Written Word MediaAmazon 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 YOUโLL LEARN:
0:00 โ Owl Family Update ๐ฆ (Mated Pair + Fledgling Confirmed) 3:39 โ What Is Amazon A+ Content? 6:18 โ Why You Should Do This: Free, Real Estate, Conversion Data 7:19 โ Amazon's Own Data: 8โ20% Conversion Lift 8:30 โ How A+ Content Feeds the Amazon A10 Algorithm 9:55 โ [SCREEN SHARE] Finding A+ Content Inside Your KDP Account 10:32 โ Log In to KDP โ Click Marketing โ A+ Content 12:22 โ The Three-Module Template Trad Publishers Use 13:30 โ Module 1: Hero Banner (Standard Image + Dark Text Overlay) 13:45 โ Module 2: Three Image Blocks (Standard Three Images + Text) 13:55 โ Module 3: Comparison Chart (Standard Comparison Chart) 14:41 โ Don't Overcomplicate It: Three Modules Is Enough 15:12 โ The Content Rules: What You Can and Can't Include 17:18 โ How Amazon AI Reads Your Images and Alt Text 19:39 โ [SCREEN SHARE] Adding Modules Inside KDP 21:15 โ Words Before Pictures: Writing Your Copy First 23:20 โ 20 Words Max Per Block โ Don't Overthink It 24:00 โ Using Gemini to Brainstorm Copy 25:10 โ Look at What Other Authors Are Doing for Inspiration 25:34 โ Creating Image Assets in Canva (WWM Template Available) 26:26 โ Using Gemini's Image Tool as an Alternative 27:01 โ Alt Text: What to Write and Why It Matters for Rufus 28:11 โ [SCREEN SHARE] Uploading Your Banner Into the Module 29:06 โ Design for Mobile First (60โ70% of Amazon Traffic) 29:43 โ Amazon's Built-In AI Tool: Not Ready Yet, But Worth Watching 30:30 โ Completing the Comparison Chart Module 33:11 โ Applying One A+ Setup to an Entire Series 34:10 โ Submit for Approval (Up to 7 Days) 35:00 โ Recap + Resources in Show Notes
Amazon A+ Content Explained: A Step-by-Step Guide for Every Indie AuthorWritten Word Media2026-08-18 | 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 YOUโLL LEARN:
0:00 โ Owl Family Update ๐ฆ (Mated Pair + Fledgling Confirmed) 3:39 โ What Is Amazon A+ Content? 6:18 โ Why You Should Do This: Free, Real Estate, Conversion Data 7:19 โ Amazon's Own Data: 8โ20% Conversion Lift 8:30 โ How A+ Content Feeds the Amazon A10 Algorithm 9:55 โ [SCREEN SHARE] Finding A+ Content Inside Your KDP Account 10:32 โ Log In to KDP โ Click Marketing โ A+ Content 12:22 โ The Three-Module Template Trad Publishers Use 13:30 โ Module 1: Hero Banner (Standard Image + Dark Text Overlay) 13:45 โ Module 2: Three Image Blocks (Standard Three Images + Text) 13:55 โ Module 3: Comparison Chart (Standard Comparison Chart) 14:41 โ Don't Overcomplicate It: Three Modules Is Enough 15:12 โ The Content Rules: What You Can and Can't Include 17:18 โ How Amazon AI Reads Your Images and Alt Text 19:39 โ [SCREEN SHARE] Adding Modules Inside KDP 21:15 โ Words Before Pictures: Writing Your Copy First 23:20 โ 20 Words Max Per Block โ Don't Overthink It 24:00 โ Using Gemini to Brainstorm Copy 25:10 โ Look at What Other Authors Are Doing for Inspiration 25:34 โ Creating Image Assets in Canva (WWM Template Available) 26:26 โ Using Gemini's Image Tool as an Alternative 27:01 โ Alt Text: What to Write and Why It Matters for Rufus 28:11 โ [SCREEN SHARE] Uploading Your Banner Into the Module 29:06 โ Design for Mobile First (60โ70% of Amazon Traffic) 29:43 โ Amazon's Built-In AI Tool: Not Ready Yet, But Worth Watching 30:30 โ Completing the Comparison Chart Module 33:11 โ Applying One A+ Setup to an Entire Series 34:10 โ Submit for Approval (Up to 7 Days) 35:00 โ Recap + Resources in Show Notes
