Before The Bestseller

Today we welcome back Sierra Melcher, a publishing strategist and CEO of Red Thread Books, where she works closely with nonfiction authors to turn their ideas into clear, strategic books that support real business goals. Through her work with a wide range of authors, from niche consultants to experienced professionals, she has developed a reputation for grounding book publishing in practical outcomes rather than abstract visibility.
In this episode, we focused on how to approach book marketing with intention rather than guesswork. Sierra broke down why every strategy should start with a clear goal, whether that is landing clients, speaking on stage, or building authority, and how working backwards from that goal changes every marketing decision. We talked through real examples, including using books as high value business cards at conferences, leveraging relationships and communities to unlock opportunities, and using book seeding through events, swag bags, and platforms like Goodreads to reach the right readers. She also shared practical tactics around Amazon ads for positioning, HARO for visibility, and how small, thoughtful actions can compound when done consistently. We spent time on review strategies, including launch teams, reducing friction for reviewers, and reframing reviews as social proof rather than vanity metrics.
If you’ve been circling the question of what actually moves a book forward once it’s published, this episode answers it in a grounded way. You’ll hear how the work shifts from big, one-time pushes to small, repeatable actions that put your book in the right rooms, in front of the right people, at the right time.
Check out redthreadbooks.com and book a call with Sierra to explore your next steps.
If you want to learn alongside other authors and see how people are actually doing this in real time, you can check out Sierra’s “Write Your Book 📚” community on https://www.skool.com/writeyourbook/about
Check out Sierra Melcher’s books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B085LM5WZR?ingress=0&visitId=f4d1c214-e885-4492-9e95-02549234e12d&ref_=aufs_ap_ahdr_dsk_ab

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Our special guest for today is Sierra Melcher, CEO of Red Thread Publishing, who has guided over 350 authors across 28 countries to write and publish meaningful nonfiction that actually serves a purpose beyond just being a book. With deep experience across hybrid publishing and hands-on work with authors at every stage, she has built a reputation for helping writers create books that are intentional, reader-focused, and aligned with real outcomes.
In this episode, we explore how publishing is evolving and why most authors are still approaching it the wrong way. Sierra shares how she helps authors clarify what their book is really about, who it is actually for, and why shorter, simpler books often outperform longer ones. We also get into a different way of thinking about your reader, one that goes beyond surface-level targeting, and a practical exercise she uses to help authors reconnect with the people who need their message. On the marketing side, we talk through a few real-world examples that show how small, intentional moves can outperform scattered effort.
Tune in to hear how Sierra thinks through choosing the right publishing path, defining your reader beyond surface-level demographics, building a book that actually gets read, and using targeted strategies like events, giveaways, and reviews to get your book into the hands of the right people.
Check out redthreadbooks.com and book a call with Sierra to explore your next steps.
Check out Sierra Melcher’s books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B085LM5WZR?ingress=0&visitId=f4d1c214-e885-4492-9e95-02549234e12d&ref_=aufs_ap_ahdr_dsk_ab
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Take a second to follow, review, or share this with someone who might find it useful. Your support helps more people discover the show.
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Get the popular weekly book marketing 3-2-1 and get access to our $299 Amazon Ads course when you subscribe to our newsletter here:  https://getshelflife.com/category/newsletter/
Head to our new website for more content and updates.: www.getshelflife.com
If you're interested in connecting further or have any questions, feel free to email me at [email protected]

