Most authors never meet the people who buy their books. They post the Amazon link, watch the rankings, and hope something happens. Garrett Perkins wants to change that.
As Chief Revenue Officer at Givington’s, a platform that helps authors sell directly to readers, Garrett has spent years studying what really moves books and builds loyal audiences. His takeaway: it’s not about chasing algorithms or retailers. It’s about connection.
In his Author Insider AMA, Garrett shared how authors can take more control of their careers, from owning their customer relationships to treating every book as part of a long game. He was candid, funny, and relentlessly practical, offering a roadmap that’s less about marketing tricks and more about meaningfully reaching readers.
Here are eight standout lessons from the conversation:
(Editor’s note: some quotes have been lightly edited for clarity and concision.)
1. What “Direct-to-Consumer” Really Means
Garrett Perkins: “Direct-to-consumer means helping authors and creators move books directly to the people who matter most—the readers they actually know, the ones they have a real relationship with.”
When Garrett talks about “direct-to-consumer,” he isn’t describing a marketing tactic—he’s describing a relationship. The goal isn’t to cut out bookstores or rely solely on retailers; it’s to stay connected to the people who already care about your work.
The principle is simple: if you don’t know who’s buying your book, you’re building someone else’s business, not your own.
2. Stop Sending All Your Readers to Amazon
Garrett Perkins: “When your book sits on Amazon and you say, ‘Hey, go buy my book on Amazon,’ those 3,000 people that wanted to support you—you have no idea who those people are. Those are now Amazon’s customers.”
Garrett isn’t anti-Amazon; he’s just pro-awareness. When every sale happens through a retailer, you lose sight of the very people you wrote the book for. His advice: give your readers a choice. Use retailers for reach, but make sure there’s always a way for them to buy directly from you, so you can keep the author-reader connection alive.
3. Your Website Is Home Base
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