The Sell More Books Show: Recent Episodes
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Authors, are you struggling to get the word out about your books? Discover the latest book marketing and publishing news, tools and strategies. This is the Sell More Books Show with Jim Kukral and Bryan Cohen. Every week you'll get helpful tips and ideas to make your book sales soar. Visit SellMoreBooksShow.com for detailed show notes and more info.
If your success was inevitable, what would you do differently? Today’s top story is Self-Publishing Trends to Follow for 2025. Question of the week is If your success was inevitable, what would you do differently? Join the Sell More Books Show...
What do you think your expectation is for how you think 2025 is going to go for you? What do you believe is going to happen? Today’s top story is Start Off Strong in 2025. Question of the week is What do you think your expectation is for how you...
What is on your SUCK list that you hate to do and hope to automate? Today’s top story is TikTok Press. Question of the week is What is on your SUCK list that you hate to do and hope to automate? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on...
What is an inspirational story you’ve heard or experienced in the author world? Today’s top story is Spotify for Authors. Question of the week is What is an inspirational story you’ve heard or experienced in the author world? Join the Sell...
What are you doing outside of the norm to reach readers? Today’s top story is Deductions Made Easy. Question of the week is What are you doing outside of the norm to reach readers? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and...
What other things could we be doing that create a more immersive experience for our readers and make us stand out from the crowd? Today’s top story is Indies on the Rise. Question of the week is What other things could we be doing that...
What do you feel so guilty about in your author career? Who is putting the guilt on you? Today’s top story is Authors Make What? Question of the week is What do you feel so guilty about in your author career? Who is putting the guilt on you? Join...
Today’s top story is Kindle Vamoose. Question of the week is If money was no object and you could hire a coach for your author career, what is the most valuable thing that you feel like they could help you with? Join the Sell More Books Show...
What is the thing that you are afraid of writing, publishing, or marketing? Today’s top story is The 7 Habits of Highly Ineffective Authors. Question of the week is What is the thing that you are afraid of writing, publishing, or marketing?...
What entrepreneurial thing has Taylor Swift or another celebrity done that you would love to see brought into publishing? Today’s top story is Are You A Person?. Question of the week is What entrepreneurial thing has Taylor Swift or another...
Today’s top story is NaNo NoMo? Question of the week is If you write fiction, when would you consider writing nonfiction? If you write nonfiction, when you would consider writing fiction? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook...
What’s a piece of writing craft advice that you got that you specifically do not follow (you think it’s wrong)? Today’s top story is What Ad Platform is Best?. Question of the week is What’s a piece of writing craft advice that you...
Today’s top story is Amazon in Your TikTok. Question of the week is What would you say is your #1 struggle as an author right now? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section....
Today’s top story is ShopTok. Question of the week is If you got a TikTok shop order from your most excited celebrity person, who would it be? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the...
Today’s top story is Audibly Confused. Question of the week is Have you ever tried your hand at PR or have you ever worked with a company that does PR? What have your experiences been like? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook...
This week the top story is Audibly Confused. Question of the week is What thing would happen that you could consider viral success beyond your wildest book dreams?
Today’s top story is Serials Just Got Reamed. Question of the week is How do you provide value to your fans beyond the book itself? How do you keep people engaged? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of...
This week the top story is What's on Your Self-Care Menu?. Question of the week is What could you do during your next 10 minutes of free time that doesn’t involve a screen?
Today’s top story is Landing Test. Question of the week is Have you tried Facebook Ads to advertise your books before? What has been your best performing ad platform so far? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the...
Today’s top story is Author Sues Amazon Over Alleged Audiobook Market Monopoly. Question of the week is What are you going to do this week to stretch yourself as author? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the...
Today’s top story is Amazon the Terminator. Question of the week is Aside from the amazing Writing Gals cruise (in January), where would you want to go for a writing retreat? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the...
Today’s top story is Friends to Lovers to Bankrupt. Question of the week is What do you think is the best way for writers to improve their craft? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in...
Today's top story is Can You Take It All? Question of the week is what mindset shifts have you been working on here in 2024? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Be sure...
Today’s top story is Amazon’s Book Trends. Question of the week is what additional information would be valuable for Amazon to add to the Book Trends section? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question...
Today’s top story is Trad Pub & AI Audio. Question of the week is evaluate what are some ways that you think you’ve sustained your career in self-publishing? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of...
