Mary Farias and Barbara Wainwright
The Author's Blueprint - From Your Head to the World

How do successful authors actually sell books on Amazon? And what role will AI play in book discovery?

In this information-packed episode of The Author's Blueprint, Mary Reiss Farias and Barbara Wainwright welcome Steve Sarner, Director of Author Success at Shelf Life and former Amazon executive, to discuss what today's authors need to know about publishing, book marketing, Amazon advertising, Goodreads, AI, and long-term author success.

With more than 25 years of experience in digital marketing and eight years at Amazon (including Goodreads), Steve shares insider strategies that every author—from first-time writers to bestselling experts—should understand.

In this episode, you'll discover:

✅ When authors should begin marketing their book (hint: long before publication!)
✅ How to build a launch team and gather meaningful early feedback
✅ Why Amazon advertising can be one of the most measurable marketing tools available
✅ The three most important ingredients for a successful book launch:

A great book
A professional cover
Authentic Amazon reviews
✅ Ethical ways to generate more book reviews without violating Amazon's policies
✅ Why Goodreads is becoming more important than ever for book discovery
✅ How AI tools like ChatGPT are changing the way readers find books
✅ Why appearing on podcasts, blogs, newsletters, and other third-party media improves your discoverability
✅ Why every author should consider publishing in multiple formats, including audiobook
✅ How podcasts and books can work together to grow your audience
✅ Why writing a series can dramatically increase long-term success for both fiction and nonfiction authors
✅ How Shelf Life is using artificial intelligence to make Amazon advertising more accessible for authors

Steve also explains why authors shouldn't rely solely on Amazon, but instead build a broader visibility strategy that includes podcasts, social media, newsletters, speaking, and other forms of third-party media to strengthen both search visibility and AI discoverability.

Whether you're writing your first book, preparing for launch, relaunching an existing title, or looking for proven ways to reach more readers, this episode is packed with practical advice you can implement immediately.

Your book deserves to be discovered. The right marketing strategy can help your message reach the people who need it most.

👍 If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with another author, entrepreneur, coach, or publisher.

👍 If you would like to be a guest on The Author's Blueprint, please fill out the application here: https://kphred.com/kphred-radio-show-host-application/guest-app/

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Introduction to Steve Sarner and ShelfLife

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