Author Marketing Minute

Lynn McGinnis

5.0 (2)
Business
Weekly

Every author’s path is different, and visibility starts with understanding what works for you. On Author Marketing Minute, host Lynn McGinnis, a veteran marketing generalist with a decade of publishing experience, shares quick, practical insights to help self-published authors get seen, stay consistent, and keep moving forward — without the hype or overwhelm.

4d ago

The Book Launch That Became the Gift That Kept Giving

# The Book Launch That Became the Gift That Kept Giving What happens when a first-time author with no social media presence, no established email list, and a launch team of just 40 people reaches Amazon bestseller status—and then Amazon sponsors her hardcover? In this episode of *Author Marketing Minute*, Lynn McGinnis shares the story of Teresa, a retired, first-time author whose carefully planned book launch produced 40 sales, 35 five-star reviews and ratings, and #1 bestseller and #1 new release rankings on Amazon. Then came an unexpected bonus: Amazon sponsored Teresa's hardcover, even though she hadn't purchased any advertising. Lynn explains how they organized the launch, prepared the book's Amazon listing, and what her research revealed about Amazon's own retail advertising and merchandising operations. **In this episode:** - How a first-time author recruited 40 launch team members without social media or an email list - Why early reviews are especially important for debut authors - How a structured launch team email sequence kept everyone engaged and on schedule - Why researching relevant Amazon categories and keywords matters - How Teresa achieved #1 bestseller and #1 new release status - What Lynn discovered when Amazon sponsored Teresa's KDP hardcover - Why the combination of early sales, reviews, rankings, and outside traffic may have contributed to Amazon's decision - Whether this unexpected result could be repeated with another book launch **Read the full article and learn more about Lynn McGinnis:** https://lynnmcginnis.me
Oct 22

Planning the Rest of the Year Without the Rush

The holidays are approaching, and there's still plenty of time to make progress toward your author marketing goals. A little planning now can help you stay consistent, take advantage of seasonal opportunities, and enjoy the last few months of the year. In this episode of Author Marketing Minute, Lynn McGinnis shares simple ways to organize your Q4 marketing and finish the year strong. In this episode: -How to plan holiday book promotions backward from important dates -Why print book shipping times matter for holiday sales -How batching marketing tasks can make content creation more manageable -Ways to incorporate fall activities and personal interests into your author marketing -Why seasonal content can help readers connect with you -How to balance scheduled marketing with spontaneous posts -The importance of setting realistic year-end goals and protecting your personal time Read more from Lynn McGinnis and find the full Substack article: https://lynnmcginnis.me
Oct 15

Are You Building an Audience or a Reputation?

What does having 100,000 social media followers tell us about someone's expertise? And can an author with a much smaller audience have a stronger professional reputation? In this episode of Author Marketing Minute, Lynn McGinnis looks at the difference between influence and authority, and why that distinction matters for authors who want their books to lead to opportunities beyond book sales. In this episode: -Why social media influence and professional authority aren't necessarily the same -What publishing a book does—and doesn't—establish about an author's expertise -How nonfiction authors can use their books as part of a larger business or career plan -Why professional experience and credibility matter for speaking and consulting opportunities -How an author website, published ideas, and professional relationships contribute to reputation -Why a few hundred engaged industry contacts may be more valuable than thousands of casual followers -How your reasons for writing a book should guide your author marketing decisions Read the full Substack article: Are You Building an Audience or a Reputation? Learn more about Lynn McGinnis: https://lynnmcginnis.me
Oct 8

Maybe the Question Isn’t, How Do I Sell More Books?

When book sales aren't meeting expectations, it's tempting to try another ad campaign, post more often, or invest in the next marketing strategy. But what if the real problem has nothing to do with how much marketing you're doing? In this episode of Author Marketing Minute, Lynn McGinnis explores five common reasons books struggle to sell and what authors should investigate before deciding what to do next. In this episode: - Why disappointing sales are often a symptom of a larger problem - How outdated keywords, categories, and disconnected author platforms affect discoverability - Why your book's cover, title, editing, and presentation matter in a competitive market - How narrowing your niche can help you stand out - What happens when readers find your book but don't buy it - Why audience growth and sales sometimes need more time - How to identify the problem before spending more money on marketing Read the full Substack article and learn more about Lynn McGinnis: https://lynnmcginnis.me
Oct 1