Today’s top story is Don’t Hate Marketing, Hate the Game? Question of the week is evaluate what you’re doing right now. Are you doing anything right now that you could release to benefit your author career? Join the Sell More Books Show...
Today’s top story is Audible Category Secrets. Question of the week is do you think text-message marketing is effective? And how have you used it to success? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the...
Today’s top story is Readers Taken. Question of the week is at what point in time did you find your niche, and how did you discover that? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment...
Today’s top story is Writing with ADHD. Question of the week is what productivity hacks have helped you get more done? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Be sure to...
Today’s top story is A Fabled Successor to Goodreads?. Question of the week is what is your favorite way to connect with readers? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section....
Today’s top story is Amplify Your Book to Success. Question of the week is how could you find and flesh out the most potentially viral scenes from your next book? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of...
Today’s top story is Getting in the Flow. Question of the week is how do you get into the zone? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Be sure to leave us a review on...
Today’s top story is Direct Selling Survey Says? Question of the week is what are some things you’ve learned about yourself that have impacted how you approach your author career? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and...
Today’s top story is An Audible Gasp? Question of the week is what are some of the things you’re doing to evergreen and futureproof your author business? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the...
Today’s top story is Subpar Stack? Question of the week is have you tried using Substack? If so, what was your approach to finding success? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment...
Today’s top story is Vella-Mentary, My Dear Authors. Question of the week is when and how you do decide to pivot from something that has changed in the author world? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question...
Today’s top story is Prove Yourself. Question of the week is what is your definition of success? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Be sure to leave us a review on...
Today’s top story is Find Another Way. Question of the week is what would be a part of your future burnout recovery plan? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Be sure...
Today’s top story is AI Survey Says.... Question of the week is what’s the best advice you’ve heard floating around the author community? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.
Today’s top story How to Rediscover the Joy of Writing. Question of the week is if you could change one thing about the current state of indie publishing, what would it be and why? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.
Today’s top story is The Niche Sitch. Question of the week is describe the weirdness that your book features that can’t be found anywhere else. (And how do you pronounce niche?) Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.
Today’s top story is Certifiable Humanity. Question of the week is what are some parts of the industry that stress you out and are outside of your control that you can spend less time worrying about? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.
Today’s top story is Kraken Down. Question of the week is what about the Seattle Kraken’s failed partnership with Booktok story stands out to you the most, and why? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.
Today’s top story is Under the Bridge Reviews. Question of the week is how do you feel like you’ve expanded your comfort zone in publishing in the last 5 years (or during your career if shorter than 5 years)? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.
Today’s top story is An AI Named Sue Question of the Week is what can you do to make yourself more human to your readers? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.
Today’s top story is Book Sales, Stat! Question of the Week is do you think your readers will care about the Bookstat bestseller list, and do you see yourself trying to get involved with it in some way? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.
Today’s top story: Hey Big Spender! Question of the Week is what have you done in the last few years to cultivate more supportive and positive people in your creative life? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.
Today’s top story: Threadless? Question of the Week is if you’ve joined Threads or checked it out, what is something about the culture you’ve observed that seems different from other social media networks? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section.
Today’s top story: Review Reviews. Question of the Week is do you think Amazon using AI to produce a summary of reviews will be a positive or negative for authors? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.
Today’s top story: BookTok Tropes. Question of the Week is Has learning about tropes through #BookTok, or otherwise, changed the way you write your own books? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.
Today’s top story: Pet Peeves that keep readers from becoming super fans Question of the Week is What are some of your writing pet peeves as a reader? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.
Today’s top story: Living the Full-Time Dream? Question of the Week is What do you consider to be a “full-time author”? And is that something you consider yourself to be or aspire to be? Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.
Claire and Bryan embark on a new journey. Get excited for Season 2 of The Sell More Books Show. Top story is Categorically Insane. Question of the week: When have you experienced imposter syndrome in publishing and what did you do about it?
Claire and Bryan embark on a new journey. Get excited for Season 2 of The Sell More Books Show. Top story is K IOU. Question of the week: What do you think the readers in your specific sub-genre are likely to do in response to the KU price increase? And what actions (if any) do you plan on taking in response?
Claire and Bryan embark on a new journey. Get excited for Season 2 of The Sell More Books Show. Top story is Printing Pressed. Question of the week: Will the price change for KDP Print alter how you currently sell and publish your paperback books?