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. ยฉ 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
#indieauthor #amazonkdp #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #amazonaplus #apluscontentamazon #authorlife #bookpromotion #writingcommunity #authortips #indiepublishing #amazonbooks #kdp #bookconversion #writtenwordmediaHow a LitRPG Book About a Talking Cat Outsold Traditionally Published BestsellersWritten Word Media2026-09-29 | 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 YOUโLL LEARN:
0:00 โ Intro & Fall Conference Season (NINC + Author Nation) 1:52 โ Today's Format: A New Case Study Series 2:20 โ Who Is Matt Dinniman? The Dungeon Crawler Carl Overview 3:13 โ Why This Story Applies to Authors in Every Genre 4:31 โ Matt's Origin: Artist, Illustrator, and Etsy Store Owner 6:21 โ The First Version of Dungeon Crawler Carl (2009) and Why He Shelved It 7:07 โ The Pandemic Pivot: Picking It Back Up in 2019โ2020 7:44 โ Royal Road First: Why He Published on a Web Serial Platform Before Amazon 8:17 โ Publishing on Amazon in October 2020 โ 7 Years Before Today's Success 9:01 โ The Audiobook Narrator Who Changed Everything: Jeff Hayes 9:44 โ Word of Mouth in Action: The Thanksgiving Dinner Recommendation 10:35 โ Tyler Coyle and the Two-Person Booth Story (Early 2023) 11:40 โ Why One Deep Fan Connection Is Worth More Than 1,000 Casual Ones 13:01 โ The Random House Deal: Print Rights Only (Keeping Ebook Rights) 13:50 โ Why Smart Authors Sell Distribution, Not Royalties 14:43 โ "No Publisher Would Have Signed This" โ Matt's Own Words 16:04 โ The Tipping Point Framework: Saturating the Village Before the Country 18:22 โ LitRPG as the Village: Small, Hungry, and Underserved 19:08 โ The Kickstarter Strategy: $777 to Live, $666 to Die 20:40 โ Why the Story Matters More Than the Revenue 21:30 โ Patreon as Collaboration, Not Just Subscription 22:40 โ Superficial vs. Authentic Community Connection 24:02 โ The Showrunner Who Was a Patreon Subscriber First 25:08 โ Human Connection as the Last Competitive Advantage in an AI World 26:33 โ How Matt's Community Became His Marketing Team and Business Partners 27:36 โ What Authors Can Learn Without Being Matt 28:11 โ The 7-Year Overnight Success: What the Taylor Swift Meme Gets Right 29:12 โ Closing: More Case Studies Coming โ Every Path Is Different
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.
ยฉ 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
#indieauthor #dungeoncrarlcarl #mattdinniman #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #litrpg #authorlife #wordofmouth #writingcommunity #authortips #indiepublishing #kickstarter #patreon #bookstoseries #writtenwordmediaThe Best Day to Launch a BookWritten Word Media2026-09-17 | We looked at thousands of book launches. Here's what the data says about the best day to launch ๐
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:
โ Launch when you can PAY ATTENTION to your marketing โ Launch when you can send emails, post on social, and track what's happening โ 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." โ 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 #writtenwordmediaDo You Actually Need DRM?Written Word Media2026-09-15 | Do indie authors actually need DRM on their books? Short answer: probably not. Here's why ๐
DRM = Digital Rights Management. It's supposed to protect your book from piracy.
