Let’s talk about what one of my clients described as that "icky feeling"—the one that creeps in when you’re about to send a newsletter, schedule a promo, or talk about your book online… and then your brain chimes in:

“Is this really the time? Should I be selling anything right now? Doesn’t this feel gross?”

I’ve been hearing that a lot lately. And I get it. The world feels like is a dumpster fire some days—and in the middle of all that, marketing your book might feel self-indulgent, performative, or, let’s just say it (because one of my clients described it as feeling like this)—audacious.

Last week in a Success Alliance call, we had a really honest conversation about this. And what came out of it—via the voices of the authors at the meeting—was a reminder I think all of us needed:

📌 Marketing your work isn’t selfish. It’s a continuation of the work.

A continuation of your creative work, yes, but also of the truth and justice work.

Books are a form of resistance.

Stories help us imagine better futures.

Fiction—yes, even the cozy, flirty, weird, quiet kind—is how people refill their emotional wells so they can keep going.

So no, you’re not wrong for showing up.

You’re not wrong for wanting your work to be seen, read, and paid for.

You’re not profiting off a crisis—you’re creating during one.

And you deserve to be compensated for the time, labor, and art you’re offering.

I also want to say this directly, because I know some of you need to hear it:

👉 You don’t need to apologize for making money.

You’re allowed to support yourself with your creative work. You’re allowed to earn back what you’ve invested in your books—your editors, your cover designers, your formatter, your coach (hi, that might be me). Your time and creative energy (yes, those are investments. Yes, they're worth something). You’re allowed to fund your career and build toward sustainability.

And maybe this will resonate with you: your financial success doesn’t happen in a vacuum.

It ripples out.

Every time you invest in your work, you’re also supporting other small businesses, other creatives—people just like you (and me!), trying to do meaningful work and make a living doing it.

This isn’t selfish. It’s how creative ecosystems work.

But also let's not forget the intangible impact of your stories. I always tell you to finish the book because someone is waiting for it, someone you don't even know, and I mean that sincerely.

If your story helps one person—someone sitting in a hospital waiting room, someone who hasn’t smiled in a week, someone who just needs to believe in something again, someone who needs an escape—that’s not exploitation. That’s hope. That’s connection. That’s why we do this.

So yes, the world might be is hard right now.

And still—people need stories. They need your story.

And they won’t know about it unless you tell them it exists.

Marketing isn’t a moral failing. It’s an invitation.

You’re not taking advantage—you’re showing up for your readers.

So, please, show up, take up space, shout out about your stories, and help the person who needs them find them—they're waiting, I'm waiting, we're waiting.

Make it easy on us by helping us find it and tell us about it.

In the meantime, just keep writing (and marketing).

~ Angela

PS do you love the image I shared above? That was created by one of my Success Alliance members and is for sale, along with these others, on Zazzle. If you love them, support a fellow creator and download an instant image for $10 (or purchase a notebook)!

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