How to Talk About Your Book

(AKA: How to Share Your Work Without Wanting to Cringe Into the Sun)

If you’ve ever tried to talk about your book and immediately felt like a used car salesperson, welcome to the club. This is one of the hardest parts of being an indie author—not writing the book, but telling people it exists without sounding like you’re begging or bragging.

So how do you promote your book in a way that feels natural, authentic, and not like you’re cornering people at a party?

Let’s break it down.

First, Let’s Reframe What “Salesy” Even Means

The word “salesy” gets tossed around a lot, but half the time it means, “I don’t want to sound pushy or slimy.” And that’s fair — nobody likes being cornered at a party by someone who won’t stop talking about their miracle skin cream.

But “salesy” isn’t about the fact that you’re offering something. It only feels gross when:

The message is pushy and doesn’t respect boundaries.
It’s repetitive to the point of exhaustion.
The spotlight is all on you instead of the reader.
The only goal is to grab money, not to connect.

That’s when people tune out or roll their eyes.

Here’s the good news: you’re not a faceless brand. You’re not a spammy ad sliding into someone’s inbox at midnight. You’re a real person who poured time, energy, and heart into creating something meaningful. Now you’re inviting others to share in it.

So let’s flip the script. Stop thinking like a salesperson trying to “move units.” Start thinking like a friend who just read an amazing book and can’t wait to tell someone about it. Because that’s what you actually are — someone who loves a story enough to share it.

Here’s the thing: when you’re comfortable in your own style and tone, talking about your book stops feeling like a sales pitch and starts feeling like a conversation. Finding Your Writing Voice is a great step toward that confidence — because once you know how you sound on the page, it’s much easier to show up authentically off the page.

Tip #1: Tell a Story, Don’t Just Share a Link

People don’t connect with announcements. They connect with stories.

When you post, “Buy my book, it’s out now!” it might be true, but it doesn’t give anyone a reason to care. It’s a statement, not a connection. Readers scroll right past because it feels like an ad.

Now compare that to sharing the journey behind the book. Suddenly, there’s heart. There’s a human on the other side of the screen.

Instead of a flat “buy my book,” you might say:

“I started this story on my lunch breaks and honestly didn’t think I’d finish it. Two years later, here we are.”
“This book came out of a breakup, two terrible dates, and a playlist I couldn’t stop playing. Somehow it turned into a love story anyway.”
“When I started writing, I had no idea how it would end. Turns out, neither did my characters — they surprised me as much as anyone.”

See the difference? You’re not just dropping a product in someone’s feed. You’re letting them peek into your world. And when people feel invited into a story, they naturally want to lean closer.

Then — and only then — you casually drop the link. Not as the headline, but as the side door. The story builds curiosity and trust first. The link is simply there for anyone who wants to take the next step.

Think about it this way: your book itself is built on story. Why not let your marketing be, too?

Tip #2: Share the Behind-the-Scenes

Readers love to feel like they’re part of your process. So instead of pretending your book came out of thin air perfectly formed, give them a peek at what it took to make it happen.

Some ideas:

What scared you about writing it
What made you laugh while editing
The playlist you made to stay motivated
Your favorite line that almost didn’t make the cut
A deleted scene you kind of miss

These aren’t just marketing ideas. They’re real stories about your creative journey.

Tip #3: Highlight the Reader Experience

Here’s the truth: readers aren’t buying your book because you worked hard on it. They’re buying it because of what it offers them.

That doesn’t mean they don’t care about your effort — they do. But when it comes to picking up a story, people want to know what they’ll get out of the experience. Will they laugh? Cry? Fall in love with a character? Escape into another world for a while?

When you shift your posts from “here’s what I made” to “here’s what you’ll get,” you change the focus from yourself to your reader. And that small switch makes a big difference.

Instead of saying, “I finally finished my book!” (which is a huge accomplishment, but doesn’t tell them why they should read it), try something like:

“If you love slow-burn romance and small-town chaos, this might be your next read.”
“For anyone who’s ever felt stuck, unseen, or like the sidekick in their own life — I wrote this for you.”
“This book is full of bickering witches, buried secrets, and one very bad decision at a bake sale.”

Each of these examples speaks directly to the reader. It offers them a vibe, a feeling, a promise. It says, This is why you might love this story.

Because at the end of the day, you’re not just asking someone to buy a book. You’re inviting them into an experience — one that could make them laugh out loud, gasp in shock, or feel a little less alone.

And that’s so much more powerful than “please buy my book.”

Tip #4: Use Social Proof (Without Sounding Like a Brag)

If someone leaves you a sweet review or sends you a kind message, share it. Just keep your tone humble and human.

Try:

“A reader told me they stayed up all night finishing this book. I cried in the best way.”
“This review made me feel like all the rewriting was worth it.”
“Someone compared my writing to [insert author you love] and I had to lie down.”

Let your readers do some of the talking. Then show up to say thank you.

Tip #5: Mix It In (Don’t Talk About Your Book Every Day)

You’re a whole person, not a product. Let people see that.

Between book posts, share things like:

What you’re reading
Something that inspired a scene
A quote you love
A writing win or frustration
A behind-the-scenes look at your process

You’re building a relationship, not running a campaign. And that connection is what keeps people coming back.

Tip #6: Be Proud (Even If It Feels Weird)

This is the hard part for a lot of writers. It feels awkward to talk about something you made. But you’re allowed to be proud. You’re allowed to want people to read it. You’re allowed to share the thing you worked so hard to finish.

You don’t need to apologize or shrink down or pretend your book is “just a little project.” It’s something you built from scratch, and that’s worth celebrating.

Sharing your book is not bragging. It’s inviting people into something that matters to you. And that’s a beautiful thing.

You don’t have to be a marketing expert to talk about your book. You just need to show up as a real person with something you care about.

Be curious. Be honest. Be generous with your story.

And when someone says, “This sounds good, where can I get it?” be ready to hand them the link—with zero shame and a whole lot of joy.