Would I be better off writing? is a real thing. We all have to guard against time sucks, because they add up. As I said above, the trick is to identify things that work together, thereby creating synergies. Start with tactics that have the most impact first, and then round out your marketing mix with additional initiatives as opportunity and time allows. In my opinion, sample reads on websites are pretty far down the list.
We've moved into a market dominated by pseudo-celebrity status, the currency of which is likes and shares. The internet has fragmented the overall market to the point that now, even very small niches have their own superstars - the old: big fish in a small pond cliche.
I would say that the first tactic would be to drive people to your site, which is probably going to require more specialized content than sample reads. Once you're getting traffic, then add the samples to give them a reason to stay.
The key to marketing is making yourself familiar to your target audience. Humans accept the familiar, and in time, fold it into their worldview, which means buying your stuff.
