Advertise on podcast: Novel Marketing

Most authors can tell you their royalties but not their net profit per book. They spend money on ads, see sales come in, and assume things are fine. But are they? Sales and profit are not the same thing. How can you find out if you’re making money or just making sales? In this week’s episode, you’ll hear from Eiri Theodorou, founder of Publisher Champ, an analytics platform used by over 25,000 authors. You’ll learn How one of Amazon’s metrics is somewhat misleading (and how to find the truth)How you can track real-world marketing (like speaking and interviews) in a dashboardHow to find out if your best-selling book is masking problems with your other books.If you want to stop guessing about your profitability, listen in or read the blog version. You’ll be able to invest in marketing with more certainty and become truly profitable. Support the show

There’s a culture shift underway that most authors aren’t seeing. Even traditional publishers can’t figure out why their titles are resonating. If your book isn’t selling, it could be a cover or craft problem, but it might be a zeitgeist problem.   In this week’s episode, you’ll hear from fantasy and LitRPG author Seth Ring. We discuss the biggest cultural shift in storytelling in two decades and what it means for your books. You’ll discover What’s become of the morally conflicted anti-hero tropeWhat readers are tired of and hungry forA sure-fire way to write a story that resonates for this new zeitgeistThis cultural shift puts authors in a uniquely strategic place. If you want to make an impact with your writing and bring hope and change to the world through stories, it’s your time to shine. Listen in or read the blog version to find out how. Blog Link: https://www.authormedia.com/the-cultural-zeitgeist-shift-thats-making-indie-authors-rich/ AuthorMedia.social link:  https://authormedia.social/c/novel-marketing/the-cultural-zeitgeist-shift-that-s-making-indie-authors-rich YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/zVz0pd-P3TU Support the show

I bought and tested Apple's cheapest laptop so you don't have to. I stress-tested the MacBook Neo with a 250,000-word document, ran every major writing app, and pushed the machine to its limits. Whether the Neo is right for you depends on what you use your computer to do, because authors do more than just type words into a word processor. In this week's episode of Novel Marketing, you’ll learn What you should look for (and ignore) when buying a laptop in 2026Which laptops I recommend for authors, podcasters, and PC usersWhether the MacBook Neo is the right choice for you as an authorWhich laptop I will not recommend in 2026Listen in or read the blog version to find out which machine is the best bang for your buck and your use cases as an author. Support the show

Your author friends are lying to you about your book cover. Well, not on purpose. They can’t help it. When authors are trying to pick a book cover, they often ask their friends which cover they like best. But that strategy doesn’t work because your friends look too closely. They think about your feelings. They vote based on which cover has more votes. But your cover isn’t for your friends. It’s for strangers. In this week’s episode, we unpack why beautiful covers, which are loved by your friends, fail to help your book sell. You’ll hear how one author made his losing ads profitable without rewriting a single word of his book. In this week’s episode you’ll learn What makes a cover “good”How you can get accurate data on what will make readers click to buyHow much you’ll need to spend to get a cover that sellsIf your ads aren’t working, it may be time to examine the elements of your cover. Listen in or read the blog version to find out how.   Support the show

Many authors say reader magnets don’t work anymore. But when done right, a good reader magnet can grow your email list from zero to thousands of subscribers before your first book even launches. In this episode, you’ll hear from author, podcaster, and producer of the Novel Marketing podcast, Laurie Christine, who built an email list of thousands using various reader magnet strategies, all while writing for Christian moms and middle-grade boys. You’ll discover: How many reader magnets you actually needThe surprising promotion strategy that yielded more than 500 solid subscribersHow to create reader magnets that attract buyers, not just freebie seekersA tool to help you discover which reader magnets may work for youYou’ll also learn how you can use reader magnets to refine your message, craft, and audience before publishing your first book. Listen in or read the blog version to learn techniques for building (or growing) an email list regardless of where you are in your writing journey. Support the show

