What 600 Indie Authors Just Told Us About 2026 (Mid-Year Survey) @Writtenwordmedia

Written Word Media Written Word Media surveyed nearly 600 indie authors at the midpoint of 2026, and the data pushes back on the doom-and-gloom narrative. Half of the authors report that their businesses are holding steady or growing. Half expect their income to increase in the next 12 months. Ricci and Ferol break down exactly what the optimistic, growing authors are doing differently, in five findings that apply no matter where you are in your author journey.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

0:00 – Introduction & Mid-Year Check-In
1:36 – Why Written Word Media Does a Mid-Year Survey
2:38 – Survey Methodology: ~600 Responses, 10 Questions, Sentiment Focus
3:43 – Data Caveat: Self-Reported, Indie-Author-Skewed
4:58 – The Open-Ended Questions: Why They Matter Most
5:22 – Headline Data: 23% Growing, 22% Holding Steady, 29% Declining
6:00 – The Four Author Buckets (Income Tiers Explained)
6:46 – 50% Expect Income Growth in the Next 12 Months
7:42 – Why the Data Is More Optimistic Than the Forums
8:36 – What Optimistic Authors Are Doing: Finding #1
9:25 – Finding #1: They're Writing More (Volume as a Controllable Lever)
10:08 – The Psychology of Leaning Into What You Can Control
11:08 – Your Backlist Is an Asset That Compounds
11:52 – Finding #2: Author Newsletters Are a Priority, Not an Afterthought
12:21 – Newsletter Swaps and Audience-Building vs. Algorithm-Chasing
13:06 – WWM's Subscriber Surge Giveaways (300–600 New Subscribers in 2 Months)
14:17 – Other Ways to Grow Your List
14:50 – Finding #3: Optimistic Authors Are Spending More on Paid Marketing
15:01 – Amazon Ads: Still Working Despite Anecdotal Reports
15:30 – Meta Ads: Still Delivering, No Significant Decline
16:03 – Finding #4: Box Sets, Translations, and Human-Narrated Audiobooks
16:34 – AI-Assisted Translations: Cost-Effective Catalog Monetization
17:11 – Why This Group Chose Human Narration Despite AI Availability
18:18 – Finding #5: Using AI as a Tool, Not Fearing It as a Threat
18:35 – AI for Ad Creatives, Covers, Translations, Workflow
19:18 – AI Sentiment Split: Starting Out vs. Living the Dream
20:18 – The Optimistic Group Cuts Across All Four Income Tiers
21:00 – The 5 Findings Recap
22:20 – KDP Exclusive vs. Wide: Statistically Irrelevant (46% vs. 47%)
23:08 – Pick a Path and Focus on the Five Things
23:35 – Open-Ended Survey Themes: What Changed Since End-of-Year
24:22 – Algorithm Anxiety Is Up: Amazon A10 Conversations Surge
24:37 – Author Quote: "It Came Out of the Blue"
25:38 – WWM's Response: Longer-Duration Promo Stacks (5, 7, 10 Days)
26:54 – Newsletter Signal Unchanged: Still the Top Owned Channel
27:32 – AI Went From Background Noise to Center Stage
29:33 – AI Sentiment by Income Tier: Starting Out vs. Got Traction vs. Living the Dream
30:00 – Closing: The Data Says There's Reason for Optimism in 2026

RESOURCES & LINKS:

– 2025 Indie Author Survey Results: writtenwordmedia.com/2025-indie-author-survey-results-insights-into-self-publishing-for-authors
– 2026 Reader Survey: What Readers Want, Buy, and Expect: writtenwordmedia.com/reader-survey-2026
– How to Grow Your Author Email List (and Why It Matters More Than Ever): writtenwordmedia.com/how-to-grow-your-author-email-list-and-why-it-matters-more-than-ever
– The Amazon A10 Update: 3 Things Every Indie Author Needs to Know: writtenwordmedia.com/the-amazon-a10-update-3-things-every-indie-author-needs-to-know
– KU vs. Wide: What the Data Actually Says: writtenwordmedia.com/ku-vs-wide-what-the-data-actually-says
– The Self Publishing Show 2026, London, June 11-12, 2026: learnselfpublishing.com
– 2026 Mid-Year Author Survey: What’s Working for Indie Authors Right Now: writtenwordmedia.com/2026-mid-year-indie-author-survey
– Subscriber Surge Giveaways: writtenwordmedia.com/subscriber-surge-giveaways
– See past podcast episodes here: writtenwordmedia.com/podcast

Want to learn more ways to reach readers? Visit writtenwordmedia.com for author resources, book promotion tools, and more.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

© 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

#indieauthor #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #authorlife #indieauthorsurvey #writingcommunity #authorbusiness #amazonkdp #authornewsletter #bookpromotion #publishingtips #writtenwordmedia #authorentrepreneur #2026publishing #aiforauthors

updated 3 months ago

What 600 Indie Authors Just Told Us About 2026 (Mid-Year Survey)

Written Word Media 2026-06-23 | Written Word Media surveyed nearly 600 indie authors at the midpoint of 2026, and the data pushes back on the doom-and-gloom narrative. Half of the authors report that their businesses are holding steady or growing. Half expect their income to increase in the next 12 months. Ricci and Ferol break down exactly what the optimistic, growing authors are doing differently, in five findings that apply no matter where you are in your author journey.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

0:00 – Introduction & Mid-Year Check-In
1:36 – Why Written Word Media Does a Mid-Year Survey
2:38 – Survey Methodology: ~600 Responses, 10 Questions, Sentiment Focus
3:43 – Data Caveat: Self-Reported, Indie-Author-Skewed
4:58 – The Open-Ended Questions: Why They Matter Most
5:22 – Headline Data: 23% Growing, 22% Holding Steady, 29% Declining
6:00 – The Four Author Buckets (Income Tiers Explained)
6:46 – 50% Expect Income Growth in the Next 12 Months
7:42 – Why the Data Is More Optimistic Than the Forums
8:36 – What Optimistic Authors Are Doing: Finding #1
9:25 – Finding #1: They're Writing More (Volume as a Controllable Lever)
10:08 – The Psychology of Leaning Into What You Can Control
11:08 – Your Backlist Is an Asset That Compounds
11:52 – Finding #2: Author Newsletters Are a Priority, Not an Afterthought
12:21 – Newsletter Swaps and Audience-Building vs. Algorithm-Chasing
13:06 – WWM's Subscriber Surge Giveaways (300–600 New Subscribers in 2 Months)
14:17 – Other Ways to Grow Your List
14:50 – Finding #3: Optimistic Authors Are Spending More on Paid Marketing
15:01 – Amazon Ads: Still Working Despite Anecdotal Reports
15:30 – Meta Ads: Still Delivering, No Significant Decline
16:03 – Finding #4: Box Sets, Translations, and Human-Narrated Audiobooks
16:34 – AI-Assisted Translations: Cost-Effective Catalog Monetization
17:11 – Why This Group Chose Human Narration Despite AI Availability
18:18 – Finding #5: Using AI as a Tool, Not Fearing It as a Threat
18:35 – AI for Ad Creatives, Covers, Translations, Workflow
19:18 – AI Sentiment Split: Starting Out vs. Living the Dream
20:18 – The Optimistic Group Cuts Across All Four Income Tiers
21:00 – The 5 Findings Recap
22:20 – KDP Exclusive vs. Wide: Statistically Irrelevant (46% vs. 47%)
23:08 – Pick a Path and Focus on the Five Things
23:35 – Open-Ended Survey Themes: What Changed Since End-of-Year
24:22 – Algorithm Anxiety Is Up: Amazon A10 Conversations Surge
24:37 – Author Quote: "It Came Out of the Blue"
25:38 – WWM's Response: Longer-Duration Promo Stacks (5, 7, 10 Days)
26:54 – Newsletter Signal Unchanged: Still the Top Owned Channel
27:32 – AI Went From Background Noise to Center Stage
29:33 – AI Sentiment by Income Tier: Starting Out vs. Got Traction vs. Living the Dream
30:00 – Closing: The Data Says There's Reason for Optimism in 2026

RESOURCES & LINKS:

– 2025 Indie Author Survey Results: writtenwordmedia.com/2025-indie-author-survey-results-insights-into-self-publishing-for-authors
– 2026 Reader Survey: What Readers Want, Buy, and Expect: writtenwordmedia.com/reader-survey-2026
– How to Grow Your Author Email List (and Why It Matters More Than Ever): writtenwordmedia.com/how-to-grow-your-author-email-list-and-why-it-matters-more-than-ever
– The Amazon A10 Update: 3 Things Every Indie Author Needs to Know: writtenwordmedia.com/the-amazon-a10-update-3-things-every-indie-author-needs-to-know
– KU vs. Wide: What the Data Actually Says: writtenwordmedia.com/ku-vs-wide-what-the-data-actually-says
– The Self Publishing Show 2026, London, June 11-12, 2026: learnselfpublishing.com
– 2026 Mid-Year Author Survey: What’s Working for Indie Authors Right Now: writtenwordmedia.com/2026-mid-year-indie-author-survey
– Subscriber Surge Giveaways: writtenwordmedia.com/subscriber-surge-giveaways
– See past podcast episodes here: writtenwordmedia.com/podcast

Want to learn more ways to reach readers? Visit writtenwordmedia.com for author resources, book promotion tools, and more.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

© 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

#indieauthor #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #authorlife #indieauthorsurvey #writingcommunity #authorbusiness #amazonkdp #authornewsletter #bookpromotion #publishingtips #writtenwordmedia #authorentrepreneur #2026publishing #aiforauthors

How a LitRPG Book About a Talking Cat Outsold Traditionally Published Bestsellers

Written Word Media 2026-09-29 | 14 million copies. A TV deal with the creator of Family Guy. A Random House print deal, all while keeping all his ebook rights. It all started with two people showing up at his convention booth. Ricci Wolman and Ferol Vernon do a deep-dive case study on Matt Dinniman, the indie author behind Dungeon Crawler Carl, and pull out the lessons every author can apply, no matter what you write.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

