The Subtle Art of Giving a F***
I stared at the blinking cursor weeks after I launched my book, unsure what to post, what to share, what to talk about now.
I had poured everything I had into writing The Art of Resilience. The edits, the cover, the endless rewriting. I thought once it was printed, people would just get it.
I hate to break it to you, no one’s coming to save your book.
No one immediately knocked on my door and was eager to put it in the NY Times because I wrote it.
I knew I needed to change that mind set and refocus.
You have to care enough to make people care.
That’s what I mean by “the subtle art of giving a f***.” Not about trends. Not about algorithms. About your message. About the people it’s for. About showing up when the excitement fades and the silence gets awkward.
Because if you don’t give a f*** about your book, no one else will.
1. What Most Authors Get Wrong About Promotion
Authors often treat marketing like an unwanted chore. They tell themselves things like, “I just want to write” or “I don’t want to come off as salesy.”
But if you believe in your book, you owe it visibility.
You can’t change lives with a story nobody knows exists.
Promotion isn’t about bragging. It’s about helping the right people discover something that might change their perspective, or even their path.
Self-promotion isn’t about shouting. It’s about showing up with energy and purpose until your work becomes part of a meaningful conversation.
2. The Breakthrough Every Author Needs
Abby from Writer’s Life said something that stuck with me: “You don’t need everyone to talk about your book. You just need the right people in the right circles.”
That’s the line most authors miss.
I used to believe visibility meant being everywhere. But being everywhere only burns you out. Being in the right places moves your mission forward.
You don’t need to dominate the internet. You just need to show up in the rooms and circles where your readers already exist and start real conversations there.
Forget going viral. Go deep.
3. Conversation Is the Real Currency
When I help authors design their launch strategies, I never start with “How do we get thousands of followers?” I start with “How do we create meaningful conversations that build trust?”
Because conversation builds community. Community builds connection. And connection sells books.
You can throw money at ads and show up in someone’s feed for three seconds, or you can show up in the right spaces and create a fan who stays for years.
So ask yourself: where do your readers talk?
Are they on LinkedIn, discussing leadership and growth?
On Instagram, saving quotes that make them feel seen?
On YouTube, watching interviews that challenge how they think?
Pick one place and plant roots there.
If you try to be everywhere, you end up nowhere.
4. Think Like a Human, Not a Marketer
Most authors freeze when they hear the word “marketing.” They imagine sleazy sales tactics and forced content.
Forget that.
Marketing is just enthusiasm expressed clearly.
Think about it. When was the last time you picked up a book because someone you trusted was genuinely excited about it?
That’s how influence works.
Enthusiasm spreads faster than strategy.
If you love what you wrote, share that love. Speak about it with the same excitement you had when you first realized it mattered. People feel that.
That’s how connection begins.
5. How I Still Market My Books Years Later
Every time I travel, I carry books. In the van. In my backpack. On planes.
I literally give away hundreds of copies. I weave it with my speaking engagements and force multiply it into thousands in speaking opportunities.
I’ve given away hundreds to event hosts, coffee shop owners, and strangers who told me they were struggling with burnout or identity.
That’s marketing.
Not an ad. Not a funnel. A moment.
That single human exchange where someone feels seen through your story. That’s what keeps a book alive.
Your book isn’t a product. It’s a conversation starter.
You know you need to give it away, place it, have conversations. Be honest with yourself, how many copies have you sent out this past week?
And when you remember that, every talk, podcast, and post becomes part of your marketing ecosystem.
6. The Dos and Don’ts of Real Promotion
Keep this simple.
Don’t:
Spam people with links.
Constantly pitch your book.
Copy trends that don’t fit your message.
Try to get attention from people who will never respond.
Do:
Engage with authenticity. Comment, connect, and contribute.
Show your face. Talk about why you wrote what you wrote.
Collaborate with other authors and small creators.
Lead with genuine enthusiasm.
You don’t build credibility through cold outreach. You build it through presence and consistency.
7. Content That Creates Connection
You don’t need to reinvent yourself. You just need to remind people why your book matters.
Try this:
Annotate your own book. Highlight a line and share what it means to you.
Record your reaction. Read your words out loud and talk about what inspired them.
Show the process. Your writing desk, your notes, your habits.
Flip a cliché. Challenge the usual advice in your niche.
Tell short stories. About readers, events, or moments that shaped the book.
Good marketing isn’t clever. It’s honest.
If someone reads your post and says, “I needed that today,” you’ve done your job.
8. Be Your Number One Fan
If you’re not excited about your own book, why should anyone else be?
Too many authors vanish after launch, afraid to seem self-centered. But enthusiasm isn’t arrogance.
It’s energy.
You spent years writing this book. You sacrificed weekends, sleep, and comfort to finish it.
You are the most qualified person to talk about it with passion.
You don’t need permission. You need presence.
Be your book’s biggest fan. When your excitement is real, people feel it.
People get too afraid of being annoying, but honestly, you haven't even begun to talk about your book and work enough. Trust me, a post a week is not going to cut it.
Be you're biggest fan, show up for your work, share it and find new people to engage with. It's worth it's weight in gold.
9. Stop Waiting to Start
Another myth that kills momentum: “I’ll start marketing once the book is done.”
No.
You start the moment your idea feels real.
When your first draft is done, tease it. When you land on the title, tell the story behind it. When you’re struggling, talk about that too.
Readers don’t just want polished books. They want to follow a journey.
The earlier you bring them in, the stronger their investment when launch day comes.
You’re not launching a product. You’re inviting people into a story still unfolding.
10. Build Momentum Through Others
You don’t have to do this alone.
Talk about other authors’ books. Share insights you love from them. Comment on their work. Collaborate.
When you engage with others, you expand your reach naturally. You attract the kind of people who will later talk about your book without you asking.
The goal isn’t to own the spotlight. It’s to be part of the larger conversation.
That’s how real communities form.
11. Collect What Inspires You
Next time you see a post that makes you stop scrolling, save it.
Ask yourself why it stopped you. Was it the message? The visual? The emotion?
Start a folder. Build a swipe file of inspiration.
That’s how creators evolve. Not by copying, but by studying what actually connects with them.
If something moves you, there’s a reason. Use that reason to create something authentic for your readers.
12. Marketing That Feels Like Integrity
Self-promotion only feels uncomfortable when you’re not clear about your intention.
If your intention is to help, to serve, to teach, then promoting your work is service, not ego.
Don’t sell your book. Sell the reason it exists.
Sell the transformation it offers.
Because your book isn’t the end. It’s the beginning of someone else’s shift.
And when that’s your intention, you can talk about it forever and never sound “salesy.”
Ok, here's the reality of the situation. Self-promotion isn’t loud. It’s consistent. It’s honest.
You don’t need to dominate social media. You just need to show up every week with clarity and enthusiasm.
Real marketing is about motion. About continuing to talk, teach, and share long after the launch hype fades.
That’s how your book stays alive. That’s how your ideas travel farther than you can imagine.
So start now. Pick one platform. Show up like your book matters, because it does.
You don’t need a viral post. You just need one honest one.
That’s where every ripple begins.
Until next time,
Hussein
P.S. If you’re ready to go deeper into this work and build a brand ecosystem that sells your ideas, not just your book, check out the Author Marketing Power Pack. It’s the exact framework we use to help authors build, launch, and grow with clarity and confidence.
