You’ve heard this, but do you really believe it? — Booklinker May 2026 Broadcast #1
One book link, Every store Booklinker.com
5/6/2026
Hello,
I know you’ve all heard this overused statement to describe self-publishing and especially marketing, and yes, I’m going to use it again here:
“It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”
When you hear it, you get it, nod and in that moment, tell yourself that this is how you plan to approach your book marketing. Then you get hit with all these tactics you are told you “should” be doing and the marathon idea gets tossed out, only to be replaced by lots of sprints toward shiny objects.
I’ve talked to many authors who start a newsletter and expect to have thousands of subscribers after only a few months. When they don’t, they stop
There are authors who release a book and don’t get the number of reviews they had hoped for. They assume the book is a failure, so they move on before giving readers a real chance to find it.
Some authors release one book and think the sales and royalties will come rolling in. When that doesn’t happen, they pull back, go quiet, or worse, they quit entirely.
What I’ve seen during my decades in this industry is that the authors who do find success are not the ones who did everything perfectly. It’s the ones who were patient, made adjustments along the way and most importantly, they kept going. It’s the ones who understand that self-publishing is a long game.
The question isn’t whether or not your marketing will work, the question is, are you willing to stick around long enough to find out?
Happy Marketing!
Kerrie
Kerrie
Content & Community Manager
Kerrie Flanagan
Are you going to the IBPA conference next week in Portland? If so, let me know.
Next Free Webinar
Most authors focus all their energy on launching a new book—but what if your entire catalog could keep selling every day on autopilot? In this live, hands-on session, Jeff Dwoskin will show you how to use simple social media automation tools on Instagram and Facebook to turn comments into conversations, and conversations into book sales.
Register today: https://booklinker.mykajabi.com/Automate-social-media
👉 Monthly Marketing Tip
Repurpose before you recreate. That deleted scene sitting in your drafts? It’s a newsletter exclusive, a social media post, and a behind-the-scenes Patreon piece waiting to happen. Your writing process, research rabbit holes, and cut content are marketing gold — work smarter with what you already made.
Independent Book Publishers Association
Booklinker is now a proud member of the Alliance of Independent Authors (Alli)
The Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) is a globally recognized non-profit membership organization dedicated to supporting self-publishing authors at every stage of their journey. With a mission to promote ethics and excellence in self-publishing, ALLi offers its members access to expert advice, vetted partner services, and a vibrant community of fellow indie authors. As a proud Partner Member of ALLi, Booklinker is committed to upholding those same standards of quality and integrity in everything we offer you. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to grow your publishing career, ALLi is an invaluable resource — visit https://www.allianceindependentauthors.org/ to learn more and explore membership options.
Industry News & Articles ✍🏽
🌟 The Newsletter Market Is Crowded, But Most of Your Competition Is Easy to Beat.
Too many writers have no idea why they’re writing a newsletter or a Substack. They’re doing it because everyone else is doing it, or they feel it’s necessary—as in, this is the thing you do now to market, promote, or brand yourself. And a funny thing happens when people feel compelled to undertake tasks they’re not interested in: they find ways to express how the activity is a waste of time.
🌟 Media-Savvy Author: Keeping Media Momentum Beyond the Book Launch
By this time, most authors know that Draft2Digital, one of the main indie author distributors, has made some changes which will impact most authors using their service.
🌟 Why Your Reader Magnet Isn’t Converting
Most authors put a reader magnet out into the world with a clear goal in mind: grow the list, get readers engaged, sell more books. When it doesn’t perform the way they hoped, it’s hard to know where to look. Before you scrap the whole thing and start over, a reader magnet that isn’t performing isn’t necessarily a bad one. The problem is usually somewhere in the system around it, not the story itself. Once you know where to look, it’s fixable. Here’s how
Have you created or used a Booklinker link recently to give your readers a choice of retailers or direct them to the correct Amazon stores around the world?
Conferences Booklinker Will Be Attending
- IBPA Publishing University Conference in Portland, Oregon, May 14-16
- Romance Writers of America in Albuquerque, New Mexico, July 15-18
Are you attending any conferences this year? Let me know.
Quote
“Your author platform is not built in a day. It’s built one reader relationship at a time.” — Jane Friedman
About Booklinker
Booklinker is a free service that helps authors save time and sell more books with a single, localized link for their entire international audiences.
Booklinker is owned by Georiot Networks and powered by its flagship service, Geniuslink. In 2022, Apple Books began supporting Booklinker, helping it become a fully multi-retailer tool. Booklinker remains free for authors through the generous support of Apple Books and partnerships with other retailers.