But here's the thing: โ Hard DRM (Amazon's walled garden) can be broken by anyone with moderate technical knowledge โ It adds friction between your book and a reader who might just want to lend it to a friend โ 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." โ 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 #writtenwordmediaShould Authors Use DRM? The Answer Might Surprise YouWritten Word Media2026-09-15 | 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 YOUโLL LEARN:
0:00 โ 10,000 Downloads Milestone ๐ 1:26 โ Today's Format: Three Listener Questions 6:18 โ Question 1: What Is DRM and Do I Need It? 6:46 โ Hard DRM, Soft DRM, and No DRM Explained 9:04 โ The Philosophy: Is Your Problem Too Many Readers or Too Few? 9:40 โ ALLi's Recommendation on DRM for Indie Authors 10:09 โ Amazon's New DRM Policy: You Can Now Change It Midstream 10:48 โ The Truth About Hard DRM: It's Not as Protective as You Think 11:29 โ Ricci's Plain-Language Recap of the Three DRM Types 14:03 โ Question 2: When Is the Best Time to Launch a Book? 14:31 โ The TLDR: Launch When You're Ready 14:50 โ What Traditional Publishers Do (Fall + Tuesdays) 15:29 โ NewInBooks Drops Every Tuesday โ Here's Why 16:24 โ What WWM's Launch Data Actually Shows 17:06 โ The Tuesday vs. Friday Strategy Debate 17:55 โ Launch When You Can Pay Attention โ Not Just on a 'Good' Day 18:18 โ The Exception: Genre-Specific Seasonality 19:02 โ Question 3: I'm in KU โ How Do I Get More KENP Reads? 20:21 โ How KU Reads and Royalties Work 21:25 โ How Promotions Drive Both Sales and KENP Reads 21:45 โ The Lag: Why Reads Don't Show Up Immediately After a Promo 22:11 โ The Free Promo Hack: Earn KENP Reads While Running a FreeBooksy Promo 22:53 โ How WWM Newsletters Prime KU Readers Before They Hit Amazon 23:05 โ Keep Sending In Your Questions (This Is How Products Get Built)
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.
ยฉ 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
#indieauthor #amazonkdp #kindleunlimited #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #drm #booklaunch #kenpreads #authortips #writingcommunity #authorlife #indiepublishing #freebooksy #publishingtips #writtenwordmediaThe Biggest Lead Magnet MistakeWritten Word Media2026-09-03 | You ran the ad, 200 people signed up for your lead magnet, but you're getting zero book sales. What went wrong? ๐
The most common lead magnet mistake Ricci sees:
โ 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:
๐ง Welcome email: "Thanks for grabbing the lead magnet. When you're done, here's the rest of the series."
โณ Wait 2โ3 weeks
๐ง 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." โ Ricci Wolman
Full episode on the Written Word Podcast!
#indieauthor #emailmarketing #authoremaillist #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #emaillist #authortips #writingcommunity #writtenwordmedia #leadmagnetLead Magnet vs. Reader MagnetWritten Word Media2026-09-01 | Most authors confuse these two things, and it's costing them email subscribers ๐
A LEAD MAGNET: โ Reaches strangers who've never heard of you โ You're offering free content to get their email address โ They are people you're trying to pull into your orbit for the first time
A READER MAGNET: โ Someone has ALREADY finished your book โ You offer something extra (a bonus chapter, an epilogue, a novella) โ They input their email in your back matter to receive it โ 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 #writtenwordmediaHow to Turn Free Content Into New Readers (Every Author Should Do This)Written Word Media2026-09-01 | 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 YOUโLL LEARN:
0:00 โ Pacific Northwest Trip: National Parks + First Marmot Sighting 2:14 โ What Is a Lead Magnet? (And Why Authors Should Use One) 3:37 โ The Psychology of Free: Reciprocity and List-Building 5:19 โ Lead Magnet vs. Reader Magnet: A Critical Distinction 7:17 โ Back Matter: Where the Reader Magnet Lives in Your Book 8:04 โ What a Reader Magnet Looks Like in Practice (The Baby Chapter) 9:02 โ What to Give Away: Chapter, Novella, or Full Book 11:09 โ The Sweet Spot: Why Novellas Work Best 11:57 โ KDP Select Warning: Don't Violate Exclusivity With a Free Book 13:55 โ The 4 Components: Content, Landing Page, Delivery, Traffic 14:41 โ The Best Tool for Authors: BookFunnel (and What It Does for You) 15:47 โ BookFunnel vs. Kit/Beehiiv: The Customer Service Difference 17:06 โ Free Traffic: Newsletter Swaps and Group Promos 19:55 โ Paid Traffic: Meta Ads at $5/Day 21:26 โ The Real-Time Feedback Loop: Why Lead Magnets Beat Retailer Sales 21:56 โ The Biggest Mistake After a Successful Campaign 22:24 โ The Welcome Email Sequence That Turns Leads Into Buyers 24:42 โ WWM Reader Reach: Running Facebook Ads to Your Lead Magnet 25:27 โ What Goes on the Landing Page (Less Than You Think) 26:40 โ Design for Mobile: Everything Is One Stacked Column 29:06 โ WWM's New Reader Reach Lead Magnet Product (Coming Soon) 33:05 โ Episode Recap
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.