Claire and Bryan embark on a new journey. Get excited for Season 2 of The Sell More Books Show. Top story is Evil, Good, or Neutral? Question of the week: Are you AI Curious or AI Furious? And why?
Claire and Bryan embark on a new journey. Get excited for Season 2 of The Sell More Books Show. Top story is Eyes Wide Open. Question of the week: If you have books in KU, then what is your threshold for saying “no more” and going wide?
Claire and Bryan embark on a new journey. Get excited for Season 2 of The Sell More Books Show. Top story is ALLi Author Survey Results. Question of the week: Are you surprised by the results of the ALLi survey? How does it make you feel looking over the numbers?
Claire and Bryan embark on a new journey. Get excited for Season 2 of The Sell More Books Show. Top story is Clock App Books? Question of the week: Do you think that the new TikTok publishing imprint will doom indies on BookTok or will have a minimal effect on the ability to grow on TT?
Claire and Bryan embark on a new journey. Get excited for Season 2 of The Sell More Books Show. Top story is There Are Ads in My Audio. Question of the week: What would be the most amusing commercial to appear in the middle of your audiobook (give context & keep it PG-13 at most)?
Claire and Bryan embark on a new journey. Get excited for Season 2 of The Sell More Books Show. Top story is Kobo Plus Has Arrived Stateside. Question of the week: Are there any drawbacks you can see in Kobo Plus? Do you plan on putting your books in Kobo Plus?
Claire and Bryan embark on a new journey. Get excited for Season 2 of The Sell More Books Show. Top story is AI Book Boom or Boon? Question of the week: How did you decide on the title of your last book?
Claire and Bryan embark on a new journey. Get excited for Season 2 of The Sell More Books Show. Top story is Fin Direct. Question of the week: If you’ve started doing direct sales, what is a pro tip you’ve learned that you can share with newbies?
Claire and Bryan embark on a new journey. Get excited for Season 2 of The Sell More Books Show. Top story is What About AIs Needs?. Question of the week: What is one tactic that you are using to get people from social media to your email list?
Claire and Bryan embark on a new journey. Get excited for Season 2 of The Sell More Books Show. Top story is Six-Pack Success. Question of the week: What book or series would you pitch for TV or movies, and what would be your elevator pitch for it?
Claire and Bryan embark on a new journey. Get excited for Season 2 of The Sell More Books Show. Top story is Punishing the Victims. Question of the week: If you were to have your account taken down from Amazon, what would your plan-b be?
Claire and Bryan embark on a new journey. Get excited for Season 2 of The Sell More Books Show. Top story is Why Some Authors Fail. Question of the week: What do you do when you realize your writer’s block is stemming from fear?
Claire and Bryan embark on a new journey. Get excited for Season 2 of The Sell More Books Show. Top story is Apple and training the machines. Question of the week:What do you think the real reason behind ACX’s price changes could be, and do you think it could end up being beneficial to authors?
Claire and Bryan embark on a new journey. Get excited for Season 2 of The Sell More Books Show. Top story is Pick a Lane. Question of the week: How do you decide which author lane to stay in, or do you move between more than one?
Claire and Bryan embark on a new journey. Get excited for Season 2 of The Sell More Books Show. Top story is Calling an Audible. Question of the week: What do you think the real reason behind ACX’s price changes could be, and do you think it could end up being beneficial to authors?
Claire and Bryan embark on a new journey. Get excited for Season 2 of The Sell More Books Show. Top story is AI voices could win, despite being inferior. Question of the week: How would you use AI narration and human narration differently, and do you plan on trying AI narration this year?
Claire and Bryan embark on a new journey. Get excited for Season 2 of The Sell More Books Show. Top story is do Amazon followers matter again? Question of the week: Will you be trying to build your Amazon Followers in the coming weeks?
Claire and Bryan embark on a new journey. Get excited for Season 2 of The Sell More Books Show. Question of the week: Which features of AI are you most excited about and which are you approaching with caution?
Claire and Bryan embark on a new journey. Get excited for Season 2 of The Sell More Books Show. Question of the week: What have you done in the past when your work is met with negativity online? Did it help?
