Why Your Book Isn't Selling
And How to Fix It
You've spent months, perhaps years, crafting your manuscript. You've revised, edited, and polished it until every word shines. The cover looks professional, and you've hit "publish" with high hopes. But now, weeks or months later, your sales numbers remain discouragingly low. What went wrong?
This scenario plays out for thousands of authors every day. The reality is that writing a great book is only half the battle. With more than 70,000 new books published every week, even exceptional books can languish in obscurity without the right strategy behind them.
My Journey to Amazon Bestseller Status
Before I share the strategies that have helped the 100+ authors I've coached achieve success, let me tell you about my own publishing journey. When I wrote "Career after COVID-19" in 2020, I approached it with the same strategic mindset I'd developed during my 20+ years as a writer and marketer. I knew content alone wouldn't be enough in today's crowded marketplace.
I studied my target market extensively, worked with an experienced book coach to refine my approach, and developed a comprehensive pre-launch strategy. The result? "Career after COVID-19" became an Amazon bestseller within 24 hours of launch in three categories.
What I've learned through this process, and through helping dozens of authors achieve similar results, is that successful book marketing isn't about luck or having a huge platform to begin with. It's about strategic, informed decisions at every stage of the publishing process.
As I've coached authors across fiction and non-fiction genres since then, I've identified the most common reasons books fail to gain traction and the practical solutions that can turn the tide. Let's dive into why your book might not be selling and exactly what you can do about it.
Your Book Lacks a Clear Target Audience
Books that try to appeal to everyone often end up appealing to no one.
The Problem: Without a specific target reader in mind, marketing messages become vague and ineffective, and the book itself may lack focus.
The Fix: Create a detailed ideal reader profile:
Identify demographic factors (age, gender, location) when relevant
Define psychographic elements (values, interests, problems they're trying to solve)
List the other authors and books they enjoy
Determine where they discover new books
Craft all marketing messages with this specific person in mind
One of my coaching clients wrote a memoir about overcoming childhood trauma that wasn't connecting with readers. When we sat down to identify her target audience, she initially said, "Anyone who's experienced difficult times." After our session, she narrowed this to "professional women in their 30s-40s who are struggling with the effects of childhood experiences on their adult relationships." This clarity allowed her to completely revamp her marketing approach. Within three months, her sales had quadrupled.
Quick Action Step: Write a one-paragraph description of your ideal reader, including their motivations for reading books like yours. Post it where you'll see it while working on writing and marketing. Or download our FREE (Pay what you like) Ideal Reader Profile Worksheet.
Your Book Cover Doesn't Speak to Your Target Reader
We all know the adage about judging books by their covers, but the truth is, everyone does exactly that. Your cover is your most important marketing asset.
The Problem: Many authors either design their covers themselves or select designs based on their personal aesthetic preferences rather than market research. The result is often a cover that fails to signal the right genre cues to potential readers.
The Fix: Study the bestsellers in your specific sub-genre. Notice patterns in color schemes, typography, imagery, and composition. These elements aren't arbitrary; they're visual shorthand that tells readers what kind of experience to expect. Hire a designer who specializes in your genre, not a general graphic designer. Show them the bestsellers you want to emulate and be clear about your target audience.
For "Career after COVID-19," I invested in a professional cover designer who specialized in business books. We carefully analyzed the top-performing titles in my category and created a design with bold colors, clear typography, and imagery that instantly communicated "career rebuilding" at a glance. This strategic approach to cover design was a significant factor in achieving bestseller status so quickly after launch.
Quick Action Step: Create a collection of 10-15 bestselling covers in your sub-genre. Compare yours honestly. If it doesn't look like it belongs in that collection, it's time for a redesign.
Want feedback on your book cover? Annual paying subscribers to the Author Growth Substack get a FREE cover critique, valued at $75.
Your Book Description Fails to Convert Browsers to Buyers
After your cover catches a potential reader's eye, your description (or "blurb") needs to seal the deal.
The Problem: Many book descriptions read like plot summaries or personal reflections rather than marketing copy designed to sell.
The Fix: Restructure your description using proven copywriting principles:
Begin with a hook that presents the core emotional appeal or central question of your book
For fiction: Focus on the main character's challenge and what's at stake, not the plot mechanics
For non-fiction: Clearly articulate the problem you solve and the transformation you offer
Use short paragraphs and simple language
Include social proof (reviews, credentials) when possible
End with a clear call to action
Quick Action Step: Analyze descriptions of the top 5 bestsellers in your category. Note their structure and emotional appeals, then rewrite yours using the same framework.
Or get Stacks Publishing to do the work for you with our Book Description Package.
Preview photo by Marcel Pirnay on Unsplash
Your Book Lacks Reader Reviews
Reviews serve as social proof and significantly boost your book's visibility in recommendation algorithms.
The Problem: New books face a catch-22: they need reviews to gain visibility, but need visibility to get reviews.
