Do you have a nonfiction book out now or one coming out soon?

If so, you’ve probably wondered, "How can I sell as many books as possible in the limited time I have?"

After working with more than 15,000 non-fiction authors and helping launch such bestsellers as Rich Dad Poor Dad and Chicken Soup for the Soul, my friend Steve Harrison has learned what works (and doesn’t) when it comes to selling books.

Sell More Books Crash Course

He’ll reveal strategies and tactics successful authors use in a special event on Zoom, next Thursday, May 1st, called the Sell More Books Crash Course.

It will run from 12 noon – 8 PM Eastern (9 AM – 5 PM Pacific) and you may attend for free.

To reserve your spot, at no cost to you, just click the link below:

https://m164.isrefer.com/go/sellmorecrashcourse/A10005/

Here’s a sneak peek at what you’ll get:

A personalized 2-to-3-page game plan designed to give you greater confidence and clarity so you can focus on the things that matter.

The most critical decision to make in order to sell a lot more books.

Five ways to sell more books on Amazon most authors know nothing about.

Case studies of authors who’ve sold thousands – even millions – of books via bulks sales of 100… 1,000… even 10,000 copies or more in a single order.

How to enjoy telling people about your book without being sales-y.

The one-page document that gets your family and friends to help promote your book.

How to launch your book to bestseller status.

The strategy one author used to get over 20,000 reviews for his book on Amazon.

What it takes to get on national TV.

How an author who felt intimidated by social media grew a large following.

Sign up here: https://m164.isrefer.com/go/sellmorecrashcourse/A10005/

I’m proud to be one of Steve’s compensated affiliates because I know this event could make a big difference to your book sales!

The average author releases a book with high hopes, but only ends up selling fewer than 250 copies.

Don't let it happen to you! Join Steve on Zoom next Thursday:

https://m164.isrefer.com/go/sellmorecrashcourse/A10005/

The following is excerpted from a newsletter Guy Kawasaki, the Apple and Canva evangelist, sent out about a week ago. I love his advice. I’d recommend you follow it when appropriate.

Facts tell, but stories sell. If you want to change someone’s mind, skip the data dump and share a story that resonates emotionally. When I was evangelizing the Macintosh, I didn’t just talk about specs—I told stories about how the Mac empowered creatives to design, write, and innovate in ways they never could before.

Stories bypass skepticism. They’re not something people argue with, they’re something people feel. Whether you’re pitching a product or convincing your boss to greenlight your idea, craft a narrative that makes your audience see themselves in the story.

By the way, I wrote a revised and updated edition of my book Wise Guy—it’s new name: Wiser Guy. Don’t miss a new collection of honest, humorous, and heartfelt stories! You can preorder it here: https://amzn.to/3GmUbdL.

Appeal to Emotion, Not Just Logic

People make decisions emotionally and justify them logically. If you’re trying to win an argument, tap into what your audience cares about most. When I pitched the Mac, I didn’t just say, “It’s user-friendly.” I said, “It’s the computer for the rest of us.” That phrase hit people in the gut—it made them feel included, empowered, and part of a revolution.

Think about what your audience values. Is it security? Freedom? Belonging? Frame your argument in a way that aligns with their emotional priorities.

Handle Skeptics Like a Pro

Skeptics are inevitable, but they’re not your enemy—they’re your opportunity. The key is to listen, not argue. When someone doubted the Mac, I didn’t try to bulldoze them with counterpoints. Instead, I asked questions to understand their concerns and then reframed my argument to address those doubts.

For example, if someone said, “The Mac is too expensive,” I’d respond, “It’s an investment in your creativity and productivity. What’s the cost of not having the best tools?” By reframing the conversation, I turned objections into opportunities.

Make It About Them, Not You

Here’s the secret sauce: people don’t care about your argument—they care about how it affects them. When you’re evangelizing an idea, focus on the benefits to your audience, not the features of your product or point of view.

For instance, when I pitched Canva, I didn’t say, “It’s a graphic design tool.” I said, “It’s the easiest way to make your ideas look amazing.” See the difference? One is about the tool, the other is about the user.

I'm correcting something that happened yesterday on Easter. Some people had trouble downloading the book, How to Write a Bestseller in 30 Days or Less: 111 books you can write fast — with examples.

So I switched the book from being a Word document to a PDF document. That should make it a lot easier for you to download. This is the link to download the document now as a PDF: http://bookauthorauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Book-Authority-Guide-on-Writing-a-Bestseller.pdf.

