Finish Writing Your Novel Now!

Using Goodreads to connect with readers and promote your independently published novels

Mandy Webster

Goodreads is one of the most powerful platforms for authors looking to connect with readers and promote their books. As a social networking site dedicated entirely to books and reading, it provides a unique opportunity for independent authors to gain visibility, interact with potential readers, and boost book sales. While there are other book-focused platforms, Goodreads remains the most prevalent and widely used.

Readers use GoodReads to keep track of the books they’ve read and want to read, books their friends are reading, and authors whose books they want to read more of!

Goodreads is an online community for book lovers, launched in 2007 and acquired by Amazon in 2013. It allows users to track the books they read, post reviews, participate in discussions, and discover new books through recommendations. With millions of active users, Goodreads is a go-to platform for readers searching for their next read.

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Book Reviews, Find Your Next Read

Annie Bot made me relive my abusive marriage—and that’s what makes it so powerful

Mandy Webster

In Sierra Greer’s novel Annie Bot, a robot girlfriend cooks, dresses, and has sex on demand—all at the pleasure of her human owner, Doug. She’s designed to be the “perfect” woman, built to fulfill his desires without resistance. But as her artificial intelligence evolves, so does her awareness, and what begins as obedience starts to feel like a slow, painful awakening.

Get your copy of Annie Bot from my independent online bookstore today!

I didn’t expect to find pieces of myself in a robot. But Annie Bot made me feel an immediate—and visceral—sense of recognition. Like Annie, I once existed solely to please someone else. My (now ex) husband didn’t see me as a person—only as the idea of a wife he wanted to mold me into. Over ten years of marriage, I was trained through threats, manipulation, psychological warfare, and physical violence to anticipate his moods, regulate my behavior, and suppress anything that didn’t align with his expectations. That Annie had to do the same—scan Doug’s tone, facial expressions, and body language, and modulate her responses accordingly—was deeply familiar.

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Finish Writing Your Novel Now!

Using an author website, social media, and profiles to build your brand and promote your books

Mandy Webster

As an independent author, your online presence is one of your most powerful marketing tools. A strong digital platform helps readers discover your work, connect with you, and stay updated on new releases. This post will cover how to effectively use an author website, social media, and author profile pages to build your brand and sell more books.

Whether you enjoy using social media or not, readers these days enjoy connecting with their favorite authors online!

Why you need an author website

Your website acts as your home base—a professional hub where readers, journalists, and event organizers can find everything they need to know about you. It should include:

  • A way for people to contact you for interviews, collaborations, or event invitations.
  • Links to buy all of your books.
  • Any interviews you’ve done, either in print, podcasts, or video.
  • A list of upcoming events, such as book signings and launches.
  • Links to your social media profiles so readers can easily follow you.
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Book Reviews, Find Your Next Read

What’s the point of surviving? A haunting look at life after captivity in I Who Have Never Known Men

Mandy Webster

Most dystopian novels are driven by resistance, escape, or revolution. Jacqueline Harpman’s I Who Have Never Known Men asks a deeper, more disquieting question: What happens after? After the fences fall, after the captors vanish, after the systems collapse. What’s left to live for—especially when you never knew what it meant to live in the first place?

Get your copy of I Who Have Never Known Men from my independent online bookstore today!

Originally published in 1995 and recently rediscovered by BookTok readers who can’t stop recommending it, this slim but devastating novel centers on a girl known only as “the child”—the youngest of forty women imprisoned deep underground by silent male guards. The women have no memory of how they got there or how long they’ve been inside. Time doesn’t function the way it should. They suspect they were drugged. They’re fed regularly, forbidden from touching, and watched constantly, but no explanations are ever given. It’s a setting that feels like a cross between The Handmaid’s Tale and The Road but stripped of the usual narrative comforts: there’s no master plan to uncover, no rebellion to lead, and no villain to confront. There’s only waiting.

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Finish Writing Your Novel Now!

Setting up a mailing list to promote your independently published novels

Mandy Webster

A mailing list is one of the most powerful marketing tools an independent author can use. Unlike social media, where algorithms dictate who sees your content, an email list allows you to communicate directly with readers who are interested in your work. Over time, this can help you build a dedicated readership, generate book sales, and create a loyal fan base.

Your mailing list should include email addresses as well as any other identifying information you might be able to collect on your potential readers and other writing-related contacts.

How mailing lists work and why they matter

Mailing lists are a direct line to your audience. When readers sign up, they give you permission to send them updates, exclusive content, and promotional offers. This relationship-building tool helps you:

  • Build long-term connections with readers who are genuinely interested in your work.
  • Keep readers engaged between book releases.
  • Promote new books, special discounts, and events.
  • Share exclusive content like bonus chapters, behind-the-scenes insights, or personal updates.
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Finish Writing Your Novel Now!

