The Internet Told Writers These Marketing Rules. Most Are Wrong.
From the “50 reviews” myth to going viral, here’s a different view...
You’ve probably heard this somewhere: You must get 50 reviews on Amazon per book, quickly, and then some mysterious marketing machine kicks in. Suddenly, Amazon promotes you everywhere. Readers appear. Sales pour in. Angels sing.
All because you reached 50 reviews.
Yeah, no.
If we spend any time in writer groups or online, we start hearing the same advice repeated over and over. Some useful, some dated, and some may even sound logical, but don’t hold up once we look a little closer.
In my last post on writing myths, I covered five of the biggest misconceptions writers have about book marketing. If you missed it, read Part I here 👇
💥 Gratitude to my exclusive advertising sponsor, the always-free Booklinker, and the paid tool, GeniusLink. I love both💥 (affiliate link).
The myth list keeps growing. Be sure to catch up on the first five myths! So let’s talk about six through ten, aka, even more that trip up many of us.
Myth #6: We Need 50 Amazon Reviews Before Anyone Takes Our Book Seriously
Some marketing myths are harmless. This one causes writers a ridiculous amount of stress and keeps popping up like Chucky. Somewhere in a writing forum, or on their social media, someone confidently declared at some point over the last 20 years:
“You need at least 50 reviews before Amazon will promote your book.”
Not exactly.
This myth has spread across the internet like it’s carved into publishing stone. At this point, the 50-review rule has started to feel like publishing’s version of Bigfoot.
Lots of people swear it exists. No one has ever produced solid proof.
It logically may kind sorta makes sense? But why 50? The more the reviews, the better, right?
Amazon has never published a 50-review threshold that magically unlocks visibility or sales that get you on Reese Witherspoon’s book club list.
Now, of course, reviews matter because they help build reader trust, not because a specific number flips an enchanted marketing switch, and plenty of books sell with far fewer reviews.
What readers usually want is reassurance that real people have read the book and had a genuine reaction to it. That’s it. Instead of chasing a magic number, we’re usually better off focusing on honest early reviews from real readers.
I asked Dale L. Roberts - definitely subscribe! - and he said this about the 50-Review Myth:
“This is a theory and not a fact. Amazon even shared in Amazon Advertising Academy that in order to be retail-ready, products should have at least 15 reviews with an average star rating of 3.5 or greater.
Folks mean well by the “fifty reviews” rule, but it’s simply not true. I’ve had books with fifty reviews do well, and some not so well.
The biggest thing authors need to know is that review velocity and consistency matter most to Amazon. Just keep the reviews coming at a steady rate; they love that, and customers appreciate having more social proof to make an informed purchase.”
Thanks, Dale. 🙏
More on early readers here:
Resource: Amazon Help: Customer Reviews
Myth #7: We Have to Be on Every Platform
This myth can make writing careers feel exhausting before they even start. Look at the most popular platforms: Facebook. Instagram. TikTok. LinkedIn. Threads. YouTube. Pinterest. X. Substack. Never mind the new kids, Bluesky, Mastodon, and more.
Where does it end? Suddenly, our marketing plan looks less like “share our writing” and more like running a small tech startup with terrible funding and that one employee who keeps asking if we can just go back to writing, please.
Here’s the reality: Our readers probably spend time on two or three platforms, not all of them. When we try to be everywhere, we usually end up posting inconsistently, feeling burned out, and risk diluting our message. It’s often far more effective to choose a few platforms we enjoy and show up consistently.
Also, look at your genre - where do they hang out? See if it’s a good fit. Consistency tends to beat platform quantity.
Resource: Pew Research Social Media Fact Sheet
Now let’s talk about the myth that social media loves the most.
Myth #8: Going Viral Is Always the Goal
The internet loves a viral success story. A post explodes. Someone sells thousands of books overnight. Naturally, many of us start thinking that if we could just go viral once, everything would change.
The problem is that viral attention often fades quickly. A spike of attention does not always turn into long-term readers and can also bring incredible stress (and trolls). What tends to build most authors’ careers is far less dramatic:
• consistent posting
• a growing newsletter or email list
• regular reader interaction
• publishing more books
In other words, slow growth. Not glamorous, I give you that, but surprisingly reliable.
