31 | Failed Book Launch? How Christian Authors Can Bounce Back

You've launched your book and now you're staring at those devastating book sales numbers. Your book launch didn't fail. There's a way to revive your sales.

If your book launch fell flat and you're watching crickets instead of cash flow, this episode is your lifeline. Thousands of Christian authors face the same crushing disappointment when their carefully planned launch generates more silence than sales.

In this episode, you'll discover:

✅ Why 90% of book launches actually "fail" (and why this isn't the end of your story)

✅ The 3-phase recovery system that turns failed launches into profitable long-term income

✅ How to resurrect dead book sales using the 90-day content revival strategy 

✅ The lead magnet secrets that build your true fan base (works for fiction AND non-fiction)

✅ Biblical principles for persistent marketing that honors God while growing your income

✅ Why your "failed" launch might actually be God's way of teaching you the right path

Whether you're a first-time author or you've launched multiple books that didn't perform, this episode gives you the exact roadmap to recover emotionally, spiritually, and financially. No more wondering if you'll ever make money from your writing—just proven strategies that Christian authors are using right now to build sustainable book businesses.

Stop letting disappointment steal your author dreams. Your comeback starts today.

Perfect for Christian fiction authors, non-fiction writers, self-published authors, and anyone whose book marketing isn't working.

Transcript

You know that sinking feeling when you check your book sales dashboard for the 10th time today and nothing's moved?

You spent months writing the book. You hired a professional editor, invested in a great cover, paid for ads, sent it to your list,

maybe even hosted a launch party.

You prayed over every page. You followed all the advice and still.

Crickets.

Maybe this isn't even your first launch.

Maybe you've done this before.

Two, three, even four times. And this book launch was supposed to be different.

You thought you'd finally cracked the code.

You changed your strategy, refined your message, tried something new.

And yet here you are again, staring at disappointing numbers that leave you questioning whether you're even called to do this,

Friend,

I'm talking about that crushing moment when your book launch doesn't take off,

when it doesn't go viral,

it doesn't hit best seller lists, and frankly, feels invisible in the massive Christian book marketplace.

If you're listening to this and thinking, yep, that's me right now,

I want you to know two things.

First, you're not the only one whose launch didn't live up to the effort. I've walked that same path and so have countless other faithful, gifted authors.

And second,

this is not the end of your story as an author.

It's actually just the beginning of a much more strategic chapter in your authorpreneur journey.

Because here's what's happening right now.

You're experiencing what I call launch letdown syndrome.

You've confused your launch with your marketing.

You thought your release day would be the big moment, the breakthrough.

But here's the truth no one talks about.

Most successful authors don't earn the bulk of their income on launch day.

They earn it through intentional long term marketing that builds momentum over time.

So in the next 20 minutes or so, I'm going to walk you through a three phase recovery system that will help you turn this disappointing launch into a long term sustainable income stream.

And we'll do it while staying rooted in biblical principles of persistence, wisdom and faithful stewardship.

By the end of this episode, you'll have a clear action plan to resurrect your book sales,

rebuild your confidence and continue your calling with renewed clarity and peace.

More importantly, you'll begin to see how this very setback may be God's invitation to grow not just as an author,

but as a kingdom minded entrepreneur.

So grab your coffee and your notebook, friend. We're about to turn that silent launch into a symphony of sales.

This is episode 31.

I'm Urcelia Teixeira, ex real estate Agent turned award winning Christian fiction author.

When I wrote my first novel on a bucket list whim, I had no idea it would spark a spiritual journey that would redefine my calling.

But you know what, friend?

Self publishing wasn't easy. I got caught in the hustle, chasing rankings and sales while desperately trying to stay rooted in Christ.

Now, by God's grace, I'm building my author business his way. And now he's called me to help you do the same.

Welcome to the Anointed Scribe Podcast where faith meets business for Christian writers. Let's write, publish, and grow our author business God's way. Are you ready? Well then, let's get started.

Hey, it's your author friend, Urcelia. And I'm so glad you tuned into today's episode of the Anointed Scribe podcast, friend,

because today we are diving into something that literally keeps Christian authors awake at night.

