Do You Think You're a Failure As a Writer? Ways To Improve Your Book Sales

Do you think you're a failure as a writer because your book isn't selling the way you thought it would?   

Are you afraid to write another book because you think that no one will read it and you'll be looked upon as a failure? 

To further your misery, you may look at well-known independent authors and believe these authors started out as a big success. And, then you'll wonder what's wrong with you. 

If you take a closer look at these indie authors, however, you will learn about the hundreds of times they experienced failure before they became successful. 

So, if you’re book isn't selling as well as you anticipated, there are several steps you can take to improve its performance and increase its visibility. Here are a seven suggestions: 

1. Take time to determine what didn’t work so well. Did readers connect with your story? If not, why? Did you have a book marketing plan? Examine all of your efforts, from the beginning to the end, to see what didn't work well. Use this as a road map to re-evaluate what went wrong, re-adjust your plans, and start over again.

2. Evaluate your marketing and promotional efforts. Examine your current marketing strategies and determine if they are effectively reaching your target audience. Are your social media followers relating to your work or do you need to gain new followers? Have you contacted book bloggers, book clubs, or reviewers about your book? Invest more time into evaluating how well your promotional efforts are working. 

3. Enhance your book's cover and description. It's true that people judge a book by its cover. This is why the cover and book description are crucial for attracting readers. Does your cover design and book description effectively communicate the essence of your book to readers? If not, consider redesigning the cover or rewriting the description to make it more engaging and compelling. 

4. Ask for feedback. Reach out to readers, friends, and fellow writers and ask for their opinions about your book. You may also want to ask readers who enjoyed your book to leave reviews on the sites where you are selling your book. Positive reviews and testimonials can significantly impact your sales.

5. Expand your author platform. Build your online presence by regularly updating your website or blog, engage with readers on social media, and participate in relevant writing or book-related communities. Developing a strong author brand and establishing a loyal following can have a positive impact on your book sales.

6. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Sometimes you may need help, especially if you don’t know why your work did not connect with readers. If this is the case, it may be beneficial to seek help from an established indie author or a book marketing consultant or a publicist who specializes in the publishing industry. While professionals may charge you a fee, it is worth it if they can offer valuable insights, guidance, and assistance in promoting your book effectively. Keep in mind that you will only see results if you make the changes that they recommend. If you decide to try everything on your own again, make sure you research what successful authors have done and how they handled their failures. 

7. Don't give up. One of the side benefits of failure is being persistent. By continuing to write and promote your work—even though you feel like a failure—it is hard to imagine that you won’t eventually succeed. After all, successful writers use failure as a learning tool. In doing this, they constantly continue to improve.

Take heart. You may face setbacks at times. But, as President Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Nothing worth having comes easy.” 

Remember, writing and publishing a book is a journey and success often takes time. Don't be discouraged by initial sales figures. Keep refining your marketing strategies, engaging with readers, and exploring new avenues to reach your target audience. Persistence, adaptability, and a willingness to learn from the process are key to achieving better sales results.

By continuing to implement what works and discard what doesn’t, you are well on your way to becoming a successful author.

Need help with the self-publishing process? MANA can help. Check out MANA's Self-Publishing Plans HERE.

Questions? Contact us at info@marketingnewauthors.com.