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Spotlight on Marketing
Writer’s Digest
|July/August 2025
Marketing is as individual to the indie author as their books are. Marketing is the way that you get in front of your readers, gain a dedicated following, and create a lasting connection with people.
Unlike large publishers, who often have a team of people in charge of these details, most indie authors are the ones making the strategic decisions.
“My email list is my number one marketing tool,” says Roland Denzel (Man on Top; The Author Brain). “I offer free content that's directly related to what my ideal reader would like. Once they join my list, I can email them about all of my books ... I can also tell them about my courses, coaching, and events.”
Horror author David Viergutz (“Scaremail”; Not Okay) agrees, saying that connection is his number one marketing priority. “I look for opportunities to humanize myself to readers ... I host ‘The Nightmare Engine Podcast’ where I bring on another horror author, and we talk ... about what readers find interesting. It helps them relate to me and keeps me top of mind for when something new comes their way.”
Mel Walker (
This story is from the July/August 2025 edition of Writer’s Digest.
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