How To Write A Best-Selling Series, Bonus Tip: Loss Leader

[@MetalGildarts]

This whole series has been super helpful! Thanks Sarra!

[@NTE.Stream]

I haven't had the chance to watch through all of your amazingly helpful videos yet, but I would absolutely be interested in a video or multiple videos on places where you could advertise your books. Thank you as always for all your guidance and incredibly concise advice! It's wonderful.

[@vanessammiller3436]

Your hair is to die for here. Love love love it. Gonna copy it. I also have a bob and can totally pull it off.

[@shanayawagh2552]

Hi Sarra. I love your videos and I think I’ve watched most of them. Thank you for your tips. I’ve learnt how to plot better, edit better and of course understood this concept of an anchor series. You’ve saved me from starting off as a new writer with two different series. And now this concept of not pricing your first book as permafree as a newbie is very helpful. Thanks once again!

[@ZjTwams]

Hello from the future! thank you for such tremendous and useful advice, it's so appreciated. I'm a bit crazy, and am planning a 24 book series, split into two acts, and I can't wait to put this advice to good use. Yay! :D

[@vivianworden]

More of this please.

[@HeartBreathings]

I hope you guys have enjoyed these tips on writing and marketing a best-selling series. Let me know what types of content you'd like to see in April!

[@xurshidbro3670]

Heart Breathings Hi! Please, tell me how I can make my book free? How? Thanks in advance.

[@aprilteesdale3146]

Would love to hear more about where to advertise.

[@authorchristinabutrum]

Would love to hear more about ads and newsletter building! Thank you for posting these videos!

[@christyjohnson1799]

I love how you share all this knowledge. You actually know* what you're talking about. The series I'm writing now I plan to make 6 books and then there could be a spin off later. I actually thought of the 'spin off' first but then when I went into that character's backstory, I had to write the current series first. Can you do a video on building a newsletter before you've published?

[@HeartBreathings]

Christy Johnson So glad you're enjoying them so far!! I didn't start my newsletter until two years into my career, so I don't have a ton of experience with building it up before you publish, but I do have a few ideas that come to mind as to how you could start building and keep the list engaged before your first book comes out! Thanks for commenting!

[@christyjohnson1799]

Heart Breathings Thank you for responding! And that'd be helpful. I'm looking forward to the time management board video. I'm fascinated by things like that.

[@amazingrace81]

Good advice

[@sdjohnsononyoutube]

I like that you mentioned time as people's most valuable resource & that one's book is comparable to Netflix, KZbin, or family outings. It's something to keep in mind.

[@joannag.holden4465]

Would love to see videos on how to do ads, especially on a budget - using the best sites, finding you target audience with them, etc.

[@Bibliophile1686]

I love this series on how to write a best-selling series so much! You offer so many practical steps that people can take. Thank you for sharing what you've learned!

[@ericareeder1494]

I would love to see a video on where to advertise.

[@morningmayan]

me too:)

[@isadorafelix2219]

yes please it's mt biggest issue

[@lynnbalabanos7092]

I would love to see a video about marketing and advertising! :)

[@stephanieperry4714]

Thank you Sarra. This was really helpful. I was thinking of making book 1 free permanently, but thanks to you I'm gonna consider raising and dropping the price like you recommended until the series is more filled out. :) Your lip balm analogy was right on! I bought a sample hair product just because it was cheap and why not? Now it's my holy grail for styling. I get it!

[@michellecornish]

Sarra, you're videos are so refreshing! I appreciate your transparency and smart business sense. Thank you for sharing!! 😊💖

[@HeartBreathings]

Thank you Michelle! That means a lot!

[@JackJuliet]

Hi Sarra! I am binge watching as many videos as I can before our welcome call in HB90 on Thursday! This series was amazing. You have NO IDEA how much you have taught me already about focus and strategy. I can't wait for HB90 to learn even more! My request for future videos definitely includes anything and everything on marketing , book launching, editing and publishing (when possible, showing us exactly what you do, if that's not too nosy!). You're amazing! Thank you for everything you do! ~Jack Juliet 💗💗💗💗

[@railandis15]

Yes would love to see the marketing stuff

[@DianeZiomek]

I have been releasing a new novella in my series every couple months, and never thought of setting the first one to 99 cents with each new release. I will be following this strategy from this point forward, with the rest of this series and others. Thank you so much for the tip; gaining new readers is what it’s all about, isn’t it? 🙂

[@wesfst]

Yes, I would love to hear about good places to advertise. I thoroughly enjoy your videos and your presentation, and it is also very nice that you keep your videos clean.

[@jonathanbuyck2031]

I heard a guy recommend embedding a share button in your ebook. That could get tons of readers.. don't know if it's possible though

[@AuthorBrittanyWang]

I just binge watched this series and it's AWESOME!! I've been focusing so much on the writing of the series but haven't thought about all these great branding and marketing tips that I should be thinking about now. Thanks so much for sharing all this Sarra!!

