Welcome to episode 100 of The First Draft Club! 🎉 We're celebrating by talking about something every author needs to know: book marketing.

It's the thing every author dreads—and honestly, I'm not a book marketing expert. But I do have a hot take about something you should never, ever do when promoting your book (because it doesn't work and it's not a good look).

In this milestone episode, I'm sharing one big DON'T and one big DO when it comes to marketing your book. I'll show you exactly how I did this for my novels Privilege and When You Read This—what didn't work and what finally clicked. This advice will serve you way better than any Instagram content calendar, both online and off. 

Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review! For more resources, visit thebookincubator.com.

Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @book.incubator 

Happy writing! — Mary

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RESOURCES:

+ Learn my Four Notebooks Method & get your free template:

+ A Novel in 52 Prompts - A scene-by-scene blueprint for writing your novel:

+ Ready to write your dream book? Apply for The Book Incubator in just 5 minutes with no obligation to enroll and get my free 60-minute training HOW TO WRITE YOUR DREAM BOOK WITH A FULL-TIME JOB (AND A LIFE):

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Hi, I'm Mary!

I'm the author of the novels When You Read This (Indie Next Pick and “Best Book of 2019” by Good Housekeeping), Privilege (Today.com “Best Summer Read”), and Palm Beach (New York Post “Best Book of 2021” and “like a sandy beach, equal parts beautiful and uncomfortable” according to the Associated Press). My memoir, You Might Feel A Little Pressure, was released by Third Rail Press in 2025.

My books have been published in 13 countries, and I've written for the New York Times, The Atlantic, Slate, and more. I founded an MFA-alternative, The Book Incubator, which has now helped hundreds of writers finish their books over 12 months and continues supporting them through publication (yes, forever!). 

When I’m not writing, I’m probably building a fort with my 7-year-old son Finn or bathing with an overpriced Lush bath bomb. I live in Dallas, where I spend my free time trying to domesticate a stubborn tabby and shamelessly watching reality TV.

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Social:

+ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/book.incubator

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