How have your marketing and promotional efforts changed over the years? What things worked then vs. now?

One thing I have noticed is a shift from Twitter to Facebook and, more recently, Instagram. Netgalley and BookBub are also more recent players in the publicity market. With Goodreads, I’ve placed a lot of emphasis in the last couple of years with running giveaways to increase my to-reads both pre-pub and afterwards. It’s helped in various ways, including when there has been a deal email that’s gone out and getting placement in the monthly newsletter.

What marketing activities do you believe have been the most worthwhile in helping you reach a large audience?

Placement is so important. I really don’t think there is any substitute for it—in stores, being on the front tables or walls; online, being advertised on Kindle screens or the various other ways that Amazon has to promote a title. The biggest placement for me was getting into the Kindle First (now FirstReads) program on Amazon; Hidden was free for a month to Prime members and this generated thousands of reviews and other metrics that have kept that book selling now, four years later.

What’s been your approach to using Goodreads? How much time do you spend on Goodreads, and what activities do you mostly do?

I use it in two main ways: I run a group called 52 Weeks, 52 Books where I pick a book each week for the group to read and people post their comments on a discussion thread once they’ve read it. I also have used it to run continuing giveaways of my books to increase my visibility on the site. And of course, I read my reviews, particularly pre-publication. It’s a good way to take the pulse of a book. I do learn from both positive and negative reviews.

What advice would you give to other authors aspiring to a successful writing career?

Read, read, read. Once you write a book, keep going. Too many authors get “stuck” on their first novel instead of moving on once it’s done. Figure out one or two online venues that you are comfortable working with and learn how to best maximize that venue.



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As I was writing that first book I knew it would be published one day. I had six kids when I started writing—I really didn’t have a bunch of time to waste on something just for fun. I couldn’t imagine putting six weeks of my life into something and storing it in a drawer. I did a ton of research trying to figure out the publishing world. I read blog after blog, book after book, and once I learned the craft of querying, I was able to branch out and get people interested. Landing my agent gave me the boost in confidence I needed to really get out there.

What challenges did you face in the publishing process?

My most memorable setback was the day my agent had Pride & Popularity going up for auction in late 2008, right around the time of the financial crisis. I had three publishers interested to buy the book when suddenly all three pulled out that morning. Everything was chaos. They told my agent to come back in six months.

When my book went up for auction again my agent went into preterm labor with her twins—three months early. She retired after that. By then I had done enough research to learn I wanted a little more freedom with my career than the big publishers would have given me. I queried a few small publishing houses. All of them were interested and I chose one and we went from there. The small publishers really helped me build a platform. Now that I have a following I can completely go on my own very easily, and I am now slowly buying back my works and republishing myself.

What else helped you stay motivated through the years?

I won’t go into the sordid details but halfway through 2012 I suddenly found myself on food stamps for the first time in my life, living in my parents’ home, with seven kids to provide for on my own. I hustled like I’ve never hustled before and wrote thirteen books the next year. I pushed through the grief, fear, and pain I was experiencing and eventually bought a minivan and the cottage and small farm I currently live in, all from the royalties of my writing. It is the greatest accomplishment I’ve achieved. Oh, and I found a handsome prince and married him too!

What’s your approach to using Goodreads?

I love to read what others are saying about other authors in my genres on Goodreads. It keeps me on the pulse in what people are reading and what they love. I’ve also had great success with Goodreads Giveaways. Goodreads lets me advertise and put up books before they’re written to drum up early interest. I’ve been able to connect not just with fans, but business professionals, conference committees, and school librarians and teachers. I also see a significant jump in sales every single time I review my own book with a message to my fans in the review. (See an example here.)

Any advice you can share with other self-published writers looking to follow your success?

Start a writing goal today. No more “If there’s time…” Make time. If you’d like to quit your job one day and write books for a living, then you’ve got to meet your goals today. Even if it’s just 500 words a day, it’s a goal. It’s a deadline, treat it as one.

You really need to be looking at ways to create a series as a fiction writer. Continue to build upon what is already there is the best way to get noticed. Don’t expect sales until you’ve got that third book out. Use your free online resources. Goodreads is an amazing way to connect with readers and authors that you love.

Learn to love edits. Realize very early on that all you’re doing is creating the cake. The rewrites and edits are the frosting that actually sells that cake. If you love them then you can whip through them easily, without the vicious pride factor taking over.

Learn how to query. You’ve got to be able to sell yourself and do it well, or no one will see your work. Query newspapers, magazines, conferences to get yourself on panels, query schools to do visits, query anything you can think of, but you’ve got to be able to write to professionals as a professional.

Librarians are your best friends and have all your friends, family, coworkers and contacts, who seem interested, request the book at your local library. If it’s being requested, it’s a great way for others to read the book and build a fanbase. That library might have you come and speak about writing too.

There is real money here, but you have to be in it for the long haul. You have to be constantly looking outside the box. Actually, remove the box completely. It’s not worth it to pigeonhole yourself.

And last but not least, enjoy the ride. This journey is a thousand different experiences and emotions, but it’s so rewarding as well. Your voice needs to be heard. Don’t hold that back.



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Goodreads Authors can subscribe to the Monthly Author Newsletter by editing their account settings. Not a Goodreads Author yet? Learn about the Goodreads Author Program here.