A lot of the marketing mistakes made by writers have nothing to do with talent.
That means you can write a brilliant book and still struggle to sell it.
If you’ve experienced this before, it can be very confusing, especially when you know your work is good.
Unfortunately, many writers stay in that state of assumptions, fear, or just not knowing what to do next.
Well, I’m here to tell you the reason may simply be that you’re doing marketing wrongly.
And because most writers focus so much on the craft, marketing feels like a completely different world.
It’s just something that we would rather do without.
For most of us, we just want to write and hope people find it.
Sadly, the world doesn’t work that way. If you want people to know about your work; you have to make sure they do, by marketing it.
But it’s one thing to do marketing, it’s another thing to do it properly. If you don’t, you will get the same results as someone who didn’t bother at all.
But we don’t want that.
So let’s talk about the common mistakes writers make when trying to market their work, and more importantly, how you can avoid them.
Common Marketing Mistakes Made by Writers
1. Writing for Everyone
First things first, who are you writing for or to?
That needs to be clear because those are the people you will market to.
The reason this is important is that when you try to write for everyone, you end up connecting deeply with no one.
Because to properly touch the heart of someone, you need to know them and focus on them.
Think about it, if you’re writing to a retired grandma who spends her days knitting and taking care of her cats and at the same time writing to a college student chasing his grades, what language do you use to capture both at once?
Can you see what I’m driving at here? To avoid watering down your voice and sounding all over the place, your audience has to be clear.
So, start by getting specific.
- Who exactly is this book for?
- What problem does it solve?
- What kind of reader will stay up till 2 a.m. because of it?
Picture one real person that fits your ideal reader and write to them.
Do that by addressing their pinpoint and speaking their language.
Personalise your book and marketing strategy because when your book feels personal to someone, they will recommend it to someone like them.
Also Read: How to Sell Your Book on Social Media: 13 Ways
2. Not Conducting Market Research
Research isn’t an issue for a serious writer. But I have to admit that marketing research can be boring.
However, skipping it is expensive.
So, before you publish, you should know:
- What books are similar to yours?
- What readers love or complain about in that genre?
- What covers are trending?
- What price range works?
To start, go on platforms like Amazon and read reviews. Look at the 3-star reviews especially because that is where readers are honest. And notice patterns based on the second question, especially.
By the time you’ve gone through a number of books, you should have a good understanding of the market.
And then, you can use that insight to position your book properly instead of just hoping it lands.
3. Lack of Essential Marketing Assets
You cannot build visibility on vibes.
If you have no email list, no website, and no social media presence, you are not only starting from zero every single time you release a book, you are doing marketing wrong.
Plus, it honestly doesn’t show you as a serious writer who wants to sell. Except, of course, the plan is to write for your family and friends.
If you are planning to write for the larger public, at minimum, you need:
- A simple website with your bio and books
- An email list, even if it starts with 20 people
- One social platform where you show up consistently
Of all this, your email list matters the most because social media can disappear.
In fact, your account can be flagged or blocked.
If that’s the only way you can reach your community, that might mean starting from scratch.
Also, algorithms change often, which could affect your visibility on search engines.
But your email list is yours.
That said, have the three. You can always start small.
Concerning what to share, offer little glimpses into your writing that could pull readers.
For a start, offer a free chapter or short story to collect emails.
And then stay in touch by telling them about your writing or the book, sharing challenges, giving insight into why the book matters, or asking them a question to involve them.
What matters is that you are communicating with them often and not just when you want to sell.
4. Not Hiring Professionals
While you may be trying to self-publish and save money, you can’t afford to cut corners in some areas.
Trust me, it will always show if you do.
In the first place, self-publishing doesn’t always mean DIY, you can hire self-publishing companies to help hold your hand through the process.
However, even if you want to handle certain parts of the project yourself, don’t DIY your editing and book cover design.
Because an editor does more than fix grammar. A good editor checks:
- Plot holes
- Character consistency
- Timeline issues
- Repetition
- Emotional flow
And believe me, you won’t see most of these things yourself.
After all, you wrote it, so what might seem obvious to someone else might be hidden to you.
And you don’t want to wait until the one-star reviews to find out. So, invest in a good editor; you’ll thank me later.
Secondly, please do not design your own cover unless you are trained.
Readers judge books by their covers. No matter how much they know not to, they do.
Plus, a professional cover designer understands genre expectations. So they know what works.
Bonus point: Consider hiring a professional for your book formatting also.
If your book layout looks messy, more readers will drop your book midway because it’s difficult to get through.
You don’t want that, so invest where it counts.
Also Read: Effective Self-Publishing Tips to Know as a Writer
5. Ignoring Keywords
Keywords are not just for bloggers and websites. They matter for books too.
For instance, when someone types “Christian marriage fiction” or “African fantasy novel” into a search bar, you want your book to appear.
To make that happen, you need the right keywords.
Once you have them, inset them in:
- Your book title or subtitle
- Your book description
- Your metadata on publishing platforms
Now, don’t just assume what the right keyword is.
- Research what readers are actually searching for.
- Use tools for speed and accuracy.
- Study bestselling books in your niche and see what they use.
If you want visibility, you need the right strategy, not luck.
6. Poor Pre-Launch Strategy
Some writers finish a book and immediately publish it.
No build-up, no anticipation, and no warming up your audience.
That’s very wrong. You should always prepare your readers for your book so they look forward to it.
A good pre-launch period can last weeks or even months. During that time, you can:
- Share behind-the-scenes content
- Reveal your cover
- Share character snippets
- Collect advance readers
- Build an early review team
You want people waiting for your book. Not discovering it randomly after it drops.
So, build momentum before release day.
7. Poor Launch Strategy
Another marketing mistake writers make is having poor launch strategy.
Even after building momentum during the pre-launch stage, you need to keep it on the launch day.
Your launch day should not look like one Instagram post and silence.
Plan your launch week properly.
- Send emails
- Post multiple reminders
- Go live
- Collaborate with other writers
- Encourage reviews
And follow up. Many people intend to buy but may forget. So, a simple reminder helps.
Basically, you must understand that your launch sets the tone for your book’s life.
It needs to be treated seriously.
8. Misusing Paid Ads
It will be a mistake to run ads without understanding your audience.
That’s like throwing money into the air .
To do it properly, you need:
- A clear target reader
- A strong book description
- A good cover
- Reviews
If your foundation is weak, ads will not fix it.
Make sure you have the right things in place before you start and when you do, start small.
Test with a small budget first and watch what works before investing more.
Also, never run ads to a book that has not been properly edited or positioned.
You’ll simply be amplifying your poor product.
9. Arguing with Critics
Bad reviews sting, I know.
But arguing with readers publicly damages your brand faster than a one-star review ever could.
You will not win everyone. And you do not need to.
If the criticism is constructive, learn from it. If it is cruel, ignore it. Your job is to write better books, not to win online debates.
10. Delaying Your Next Book
One book is a start. But you need a catalogue to build a career.
Unfortunately, what we have many times is writers spending years promoting one book while delaying the next one.
That’s a marketing mistake to make as a writer.
Because every new release brings new attention to your older work.
Readers who love one book will look for more. And if there is nothing else, the momentum will die.
So market your current book, yes. But keep writing so those will love you will have other books to keep them going.
Also Read: 9 Tips to Market Your Book as a Self-Published Author
