Getting beyond the "Icks" of Book Marketing with Alexa Bigwarfe {ep. 216}
April 30, 2026
Book marketing doesn’t have to feel overwhelming or uncomfortable. In this episode, Alexa shares how to shift your mindset, simplify your strategy, and approach marketing through storytelling and connection. Learn how to build your audience, start earlier, and create a marketing plan that actually feels good—and works.
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Book marketing can feel overwhelming, uncomfortable, and even a little “icky”—but it doesn’t have to. In this episode, Alexa breaks down the mindset shifts, strategies, and real-life lessons that transform marketing from something you dread into something you can actually enjoy. If you’ve ever felt stuck, invisible, or unsure where to start, this conversation will completely reframe how you think about marketing your book.
Key Takeaways: How to Love Book Marketing
Book marketing can feel overwhelming, uncomfortable, and even a little “icky”—but it doesn’t have to. In this episode, Alexa breaks down the mindset shifts, strategies, and real-life lessons that transform marketing from something you dread into something you can actually enjoy. If you’ve ever felt stuck, invisible, or unsure where to start, this conversation will completely reframe how you think about marketing your book.
Key Takeaways: How to Love Book Marketing
- Your feelings are normal – overwhelm, fear, frustration… even successful authors feel them
- Marketing ≠ selling – marketing is storytelling; selling is “buy my book”
- You already know how to market – if you’ve ever recommended anything you love, you’ve done it
- It’s not about you – it’s about your reader, their needs, emotions, and desires
- Mindset matters – what you believe about marketing shapes your results
- Self-limiting beliefs hold you back – fear of failure (or success) is often the real blocker
- No strategy = burnout – random actions lead to stress and inconsistent results
- Start early – ideally 6–18 months before your book launches
- You need a clear reader + message – not every book is for everyone
- Growth requires visibility – partnerships, podcasts, and other audiences matter
- Consistency beats intensity – long-term effort builds momentum
- Word-of-mouth is powerful – readers become your best marketers
- Pick what you enjoy – marketing works better when it aligns with your personality
- Build relationships first – connection comes before conversion
- Series and backlist compound results – each new book boosts the others
- You don’t need to do everything – just the right things, in the right order
Alexa Bigwarfe is a publishing strategist, marketing expert, and founder of Write | Publish | Sell and the Women in Publishing Summit. She helps authors turn books into powerful business assets through strategic marketing, audience growth, and scalable systems. Alexa is also a fiction author who understands firsthand the challenges of marketing books.
🔗 Resources Mentioned
- Book Launch in a Box (program)
- Women in Publishing Summit
- Social media platforms for authors (Instagram, etc.)
- ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) teams
Publishing and book marketing advice.