S1 E1 - My First Book Was A Complete Flop!!

Every author dreams of their first book being a smashing success… but what happens when it’s more of a tumbleweed moment on Amazon?

In this episode, Veronica gets real about her very first book — the one that went absolutely nowhere — and how that “failure” became the foundation for everything that came after. She shares the hard lessons, the honest truths, and the exact steps she took to turn things around and go from flop to Amazon bestselling author of ten books (and counting).

If you’ve ever felt embarrassed about your early writing, frustrated by lack of sales, or tempted to quit before you’ve even begun — this one’s for you. You’ll walk away with perspective, encouragement, and practical tips to turn your writing setbacks into your greatest success story.

Because sometimes, the best beginnings come disguised as flops.

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A Personal Note from Veronica 💛

Thank you so much for listening to From Writer to Author! Your support truly means the world to me. Every episode takes time, creativity, and a lot of coffee—and your contributions help me keep the podcast ad-free, upgrade my recording tools, and continue bringing you practical advice, inspiration, and insider tips to help you write, publish, and grow as an author.

When you support the show, you’re not just helping me—you’re helping writers everywhere get the encouragement and guidance they need to finally finish their books and share their stories with the world. So from the bottom of my writerly heart—thank you for being part of this journey and for helping me keep the conversation (and creativity) going!

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Transcript

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Veronica G. 0:02

Hey there and welcome to From Writer to Author the Podcast. I'm your host, Veronica G, and if you've ever dreamt of writing a book but weren't sure how to actually get it there, or you've started one and feel stuck somewhere between chapter one and what was I thinking, you're in the right place. You're listening to From Writer to Author the Podcast, where we turn your writing dreams into published reality. Every Monday I'm here to share real actionable advice drawn from my own journey on how to write, publish, and sell your book without getting lost in the overwhelm, the self-doubt, and the endless should I, shouldn't I spiral. And today we're diving into a story that's very near and dear to my heart. And also a little mortifying. I'm going to tell you about my very first book. The one that completely flopped. Yeah, it sold nine copies. Nine! And one of those was probably my mom. Another one I found out years later was my now husband. And I'm also pretty sure one of those was me testing the checkout process on Amazon. So yeah. Anyway, back in 2015 I published my first book. It was called Making Your Business a Social Media Superstar. Fancy title, right? The problem? It was basically doomed from the start. Here's the truth. I wrote that book for a friend who didn't know how to set up a social media account. I thought, hey, why not turn this into a book? And I did. I poured at least a year or two of my life into it because of course writing a book takes forever, even when you're passionate about the topic. Or at least you think you are. But here's the kicker. I wasn't really passionate about being a social media manager anymore. I didn't research what readers actually needed. I didn't plan a marketing strategy, and I had zero clue about reviews, which, spoiler alert, are hugely influential in getting anyone to buy your book. So I hit publish on Amazon, sat back, and waited for the sales to roll in. Well, spoiler alert, they didn't. Nine sales, zero reviews, no visibility. My cover was probably the only thing remotely professional looking. And honestly, I was disappointed. I had invested so much time and effort, and yet it felt like all that energy vanished into the void. It took me about six months to really realize something. Writing a book and putting it on Amazon does not equal sales. I had checked off the write a book bucket list item, and then I basically said to myself, okay, maybe I'm not meant to be an author. And I went on my merry way. Looking back, I can pinpoint the top three mistakes that led to that flop. Mistake number one, I had no plan for promoting the book. I literally put it online and hoped people would magically find it. Newsflash, they didn't. Mistake number two, I had no idea how to get reviews or how critical they are. Reviews aren't just nice to have, they influence sales and credibility. Mistake number three, I wrote for myself, not for the reader. I thought, this is what I know, rather than asking, what problems are people trying to solve? What solutions are they looking for? I was thinking me instead of them. And while all this sounds, well, embarrassing, it was also a massive learning opportunity. Fast forward a few years, and here's what that flop taught me. One, know your audience. Research what people are searching for, what problems they need solved, and tailor your book to meet those needs. It's great to be passionate about a subject and write a book about it. But if no one's asking for it, it's not going to do well. Number two, have a marketing plan from the start. Even a great book won't sell itself. Think about promotions, email lists, social media, partnerships, the works. No one can find your book if you don't make an effort to put it in front of their faces, by whatever means you can. Three, books are part of a bigger business. Unless you're a household name, you're probably not going to become a millionaire from book sales alone. You need to use your books as a way to build your platform, authority, and audience. Those are the building blocks for creating a business that has the possibility of supporting you financially. After taking a few courses from a respected author and coach, I finally understood the system behind writing, publishing, and marketing a book effectively. I also, after a few stumbling moments, realized that you actually have to take action on everything you learn as well. Knowledge alone will not change anything. Action is what puts the plan in motion. Fast forward to today, currently, at the time of this recording, I've self-published 10 books, including that 2015 flop. Six of them have hit multiple Amazon bestseller lists, two went international, and my newest release reached number two on several lists days after it dropped, even before its official launch, which will come later this month. Not only has my income improved, with monthly royalties climbing from zero per month at the beginning of this year to over 250 a month and growing currently. But my confidence, clarity, and sense of purpose have skyrocketed also. I'm an actual author now, and no one can say otherwise. And the best part, my email list grew from zero to over 1,100 subscribers in under a year. These are real readers, real fans, real connections. Built because I learned from my mistakes and followed a proven system. Here's what I want you to remember. Especially if you're sitting there thinking, what if my book flops? Your first book might not be a bestseller. It might not sell at all. But that's not failure. It's feedback. Every flop or failure teaches you exactly what you need to know to do better next time. The difference between giving up and becoming an author is simple. Authors learn, adjust, and keep moving forward. And I can promise you this the lessons you learn from that first failure will shape every success that follows. And you will have successes. You just have to keep showing up and doing the work. Now, before we wrap up this episode, I want to invite you to join my From Writer to Author newsletter. It's completely free and packed with encouragement, insider tips, and strategies to help you move confidently from dreamer to published author. You can sign up right now at www.goldspielcreativeenterprises.com or by clicking the link in the show notes below. Next week on From Writer to Author, we'll talk about what it truly means to write a book. The difference between dabbling and committing, and why this journey is worth it, even when it feels like no one is noticing your work. So join me next Monday and let's discover what really means to be an author in episode two called So You Wanna Write a Book? Let's talk about what that really means. Thanks for listening to From Writer to Author the Podcast. I'm Veronica G, reminding you that every author starts somewhere, and your somewhere could start today.