How I Sold 2,331 Copies of My New Book in Two Weeks

When I announced the release of my new book, Kingdoms of Africa: Exploring the Continent’s Pre-Colonial Pasts, on October 11, I honestly didn’t know what to expect.

Two weeks later, I had sold 2,331 copies — both ebooks and physical copies.

The majority of sales came from the electronic version (₦10,000 on Selar). Unsurprisingly, that format made it easier for people to access the book. But the real joy for me isn’t in the number, it’s in knowing that so many people cared enough about Africa’s history to buy and read it.

From the start, I didn’t write Kingdoms of Africa to make money. I knew the size and depth of the book would make it expensive to print. My goal was to make the knowledge accessible, so the ebook sales have mostly helped subsidize the physical copies for those who still love the feel of a real book.

When 900 Pages Became 681

When I finally decided to print it, I discovered that the manuscript ran over 900 pages.
With some tweaks — reducing the font, double-columnining the index and references — I managed to bring it down to 681 pages.

Even then, printing costs were staggering. Some printers quoted ₦40,000 per copy. Another asked for ₦32,000. Eventually, I found a printer in Lagos willing to do it for ₦15,620 per hardcover, though the images had to be in black and white. It was a tough compromise, but I went ahead.

Selling at ₦20,000 (including delivery) means I actually lose money on every physical copy, especially with delivery costs as high as ₦6,000 within Lagos and up to ₦11,000 interstate.

But that’s perfectly fine. For me, what vacations are to some people, books are to me. I find joy in giving them out. This time, it happens to be my own book I’m sharing, and at a much lower cost than I usually spend sending out other people’s books.

Why I Chose to Go It Alone

From the very beginning, I knew I would have to take this journey alone. My experience with my first print book, The Art of Argument: How to Know When Language Deceives You, had already taught me that chasing publishers was a dead end. My friends and I had written to nearly every publishing house we could find, both in Nigeria and abroad. You name it, I sent them an email. The responses, when they came, were polite but firm rejections.

Eventually, I published it myself — and it made RovingHeights’ list of Top 50 Self-Published Books of 2023. That gave me the confidence to do it again.

Kingdoms of Africa was born from my fascination with how little most people, even Africans, know about the continent’s pre-colonial past. Our history is often told in fragments: a few names, a few dates, and then silence until colonisation begins. I wanted to fill that silence.

When Amazon Said No

In 2024, I ran into unexpected trouble with Amazon. Without any clear explanation, my account was taken down, and every attempt to understand or resolve the issue led nowhere. Frustrated, I shared my experience on Facebook, and someone suggested I try Lulu. It turned out to be an excellent platform that deserves far more attention than it gets. That’s where I eventually hosted my book.

Since then, readers outside Nigeria — and Nigerians living abroad — have been able to order physical copies directly from Lulu. I ordered one myself and was impressed by the print quality; the paperback looks and feels great. The only downside is the price. Because of the book’s size, it costs about $40, which makes it expensive for many readers. Still, I’ve had a few sales there already, and I’m hopeful more will come as word spreads.

What Worked — My 13 Simple Strategies

1. When I began preparing for the release of my book, I sought professional guidance from a marketing expert. His advice was, “start marketing long before the book is ready to ship”. He explained that if I began talking about the book only after it was printed, it would already be too late. So, with his help, I developed a marketing plan about two weeks before the launch.

2. The first step was to create a preorder link. In truth, it wasn’t a typical preorder link because I didn’t want people to pay upfront. It was more of an interest form, where those eager to get the book could indicate interest and request to be notified once it was available. By the time of release, about 300 people had signed up — many requesting multiple copies, both digital and physical.

3. Next, I turned to my social media platforms. My Facebook page, with over 40,000 followers, was my biggest stage, but I also shared updates on Twitter, LinkedIn, and especially my WhatsApp Status. I even revived my long-dormant Facebook profile and began using Facebook Stories again.

4. On these platforms, I posted short excerpts and teasers from the book. To my surprise, the content resonated deeply with people. Many shared it, reposted it, and even copied it word for word on other platforms. One person shared a full excerpt on LinkedIn, leaving my link intact — that single post brought in several dozen new readers. I wasn’t offended at all; in fact, I was glad. The goal was for people to engage with the ideas, and they did.