ยฉ 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
#indieauthor #authoremaillist #leadmagnet #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #readermagnets #authorlife #emailmarketing #writingcommunity #authortips #indiepublishing #bookpromotion #bookfunnel #facebookads #writtenwordmediaThe A+ Content Template That WorksWritten Word Media2026-08-20 | Stop overthinking Amazon A+ content. Here's the exact 3-module template that 80% of trad publishers use ๐
Module 1 โ Hero banner (big image at the top) Module 2 โ Three small image blocks (mood, genre, audience) Module 3 โ Comparison chart (your series or other books)
That's itโฆ 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 #writtenwordmediaWhy Every Author Needs Amazon A+ ContentWritten Word Media2026-08-18 | 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: ๐ Boosts conversion 8โ20% (Amazon's own data) ๐ฑ Takes up more real estate on your page, pushing competing ads and recommendations down ๐ค Feeds Amazon's AI (Rufus) metadata about your book's vibe, helping it recommend your book to the right readers ๐ธ 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 #writtenwordmediaWhat Hollywood Actually Pays for Your BookWritten Word Media2026-08-06 | What does Hollywood actually pay for your book's film and TV rights? The range is wider than you think.
๐ฐPurchase price range: $11,000 โ $2,000,000 (depends on the project type, budget level, and your platform)
For an episodic TV series, you're also negotiating: ๐บ EP credit and fee: studios open at ~$7K/episode; aim for $20โ25K if it's your first deal ๐บ Per-episode royalty ๐บ Season bonuses (anything past Season 4 on a streamer is a hit)
For a feature film: ๐ฌ Purchase price + possible setup bonus ๐ฌ 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." โ 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 #authortipsHow to Spot a Scam Hollywood InquiryWritten Word Media2026-08-04 | "We want to turn your book into a movie."
๐จ 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:
๐ 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!"
๐ 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: โ They don't ask you for money, ever. Money flows TO the author. โ The email comes from a verified domain (not "SonyPictures@gmail") โ 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 #writtenwordmediaHow Indie Authors Get Their Books Made Into Hollywood MoviesWritten Word Media2026-08-04 | 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 YOUโLL LEARN:
0:00 โ Introduction & Maggie's Hollywood Background 2:10 โ The First Thing to Do If You Want Your Book Adapted 4:10 โ What a Development Executive Does and How They Find Books 6:03 โ What "Optioning" Actually Means for an Author 7:36 โ Does Hollywood Care If Your Book Is Indie Published? 9:21 โ How Publishers and Agents Handle Film & TV Rights 10:06 โ Rightscenter: The Free Tool Every Author Should Know 11:38 โ How to Spot a Scam Hollywood Inquiry (Real Examples) 15:02 โ How a Real Development Conversation Actually Goes 17:48 โ Creative Control: What Authors Can Realistically Ask For 19:16 โ What Film & TV Deals Actually Pay ($11K to $2M) 22:20 โ Who to Call When Hollywood Comes Knocking 23:42 โ Contract Red Flags: Clauses That Haunt Authors 25:28 โ How Streamers Changed the Industry 27:03 โ What AI Has (and Hasn't) Changed in Film & TV 27:53 โ What Genres Are Hot Right Now (Thrillers, Romanticy, Dystopian) 30:24 โ Should Authors Write to the Hollywood Market? 31:32 โ The 3-Item Punch List to Be Ready When Luck Strikes 33:08 โ Closing Optimism: The Best Films Are Based on Books
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.
