I’ve written before about how “nothing sells books.” What I mean is that if you spend enough hours online, you will find convincing essays, social media posts, interviews, and podcast episodes that show you definitive proof that specific tactics don't sell books. Not social media, blurbs, podcasts, newsletters, online events, in-person events, collabs, ads, or anything else. I worry that the takeaway is: don’t bother trying.

Yet, books still sell. I talk to writers every day who grow their audience and sell more books. So one way I look at this is to not worry too much if a specific tactic doesn’t lead to a book sale, but instead consider how a series of tactics/strategies sells books.