Do you ever wish you had a team of writing, publishing, or marketing professionals to consult? Do you wish you had an assistant to help with the business and marketing side of writing? What if you could have both for less than the cost of a couple of lattes? In this week’s episode, you’ll hear about the newest additions to the Novel Marketing Patron Toolbox, a growing suite of practical tools designed specifically for authors like you. Inside this episode, you’ll discover: New editing tools that can help you at each stage of the editing processNew business tools to help you create an overall strategy and analyze resultsNew book promotion tools to help you connect with new readersAnd many moreWhether you’re producing an audiobook, building a fictional world, planning classroom resources, or have questions for an agent or a CPA, these tools are designed to save you time, sharpen your strategy, and give you a head start before working with real human professionals. Listen in or read the blog version to learn more. Support the show

Is your writing a hobby or a profession? The answer to that question changes everything. Many authors claim to be professionals but act like hobbyists. They write what they want instead of what readers will pay for. They try to fit a finished book into a genre instead of studying the genre first. They publish without a marketing plan or budget and are shocked by low sales and few reviews. They expect professional results from a hobbyist approach. If that sounds familiar, there’s good news. You can choose the professional path. In this week’s episode, you’ll hear from author and podcaster Joanna Penn, who hosts the longest-running indie publishing podcast. You’ll discover: How to build a sustainable author career in an era of AIWhich marketing activities you should choose and which to ignoreBusiness principles that apply to your writing careerHow to use AI to do the business tasks you dislike so you have more time for creativity and storytellingTo learn how to build a sustainable author business in an era of rapid change, listen in or read the blog version. Support the show

If your book isn’t selling, it may not be your writing. It may be your metadata. In this week’s episode of the Novel Marketing Podcast, you’ll hear from Dave Chesson, creator of Publisher Rocket, and learn about the hidden engine behind book sales on Amazon. Even if your book is well-written and professionally edited, Amazon doesn’t read your book. It reads your metadata. And if your metadata is unclear, inconsistent, or confusing, Amazon won’t show your book to readers, even if it’s amazing. In this episode you’ll learn: What your book’s metadata isWhere you can manage it (and make it most effective!)How to include the most effective elements and language in your metadataAnd common metadata mistakes to avoidIf you want your book to show up in search results, convert better when readers click, and avoid the dark recesses of the “miscellaneous shelf,” listen in or read the blog version. Support the show

Many authors assume book formatting is complicated, expensive, or something only professionals can handle. In ​this week’s episode​, I talk with Bryan Canter about why that assumption is outdated, and how tools like Vellum have changed what authors can do. If you’ve ever wondered whether you need to pay a pro or learn to format your book’s interior yourself, this conversation will give you clarity. In this episode, you’ll discover: When you should format the book or reader magnet and when you should hire a proHow Vellum can prevent common design mistakesHow you can update back matter, fix typos, add reader magnets as needed​Listen to the episode​ or ​read the blog version​ to see how Vellum can save you money, time, and headache when formatting your next book or reader magnet. Support the show

American Taxes, pay too little and you go to jail. Pay too much and you lose the money you need to reach more readers with advertising and promotion.  If your records feel like a mess of Amazon deposits, Ingram payments, Kickstarter funds, affiliate income, coaching fees and dozens of random expenses you’re not alone.  In this week’s episode, you’ll hear from a CPA who works specifically with authors, about how to handle bookkeeping and taxes with confidence. Seth Norris welcome to the Novel Marketing Podcast! You’ll learn: A simple bookkeeping rhythm that prevents tax-time chaos. How the IRS decides if your writing is a business or a hobby. The most common mistake that costs authors the most money.Discover how to simplify your approach and how to avoid paying more taxes than you actually owe. If you want to keep more money for advertising, marketing, or feeding your family, stop treating taxes like a deadline of doom. Instead, listen in or read the blog version. Support the show