If you've ever launched a book, you you'll know firsthand how much it takes these days to make a book launch work.

And with all the ever increasing competition out there, it can feel like you'll never get it right.

But I'm hoping after today's episode, you'll be one step closer to a successful book launch that will not only honour God with a message he's given you,

but also generate the income you need to keep writing and serving your readers for for years to come.

So if you're one of my faithful listeners, thank you for tuning in each week and for inviting me on this journey with you.

I'm honored and blessed to be part of it. Thank you so, so much. Huge, massive thank you for your support and for all your messages and emails. Keep them coming.

And if this is the first time you're listening to the show, well, welcome to the Anointed Scribe tribe, friend.

I trust that God brought you here for a reason today. And maybe, just maybe, our conversation today will give you the answers you've been praying for.

So make sure you hit that subscribe or follow button because every week we're unpacking practical strategies to help you build a thriving author business that honours God,

serves your readers, and creates the income you are longing for.

So let's get into it by starting with a question you are probably asking yourself right now.

Why do most book launches fail?

Well,

let's start with some uncomfortable truth telling because I actually think that the publishing industry has sold us a fairy tale about book launches.

They've convinced us that if we just write a good book and announce it to the world,

readers will come running. But here's what actually happens to 90% of the books.

They sell fewer than 100 copies in their first year,

not 100 copies on launch day,

100 copies total.

And that includes copies sold to family and friends.

Now, I'm not sharing this to discourage you, but to help you understand that your experience is completely normal.

The problem isn't your book, your writing, or your worth as an author.

The problem is that you were operating under a flawed assumption about how book sales actually work.

Think about it biblically for a moment.

In the parable of the talents, the servants who succeeded weren't the ones who buried their gifts and hoped for the best.

They were the ones who actively worked with what they'd been given,

multiplying it through consistent effort and wise strategy.

Your book launch wasn't a failure. It was your first attempt at learning how to be a steward of the gift God gave you.

And like any skill, it requires practice, patience, and persistence.

The authors who are making six figures from their books, they didn't get there through one successful launch.

They got there by treating their first book like a business asset and learning how to market it effectively over time.

So if you're still feeling stuck in this disappointment,

let's address that part first.

The first step in bouncing back after a book launch that didn't quite go as well as you'd hoped it would is dealing with the emotional aftermath.

That disappointment you're feeling.

It's real grief you're mourning, the death of expectations you had every right to have.

I know it sounds dramatic, but it's true.

You experienced a loss and your emotions took a beating.

But here's where we need to shift our perspective.

In Romans 8:28, Paul reminds us that all things work together for good for those who love God.

This includes disappointing book launches. Friend,

I want you to consider three reframes.

Reframe number one.

This is education,

not failure.

You just received a masterclass in what doesn't work.

That's incredibly valuable information.

Most authors spend years trying random marketing tactics.

You now know exactly what to avoid,

which puts you ahead of 80% of authors who are still throwing spaghetti at the wall.

Small beginnings often lead to great endings.

Zechariah 4:10 says or asks us,

who dares despise the day of small things?

Your quiet launch isn't a verdict on your potential.

It's your foundation.

Every successful author has a story about their humble beginnings.

This, right here, right now, is your story.

You're being prepared for stewardship.

Think about it for a second.

If God had given you massive success right away,

would you have been ready for it?

Would you even know how to sustain it?

Would you know what to do next?

How do you scale up? Is the budget there to scale up? Because that launch income only pays out in two months.

Are you truly ready to go from zero to Euro in a heartbeat?

Because I can honestly tell you I wasn't and didn't have a clue after even my first or second or even third book launch.

Why?

Because I don't fully know the plans God has for me,

and neither do you.

We think that we might know what lies ahead,

but the truth is we can't ever truly know God's heart and plans for us. Right?

God reveals it to us step by step in his timing,

which is why we need to look at every season as a season of growth,

both spiritually and in your author business.

This season you're in right now is teaching you the skills you'll need when the breakthrough comes.

