The Amazon Author Formula
- Vanessa Bettencourt
- Jul 28
- 10 min read
Think like an Amazon algorithm. Sell like a pro.
If you've got a book and a dream, this workbook is your roadmap. From keywords to killer reviews, it's all here—built for action.
5 stars Here is a book that is perfect for taking self-publishing to the next step. We are often happy to publish our dream project, but holding one copy is far from a journey ending. There are steps and nuances in marketing that can make all the difference, and this book points them out in a clear way. I appreciate that the author also published a workbook to go with this one that helps me to be organized and less overwhelmed. The index is well made, easy to jump into specific themes, but also the book is done and formatted in a coherent journey from page 1 to the end. Just opening as I got it from the bookmail room, I noticed immediately that I had made a mistake with the category of one of my books and corrected it immediately. I wouldn't say it is just for beginners because it helps those like me who have dealt with the Amazon algorithm for years on my own, and now I can recheck some steps and see what is not working. Well explained with screenshots (very important to me. I am a visual learner, and just text usually makes me quit), well-organized tips, exercises, and recommendations.
In today’s crowded digital marketplace, even a beautifully written book can go unnoticed on Amazon without strategic support behind it.
The Amazon Author Formula Workbook by Penny Sansevieri is a results-driven companion to her bestselling Amazon Author Formula—and it’s built specifically for authors who want to stop guessing and start growing. Designed to transform vague marketing goals into concrete action plans, the workbook includes over a dozen detailed worksheets to help authors tackle everything from keyword planning and competitive category selection to Amazon Ads testing, pricing strategy, and promotional schedules. It also includes tools for organizing ARC outreach and monitoring performance over time—so you’re not just building momentum, you’re learning what works. With a bonus access code that unlocks all worksheets for download and print, this workbook serves as both a flexible planning hub and a powerful postmortem tool for authors serious about leveling up.
Penny Sansevieri is a veteran of the publishing world with a 20+ year track record of helping authors succeed in a constantly changing marketplace. As the founder and CEO of Author Marketing Experts, she has advised thousands of authors—from brand-new debut writers to New York Times bestsellers—and built custom campaigns that reach readers and drive sales.
Her expertise in metadata, keyword targeting, ad performance, and launch strategy has made her a go-to resource for authors looking to increase visibility while preserving their creative freedom. With 24 books of her own, a teaching role at NYU, and a podcast downloaded by thousands each week, Penny continues to demystify the publishing journey with wisdom, wit, and hard-won experience.
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Workbook
Amazon: https://bit.ly/3IvRBmY
workbook
Book
Amazon: https://amzn.to/40YJfKN
In today’s crowded digital marketplace, even a beautifully written book can go unnoticed on...
Amazon without strategic support behind it.
The Amazon Author Formula Workbook by Penny Sansevieri is a results-driven companion to her bestselling Amazon Author Formula—and it’s built specifically for authors who want to stop guessing and start growing. Designed to transform vague marketing goals into concrete action
plans, the workbook includes over a dozen detailed worksheets to help authors tackle
everything from keyword planning and competitive category selection to Amazon Ads testing, pricing strategy, and promotional schedules. It also includes tools for organizing ARC outreach and monitoring performance over time—so you’re not just building momentum, you’re learning what works. With a bonus access code that unlocks all worksheets for download and print, this workbook serves as both a flexible planning hub and a powerful postmortem tool for authors serious about leveling up.
Penny Sansevieri is a veteran of the publishing world with a 20+ year track record of helping authors succeed in a constantly changing marketplace. As the founder and CEO of Author Marketing Experts, she has advised thousands of authors—from brand-new debut writers to New York Times bestsellers—and built custom campaigns that reach readers and drive sales.
Her expertise in metadata, keyword targeting, ad performance, and launch strategy has made her a go-to resource for authors looking to increase visibility while preserving their creative freedom. With 24 books of her own, a teaching role at NYU, and a podcast downloaded by thousands each week, Penny continues to demystify the publishing journey with wisdom, wit, and hard-won experience.
