Tips & Tricks from Romance Authors

Why Tropes Aren’t Selling the Way They Should You’ve nailed the trope. The story hits. The characters ache. The heat? Perfect. But your sales? Flat. Your preorders? Low. Your site? Getting traffic but not converting. Let me tell you the truth most authors don’t want to hear: Your branding doesn’t match your trope. And it’s costing you. When readers land on your site, they expect a vibe. They want your visuals, voice, and layout to feel like the story you’re selling. When th

Readers Are Judging You (Harshly) Let’s not pretend. Romance readers are visual . They know what they like. And they know when something feels… off. That vibe your cover gives off? That cozy/sinful/smart energy in your books? If your website doesn’t match it? You’re done. They’ll click away before they even read your blurb. And yes—ugly website problems are the silent killer of indie author credibility. But the good news? Every one of these is fixable. Let’s burn the deadwei

Why Preorders Matter (More Than You Think) Here’s what most romance authors don’t realize: Your preorder page isn’t just a placeholder. It’s a sales page . And right now? A lot of them suck. No energy. No urgency. No hook. If your preorder page feels like a sad little announcement rather than a full-on seduction, you’re leaving money—and future readers—on the table. Let’s fix that. Here are the 5 preorder page features you need if you want to turn browsers into buyers. The

Why Your Website Matters More Than You Think Your book might be a masterpiece. But if your website looks like it time-traveled from 2014, readers won’t stick around long enough to find out. Let’s be real. Readers judge . And they judge fast. Your website is your author brand’s first impression—and too many authors are quietly killing their book sales with simple, fixable mistakes. Today, I’m breaking down 7 of the most common website mistakes I see with romance authors. These

You don’t need more tech. You need the tech you already have to actually work together. If you’re tab-hopping, pasting links, manually emailing bonuses, or double-entering anything… you’re wasting time. Let’s fix it. Here’s what to connect—and why it matters. What Are Multi-Platform Sales? It’s the difference between a scattered mess and a system that makes you money. When your platforms talk to each other, you get: Fewer steps for your readers Fewer tasks on your plate More

Your direct sales strategy doesn’t start with a pretty storefront. It starts with knowing your numbers. If you’re guessing at prices, winging promos, or relying on discounts to push sales…you’re leaving money behind. Let’s fix that. You’re getting 7 proven pricing moves that romance authors use to turn browsers into buyers. Plus, a free calculator to stop the undercharging spiral. And if you’re done stitching your author biz together with Notion, Airtable, Google Drive, and a

Romance readers devour stories in the summer. Poolside, beachside, holed up in AC with a glass of wine and a steamy read—they’re not just looking. They’re buying. If your book isn’t showing up in their feed, inbox, or TBR? You’re missing the season’s biggest sales moment. Here’s how to fix your summer book marketing. And yes—you’re getting a free set of summer promo templates to help you do it faster. Why Summer Book Marketing Matters Summer isn’t just “another quarter” for a

What Even  i s a Romance Author Platform? You’ve heard it a hundred times: “You need a strong author platform.” But no one ever tells you what that actually means. Let me fix that. Your romance author platform isn’t just your website or your Instagram feed. It’s the full ecosystem of how readers discover you, connect with you, and decide to stick around — or not. And if yours isn’t set up to convert casual browsers into loyal fans? You’re doing way too much work for way too

What Makes a Website Work in 2025? Let’s be real — pretty isn’t enough anymore. In 2025, your romance author website needs to do things . It needs to sell your books. Grow your email list. Make readers fall in love with your brand before they even hit page one. If your site isn’t checking these boxes, you’re already falling behind. But don’t panic — I’ve got you. Here are the 7 must-have features your site needs this year to stay relevant, make sales, and feel like you . Wan

What Does Your Branding Say About You? Your covers are hot. Your blurbs? Sharp. Your social media… passable. But what about your brand? If your visual identity is all over the place — or worse, forgettable — you’re making it way harder for readers to stick around, remember your name, and click “buy” the next time they see your book. Branding is more than a logo or color palette. It’s your voice. Your energy. The entire vibe you give off before a reader ever opens page one. Re