0:00 – Intro & Fall Conference Season (NINC + Author Nation)
1:52 – Today's Format: A New Case Study Series
2:20 – Who Is Matt Dinniman? The Dungeon Crawler Carl Overview
3:13 – Why This Story Applies to Authors in Every Genre
4:31 – Matt's Origin: Artist, Illustrator, and Etsy Store Owner
6:21 – The First Version of Dungeon Crawler Carl (2009) and Why He Shelved It
7:07 – The Pandemic Pivot: Picking It Back Up in 2019–2020
7:44 – Royal Road First: Why He Published on a Web Serial Platform Before Amazon
8:17 – Publishing on Amazon in October 2020 — 7 Years Before Today's Success
9:01 – The Audiobook Narrator Who Changed Everything: Jeff Hayes
9:44 – Word of Mouth in Action: The Thanksgiving Dinner Recommendation
10:35 – Tyler Coyle and the Two-Person Booth Story (Early 2023)
11:40 – Why One Deep Fan Connection Is Worth More Than 1,000 Casual Ones
13:01 – The Random House Deal: Print Rights Only (Keeping Ebook Rights)
13:50 – Why Smart Authors Sell Distribution, Not Royalties
14:43 – "No Publisher Would Have Signed This" — Matt's Own Words
16:04 – The Tipping Point Framework: Saturating the Village Before the Country
18:22 – LitRPG as the Village: Small, Hungry, and Underserved
19:08 – The Kickstarter Strategy: $777 to Live, $666 to Die
20:40 – Why the Story Matters More Than the Revenue
21:30 – Patreon as Collaboration, Not Just Subscription
22:40 – Superficial vs. Authentic Community Connection
24:02 – The Showrunner Who Was a Patreon Subscriber First
25:08 – Human Connection as the Last Competitive Advantage in an AI World
26:33 – How Matt's Community Became His Marketing Team and Business Partners
27:36 – What Authors Can Learn Without Being Matt
28:11 – The 7-Year Overnight Success: What the Taylor Swift Meme Gets Right
29:12 – Closing: More Case Studies Coming — Every Path Is Different

See past podcast episodes here: writtenwordmedia.com/podcast

Want to learn more ways to reach readers? Visit writtenwordmedia.com for author resources, book promotion tools, and more.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

© 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

#indieauthor #dungeoncrarlcarl #mattdinniman #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #litrpg #authorlife #wordofmouth #writingcommunity #authortips #indiepublishing #kickstarter #patreon #bookstoseries #writtenwordmedia

The Best Day to Launch a Book

Written Word Media 2026-09-17 | We looked at thousands of book launches. Here's what the data says about the best day to launch 👇

Spoiler: it doesn't matter as much as you think.

WWM's data across thousands of authors shows essentially no statistical difference between days of the week in launch performance.

Yes, traditional publishers drop on Tuesdays. Yes, you could argue for riding that wave, or against it (less competition on a Friday). But here's what actually matters:

✅ Launch when you can PAY ATTENTION to your marketing
✅ Launch when you can send emails, post on social, and track what's happening
✅ Launch when your book is actually ready

"It's much more important to have a plan than to try to shoehorn a plan into a day of the week for no rhyme or reason." — Ricci Wolman

One exception is genre seasonality: holiday romance in December, diet books in January, beach reads in summer. Use common sense!

Full episode on the Written Word Podcast!

#indieauthor #booklaunch #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #authorlife #authortips #writingcommunity #indiepublishing #amazonkdp #writtenwordmedia

Do You Actually Need DRM?

Written Word Media 2026-09-15 | Do indie authors actually need DRM on their books?
Short answer: probably not. Here's why 👇

DRM = Digital Rights Management. It's supposed to protect your book from piracy.

But here's the thing:
❌ Hard DRM (Amazon's walled garden) can be broken by anyone with moderate technical knowledge
❌ It adds friction between your book and a reader who might just want to lend it to a friend
❌ For most indie authors, the problem is too FEW readers, not too many

"When you add DRM, you're adding sharing friction. And I think our general recommendation is: for indie authors who want to get more audience, you don't need DRM." — Ferol Vernon

ALLi (Alliance of Independent Authors) agrees, and good news: Amazon recently changed its policy, so you CAN update your DRM setting after publication now; it's no longer a permanent decision.

Full breakdown on the Written Word Podcast!

#indieauthor #amazonkdp #drm #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #authorlife #writingcommunity #authortips #indiepublishing #writtenwordmedia

Should Authors Use DRM? The Answer Might Surprise You

Written Word Media 2026-09-15 | 10,000 downloads and counting, and to mark the milestone, Ricci Wolman and Ferol Vernon are answering the three questions that land in the WWM inbox most often. What is DRM, and do you need it? When is the best day (or season) to launch a book? And if you're in Kindle Unlimited, how do you actually get more KENP reads? Short episode, clear answers, data included.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

0:00 – 10,000 Downloads Milestone 🎉
1:26 – Today's Format: Three Listener Questions
6:18 – Question 1: What Is DRM and Do I Need It?
6:46 – Hard DRM, Soft DRM, and No DRM Explained
9:04 – The Philosophy: Is Your Problem Too Many Readers or Too Few?
9:40 – ALLi's Recommendation on DRM for Indie Authors
10:09 – Amazon's New DRM Policy: You Can Now Change It Midstream
10:48 – The Truth About Hard DRM: It's Not as Protective as You Think
11:29 – Ricci's Plain-Language Recap of the Three DRM Types
14:03 – Question 2: When Is the Best Time to Launch a Book?
14:31 – The TLDR: Launch When You're Ready
14:50 – What Traditional Publishers Do (Fall + Tuesdays)
15:29 – NewInBooks Drops Every Tuesday — Here's Why
16:24 – What WWM's Launch Data Actually Shows
17:06 – The Tuesday vs. Friday Strategy Debate
17:55 – Launch When You Can Pay Attention — Not Just on a 'Good' Day
18:18 – The Exception: Genre-Specific Seasonality
19:02 – Question 3: I'm in KU — How Do I Get More KENP Reads?
20:21 – How KU Reads and Royalties Work
21:25 – How Promotions Drive Both Sales and KENP Reads
21:45 – The Lag: Why Reads Don't Show Up Immediately After a Promo
22:11 – The Free Promo Hack: Earn KENP Reads While Running a FreeBooksy Promo
22:53 – How WWM Newsletters Prime KU Readers Before They Hit Amazon
23:05 – Keep Sending In Your Questions (This Is How Products Get Built)

See past podcast episodes here: writtenwordmedia.com/podcast

Want to learn more ways to reach readers? Visit writtenwordmedia.com for author resources, book promotion tools, and more.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

© 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

#indieauthor #amazonkdp #kindleunlimited #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #drm #booklaunch #kenpreads #authortips #writingcommunity #authorlife #indiepublishing #freebooksy #publishingtips #writtenwordmedia

The Biggest Lead Magnet Mistake

Written Word Media 2026-09-03 | You ran the ad, 200 people signed up for your lead magnet, but you're getting zero book sales. What went wrong? 👇

The most common lead magnet mistake Ricci sees:

❌ Collecting the leads and then... not emailing them.
Your email list is not a vanity metric. The number means nothing if you're not actually sending emails. Here's the sequence that works:

📧 Welcome email: "Thanks for grabbing the lead magnet. When you're done, here's the rest of the series."

⏳ Wait 2–3 weeks

📧 Follow-up: "Did you finish reading? Don't miss books 2, 3, and 4."

That's it. Two emails.

But authors run successful campaigns and never send them, and then wonder why the conversions aren't there.

"The minute those readers come onto your list, they should be getting a welcome email." — Ricci Wolman

Full episode on the Written Word Podcast!

#indieauthor #emailmarketing #authoremaillist #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #emaillist #authortips #writingcommunity #writtenwordmedia #leadmagnet

Lead Magnet vs. Reader Magnet

Written Word Media 2026-09-01 | Most authors confuse these two things, and it's costing them email subscribers 👇

A LEAD MAGNET:
→ Reaches strangers who've never heard of you
→ You're offering free content to get their email address
→ They are people you're trying to pull into your orbit for the first time

A READER MAGNET:
→ Someone has ALREADY finished your book
→ You offer something extra (a bonus chapter, an epilogue, a novella)
→ They input their email in your back matter to receive it
→ Now you own that relationship, not Amazon

Both exist to grow your email list, but they work on completely different people at completely different stages.

Your email list is the most valuable thing you own as an author. It's the one channel no algorithm can take from you.

Full breakdown on the Written Word Podcast!

#indieauthor #emaillist #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #leadmagnet #readermagnet #authortips #writingcommunity #authorlife #writtenwordmedia

How to Turn Free Content Into New Readers (Every Author Should Do This)

Written Word Media 2026-09-01 | Your email list is your most valuable asset as an author, but how do you grow it beyond people who already know you? Ricci Wolman and Ferol Vernon break down the full lead magnet system: what to give away, how to host and deliver it, and exactly how to drive traffic to it. Including the one mistake authors make after a successful campaign that kills all the momentum.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

0:00 – Pacific Northwest Trip: National Parks + First Marmot Sighting
2:14 – What Is a Lead Magnet? (And Why Authors Should Use One)
3:37 – The Psychology of Free: Reciprocity and List-Building
5:19 – Lead Magnet vs. Reader Magnet: A Critical Distinction
7:17 – Back Matter: Where the Reader Magnet Lives in Your Book
8:04 – What a Reader Magnet Looks Like in Practice (The Baby Chapter)
9:02 – What to Give Away: Chapter, Novella, or Full Book
11:09 – The Sweet Spot: Why Novellas Work Best
11:57 – KDP Select Warning: Don't Violate Exclusivity With a Free Book
13:55 – The 4 Components: Content, Landing Page, Delivery, Traffic
14:41 – The Best Tool for Authors: BookFunnel (and What It Does for You)
15:47 – BookFunnel vs. Kit/Beehiiv: The Customer Service Difference
17:06 – Free Traffic: Newsletter Swaps and Group Promos
19:55 – Paid Traffic: Meta Ads at $5/Day
21:26 – The Real-Time Feedback Loop: Why Lead Magnets Beat Retailer Sales
21:56 – The Biggest Mistake After a Successful Campaign
22:24 – The Welcome Email Sequence That Turns Leads Into Buyers
24:42 – WWM Reader Reach: Running Facebook Ads to Your Lead Magnet
25:27 – What Goes on the Landing Page (Less Than You Think)
26:40 – Design for Mobile: Everything Is One Stacked Column
29:06 – WWM's New Reader Reach Lead Magnet Product (Coming Soon)
33:05 – Episode Recap

RESOURCES & LINKS:

– Reader Reach™: Find More Readers with Ads by Written Word Media: writtenwordmedia.com/reader-reach
– Bargain Booksy Feature: Written Word Media Author and Publisher Payment Portal: secure.writtenwordmedia.com/features/bargain-booksy
– See past podcast episodes here: writtenwordmedia.com/podcast

Want to learn more ways to reach readers? Visit writtenwordmedia.com for author resources, book promotion tools, and more.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

© 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

#indieauthor #authoremaillist #leadmagnet #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #readermagnets #authorlife #emailmarketing #writingcommunity #authortips #indiepublishing #bookpromotion #bookfunnel #facebookads #writtenwordmedia

The A+ Content Template That Works

Written Word Media 2026-08-20 | Stop overthinking Amazon A+ content. Here's the exact 3-module template that 80% of trad publishers use 👇

Module 1 → Hero banner (big image at the top)
Module 2 → Three small image blocks (mood, genre, audience)
Module 3 → Comparison chart (your series or other books)

That's it… 3 Lego blocks, done in under 30 minutes.

