# Most Authors Want Sales. The Smart Ones Want This.

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/behind-the-book-cover-737349/most-authors-want-sales-the-smart-ones-want-this
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/behind-the-book-cover-737349/most-authors-want-sales-the-smart-ones-want-this.md
Podcast: [Behind the Book Cover](https://stenobird.com/podcast/behind-the-book-cover-737349)
Published: 2026-06-02T00:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://share.transistor.fm/s/f26ac18e
Audio file: https://media.transistor.fm/f26ac18e/c2cbb990.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/behind-the-book-cover-737349/episodes/most-authors-want-sales-the-smart-ones-want-this
Duration seconds: 1930

## Resource

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 working Why giving your book away can be more valuable than selling it How 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 companies Why reviews matter…even though getting them is borderline impossible There’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…

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## Transcript

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