work better than pressure.

Influencer outreach remains viable when you focus on fit, clarity, and authenticity. Most creators who request your book intend to cover it—your job is to make that easy, not transactional. The goal is breadth and sincerity, not a scripted chorus that vanishes at the first audit.

A thoughtful launch team can anchor sustainable review growth.

If you already have a list, invite readers who finish your genre and engage with your emails. Use tools like BookFunnel to deliver advance copies, then set clear, human timelines: finish within thirty days, aim to post within a five-day window after release, and avoid stacking everyone on day one.

Educate them on what helps: specific takeaways, favorite elements, and who the book is for. Resist providing boilerplate text; similar phrasing is a pattern machines detect. Treat the group like collaborators, not a faucet—thank them, spotlight their contributions, and nurture a rhythm that carries into your next release.

Do not underestimate the backmatter review note.

A short letter at the end of the book, written in your voice, catches readers at the exact moment of peak connection. Thank them for their time, invite honest feedback on the retailer page, and include a direct link for e-readers.

This tiny element converts passive satisfaction into action because readers often want direction after “The End.” Pair that with a simple invite to your newsletter so you can grow a base for future arcs, reminders, and early chapter peeks. Over time, that ecosystem becomes your review engine—one that doesn’t rely on platforms being merciful.

Learn the patterns that trigger removals so you can avoid them.

Space out asks, diversify sources, and encourage substantive comments. Don’t coordinate mass office postings or flood your page with one-liners. Never buy reviews or join swap groups; the short-term bump is not worth the long-term damage to your account or reputation.

If removals happen despite best efforts, open a support ticket to document your process and protect your standing, then return to fundamentals: steady outreach, reader-centric follow-up, and content that earns attention. Steady beats flashy, trust beats tricks, and ownership of your audience beats betting on a rulebook that can change overnight.

What has your experience been with getting and keeping reviews?

About Penny

Penny C. Sansevieri, is a powerhouse in the publishing industry. As the Founder and CEO of Author Marketing Experts, Inc., she has revolutionized book marketing, shaping the careers of authors and guiding them to bestseller status. Penny's influence is undeniable—named one of New York Metropolitan Magazine's Top Influencers of 2019, she's known for her cutting-edge Amazon campaigns and innovative strategies that catapult exceptional books onto bestseller lists. She is also the author of 24 books and the co-host of the Book Marketing Tips and Author Success Podcast!

To learn more about Penny's books or her promotional services, visit www.amarketingexpert.com

Featured image from Depositphotos.

Hey y’all. Today’s post is a little different and a little closer to the heart.

At Writers in the Storm, we talk a lot about story, craft, and the work that shapes us. This week, one of our own is pulling back the curtain and sharing how story shows up beyond the page… and why it matters so deeply.

Here’s Jenny Hansen.

# # #

For years, I’ve kept my two worlds separate.

There’s Jenny, the fiction writer, lover of craft, believer in the power of story. And there’s Jen, the Storyselling Sherpa, who helps businesses articulate their difference so they can build trust and increase revenue.

I’ve never really blended the two.

But in 2023, while spending long hours in a chemo chair, wondering whether I’d get through to the other side, something became very clear: Life is too short to do work you don’t believe in.

I believe deeply that stories matter.

I think all of us feel that way. We’re writers…we know this in our bones.

• Stories shape identity.
• They create connection.
• They make the unspeakable bearable.

Stories turn chaos into meaning.

My Other World

All of you here at Writers in the Storm know how I feel about all things writing. And branding. And digging deep for the stories inside us.

What I haven’t talked about much here at WITS is how my passion for stories shows up in the business world.

In my “day job life,” I work with tons of professionals who are brilliant at what they do: service-based businesses like accountants and coaches, product-based businesses, entrepreneurs, and yes, authorpreneurs.

A colleague recently asked me, “Does your WITS community know what you do? I bet some of them have businesses and I know they’d benefit from your expertise.”

In a true “I’ve NEVER thought about that” moment, I shook my head no. And wondered why it had never occurred to me. Many of us DO have businesses. In fact, for a lot of us, selling our books is part of our business.

So, I called a pow-wow of the WITS team, and we made a decision. One at a time, over the coming Saturdays, we’ll be sharing the rest of what we do. Just in case we can support you in ways we hadn’t considered.