This week we have a great show in store for you. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Join Claire’s Upcoming workshop: https://www.ffs.media/23. Top Tips of the week include how to increase you capacity to conquer new things, the newest cover designs for 2023, and how to reconnect with your creativity. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week is how B&N is growing again, that TikTok's book recommendations might not making readers happy, why Tor is under fire for their new cover, what it means that bestsellers are getting shorter, and how content creation doesn’t have to kill your spirit. Question of the week: Do you think the focus that Amazon and BN have to respectively take additional ad money or focus on readers will cause these two companies to flip in fortunes in the next 5-10 years?
This week we have a great show in store for you. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Top Tips of the week include what's working to sell children's books right now, whether you should be on social media at all, and how to set yourself up for success when you stay, and how to make your New Year's Resolutions actually work this year. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week is that the history of indie publishing might surprise you, why 2023 might just be the year to go wide, what's new in Amazon book reviews, what professional authors do that you can do, too, and Brandon Sanderson is calling out Audible on its bad business practices for authors. Question of the week: What does going wide mean to you? Will going wide be a part of your publishing plan going into 2023?
This week we have a great show in store for you. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Come join Bryan’s Webinar with Plottr https://plottr.com/bryan-cohen/?ref=342. Top Tips of the week include how commitments can make or break your author career, not to do what Dale did, and how to sell with the skills of a bookseller. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week is that mood music could be coming to your books one day soon, what your past book marketing can teach you about your future launches, how your book recommendations can sell more books, Apple is the latest to jump into the AI Narration of audiobooks, and what's changing with your Amazon Author Page. Question of the week: What has worked for you for your book marketing here in 2022? How will that change what you focus on next year?
This week we have a great show in store for you. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Top Tips of the week include Spotify having a new tool to help you promote your audiobooks, there's a new link tool for authors, and this one features books, and how easy it is to get an Epub on your Kindle. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include Amazon having some new KDP reporting features for you, that authors can be artists and good business people, what Amazon lawsuit is back on the table, building an on-brand author brand, and how to write more when the holidays say 'write less'. Question of the week: Do you plan on changing your writing routine over the holiday, and if so, how?
This week we have a great show in store for you. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Claire’s book, Reclaim Your Author Career, is available: www.books2read.com/RYAC. Guest, Chelle Honiker of indieauthormagazine.com and Authortechsummit.com. Top Tips of the week include new features in Vellum that make your book's messaging clear, how our own Bryan Cohen has Amazon's official stamp of approval, if you need author copies of your print books, you need to order today, what Amazon's layoffs mean to the publishing business, and TikTok took our advice and started selling direct! The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include news about Ingram's new ad platform, how Google is giving Spotify what Apple won't, why authors are abandoning Twitter and starting from scratch, the latest scams hitting Amazon authors, and to sell your books and serials by chapter, books, or subscription. Question of the week: What are you plans for selling direct? What does that look like specifically?
This week we have a great show in store for you. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Claire’s book, Reclaim Your Author Career, is available: www.books2read.com/RYAC. Amy Teegan’s books: www.amyteegan.com. Top Tips of the week include how to be alerted when your book price or reviews change, the ABCs of publishing, and why less is more when it comes to your writing. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include news about Ingram's new ad platform, how Google is giving Spotify what Apple won't, why authors are abandoning Twitter and starting from scratch, the latest scams hitting Amazon authors, and to sell your books and serials by chapter, books, or subscription. Question of the week: What is the next step for your book marketing beyond publishing on the major retailers?
This week we have a great show in store for you. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Claire’s book, Reclaim Your Author Career, is available: www.books2read.com/RYAC Sign up for Bryan’s webinar. 2023 Success, happening this Thursday: https://bryancohen.lpages.co/succeed-in-2023 Top Tips of the week include the best options for dictating your book in 2022, how one author added 3,000 email subscribers in three months, and why exercise helps you write better. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why the court blocked the Big 5 book merger, why one veteran author says the Big 5 no longer matter, that avoiding decisions can help you write more, why Spotify and Apple are pitched for battle, and Amazon has a new program to incentivize book buying. Question of the week: What is a story from your life that you could bake into your welcome sequence?
