Reading time: ~3 min

Happy Tuesday, and welcome to the Weekly Book Business Brief — your weekly shot of strategy, tools, and real talk for authors building a book-based business.

Some quick insight into my life right now, because some of you have asked. A few weeks ago, my mom (who lives in a memory care facility) was in the hospital in Ohio (she's doing much better), Byron's dad is in the hospital in Louisiana (jury is out on this one, all prayers are welcome)--and we've been in both places. Monty, the turtle, has a respiratory infection, but our vet is providing excellent care. And we lost Liza Minnelli, our cat of 19 years, last week. All of that to say (and thank you, for those of you who are social media followers, who've sent prayers and best wishes), I'm keepin' on keepin' on ... because life happens.

When it happens for you, take the time you need to rest, recharge, and hydrate, then begin again. I've taken a few days off from my WIP, and when the sadness slips away (hopefully soon), I'll put my fingers on the keyboard again, like I'm doing now.

Now, let's get into it.

📚 BOOK SPOTLIGHT: YOU MUST MARKET YOUR BOOK

I get alllll of the questions about book marketing. Now, if you've been here for more than ten minutes, you know my first stop on the book marketing train starts at the very very beginning (hint: before you write a single word). Can it be done in reverse? Sure, but not as effectively as if you had done some serious strategizing before you did all of the work of writing the book.

I marvel as I watch authors spend months (sometimes years) writing and publishing their book. Then, with hope in their heart and big wishes for a huge payoff, usually on a shoe-string budget, they announce it to the world. A lot. But for about two weeks. Then, as time passes, they wonder why it isn’t raking in the big royalty dollars or magnetizing their ideal clients.

Hmmm, let's talk about why that is.

Book marketing doesn't start after the book is published. It actually starts from the blank page. Strategy is best applied before you write. Not only does it not need to feel gross, "salesy," or exhausting, when you do it right, marketing your book should be super fun and fit quite nicely into what you're already doing.

​You Must Market Your Book: Increase Your Impact, Sell More Books, and Make More Money is the practical, no-fluff playbook for getting your book in front of the readers who need it (written by me, someone who knows how to do exactly that). Hint: You need to be consistent, strategic, and execute in a way that fits your personality and your business.

Why is this the book you need? Well, let's start with some numbers: 70 books written (68 published, one finished, one WIP), 5 million sold, 40 languages, and a dozen-and-a-half multi-six-figure income streams. In other words, I'm not hypothesizing. I'm not a one-two-or-three-time author who has decided I'm a book marketing expert. #justsayin'

Effective book marketing starts with answering basic questions that will help you think like a seasoned, ninja book marketer. You’ll uncover the formula for finding the mindset shift that will make your book marketing feel like a natural extension of your message. You'll identify the strategies that actually move *your* book(s) (short, mid, and long-term) where you want and need them to go, and the exact framework for building a Book Marketing Action Plan that works for you: introvert or extrovert, bootstrapped or unlimited funds at-the-ready.

You might discover, right there in Chapter One, that you need to slow your roll and invest some additional time and money into crafting your book for the big win vision you're holding in your mind. Again, just sayin'.

Why? Because your readers are out there, looking for your book (even if you haven't published it yet). You don't want to waste a minute or a dollar, right? Right! So, let’s set you up for success to go get them!

👉 Grab your copy of You Must Market Your Book on Amazon.​

🎙️ PODCAST WORTH YOUR TIME

I had a great conversation recently on Beyond the Books with Jessica Gonifas of Silver Peaks CPA. The episode is called “The Ultimate Blue Checkmark,” and while the show is aimed at law firm owners, the conversation is genuinely useful for any professional who’s thinking about writing a book.

We talked about why most professionals write the wrong kind of book (a how-to manual no one finishes), and how a short, strategically written book can do something much more powerful: position you as the go-to expert before a potential client ever gets on a call with you.

That’s what I mean when I call a book "the ultimate blue checkmark." It’s instant credibility that no LinkedIn badge, certification, or website bio can replicate.

If you’ve ever wondered if a book could be crafted to attract better clients (at higher fees), and convert them faster, this one’s for you.

👉 Listen to the episode here.​

🛠️ TOOL I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT: THE BULLET JOURNAL

Not every tool I love is a phone or computer app. This one is analog (let's hear from my old school peeps!), and it's the single most powerful productivity system I’ve ever used. It goes with me everywhere, and I use it every single day.

The Bullet Journal is a flexible, notebook-based system for getting organized, tracking everything (daily tasks, long-term goals, project notes, ideas, habits, appointments, and I use it to record "what happened today" and "who said what"), plus feeling like you've got a handle on "all the things."

It uses a simple notation system [• for tasks, – for notes, ◦ for events] that lets you capture and organize your life without overwhelm. Of course, you can always use it in conjunction with your online tools, as I do (I have Smartermail, Trello, Kit, etcetera and so forth). It's just a way to write it all down so I (you!) stay organized in a different (and very effective) way.

For authors and empire builders, it’s particularly powerful. Your book ideas, your marketing tasks, your launch checklist, your income tracking can live all in one place, in your handwriting, off your phone. There’s something about writing things down with an actual pen that locks them into your brain differently than typing. (Bonus points if you use blue ink.)

I’m a big fan of pairing it with STMA™ (from Vision to Reality), which allows your Bullet Journal becomes the daily execution layer for your 100-day goals. Works like a charm.

👉 Learn more about the Bullet Journal system.​

Now, how are you? Send me the best thing you've discovered in the past week, make a recommendation, or just tell me something good.

Have a great week marketing like you mean it, listening to conversations that sharpen your thinking, and moving the needles in the right direction. See you next week!

To your success!

Honorée Corder. Author. Executive Book Producer. ​​​​​​

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P.S. Know someone who published their book and then went radio silent on the marketing front? Forward this their way, they'll appreciate the help!

P.P.S. One more thing — the Kit deal I mentioned last week expires April 30. If you're still on Mailchimp (or any platform that's raising prices or limiting your sends), new Kit customers get 25% off annual plans through tomorrow, plus full migration support. Worth two minutes of your time before the deadline hits. 👉 Switch to Kit and save 25% before April 30.​