Adapted from my recent conversation with the Team O community. Questions have been reframed and my responses edited and condensed for clarity.
For many authors, making The New York Times bestseller list feels like the ultimate validation. But what happens after launch week, and what if the accolade never comes?
As an agent, I encourage writers to focus on something else: how can this book build a readership, a body of work, and a career that lasts?
I sat down with the Team O community to talk through exactly that: why relationships are an underrated part of your platform, how to approach pre-orders, and why your book’s launch is only the beginning. Here’s what I shared.
When an author tells you they want to be a New York Times bestseller, what do you ask first?
Lucinda: Why is that the goal?
Almost every author I work with wants to be a New York Times bestseller. I understand the ambition. But pursuing that goal can require an enormous investment of money, time, and energy—and it’s hugely competitive.
As agents and publishers, we’re also thinking about long-term sales. How does the book sell week to week? Does it become a strong backlist title? What kind of career is the author building?
If your goal is to make a career as an author, your publisher is going to care deeply about how your books sell over time, not simply whether you hit a list during launch.
If a bestseller campaign isn’t the right investment, where should authors put their energy?
Lucinda: I would look at Amazon ads, podcasts, your network, and reader reviews.
I’m not an Amazon advertising expert, but I’ve seen authors find a meaningful return there. Podcasts are another way to help readers get to know the person behind the work.
Your network may be the most underrated part of your platform. People hear that they need millions of social media followers. But who do you already know who has a megaphone? Who could share your book in a newsletter, invite you onto a podcast, or introduce your ideas to an audience?
And don’t lose sight of reviews. Authors can become so focused on what their publicity team hasn’t done that they overlook the social proof readers see when they’re deciding whether to buy.
How can authors make a pre-order announcement more effective?
Lucinda: Give people a reason to act—and don’t make the announcement alone.
Rather than, “please pre-order my book,” consider what useful value you can give them immediately: a PDF, access to a webinar, or special material connected to the book. The incentive needs to fit your audience; it isn’t a magic formula.
Then be deliberate about involving your network. Before you announce, reach out to your most connected and supportive contacts. Tell them what you’re planning and ask whether they’d be willing to share it.
Should writers save their best podcast opportunities for launch?
Lucinda: Not necessarily. Be discerning, but I wouldn’t turn down an excellent opportunity two years before publication simply because you’re worried about “using up” the outlet.
You’re building an audience and a relationship. Someone who hears you early may feel they’ve been on the journey with you when the book arrives.
Go on the podcast, have a great conversation, and keep the connection warm. Tell the host you’d love to return when the book comes out. A previous appearance can also give you credibility when you’re approaching other outlets.
What should authors expect after the initial launch window?
Lucinda: Unless media requests and momentum keep coming, the publisher’s concentrated attention may begin to fade after those first couple of weeks.
That doesn’t mean you stop. It means you need to keep your team informed about what you’re doing.
Rather than only asking, “What happened with that media pitch?” tell them: “Here’s the speaking engagement I’ve lined up. Here’s the article I’m placing. Here’s what’s coming next.”
Those updates give your publicity, sales, and rights teams something to work with. Authors sometimes go quiet because they’re disappointed or assume the publisher doesn’t need to know. But your continued activity matters. Share it.
How do you choose between speaking, social media, articles, and a newsletter?
Lucinda: Start with what you love and what feels authentic.
I don’t like telling someone to become a social media star if that’s not what interests them. If you want to write, write. Substack, op-eds, and articles can introduce new readers to your ideas and your book. If you’re a speaker or presenter, try for in-person events or a podcast, or simply record yourself and start posting.
Above all, choose work you can keep doing. That’s how you give the book more opportunities to find its audience.
What does a lasting author career look like to you?
Lucinda: I think about a book within a larger career, business, or mission.
What’s your message? What are you doing that’s distinctive in the world and needs to be seen? How are you getting that across?
The deal is exciting, but the relationship is what I’m in it for. I want to be thinking with authors well past their launches. A bestseller list can be a wonderful milestone. But the larger work is building a career that continues beyond it.
Let’s keep adding to your career together, in Florence
In my experience, a lasting career doesn’t begin on launch day. It begins when you know what your book is, who it’s for, and what makes your voice distinct. And it grows through relationships with people who can help you get there.
That’s the work I want to do with you at the Manuscript Momentum Retreat. For five days in Florence, we’ll workshop your pages together, sharpen your pitch, and start thinking about the career your book can anchor, alongside eleven other writers who share your ambition.
Ready to claim your seat? Head to lucindaliterary.com/italy to learn more.
The bestseller list is one milestone. Your career is the bigger story, and Florence is a beautiful place to keep writing it.
