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We’ve heard it a thousand times: “I KNOW my mother (father, sister, brother, Uncle Cletus, Aunt Ethel, etc.) bought my book! Where are my royalties?!”

And, a thousand times over, we’ve had to break it to an author: “We’re sorry but your relative actually did not buy your book. They lied to you to keep the peace.” And, we provide proof to the author that the sale never occurred. In every single instance, the author’s relatives refused to send the author copies of their receipts proving they actually bought the book (because the receipts didn’t exist).

This is an awkward situation that we run into over and over again, especially around the holidays. We get it. You wrote a book. More than anyone else in the world, you want your family and closest friends to read your book, and be proud of what you’ve accomplished. That’s human nature!

But, are your expectations realistic?

The reality we’ve seen is that most people who are closest to an author actually do not purchase or read the author’s book for a variety of reasons. We’ll tell you why in this episode.

And, to be perfectly honest, it doesn’t matter that much. If you want to impressive book sales, it’s a matter of marketing. Market to the masses, not your friends and family. We discuss that in this episode as well with our special guest, book editor and marketer, Clayton Jones, who is also an English Professor at the University of Tennessee.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Get your book published by BookLocker, which is in its 26th year, and IS located in the U.S.!
• BLUE LIVES MATTER: The Heart Behind the Badge – by Brian P. Whiddon – USE DISCOUNT SAVE20 TO GET 20% OFF!
• Contact Brian directly to ask him about that one chapter that his mother did NOT like!
• University of Tennessee English Professor Clayton Jones’ EDITING SERVICES, BOOK MARKETING SERVICES, BACK COVER COPYWRITING SERVICES, and TIKTOK TRAILERS!
• Clayton’s Website: Southwind Literary
• AWKWARD HOLIDAY GATHERINGS! When Relatives Say They Bought Your Book (But They Didn’t)
• Ellen Frances on Medium.com: My loved ones said they would buy my book. They didn’t. Here’s what I know about lip service. And while falling for it hurts your career, business, and everything else in between
• On RedLoungeForWriters.com: My family and friends won’t read my book
• J.H. Moncrieff on J.H.Moncrieff.com: IWSG: When your friends don’t buy your book
• The Cold, Hard, Ugly Facts about Traditional Publishing…and Why You Might Want to Avoid It Altogether
• David Biddle on TalkingWriting.com (This guy is hilarious!): Sorry, Your Buddies Won’t Buy Your Book
• Erika Vanzin on WritingCooperative.com: Your Friends Won’t Buy Your Book, and It’s Better for Your Career
• 75% of Americans DON’T Own Ebook Readers – Are you ignoring 75% of the book buying market?!
• Amazon KDP Continues to INFURIATE (and TERMINATE) Authors! And Keep Their Unpaid Royalties!