ยฉ 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
#indieauthor #booktofilm #filmandtv #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #hollywoodbooks #authorlife #entertainmentlaw #writingcommunity #authortips #indiepublishing #optionrights #bookadaptation #maggiemarr #writtenwordmediaSpotifyโs Page Match FeatureWritten Word Media2026-07-23 | 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:
1๏ธโฃ Open Spotify, hit the camera 2๏ธโฃ Take a photo of the page you're on in your physical book 3๏ธโฃ The audiobook instantly resumes from that exact spot
And when you want to go back to reading? ๐ฑHold up your phone; it tells you exactly which page you're on.
The result since launch: ๐ 55% uplift in reading activity ๐ 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 #writtenwordmediaSpotifys Free AI Audiobook NarrationWritten Word Media2026-07-21 | 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: ๐ Upload your manuscript ๐ฃ๏ธ Choose from 10 curated AI voices โ๏ธ Set custom pronunciations for character names and places ๐ง Publish directly to Spotify ๐ฐAnd 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." โ 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 #writtenwordmediaSpotify Audiobooks: How to Get Discovered, Get Paid, and Create for FreeWritten Word Media2026-07-21 | 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 YOUโLL LEARN:
0:00 โ Introduction & Will's Background 1:22 โ How Spotify Fits Into the Audiobook Ecosystem 2:20 โ How Spotify Uses Podcast & Music Taste Signals for Audiobook Discovery 3:38 โ The 15-Hour Listening Model Explained 5:35 โ Why Short Books and Kids' Content Win on Spotify 6:09 โ How Authors Get Paid: A La Carte vs. Pro-Rata Pool 7:32 โ Weekly Listening Reports: Demographics, Minutes, Trends 9:42 โ Getting on Spotify: Authors.Spotify.com vs. Distributors 11:08 โ Metadata for Discovery: What Actually Matters 13:17 โ Stop Keyword Stuffing the Subtitle, Do This Instead 14:45 โ Free Tools in Spotify for Authors: Promo Cards & Redemption Codes 16:17 โ 100 Free Redemption Codes Per Book (And How to Get More) 17:39 โ The ElevenLabs AI Narration Tool: How It Works 18:29 โ It's Free, For Now (5 Books Per Account) 20:40 โ AI Narration vs. Human Narrators: What's the Real Difference? 22:22 โ How Listeners Discover Books Through Narrators (The Curatorial Effect) 25:44 โ PageMatch: Sync Your Physical Book With the Audiobook 27:29 โ 55% Reading Uplift and 2x Completion Rate With PageMatch 28:11 โ The Bookshop.org Integration: Buy the Physical Book From Spotify 32:14 โ What's Coming Next From Spotify for Authors 33:11 โ Follow Along: Synced Visuals Inside the Audiobook 34:25 โ Closing Advice: It's Never Too Late to Get Into Audiobooks
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.
ยฉ 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
#indieauthor #audiobookmarketing #spotifyaudiobooks #selfpublishing #audiobookcreation #bookmarketing #authorlife #writingcommunity #authortips #indiepublishing #findawayvoices #elevenlabs #pagematch #audiobooknarration #writtenwordmediaDont Micromanage Your FreelancerWritten Word Media2026-07-09 | The #1 thing clients do that makes good freelancers not want to come back ๐
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:
โ Give them the parameters โ Give them your expectations and timeline โ 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 #writtenwordmediaTell Your Designer What You HATEWritten Word Media2026-07-07 | 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:
โ Tell them: I hate yellow. I hate butterflies. Do not make it look like this.