God knows when that will be.

He knows the plans he has for you.

He's preparing you, pacing you, so that when you get to that breakthrough, you will be ready in every way.

So here's what I need you to do.

Your first practical step is to spend 15 minutes journaling about why you've learned or what you've learned. I should say yes, if by now you don't know that I love journaling and that I have a journal for pretty much everything.

You need to go back and listen to the previous episodes in this podcast.

Anyway, there's something magical in writing things down.

So spend time to journal on what you really learned through your last book launch.

Not what went wrong,

but what you've learned. Write down every insight, every aha moment, every piece of feedback you received, every feeling you experienced. You'll see that this isn't just therapy.

It's also market research. It's going to reveal things to you that you wouldn't see unless you write them down and actually put them out in order on paper.

Then take a day to celebrate what you did accomplish,

friend. You wrote a book.

You published it. You put yourself out there. You had faith and courage.

That alone puts you in a category with less than 3% of people who say they want to write a book but never do.

That's not small, friend.

This is significant.

Write it down. Journal it.

Celebrate it.

Take time to celebrate this massive win.

Okay, so now that we've reframed your mindset, let's look at what might actually be blocking your sales. This is the part that You've you're holding out for, right?

So let's talk strategy.

I want you to think like a business owner, not just an author.

Your book is a product,

and like any product that's not selling, you need to figure out why it's not selling, how, and fix it.

There are typically three reasons books don't sell after a launch.

If you've already made sure that your book cover is right for your genre and you've had it professionally designed, and you've made sure you've written the best version of your book, if you know that the content of your book is aligned with God's heart, and you've used a professional editor,

spruced up your blurb, and did all the basic things you meant to do,

then it might be that one, or perhaps all of these next reasons is your issue.

Reason number one Wrong Audience targeting.

You are marketing to people who don't actually buy books like yours.

This is the most common problem I see when coaching other Christian authors. You might have been sharing in general writing groups instead of communities where your ideal readers actually hang out.

Do you know who your ideal reader is?

Is your book in the correct category on Amazon?

Does it have the correct keywords?

Your targeting needs to be laser focused here because it's literally what could be, what's standing in your way.

And if you would like me to do an entire episode on this, let me know by using the send me a message link in the show notes. I'm happy to go into this or any other topic for that matter in more detail, so just shoot me a message and let me know,

okay?

Right. Reason number two is that you might have a weak value proposition.

What does this mean?

It means that in those few seconds of scrolling when readers look at your book,

they couldn't actually quickly enough understand why they needed your book instead of the hundreds of similar books on the shelves next to yours.

Your book might be brilliant,

but if people can't immediately see why it's different or better,

they won't buy it.

Why will they enjoy it?

How will reading your book change them or impact them?

Really think about the benefit it will bring to your readers.

In sales they call this the features and benefits of a product,

and in this case the product is your book.

So figuring out what your book's USP or unique selling proposition is is vital.

You must communicate that message to your readers properly that when they see your book,

they know instantly that it's going to be a page turner or give them a happily ever after ending or keep them in suspense and guessing throughout, or whatever it is that they will experience when reading your book.

Figure it out. And not just the tropes. Figure out the benefit.

How will reading your book transform them or make them feel okay? Reason number three is that you had a no trust building system in place.

People need to know,

like and trust you before they'll spend money on your book.

If you're unknown to the if you're an unknown author and unknown to your audience,

they need a reason to take a chance on you.

Does your author bio reflect who you are and what you stand for?

Do your social media posts help them get to know you?

Your flopped book launch might have nothing to do with your book, but everything to do with how your readers see and experience you online.

Okay, so here's how to diagnose which of these problems you might actually have.

Go back and look at your launched content.

When you announced your book, did you clearly explain who it was for and what specific problem it solved?

If somebody scrolled past your post in three seconds, would they understand why they need your book?

Next, look at where you promoted it.

Were you sharing in groups full of other authors trying to sell their books, or were you reaching people who actually buy and read books in your genre?

