Summary

In this episode of the Profitable Fiction Author podcast, hosts Kelly, JD, and Julie discuss common marketing mistakes that authors make. They emphasize the importance of setting realistic sales expectations, understanding the necessity of multiple books and series for profitability, and the critical role of genre alignment in reaching the right audience. The conversation also covers the impact of packaging elements like covers and blurbs on sales, and concludes with a lightning round of quick insights on various marketing strategies.

Takeaways

• Unrealistic sales goals can hinder authors' success.
• The average book sells around 250 copies over its lifetime.
• Marketing is essential; a good book alone won't sell.
• Authors need to invest in marketing to gain readers.
• Multiple books and series increase profitability.
• Understanding genre is crucial for targeting the right audience.
• Packaging elements like covers and blurbs significantly affect sales.
• Click-through rates can indicate if a cover is effective.
• Authors should focus on building an email list over social media.
• Playing the long game is more beneficial than focusing solely on launch dates.

In this premiere episode of the Profitable Fiction Author Podcast, hosts Kelly, JD Caron, and Julie Titterington share their personal journeys from editing desks, military service, and 911 dispatch to helping authors sell more books. They reveal how a data-driven approach and resilient mindset can turn a single idea into a thriving author business.

What You’ll Learn

• Why mindset outweighs luck in building a sustainable author career
• How data—not guesswork—drives book marketing success
• Common traps like the sunk-cost fallacy and how to avoid them
• The crucial balance of writing and marketing for long-term profitability
• Why indie publishing can offer more control and higher margins than traditional deals

Whether you’re publishing your first novel or scaling a series, this episode lays the foundation for writing that pays.

👉 Learn more about the Profitable Author Blueprint Workshop:

https://weekendpublisher.thrivecart.com/the-profitable-author-blueprint-workshop/