Jesse Lourey

I support authors by sharing books, excerpts, and reader discoveries daily. If you’re an author, introduce your book below 📚👇

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@RSiddwell52228 You’re welcome.

@JesseLourey Thank you.

I feel discouraged because my two published books, Miranda and the Meerkats, especially is truly beautiful and poetic and the stuff of a Disney or Pixar film. It is a piece of my soul.

That’s one reason I’ve become deeply interested in helping authors improve not just their books, but how those books are introduced to the world. #writingcommunity #authors #writer #IndieAuthor

I’ve been studying how authors struggle with amazing manuscripts that never reach the right audience, not because the writing is bad, but because the visibility strategy is weak. Readers don’t just buy books. They buy curiosity, emotion, connection, and presentation.

A lot of authors think marketing starts after publishing. Truthfully, visibility starts long before the book is released. The cover, positioning, title, audience connection, and emotional presentation all shape how readers respond to a book.

@ArizonaSunset2 That honestly shows how difficult book visibility and reader conversion can be People may enjoy free books, but getting them to financially commit is a completely different challenge. What genre is your novel?

@JesseLourey I've found there to be a subtle but appreciable difference in my case. When I give my last novel away for free as an ebook it has been pretty popular. However, when I ask people to pay for it, even at $2.99, that's a bridge too far for many.

A lot of authors secretly feel discouraged when their book gets little attention Not because the story is bad… …but because they poured months or years into something readers barely see. Writers, have you ever felt this way? #authors #writingcommunity #IndieAuthor #writer

@hoglegpress This is such an important perspective A book’s quality and marketing results are definitely not the same thing, and a lot of authors forget that. The fact you’re still showing up, doing signings, networking, and learning the marketing side says a lot about your dedication.

@JesseLourey We have to separate the creative process from the marketing process and work at them differently. I’m learning the marketing. I go to cons. I find tiny book stores and do signings. I pontificate on the socials. Some works. Most doesn’t. Does not reflect on my book.

@whjohnstonslo I honestly understand that frustration The expectations around categories and age ranges seem to keep evolving, which can make things confusing for writers. But the fact you’ve stayed committed to the story for this long says a lot. What’s the fantasy world/story about?

@JesseLourey Fantasy YA. Even that feels tenuous. Apparently the age I chose for the character was MG. I had to age her up. I dont understand writing anymore because when I was a kid I read about characters my age in YA books. I guess things change.

@KoalaQuillHQ So true Sometimes revisions feel less like editing and more like rewriting an entirely new story from scratch. It’s amazing how much a book can evolve between the first draft and final version. What genre are you revising right now?

@JesseLourey Drafting is fun until revision turns it into a completely different book 😅

Weekend reminder for authors Writing a book is hard. Editing is hard. Marketing is hard. Yet so many writers still show up every day to tell their stories anyway. Authors, what part of the journey has challenged you the most so far? #BookTwitter #WritingCommunity #authors

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@whjohnstonslo Honestly, staying committed to a story for 7 years already says a lot about your dedication as a writer, That kind of persistence is rare. Writing, rewriting, and refining a story for that long can be mentally exhausting. What genre are you working on?

@JesseLourey Im trying to get to the point where I can even try to pitch. It's been nearly 7 years of writing and editing.

@MWwriter Honestly, that says a lot about the quality of your work. Having stories connected to awards and recognitions like those is incredibly impressive It also shows how frustrating visibility and publishing can sometimes be, even for genuinely talented writers.

@JesseLourey Yes. & I feel even worse about the unpublished story collection I have w/ a Pushcart Prize winner in it, a BEST AMERICAN SHORT STORIES story in it, a Tobias Wolff Award winner in it, a Kay Cattarulla Prize winner in it, a Gival Press Prize winner in it, etc. #HappyTuesday

A great book with poor visibility can sadly go unnoticed. Sometimes small things make a huge difference: • consistency • reader engagement • positioning • presentation • networking Visibility matters more than many authors realize. #writingcommunity #authors #indieauthor

@hccapuchino This is painfully relatable It’s always the busiest days that suddenly come with the strongest motivation and best ideas. Then when there’s finally free time, the inspiration disappears again. What do you usually do to hold onto ideas when that happens?

@JesseLourey The days when you don’t have time to write and you feel motivated to write.

@InevitableCJ This might be one of the most relatable writer struggles ever. The imagination keeps generating new stories faster than there’s time to actually finish them. Which idea keeps pulling you back the most right now?

@JesseLourey Having more stories in my head than time on my hands.

@AlastairTanJY That’s actually one of the things I love most about great sci-fi It’s not just about futuristic worlds or concepts, it can reflect real human emotions, fears, and possibilities in such a powerful way. The cautionary tale aspect especially makes stories stay with readers longer.

@JesseLourey It enables me to create high concept and surreal worlds for readers to be entertained while also being deeply moved through emotional arcs and be inspired to make the world a better place in terms of cautionary tales.

@ColorMeMozart That’s honestly one of the hardest mental battles of writing When the finish line still feels far away, it can be really difficult to stay motivated. But the fact you’re still pushing forward already says a lot about your dedication. What kind of project are you working on?

@JesseLourey For me, the most challenging is staying the course when it seems like the end is still so far away.

@A_J_Luther Honestly, that “let it simmer and hope it cooks” method is more relatable than a lot of writers admit, Sometimes random scenes, ideas, and moments slowly connect themselves into something bigger over time. And the jumpscares part has me curious What genre do you mainly write?

@JesseLourey Honestly completely dedicating to one idea, and fleshing it out into a proper story in complete sentences! I write lots of plots, start to finish, action sequences, descriptions, jumpscares, whatever it may be, & then just... let it simmer & hope it cooks up something for me. 😆