The Book Marketing Action Podcast

In this episode, Becky talks to Julee Balko—Freelance Writer and Author of The Things We Keep and The Me List. Throughout the episode, Julee offers valuable book marketing tips, emphasizing the importance of a positive attitude towards social media and how it can serve as an empowering tool for authors. She also delves into the mindset shift she made from marketing her first book to marketing her second book, highlighting the significance of finding joy and creativity in the book marketing process. 

During the episode, you’ll learn:  

• About Julee, her work in the world, and her two fiction books. 
• When Julee started to build an online presence and how that contributed to her author journey. 
• Julee’s journey of writing her first novel, The Things We Keep, and how it helped her navigate the grief and loss she was experiencing at the time. 
• How long it took Julee to write her second novel compared to the first one. 
• About Julee’s second and most recent novel, The Me List. 
• Julee’s experience marketing both of her books and which aspects became easier the second time around. 
• Information about editorial reviews. 
• Julee’s mindset shift and her new approaches when marketing her second book. 
• How Becky’s book, Reach, helped Julee think about book marketing in a new way. 
• The progress Julee is making on her third book.
• Some of Julee’s best book marketing tips for fiction authors and her experience publishing her novels through the small press. 
• What a Me List is and how you can get started writing your own.

Don’t forget to check out our show notes, which include action steps and resources.

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In this episode, Becky talks to Ginelle Testa—Author of Make a Home Out of You: A Memoir, which is launching next week. Ginelle shares the inspiration behind writing a deeply personal book and her journey of overcoming addiction and finding self-love. She also talks about how showing up authentically in online spaces helped her grow her social media presence and reach new audiences with her important message. 

During the episode, you’ll learn:  

• About Ginelle and her work in the world.
• The meaning behind Ginelle’s new memoir, Make a Home Out of You, and her publishing path. 
• What inspired Ginelle to write her memoir, especially one that digs into challenging emotional times in her life. 
• What inspired her to translate that level of authenticity to her social media channels. 
• Some of the challenges Ginelle had to overcome as she wrote her memoir and shared intense experiences in her life. 
• How and why “edginess” helped Ginelle go viral. 
• How she approaches sharing about her vulnerable experiences—in real time vs. letting some time pass.
• What she has enjoyed most about showcasing her author journey, even the emotional moments, and how it has helped build momentum for her book.
• How Ginelle stays consistent and intentional with her posting.
• How creating short-form videos has been a major part of her growth and finding new audiences, as well as her strategies for creating videos.
• How long Ginelle has been showing up in online spaces.
• How she prioritizes the initiatives she has energy for. 
• What she hopes people will take away from the experience of reading her memoir and engaging with her social content. 

Don’t forget to check out our show notes, which include action steps and resources.

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In this episode, Becky talks to Mary O’Donohue—Media Coach for Women Nonfiction Authors, a #1 Bestselling Parenting Author, and a former Post Producer for The Oprah Winfrey Show. Listen as Mary shares valuable insights from her extensive career in television and her expertise in media coaching for authors. She emphasizes how important it is for authors to understand the media landscape and showcase the value they have to offer the audiences of major media outlets. Through real-life stories and practical advice, Mary provides guidance on how to overcome fear and anxiety when trying to get your message in front of the media.

During the episode, you’ll learn:  

• About Mary, the work she has done throughout her career, and her book, When You Say 'Thank You,' Mean It.
• How Mary’s career in television contributed to the work she is doing now as a media coach for authors.
• How Mary helps set authors’ expectations about the reality of what it takes to get on a major broadcast media show. 
• What makes a guest “bookable.”
• Advice for women nonfiction authors who want to get their message or book in front of the media to grow their impact. 
• Why podcasts are such a crucial part of marketing and book promotion today.
• Tips for how authors can tackle the fear and anxiety they may experience as they approach the world of media. 

Don’t forget to check out our show notes, which include action steps and resources.

Sign up for the weekly newsletter to connect with Becky Robinson and gain access to ongoing learning and conversation.

In this episode, Becky talks to Caroline J. Sumlin—writer, speaker, and educator with a passion for helping all people reclaim their self-worth and their humanity. Listen as Caroline shares insights into her book's powerful message and the challenges she faced while marketing as a first-time author. The discussion delves into the journey of marketing a book as a marginalized author, the struggles of balancing personal beliefs with marketing expectations, and how important it is for authors to connect authentically with their audience.