[@joannaholden943]

VIDEO REQUEST!!! Can you do a beginner's guide to how to market your book/get it in front of readers online? I am an avid writer but literally know NOTHING when it comes to business and marketing, and I feel so lost but I want to self publish so badly!

[@whiskeyblack806]

I'd LOVE to see more vids in this series about everything you've mentioned doing possible vids on, lol. I'd also LOVE to see a video about how you do your book launches & tips for release parties

[@eileenomosa5406]

Thank you for the detailed information on writing a bestseller series. I wish I had come across you earlier - I have seven books in three series, I would be far if the books were in one series. With your advise, I will now focus on one. Thanks

[@CaraMoulds1]

Loving all of your videos. Would love to see a video on how you plot.

[@michaelaufford3367]

What would be your thoughts on having all of the books written in the series, or at least the first draft of each one done before marketing and publishing the first book. I've been thinking about building up a series that way. To relieve some of the stress of getting books out quickly. Also, when you plan on doing a certain amount of books in a series, do you outline the whole of the series? Or do you just see where it takes you book by book? I'm terrified of having the first book or couple books done, and then hitting a major block and not knowing where to go from there..

[@Eyeneedcash]

Hello there, my strategy is to write three books per year for my book series. And for each book put a Spanish translation, an audiobook, and a book in paperback. So that pretty much 12 products per year from three books. Once I start making more money I will make translations in other languages. What do you think about that?

[@jenniferrux7722]

Your tips and knowledge is so helpful. Thank you for doing this for us.

[@RhiDElton]

This video got me so excited! I think it's my favourite one yet :)

[@Vickynger]

this was so interestinggggg! ive got so much to learn about marketing... thanks for helping me do that :D

[@thewrestlingchick-tamara]

Love this 🤘 I'm working on that series now lol. I'm doing something a bit different with my debut series which will be done as a Novel and Comic Book versions.

[@isadorafelix2219]

Thank you very much, I've watched every video!

[@jenniferrux7722]

I would love to see video's about how to use ads.

[@HildieMcQueen]

Loved this video! Great ideas and pointers. I'd love to hear about time management

[@HeartBreathings]

Hildie McQueen Thanks, Hildie!! I'll definitely be talking a lot about that coming up in my 90 day plan video!

[@Aliciaa1155]

Hi Sarra. I would love to hear more about where to advertise sales of book and marketing. Also any ideas and advise on newsletters and starting to build a list. Thanks for all your advice.

[@HeartBreathings]

Alicia Coleman Great! Thank you for the suggestions!! That is a huge help to know what types of videos you all want to see.

[@oldpalmarcus]

Seconded! I'd like to hear about all these things.

[@HeartBreathings]

marcus132 Awesome, thanks for commenting!!

[@cgelmore488]

What do you think about KU? Should book number one (and/or the others-) be on KU?

[@juliemichaud3955]

Omg you’re amazing

[@kdjonesflute]

These videos are great, Sarra! Thanks again for sharing your wisdom with us. I thought of a marketing topic. (Well, I guess these are two topics.) 1) How do you go about building your platform on vendors other than Amazon, such as Kobo, B&N, Apple, etc.? I've heard getting visibility on those platforms means dealing more with merchandising through their special "merchandising teams" or whatever they're called. And 2) Do you have any strategies for gaining visibility in different parts of the world? English is a widely-spoken language. Do you have any advice for growing your audience in other English-speaking countries such as, say, Australia or Canada? (I've also heard Kobo is bigger in Canada than Amazon, but maybe that's changed?) Would love to hear your thoughts. ^_^

[@HeartBreathings]

kdjonesflute thank you for the suggestions! It sounds like you already know a lot about the topic, but I would love to expand on it. I'm adding all the suggestions to my list! Thanks;

[@kdjonesflute]

I know a *little* bit about them, based off things I've read, but I don't have any personal experience with either topic yet. =(

[@razanzantout9830]

Hey Sarra! Your advice is amazing; thank you for sharing it with us. I just have a question. Did you planfrom the start that you were to write a certain amount of books for your series? Or is it after finishing one, you think it would be a good idea to write another?

[@HeartBreathings]

Great question! So, I originally planned for the series to be a trilogy, but as I got into the third book, I realized there was so much more story to tell. Almost every book of mine ends on a cliffhanger, so I know while I'm writing it that I'm setting it up for another book. At this point, though, I know there will be 12 books total in the series, so I'm already planning how I will bring the series to an end. When I'm starting a new series, I go in with a general idea of how big the story will be, but I try to stay open to the creative flow of the story. I definitely always know before I end a book of there will be more coming, though!

[@razanzantout9830]

Heart Breathings Thank you so much for answering my question! This really helped :)

[@melodine707]

Did you ever do a video on what you mention about how to know what's best of my ideas to write?

[@HeartBreathings]

No, but I've had several requests so this is a video on my list for August!! Coming soon!

[@melodine707]

@@HeartBreathings oh, girl....you're a rockstar! Baby girl first and foremost. So much love and respect for all you do.

[@michellecornish]

Argh, Mercury Retrograde!!

[@melodine707]

Yeah, watch that Mercury in retrograde thing...it's real.