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How David Mcllroy Sells Books on Substack
This interview is part of my podcast “The Substack Writers Salon”. You can watch or listen to the complete interviews here.
“We’re live.”
That’s how it always starts.
And within 20 seconds, I’m already making a joke at my own expense, because the moment David McIlroy appears on screen, people flood in.
“I can’t keep up. I’m sure they’re not joining for me. They’re joining for you, David.”
He laughs.
David is one of those Substack creators who somehow manages to do the thing we all want to do:
Build a real audience and sell books in a way that doesn’t feel cringe, pushy, or like a pop-up ad.
So instead of doing yet another “Substack growth hacks” conversation (we’ve all been there), I told him I wanted to niche down.
Let’s talk about selling books, specifically, how he does it on Substack and beyond.
And what followed was one of the most practical conversations I’ve had about book marketing in a creator economy that’s allergic to hard selling.
1) His #1 Strategy: Mention Your Book… Constantly (But Like a Human)
I asked David what his strategy is, and his answer was simple:
He talks about his books at every available opportunity.
Not in a spammy way. Not like a “BUY NOW” billboard.
More like this:
“I’ll almost always bring up my books at some point… and just try to bring them into the conversation in an organic way… try to not make things sound like an ad.”
David’s point: people on Substack connect with the human side of creators, not the overly polished, overly scripted, “sounds like it was written by a robot” version of us.
It’s not “Here is my book. Please purchase it.”
It’s “By the way, I wrote a book. It’s part of what I’m building. If you’re curious, it’s there.”
2) ROI Is Messy… But Word of Mouth Isn’t
Do you actually see book sales coming from Substack? What’s the ROI?
David was honest: attribution is hard. You can’t always tell whether someone bought because of Substack, TikTok, Instagram, or a friend whispering your title into the universe.
But he has noticed one thing clearly:
A lot of people find out about his books through other people.
Especially on TikTok.
He told me he’s been DM’ing people about a book coming out soon, and he keeps hearing the same thing:
“Oh, I know about that book. I heard someone else talking about it.”
That’s the holy grail: getting other people to talk about your book.
3) Why He Self-Publishes Some Books (And Keeps Others With a Publisher)
David still works with a small publisher for his young adult fantasy series, but he self-publishes those under his own (not-yet-official-but-coming) label.
Why split it?
Genre.
He wants to market horror in a way that’s targeted, bold, and specific, without it clashing with the brand and expectations around his YA fantasy books.
Also: it gives him more control over how he promotes, who he collaborates with, and which creators he taps to help spread the word.
4) IngramSpark vs. KDP: He’s Thinking Long-Term (and Indie Bookstores)
David currently uses IngramSpark, not Amazon KDP (at least for now).
His reasoning: he wants to support independent bookstores long-term.
He pointed out something I didn’t fully appreciate until recently:
Some indie bookstores don’t love carrying books that are heavily tied to Amazon, partly because customers will price-check and buy cheaper online, cutting the bookstore out of the sale.
He acknowledged you can do both (KDP + IngramSpark), and many authors do.
But his mindset is: if he’s going to build relationships with indie bookstores over time, he’d rather not center Amazon as the default.
That said, he also admitted he may use KDP in the future, especially as he experiments with paid ads.
5) TikTok Shop Isn’t the Main Thing (TikTok is)
I shared my TikTok experience, and let’s just say… it was humbling.
I set up a TikTok Shop, did all the paperwork, listed my books, contacted influencers, sent copies, tried the affiliate approach…
…and sold basically nothing through affiliates.
The one book I sold? It was because I posted a shoppable video of me reading from the book.
David’s take made me feel slightly less cursed:
He also has a TikTok Shop… and he’s only sold one or two directly through it.
For him, TikTok isn’t necessarily where people buy.
It’s where people discover.
Someone sees the book on TikTok and then buys it on Amazon, Waterstones, wherever they already buy books.
So instead of obsessing over the TikTok Shop link, he focuses on what TikTok does best:
Putting your book in front of people who love talking about books.
6) His TikTok Outreach Method: Search → DM → Track → Follow Up
This part was pure “steal this process.”
When David has a horror novel coming out, he goes on TikTok and searches:
* BookTok
* horror
* horror recommendations
* (and similar keywords)
Then he finds creators who are already posting about horror novels and messages them:
“Hey, I’ve got this book coming out. Would you be interested in reading and reviewing it if I send you a free digital copy?”
His response rate?
About 1 out of 10 says yes.
And yes, he keeps a spreadsheet so he can follow up and reach out again later.
It’s not glamorous.
He called it “a long, grueling process.”
But it works for building reviews, especially on Goodreads and Amazon, and sometimes those ARC readers buy a physical copy anyway.
7) How He Splits His Time (and Stays Consistent)
David’s rhythm surprised me:
* TikTok: inconsistent, bursts of activity
* Substack: daily, a couple of hours/day
* Fiction writing: mornings (in theory), Substack writing: afternoons
* Overall: still a “9–5” style day… but on work he actually enjoys
It doesn’t feel like too much work, because he finds it fun.