About the Author
Penny Sansevieri has been called one of the most innovative minds in book promotion—and for good reason. As the founder of Author Marketing Experts, she’s shaped the marketing strategies of thousands of authors, landing placements on top bestseller lists and building long-term author brands. Her experience spans every aspect of publishing, and her ability to turn market trends into actionable plans is unmatched. In addition to her consulting work, Penny writes extensively on publishing strategy, teaches self-publishing at NYU, and speaks regularly at writer’s conferences and industry events around the world.
Workbook
Amazon: https://bit.ly/3IvRBmY
Book
Amazon: https://amzn.to/40YJfKN
EXCERPT
Understanding Amazon’s Ecosystem
Amazon is more than just the world’s largest online bookstore—it’s a complex ecosystem that, when understood and navigated correctly, can propel significant success for your books. In this chapter, we’ll dive into the core mechanics of how Amazon works for authors, from category rankings and algorithms to mastering keywords and metadata. Understanding these elements is the foundation for getting your book seen by the right readers.
Key Concepts
1. Amazon's Algorithms and How They Work
Amazon uses algorithms to determine which books get the most visibility. These algorithms consider factors like sales velocity, reviews, and engagement. The better you understand how these factors play into your book’s success, the more you can take advantage of them.
2. Keyword Optimization
Keywords are essential for helping readers find your book. When people search for a topic, Amazon pulls up books based on the relevance of the keywords entered. Your book needs to be optimized with the right keywords that align with the subject your target readers are searching for.
3. Categories and Subcategories
Choosing the right categories can significantly impact your book’s visibility and its chances of becoming a bestseller within that category. By selecting both broad and niche categories, you can increase the likelihood of your book ranking high and staying visible for longer periods.
4. The Power of Bestseller and Hot New Release Lists
Appearing on Amazon’s bestseller lists, or hot new release lists is a great way to increase your book’s visibility. But reaching these lists isn’t just about luck—it’s about strategically positioning your book through timing, keywords, and initial sales pushes.
But before we dig into all of this, let’s find your perfect target reader.
Who Are Your Target Readers?
What do you think are your correct keywords? Chances are, whatever you said may be wrong. The reality is that authors often perceive their book differently than they should. It’s not because they’ve misunderstood who their reader is, but they often assume their reader base is much larger than it is. This is in no way a bad thing. However, it’s all about zeroing in on who your reader is. In other words, who would naturally gravitate to your book vs. who may stumble upon it accidentally and be intrigued? This latter group of readers is not your target. Let me explain.
Let’s say you’ve written a young adult book. It’s an adventure story with some fantasy elements and you say, “Well, my book is not that dissimilar from the Harry Potter series, so clearly my target audience is very wide: young adults, and adults of all ages.”
Harry Potter did well across a variety of age groups; that’s a true statement. But it didn’t start out that way. The publisher started out by focusing on the core reader group and expanded out from there.
Before you can dive headlong into finding great keywords, you need to identify your readers. What similar books do they read? How will your book help them, etc.
Finding the Best Categories for Your Book
Putting your book in the wrong category is akin to shelving your book in the wrong place at a bookstore or library. You want to go where your readers are, which means being laser focused on which “shelf” your book should be on.
There are two types of categories; the first are the standard industry categories, also referred to as BISAC (Book Industry Standards and Communications). The second are the Amazon Kindle categories. You’ll want to review my book to help better understand this process, as well!
Generally, I recommend applying your Kindle book to these very Amazon-specific categories. Why? Because they’re unique, underused, and a great way to gain more visibility for your book.
Is Your Book in the Wrong Category? Here’s How to Fix It
When it comes to selling books on Amazon, most authors obsess over ads, reviews, or even the perfect book description. But there’s one often-overlooked issue that could quietly sabotage your book’s discoverability — and that’s categories.
If your book is shelved in the wrong category, you’re not just missing readers — you're sending Amazon’s algorithm all the wrong signals.
So how do you know if your book is in the wrong place?
And more importantly, how do you fix it?
Let’s dig in.
