Why “I’ll Start Promoting Myself After I Get a Publisher” Doesn’t Work – and Might Cost You a Contract

The mindset that could be actively detrimental to your chances of getting published at all.

Dear Scribblers,

You’re invited to the party of the Summer! 7 years of FOTW, and over 80 titles - it’s time to celebrate our authors in style. AKA: ‘Clear the Bookshelves’ – and Drink the Bar Dry! Join Fly on the Wall Press for our Summer Party 2025 on the 25th of July at Seesaw, Manchester. Expect live performances, bargain books, exclusive tote bags, and FREE drinks and Korean-inspired street food included in your tickets.

Mingle with authors, readers, and the team behind the press in a relaxed, celebratory atmosphere. All are welcome. Including dogs! 6.15–9.30pm. Tickets.

Now if you don’t mind, I’m going tell you all about my Riga fellowship NEXT week, because I have an interesting observation to chat with you about, which has emerged from our submissions…

A common mindset I’ve observed among aspiring authors, both in our current call out for submissions, and from conversations at our fairs is: “I’ll focus on marketing once a publisher accepts my book.” But in today’s publishing climate—especially in the indie world—this approach is not only misguided, it could be actively detrimental to your chances of getting published at all.

Here’s why:

1. Publishers are paying attention to your platform—before you even submit.

The reality is this: publishers and marketing teams know that, on average, 1% of your social media following will buy your book. That means if you have 500 followers, five people might buy it without additional marketing. If you have 10,000 followers, that’s 100 potential buyers right out of the gate.

This figure is important because indie publishers have limited marketing budgets - but more importantly, limited time. If they see that an author has no online presence, they immediately know they’ll need to do all the heavy lifting to build awareness, the kind of lifting that could take years, and that’s a difficult proposition to invest in, especially for smaller presses. It’s far more appealing to invest in an author who has already started laying the groundwork.

You’ll find as well that any debut under a big five publisher will be allocated a smaller marketing budget than an established author. And how do those marketing budgets get set? Many factors, but one of those is your existing audience and its potential to grow.

P.s. If this sounds terrifying, I completely understand. Knowledge of the industry and how to position yourself and your book can take time! Have a look at our online course here - a comprehensive guide for aspiring authors - which will leave you with a robust understanding of:

- Routes to Traditional Publication: Agents and Independent Publishers

- Approaching Literary Journals: How Can They Build Your Career?

- Indie Publishers and Agents: Pitching and What to Expect

- Best Practices for Online Presence: Social Media and Author Websites

- Cover Letters and Submission Materials

- Mentorships and Developmental Opportunities

- Contracts and Negotiations

Coupon SUBSCRIBERSUBSTACK will give you 20% off our courses until May 31st.

2. Websites and SEO don’t work overnight.

You may think, “I’ll build my author website after I sign a contract.” But websites take time, not just to create, but to develop search engine traction. Why would someone stumble across your website when it’s brand new and barely populated?

Strong author websites have layers of content: blog posts, event listings, videos of readings, interviews, and updates. These take weeks or months to create and even longer to rank in search engines. If you wait until your book deal is signed, you’re already behind.

Yes a big five publisher MIGHT build a website for you, but ultimately, why would you want them to own your author website? See it as your space to be creative, and a portfolio of your multi-layered career ahead :)

Top Tip: Websites with blogs rank higher on Google because Google sees this as an ‘added value’ to their readers/searchers!

3. Relationships, and readerships, take time to grow.