8) His Income Streams as a Full-Time Writer/Solopreneur
David’s Substack focuses on making a living from writing, so I asked him outright where the money comes from.
He shared a few streams:
* 1:1 coaching (building personal brand, “writing beast,” accountability)
* Substack paid membership / VIP
* Sponsorships (newsletter + podcast)
* Digital products/courses (sold via automations)
* Book sales
* Another business (marketing platform) that’s currently his biggest income source overall
He also said coaching is likely to become his most significant writing-related stream next year.
9) His 2026 Plan: More Live Teaching + Paid Ads for Books
For next year, David wants to do more:
* live webinars/teaching sessions (PowerPoint/Canva-style)
* alternating free sessions and paid member masterclasses
* possibly bootcamps
* experimenting with paid ads for books to build a sustainable “background” sales system
* writing at least 1–2 more books
So yes—he’s doing a lot.
And no—he doesn’t have a VA.
He does outsource podcast editing sometimes, but generally keeps editing minimal so it doesn’t take over his life.
10) How He Gets Sponsors (Spoiler: He Actually Pitches)
This part personally attacked me (in a good way).
Because I’ve had a podcast for years and have never gotten a sponsor.
Why?
Because I’ve been waiting for sponsors to magically discover me.
David’s method is the opposite:
He reaches out directly—via websites or LinkedIn—and pitches:
“I have this audience. I think you’d be a good fit. Would you be interested in sponsoring?”
Most won’t respond.
Some will.
He also mentioned using a platform called Passionfruit as a clean landing page for sponsorship packages.
And he’s interviewing Justin Moore (the sponsorship expert) in January to learn even more.
The Real Takeaway
David’s approach isn’t built on secret hacks.
It’s built on something even more effective (and harder to fake):
* Be present
* Be consistent
* Be human
* Mention your book like it’s normal that you wrote a book (because it is)
* Invite people in—don’t shove them through a funnel like cattle
And the biggest lesson for me?
Selling books on Substack doesn’t have to feel like selling.
It can feel like storytelling.
You can follow David’s work on Susbtack here.
PS: David and I joked about co-writing a post called How to Sell Books on Substack and maybe we should. Because authors can do so much more with this platform than we’re currently doing.
If you want that post, reply in the comments with: “Yes, co-write it.”
Read and Write with Natasha is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber, and you will get lifetime access to some of my free courses (Worth over 300 dollars), in addition to free access to my webinars on writing.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit natashatynes.substack.com/subscribe
View all episodes
By Natasha TynesThis interview is part of my podcast “The Substack Writers Salon”. You can watch or listen to the complete interviews here.
“We’re live.”
That’s how it always starts.
And within 20 seconds, I’m already making a joke at my own expense, because the moment David McIlroy appears on screen, people flood in.
“I can’t keep up. I’m sure they’re not joining for me. They’re joining for you, David.”
He laughs.
David is one of those Substack creators who somehow manages to do the thing we all want to do:
Build a real audience and sell books in a way that doesn’t feel cringe, pushy, or like a pop-up ad.
So instead of doing yet another “Substack growth hacks” conversation (we’ve all been there), I told him I wanted to niche down.
Let’s talk about selling books, specifically, how he does it on Substack and beyond.
And what followed was one of the most practical conversations I’ve had about book marketing in a creator economy that’s allergic to hard selling.
1) His #1 Strategy: Mention Your Book… Constantly (But Like a Human)
I asked David what his strategy is, and his answer was simple:
He talks about his books at every available opportunity.
Not in a spammy way. Not like a “BUY NOW” billboard.
More like this:
“I’ll almost always bring up my books at some point… and just try to bring them into the conversation in an organic way… try to not make things sound like an ad.”
David’s point: people on Substack connect with the human side of creators, not the overly polished, overly scripted, “sounds like it was written by a robot” version of us.
It’s not “Here is my book. Please purchase it.”
It’s “By the way, I wrote a book. It’s part of what I’m building. If you’re curious, it’s there.”
2) ROI Is Messy… But Word of Mouth Isn’t
Do you actually see book sales coming from Substack? What’s the ROI?
David was honest: attribution is hard. You can’t always tell whether someone bought because of Substack, TikTok, Instagram, or a friend whispering your title into the universe.
But he has noticed one thing clearly:
A lot of people find out about his books through other people.
Especially on TikTok.
He told me he’s been DM’ing people about a book coming out soon, and he keeps hearing the same thing:
“Oh, I know about that book. I heard someone else talking about it.”
That’s the holy grail: getting other people to talk about your book.
3) Why He Self-Publishes Some Books (And Keeps Others With a Publisher)
David still works with a small publisher for his young adult fantasy series, but he self-publishes those under his own (not-yet-official-but-coming) label.
Why split it?
Genre.
He wants to market horror in a way that’s targeted, bold, and specific, without it clashing with the brand and expectations around his YA fantasy books.
Also: it gives him more control over how he promotes, who he collaborates with, and which creators he taps to help spread the word.
