Simple Strategies To Sell More Books

Every writer would love to know some simple secrets to help them sell more books, right? Even if fame and fortune isn’t our end goal, to have a proper readership, to make loyal fans and to know that all our hard work, time and passion is being appreciated by people out there, that is worth more to most writers than anything else.

But being an unknown author means you are up against it. There is no denying that the book marketplace is pretty saturated, and standing out from the crowd can be tough. So getting readers to find your book, let alone actually buy it, can be a mammoth task in itself.

However, by following these simple strategies, there are ways to get your book noticed and find a readership.

Let’s take a look at some of them.

Write a good book

OK, so you might roll your eyes and think ‘that’s easier said than done,’ but really it’s something that needs to be said. You can’t expect readers to buy a terrible book so there are basic things you need to do to make your book a good book. Write clearly, have a tight and understandable plot, make your characters intriguing and relatable, use conversational language, and make sure that you have gotten rid of spelling and grammatical errors and inconsistencies before you put your book up for sale.

Create a dramatic cover

One of the easiest ways to make your book stand out is to ensure your cover is eye-catching and interesting. Your cover should instantly tell the reader what kind of book it is. Make it colourful, make the title big enough to read even on a small screen, don’t make it too busy and make sure your image hints at what to expect inside - it really is as simple as that.

Write an amazing cover description

OK so if you’ve got as far as getting a potential reader to notice your book they’ll make a decision based on what you tell them it’s about. This is one of the trickiest things a writer has to do. The description on the back of your book should be like a brilliant and clever sales pitch. Think about what would make you want actually to read your story, why choose this book over others, what does it promise, what’s unique about it, what genre is it, how can they be sure they are going to like it? Make your description irresistible, so readers just have to buy your book to find out what happens.

Understand how keywords work

If you want your book to show up either in search engine results or as a search result in Amazon you need to understand what your target readers are searching for. Use your keywords wisely, and your book is more likely to appear as a result for someone who wants to read it.

Don’t be afraid to promote yourself

Tell everyone, literally everyone you know that your book is out. From friends and family to that random guy you started talking to on the train. Of course, there are a million and one ways to promote yourself and your book. Some might not work for you, but don’t be afraid to try them all. The more you do, the more books you are likely to sell.

These simple strategies will have you well on your way to selling more books. Remember the more work you put in and the more time you can dedicate to promoting your book, the more likely it is to sell!

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

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