The copy for each block? 20 words max. You literally don't have more space than that. So the pressure's off.

For the comparison chart, just enter your ASINs and let Amazon pull in the covers and titles automatically.

You just need to add one metric line (could be as simple as "More from [Author Name]").

There's no data showing 6 modules perform better than 3. Start simple, get it live, then iterate if you want to get fancy.

Full step-by-step walkthrough on the Written Word Podcast, link in description + blog post with screenshots!

#indieauthor #amazonkdp #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #amazonaplus #kdp #authorlife #bookpromotion #authortips #writtenwordmedia

Why Every Author Needs Amazon A+ Content

Written Word Media 2026-08-18 | There's a free tool on Amazon that can boost your book's conversion rate by up to 20%. Most indie authors haven't set it up.

It's called Amazon A+ Content.

Here's what it does:
📈 Boosts conversion 8–20% (Amazon's own data)
📱 Takes up more real estate on your page, pushing competing ads and recommendations down
🤖 Feeds Amazon's AI (Rufus) metadata about your book's vibe, helping it recommend your book to the right readers
💸 Makes every ad dollar you spend more effective.

And it's free. Available to every author on KDP, exclusive or wide.

When Ricci and Ferol checked the New York Times bestseller list, A+ content was on nearly every single page. It's not a secret optimization. It's table stakes.

Full walkthrough, including a step-by-step screen share, on the Written Word Podcast!

#indieauthor #amazonkdp #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #amazonaplus #authorlife #writingcommunity #booksales #authortips #writtenwordmedia

Amazon A+ Content Explained: A Step-by-Step Guide for Every Indie Author

Written Word Media 2026-08-18 | Amazon A+ content is free, it boosts conversion rates by up to 20%, and it's already on nearly every New York Times bestseller's page. If your books don't have it yet, Ricci Wolman and Ferol Vernon are walking you through the exact setup, live on screen, in under 30 minutes. Three modules, one template, step by step.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

0:00 – Owl Family Update 🦉 (Mated Pair + Fledgling Confirmed)
3:39 – What Is Amazon A+ Content?
6:18 – Why You Should Do This: Free, Real Estate, Conversion Data
7:19 – Amazon's Own Data: 8–20% Conversion Lift
8:30 – How A+ Content Feeds the Amazon A10 Algorithm
9:55 – [SCREEN SHARE] Finding A+ Content Inside Your KDP Account
10:32 – Log In to KDP → Click Marketing → A+ Content
12:22 – The Three-Module Template Trad Publishers Use
13:30 – Module 1: Hero Banner (Standard Image + Dark Text Overlay)
13:45 – Module 2: Three Image Blocks (Standard Three Images + Text)
13:55 – Module 3: Comparison Chart (Standard Comparison Chart)
14:41 – Don't Overcomplicate It: Three Modules Is Enough
15:12 – The Content Rules: What You Can and Can't Include
17:18 – How Amazon AI Reads Your Images and Alt Text
19:39 – [SCREEN SHARE] Adding Modules Inside KDP
21:15 – Words Before Pictures: Writing Your Copy First
23:20 – 20 Words Max Per Block — Don't Overthink It
24:00 – Using Gemini to Brainstorm Copy
25:10 – Look at What Other Authors Are Doing for Inspiration
25:34 – Creating Image Assets in Canva (WWM Template Available)
26:26 – Using Gemini's Image Tool as an Alternative
27:01 – Alt Text: What to Write and Why It Matters for Rufus
28:11 – [SCREEN SHARE] Uploading Your Banner Into the Module
29:06 – Design for Mobile First (60–70% of Amazon Traffic)
29:43 – Amazon's Built-In AI Tool: Not Ready Yet, But Worth Watching
30:30 – Completing the Comparison Chart Module
33:11 – Applying One A+ Setup to an Entire Series
34:10 – Submit for Approval (Up to 7 Days)
35:00 – Recap + Resources in Show Notes

RESOURCES & LINKS:

– Grow your brand with engaging product listings - A+ Content: sell.amazon.com/tools/a-content
– Rufus, Amazon’s generative AI-powered shopping assistant: aboutamazon.com/news/retail/how-to-use-amazon-rufus
– The Amazon A10 Update: 3 Things Every Indie Author Needs to Know: writtenwordmedia.com/the-amazon-a10-update-3-things-every-indie-author-needs-to-know
– Amazon A+ Content for Authors: A Step-by-Step KDP Guide: writtenwordmedia.com/amazon-a-plus-content-for-authors
– Emily Henry author: emilyhenrybooks.com
– Amazon A+ Content Canva Templates: canva.com/design/DAHR675qTEQ/c215s0ERGX54kU4E_YCJmg/view?utm_content=DAHR675qTEQ&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=publishsharelink&mode=preview
– Nano Banana 2 - Gemini AI image generator & photo editor: https://gemini.google/overview/image-generation/
– See past podcast episodes here: writtenwordmedia.com/podcast

Want to learn more ways to reach readers? Visit writtenwordmedia.com for author resources, book promotion tools, and more.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.
© 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

#indieauthor #amazonkdp #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #amazonaplus #apluscontentamazon #authorlife #bookpromotion #writingcommunity #authortips #indiepublishing #amazonbooks #kdp #bookconversion #writtenwordmedia

What Hollywood Actually Pays for Your Book

Written Word Media 2026-08-06 | What does Hollywood actually pay for your book's film and TV rights?
The range is wider than you think.

💰Purchase price range: $11,000 – $2,000,000 (depends on the project type, budget level, and your platform)

For an episodic TV series, you're also negotiating:
📺 EP credit and fee: studios open at ~$7K/episode; aim for $20–25K if it's your first deal
📺 Per-episode royalty
📺 Season bonuses (anything past Season 4 on a streamer is a hit)

For a feature film:
🎬 Purchase price + possible setup bonus
🎬 Back-end participation, but almost no one ever sees it

"Hollywood is notorious for nothing ever making any money. It's really important to negotiate those front numbers as much as you can." — Maggie Marr, Entertainment Attorney

Front-load everything. The back end is rarely worth waiting for.

Full episode on The Written Word Podcast!

#indieauthor #booktofilm #hollywoodbooks #authorbusiness #selfpublishing #filmrights #writingcommunity #entertainmentlaw #writtenwordmedia #authortips

How to Spot a Scam Hollywood Inquiry

Written Word Media 2026-08-04 | "We want to turn your book into a movie."

🚨 Before you get excited, read this.

Entertainment attorney and former Hollywood agent Maggie Marr has seen the scams, including a long con that played out in two phone calls:

📞 Call 1:
"We want to make your book into a film. Do you have a script?"
Author: "No, I write books."
"No problem, if you ever get one, reach out!"

📞 Call 2 (15 minutes later):
"Hi, we turn books into scripts. It'll cost you $15,000."

That's not how this industry works, and here's what a real inquiry looks like:
✅ They don't ask you for money, ever. Money flows TO the author.
✅ The email comes from a verified domain (not "SonyPictures@gmail")
✅ They don't need you to "pay for a pitch package" before they can move forward

If someone's asking you to pay them to develop your book for Hollywood, that's a scam.

Full episode on The Written Word Podcast!

#indieauthor #booktofilm #hollywoodbooks #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #authorlife #scamalert #writingcommunity #authortips #writtenwordmedia

How Indie Authors Get Their Books Made Into Hollywood Movies

Written Word Media 2026-08-04 | What does it actually take to get your book turned into a film or TV show, and what should you never sign? Ferol sits down with Maggie Marr, a former ICM motion picture literary agent turned entertainment attorney who has worked on projects including Game of Thrones, Bourne Identity, and Bridget Jones's Diary, to give indie authors a real-world inside look at how Hollywood works, what deals look like, and how to avoid the contracts that haunt authors for years.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

0:00 – Introduction & Maggie's Hollywood Background
2:10 – The First Thing to Do If You Want Your Book Adapted
4:10 – What a Development Executive Does and How They Find Books
6:03 – What "Optioning" Actually Means for an Author
7:36 – Does Hollywood Care If Your Book Is Indie Published?
9:21 – How Publishers and Agents Handle Film & TV Rights
10:06 – Rightscenter: The Free Tool Every Author Should Know
11:38 – How to Spot a Scam Hollywood Inquiry (Real Examples)
15:02 – How a Real Development Conversation Actually Goes
17:48 – Creative Control: What Authors Can Realistically Ask For
19:16 – What Film & TV Deals Actually Pay ($11K to $2M)
22:20 – Who to Call When Hollywood Comes Knocking
23:42 – Contract Red Flags: Clauses That Haunt Authors
25:28 – How Streamers Changed the Industry
27:03 – What AI Has (and Hasn't) Changed in Film & TV
27:53 – What Genres Are Hot Right Now (Thrillers, Romanticy, Dystopian)
30:24 – Should Authors Write to the Hollywood Market?
31:32 – The 3-Item Punch List to Be Ready When Luck Strikes
33:08 – Closing Optimism: The Best Films Are Based on Books

RESOURCES & LINKS:

– Maggie Marr Legal Website: maggiemarrlegal.com
– Maggie Marr LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/maggiemarr
– Maggie Marr Instagram: instagram.com/maggie_marr_author/?hl=en
– Books To Film & TV: What Every Author Needs To Know by Maggie Marr: amazon.com/Books-Film-TV-Every-Author/dp/B0B1DQDQ3N
– Rightscenter: rightscenter.com
– Author Beware: How Scammers Target Indie Authors (and How to Avoid Today’s Most Common Publishing Scams): writtenwordmedia.com/avoid-author-scams
– How to Avoid Scams: What Authors Need to Know: writtenwordmedia.com/how-to-avoid-scams-what-authors-need-to-know
– See past podcast episodes here: writtenwordmedia.com/podcast

Want to learn more ways to reach readers? Visit writtenwordmedia.com for author resources, book promotion tools, and more.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

© 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

#indieauthor #booktofilm #filmandtv #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #hollywoodbooks #authorlife #entertainmentlaw #writingcommunity #authortips #indiepublishing #optionrights #bookadaptation #maggiemarr #writtenwordmedia

Spotify’s Page Match Feature

Written Word Media 2026-07-23 | Spotify built a feature that syncs your physical book with the audiobook, and the numbers are wild.

