Most Authors Want Sales. The Smart Ones Want This. episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 2, 2026 · 31 MIN

Most Authors Want Sales. The Smart Ones Want This.

from Behind the Book Cover · host Anna David

If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Steve Sarner spent eight years at Amazon and was VP of sales at Goodreads, which means he understands something most authors don’t:Book sales are not the point.What Steve focuses on now is something I think more people should be talking about: not selling books, but seeding them—that is, getting them into the hands of the exact people who can turn them into something bigger.This, you could say, is my obsession.We get into:How many books you actually need “out in the wild” before anything starts workingWhy giving your book away can be more valuable than selling itHow books turn into $10,000+ clients (and the rough math behind that)The surprising places he’s putting books—from niche events to inside massive companiesWhy reviews matter…even though getting them is borderline impossibleThere’s also a story about someone finding their company through AI, requesting the book, reading it and becoming a client—which is basically the entire thesis in action.Find out more about the company where Steve works, ShelfLife, here.Sign up for ShelfLife’s 3-2-1 newsletter here.Want to know more about my company? Legacy Launch Pad Publishing is a boutique hybrid publisher for entrepreneurs and established founders. We help clients create books that build authority, attract opportunities and grow businesses. More info 👉 https://www.legacylaunchpadpub.comCurious how entrepreneurs use books to generate seven-figure returns, speaking opportunities and high-value clients? 👉 https://www.legacylaunchpadpub.com/7-figuresInterested in working with a selective hybrid publisher that focuses on strategy, authority and long-term business growth—not just publishing a book? 👉 https://www.legacylaunchpadpub.com/applyWant to get my book that breaks down 30 years of experience and hundreds of interviews with publishing experts and authors—newly updated for 2026? (You can even ask the book questions. [Really!])  👉 https://www.legacylaunchpadpub.com/good-authority-bookAnd if you just want to know more about me,  👉 www.annadavid.comRemember, if there's anyone in your life whose wisdom you deeply admire, or who you know could be considered an authority in their field if they were better known, share this show with them. 

If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Steve Sarner spent eight years at Amazon and was VP of sales at Goodreads, which means he understands something most authors don’t:Book sales are not the point.What Steve focuses on now is something I think more people should be talking about: not selling books, but seeding them—that is, getting them into the hands of the exact people who can turn them into something bigger.This, you could say, is my obsession.We get into:How many books you actually need “out in the wild” before anything starts workingWhy giving your book away can be more valuable than selling itHow books turn into $10,000+ clients (and the rough math behind that)The surprising places he’s putting books—from niche events to inside massive companiesWhy reviews matter…even though getting them is borderline impossibleThere’s also a story about someone finding their company through AI, requesting the book, reading it and becoming a client—which is basically the entire thesis in action.Find out more about the company where Steve works, ShelfLife, here.Sign up for ShelfLife’s 3-2-1 newsletter here.Want to know more about my company? Legacy Launch Pad Publishing is a boutique hybrid publisher for entrepreneurs and established founders. We help clients create books that build authority, attract opportunities and grow businesses. More info 👉 https://www.legacylaunchpadpub.comCurious how entrepreneurs use books to generate seven-figure returns, speaking opportunities and high-value clients? 👉 https://www.legacylaunchpadpub.com/7-figuresInterested in working with a selective hybrid publisher that focuses on strategy, authority and long-term business growth—not just publishing a book? 👉 https://www.legacylaunchpadpub.com/applyWant to get my book that breaks down 30 years of experience and hundreds of interviews with publishing experts and authors—newly updated for 2026? (You can even ask the book questions. [Really!])  👉 https://www.legacylaunchpadpub.com/good-authority-bookAnd if you just want to know more about me,  👉 www.annadavid.comRemember, if there's anyone in your life whose wisdom you deeply admire, or who you know could be considered an authority in their field if they were better known, share this show with them.

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Most Authors Want Sales. The Smart Ones Want This.

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If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you...

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