Years ago I worked with an author whose book had tremendous potential. It was smart, timely, beautifully written, and exactly what her audience needed. We had lined up interviews, crafted pitches, and were building momentum. On the surface, everything looked aligned.
But behind the scenes, something was quietly unraveling.
Her social posts had drifted far away from her book. Instead of reinforcing her expertise, she had started posting passionate reactions to whatever crossed her feed that day. Some were emotional, some were clever, a few were full-on rants. Very human. Very relatable. But none of it supported the message of her book or the credibility she needed for people to feel confident investing in her program.
Media Darling Moment of the Week: One message, repeated clearly, builds trust faster than ten messages delivered beautifully. In December, simplicity isn’t just kind. It’s strategic.
She wasn’t doing anything “wrong.” She was simply doing what most people do online. The problem was that she wasn’t most people. She was an author and a credentialed expert with a message that deserved attention, and her online presence wasn’t helping people see that.
And it didn’t stop with social media. Her newsletter meandered into unrelated stories. The articles she drafted took her further away from the core idea we were trying to elevate. You could feel her intelligence in all of it, but there was no center, no through-line. Her voice was scattered, and her audience couldn’t quite grasp what her true expertise was.
It was classic message drift.
And rather than amplifying her credibility, she was accidentally scattering it. Readers were confused. Media were confused. Even her own community was never quite sure what she wanted to be known for.
We finally had to pause everything, take a deep breath, and bring her home to the one idea her book was built on. The moment she got clear again, her visibility strengthened. Her following grew. And the book, which was made up of the work she had poured her heart into, began to thrive. It took time and consistent effort, but once she became conscious of the direction she needed to go, everything began to align again.
I share this because December is the month when message drift can sneak up on even the most disciplined authors. It is a busy season. It is an emotional season. It is a distracting season. If you are not intentional, you can easily find yourself posting one thing, talking about another, and wondering why your book’s traction feels weak.
So let’s talk about how to choose your December message and actually stick with it.
Choose One Message
Your book contains many themes and ideas and key messages. This is a wonderful thing, but December is not the month to showcase all of them. Who can track that? Who is going to take the time to try and figure out what you are trying to say? December rewards simplicity.
If people remember only one thing about my work this month, what do I want it to be?
When you answer that and you get a warm feeling inside, or a little “click” that says “that’s it,” then you know you have it.
Maybe your book offers calm during chaos, which is what Savvy Sunday is focusing on this month. Maybe it offers clarity. Maybe it offers courage or connection or a simple way to make life easier. Maybe it offers great advice, or an inspiring story. Whatever it is, choose the one idea that feels right for this moment and let it be your guiding star for the next few weeks.
Why Staying With One Message Matters
Sometimes just the thought of the holiday season can make people anxious as well as tired. They have limited attention and even less emotional bandwidth. When your message wanders, they cannot follow you. And when they cannot follow you, they forget you. It’s nothing personal; it’s just the way it is.
The idea is to pick a message and be consistent. Consistency is not boring. It builds trust.
When your audience knows what you stand for, they know when to come to you, how to share your work, and why your book matters. Clarity becomes an advantage, especially in a month as full and noisy as December.
Keeping Your Theme Visible
Once you choose your message, integrate it gently into everything you share this month. This is not something you want to do in a forced way. We’re all getting too much promotional material anyway, so don’t add to it. You’re simply sharing your message as a quiet thread connecting your touch-points.
It could be a short reflection that ties into your book. Or maybe you offer a simple insight someone can use today. Maybe you talk about something that happened this week and relate it back to your core idea. It doesn’t matter if your genre is leadership, the workplace, health and wellness, tech, or science fiction…
Your message becomes a tone, a direction, a steady signal in the midst of holiday energy.
And here is the beautiful part. When you stay close to your message, your readers feel closer to you.
Bottom Line
Choosing one message for December does not limit you. It gives you power, helps you stay focused when the world is swirling, strengthens your voice, and it supports the visibility of your book. But most of all, it keeps your readers connected to the heart of your work.
Remember: One month. One message. Many ways to share it.
Warmly,
Joanne
P.S. The story. It’s always yours to tell.
#SavvySundayNews
#DecemberMessage
#MediaDarling
#BookMarketing
#BookPublicity
If you’d like to receive juicy publicity secrets directly on a regular basis, join the Savvy Sunday Community at the bottom of this page.