How Authors Are Using Substack To Sell More Books: 7 Effective Strategies
“If you want to sell books, jump onto Substack.”
That’s what big and small publishers are telling their authors.
Recently, even James Patterson announced his upcoming Substack.
FOMO is real.
Digital has disrupted the publishing world.
Authors from all genres are posting TikTok videos, IG reels, and YouTube videos. They want to be in control of the marketing and distribution of their books - something unimaginable a few years ago.
Why give 90% of royalties to traditional publishers when you can open a direct line of communication and sales with your fans?
Substack is the new cool kid on the block - and authors and publishers want to get a juice piece of the cake.
But what’s the fuzz about?
What makes Substack so powerful for authors?
A new concept: a “Social Newsletter”
To promote your brand as an author, you need 3 things:
1. Social media
2. An email list
3. A book
I intentionally left the most obvious for last: find your readers before you write your book.
This formula sounds simple; however, the digital space is saturated: there are plenty of social media platforms and newsletter providers.
Why Substack?
Because of its unique model that combines 2 in 1:
A newsletter
A social media platform
With Notes added to the mix, Substack now operates just like any other social media platform, and you can get a lot of engagement and drive tons of traffic.
Below you can see how I went from 1 like to 1,000 in less than 12 months on Substack and had multiple Notes go viral.
Substack has introduced a new digital model: a social newsletter
Newsletter + Social Media = Social Newsletter You could argue that LinkedIn has a similar model, as it has a newsletter option built in the backend, but…
It has a big loophole: it doesn’t disclose the email addresses of the subscribers, defying the main purpose of a newsletter: building your email list.
That’s why, although I have 7K+ followers on LinkedIn, hosting my newsletter there was never a good idea. It’s like having 7K “friends” without having their phone number.
How deep can that friendship ever be?
Substack, on the other hand, is a gold mine for authors, writers, and creators. You generate traffic organically, all while building your email list. The best part is that you don’t spend a cent on paid media, as all the traffic is generated organically.
GENIUS
In January 2024, I stopped investing in paid ads for my 4 books because Substack has become my PR agent, driving my subscribers to my books and digital products on Amazon and Gumroad.
The Substack Playbook for authors
If you are an (aspiring) author, this is how you can leverage Substack to create buzz, find new readers, and sell more books:
1. Serialize your book
When I launched The Lemon Tree Mindset book, sent 1 chapter each week to my paid subscribers with a free preview.
I then did the same for my memoir, The Flight Home.
If you want people to buy your book, the first step is to let them know about your book: use your newsletter to create buzz and awareness.
I now have a dedicated Book Section in my Substack so that my readers can easily navigate and read the chapters of my various books.
2. Use Substack as your PR agent
Who are your most likely readers?
They are not strangers: they are your existing followers and subscribers, so talk to them directly via Posts and Notes: make announcements, share the behind-the-scenes and make them a part of it.
is a dog behaviorist and she uses her newsletter to promote her book, The Fun Not Fear Club.
Congrat, Susie!
3. Share the love (and a free copy)
is one of the most active authors on Substack. He uses the platform to announce his new books, share special deals and he even give free ebooks to his followers.Check out his new book, The Serpent of New Orleans (or any of the 27 others he has published!).
4. Create a Book Launch Club
When I launched my book The Flight Home, my publisher told me about the importance of having a Book Launch Club, so I created mine.
The idea is to rally volunteers to beta-read your book prior to launch and leave a review once it’s published.
recently announced his first book, Meeting People in Real Life. As my Founding Member, we had a coaching session to discuss his pre-launch and launch and he created his own book launch club. It was a success and he got his first 6 reviews in less than a week!
Medium article: I Didn’t Know I needed A Book Lunch Club Until I Created Mine
5. Posting reviews from fans
took this to the next level and shared a video of a fan doing a video review of his new book, The Soulburn Talisman. 
6. Do a book cover reveal
One of the most exciting moments for an author is sharing the book cover with the world. It’s an incredible feeling, as it makes the book real.
Last year, I did a book cover reveal through a Substack newsletter and I loved it!
I’m planning to do it again for the launch of my new book, The Anti-Procrastinator. It’s my first time working with a major publisher and the release date is set for 7 January 2025.
PS: the book cover is almost ready and I can’t wait to share it with you all!
7. Host a live launch
In December 2024, I plan to invite my paid subscribers to the virtual launch of my new book The Anti-Procrastinator.
I will talk about the idea behind the book, how I pitched it to Penguin Random House and why this book will help you beat procrastination for good.
Read the story here.
Ready to let your book make some noise on Substack?
Be bold.
Be creative.
Try new things.
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I wonder if Substack will help reintroduce the concept of serialized books into the mainstream again. There was a brief flurry when Kindle first burst onto the scene, and Amazon have got Amazon Vella for serialized books....it's a concept that I really like. When Stephen King wrote THE GREEN MILE originally it was serialized and if memory serves, it was released in monthly installments.
There was the anticipation of waiting for the next one....I had each successive episode on order at a local bookshop that speciailized in fantasy/science fiction and horror. Graphic Novels do this really well too with stories broken into 'episodes' and released in intervals.
There's an author on twitter called JOSHUA LISEC who screencaps and posts images of his reviews - good and bad. It's an interesting part of the promotion approach to a book. If I were promoting my music books here on Substack - which I don't, and have no intention to - I think I'd be tempted to 'fisk' bad reviews as a note. That could be an entertaining way to approach 1 and 2 star reviews, while rebutting them and promoting your book at the same time!
Keep writing.
This analysis shows in a transparent and at the same time clear and effective way analytically how Substack is impacting and can create value for emerging writers. However, beyond the appeal of the concept of the social newsletter, I think this issue has another interesting hidden side: it is possibly an interesting analysis also for publishers, who should increasingly 'stick their nose' on Substack and observe closely what is happening to seize possible opportunities.