This week we have a great show in store for you. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Our Webinar is on Thursday! https://bryancohen.lpages.co/supercharge-your-story-nov22/ Top Tips of the week include the benefits of author collaborations, how the type of author you are can determine the success of your career, and what lessons you can take from the publishing process. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why more book sales data isn't always better for authors, how Audible has changed their return policy and neither authors or readers like it, that TikTok wants to challenge Amazon and sell physical products, what the 6 Figure Authors are doing to revive book sales, and what Goodreads is doing to your Amazon books. Question of the Week: What do you think is the deal with the Goodreads ratings on Amazon pages? Why would Amazon do that?
This week we have a great show in store for you. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Top Tips of the week include how (and why) to put your book into more categories on Amazon, how BookFunnel is improving the reader experience again, and ways to market print books from successful authors. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include some new audiobook promotional opportunities are here (but hurry), what (or who) makes a best seller, that you should keep writing, even with chronic illness, Amazon's latest problem affecting your book sale, and why most authors fail (and how not to). Question of the Week: Outside of the promise of money or public success, what makes you keep writing instead of quitting?
This week we have a great show in store for you. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Author Ad School is now open for $100 off! Https://AdSchool2022.com Top Tips of the week include why the basics matter with book marketing, the 10 Commandments of Writing, and how to get out of your stuck ways. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what successful authors have in common, and what you can learn from them, Amazon is having lots of hiccups, but what can you do, An AI copyrighted art for the 1st time, Hallmark is outta here, but I hope not before Christmas movie season, and how to recover from an Amazon suspension or termination (first, just breathe). Question of the Week: What is one commandment you live by as an author?
This week we have a great show in store for you. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. 5-Day Author Ad Profit Challenge starts today! Sign up at https://AuthorsAdvertise.com Top Tips of the week include why editing is a must have if you're thinking of your writing as a business, where to go to learn all about romance. Romance books, at least, and how to make your cover stellar! The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include whether NFT books can really be a thing, why you shouldn't bother to find a publisher, why free data is worth every penny, why BookTok promoters are ignoring a big new feature, and there’s a new way to track your Amazon sales conversions. Question of the Week: If you’re going to use the Amazon Attribution links, HOW are you going to use the data you collect from them?
This week we have a great show in store for you. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Author Ad Challenge starts Oct 12th! You can join here: https://AuthorsAdvertise.com Top Tips of the week include why your book isn't for everyone, and that's a good thing, how beta readers can hurt, but also help at the same time, whether authors should be seen marketing their books. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how D2D is making proofs and author copies easier for non-US authors, how TikTok is changing book covers, how to leap ahead of the Big 5, protecting yourself and your audiobook using Findaway Voices, why genre doesn't matter except to your readers. Question of the Week: What’s your process for using beta readers?
This week we have a great show in store for you. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Top Tips of the week include how you can master your series while prepping for NaNoWriMo, how to find your next non-fiction niche to write in, why your prologue could be hurting your sales. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include Amazon fixing the ebook return problem, how BookFunnel can help you deliver lots of books at once, how Amazon Ads can help readers find your book, the biggest problem that keeps books from selling, how France is fighting back to protect its indie bookstores. Question of the Week: What is the next step Amazon can take to help authors succeed?
This week we have a great show in store for you. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Last call: Claire’s Reclaim Your Author Career Coaching is open. Go to https://www.ffs.media/coaching to enroll before it closes. Top Tips of the week include relieving the pressure of being an author, riding the algorithms to sell more books, and how to survive your first 1-star review. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how Amazon is letting sellers 'talk' to customers, the way to securely deliver ARC copies that can't be pirated, the solution to Apple's demands, the mystery behind a mysterious new movie, based on a mysterious new book, and from an even more mysterious author, and that books are getting smaller, and maybe that's ok. Question of the Week: What do you think (or want to believe) is behind the mystery of author Ellie Conway? #whereisellieconway
This week we have a great show in store for you. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The Kickstarter Webinar with Russell & Monica is Thursday, September 15th. You can sign up at https://bryancohen.lpages.co/kickstarter-webinar/. Claire’s Reclaim Your Author Career Coaching is open. Go to https://www.ffs.media/coaching to enroll. Top Tips of the week include why you should stop kidding yourself that multitasking works, why authors should use Kickstarter, and how slow writing can lead to writing success. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include Bookfunnel's new sample feature and how it can help sell books, how Big 5 publishing's own stats are making Big 5 publishers look bad, why showing your work can bring you business, how Spotify plans to sell your audiobooks and whether you should let them, and the new minimalist writing tool on the market. Question of the Week: When you’ve been able to focus on a project, what have you usually had to do to make that happen?