It's called Page Match. Here's how it works:

1️⃣ Open Spotify, hit the camera
2️⃣ Take a photo of the page you're on in your physical book
3️⃣ The audiobook instantly resumes from that exact spot

And when you want to go back to reading?
📱Hold up your phone; it tells you exactly which page you're on.

The result since launch:
📈 55% uplift in reading activity
📚 Readers finishing books TWICE as fast

For authors, this means readers who switch formats are now actually finishing your book and picking up the next one.

Full episode on the Written Word Podcast!

#indieauthor #spotifyaudiobooks #audiobookmarketing #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #pagematch #authorlife #writingcommunity #readinghabits #writtenwordmedia

Spotifys Free AI Audiobook Narration

Written Word Media 2026-07-21 | Spotify just made it free to turn your book into an audiobook.
Here's how it works

In partnership with ElevenLabs, Spotify for Authors now lets you:
📄 Upload your manuscript
🗣️ Choose from 10 curated AI voices
✏️ Set custom pronunciations for character names and places
🎧 Publish directly to Spotify
💰And the cost? Free. Up to 5 books per account. Currently in beta.

"We want more stories to be told. We want to help reduce the barriers for anybody who's struggling to make an audiobook." — Will Dages, Head of Product at Spotify

The gap between the number of ebooks and audiobooks worldwide is massive.
This is one way Spotify is trying to close it.

Note: this doesn't replace a great human narrator for books where performance really matters. But if you've wanted an audiobook and haven't been able to make it happen yet, you can now.

Full episode on the Written Word Podcast!

#indieauthor #audiobookmarketing #spotifyaudiobooks #selfpublishing #elevenlabs #audiobookcreation #authorlife #bookmarketing #writingcommunity #writtenwordmedia

Spotify Audiobooks: How to Get Discovered, Get Paid, and Create for Free

Written Word Media 2026-07-21 | Spotify has 600 million users, and it's now one of the fastest-growing audiobook platforms in the world. Ferol sits down with Will Dages, Head of Product at Spotify, to give indie authors the complete inside guide: how the algorithm works, how you get paid, how to use the new free AI narration tool, and what features like Page Match and Follow Along mean for your book's discoverability.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

0:00 – Introduction & Will's Background
1:22 – How Spotify Fits Into the Audiobook Ecosystem
2:20 – How Spotify Uses Podcast & Music Taste Signals for Audiobook Discovery
3:38 – The 15-Hour Listening Model Explained
5:35 – Why Short Books and Kids' Content Win on Spotify
6:09 – How Authors Get Paid: A La Carte vs. Pro-Rata Pool
7:32 – Weekly Listening Reports: Demographics, Minutes, Trends
9:42 – Getting on Spotify: Authors.Spotify.com vs. Distributors
11:08 – Metadata for Discovery: What Actually Matters
13:17 – Stop Keyword Stuffing the Subtitle, Do This Instead
14:45 – Free Tools in Spotify for Authors: Promo Cards & Redemption Codes
16:17 – 100 Free Redemption Codes Per Book (And How to Get More)
17:39 – The ElevenLabs AI Narration Tool: How It Works
18:29 – It's Free, For Now (5 Books Per Account)
20:40 – AI Narration vs. Human Narrators: What's the Real Difference?
22:22 – How Listeners Discover Books Through Narrators (The Curatorial Effect)
25:44 – PageMatch: Sync Your Physical Book With the Audiobook
27:29 – 55% Reading Uplift and 2x Completion Rate With PageMatch
28:11 – The Bookshop.org Integration: Buy the Physical Book From Spotify
32:14 – What's Coming Next From Spotify for Authors
33:11 – Follow Along: Synced Visuals Inside the Audiobook
34:25 – Closing Advice: It's Never Too Late to Get Into Audiobooks

RESOURCES & LINKS:

– LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/willdages
– Spotify for Authors: authors.spotify.com
– ElevenLabs: Free AI Voice Generator & Voice Agents Platform: elevenlabs.io
– How to Use Page Match to Seamlessly Switch Between a Book and Its Audiobook on Spotify: newsroom.spotify.com/2026-02-05/page-match-how-to
– Spotify Partners With Bookshop.org and Debuts Page Match Feature to Bridge Physical, E-book, and Audio Formats: newsroom.spotify.com/2026-02-05/bookshop-partnership-page-match-announcement
– Bookshop.org
– See past podcast episodes here: writtenwordmedia.com/podcast

Want to learn more ways to reach readers? Visit writtenwordmedia.com for author resources, book promotion tools, and more.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

© 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

#indieauthor #audiobookmarketing #spotifyaudiobooks #selfpublishing #audiobookcreation #bookmarketing #authorlife #writingcommunity #authortips #indiepublishing #findawayvoices #elevenlabs #pagematch #audiobooknarration #writtenwordmedia

Dont Micromanage Your Freelancer

Written Word Media 2026-07-09 | The #1 thing clients do that makes good freelancers not want to come back 👇

Micromanage.

And look, it makes sense. It's your book, your money, sometimes even it's literally your face on the cover. Of course, you want to lean over everyone's shoulder.

But here's what Maari Casey (CEO of a creative staffing agency, 15 years in) says instead:

✅ Give them the parameters
✅ Give them your expectations and timeline
✅ Then back away

If they wait until 5 days before the deadline and then deliver something amazing, you don't get a vote in how they got there. You only get a vote in what you asked for at the end.

There's a difference between micromanaging and setting guardrails. Learning that balance is one of the most valuable things you can do as a client.

Full episode on the Written Word Podcast!

#indieauthor #freelancer #coverdesign #bookediting #authortips #selfpublishing #bookmarketing #hiringfreelancers #writingcommunity #writtenwordmedia

Tell Your Designer What You HATE

Written Word Media 2026-07-07 | The single most useful thing you can tell your cover designer isn't what you love.

It's what you hate.

Most authors show up to a design brief with inspiration images. That's great. But the CEO of a creative staffing agency says the "do NOT do this" list is even more powerful:

❌ Tell them: I hate yellow. I hate butterflies. Do not make it look like this.

✅ What happens: They immediately cut out half the creative space and aim directly at what works for you.

You can even say: "I have a Google Drive folder, things I love, and things I absolutely do not want. Can I share it with you?"

A good freelancer will thank you for it.
A freelancer who's put off by that? Red flag.
You want a collaborator, not someone who disappears into a basement to surprise you.

Full episode with Maari Casey of Uncompany on the Written Word Podcast!

#indieauthor #coverdesign #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #authortips #freelancer #writingcommunity #bookcover #hiringfreelancers #writtenwordmedia

5 Red Flags to Watch For Before You Hire a Cover Designer or Editor

Written Word Media 2026-07-07 | Hiring a cover designer, editor, or marketing freelancer is one of the trickiest things indie authors do, not because the talent isn't out there, but because most authors don't know what to ask for, what to put in the contract, or how to give feedback when the first draft misses completely. Ricci Wolman sits down with Maari Casey, CEO of Uncompany (a creative staffing agency she's run for 15 years), to give authors the complete playbook, from scope to contract to conflict.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

0:00 – Introduction & Maari's Background
4:10 – How Authors Use Freelancers (Pre- and Post-Publication)
4:39 – Step 1: Define Your Project and Scope Before You Search
6:53 – Reedsy: The Author-Specific Freelance Platform
8:00 – Art Ownership: The Contract Clause Authors Always Forget
9:53 – Budget: Prioritize, Then Build In Negotiation Room
11:41 – Revisions: What's Standard for Design vs. Editing
13:10 – How to Interview and Choose Between Two Finalists
15:05 – Test Projects: Have Coffee Before You Get Married
17:20 – Contracts: What to Expect and What to Push Back On
21:10 – Being a Good Client: Show What You Like AND What You Hate
25:00 – When the First Draft Disappoints — How to Give Feedback
29:15 – Check In Early and Often (It Helps the Freelancer Too)
32:30 – Missed Deadlines: How to Follow Up, Freeze, or Walk Away
37:45 – What Clients Do That Makes Freelancers Not Want to Return

RESOURCES & LINKS:

– Maari Casey LinkedIn
– Uncompany Website
– Uncompany Instagram
– Upwork
– Fiverr
– Reedsy: Find the perfect editor, designer, or marketer
– See past podcast episodes here: writtenwordmedia.com/podcast

Want to learn more ways to reach readers? Visit writtenwordmedia.com for author resources, book promotion tools, and more.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

© 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

#indieauthor #bookmarketing #freelancer #coverdesign #selfpublishing #bookediting #authortips #reedsy #hiringfreelancers #writingcommunity #authorlife #indiepublishing #publishingtips #bookcover #writtenwordmedia

How Authors Feel About AI Depends on Where They Are

Written Word Media 2026-06-25 | We asked ~600 indie authors how they feel about AI in 2026.

The answer depends almost entirely on where they are in their career 👇

😟 Just starting out → AI is an existential threat. Flooding the market. Making discovery impossible. 100% negative.

😐 Building momentum → AI is both a threat AND a tool. Using it for ad creatives and covers, but frustrated by AI-generated competition.

😊 Living the dream (top earners) → AI is a lever. Translations. Narrations. Workflow efficiency. Opportunity everywhere.

"The only group with mostly positive AI sentiment was the very top earners." — Ricci Wolman

None of these groups are wrong. AI is genuinely both a threat and a tool. But where you stand changes which part you see first.

Full mid-year survey breakdown on the Written Word Podcast!

#indieauthor #aiforauthors #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #writingcommunity #authorlife #publishingtips #writtenwordmedia #aitools #2026trends

The 5 Things Optimistic Authors Are Doing

Written Word Media 2026-06-23 | We surveyed ~600 indie authors mid-2026.

Half are growing or holding steady. Here's what they're doing differently 👇

1️⃣ Writing more: they're leaning into the ONE thing they can fully control
2️⃣ Prioritizing their author newsletter, not as an afterthought, but as a primary channel
3️⃣ Investing in paid ads: Amazon ads + Meta are still working for them
4️⃣ Monetizing their catalog: box sets, translations (AI-assisted), and human-narrated audio
5️⃣ Using AI as a tool, not fearing it as a threat: workflow, ad creatives, covers, translations

And the wildcard finding?

Whether you're KDP-exclusive or wide had almost no correlation with business optimism. 46% exclusive, 47% wide, essentially a coin flip.

Full survey breakdown on the Written Word Podcast!

#indieauthor #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #authorbusiness #writingcommunity #amazonkdp #authortips #2026publishing #writtenwordmedia #authorlife

The Organish® Strategy

Written Word Media 2026-06-11 | Before you spend money on influencers, try this first 👇

It's called Organish®, and it might be the best $25 you spend on your book marketing this month.