Nir Eyal is back on Before the Bestseller, the bestselling author behind Hooked, Indistractable, and his newest book Beyond Belief. Known for his work on behavioral design and habit forming technology, Nir has spent years studying how habits, attention, and human psychology influence the way people interact with products and ideas. His books have sold more than a million copies worldwide, and his journey from originally self publishing Hooked to later working with traditional publishers has given him a rare perspective on both writing and marketing books.
In this episode, we focus on how Nir is launching Beyond Belief and what he has learned from publishing three very different books. He explains why he chose to work with a traditional publisher again and reflects on how Hooked was first self published before being picked up by a major publisher after it began gaining traction. That experience leads into a broader discussion about one of the biggest misconceptions in publishing, which is the belief that signing with a publisher means the marketing work is finished. Nir explains why he believes the author is responsible for selling the first wave of copies and why the real marketing effort begins once the manuscript is done. From there, he walks through the specific tactics he and his team are focusing on for this launch, including newsletter outreach, podcast appearances, email list strategy, preorder incentives such as a reader book club, and new experiments with Amazon ads. He also shares what he is doing less of this time around, particularly relying on social media, and why building an email list and genuine relationships with other authors continues to matter far more than chasing follower counts.
Tune in to hear how Nir approaches the realities of launching a book today and what it actually takes to get a thoughtful book into the hands of readers.
Grab your copy of Beyond Belief here: https://a.co/d/00HkuNro
Download the 30-Day Belief Transformation Journal here: https://www.nirandfar.com
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Take a second to follow, review, or share this with someone who might find it useful. Your support helps more people discover the show.
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Get the popular weekly book marketing 3-2-1 and get access to our $299 Amazon Ads course when you subscribe to our newsletter here: https://getshelflife.com/category/newsletter/
Head to our new website for more content and updates.: www.getshelflife.com
If you're interested in connecting further or have any questions, feel free to email me at [email protected]

Today’s guest is someone many of you already know. If you’ve read Hooked or Indistractable, you already know his work has shaped how millions of people think about habits, technology, and behavior. Nir Eyal is a globally recognized authority on behavior change and human potential. His books have sold over a million copies, been translated into more than thirty languages, and his work on behavior design has influenced teams and organizations around the world. He is also a former lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. In this episode of Before the Bestseller, I’m excited to welcome Nir back to the show to talk about his latest book, Beyond Belief.
In our conversation, we dig into the moment that sparked the book and why so many people understand advice but still struggle to act on it. Nir walks through the idea of the motivation triangle, the difference between facts, faith, and beliefs, and why he believes beliefs should be treated as tools rather than truths. We also talk about the rat experiment that reshaped his thinking about persistence, the hidden power of limiting beliefs, how expectations influence our experiences as customers and readers, and the surprising psychological benefits of practices like prayer. Along the way, we explore how beliefs shape relationships, perception, decision making, and even the way we interpret everyday situations.
Tune in to hear how Nir thinks about belief, persistence, and the hidden assumptions that quietly shape our decisions, because sometimes the most important shift is not learning something new, but realizing the story you have been telling yourself might not be the only one available.
Grab your copy of Beyond Belief here: https://a.co/d/00HkuNro
Download the 30-Day Belief Transformation Journal here: https://www.nirandfar.com
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Take a second to follow, review, or share this with someone who might find it useful. Your support helps more people discover the show.
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Get the popular weekly book marketing 3-2-1 and get access to our $299 Amazon Ads course when you subscribe to our newsletter here:  https://getshelflife.com/category/newsletter/
Head to our new website for more content and updates.: www.getshelflife.com
If you're interested in connecting further or have any questions, feel free to email me at [email protected]

We’re back with Patrick Taylor, also known as the Texas Yeti, adventurer and author of a five book series that includes Lost on Purpose and its bestselling prequel in solo and adventure travel categories. To date, he has sold more than 30,000 books and earned over 4,000 ratings, building a loyal readership that continues to support every release. He may not call himself a bestseller, but his numbers and engagement tell a deeper story about sustainable growth.
In this episode, Patrick breaks down what it actually looked like to build that audience from the ground up. From traveling to art festivals and gun shows to personally seeding hundreds of copies, he explains how early hustle translated into long term readers. We talk about the turning point in 2019 when Amazon ads shifted his sales curve, how he tracks royalties, ad performance, and net profit through detailed spreadsheets, and why understanding the halo effect changed the way he views advertising results. We also get into reader magnets, his monthly newsletter called The Occasional, limited ROI from social media, rising ad costs, using ChatGPT to analyze reviews, and why authenticity may be the most valuable advantage in a crowded market.
Tune in to hear how Patrick approaches growth, advertising, and audience building without relying on shortcuts.
Check out Lost on Purpose here: https://a.co/d/02qRffUu
Discover more on Patrick’s website at texasyetibooks.com
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Take a second to follow, review, or share this with someone who might find it useful. Your support helps more people discover the show.
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Get the popular weekly book marketing 3-2-1 and get access to our $299 Amazon Ads course when you subscribe to our newsletter here:  https://getshelflife.com/category/newsletter/
Head to our new website for more content and updates.: www.getshelflife.com
If you're interested in connecting further or have any questions, feel free to email me at [email protected]