1. My publisher will market my book for me. That's wishful thinking. Unless you're an established bestselling author, publishers will do very little to market your book. You'll get placement in their catalogs and on their website, maybe a sales pitch to bookstore buyers. Otherwise, the media publicity, advertising campaigns, and book tours are reserved for the big dogs.

2. A good book doesn't need marketing. False. There are over 500,000 new books produced each year in America, which means thousands of great books get crowded out by the competition. Marketing is essential to making sure that the public knows your book exists. Out of sight...out of mind.

3. My website doesn't need to look professional. On the contrary, your website is a reflection of you. If your online presence looks shoddy, people won't take you seriously. But, if you appear reputable, you will attract more promotional opportunities to your book.

4. Social media is the best way to market a book. Not necessarily, because marketing success depends more on the content than the medium. Just because you have a Facebook or Twitter account doesn't mean you'll sell books. You must give people tangible value through those mediums before they'll become your "friend" or "follower."

5. Writing a self-published book means I'm a published author.  Just because someone can sing doesn't make that person a professional musician. So, unless a publisher pays you money up-front (an advance) to write a book, you are not a published author. Self-publishing is growing in acceptance and quality, but it still doesn't mean you're published. To get published, pursue literary agents and acquisitions editors with a solid book proposal.

6. Amazon says my book is a bestseller. That's a misconception, because Amazon sales rankings only pertain to its own sales. They don't include other retailers. In addition, anyone can spike their way onto an Amazon bestseller list for a day or two by getting a bunch of friends to buy their books at the same time. That tactic doesn't qualify as a genuine bestseller.

7. Authors don't need a newsletter. That's bogus. When it comes time to promote a new book, you will desperately wish you had a large database of interested people who are ready to buy. Building a newsletter list over time is one of the best ways to position your book for success.

8. Authors just write books...they don't need to promote. Not anymore. There is very little money to be made writing books. To survive financially, authors must turn their intellectual property into multiple formats, such as audio, video, ebooks, speaking events, curriculum, movie rights, etc.

9. My book is for everyone. That's a nice goal, but it's a myth. Only the people who perceive the actual value of your book will buy it. If you want to sell more books, you must provide tangible benefit to a larger group of people.

10. I can figure out how to market a book by myself. Learning how to market your book can be like learning to speak a foreign language. Your best bet is to work with an expert who has a proven track record of success. You wouldn't take financial advice from someone in bankruptcy. Likewise, don't take marketing advice from someone who hasn't achieved the level of success you want to attain.

Tired of going it alone? Check out the top-notch marketing educational resources for authors at WildFire Marketing.