During the episode, you’ll learn:  

• About Caroline, her book We’ll All Be Free, and her work in the world. 
• How some of the beliefs Caroline is trying to counteract in her book have negatively impacted her book marketing journey.
• The realities of marketing a book as someone with a marginalized identity. 
• What Caroline’s expectations were going into the launch of her book and how those have shifted since its release. 
• Caroline’s approach to sharing her personal stories and experiences in online spaces to connect with potential readers.
• Which book marketing strategies have been the most effective for Caroline, and which ones weren’t as effective as she hoped. 
• How using the anniversary of her book’s release as a milestone for continued marketing has helped Caroline stay energized and passionate about her work. 
• About Caroline’s struggle of balancing her responsibilities as a full-time homeschooling parent with her career ambitions and book marketing efforts.
• Caroline’s advice for first-time authors who are preparing to market their books.  

Don’t forget to check out our show notes, which include action steps and resources.

Sign up for the weekly newsletter to connect with Becky Robinson and gain access to ongoing learning and conversation.

In this episode, Becky talks to Hesha Abrams—master mediator, keynote speaker, and author of Holding the Calm: The Secret to Resolving Conflict and Defusing Tension. Listen as Hesha talks about her author journey, the impact of her book marketing efforts, and how she has adapted over the years since her book launch to reach new audiences, define new goals, and find lasting success. 

During the episode, you’ll learn:  

• About Hesha, her work in the world, and what inspired her to write her book. 
• What Hesha was hoping to achieve when she wrote Holding the Calm.
• How completing the book and bringing it to life helped Hesha reach her goals.
• The impact Holding the Calm had on Hesha’s credibility and the perception of her expertise. 
• What Hesha did to market her book and which parts were worthwhile in getting her message out to more readers.
• Some of the surprises Hesha encountered on her journey as an author. 
• How Hesha’s book continues to serve her and the audiences she wants to reach more than two years after launch. 
• One of Hesha’s tips for resolving conflict from Holding the Calm. 

Don’t forget to check out our show notes, which include action steps and resources.

Sign up for the weekly newsletter to connect with Becky Robinson and gain access to ongoing learning and conversation.

In this episode, Becky talks to Leah Paulos—Founder of Press Shop PR and Book Publicity School. Listen as Leah shares her advice for navigating book publicity, explains how authors can find their audiences, and outlines strategies for breaking through the noise to get as much media attention for a book as possible. 

During the episode, you’ll learn:  

• About Leah and her work in the world.
• The types of authors Leah supports and works with at Press Shop PR and Book Publicity School.
• Whether or not it’s possible to tell if a book is going to be a big success in the media.
• How authors can navigate a book launch during an election year like 2024.
• What Leah might avoid or seek out when it comes time to decide on a release date for a book that’s being published during an election year.
• Tips for authors to break through the noise of the media when everyone’s attention is scattered. 
• The kind of promotion an author can expect from a publisher.
• The connection between publicity and book sales.
• How PR can help people with more than just selling books.
• How Leah has seen PR shift over the years and what has remained the same. 
• Why authors should be paying attention to other experts and books in their field. 
• An exercise for crafting a good email subject line.

Don’t forget to check out our show notes, which include action steps and resources.

Sign up for the weekly newsletter to connect with Becky Robinson and gain access to ongoing learning and conversation.

In this episode, Becky talks to Glen Van Peski—Ultralight Backpacker, Founder of Gossamer Gear, and Author of take less. do more.—and Jeevan Sivasubramaniam—Managing Director of Editorial at Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Listen as Glen and Jeevan share their insights on who to ask for book endorsements, the impact of endorsements on book sales, how to ask for endorsements, and the ideal number of endorsements an author should strive for. 

During the episode, you’ll learn:  

• About both guests and their work in the world.
• The meaning behind Jeevan’s nickname, “The Cranky Editor.”
• Some of the basics about endorsements and why they are critical for anyone who is preparing to launch a book.
• How an author can decide who they should ask for endorsements.
• Advice for obtaining big-name endorsements.
• Why endorsements don’t necessarily make or break a book. 
• Whether or not there is a right number of endorsements an author should be aiming for and if there is danger in getting too many. 
• Whether endorsers should represent the demographics of a book’s target audience, or if it’s better for authors to represent a diverse audience in their endorsements. 
• If authors should write sample endorsements that potential endorsers can edit.
• More thoughts and advice around the power of endorsements. 