Do you ever feel like your book is taking forever to write? Maybe you’ve been working on the same manuscript for years, and then you look up and see other authors publishing a book a year, or more. How do they do it? In this week’s episode, I ask Jerry B. Jenkins that very question. He has sold more than 73 million books, including his mega-bestselling Left Behind series, and he breaks down the habits and mindset that helped him produce quality work on deadline for decades. You’ll discover: A practical way to establish a writing scheduleThe counterintuitive way to combat procrastinationOne way to silence your inner editor without eliminating it completelyIf you’re ready to get out of your own way, build a sustainable writing rhythm, and finish what you start, you’ll want to hear this one. Listen in or read the blog version to discover how you can finish your book and write better books for the rest of your writing career. Support the show

Most authors begin writing as a solitary pursuit and soon realize they don’t know other writers or industry professionals who can help them grow. So how do you go from a solitary outsider to a connected insider who knows designers, editors, marketers, and more? In this week’s episode, we talk with Dale L. Roberts, an award-winning indie author and host of Self-Publishing with Dale, about how genuine networking can strengthen your career and relationships. In this interview, you’ll discover: How to reframe your mindset about networking (it shouldn’t feel sleazy)How to follow up after conferences and events without feeling awkwardSimple habits for remembering names and details so people feel seen and valuedWhen (and how) to make introductions inside your networkIf you’ve ever wondered how successful authors seem to know so many industry experts, this conversation will give you practical, real-world networking tips to help you build and facilitate mutually beneficial publishing connections. Listen in or read the blog version to discover 12 tips to help you connect generously, authentically, and for the long haul. Support the show

If you ask a bestselling novelist how long it took to go from aspiring writer to published success, the answer is usually about ten years. One reason it takes so long is that most authors learn about writing in a haphazard way. They read a blog post here, listen to a podcast there, attend a conference where they receive a firehose of information, and then watch YouTube videos hoping to fill in the gaps. It is an overwhelming way to learn. If you have ever felt overwhelmed by everything you need to know about publishing, you know exactly what this feels like. But what if you could cut that ten-year learning curve in half? In our latest podcast episode, I talk with Christy Award Hall of Fame author James L. Rubart about the Five-Year Plan for Becoming a Professional Author. It’s a step-by-step training approach designed to help fiction writers build skills in the right order (without the overwhelm). This isn’t a “shortcut” or gimmick course. It’s a craft-first path that helps writers avoid wasted years, bad habits, and out-of-order learning. In this week’s episode, you’ll discover: Why most authors stall outHow to accelerate the mastery of storytellingWhat separates “good” writers from professional-level authors in the current publishing landscapeIf you’ve ever wondered whether you’re developing your craft in the smartest way possible, or where you should start, listen in or read the blog version. Support the show

ChatGPT used to be the go-to AI for authors, but it's no longer the best choice for every task. New models like Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, and Grok are outperforming it in specific areas, from creative writing to research to automation. In this week’s episode, you’ll hear from The Nerdy Novelist, Jason Hamilton. We discuss which AI tools work best for your writing, your budget, and your genre. You’ll learn Which tools can help expedite your researchWhich AI models help you write the best dialogueHow open-source models can spur fresh fiction ideas and structuresTo stay up to date on which models can help you with various parts of your writing and marketing (and which can’t), listen in or read the blog version to feel confident experimenting with new platforms. What does ChatGPT Actually Know About Your Book?AI Optimization for AuthorsBook Promotion in 2025: How AI Gives Authors More Time to WriteTikTok, Iran, and AI: What Authors Need to Know NowThe Author’s Guide to AI with Joanna PennSupport the show

I am not a big fan of Substack for novelists. Most novelists are better off using the free version of Kit and WordPress. However, Substack is a completely different story for nonfiction authors. If you’re a nonfiction author who wants to grow your platform without juggling five different tech tools, this week’s Novel Marketing episode is for you. In this week’s episode, I talk with screenwriter and Substack superuser James Cary about how nonfiction authors can use Substack to attract readers, deepen engagement, and earn recurring income. You’ll learn When Substack is (and isn’t) a good fit for authors How to get your first 100+ subscribers  When and whether to monetize your SubstackIf you’ve been wondering whether you should start a Substack or what to do with the one you already have, listen in or read the blog version to get help on your decision and guidance on your plan. Support the show