Here's how it works:
1️⃣ Create a normal piece of social content (your authentic, lo-fi stuff)
2️⃣ Hit the Boost button on Meta / Instagram / TikTok
3️⃣ Put $5–$25 behind it.

That small spend can reach 5–20x more people than organic alone, and it gives you DATA on what's actually resonating.

Post 5 pieces, boost them all for $25 total, and see which 2 outperform the rest.
Now you know what to make more of.

"You may have to create a piece of content... the incremental spend can make it reach 5, 10, 20 times more people." — Jim Tobin, CEO of Ignite Social Media

There's even a FREE Organish® Calculator on their site. Link in bio!

#indieauthor #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #socialmediatips #authorlife #contentcreator #authortips #writingcommunity #tiktokbooks #writtenwordmedia

The 3-Second Hook Rule

Written Word Media 2026-06-09 | A social media CEO who's worked with Nike, IKEA, and Samsung told us the single most important thing about posting your book on social 👇

You have 3 seconds. Not to explain everything, just to get the question out.

For fiction: "If you love [Famous Book], you need to meet [Your Characters]."
→ Done. 3 seconds.

For nonfiction: "Everyone thinks [common belief], but they're wrong."
→ Boom. 3 seconds.

And here's the thing: NEGATIVE hooks outperform positive hooks every time.

❌ "Email marketing can make you millions" (positive hook)

✅ "Why email marketing is actually killing your progress" (negative hook)

We're human. We stop for the warning. Use it.

Full episode with Jim Tobin from the Ignite Social Media on the Written Word Podcast!

#indieauthor #socialmedia #bookmarketing #booktok #authortips #selfpublishing #contentcreator #writingcommunity #algorithmtips #writtenwordmedia

What Indie Authors Can Learn from How Jeep Does Social Media, with Jim Tobin

Written Word Media 2026-06-09 | Jim Tobin has run social media campaigns for Nike, IKEA, Samsung, Lowe's, and Crocs. As CEO of Ignite Social Media and founder of influencer agency Carusele, he's seen what works and what doesn't across nearly two decades. Ferol sits down with Jim, who is also a two-time published author, to get the real social media playbook for indie authors: what platforms to prioritize, how to hook the algorithm in three seconds, why lo-fi beats polished, and what to do if your budget is basically zero.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

0:00 – Introduction & Jim's Background
0:24 – Ignite Social Media and Carusele: What They Do
1:09 – Jim's Favorite Campaign (Nature Made Vitamins, Not Jeep)
1:54 – What's Working Now That Wasn't Working Last Year
2:17 – Social Discovery: Google's Share of Search Is Down to 35%
2:52 – Why Discovery Content Has a Longer Half-Life Than Traditional Posts
3:34 – TikTok Shops: The Mechanics of Social Commerce for Authors
4:01 – TikTok Fulfillment: What Authors Need to Know
4:56 – What Content Works on Vertical Video Right Now
5:17 – The Three-Second Hook: Why It Matters to the Algorithm, Not Just Humans
5:38 – The Algorithm Is a Prediction Engine: How It Reads Your Book Cover
6:11 – Consistency in Posting: Why Posting Only at Launch Fails
6:43 – How to Get a Hook Out in Three Seconds
7:03 – The "If You Like X, You'll Love Y" Formula for Fiction
7:31 – Negative Hooks vs. Positive Hooks — And Why Negative Wins
8:01 – Positive vs. Negative Hook Examples Explained
8:38 – Psychology + Technology: The Intersection Where Social Lives
9:02 – The Magic Formula for Authors on a Shoestring Budget
9:14 – Lo-Fi Content: Why the Messy Desk Beats the Perfect Setup
9:44 – The Comment Reply Video: Building Community Around Your Characters
10:13 – Imposter Syndrome, Authenticity, and What Readers Actually Connect With
11:14 – Has Social Gone Fully Video? What About Text and Images?
11:33 – The Carousel Comeback: Images Now Outperforming Reels
12:21 – AI Character Images in Carousels: A Fiction Author Tactic
13:01 – Carousels on LinkedIn (Not Just Instagram)
13:29 – The Rise of Influencer Marketing: How Big Brands Think About It
13:59 – Three Reasons Brands Work With Influencers
15:21 – Third-Party Credibility for Book Benefits (Not Features)
15:45 – How to Approach BookTok Creators With Zero Budget
16:17 – Budget Conversations: Be Upfront About What You Can Pay
18:29 – The Organish® Strategy: Boosting Your Own Content for $5–$25
19:55 – The Organish® Calculator (ignitemediasocial.com)
20:23 – Using Data to Double Down on What's Working
21:23 – Cross-Platform Strategy: One Video, Multiple Platforms
21:49 – Perfect Is the Enemy of Good: When Repurposing Makes Sense
23:00 – You're Learning as You Go — and Nobody's Watching Your Mistakes Yet
23:16 – Pre-Launch vs. Post-Launch Content Strategy
23:50 – Why Jim Hates Mystery Posts
24:49 – When It's Okay to Ask for the Sale (and How)
25:17 – Social as a Thousand-Piece Puzzle vs. TV's One-Trick Message
25:41 – Humor in Social: When It Works, When It Doesn't
26:15 – Dark Humor, Irish Wakes, and Why Risk Needs Vetting
27:13 – How to Workshop a Piece of Content When You're a Solopreneur
29:05 – Trends to Watch in 2026 and Into 2027
29:26 – Trending Audio: Putting Your Own Spin on What's Already Working
30:49 – Tools Breakdown: Phone, CapCut, Instagram Edits
31:17 – Don't Over-Polish: Why Too Many Effects Can Kill Engagement
32:41 – The 30-Minute-a-Week Social Strategy
33:02 – Focus on Shares, Not Likes: The Algorithm Rewards Shareable Content
34:06 – Social vs. Email: You're Renting vs. Owning
34:34 – How to Use Social to Grow Your Email List
35:28 – Stampede Social: The Comment-to-DM Tool Authors Should Know About
36:00 – The Biggest Mistake Jim Sees on Social
36:19 – The Mere Presence Effect: Why Existing Is Enough to Start
37:21 – Where to Find Jim Tobin

RESOURCES & LINKS:

– Ignite Social Media Website: ignitesocialmedia.com
– FREE Organish® Calculator: ignitesocialmedia.com/social-media-strategy/organish-organic-social-media-amplification
– Carusele Website: carusele.com
– Jim Tobin Instagram: instagram.com/jrtobin
– Read: Social Media Is A Cocktail Party by Jim Tobin: amazon.com/Social-Media-Cocktail-Party-Marketing/dp/1440454205
– Read: Earn It, Don't Buy It by Jim Tobin: amazon.co.uk/Earn-Dont-Buy-Marketing-Facebook/dp/1625351186
– See past podcast episodes here: writtenwordmedia.com/podcast

Want to learn more ways to reach readers? Visit writtenwordmedia.com for author resources, book promotion tools, and more.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

© 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

#indieauthor #socialmediamarketing #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #tiktokbooks #booktok #authorlife #contentcreator #writingcommunity #authortips #indiepublishing #jimtobin #ignitesocialmedia #carusele #writtenwordmedia

The 5% Podcast Commitment

Written Word Media 2026-05-28 | Here is the hard truth about starting a podcast, and why it's worth it anyway. 👇

Most podcasts die before episode 10. If you want to commit, here's what realistic looks like:

📅 Weekly pod → give it 6 months before judging
📅 Every 2 weeks → give it 12 months
📅 Monthly → give it 2 years

"If you just record three pods and then look at those stats, you most likely will quit."

BUT if you do stick with it, you're in the top 5% of all podcasters.

In a world rushing toward AI-generated content, a consistent human voice talking authentically about books for a year is a genuine competitive moat. Hard is good.

Full episode on the Written Word Podcast!

#indieauthor #podcastingforauthors #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #authorlife #contentmarketing #writingcommunity #authorbusiness #publishingtips #writtenwordmedia

How to Pitch a Podcast as a Guest

Written Word Media 2026-05-26 | Authors, here's why your podcast pitch isn't getting responses (and how to fix it) 👇

❌ "I'd love to come on and talk about my book."
✅ "I think your listeners would love to hear about how I research [specific angle]. Here's the one thing they'd walk away with..."

The difference?
One is asking for a favor. The other is offering value.

When you pitch a podcast host:
1️⃣ Listen to their show first and find a topic they touched on but didn't go deep enough on.
2️⃣ Propose THAT topic specifically, not your book in general.
3️⃣ Name the "dinner table moment", the one surprising thing listeners will tell their family tonight.
4️⃣ Lead with benefits, not features. Emotion and surprise work. You're a writer. Use those skills in the pitch.

Full episode on the Written Word Podcast!

#indieauthor #bookmarketing #podcastguest #authortips #selfpublishing #writingcommunity #podcastpitch #authorlife #indiepublishing #writtenwordmedia

The Author Podcasting Playbook: 3 Things to Know Before You Start

Written Word Media 2026-05-26 | Nearly a year into hosting the Written Word Media Podcast, Ricci Wolman and Ferol Vernon are pulling back the curtain on everything they've learned and sharing the practical playbook for how authors can use podcasting to find readers, build trust, and grow their author business. From guest appearances to launching your own show, this is the episode authors have been asking for.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

0:00 – Introduction & Ricci's Owl Update 🦉
3:19 – Why Podcasting Works: Intimacy, Trust, and Long-Form Connection
4:30 – The "Why" Behind Podcast Marketing
5:38 – Parasocial Relationships: The Psychology of Podcast Trust
6:49 – Podcasting as Deep Reader Connection vs. Surface-Level Marketing
7:10 – The SEO/GEO Bonus: Show Notes as Permanent Web Presence
8:07 – Transcripts and the "Human Signal" in an AI World
9:08 – It's Okay to Be Unpolished (Ferol and Ricci's Own Experience)
10:00 – Ricci the Recovering Perfectionist on Why Imperfect Is More Powerful
11:03 – Podcast Appearances as First-Draft Content
11:24 – You Get Better With Reps
12:10 – Don't Listen Back to Your First Episode
13:08 – Two Podcast Formats: Host-Only vs. Guest Format
14:06 – How to Find the Right Shows to Guest On
15:29 – What to Include in Your Guest Pitch Email
16:36 – Pitch Specifically: Propose a Topic, Not Just Yourself
17:34 – The "Dinner Table Moment" Test for Your Pitch Angle
17:53 – Benefits Over Features: Emotion and Surprise in Pitches
18:30 – Nonfiction Authors: Your Credibility Is Already the Hook
19:23 – Once You're Booked: How to Prepare
19:43 – Ask for Questions in Advance
20:42 – Send Your Own Bio (Don't Leave It to the Host)
21:01 – Make Your Bio Sound Good Out Loud
22:05 – Day-Of Prep: Equipment, Headphones, Show Up Early
23:11 – Gear Tip: Check the Dale Roberts YouTube Episode
23:35 – The Sign-Off Moment: Be Ready for "Where Can People Find You?"
24:12 – Know Your Top Three Asks in Advance
25:13 – Add a Benefit Statement to Your Sign-Off
25:51 – Be Sincere: Tell Listeners It Means Something
26:07 – Should You Start Your Own Podcast?
26:46 – Hosting Is a Calling, Not a Strategy
28:25 – The Commitment Gap: Book Writers vs. Pod Launchers
29:13 – Podcasting vs. Other Content Formats
29:45 – Why the Publish Delay Suits Authors
31:17 – It's a Long Game: Realistic Traction Timelines
32:14 – Commit to 12 Months Before Judging Success
32:44 – The 5% Who Stick With It — and Why That's a Moat
33:09 – Frequency: Why Every Other Week Was the Right Call
34:19 – Platform Decisions: Transistor, Distribution, Audio vs. Video
35:25 – Recap: The Three Things We Covered Today
36:42 – It's Hard and It's Worth It
37:06 – Start Small: You Don't Have to Go on Joe Rogan First

