3 Ways I’ve Put My Book In The Hands Of People Who Hated It

#1. BookTok

Recently I wrote about the time a book club read my book, invited me to attend their meeting, and then told me all the things they hated about it.

Fun times.

You can read about that at the link below:

And even though it wasn’t fun to hear a bunch of negative stuff about a book I poured myself into, it also gave me a little clarity about who my ideal reader was.

Hint: It was not them.

But it also made me think about ways I’ve failed to reach my ideal reader because I was too busy following the wrong trends.

It’s never easy to admit failure, so forgive my embarrassment as I share the marketing and influence mistakes I’ve made with my latest book.

Using the Same Marketing Tricks as Smuttier Romance Books

If you’re an author, TikTok is a great tool to get your book in front of thousands of new readers. That said, the majority of books that are making a killing on TT are a lot smuttier than my book. I have sex scenes that rely on the emotion of the situation. Maybe a 2.5 out of 5 spicy peppers as the heat level. They have sex scenes that give explicit details, a 5 out of 5 spicy peppers.

If a smut lover bought my book, they’d come away disappointed by the low-level spice. So when I compete with spicy books by using the same sounds and trends, I’m setting my book up for failure.

A better idea? Look up authors and books that match your genre and writing style. What are they doing? Like their posts. Follow the authors. Try to cultivate your social media feed so that these are the books influencing your posts.

The Books I Read Don’t Match The Books I Write

Before I wrote books, I read the heck out of them. I got into this business because I’m passionate about the written word and the stories they hold. So believe me when I say I always have a book in hand. And as an author, that’s a very good habit to have.

What’s not a good habit? Continuously reaching for books that are not in my writing genre. Sure, being poly-genre as a reader is not necessarily a bad thing — except when it influences your book writing and marketing.

Case in point. The books I write fall in the contemporary romance and romantic comedy genres. Maybe even the horribly named chick lit genre. Think Emily Henry and Katherine Center. But let’s say I keep reaching for murder mysteries when it’s time to read, and become well-versed in those authors and books. Don’t you think it would affect my books, and even the way I market those books? Will Gillian Flynn and Lisa Jewell help me with my romantic comedy? Nope.

As an author, reading other people’s books is a way to study the market and see what trends are doing well. So while it’s perfectly fine to read other genres, it’s vital that most of the books I reach for are ones that fit in the category I’m reading.

Being So Afraid Of Annoying My Friends, It Keeps Me From Social Media Marketing

Yes, social media is supposed to be social. But I am on there as a business. And most of my posts relate to books or reading. If people are annoyed by that, even my own friends and family, then they aren’t the ones I’m trying to reach.

Sorry, friends. Now please go buy my book.

That said, a million Buy My Book posts actually IS annoying. Luckily, there are so many other things I can post that will reach the people who belong in my audience. Thanks to the rise in TikTok and Instagram Reels, there are about a million fun ways to get a point across. A page flip video. A fun meme. Excerpts from your book. Or even things that don’t have to do with your book at all, but are common interests of your intended audience. Things to keep in mind: What kind of TV shows do they watch? What hobbies are they interested in? What music? What can I post that will line up with the things they like? I’m not just marketing my book, but I’m marketing myself, so whatever I post, the intention is to always draw people toward my brand.

And whenever I get shy and worry that I’m posting too much about my book, I remind myself that this is a business, and the purpose of my social media is to inform people about my work.

Finally, Remember It All Comes Down To Your Ideal Audience

When you get a bad review, take a good look at it. It’s possible they have a valid reason for not liking your book. But it’s also possible they just aren’t part of your intended audience. Let it go and move on. Same with your family and friends. Don’t be offended if they aren’t buying your book. They’re probably not your ideal reader.

Stop focusing on the negative, and put your energy instead into fine-tuning the ways you’re reaching those who are looking for a book like yours.

I don’t just write articles for Medium, I also write novels. Find them all here.