Being Found Isn’t the Same as Being Understood

Getting found online is important, but what happens once someone finds you? In this episode of Author Marketing Minute, Lynn McGinnis shares the experience of a coaching client who received a glowing editorial review that didn't accurately represent the substance of her book. It raises a larger question for authors: Is the information available online simply making you visible, or is it helping readers—and AI assistants—understand your work accurately? Lynn looks at the information authors can control, why consistency across an author platform matters, and how your website can provide the context that reviews and other third-party sources may not. Show Notes Being Found Isn’t the Same as Being Understood Authors can't control how every reader, reviewer, or outside source interprets their books. They can contribute accurate, consistent information to the larger online picture. In this episode: -What a positive but misleading editorial review revealed about author visibility -The difference between being found and being understood -Why authors can't rely on reviews alone to explain their books -How AI assistants compile information about authors and their work -The online sources that can influence how your books are represented -Why your author website remains such an important part of your platform -How book descriptions, interviews, reviews, blogs, and consistent messaging add context -Why accurate information you control can help counter information someone else gets wrong Learn more about Lynn McGinnis and read the full article at LynnMcGinnis.me.
Sep 24

Which Lynn McGinnis Are You Looking For?

Episode Summary What does an AI assistant know about you and your books—and where is it getting that information? In this episode of Author Marketing Minute, Lynn McGinnis runs a simple AI discoverability test using two authors and her own name. The results show what can happen when an author has a strong, consistent online presence, what can happen when there isn’t enough information available, and why even accurate sources can still lead an AI assistant to make assumptions. Show Notes Which Lynn McGinnis Are You Looking For? Readers are increasingly turning to AI assistants to find books, learn about authors, and decide what to read next. That makes the information AI tools find about you an increasingly important part of your author platform. In this episode, Lynn talks about: -What AI discoverability means for authors -What happened when she tested a well-established science fiction author -How limited online visibility led to incorrect information about another author's genre -What Gemini found when Lynn searched her own name -How an AI assistant can synthesize information that you never actually said -Why it's worth asking where an AI answer came from -How consistency across your website, retailer listings, podcast appearances, and other online sources helps AI tools understand who you are A simple test you can run on your own author platform This week's episode is based on Lynn's latest Substack. Read the full article and learn more about Lynn McGinnis at LynnMcGinnis.me.
Sep 17

The Difference Between Visibility and Connection

You can be doing all the right marketing things—posting consistently, building your email list, running ads, planning launches—and still get very little engagement from readers. In this episode of Author Marketing Minute, Lynn McGinnis looks at the difference between being visible and actually connecting with readers. Using two authors in the same genre as an example, she explores why polished, consistent marketing can still fall flat when every interaction asks readers to buy, click, join, or sign up. Sometimes the answer isn't more marketing. It's giving readers a chance to get to know the person behind the books.
Jul 23

AI Is Making Author Scams Harder to Spot

Author scams aren't new, but they're becoming much more sophisticated. In this episode of Author Marketing Minute, Lynn McGinnis shares three recent scam attempts sent to her clients: a fake book club invitation, a convincing reader email that turned into a demand for payment, and an elaborate publisher-and-agent impersonation. What makes these scams so effective is that they begin with situations that seem completely believable. You'll learn what to watch for, why AI is making these scams harder to recognize, and the simple detail that can often reveal whether an email is legitimate. In this episode: Why author scams have become much more convincing Three real examples that landed in clients' inboxes How AI is helping scammers write professional, personalized emails The one detail that often exposes a scam What to do before responding to an unexpected opportunity To learn more about Lynn McGinnis and read the full article, visit: https://lynnmcginnis.me One small move at a time.

5

out of 5

2 Ratings

Every author’s path is different, and visibility starts with understanding what works for you. On Author Marketing Minute, host Lynn McGinnis, a veteran marketing generalist with a decade of publishing experience, shares quick, practical insights to help self-published authors get seen, stay consistent, and keep moving forward — without the hype or overwhelm.

Creator

Lynn McGinnis
Years Active

2025 - 2026
Episodes

32
Rating

Clean
Show Website

Author Marketing Minute