You Will Not Be A Bestseller

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🔥 You Will Not Be a Bestseller — and that’s not shade, that’s strategy.

In this episode, I’m calling out the fantasy and breaking down the facts. 

Most authors won’t hit a bestseller list—but that doesn’t mean you can’t build a profitable, powerful, and purpose-driven brand around your book.

I’m talking real talk: marketing, mindset, and making money beyond the title of “bestseller.”

This episode will wake you up, challenge your excuses, and shift the way you think about success as an author.

Because chasing lists won’t change your life. Strategy will.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 0 (00:00):
Welcome to Published in Black Podcast, where we don't
just talk books, we buildlegacies.
I'm your host, tiffany AGreenhood, and today's episode
oh, it's going to ruffle somefeathers and I don't care.
Let's go ahead and title thiswhat it really is you will not
be a bestseller.
Yes, you heard me right.
Let's stop sugarcoating thispublishing thing like it's a

(00:22):
vision board.
Come to life.
Just because you claimed it onJanuary 1st, baby faith without
strategy is delusion.
And I said what I said.
Everybody wants to be abestseller.
Everybody wants to hit thatchart, go viral, slap that
number one on their book coverlike it's a badge of honor.
But let me be real with you.

(00:42):
Hope is not a marketing planbadge of honor.
But let me be real with you.
Hope is not a marketing plan.
Just because you feel it inyour spirit, don't mean Amazon
does.
Just because your mama saidit's good, don't mean the people
gonna buy it.
And can we talk about this fakestrategy some of y'all using
Talking about?
I dropped my link in threeFacebook groups.
I posted a reel.
I prayed, honey listen.

(01:04):
Groups I posted a reel.
I prayed, honey, listen.
That ain't strategy.
That's wishful thinking dressedin Canva fonts.
Here's the part where I knowsome of y'all gonna click off.
But if you're still here, youmight just be ready for the real
work.
Stop designing your own covers,period.
If you are not a graphicdesigner, if you are not trained
in visual communication, if youdon't know what DPI stands for

(01:29):
or how color contrast impactsclick-throughs, then stop
playing yourself.
That cover is the firstimpression, that's the handshake
, that's the billboard, that'sthe bait.
If it's pixelated, throwntogether in an app, or if it
looks like clip art from 1982, Ipromise you you will not be a

(01:49):
bestseller.
Readers don't owe you supportjust because you're passionate.
Presentation is power.
And don't tell me you couldn'tafford it, because if you can
afford Starbucks, lace fronts orflights to Atlanta for
networking, you can afford aquality book cover Budget

(02:11):
accordingly.
Bestsellers are built in theback end.
You don't become one.
You position yourself to earnit.
Let me break it down.
You need a target market, notjust everybody.
You need a launch strategy, notjust a post on Instagram.

(02:32):
You need pre-orders, mediacoverage, email marketing and
sometimes a campaign team.
You need reviews, seo anddistribution plans.
Nah, that's the intro.
The real work starts after thebook is uploaded.

(02:57):
Here is what no one is tellingyou.
I know your church workshopdidn't tell you this, but some
of y'all are so obsessed withbeing called an author that you
forgot to become a business.
You're writing for applauseinstead of impact.
You want bestseller status, butdon't want bestseller effort.

(03:17):
Let me ask you this Would youbuy your own book if you didn't
know you Seriously look at yourcover, read your blurb.
Look at your Amazon page.
Would you click add to cart?
If the answer is no, thenneither will your reader.
Now let me give you some game,because I'm not just here to

(03:38):
talk crazy to you.
I'm here to level you up forreal.
Here's what to do if you'reserious about becoming a
bestseller.
Invest in your cover andformatting.
Your book should look like itbelongs in a Barnes and Noble
window.
Build your list before youlaunch Email text, dm, whatever
it takes.
Own your traffic.

(03:59):
Pre-plan your marketing campaign, not just posts.
Campaigns with CTAs, strategyand urgency.
Get media ready.
Have your press kit headshotsauthor bio ready.
Have your press kit headshotsauthor bio one sheet.
Be ready to pitch.
Track your metrics.
Know what works when to postwhat converts, stop guessing and

(04:25):
, most of all, stop winging it.
You're not just a writer,you're a brand.
I'll leave you with this.
If nobody told you today, letme be the one.
You have a message that matters, a voice that matters, and it's
time to learn the right way tosell it.
But your message won't move ifyour mindset is messy, refuse to

(04:47):
let go of broke thinking andnot open to learning creative
strategies that bring sales.
So either treat this like themission it is or keep playing in
the maybe one day lane.
Just don't say I didn't warnyou when that Amazon sales rank
stays in the thousands andnobody knows your book exists.

(05:07):
You will not be a bestseller byaccident.
You become a bestseller byexecution.
This is Published in Blackpodcast and over here we publish
with power and show up like weknow who we are.
Catch y'all next episode.
Be sure to subscribe to thispodcast on all podcast platforms

(05:28):
.
You can join our email list atpublishedwithtiffanycom,
subscribe to our YouTube channel, tiktok, instagram and threads
at my handle, black Writer'sFace.
Also check out our magazine forBlack Authors Published and
blackmagazinecom.
Shop digital products atbougiegirlsdocom and our new

(05:53):
blog for Black authors,dearblackauthorcom.
If you'd like to work with meand ready to invest in your book
project or need coaching, youcan book a session with me at
bookwithtiffanynowcom.