I thought YouTube would launch my books. Instead, it taught me a hard truth

When I was preparing to release my very first Trench novel through Silversmith, I thought I had a clever idea for promotion: reach out to YouTubers. The creators I admired most — history, weapons, gaming, uniforms — the voices that shaped my interest in WWI or  shared interest in the genre. I wrote heartfelt letters, explaining how their work influenced me and how they inspired elements of Trench. I offered free copies, compensation, and exposure. In theory, it felt like the right move: connect with people I respected, let them share my book with their audience, and grow visibility.

Here’s how it actually went, one by one.

 The First Contact

One creator did respond at first. He asked me what I wanted him to do. I kept it simple: read the book, rate it, maybe share his thoughts since the story included rare WWI weapons I thought might interest him. After that? Silence. No follow-up, no acknowledgment, no feedback. It felt dismissive, like my work wasn’t even worth a reply.

Another Who Agreed—Then Backed Out
Another creator agreed to review my book, even said he’d read it after his wedding and honeymoon. Then he backed out completely, claiming he “didn’t have the space.” Meanwhile, he clearly had time for his own hobbies. His only “solution” was to promote a YouTube channel I didn’t even have. That was the end of that. My father always told me not to burn bridges, but I’ve learned you can’t waste time on people who don’t keep their word.

The Longest Disappointment
One of the most frustrating experiences came with someone who initially agreed to feature my book in a WWI video. Later, he claimed there was “another author with the same name” and suggested I give up my spot. I thought kindness would pay off, so I agreed. Turns out, there was no name conflict — and worse, another author with a completely different name, writing about WW2, ended up getting the mention instead. I had waited nearly a year for nothing, only to be lied to and replaced. That’s when I realized kindness can sometimes cost more than it pays. Mercy has limits. When patience is abused, the only option is to cut ties.

The Silent Majority
Several others never even responded at all. Just silence. One creator finally did reply years later, long after the timing mattered. Another was polite but said they didn’t have space, which at least I could respect.

The High Price Tag
One channel I admired when it was small quoted me thousands of dollars for a mere 60-second mention once they grew in popularity. The explanation I got from their representative was nonsense — almost as if I was expected to fund their entire video just to get my book mentioned. For an indie author, that was impossible.

The Most Complicated One
There was one creator who actually gave me a lot of support early on, posting about my books and giving me exposure that reached hundreds of people. But over time, paranoia and platform restrictions got in the way. He refused even to accept a copy of the book, and communication eventually dropped to silence. His intentions were good, but the reliability wasn’t there.

Lessons Learned

What started as “Never Meet Your Heroes” turned into a reality check: many creators are too busy, too disorganized, too paranoid, or simply uninterested in helping indie authors. Some even exploit kindness, as I learned the hard way.

The truth is, YouTubers aren’t reliable allies for book promotion. They have their own baggage, their own priorities, and they don’t see books the way authors or readers do.

Why YouTube Shoutouts Rarely Work for Authors

1. Audience–offer mismatch.
   Video audiences are primed for quick purchases (apps, gadgets, courses). A novel — especially historical fiction — demands time, attention, and emotional investment. That’s a tougher conversion from a 30–60s mention.

2. The path to purchase is longer.
   Books usually need multiple touchpoints: blurb → sample → trust → buy. A single mid-roll mention rarely carries that whole journey.

3. Cost vs. return.
   Rates can be high (sometimes thousands). Unless you have a deep backlist or a tuned funnel, it’s almost impossible to earn that back.

4. Timing & control.
   Creators juggle schedules, personal lives, and algorithm shifts. You don’t control when (or if) your mention happens.

5. Algorithm roulette.
   Even good videos can flop. If the upload underperforms, your shoutout vanishes with it.

6. The 1% chance - If there is a chance for shoutout or Youtuber keeps. that's more like winning the lottery but thats very slim Since Youtubers can change their minds at anytime and backstab one way or another.       

What Worked (Far) Better

• Owning the home base. Building my website with blogs, trailers, and lore posts — content I control.

• Running my own ads. Meta/YouTube ads let me set budget, targeting, and creative. I control timing.

• Building the newsletter. Offering sample chapters or lore to turn casual visitors into subscribers — readers who stick.

• Collaborating smaller. Micro-creators and podcasts with genuine overlap in genre have better engagement than massive generalist channels.

What I’d Tell My Past Self

Start with your website, SEO, and newsletter. Use ads to reach new readers. Treat YouTube as a platform to host your trailers, not as the core of your launch plan. If you do try creator shoutouts, treat them as a bonus — never the foundation.

 Final thought: Never meet your heroes doesn’t mean never admire them. But don’t expect them to carry your work. Your success is yours to build.