This week we have a great show in store for you. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Top Tips of the week include a few good reasons to do a preorder, the best reasons to step away from your computer and write more, and how to gift your book to fans, friends, and reviewers. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how those books get onto the bestsellers table at your local bookstore, the new marketing subscription to help sell your books, where to go to learn the best in author tools, how Gen Z is making romance more popular than ever, and how to last for the long-haul in publishing. Question of the Week: In the coming years, what’s something you would consider doing to tap into the growing marketing of Gen Z readers?
This week we have a great show in store for you. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Top Tips of the week include how easy and quick it is to set up your own author page on Amazon, how habits that once served us can be working against you, and there's a new print book formatting tool in town, and it's free. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include making smart decisions about what NOT to do as an author, a great way to make BookBub ads quicker and easier, why author myths could be holding back your author career, why Brandon Sanderson is the biggest threat to traditional publishing, and what Amazon ordering fewer books means to publishers. Question of the Week: What’s a myth you held when you started indie publishing that you’ve since dispelled?
This week we have a great show in store for you. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Top Tips of the week include how to quickly recover from common author mistakes, to edit faster by playing a game, and to anticipate objections for your non-fiction books. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how an author found success on Vella by letting readers help her choose the adventure, how ScribeCount is making Ingram more accessible, how one reader learned that people really do care, why Barnes & Noble might not stock certain books, that fair use isn't always cut and dried. Question of the Week: What’s a situation where you had to do damage control with your book and how will that experience inform how you handle it in the future?
This week we have a great show in store for you. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. We welcome Phoebe Ravencraft as our Co-host. She's the author of Fiction Blurbs The Best Page Forward Way and Editor in Chief of Best Page Forward. Top Tips of the week include the history of blurbs and why they still work today, all the parts of a book, and why you need to know them, and how to manage your screen time as an author. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why AI's can't copyright their work. Even with human help, what Kate Bush's success tells authors about rights, how one librarian is fighting back against book banning activists, that Amazon has a big problem with fake books on its platform, and about D2D's new partnership with Humble Bundle. Question of the Week: If you had to choose between earning some money now but losing future rights, would you take a chance on keeping all of your rights (with no guarantee of a future payday)?
This week we have a great show for you! Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcast! Top Tips of the week include how to make your newsletter easier and more effective at the same time, what crazy way an author got some attention for his book, and how to take a summer road trip and keep up your writing. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how to get to know your reader to sell more books, how a 30 year old author makes $97k with books about money for young women, what's so special about Chuck Tingle's Big 5 book contract, where to find a great opportunity for anyone who loves books and bare feet, and how textbook publishers want to use NFTs to charge students for used ebooks. Question of the week: How have you gathered information or otherwise found creative inspiration from your roadtrips?
This week we have a great show for you! Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcast! Top Tips of the week include why you should consider selling direct, how insecurity is the creativity killer, and why every decision you make could make your writing harder. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what new features the Google play store has, how an indie author is seeing his novel come to television, data guy is back and selling his company, why the Internet free library case could have huge copyright implications, and how you and your author career will die if you refuse to change. Question of the week: What are some tricks you’ve found for managing decision fatigue in your writing life?
This week we have a great show for you! Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcast! Top Tips of the week include how to market your series slowly, deliberately, and effectively, how to see how far you've grown as an author, and what spot reviewer services aren't legit. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what is a great way to take stock of your author business, how one SciFi author org is opening up to more members, what to do to maximize Google Book sales, how to be more inclusive of disabilities in your author business, and how Penguin is fighting off the DOJ to make the Big 5 the Big 4. Question of the week: When it comes to the idea of reviewing your old writing, do you feel more like Bryan and like the idea, or do you feel more like Claire and not want to touch that with a 10ft pole? Why?
This week we have a great show for you! Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcast. Author Ad School is now open through July 25th and Claire's Kickstarter ends July 21st at midnight, you can visit the links in the show notes! Top Tips of the week include how to have a guilt free summer even if you don’t write, how to find the best keywords for your books, and how to give your backlist a kick in the pants! The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how to finish your first book, how BookTok and other influencers can help sell books, what author is making his living by doing less, what new reality show is following writers writing their books, and how ALLi is trying to track indie author sales and successes. Question of the week: If you had to pick one project to give your full attention to, which one would it be and why? Which projects would you let drop?
