Why should authors sell books directly from their own website?

Selling directly allows you to keep substantially more of each sale, own the customer relationship, and control the entire purchasing experience instead of relying on third-party retailers.

Do I need to know how to build a website to sell books directly?

No. Author-focused platforms like Tertulia provide professionally designed websites with built-in ecommerce, so you can start selling without technical expertise.

Can email marketing really help me sell more books?

Absolutely. An email list gives you a direct line to your readers, making it easy to announce new releases, promotions, and updates that drive repeat sales—just as Michael experienced with his newsletter.

Author success story

What's the easiest way to sell my books online without building a website myself?

Southern fiction author Michael Banks used Tertulia to build an author website where readers can buy directly from him instead of relying on retailers. Selling from his storefront lets him keep more of each sale, control the buying experience, and spend more time writing instead of managing website technology.

Author at a glance

Michael Banks

Southern Fiction
Literary Fiction

authormichaelbanks.com

The Situation

Rather than sending readers to third-party retailers, Michael Banks created a professional website with a built-in bookstore where he could sell directly and also provide external retail links. He consolidated his author business with ecommerce and email content/marketing all in one place with Tertulia.

Why This Strategy Works

Michael Banks was able to reap higher margins, greater control over order quality and customer experience, and launch an integrated newsletter that helps turn readers into repeat customers—all without having to build or maintain a website from scratch.

How They Use Tertulia

Website
Blog
Direct Sales
Email Marketing

In Their Own Words

“In the first month since going Pro, I've sold copies of my debut novel directly—most of those spurred on by a newsletter. Those 200 followers are asking, 'When's the next book? We need it!' Thanks to Tertulia, my time is now spent writing the next big novel, not worrying about website creation.”

Michael Banks

Southern Fiction, Literary Fiction

Key Takeaways for Authors

Sell directly whenever possible to keep more of the revenue from every book sale.
Build an email list so every new release reaches readers who already love your work.
Choose a platform that handles the technical details so you can spend your time writing instead of managing a website.

Michael Banks's author website, built with Tertulia

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should authors sell books directly from their own website?
Selling directly allows you to keep substantially more of each sale, own the customer relationship, and control the entire purchasing experience instead of relying on third-party retailers.
Do I need to know how to build a website to sell books directly?
No. Author-focused platforms like Tertulia provide professionally designed websites with built-in ecommerce, so you can start selling without technical expertise.
Can email marketing really help me sell more books?
Absolutely. An email list gives you a direct line to your readers, making it easy to announce new releases, promotions, and updates that drive repeat sales—just as Michael experienced with his newsletter.

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