RESOURCES & LINKS:

– Transistor - podcast hosting platform: https://transistor.fm
– Your Book Is Invisible to AI (Here’s How to Fix It): writtenwordmedia.com/your-book-is-invisible-to-ai-here-is-how-to-fix-it
– What Authors Can Learn from Dale Roberts’ YouTube Playbook: writtenwordmedia.com/what-authors-can-learn-from-dale-roberts-youtube-playbook
– See past podcast episodes here: writtenwordmedia.com/podcast

Want to learn more ways to reach readers? Visit writtenwordmedia.com for author resources, book promotion tools, and more.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

© 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

#indieauthor #podcastingforauthors #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #authorlife #podcastguest #writingcommunity #authortips #indiepublishing #publishingtips #bookpromotion #writtenwordmedia #parasocialrelationship #authorpodcast #contentmarketing

The #1 mistake authors make on YouTube is 👇

Written Word Media 2026-05-14 | The #1 mistake authors make on YouTube is inconsistency.

And Dale Roberts learned this the hard way 👇

Dale spent the last year buried in a 12-book series.
His upload schedule dropped. The results?
📉 Less views
📉 Less watch time
📉 Less ad revenue

Then he went back to being consistent. One week later, 13,000 views on a single video.

"YouTube will give it and will take it away. It is brutal."

But here's the nuance: consistency doesn't mean posting garbage. Five crappy videos a week hurts more than one good one.

Show up regularly, bring the goods, and YouTube will reward you.

Don't just drop a pebble in the ocean; build it into a boulder first.

Full episode on the Written Word Podcast!

#indieauthor #youtubeforauthors #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #contentcreator #authorlife #writingcommunity #authortips #youtubestrategy #writtenwordmedia

The YouTube Research Hack

Written Word Media 2026-05-12 | Want to know EXACTLY what your readers are watching on YouTube?

Here's the hack from someone with 120K subscribers and 7M views 👇

Step 1: Create a separate YouTube profile (not your channel, just a viewer profile).

Step 2: Search for something related to your book's niche or genre.

Step 3: Find videos that would resonate with your ideal reader. Watch them fully. Like. Comment. Subscribe if it's great.

Step 4: ONLY engage with content relevant to your readers. Don't go down rabbit holes.

Step 5: Keep logging in. Give it a few days.

YouTube's algorithm will start serving you more and more of what your readers actually watch, and now you've got a personalized research feed that shows you exactly what content to create.

You're not copying anyone. You're letting YouTube show you what works.

Full episode with Dale Roberts on the Written Word Podcast!

#indieauthor #youtubeforauthors #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #authortips #youtubestrategy #writingcommunity #contentcreator #writtenwordmedia #indiepublishing

How Authors Are Winning On YouTube Right Now

Written Word Media 2026-05-12 | What would it take for an author to build a YouTube channel with 120,000 subscribers and 7 million views? Ferol sits down with Dale Roberts, host of Self-Publishing with Dale, author, and 10-year YouTube veteran, to break down the real playbook for authors who want to use YouTube to reach readers and sell more books. From your first video to live streams, Shorts, and pen name strategies, this is the episode authors have been waiting for.

IN THIS EPISODE:
0:00 – Introduction & Dale's YouTube Origin Story
1:12 – How Dale Got Started: The Accidental Channel
2:29 – 10 Years on YouTube: Four Monetized Channels
3:57 – The 114-Day Upload Streak (What He Learned)
5:50 – How to Hit 10K and 100K Subscribers
7:37 – Where to Start: Know Your Ideal Viewer
8:06 – The Separate Profile Research Hack
10:27 – Taking Inspiration Without Copying
11:46 – What Should Your First Video Be About?
12:26 – Seed Your Channel: How Many Videos Before You Launch
13:23 – Audiobooks on YouTube: A Hidden Monetization Strategy
14:49 – Trend Hacking: How to Find Your Reader Through Pop Culture
16:44 – You Don't Have to Talk About Writing Craft
17:12 – Be a Reader, Not a Writing Teacher
18:15 – The Biggest Mistake Authors Make on YouTube
18:30 – Consistency Is Everything (Dale's Own Hard Lesson)
19:26 – Quality vs. Quantity: What "Consistent" Actually Means
20:48 – Long Form, Shorts, and Live Video: The Three Mediums
22:11 – Live Streaming: The Community Builder
23:25 – Multi-Streaming Landscape + Portrait
24:45 – Posts in the Shorts Shelf (Breaking News from Dale's YouTube Rep)
26:17 – Quizzes and Polls: Underused by Authors
27:01 – Do You Need Help or Can You DIY?
27:36 – Start Free: DaVinci Resolve, CapCut, iMovie
28:43 – Gear Breakdown: What Actually Matters
29:30 – Lighting First, Then Microphone
30:26 – USB Mic Recommendation: Yeti/Snowball
31:01 – Walter Wyburn: 100K Subscribers on 360p Video
33:03 – How YouTube Has Changed in the Last Two Years
33:25 – The AI Content Explosion, and Why Humans Win
34:31 – Is There a Premium on Authenticity Right Now?
35:13 – Introverts Can Crush It on YouTube
37:03 – Pen Names and YouTube: What Are Your Options?
37:47 – Faceless Videos and the Freida McFadden Wig Approach

RESOURCES & LINKS:
– DaVinci Resolve and CapCut
– iMovie and Windows Movie Maker
– Blue Yeti Snowball Microphone
– SelfPublishingwithDale.com
– Dale L. Roberts Instagram
– Dale L. Roberts YouTube
– Books about Self-Publishing by Dale
– How to Build Courage and Silence Self-Doubt as an Author with Jonathan Graham
– See past podcast episodes here: writtenwordmedia.com/podcast

Want to learn more ways to reach readers? Visit writtenwordmedia.com for author resources, book promotion tools, and more.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

© 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

#indieauthor #youtubeforauthors #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #daleroberts #authorlife #writingcommunity #youtubestrategy #contentcreator #authortips #indiepublishing #publishingtips #bookpromotion #writtenwordmedia #selfpublishingwithdale

FAQ Strategy for AI Discovery

Written Word Media 2026-04-30 | One easy thing you can add to your book page TODAY that helps AI engines recommend your book 👉 an FAQ section.

AI engines don't just look for keywords; they look for answers to questions.

So if you add questions like:

❓ Who would enjoy this book?
❓ Is this part of a series?
❓ Does this end in a happily ever after?
❓ What themes does this book explore?

...you're literally feeding the AI the information it needs to recommend your book when a reader asks.

Amazon product pages already do this for physical products. Time to do it for your books.

Full breakdown on the Written Word Podcast!

#indieauthor #bookmarketing #aibooks #bookdiscovery #selfpublishing #authortips #chatgpt #gemini #geooptimization #writtenwordmedia #authorwebsite #indiepublishing

The KU Google Play Loophole

Written Word Media 2026-04-28 | KDP Select authors: here's how to get your book into the Google AI ecosystem WITHOUT violating your terms.

Gemini (Google's AI) pulls book recommendations directly from Google Play. So if you're not on Google Play, you're invisible to it. Here's the loophole:

✅ Go to Google Play Partner Center
✅ Upload your book as "preview only" (NOT for sale)
✅ Set the preview to 10% or less of your book
✅ That's it, you're in the Google Books ecosystem

⚠️ The default preview is 20%, which DOES violate KU terms. You have to manually change it to 10%. Export just the first chapter in Vellum or whatever tool you use.

If you're wide, you're probably already there, but double-check!

Full episode on the Written Word Podcast.

#indieauthor #amazonkdp #kindleunlimited #bookmarketing #gemini #aibooks #selfpublishing #bookdiscovery #authortips #writtenwordmedia #googleplay #indiepublishing

Your Book Is Invisible to AI (Heres How to Fix It)

Written Word Media 2026-04-28 | IMPORTANT NOTE: Some of the advice we give in the episode has changed due to updates to the KDP terms and conditions. Uploading a sample to Google Play that is less than 10% is still legal per our interpretation of the KDP terms, but because that 10% is no longer explicitly called out in the new terms, that recommendation carries more risk than we talk about in the episode. We no longer recommend this approach for all authors.