Myth #9: Traditional Publishing Means We Don’t Have to Market
Whew, lordy. This is still what people think! Many writers believe this before signing their first contract. The assumption is simple: If a publisher buys the book, they will handle the marketing. Well…?
Kinda sorta. Publishers absolutely help with some marketing, much of which is done B2B (business-to-business), rather than B2C (business-to-consumer). They may have relationships with bookstores, reviewers, and media outlets. And, distribution is also a big player.
But most authors still participate heavily in marketing via:
social media
advertising
newsletters / blog posts
events and talks
interviews
reader outreach
Publishers can amplify our visibility, but rarely replace it. In fact, authors who already have readers often receive more marketing support, not less. Your agent or publisher will want to see not only follower numbers, but also reach, engagement, views, and growth.
A trad pub is banking on you bringing in readers through visibility and discoverability. Many authors are missing this crucial step. Agents? Same. If you don’t have a platform and you’re pitching your book, create one. Never too late.
This is when many writers hire me.
Myth #10: Marketing Means Constantly Talking About Our Book
This last myth is the one that makes writers hate marketing. They think it looks like this:
Buy my book!
Buy my book. Please?
Buy my book. Please? Still? Anyone there?
Readers tune that out quickly, just as we do as consumers, and you also risk social account suspension for spam (aka, having a link in every post). You feel either giddy with excitement or horrified by the exposure - often a mix of both.
Tip: Don’t be ‘that author’ that responds to every comment with ‘here’s my book’ either. That kind of obvious yet somehow also oblivious self-promo is the least effective “strategy” for connecting with readers.
After 20+ years on the net, most people know how to look at a bio for links or more info. Slow your roll with the spam. Do better.
What works is talking about our book occasionally, but also the ideas around our book, aka, topic adjacent. And share others’ work you find helpful - this doesn’t have to be The You Show, 24/7.
If you write mysteries, talk about crime stories or investigations.
If you write historical fiction, share the history behind the story or other stories that highlight that time period.
If you write memoir, talk about the experiences that shaped the book.
Readers tend to connect with people and ideas first. The book becomes part of that conversation, eventually, once you establish trust. More on that in a future post.
Where Writers Can Find Reliable Publishing Information
One reason marketing myths spread so easily is that many of us learn about publishing through random internet advice. Some of that advice is helpful. Some of it spreads outdated info surprisingly fast. And a lot of it, now, is also AI-generated.
If you want solid information about publishing and book marketing, these sources consistently provide thoughtful, well-researched guidance.
Author and Publishing Resources
Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) and follow Orna Ross 📚 here on Substack.
Marketing and Platform Research
Pew Research Center Social Media Research - a free, nonpartisan fact and survey site, and an informative place to find out where your readers are. A GREAT place to start if you have no clue where your ideal readers spend time.
A Few Helpful Posts From This Publication
Social Media Followers Help People Find You. Subscribers Help People Stay
Substack Made Simple: Your 10-Minute Fix – How to Rescue Your Hidden Substack Posts Now
5 Biggest Misconceptions Writers Have About Book Marketing and Sales (Part I)
The Bigger Pattern
Most book marketing myths come from the same place: writers want a simple formula, an easy button, and that goes something like this:
Write book → publish book → readers magically appear. 🤓
In reality, publishing usually looks more like this:
Visibility → trust → discoverability → readers → sales. 🤩
Not glamorous or sexy, but surprisingly reliable.
Quick question for fellow writers: Which publishing myth did you believe the longest? What changed your mind? Please share below.
Assignment, Should You Choose To Accept It: I’d like you to take 5 minutes to review the Pew Research Center Social Media Fact Sheet. Look up the demographics for the platforms you’re on or considering and see where your likely readers actually spend time.
What did you learn?
A Small Ask
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People who don't write told me I could never get a book published first, you have to start with publishing articles in magazines. Turns out they were wrong. I got an advance and a publishing contract after going to a book conference and meeting with a traditional publisher who read my book proposal and wanted to buy my book.
Don't listen to naysayers with zero experience in the publishing world.
Amazing! I was thinking of adding Instagram to my channels once I get more comfortable on substack but now after looking at where my target audience hangs out, I may add Facebook too. I HATE posting online (bane of my existence) but if it is how this is going to work, I'm game.