Is your website working for you — or against you? Be honest: when was the last time you took a hard look at your site? Not a casual scroll. Not swapping your header image or tweaking a blurb. A ruthless, no-bullshit check to see if your site is helping you sell books… Or quietly pushing readers away. If you’re trying to grow as a romance author, your website is either building your brand — or sabotaging it. There’s no middle ground. Here are 10 signs it’s time for a romance a

Website design mistakes cost you more than traffic—they cost you trust. Readers decide in seconds whether they’ll stick around. If your site still looks or acts like it’s from 2010, you’re not just turning them off—you’re sending them to someone else. Here’s what you’re doing wrong. And exactly how to fix it. Want a Free Fix-List? Before we dive in, grab your FREE Website Checklist — made to help you cut these mistakes and build a site your readers actually want to stay on.

Romance author email marketing isn’t optional—it’s the difference between a forgettable one-book stand and a loyal series superfan. A reader finishes your book at 2 AM, desperate for more. Are they left wandering through endless Amazon searches—or did you capture them with an irresistible email offer? Email is where casual readers become obsessed superfans. Romance readers are 64% more likely to buy directly from author emails than from social media. If you’re not building t

As a romance author, you’ve mastered the art of crafting unforgettable characters and heart-stopping plots. But connecting with your ideal readers? That’s the real plot twist you didn’t see coming. It’s time to skip the guesswork and build a Romance Reader Social Media Strategy that puts your books in front of the people who are most likely to fall in love with them. Before we dive into the details, grab your free resource to fast-track your results: Romance Reader Social Me

Getting noticed as a romance author isn’t the hard part anymore. Staying relevant? Selling books consistently? That’s where most authors slip. You’re already pulling late nights writing spicy scenes and cliffhangers that leave your readers breathless. But without a strategy to promote those stories? You’re wasting your best work. You need a romance author marketing calendar that actually sells books. Let’s build one. Why You Need a Romance Author Marketing Calendar Most roman

Is your author email list a little stale? Perhaps it includes readers who haven’t opened an email in months or a welcome sequence that still references an "upcoming" release that came out last summer. It happens to the best of us. But your author email list is one of the most powerful tools in your author marketing toolkit. When it’s clean, segmented, and consistently nurtured, it connects you with the right readers and helps you sell more books. This post will guide you thro

Let’s be real—your social media might be looking a little... outdated. That Facebook banner from your second book launch? The Instagram bio that skips your newest series? That pinned tweet promoting a sale that ended last summer? If you're overdue for a social media cleanup for authors, you're in good company.  Life happens. Deadlines pile up. Social profiles gather dust. But now’s the perfect time to tackle a  social media cleanup for authors —and we’ve got a gorgeous (and f

Remember that blog post you published when your first book launched… three years ago? The one that still says “Coming Soon” for a book that’s been out for 18 months? Yep, that one. We’ve all got dusty corners on our author websites. It’s no surprise—you're busy writing swoony heroes and page-turning twists. But that neglected site? It might be quietly working against you. Here’s the truth: an outdated website sends readers and search engines the wrong message. A strategic au

Picture this: a reader just finished your latest romance novel at 1 AM, swooning over that perfect kiss scene you rewrote twelve times. They're desperate for more of your books, so they grab their phone and search for your website... ...and then wait. And wait. And wait some more. Yikes. That magical moment just fizzled faster than a failed first date. Your website is like your digital storefront—and if it takes forever to load, readers might walk right past it. This week, w

Like monitoring your characters' emotional arcs, tracking your platform's performance helps you create the perfect reader experience. The Romance of Numbers Understanding your reader's journey isn't so different from crafting the perfect slow-burn romance. Your analytics tell a love story—from first glance to lasting commitment. When you start paying attention to the data, you'll discover patterns that help you connect more meaningfully with your audience. Metrics That Matter