โ 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 #writtenwordmedia5 Red Flags to Watch For Before You Hire a Cover Designer or EditorWritten Word Media2026-07-07 | 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 YOUโLL LEARN:
0:00 โ Introduction & Maari's Background 4:10 โ How Authors Use Freelancers (Pre- and Post-Publication) 4:39 โ Step 1: Define Your Project and Scope Before You Search 6:53 โ Reedsy: The Author-Specific Freelance Platform 8:00 โ Art Ownership: The Contract Clause Authors Always Forget 9:53 โ Budget: Prioritize, Then Build In Negotiation Room 11:41 โ Revisions: What's Standard for Design vs. Editing 13:10 โ How to Interview and Choose Between Two Finalists 15:05 โ Test Projects: Have Coffee Before You Get Married 17:20 โ Contracts: What to Expect and What to Push Back On 21:10 โ Being a Good Client: Show What You Like AND What You Hate 25:00 โ When the First Draft Disappoints โ How to Give Feedback 29:15 โ Check In Early and Often (It Helps the Freelancer Too) 32:30 โ Missed Deadlines: How to Follow Up, Freeze, or Walk Away 37:45 โ What Clients Do That Makes Freelancers Not Want to Return
RESOURCES & LINKS:
โ Maari Casey LinkedIn โ Uncompany Website โ Uncompany Instagram โ Upwork โ Fiverr โ Reedsy: Find the perfect editor, designer, or marketer โ 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.
ยฉ 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
#indieauthor #bookmarketing #freelancer #coverdesign #selfpublishing #bookediting #authortips #reedsy #hiringfreelancers #writingcommunity #authorlife #indiepublishing #publishingtips #bookcover #writtenwordmediaHow Authors Feel About AI Depends on Where They AreWritten Word Media2026-06-25 | We asked ~600 indie authors how they feel about AI in 2026.
The answer depends almost entirely on where they are in their career ๐
๐ Just starting out โ AI is an existential threat. Flooding the market. Making discovery impossible. 100% negative.
๐ Building momentum โ AI is both a threat AND a tool. Using it for ad creatives and covers, but frustrated by AI-generated competition.
๐ Living the dream (top earners) โ AI is a lever. Translations. Narrations. Workflow efficiency. Opportunity everywhere.
"The only group with mostly positive AI sentiment was the very top earners." โ 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 #2026trendsThe 5 Things Optimistic Authors Are DoingWritten Word Media2026-06-23 | We surveyed ~600 indie authors mid-2026.
Half are growing or holding steady. Here's what they're doing differently ๐
1๏ธโฃ Writing more: they're leaning into the ONE thing they can fully control 2๏ธโฃ Prioritizing their author newsletter, not as an afterthought, but as a primary channel 3๏ธโฃ Investing in paid ads: Amazon ads + Meta are still working for them 4๏ธโฃ Monetizing their catalog: box sets, translations (AI-assisted), and human-narrated audio 5๏ธโฃ 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 #authorlifeWhat 600 Indie Authors Just Told Us About 2026 (Mid-Year Survey)Written Word Media2026-06-23 | 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 YOUโLL LEARN:
0:00 โ Introduction & Mid-Year Check-In 1:36 โ Why Written Word Media Does a Mid-Year Survey 2:38 โ Survey Methodology: ~600 Responses, 10 Questions, Sentiment Focus 3:43 โ Data Caveat: Self-Reported, Indie-Author-Skewed 4:58 โ The Open-Ended Questions: Why They Matter Most 5:22 โ Headline Data: 23% Growing, 22% Holding Steady, 29% Declining 6:00 โ The Four Author Buckets (Income Tiers Explained) 6:46 โ 50% Expect Income Growth in the Next 12 Months 7:42 โ Why the Data Is More Optimistic Than the Forums 8:36 โ What Optimistic Authors Are Doing: Finding #1 9:25 โ Finding #1: They're Writing More (Volume as a Controllable Lever) 10:08 โ The Psychology of Leaning Into What You Can Control 11:08 โ Your Backlist Is an Asset That Compounds 11:52 โ Finding #2: Author Newsletters Are a Priority, Not an Afterthought 