In upcoming posts, you’ll learn more about every single one of us. We hope it’s fun for you to get to know us better!

Jen, the Storyselling Sherpa

The people who come to me all have one thing in common: they struggle to articulate the difference they make.

• They list services or products.
• They explain their process.
• They share credentials.

Since none of the above promotes connection, their value doesn’t quite land. They find themselves over-explaining, or discounting, or suffering through frustrating sales cycles that are longer than they need to be.

They often don’t share their passion for:

• WHY they’re in this business.
• WHY they wrote this book or developed this product.
• WHO their ideal customer is
• WHAT problem they’re solving

Why does this matter?

When your difference isn’t clearly articulated, your value becomes invisible. And invisible value is expensive. It’s expensive in a “Cost of Inaction” kind of way where you lose sales and opportunities because potential customers don’t know why they should care.

You haven’t told them what’s in it for them.

And considering the average attention span these days is about 6 seconds (totally not kidding), none of us really have time to waste when it comes to snagging a prospect’s attention.

What is storyselling?

Storyselling is how you turn invisible value into unmistakable difference. It’s the discipline of uncovering the most meaningful difference inside your work, and expressing it through authentic stories.

Stanford University did a study that showed people are twenty-two times more likely to remember a story than they are a collection of facts.

Stories are the shortest distance to understanding, which leads to trust. Trust and emotional safety are what make people choose to buy anything.

Not hype. Not marketing tricks.

Clarity and trust are what prompt nearly all buying decisions.

Storyselling is rooted in what all of us do here.

Seriously. It’s not that different from what we do as writers.

• We find the thread.
• We name the feelings and thoughts that others find hard to say.
• We give shape to something that’s been felt but not yet articulated.
• We lay the groundwork for people to see themselves in our stories.

All of this makes people bond with us, which goes back to that clarity and trust.

What’s up next?

Two things are coming up on my calendar this week that would be helpful to my authorpreneur pals at Writers in the Storm, as well as to the businesses that surround you.

Fun Thing #1

Monday, March 2nd at 3 PM Eastern / Noon Pacific, I'm doing a FREE 30-minute webinar.

From Invisible to Unmistakable: How to Show Your Value Through Stories

You’ll learn:

• What Storyselling really is
• Why invisible value is so common
• How to identify the difference you may not be articulating
• And how story builds trust in ways facts alone cannot

Note: I won’t be offering this live session again for several months. So, if this sparks even a little curiosity, I’d love to see you there on Monday.

Click here on Monday to join this free session. Or fill out the form at the bottom of this post if you want to opt in to communications about this seminar. (That's probably easier, because you don't have to remember anything!)

Fun Thing #2

On Wednesday, March 4th at 3 PM Eastern / Noon Pacific, I'm presenting my favorite class.

Storyselling Deep Dive into the 5 Key Stories

In these 90 minutes, we'll explore the 5 story types every business needs to attract clients, build trust, and stand out. This is a hands-on experience. By the end of our time together, you'll understand what they are, how to use them, and be well on your way to crafting your own. The Storyselling Deep Dive helps you master business storytelling, shorten the sales cycle, and attract the people who get you.

This 90-minute workshop is currently on sale for $30. Click here to enroll.

Final Thought

Like I said, I’ve never blended my worlds. It feels kind of scary and fun and freeing all at once. But worth it.

Because y’all are my peeps…

Because life is too short to hold back on changing lives…

Because meaningful work deserves meaningful stories.

And sometimes the story that needs telling the most… is your own.

Do you use "storyselling" to market your work? Do you embrace the sales side of your business, or does it make you uncomfortable? What questions do you have for me?

The opt-in form below is for the 30-minute FREE workshop. Please note: you must hit the Subscribe button as your final step. It subscribes you ONLY to this 30-minute webinar and its communications.

First Name:

Last Name:

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Phone:

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More about Jenny

If you do great work but struggle to explain it clearly, Jen is who you want in the room. As a Storyselling Sherpa, she helps professionals uncover the key stories at the heart of their business, clarify what truly sets them apart, and communicate it with confidence so ideal clients, partners, and teams immediately understand their value.

Find out more at www.storyselling4success.com.