If you're writing historical romance novels, promoting it in a group where mostly cosy mystery novels are being sold is not going to necessarily move the needle much.

It's like trying to sell candy in a gym.

You might get the art sale, but it's just not where your ideal buyer hangs out, right?

So finally, ask yourself,

did you build any relationship with your audience before asking them to buy?

Did you provide free value,

shared your expertise,

or give people a reason to trust your recommendations?

Really ask yourself the hard questions and be honest with yourself.

We all love our work and can't find a single reason why someone won't want to read it, right?

But at the end of the day, we are not writing for ourselves, are we?

We are writing for a specific audience,

a specific reader with a preference for a particular genre or trope that brings them joy and satisfaction. And in their reading,

your job is to let them know that your book will give them what they want.

So if you've identified one or more of these gaps, here's what you can do next.

Because the good news, my friend, is that all three of these problems are fixable. There's no problem that you cannot fix. And fixing them will not only help your current book, but set you up for much greater success with the Future Books.

Proverbs 27:14 says plans fail for lack of counsel,

but with many advisors they succeed.

You might want to dedicate a prayer session and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal where you are lacking or needing to improve. This might be a great time to do that.

Who better to ask, right?

You might also want to reach out to other authors and say, hey, what did you do? What is your recipe? What would you mind sharing?

There's no shame in asking. Again, I say it come in on the Facebook group and I think the Facebook group is actually working now. My page was hacked and I'm still still trying to fix it.

But try and get into the Facebook group, ask the other authors, Share ideas I really don't have a problem with you sharing and using the community, the Anointed Scribe Tribe community on Facebook okay, so let's now get tactical.

I'm going to give you a step by step system to revive your book sales and build a sustainable author income.

Step number one is the 90 day content revival.

Instead of trying to sell your book directly,

start sharing content that connects with your readers and showcases your expertise as an author.

The approach depends, of course, on what type of book you've written.

You've written so for nonfiction authors, you can create 90 days worth of valuable content based on your book's key points.

Share practical tips, insights and teachings from your book through blog posts, social media content,

YouTube videos or podcast appearances.

If you're a fiction author, you can share the world behind your story.

Create content about your characters, backstories, the the clothing they're wearing, the research you did, writing process insights, spiritual themes in your work, or devotional thoughts inspired by your story.

Discuss the faith elements that drive your narrative, or share short stories featuring your characters.

You can also share your author journey, writing tips, behind the scenes content, or spiritual insights from your writing process.

The goal is to build trust and demonstrate your expertise,

whether that's in your subject matter or as a storyteller who understands your readers hearts and desires.

The purpose here is to build trust and give people a taste of what they'll get if they buy your book.

Think of it as a generous sampling,

not free giveaways.

Step number two is your lead magnet or reader magnet strategy.

Create a free resource that connects with your ideal readers and gives them a reason to join your email list.

If you're a nonfiction author, create a checklist, a template, mini course or guide that solves a smaller version of the problem your book addresses. If your book is about marriage, offer a seven day communication challenge.

If it's about finances provide a monthly budget starter kit or if you're a fiction author, offer exclusive content that expands your story world. This could be a map, a prequel, short story,

character backstory guide, deleted scenes,

a devotional based on themes from your book, or a reader's discussion guide for your books for book clubs.

You might also create a behind the scenes look at your research process or the spiritual journey that inspired your story.

I've already shared some several times in my books. The music that I was listening to, my playlist that I was listening to while I wrote that book. You'll be surprised how many people actually download that.

Consider creating content around your author expertise.

10 writing tips from a published author or how God speaks through your stories or how God the message God revealed to me while I wrote this book the Faith behind the Fiction There's a million things you can come up with if you just expand your mind and think about things out of the box.

Think Put yourself in the reader's shoes. What would the reader want to know?

But here's the key.

Don't just collect email addresses and then drop the ball.

Provide ongoing value to your readers.

Share insights, answer questions, build relationships. And this might mean sharing snippets of your next book book discussing themes, or creating a community around the spiritual messages in your stories.

Step three is the partnership approach.