5. Part of the plan also involved video. I’ve never been comfortable in front of a camera, but someone insisted I make short clips discussing the book. I only managed to record one video, but it turned out to be surprisingly effective. People connected with it, and even though I didn’t continue making more, that one video made an impact.

6. To build anticipation, I made the book cover design a public project. I shared several mockups online and asked people to vote on their preferences. The feedback was incredibly useful. Hundreds of comments helped me refine the final version of the cover — one that many now describe as beautiful and world-class. That was exactly what I wanted: a design anyone, anywhere, would be proud to display on their shelf.

7. The response has been rewarding. Only yesterday, someone texted my colleague after receiving a copy:

“The quality of the book made all history! The book is good work and quality. Can’t wait to start reading it. Kindly give Mr Adeoti my warmest regards.”

 That message summed up everything I hoped for.

8. I also made a list of people I wanted to send complimentary copies to. My goal was simple — I wanted the book to be read. I can’t control who will eventually read it, but I knew a few people who would at least turn the pages. I budgeted about ₦400,000 for that effort. Thankfully, several of those who received copies went on to post about it publicly and thank me online. Their posts brought even more attention and sales.

9. One of the biggest surprises came when one of those recipients decided to support the book financially with ₦250,000. It was completely unexpected, and I remain deeply grateful. I’m especially thankful for people like Kelechi Deca, who not only helped review and proofread the manuscript when it was still cooking, but also shared thoughtful words about the book on his page afterward.

10. Some of those who got free copies later ordered extra ones for friends. For instance, Ahmad Sadiq, who initially received a complimentary copy, later bought five more, one of which he sent to China. That kind of enthusiasm means the world to me.

11. To expand visibility, I also leveraged my personal website, www.tosinadeoti.com, where I posted announcements and updates. I did the same on my Medium and Substack accounts. For SEO reasons, these posts turned out to be very useful; Google now indexes most of my online activities. A few people have discovered and bought the book after stumbling upon it through a simple search.

12. Another decision I made early on was to personally autograph every copy I sold directly. I couldn’t do that for the books ordered via Lulu since they print and ship themselves, but every copy I distributed from Lagos was signed by hand. It was time-consuming, but I didn’t mind. I wanted readers to feel a personal connection. In an economy like ours, parting with ₦20,000 for a book is not a small gesture, and I wanted to honour that.

13. Overwhelmed by the support, I decided to personally message everyone who bought a physical copy directly from me (again, Lulu doesn’t share customer details, so I couldn’t reach those buyers). I wanted to thank each one for believing in the work. It’s a small gesture, but one that feels right..

The Power of Kindness and Community

Along the way, I’ve been deeply moved by the generosity of friends who paid for copies to be given out.

I’ve been humbled by messages from people who reached out to say they would love a copy but simply couldn’t afford one. Thanks to those friends’ kindness, I was able to gift them books , and tell them who paid for their copy.

You can’t imagine how grateful people are.

One friend shared a message from a recipient:

“[He] reached out to send his appreciation. It was quite unexpected, but thank you for choosing him. He truly seems to cherish the book.”

Another friend said:

“I got a wonderful thank you message from 1 of the recipient of my giveaway. I wasn’t expecting such thoughtful gesture. The value I got from her THANK YOU message was very touching.”

Isn’t that something? Moments like these remind me that this book isn’t just about history, it’s about connection and shared pride.

The Little Marketing Trick That Worked Magic

Because many of my articles go viral, I’ve learned to make every word count. So I embed a short note about my book in the footer of every article. Just a line or two with a link to order.

It sounds simple, but it’s worked magic. Every viral post becomes a gentle reminder that Kingdoms of Africa exists, and that’s helped bring in new readers who might never have seen my original announcement.

What Comes Next

I’ve now started running sponsored Facebook ads to reach Africans in the diaspora, people who I believe will connect with the book just as deeply.

To everyone who has read, shared, and supported me — thank you. You turned what started as a personal project into something far bigger.

Get Your Copy

Non-Nigerians:
📘 Physical copy ($40): https://lnkd.in/d97H_SpJ
💻 eBook ($10): https://lnkd.in/d3fQs3Uu

Nigerians:
📘 Physical copy (₦20,000, includes delivery): https://lnkd.in/dcJV_Q_i
💻 eBook (₦10,000): https://lnkd.in/d3fQs3Uu

Thank you again — for believing, for sharing, and for reminding me that Africa’s stories are worth telling.