4) IngramSpark vs. KDP: He’s Thinking Long-Term (and Indie Bookstores)
David currently uses IngramSpark, not Amazon KDP (at least for now).
His reasoning: he wants to support independent bookstores long-term.
He pointed out something I didn’t fully appreciate until recently:
Some indie bookstores don’t love carrying books that are heavily tied to Amazon, partly because customers will price-check and buy cheaper online, cutting the bookstore out of the sale.
He acknowledged you can do both (KDP + IngramSpark), and many authors do.
But his mindset is: if he’s going to build relationships with indie bookstores over time, he’d rather not center Amazon as the default.
That said, he also admitted he may use KDP in the future, especially as he experiments with paid ads.
5) TikTok Shop Isn’t the Main Thing (TikTok is)
I shared my TikTok experience, and let’s just say… it was humbling.
I set up a TikTok Shop, did all the paperwork, listed my books, contacted influencers, sent copies, tried the affiliate approach…
…and sold basically nothing through affiliates.
The one book I sold? It was because I posted a shoppable video of me reading from the book.
David’s take made me feel slightly less cursed:
He also has a TikTok Shop… and he’s only sold one or two directly through it.
For him, TikTok isn’t necessarily where people buy.
It’s where people discover.
Someone sees the book on TikTok and then buys it on Amazon, Waterstones, wherever they already buy books.
So instead of obsessing over the TikTok Shop link, he focuses on what TikTok does best:
Putting your book in front of people who love talking about books.
6) His TikTok Outreach Method: Search → DM → Track → Follow Up
This part was pure “steal this process.”
When David has a horror novel coming out, he goes on TikTok and searches:
* BookTok
* horror
* horror recommendations
* (and similar keywords)
Then he finds creators who are already posting about horror novels and messages them:
“Hey, I’ve got this book coming out. Would you be interested in reading and reviewing it if I send you a free digital copy?”
His response rate?
About 1 out of 10 says yes.
And yes, he keeps a spreadsheet so he can follow up and reach out again later.
It’s not glamorous.
He called it “a long, grueling process.”
But it works for building reviews, especially on Goodreads and Amazon, and sometimes those ARC readers buy a physical copy anyway.
7) How He Splits His Time (and Stays Consistent)
David’s rhythm surprised me:
* TikTok: inconsistent, bursts of activity
* Substack: daily, a couple of hours/day
* Fiction writing: mornings (in theory), Substack writing: afternoons
* Overall: still a “9–5” style day… but on work he actually enjoys
It doesn’t feel like too much work, because he finds it fun.
8) His Income Streams as a Full-Time Writer/Solopreneur
David’s Substack focuses on making a living from writing, so I asked him outright where the money comes from.
He shared a few streams:
* 1:1 coaching (building personal brand, “writing beast,” accountability)
* Substack paid membership / VIP
* Sponsorships (newsletter + podcast)
* Digital products/courses (sold via automations)
* Book sales
* Another business (marketing platform) that’s currently his biggest income source overall
He also said coaching is likely to become his most significant writing-related stream next year.
9) His 2026 Plan: More Live Teaching + Paid Ads for Books
For next year, David wants to do more:
* live webinars/teaching sessions (PowerPoint/Canva-style)
* alternating free sessions and paid member masterclasses
* possibly bootcamps
* experimenting with paid ads for books to build a sustainable “background” sales system
* writing at least 1–2 more books
So yes—he’s doing a lot.
And no—he doesn’t have a VA.
He does outsource podcast editing sometimes, but generally keeps editing minimal so it doesn’t take over his life.
10) How He Gets Sponsors (Spoiler: He Actually Pitches)
This part personally attacked me (in a good way).
Because I’ve had a podcast for years and have never gotten a sponsor.
Why?
Because I’ve been waiting for sponsors to magically discover me.
David’s method is the opposite:
He reaches out directly—via websites or LinkedIn—and pitches:
“I have this audience. I think you’d be a good fit. Would you be interested in sponsoring?”
Most won’t respond.
Some will.
He also mentioned using a platform called Passionfruit as a clean landing page for sponsorship packages.
And he’s interviewing Justin Moore (the sponsorship expert) in January to learn even more.
The Real Takeaway
David’s approach isn’t built on secret hacks.
It’s built on something even more effective (and harder to fake):
* Be present
* Be consistent
* Be human
* Mention your book like it’s normal that you wrote a book (because it is)
* Invite people in—don’t shove them through a funnel like cattle
And the biggest lesson for me?
Selling books on Substack doesn’t have to feel like selling.
It can feel like storytelling.
You can follow David’s work on Susbtack here.
PS: David and I joked about co-writing a post called How to Sell Books on Substack and maybe we should. Because authors can do so much more with this platform than we’re currently doing.
If you want that post, reply in the comments with: “Yes, co-write it.”
Read and Write with Natasha is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber, and you will get lifetime access to some of my free courses (Worth over 300 dollars), in addition to free access to my webinars on writing.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit natashatynes.substack.com/subscribe