The Problem with Bad Categories
Putting your book in the wrong Amazon category is like hiding it on the wrong shelf at a
bookstore. If you wrote a romantic suspense novel but Amazon has you filed under “general romance” or “thriller,” your ideal reader won’t find you.
Here’s why that matters:
● Readers search by genre.
● Amazon recommends books based on categories.
● Bestseller status is tied to category rankings.
So yes, your categories matter a lot more than you think.
How to Check (and Fix!) Your Categories
Step 1: See where your book is now.
Scroll down your Amazon retail page to the “Product Details” section. You’ll see which
categories your book is currently ranking in — or not ranking in.
Step 2: Browse your competition.
Go to the Kindle Store and click “Categories” on the left-hand sidebar. Drill down by genre until you find highly specific subcategories. Look at the bestseller ranks of top books in those sections. Are they similar in length, genre, or tone to yours?
Step 3: Aim for the right balance.
You want categories that are relevant and get traffic, but not so competitive that you’ll never break in. For example:
● “Cozy Animal Mysteries” = niche and findable
● “Fiction > Mystery” = crowded and vague
Step 4: Update your categories.
If you’re self-published through KDP, you can update your categories from your dashboard. If you don’t see the exact category you want, you can request it by contacting Amazon support with the category path. (Yes, they’ll usually do it.)
If you're traditionally published, share the right categories with your publisher and ask them to make the request through their portal.
Final Thought: Small Change, Big Impact
Fixing your categories doesn’t cost a dime, but it can completely shift how your book performs on Amazon. If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything right but still not getting discovered, take a closer look at your categories.
It might just be the smartest fix you’ve never tried.
Q&A
What inspired you to create a workbook version of The Amazon Author Formula?
I’ve worked or consulted with thousands of authors over the years, and I know that learning is one thing — applying it is another. The workbook was born out of a desire to bridge that gap. It’s designed to guide authors through hands-on exercises — refining keywords, polishing descriptions, rethinking pricing — with space to brainstorm, track, and implement. Think of it as a strategic playbook that turns learning into lasting results. And it absolutely plays off of The Amazon Author Formula, so using the two side by side works extremely well.
What’s one of the biggest mistakes authors make on Amazon?
They ignore their retail page. Authors focus on ads or social media without realizing that every campaign leads back to that Amazon page. If it’s not converting — if your keywords are off, your description is vague, your book cover is lackluster, or your categories are wrong — no amount of traffic will help. That’s why so much of the workbook focuses on refining that page. Every tweak improves your relevancy and increases your chances of showing up in searches.
Can the workbook help if my book has already been published?
Absolutely. In fact, most of the authors using the workbook already have books out. The beauty of Amazon’s system is that it’s fluid — you can update keywords, adjust pricing, optimize your book description, and test new ads. The workbook helps you evaluate what’s working and make strategic changes that keep your book competitive.
How is this workbook different from just hiring someone to do it for you?
Hiring an expert can be helpful — and I work with plenty of authors one-on-one — but not everyone has the budget for that. The workbook gives you the framework we use with our clients, but puts the power back in your hands. It’s built for authors who want to learn the process and make smarter, more confident marketing decisions going forward. You don’t just get answers — you learn how to ask the right questions about your book’s positioning, pricing, keywords, and more.
What part of the workbook do most authors find the most surprising or eye-opening?
The keyword research section! A lot of authors think they know what readers are typing into Amazon — but when they go through the keyword planner in the workbook and start researching real shopper behavior, it’s a total mindset shift. Most authors realize they’ve been using keywords that are too vague, too competitive, or simply not aligned with how readers actually shop. That section alone has helped so many authors increase visibility almost overnight.
Can this workbook help new authors who haven’t launched yet?
Yes, and honestly — I wish every author had this workbook before they launched. There’s a whole section on planning a successful book launch, including how to build momentum with ARCs, how to set a smart (and competitive) price point, and what to have in place before you run Amazon ads. Whether you’re still writing or getting ready to publish, the workbook acts like a roadmap so you can avoid costly mistakes and start strong from day one.
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