The Fix: Launch a proactive review generation strategy:
Build an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) team of 20-50 people who receive your book before launch in exchange for an honest review - you can do this with the help of the Free Books First Substack, with access to 2k+ active readers.
Follow up personally with readers who contact you about your book
Include a friendly request for reviews at the end of your book
Consider enrolling in programs like Kindle Select that can increase your visibility
Engage with reader communities like Goodreads without directly soliciting reviews
Quick Action Step: Create a simple Google Form to recruit ARC readers from your social media followers, newsletter subscribers, or personal network.
Your Keywords and Categories Are Misaligned
Amazon and other platforms are essentially search engines for books. The right metadata makes your book discoverable.
The Problem: Many authors choose categories that are too broad and keywords that don't reflect actual search behavior.
The Fix: Conduct thorough keyword research:
Use Amazon's search bar auto-suggestions to identify common search terms
Study the categories and keywords of successful books similar to yours
Look for categories specific enough that you can rank in the top 100, but popular enough to drive meaningful traffic
Use all available keyword slots with variations and related terms
Quick Action Step: Type the main theme of your book into Amazon's search bar and note all the suggestions. These represent actual customer searches. Incorporate these terms into your keywords.
Or get us to do the analysis for you and create a plan that will give you the most visibility with our Category and Keywords Strategy.
Your Marketing Efforts Are Scattered or Inconsistent
Effective book marketing requires sustained, focused effort rather than occasional promotional bursts.
The Problem: Many authors try a little of everything without developing expertise in any channel, or they promote intensively at launch and then stop entirely.
The Fix: Choose 2-3 marketing channels that align with your strengths and target audience, then master them before expanding:
If you enjoy teaching, create valuable content through a blog, podcast, or YouTube channel
If you're personable, focus on building relationships with book bloggers and reviewers
If you're analytical, learn Amazon ads and focus on optimizing your conversion metrics
Develop a content calendar to ensure consistent visibility
Quick Action Step: Audit your previous marketing efforts. Identify which activities generated actual sales (not just likes or shares) and double down on those channels.
Your Pricing Strategy Doesn't Match Market Expectations
Price sends powerful signals about your book's positioning and quality.
The Problem: Many authors either underprice (signaling low value) or overprice (creating unnecessary friction) based on personal feelings about their work rather than market research.
The Fix: Develop a strategic pricing approach:
Research competitive pricing in your specific category and format
Consider a launch pricing strategy that encourages early adoption
For series, use the first book as a low-friction entry point
Test different price points and track conversion rates
Consider the impact of pricing on royalties across different platforms
Quick Action Step: Check the price points of the top 20 bestsellers in your category and format. Position your book within or below that range unless you have a strategic reason to diverge.
You Haven't Built an Author Platform
For most successful authors, their platform drives more sales than random discovery.
The Problem: Many authors focus exclusively on writing and publishing without building direct connections with potential readers.
The Fix: Start building your platform, even if your book is already published:
Create and consistently grow an email newsletter focused on providing value - Substack is a rapidly growing platform to help authors grow their list
Develop a content strategy that attracts your ideal readers
Engage authentically in communities where your readers gather
Consider collaborations with complementary authors in your genre
Focus on converting social media followers to email subscribers
Quick Action Step: Set up an email newsletter and/or Substack and create a compelling sign-up incentive relevant to your book (a prequel story, useful worksheet, bonus chapter, etc.)
Your Book May Need Professional Polishing
Sometimes the issue isn't marketing but the product itself.
The Problem: In the rush to publish, some authors skip crucial quality steps that make books competitive in today's market.
The Fix: Invest in professional development and editing:
Hire a developmental editor to address structural issues
Ensure thorough copyediting and proofreading
Get honest feedback from beta readers in your target audience
Consider republishing with improvements if reviews indicate quality issues
Quick Action Step: Read your most critical reviews with an open mind. Look for patterns that might indicate specific areas for improvement.
Next Steps
The path to successful book sales rarely follows a straight line. What works for one author or book may not work for another. The key is to approach the challenge systematically, testing different approaches and measuring results.
The good news is that books have a long shelf life. With the right adjustments to your marketing strategy, a book that isn't selling today can become a steady income generator tomorrow. The authors who succeed in the long term are those who view publishing as a continuous learning process rather than a one-time event.
Take one action step today toward improving your book's performance. Small, consistent improvements compound over time into significant results. Your book deserves to find its readers, and with strategic adjustments, it will.
To your publishing success,
Fleur
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Work with Fleur
If you’re ready to take your author journey further, I’d love to help. Whether you need clarity on your publishing path, hands-on book marketing support, or guidance to grow your author platform, you don’t have to do it alone. Explore my author services below and start building your platform with purpose, clarity, and confidence.
The Indie Author Hotline - Subscribe and I’ll answer your questions via DM or voice note within one working day, so you don’t have to wait for a weekly coaching call.
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