Readers are asking AI what to read next, and if your book isn't showing up, you're invisible to a fast-growing discovery channel. Ricci Wolman and Ferol Vernon break down how ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude actually find and recommend books, what most indie authors are getting wrong, and the difficulty-ranked action list you need to fix it.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

0:00 – Introduction & Ferol's Return
1:55 – WWM's New 10–15 Day Promo Stacks (A10 Follow-Up)
3:53 – Today's Topic: GEO and How AI Finds Books
4:18 – SEO vs. GEO: What's the Difference?
6:17 – The Three AI Engines Authors Need to Know
6:38 – ChatGPT: Biggest Consumer Market Share
6:50 – Gemini: Google's AI, Most Actionable for Authors
8:26 – Claude by Anthropic: B2B Dominance & Developer Reach
9:54 – Why Ferol Started with Gemini
10:18 – Old SEO vs. New AI Search: The Key Difference
11:54 – How Gemini Consolidates Book Recommendations
12:22 – Gemini's Secret Weapon: It Owns a Bookstore
13:15 – Google Play Partner Center: The KU Author Loophole
14:13 – The 10% Preview Rule (Don't Skip This)
15:21 – Wide vs. KU: What This Means for Each
16:29 – YouTube Transcripts and Google's Ecosystem
17:15 – Why WWM Promotions Build AI Authority Too
19:13 – How Ferol Researched This: Asking the AIs Themselves
20:16 – The FAQ Strategy: Add This to Your Book Page Now
21:58 – Amazon Product Pages Already Do This (Here's Why)
22:38 – Gemini Recap: Top 3 Action Items
23:04 – ChatGPT & Claude: More Similar Than Different
23:40 – Why Indie Books Are Underrepresented in AI Training Data
24:00 – Editorial Reviews: How to Get the Trad-Publishing Signal
24:50 – Where to Put Reviews (Hint: Not Just Your Own Site)
25:27 – Reddit: High Risk, High Reward
26:07 – Ricci's Reddit Rules: Proceed With Caution
28:11 – ChatGPT + Shopify: The Agentic Commerce Connection
29:40 – Rich Book Descriptions: More Text = More Recommendations
30:38 – Why Reviews Are Data-Rich Context for AI
31:23 – Important Caveat: This Is About Reader Discovery, Not AI Writing
32:06 – GEO Is Where SEO Was in 2007
32:43 – Ask the AI: Use It to Audit Your Own Discoverability
33:30 – Difficulty-Ranked Recap: Easiest to Hardest

RESOURCES & LINKS:

– The Amazon A10 Update: 3 Things Every Indie Author Needs to Know: writtenwordmedia.com/the-amazon-a10-update-3-things-every-indie-author-needs-to-know
– Ricardo Fayet from Reedsy: reedsy.com
– Joanna Penn from The Creative Penn: thecreativepenn.com
– Google Play Books Partner Center: play.google.com/books/publish/u/0
– ChatGPT by OpenAI: chatgpt.com
– Gemini by Google: gemini.google.com/app
– Claude by Anthropic: claude.ai
– Bargain Booksy: bargainbooksy.com/sell-more-books
– Freebooksy: freebooksy.com/for-the-authors
– NewInBooks: newinbooks.com
– Goodreads Listopia: goodreads.com/list
– Reddit: reddit.com
– See past podcast episodes here: writtenwordmedia.com/podcast

Want to learn more ways to reach readers? Visit writtenwordmedia.com for author resources, book promotion tools, and more.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

© 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
#indieauthor #bookmarketing #aibooks #geooptimization #selfpublishing #chatgpt #gemini #bookdiscovery #authorlife #amazonkdp #writingcommunity #authortips #publishingtips #bookpromotion #writtenwordmedia

Speaking Fees Breakdown

Written Word Media 2026-04-16 | What does paid speaking actually pay?

Here's the real breakdown from Forbes Top Speaker Jess Ekstrom 👇

💰 Just starting out: $500–$5,000
📈 Some reps + a demo reel + credible clients: $5,000–$10,000
🏆 Established + a book: $10,000+
⭐ Jess today: $35,000 a talk (started with a slice of pizza in 2012)

Her first real gig was $2,200. For years she was in the $2,200–$5K range.

So, if you're doing 3–4 talks a year at $5–10K? That's significant income on top of your book royalties, without being a celebrity.

Full episode on the Written Word Podcast, link in description!

#indieauthor #publicspeaking #speakerfees #authorbusiness #keynotespeaker #bookmarketing #authorentrepreneur #micdropworkshop #selfpublishing #writtenwordmedia

How to Get Speaking Gigs as an Author

Written Word Media 2026-04-14 | Before you write a single slide, answer this:
after people hear me speak, they will _____ because my talk will _____.

🎯 This is what Jess Ekstrom calls the Transformation Promise, and it's the one thing that turns "I'd love to come speak about my book" (asking for a favor) into "Would it be valuable for your team to learn how to finish what they started?" (selling a product).

Figure out the aftermath you want to create, and THEN build your talk around it.

As with a book, it's not just what happens while reading; it's what they feel after the last page.

#indieauthor #publicspeaking #speakertips #bookmarketing #authorbusiness #micdropworkshop #keynote #authorlife #selfpublishing #transformationpromise #writtenwordmedia

How to Supplement Your Author Income with Speaking Gigs with Jess Ekstrom

Written Word Media 2026-04-14 | What if your book was the launchpad for a $10K+ keynote career? Ricci sits down with Jess Ekstrom, Forbes Top Motivational Speaker, founder of Headbands of Hope, and creator of Mic Drop Workshop, to pull back the curtain on how authors can break into paid speaking.

Whether you write nonfiction, romance, or thrillers, Jess makes the case that your story is already a keynote waiting to happen.

IN THIS EPISODE:
0:00 – Introduction & Jess's Background
1:05 – Welcome & The "Speaker or Author" Myth
1:44 – Why Doing Both Makes You Better at Each
4:38 – Can Fiction Authors Be Speakers Too?
4:47 – The Thriller Author Who Landed Corporate Keynotes
6:04 – What Companies Actually Hire Outside-Industry Speakers For
8:23 – Authors = Athletes: The Framework That Transfers
9:40 – How to Build Your First Keynote
10:13 – The Transformation Promise (Your Speaking North Star)
12:02 – The "Bumps That Spike" Framework
13:08 – How to Find Speaking Gigs (Outbound vs. Inbound)
13:34 – Carrie Booker: Mic Drop's AI Speaking Agent
14:54 – LinkedIn Strategy for Getting Booked
17:11 – Just Tell People You Speak
17:53 – Beating Imposter Syndrome as a New Speaker
18:35 – Speaking Is Speaking, Stop Discounting Your Reps
20:30 – What Mic Drop Workshop Actually Does
23:58 – Why Community Is the Secret Weapon in Speaking
25:44 – When to Charge and When to Speak for Free
26:41 – The Keynote as a Product (Not a Favor)
28:16 – Speaking Fees Breakdown: $500 to $35K
31:07 – The Income Opportunity: 3–4 Talks at $5–10K
31:38 – The Halo Effect on Book Sales
33:25 – Making It Without Losing It: Jess's New Book
36:16 – Where to Find Jess + Mic Drop Resources

RESOURCES & LINKS:

– Mic Drop Workshop - micdropworkshop.com/bootcamp
– Pre-order Making It Without Losing It: jessekstrom.com/makingit/#order
– Hype Text: text HYPE to 704-228-9495

Want to learn more ways to reach readers? Visit writtenwordmedia.com for author resources, book promotion tools, and more.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

© 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

#indieauthor #publicspeaking #bookmarketing #authorbusiness #selfpublishing #micdropworkshop #authorlife #speakerlife #writingcommunity #keynote #authorentrepreneur #bookpromotion #jessekstrom #writtenwordmedia #indiepublishing

Authors: How to create a media outreach package

Written Word Media 2026-04-02 | Your local press pitch checklist (from an actual publisher)

Step 1: Research local and niche media options and build a spreadsheet with editor names + emails
Step 2: Find their media kits and note upcoming themes and plan AT LEAST 3 months ahead
Step 3: Assemble your pitch package (listen to the clip to see what it should include)
Step 4: Email it, THEN then drop it off in person if you can.

This is exactly what editors want to receive. Make their job easy and you dramatically increase your chances of getting featured.

Listen to the full episode featuring Rory Gillis wherever you get your podcasts!

#indieauthor #bookmarketing #authortips #localpress #bookpr #pitchtips #publishingtips #authorlife #bookpromotion #writingcommunity

What NOT to do when pitching local press

Written Word Media 2026-03-31 | A local publisher told us exactly what makes editors delete your email instantly:

❌ Getting the editor's name wrong
❌ Getting the publication's name wrong
❌ Ignoring the subject line
❌ Pitching last-minute (they're on deadline 2.5 weeks before publish!)
❌ Not researching the magazine before you pitch

The good news? Fixing these is completely in your control and the authors who do get covered:

✅ Know who you're pitching
✅ Know what they cover
✅ Give them time to say yes

Polite persistence + a little research = your best shot at local press coverage. Full episode on the Written Word Podcast!

#indieauthor #bookmarketing #authortips #localpress #bookpr #publishingtips #authorlife #bookpromotion #writingcommunity #indiepublishing

How to Get Your Book in Local Magazines (What Editors Wont Tell You)

Written Word Media 2026-03-31 | What does a local magazine publisher actually want to see in your pitch and what sends your email straight to the trash? Ricci sits down with Rory Gillis, owner of Triangle Media Partners and publisher of regional magazines like Chapel Hill Magazine and The Triangle Weekender, to get the full inside view on how indie authors can land real local press coverage.

Rory's team covers local authors every single month and she's sharing exactly how to get on their radar.

IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 – Introduction & Rory's Background
01:21 – Inside Triangle Media Partners
02:08 – How Editors Decide What to Cover
03:00 – How to Pitch: Email, Snail Mail & Drop-Offs
04:37 – Do Editors Actually Read Your Outreach?
06:04 – Editorial Calendars & Planning 3–4 Months Ahead
07:42 – How to Reverse-Engineer a Publication's Themes
08:20 – Polite Persistence: Why Following Up Works
09:53 – Your Book Launch Isn't the Only Hook
10:23 – Pitching Backlist Books, Seasonal Angles & Bylines
12:46 – Don't Take It Personally — Keep Pitching
14:08 – Local Events, Swag Bags & Indie Bookstores
16:54 – The Real Reach of One Local Feature
17:30 – The Halo Effect: What One Placement Can Unlock
18:28 – Playing to Your Strengths as an Author
19:39 – The No-Nos: What Editors Actually Hate
22:52 – Creative Pitches That Really Worked
24:51 – Rory's Step-by-Step Action Item Checklist
26:59 – Closing Thoughts & Takeaways

Want to learn more ways to reach readers? Visit writtenwordmedia.com for author resources, book promotion tools, and more.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

© 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

#indieauthor #bookmarketing #authortips #localpress #bookpromotion #writtenwordpodcast #publishingtips #authorlife #getpublished #bookpr

Is it time to update your Amazon ads strategy? #selfpublishing

Written Word Media 2026-03-19 | If Amazon ads have been your go-to book marketing strategy, this one's for you 👇

Amazon's A10 update is officially giving more weight to traffic coming from outside the platform — your mailing list, TikTok ads, newsletter promos — over Amazon ads themselves.

That "set it and forget it" Amazon ads strategy that used to work? It's been devalued.

The good news is that you've got plenty of other tools at your disposal — and the algorithm is now actually rewarding you for using them.

Full breakdown in the latest episode of The Written Word Media Podcast — link in description!