Instead of trying to reach everyone,

focus on building relationships with people who already have your ideal audience.

This could be other authors in complementary genres.

Bloggers, podcasters, or online community leaders.

Offer to provide value to their audience. First.

Remember giving starts the receiving process. I've already mentioned that in the few episodes before this give and you will receive. Write guest posts appear on podcasts. Create free resources for their communities.

Build real relationships, not transactional ones.

Consider doing author email swaps through a service like Book Funnel or storyorigin, but make sure you match yourself to an author who writes the same books as you.

The more alike you are, the better.

Step number four is the long tail strategy. Here's what most authors miss.

Your book can keep selling for years if you treat it like a living asset instead of a one time event.

Keep creating content around your book's themes.

Keep building your email list. Keep nurturing relationships.

Keep at it. Be consistent and persistent.

Some of the most successful authors I know make more money from books they published three years ago than from their newest releases because they've consistently marketed those older books.

Step number five the next Book Leverage Start planning your next book now, but do it strategically.

Use the lessons from this Launch this book launch to Write a book that better serves your audience and fits your marketing strategies and strengths.

Then use your next book launch to cross sell your first book.

Many authors find that their second book is what makes their first first book profitable.

The second book brings attention to your author brand and people go back to buy everything you've written.

Now, as we wrap up, I want to make sure you are lived, encouraged and grounded in biblical truth.

So I want you to remember this friend Ecclesiastes 3:1 says to everything there is a season.

Your disappointing book launch is the season of learning.

Now you're entering the season of strategic action.

But here's the thing. The path forward requires both faith and works.

In Galatians 6:9, Paul writes, Let us not become weary in doing good,

for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Honestly, this verse is what keeps me going.

Your book represents doing good.

You wrote it to entertain people or to share your knowledge and to make a positive impact.

The harvest is coming,

but it requires persistent effort,

faithful effort on your part.

Look at how Jesus built his ministry.

He didn't start with massive crowds.

He started with 12 disciples.

Those were His Ark readers.

Those 12 disciples was his launch team, and even they didn't always understand what he was teaching.

He invested deeply in relationships,

served consistently, and trusted that faithful work would produce fruit over time.

Your author journey is similar.

You're not building a get rich quick scheme.

You are building a ministry through your writing.

And ministries are built through consistent service,

genuine relationships, and patient persistence.

The money will come,

the recognition will come,

the impact will come.

But they come as the result of faithful stewardship of the platform God has given you,

not as the reward for a single perfect launch.

Here's what I want you to do after this episode.

First,

choose one strategy from what I shared here today and commit to implementing it for the next 30, 60, or 90 days.

Don't try to do everything at once.

Just pick one area and execute it well.

Second,

if you need help developing your comeback strategy,

remember that you don't have to figure this out alone.

The most successful authors I know invested in learning from people who had already solved the problems they were facing.

Your disappointing book launch isn't the end of your author's story.

It's the beginning of the of your education in building a sustainable writing career.

The authors who make it aren't the ones who got lucky on their first try.

They are the ones who learned from their first try and kept improving.

Your breakthrough is coming.

Stay faithful to the process.

Trust God with a timeline and keep serving your readers well.

The harvest, my friend,

is closer than you might think.

Friend. Before I let you go, I want you to use the send me a message link in the show notes and let me know where you need God to show up for you today so I can pray for you.

It's 100% anonymous. I can't see your name or your email or your phone number. I can't even reply to you. But I. I can read your request and I can pray for you.

So I encourage you to use this feature to send me a private message to let me know what you are struggling with right now so we can come together and take this to the Lord in prayer.

And if you found today's episode helpful, please consider subscribing and leaving a review.

You know firsthand the impact this has on discovery.

So please help me get this show into more listeners ears.

I have a mission and I cannot do it without you.

Oh and if you want more tips outside of this show, sign up to my monthly 5 minute manna emails. The link is in the show notes. Okay, so that's it for today's show.

Thank you for listening. And remember, for such a time as this,

you have been called to thrive as God's anointed scribe.

Sa.