Don’t forget to check out our show notes, which include action steps and resources.

Sign up for the weekly newsletter to connect with Becky Robinson and gain access to ongoing learning and conversation.

In this episode, Becky talks to Becky Antkowiak—Writer, Editor, Founder/Chief Encouragement Officer of the 540 Writers Community, and Serial Extrovert. Listen as Becky explores the value of writers being in community with each other and the benefits of attending writers conferences. She shares her experiences attending conferences and the importance of camaraderie, learning the culture of publishing, making connections, receiving coaching, finding a cohort, and continuing to write.    

During the episode, you’ll also learn:  

• About Becky and her work in the world. 
• The benefits for writers who choose to connect in person or online at writers events. 
• Some of the ways that authors can learn from each other to help reach their goals.
• Recommendations for how an author can find a writers group or conference to attend. 
• About Becky’s writers group, why she started it, and what she was hoping to achieve. 
• Some of the secrets behind growing and sustaining a community of authors. 
• The 6 Cs of writers conferences. 

Don’t forget to check out our show notes, which include action steps and resources.

Sign up for the weekly newsletter to connect with Becky Robinson and gain access to ongoing learning and conversation.

In this episode, Becky talks to Jesse J. Anderson—Author, Speaker, Creator, and ADHD Advocate. Listen as Jesse talks about his personal journey of being diagnosed with ADHD, the impact of finding his niche and building an online community around it, and how nurturing that community led to book marketing success, selling 10,000 copies of his debut book in the first three months.  

During the episode, you’ll learn:  

• About Jesse, his work in the world, his journey with ADHD, and the motivation behind writing his book, Extra Focus. 
• Secrets behind the rapid growth of Jesse’s online presence and community. 
• How Jesse chose to show up with valuable content that made complex knowledge about ADHD more accessible.
• How Jesse prioritizes his energy and attention, especially while creating content and juggling a full-time job.
• The strategies Jesse has used to grow his newsletter and how important it has been in driving book sales. 
• The value of committed audience members resharing and amplifying your content, including other top voices in your industry. 
• Which social media channels Jesse has chosen to focus on, how those have shifted over the years, and how he chooses to show up on those channels.
• When Jesse decided to write his book and what his thought process was like. 
• The success Jesse has experienced since Extra Focus came out in September 2023 and what contributed to that success.
• Some of the bonuses Jesse has offered with his book in order to boost sales. 
• More of the book marketing initiatives that have contributed to the ongoing success of Jesse’s book. 

Don’t forget to check out our show notes, which include action steps and resources.

Sign up for the weekly newsletter to connect with Becky Robinson and gain access to ongoing learning and conversation. 

In the first episode of Season 5, Becky talks to Sarah Fay—private Substack consultant, award-winning author at HarperCollins, and a member of the faculty at Northwestern University. Listen as Sarah discusses her personal journey through the mental health system and her decision to share her stories through writing. She also talks about her experience with landing a book deal, how she discovered Substack, and how impactful the platform has been for her writing career.     

During the episode, you’ll learn:  

• About Sarah and her work in the world.
• The life changes Sarah had to make on her path to recovery.
• What inspired Sarah to share about her mental health journey in such an open way.
• How Sarah landed her first book deal, and the motivation behind writing her memoir, Pathological.
• Some of the expectations vs. reality of selling a book. 
• The approaches Sarah took to building an online audience prior to the release of her first book. 
• The concept of serialization and why Sarah decided to serialize her second book, Cured.
• Why Sarah also released a serialized audio version of Cured. 
• Some of the controversy surrounding Substack.
• Why Sarah loves Substack. 
• Sarah’s journey with Substack and how much money a typical writer might expect to make on the platform. 
• Sarah’s best tips for people who want to show up in a more authentic way with their personal stories.

Don’t forget to check out our show notes, which include action steps and resources.

Sign up for the weekly newsletter to connect with Becky Robinson and gain access to ongoing learning and conversation.