Are you seizing moments or chasing noise?

“Seize the moments of happiness, love, and be loved. That is the only reality in the world. All else is folly." - Leo Tolstoy

Sep 21, 2025

Tolstoy said the only reality is to grab happiness, love, and connection. Everything else is folly. Swap “happiness” for “impact,” and you’ve got the raw truth about book marketing.

Authors waste years tinkering with Amazon ads, chasing every algorithm update, or copying the latest guru’s “surefire” launch system. And what do they get? Exhaustion, disappointment, and a stack of unsold books.

Here’s the hard truth: readers don’t care about your funnel, your hashtag strategy, or whether you gamed Amazon for two hours of bestseller status. They care about connection. Does your book move them? Does your story stick? Do they feel seen in your words?

The real marketing wins come from seizing opportunities in real time. That speaking engagement you almost declined. The podcast you thought was too small. The LinkedIn post you wrote off as “not worth it.” Those are the moments where connection sparks. Ignore them, and you miss the only reality that matters.

So, what’s your focus right now—connection or folly?

👉 To get practical, let’s move past philosophy. In the paid section, I’ll show you how to seize these moments in ways that sell books, build authority, and expand your ripple effect.

If your book isn’t selling, it’s not the book. It’s the marketing.
Let’s fix that.
If you’re done playing small, click here to brainstorm some simple and practical bookmarketing ideas.

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Paid Section (deeper strategies + examples)

Here’s how to seize the right moments in book marketing without falling into distraction traps:

1. Turn Events into Sales Engines

A speaking engagement is never just a talk. It’s a stage where your book becomes the takeaway.

Example: An author I worked with gave away one chapter as a free PDF to attendees, then offered bulk discounts for companies who wanted to train staff with the full book. She walked out with a five-figure sale instead of just applause.

How to seize the moment: Always plan an offer tied to your book before you walk on stage.

2. Use Small Media to Build Big Authority

Stop chasing CNN and Forbes. That podcast with 500 listeners might feel “too small,” but those listeners are often niche, loyal, and ready to act.

Example: One author booked three guest spots on niche podcasts. Each one brought in fewer than 1,000 listeners. But because the hosts served her exact market, she sold 200+ books and landed two consulting clients.

How to seize the moment: Focus on podcasts, blogs, and communities that reach your readers, even if the audience looks tiny.

3. Anchor Connection Over Tactics

It’s tempting to chase trends—TikTok dances, viral reels, or clever ad hacks. But connection outlives tactics.

Example: An author posted a simple story on LinkedIn about how her book idea came from a client mistake that cost her $25,000. No fancy graphics, no hashtags. The post blew up with comments, drove direct sales, and landed her on three podcasts.

How to seize the moment: Lead with honesty, story, and value. The algorithms reward connection more than tricks.

The bottom line…

Seize the real opportunities—stages, conversations, communities. Forget the noise. As Tolstoy would say, that’s the only reality.

Download “Seizing Moments vs. Chasing Noise Reflection Worksheet”