#indieauthor #amazonalgorithm #a10update #amazonads #bookmarketing #amazonkdp #selfpublishing #authortips #bookpromotion #externaltraffic #indiepublishing #writingcommunity #authorlife #publishingtips #writtenwordmedia

The A10 Algo: 3 Things to Know #amazonkdp

Written Word Media 2026-03-17 | Amazon updated its algorithm and your old playbook might not be cutting it anymore 👀

Here are the 3 things that matter most for your book's visibility on A10:

1️⃣ Your book page — ditch the keyword stuffing. Natural language, genre tropes, and subgenres are the move now.

2️⃣ External traffic — your newsletter, socials, promo sites. Traffic coming from outside Amazon now carries more weight than Amazon ads.

3️⃣ Consistent marketing — spread your promo over several days instead of going all-in on one. The algorithm rewards steady sales over spikes.

Get these three right and you're already ahead of most authors on the platform. Full episode linked in description!

#indieauthor #amazonalgorithm #a10update #bookmarketing #amazonkdp #selfpublishing #authortips #bookpromotion #indiepublishing #kindleunlimited #writingcommunity #authorlife #publishingtips #booksales #writtenwordmedia

The Amazon A10 Update: 3 Things Every Indie Author Needs to Know

Written Word Media 2026-03-17 | Amazon quietly overhauled its search and recommendation algorithm — and it's already affecting how books get discovered and ranked. In this episode, Ricci and Ferol dig into the Amazon A10 update and break down the top three things indie authors need to know right now drawing on an actual academic paper about the technology powering it. You’ll hear everything from how Amazon now reads your book page (literally, including your cover), to why external traffic suddenly matters way more than Amazon ads, to why spreading your marketing over several days beats a single-day spike. This episode is your practical guide to navigating the new landscape.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

2:43 Today's Topic: The Amazon A10 Algorithm
3:21 Change Is Frustrating — Let's Acknowledge That
4:43 What Is A10? The Cosmo Paper Explained
6:47 #1: Product Page Optimization
8:01 Descriptions: Natural Language Over Keywords
10:48 Why Your Book Cover Now Matters to the Algorithm
11:35 A+ Content: Why It's More Important Than Ever
12:30 Dwell Time: Long Is Cool Again
14:25 Reviews: The 50+ Threshold
15:46 #2: External Traffic Gets More Weight
16:42 Amazon Ads Are Devalued — Here's Why
19:29 Conversion Rate & Qualified Traffic
20:33 #3: Consistent Traffic Beats One-Off Spikes
21:31 Why Series Authors Are Winning Right Now
23:25 Promo Stacks & the Elongation Strategy
25:28 You Can Set It All Up in One Sitting
26:38 Recap: The 3 Key Changes
27:54 The A10 Checklist + What's Coming from WWM

RESOURCES & LINKS:

– COSMO: A large-scale e-commerce common sense knowledge generation and serving system at Amazon: https://www.amazon.science/publications/cosmo-a-large-scale-e-commerce-common-sense-knowledge-generation-and-serving-system-at-amazon
– See past podcast episodes here: writtenwordmedia.com/podcast

Want to learn more ways to reach readers? Visit writtenwordmedia.com for author resources, book promotion tools, and more.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

© 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

#indieauthor #amazonalgorithm #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #kindleunlimited #authortips #a10algorithm #bookpromotion #indiepublishing #writtenwordmedia #authorlife #publishingtips #amazonkdp #booksales #writingcommunity

There’s No Permanent Decision with KDP #writingcommunity

Written Word Media 2026-03-05 | Scared to go exclusive with Amazon? It's not as permanent as you think 😌

KDP Select runs in 90-day increments — that's it. And pro tip: the second you enroll, go to "Manage Book" and uncheck the auto-renew box so you stay in control.

Stop getting stuck in analysis paralysis and just try it, see what happens, and make an informed decision from there. We explain the full picture of KDP vs. Wide in this week's episode of The Written Word Podcast, tune in now!

#kdpselect #kindleunlimited #indieauthor #selfpublishing #authortips #publishingtips #writtenwordmedia #authoradvice

KU vs Wide: What the Data Actually Says (No Ideology Allowed)

Written Word Media 2026-03-03 | KU or wide? It's the debate that never dies in indie publishing — and we're ending it with data. 📊

In this episode, Ricci and Ferol from Written Word Media break down everything you need to know about Kindle Unlimited, KDP Select, and going wide so you can stop arguing and start making informed decisions about your author business. They cover how the programs actually work, what the real trade-offs are, and what thousands of indie authors are actually choosing in 2025.

Here's a number that might surprise you: the KDP Select global fund started at $2.5 million when it launched in July 2014. In January 2026, it hit $62.2 million. That's close to a billion dollars a year flowing to exclusive authors — but is it the right path for you? Ricci and Ferol break down the full picture, including what going wide really looks like, how to manage multiple platforms, and why 32% of authors are playing both sides.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

Intro: The Great KU vs. Wide Debate
01:04 - How KDP and KDP Select Actually Work
05:28 - The Real Trade-Offs of Kindle Unlimited
12:26 - Page Read Payouts, Countdown Deals & Free Promo Days
16:16 - KDP Select All-Star Bonuses
28:35 - What "Going Wide" Really Looks Like
31:00- How to Experiment Your Way to the Right Answer

This episode is for every author who's been paralyzed by this decision — or who's deep in the forums watching people argue about it. Whether you're just starting out or reconsidering your current strategy, Ricci and Ferol give you the mechanics and the data to make the call for yourself.

RESOURCES & LINKS:

– Freebooksy (Free & Bargain Ebook Newsletter): freebooksy.com
– Bargain Booksy: bargainbooksy.com
– Red Feather Romance: redfeatherromance.com

Want to learn more ways to reach readers? Visit writtenwordmedia.com for author resources, book promotion tools, and more.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.
© 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

#indieauthor #selfpublishing #bookmarketing #authorbusiness #writingcommunity #authortips #publishingtips #kindleunlimited #kdpselect #widepublishing #authorcareer #writtenwordmedia #authoradvice #indiepublishing #bookpromotion #authorlife

KDP payouts - are they worth it? #indiepublishing

Written Word Media 2026-03-03 | Amazon is paying out $62 million to authors. Every. Single. Month. 💰

When KDP Select launched in July 2014, the monthly fund was $2.5 million. In January 2026? $62.2 million — close to a billion dollars a year flowing to indie authors.

But here's the catch: you can only access it if you're exclusive to Amazon.
Is it worth it? We break down the full KU vs. wide debate in this week's episode.

Listen to the full episode 👇

#kindleunlimited #kdpselect #indieauthor #selfpublishing #authorbusiness #writtenwordmedia #bookmarketing #indiepublishing

Ad Spend for Indie Authors #shorts

Written Word Media 2026-02-19 | Quick math that changes how you think about book marketing: What's your total catalog value? (If one reader bought EVERYTHING you have, what would they spend?)

This number is why your advertising gets more effective with every book you add. The more products you have, the farther your marketing dollars go.
If you're spending money on ads but only have 1-2 books, you're capping your ROI before you even start.

The podcast episode this week breaks down the real math behind catalog ROI and why more books = more effective marketing (even if you're spending the same amount).

#bookmarketing #indieauthor #selfpublishing #authorbusiness #marketingtips #roi #authortips #backliststrategy #bookpromotion #indiepublishing #authoradvice #writingcommunity #bookads #marketingstrategy #writtenwordmedia

What to do if your first book didnt take off #shorts

Written Word Media 2026-02-17 | Your first book didn't take off? Join the club.

Data shows your first book is rarely your breakout—and that's totally normal (Colleen Hoover didn’t gain popularity until she was 8 or 9 books in and was still a self-published author!).

The secret to gaining long-term success, though? Keep going.

I know that’s probably not what you want to hear, but the undeniable truth is that more books = more income, better ads, and stronger craft.

👉 You're not behind, you’re just building.

Full episode on the backlist advantage is live—link in description 🔗

#indieauthors #selfpublishing #authorlife #writingcommunity #bookmarketing #indiepublishing #authortips #writingtips #authorsofinstagram #booktok #authorbusiness #firstbook #authoradvice #writingadvice #publishingtips #indieauthorsofinstagram #authorcommunity #writtenwordmedia #backliststrategy #authorcareer

From First Book to Sustainable Sales

Written Word Media 2026-02-17 | Your first book didn't become a bestseller? That's actually completely normal—and we have the data to prove it. 📊

In this episode, Ricci and Ferol from Written Word Media reveal one of the most important patterns we see year after year: authors with bigger catalogs earn significantly more money. But here's the thing—it's not about writing faster or producing more than you can handle. It's about understanding the business mechanics behind why your backlist creates sustainable income.

They break down the t-shirt store analogy that perfectly explains reader behavior, show you the real math behind advertising ROI with different catalog sizes, and share practical strategies for authors who don't want to write more books (yes, there are other options!).

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

00:00 - Intro: Snow Days & Author Mindset Resets
03:28 - The T-Shirt Store Analogy That Explains Everything
07:35 - The Real Math: ROI of Your Catalog
14:18 - Your First Book Won't Be Your Breakout (Here's Why)
20:12 - What If You Don't Want to Write More Books?
29:36 - Hobby vs. Business: Which Are You Building?
31:51 - Recap & Key Takeaways

This episode is based on insights from our annual reader survey, which consistently shows that authors with more books in their catalog earn more income. But we're not here to pressure anyone—we're here to help you understand the mechanics so you can make informed decisions about YOUR author career path.

Whether you're a debut author wondering what's next, a multi-book author looking to optimize your strategy, or someone who just wants to understand the business side of indie publishing, this episode breaks it all down in our signature conversational style.

RESOURCES & LINKS:

– Written Word Media Services: writtenwordmedia.com
– Freebooksy (Free & Bargain Ebook Newsletter): freebooksy.com
– Bargain Booksy: bargainbooksy.com
– Red Feather Romance: redfeatherromance.com
– Listen to Previous Episode on Reader Survey: writtenwordmedia.com/what-3000-readers-want-indie-authors-to-know

Want to learn more ways to reach readers? Visit writtenwordmedia.com for author resources, book promotion tools, and more.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

© 2025 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

#indieauthor #selfpublishing #bookmarketing #authorbusiness #writingcommunity #authortips #publishingtips #backliststrategy #authorcareer #writtenwordmedia #authoradvice #indiepublishing #bookpromotion #authorlife #firstbook

What Do Readers Want From You Online?

Written Word Media 2026-02-11 | The short version: readers who follow authors are genuinely interested in their creative lives.
What they write, how they write, what they’re working on, and what inspires them.
There is one category that tends to cool things off pretty quickly, but we’ll let Ricci and Ferol explain that part. 😅
📖 Blog → writtenwordmedia.com/reader-survey-2026
🎙️ Podcast → youtube.com/watch?