This week we have a great show for you! Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcast. Claire's Kickstarter is live, you can visit the link in the show notes! Top Tips of the week include how to record your own audiobook, how to use Facebook's new Pages to your advantage, and why connections can be the best way to market. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how to learn from another author's mistakes, how LGBTQ is taking the book world by storm, how to make Vella work for you, how to make Patreon work for you and your readers, and what's the big news for authors at Wattpad. Question of the week: What platform has caught your interest lately, and why are you thinking about hopping on?
This week Claire is joined by author Nikki Haverstock! Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcast. Claire's Kickstarter is live, you can visit the link in the show notes! Top Tips of the week include whether you're addicted to productivity, how BookBub's preorder alert can help you sell books, and how to get the word out on your audiobooks. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how Spotify is planning to play your audiobooks free with ads, how one author's pivot led to six-figures, how to save taking your print books wide, how to show off your Vella stories on your Author Page, and what the end of Mobi files means for you and your readers. Question of the Week: Do you tend toward Toxic Productivity? If so, what are some of the signs that you notice, and what do you do when you notice them?
Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcast. You can find Claire, Bryan and Monica’s Kickstarter links in the show notes. Top Tips of the week include how to have more pen names on Amazon, what is the new title trend that has your protagonist's name all over it, and why emailing more often might boost your open rates and sell more books. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what turns faithful readers off and makes them stop reading your books, how Goodreads is finally changing, what is Tertulia, how Spotify plans to use AI voices, and how B&N is highlighting indie books. Question of the Week: In the style of “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” what would your own “Person Doing a Thing” title be like if you were the title character?
Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcast. You can find both Claire and Bryan’s Kickstarter links in the show notes. Top Tips of the week include how to avoid author burnout in three ways, why you need a book pricing strategy, and how to find an author group for you. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why it's a mistake not to think of your writing as a business, why Kickstarter is a perfect second stream of income for authors, what are the pros and cons of small claims copyright court, how to do a Kindle Countdown for the world not just US and UK, and what Spotify and Findaway have in store now that they're official. Question of the Week: What do you usually price a book at for launch, and based on today’s discussion, would you consider changing that pricing strategy in the future?
Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcast. You can find both Claire and Bryan’s Kickstarter links in the show notes. Top Tips of the week include what are the ultimate audiobook tips, what you need to know before changing genres, and how James Patterson is so prolific. This week dHonorable Mention is Y2K all over again. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what Spotify's audiobook plans mean for authors, why authors are getting fed up with hybrid publishers, what's up with Wattpad these days, how a Top Gun copyright lawsuit could affect authors, and what audiobook creation advice Findaway Voice's best authors have to share. Question of the Week: Have you written in more than one genre, and if so, did you run into the similar issues of extra time being required to start out?
Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcast. You can find both Claire and Bryan’s Kickstarter links in the show notes along with Bryan’s Free Email Class. Top Tips of the week include how to choose the best proofreading software for you, whether blogs are are good for authors, and how to spot a bad author contract. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how free books sell books, how an author's own writing may have led police to her crimes, what indie authors are doing great on Kickstarter, why readers can't buy your Amazon ebooks easily anymore, and what to give on Father's Day for a dad who wants to tell his story. Question of the Week: What spellcheck software have you used? How do you use it? Where in the editing process do you use it?
This week Bryan is joined by Becca Syme! Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcast. Top Tips of the week include how to choose your next email service, where to find the perfect author podcast for you, and how to maintain your hope and drive for the long-haul. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what indie authors are doing to make it big with Amazon, how to prove you’re not a hack writer, where to find a children’s book store that’s indies only, how to vet a traditional publisher, and which book has been printed and bound using fireproof materials. Question of the Week: If you could choose any of your books to be your biggest success story ($50k+ per year in book sales), which would you choose and why?
This week we have a great show in store for you! Join the Sell More Books Show Afterparty group on Facebook and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcast. Top Tips of the week include what unusual ways to make crowdfunding work for you, how bad marketing can be worse than no marketing, and what makes a good book fail. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how to avoid failing as an author, why bookstores are being told to ban books, why you should write even when things are bad in the world, how KDP's reports have changed to give you more updated information about your books, and why Amazon has updated it's stance on low-content books. Question of the Week: Based on this week’s audience targeting discussion, who are you writing your current book for?