"The Gentle Pen" Author Marketer

So You Wrote a Book… Now What? The Not-So-Secret Life of an Author-Marketer

You did it. You finally wrote the book. You poured your heart into every sentence, edited until you were cross-eyed, formatted the pages, and clicked publish. A part of you imagined that now it was time to relax with a cup of tea and wait for the sales to roll in.

Spoiler alert: that’s not quite how it works.

When your book is out in the world, the real work begins—marketing. I’m not talking about just telling your friends and family. I’m talking about the behind-the-scenes hustle, the self-promotion that makes you feel like you're running a one-woman media agency, and the endless learning curve of trying to convince the world your book exists and deserves to be read.

First, there’s the email list. “Build your email list!” they all say, like it’s the golden ticket to literary success. So you figure out what a lead magnet is—spoiler alert, it’s not magnetic—and you create one. Maybe a colouring page or a free bonus story. You set up your signup form, learn about welcome sequences, and start watching your subscriber list slowly crawl past five people. At least two are probably related to you. Still, it’s a start.

Next up is social media, the unpredictable beast of modern marketing. I created Instagram reels, shared writing tips on Facebook, and even tried TikTok. I posted about my morning coffee, used hashtags like #kidlit and #amwriting, and yes, wore a chicken hat once just to see if it would grab attention. (It did. A little.)

Designing graphics becomes a daily task. Canva quickly becomes your best friend—and your worst time thief. You learn what a hex code is. You compare fifteen versions of the same ad, wondering whether people are more likely to click on your smiling face or the back cover of the book.

And then there’s Amazon. You learn about keywords, categories, and rankings. You study bestselling titles to figure out what they’re doing right. You research whether your book should be listed under “Children’s Books about Friendship” or “Picture Books about Emotional Intelligence.” You tweak your blurb more times than you’d like to admit. Then you start the delicate and humbling process of asking for reviews—nicely, hopefully, from people who’ve actually read the book.

Of course, you also need an author website. I built mine with Wix and spent days perfecting each page—home, about, blog, books, contact. I needed it to be professional, warm, and easy to navigate. I took author photos, uploaded sample pages, wrote a bio that sounded honest but not too boring, and even created a spot for readers to join my newsletter (see point one).

Then come the outreach efforts. You reach out to local bookstores, libraries, teachers, and parenting bloggers. You write cold emails and send copies of your book in colourful packaging with handwritten notes. Some people respond. Many don’t. But those few yeses feel like a standing ovation.

And finally, the book launch. If you’re lucky, you can organize a local event, a school reading, or a virtual launch party. You prepare a speech, you read your story aloud, and you hope the tech works. Whether ten or a hundred people show up, you’ll likely cry at least once. (Happy tears.)

Here’s the truth: marketing your book takes time, energy, and a good dose of humour. It’s not glamorous. It’s not instant. But when a child hugs your book like it’s a treasure or a parent messages you to say, “We read it every night,” it all becomes worth it. You remember why you started this in the first place.

So, to every author out there knee-deep in marketing plans and sticky notes, wondering if it’s all too much, keep going. You’re doing it. You’re not just writing books. You’re building something beautiful and helping it find its way into the world.

Now go make another cup of tea. Tomorrow, we market again.

Market Gently,

Liv McLean