I hope the PDF document will help you get access to it much more quickly.

The link is also available on my podcast website (right here: (bookmarketing.substack.com) so you can click on the link there to download the PDF (see the link above).

How to Write a Bestseller in 30 Days or Less will be available for one week after the International Day of the Book, also known as World Book and Copyright Day. It's on April 23rd, the anniversary of William Shakespeare and Don Miguel Cervantes' deaths. It's a day when many people around the world celebrate books.

One week later would be the 30th of April, just so you know. So the book will be available for free download until then.

You are welcome to share the link for the free download so you can share the book with anybody you want, as long as you share it in one piece. Don't cut part of the book out and share it with people. Share the entire book with them.

On May 1st, the book will go on sale on Amazon and Gumroad.

Yesterday, I also told you about another free offer: The Book Authority Guide to Why You Should Write a Book. Here the link to download that book freely as well: https://bookauthorauthority.com/the-book-authority-guide-on-why-write-a-book.

It's actually better to share documents as a PDF anyway rather than as a Word document.

I really would like you to get a free copy of both books. So I hope that you will download them and I'm hoping that you will benefit from both of them.

They're really great books and they're really the beginning of an entire series that I'm going to be announcing over the next few weeks that you will be able to buy.

Book Marketing Success is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber.

Drop Everything and Read Day is coming up on April 12th! Get ready to celebrate!

D-E-A-R Day, which stands for Drop Everything and Read, is a national celebration of reading designed to remind families to make reading a priority in their lives.

It's celebrated every year on April 12th, which is the birthday of Beverly Clearly, the author of the Ramona books. A main feature of the Ramona books was the DEAR Time, a reading practice where everybody would drop everything and read for a while.

I'm giving you advance notice to celebrate Drop Everything and Read Day on April 12th by inviting your followers, your email subscribers, and your social network to celebrate the day with you and drop everything and read your book.

Or if you don't want them to read your book, then have them read my book 1001 Ways to Market Your Books.

Either way that's fine with me: Your book, or mine!

Book Marketing Success is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

I encourage you to think about telling more stories — to entice people to read your books, to interact with you on social media, or to become an advocate for you.

The more stories you tell, the more listeners will become involved in what you have to teach and what you have to share.

All good stories are alike in that they are truer than if they had really happened and after you are finished listening to one, you will feel that all that happened to you and afterwards it all belongs to you: the good and the bad, the ecstasy, the remorse and sorrow, the people and the places, and how the weather was. If you can get so that you can give that to people, then you are a storyteller. — Ernest Hemingway, novelist

And if you are a storyteller, then you really are somebody that people will pay attention to, that people will listen to.

Comment on this storytelling episode and receive a free copy of my new book, Write a Bestseller in 30 Days or Less 111 Books You Can Write Fast — With Examples!

Website: https://www.bookauthorauthority.com

Website: https://www.bookmarketingbestsellers.com

Book Marketing Success is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber.

Folks say that the best stories of the South are written in recipes; you hear it so much it begins to sound like just something to say. But I have seldom listened to my people speak of the past without talking, sooner or later, about chicken. We honor people with it. — Rick Bragg, humorist and storyteller

Almost every great culture tells incredible numbers of stories through the foods that they serve, the foods that they eat, the foods that they cook, and the recipes they create.

Think about that in terms of how you go about marketing your books, your services, your other products. Learn to tell a story. Create a great recipe.

And the recipe doesn't have to be about food. It can be about how to get something done. Just start to share some of the best stories you can possibly share.

Comment on this video post and receive a free copy of my new book, Write a Bestseller in 30 Days or Less 111 Books You Can Write Fast — With Examples!

Website: https://www.bookauthorauthority.com

Website: https://www.bookmarketingbestsellers.com

Book Marketing Success is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber.

Today, I want to share something from Dan Nikas, who's the founder of GearBunch. He said,

My journey from Detective Sergeant to founding GearBunch, an e-commerce brand that hit nearly $5 million in its first year, has taught me the importance of authentic storytelling.

When you tell a story, tell it authentically. Tell a real story and tell it from your heart. Tell it from what you actually have experienced, what you hear, what you see, what you are! So become an authentic storyteller.

Comment on this video post and receive a free copy of my new book, Write a Bestseller in 30 Days or Less 111 Books You Can Write Fast — With Examples!

Website: https://www.bookauthorauthority.com

Website: https://www.bookmarketingbestsellers.com

Book Marketing Success is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.