As an indie, chances are you’ve wrestled with this question: Should I focus on writing my next book, or should I double down on marketing the ones I already have?

For many, the instinct is to keep writing—because more books mean more chances to sell, right? Well, not always.

The Truth About Book Sales Growth

Steve Higgs makes a bold claim: If you already have a backlist, you might be better off pausing to optimize your marketing before writing your next book. And he has the data to back it up. By shifting focus from writing to refining his ad strategies, he 6x’d his book sales in just one month.

Why? Because marketing—done right—doesn’t just sell one book. It creates a system that keeps your books selling long-term.

Maximize Book Sales with Strategic Marketing
Discover how to boost your book sales with proven marketing strategies. Learn to optimize ads, maximize income, and grow as an indie author.

Organic vs. Paid Traffic: You Need Both

David Viergutz explains that authors often treat organic (free) and paid (advertising) traffic as separate strategies, but they work best together.

🔹 Organic marketing (social media, newsletters, reader engagement) helps test what resonates with your audience.
🔹 Paid marketing (Facebook, Amazon, BookBub ads) amplifies what’s already working.

One of the smartest moves you can make? Turn your best-performing organic content into ad copy. If a TikTok, Instagram Reel, or email gets engagement, chances are it will convert well as an ad.

Boost Book Sales: Organic vs Paid Traffic for Authors
Explore organic and paid traffic strategies to boost book sales. Discover actionable tips for targeting ideal readers and optimizing marketing efforts.

This Is the Best Time to Be an Indie Author

Craig Martelle believes we’re in the golden age of indie publishing. While marketing is more complex than it was a few years ago, indie authors have more tools, data, and direct reader access than ever before.

But none of those tools work if you don’t use them.

Self-Publishing Success: Seize the Moment for Indie Authors
Self-publishing expert Craig Martelle shares actionable tips for indie authors. Explore current trends, strategies, and tools to succeed in the evolving publishing landscape.

Take Action This Week

Analyze Your Best-Performing Content – What social posts or emails got the most engagement? Could they work as ads?
Test One Paid Ad Strategy – Pick one platform (Facebook, Amazon, or BookBub) and experiment with a small budget.
Refine Your Branding – Is your messaging consistent across platforms? Are you speaking to your ideal reader?

📢 What’s your biggest book marketing struggle right now? Hit reply and let me know—I might cover it in a future newsletter!


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