Tips for writing an author bio that engages readers and promotes your books

Mandy Webster

An author bio isn’t just filler for the back of your book or website—it’s one of your most powerful marketing tools. When done right, it helps readers connect with you, understand what you write, and feel more inclined to explore your work. In this post, you’ll learn how to craft an author bio that showcases your personality, builds trust, and turns casual browsers into loyal fans.

It’s important to take time to think about what parts of YOU might help you sell your novels when writing your author bio.

An author bio isn’t just a quick blurb about who you are—it’s an opportunity to connect with potential readers and invite them into the world of your books. A well-crafted bio can spark curiosity, build trust, and even inspire readers to pick up your work. Here are some tips for writing an author bio that makes an impact:

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Author Interview

Author interview with romantasy writer Rebecca Parcha

Mandy Webster

From retelling Little Red Riding Hood in a childhood writing class to crafting fierce, magic-wielding heroines who defy the patriarchy, romantasy author Rebecca Parcha has always known the power of a good story. Inspired by literary icons like Virginia Woolf and modern romantasy trailblazers like Sarah J. Maas, Rebecca blends old-world symbolism with bold, emotionally rich narratives that champion strong female leads and challenge societal norms. In this interview, she opens up about her writing rituals, literary influences, and what it means to create work that not only entertains, but empowers.

In Fangs of Fate, Tate Aaralyn walks a dangerous line between predator and prey—an executioner of justice in the human realm and a conflicted vampire in the Glenn, where her hunger feels like a curse. When a disciplinary hearing forces her into service with the guara, Tate must confront dark truths, a mysterious bond with a powerful vampire named Aether, and her own evolving power. Meanwhile, Chance Dale, the president’s son and her former lover, uncovers a sinister threat rising within the vampire world. As their paths cross again, both must decide whether love is their salvation—or their undoing.

Q: What/who were your early literary influences, and how do you think their writing has shaped you as a storyteller today?
A: I love Virginia Woolf. I’m a huge fan of A Room of One’s Own. Her short stories are also amazing. To me, getting to study her and her life in college was one of my favorite parts of various literature classes. Beyond her, I’d say Hemingway, Poe, and George Lillo would also be up there as far as influential favorites within cherished prose and plays. There’s also the Brothers Grimm and Anne Saxton who I also have a great appreciation for.

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Finish Writing Your Novel Now!

Successful strategies for selling your independently published novel

Mandy Webster

Publishing your novel is just the beginning—getting readers to actually buy it is the real challenge. As an independent author, you have full control over your book’s marketing and sales strategy, but that also means you must take an active role in reaching your audience. Fortunately, there are plenty of effective ways to get your book into the hands of readers.

Building your author brand, expanding your reach, and selling beyond online retailers are just a few of the strategies we’ll discuss in this series on selling your independent novel.

This post serves as an introduction to a series on successful book-selling strategies. In the coming weeks, we’ll dive deeper into specific tactics, but for now, let’s explore some of the key methods indie authors use to promote and sell their work.

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Book Reviews, Find Your Next Read

What secrets lie beneath the surface of The Bog Wife?

Mandy Webster

What happens when the land that sustained your family for generations suddenly stops keeping its end of the bargain? In The Bog Wife, Kay Chronister drops us into the eerie isolation of rural West Virginia, where five estranged siblings are forced to confront not just each other but the decaying legacy of their ancestral covenant. The Haddesleys have always served the cranberry bog, and in return, the bog has given them what they need—until now.

Get your copy of The Bog Wife from my independent online bookstore today!

This novel is southern gothic by way of eco-horror, rich with decaying settings, creeping dread, and characters who make you want to shout at the page. And I mean that literally: there are moments when you’ll be begging Wenna, the middle child trying to break free, to just Google something already. But that’s part of the tension. These characters have been so deeply insulated from the outside world that the obvious often eludes them. Their sense of what is normal, what is allowed, what is true, has been shaped entirely by what they’ve been taught to believe—and by what they’ve been carefully kept from knowing.

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Finish Writing Your Novel Now!

The most overlooked step in the novel writing process (and why you shouldn’t skip it)

Mandy Webster

You’ve done the hard part—you wrote and published your novel—but unless you know how to sell it, your story might never reach the readers it deserves. This post kicks off a new blog series on the sixth and final step of the novel writing process: selling your book. Whether you’ve chosen the independent route or you’re still weighing your publishing options, understanding how books reach readers is a crucial part of your author journey.

Handselling your books at book festivals and vendor fairs is one of the most effective ways to find your readers.

In previous posts, I’ve covered everything from brainstorming and drafting to revision and publishing. I’ve also discussed the pros and cons of both traditional and independent publishing. But when it comes to book sales, the reality is this: traditional publishing handles much of the marketing behind the scenes (and how much promotion your book receives can vary widely). Since I don’t have firsthand experience with traditional publishing—and because those strategies are often dictated by the publisher—this series will focus on what I do know from experience: selling an independently published novel.

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