Comments on: How to Create a Book that Sells and a Marketing Plan that Works (every time!)

By: Top Picks Thursday 10-22-2015 | The Author Chronicles

Top Picks Thursday 10-22-2015 | The Author Chronicles — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 17:04:20 +0000

[…] traditional and Indie authors need to work on marketing their books. Penny Sansevieri explains how to create a book that sells and a marketing plan that works (every time). Elizabeth S. Craig discusses preorders, and agent Janet Reid expresses some thoughts […]

By: 50at70

50at70 — Sat, 17 Oct 2015 18:45:47 +0000

Hi Penny, I just write as it happens in my mind but after reading this post I'm wondering if it would make a better story if I did some switching in the several WIP I have going. Some of them were hard to write. It seemed something is not right. I have one, location Oklahoma City and contemporary. I keep slipping when I write into a western flavor and it almost sounds like it is a story with the wrong background. It is my finish half to third NANOWRIMO project for Nov. Revision again here I come. Thanks for the insight.

By: Penny Sansevieri (@Bookgal)

Penny Sansevieri (@Bookgal) — Sat, 17 Oct 2015 14:15:59 +0000

Let me just make a comment on "straddling" because I've seen it a ton. Don't do it. If you can, move your book - switch up your genre on Amazon as soon as you can. Most of the time this is easy - I know that sometimes though that's tough. In the cases I've worked with, where books have languished in the wrong markets - I've found that moving the genre and doing some refreshed marketing can really help give them the boost they need! Good luck!!

By: Penny Sansevieri (@Bookgal)

Penny Sansevieri (@Bookgal) — Sat, 17 Oct 2015 14:14:09 +0000

In reply to Laura Drake. Laura can you switch the genre on it on Amazon? Maybe you already did. Seems that might solve this!

By: LauraDrake

LauraDrake — Sat, 17 Oct 2015 09:36:29 +0000

In reply to Linda Lee Williams. Hey, Linda, fellow 'straddler' here. Maybe we should start a meeting for that....

By: Linda Lee Williams

Linda Lee Williams — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 17:21:26 +0000

You summed it up for me, Laura: When I write a book, it's always the "story in my heart." When it comes to targeting a specific audience, I fall short, and that makes marketing a challenge. Being genre-specific is difficult for me; my stories usually straddle the fence. Everything Penny said is true, though. If I could follow her advice, maybe I could sell more books and find more success as an author.

By: Christopher Lentz

Christopher Lentz — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 16:38:38 +0000

Thank you for the insightful blog, Penny!

By: Laura Drake

Laura Drake — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 11:26:34 +0000

Penny, I wrote the book of my heart - thinking only of the story, and my heart. When I got done, I started thinking about the market....duh. Western is big in romance - not so much in Women's Fiction (which is the book's genre). I'd have written it anyway - I love it. And I think readers who read it will like it - but I'm going to have an uphill climb, convincing them to read it. I'll use your reader profile, and dig deeper. Thanks for this blog - it'll help me!