12:21 โ Newsletter Swaps and Audience-Building vs. Algorithm-Chasing 13:06 โ WWM's Subscriber Surge Giveaways (300โ600 New Subscribers in 2 Months) 14:17 โ Other Ways to Grow Your List 14:50 โ Finding #3: Optimistic Authors Are Spending More on Paid Marketing 15:01 โ Amazon Ads: Still Working Despite Anecdotal Reports 15:30 โ Meta Ads: Still Delivering, No Significant Decline 16:03 โ Finding #4: Box Sets, Translations, and Human-Narrated Audiobooks 16:34 โ AI-Assisted Translations: Cost-Effective Catalog Monetization 17:11 โ Why This Group Chose Human Narration Despite AI Availability 18:18 โ Finding #5: Using AI as a Tool, Not Fearing It as a Threat 18:35 โ AI for Ad Creatives, Covers, Translations, Workflow 19:18 โ AI Sentiment Split: Starting Out vs. Living the Dream 20:18 โ The Optimistic Group Cuts Across All Four Income Tiers 21:00 โ The 5 Findings Recap 22:20 โ KDP Exclusive vs. Wide: Statistically Irrelevant (46% vs. 47%) 23:08 โ Pick a Path and Focus on the Five Things 23:35 โ Open-Ended Survey Themes: What Changed Since End-of-Year 24:22 โ Algorithm Anxiety Is Up: Amazon A10 Conversations Surge 24:37 โ Author Quote: "It Came Out of the Blue" 25:38 โ WWM's Response: Longer-Duration Promo Stacks (5, 7, 10 Days) 26:54 โ Newsletter Signal Unchanged: Still the Top Owned Channel 27:32 โ AI Went From Background Noise to Center Stage 29:33 โ AI Sentiment by Income Tier: Starting Out vs. Got Traction vs. Living the Dream 30:00 โ Closing: The Data Says There's Reason for Optimism in 2026
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.
ยฉ 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
#indieauthor #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #authorlife #indieauthorsurvey #writingcommunity #authorbusiness #amazonkdp #authornewsletter #bookpromotion #publishingtips #writtenwordmedia #authorentrepreneur #2026publishing #aiforauthorsThe Organishยฎ StrategyWritten Word Media2026-06-11 | Before you spend money on influencers, try this first ๐
It's called Organishยฎ, and it might be the best $25 you spend on your book marketing this month.
Here's how it works: 1๏ธโฃ Create a normal piece of social content (your authentic, lo-fi stuff) 2๏ธโฃ Hit the Boost button on Meta / Instagram / TikTok 3๏ธโฃ Put $5โ$25 behind it.
That small spend can reach 5โ20x 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." โ Jim Tobin, CEO of Ignite Social Media
There's even a FREE Organishยฎ Calculator on their site. Link in bio!
#indieauthor #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #socialmediatips #authorlife #contentcreator #authortips #writingcommunity #tiktokbooks #writtenwordmediaThe 3-Second Hook RuleWritten Word Media2026-06-09 | 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 ๐
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]." โ Done. 3 seconds.
For nonfiction: "Everyone thinks [common belief], but they're wrong." โ Boom. 3 seconds.
And here's the thing: NEGATIVE hooks outperform positive hooks every time.
โ "Email marketing can make you millions" (positive hook)
โ "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 #writtenwordmediaWhat Indie Authors Can Learn from How Jeep Does Social Media, with Jim TobinWritten Word Media2026-06-09 | 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 YOUโLL LEARN:
0:00 โ Introduction & Jim's Background 0:24 โ Ignite Social Media and Carusele: What They Do 1:09 โ Jim's Favorite Campaign (Nature Made Vitamins, Not Jeep) 1:54 โ What's Working Now That Wasn't Working Last Year 2:17 โ Social Discovery: Google's Share of Search Is Down to 35% 2:52 โ Why Discovery Content Has a Longer Half-Life Than Traditional Posts 3:34 โ TikTok Shops: The Mechanics of Social Commerce for Authors 4:01 โ TikTok Fulfillment: What Authors Need to Know 4:56 โ What Content Works on Vertical Video Right Now 5:17 โ The Three-Second Hook: Why It Matters to the Algorithm, Not Just Humans 5:38 โ The Algorithm Is a Prediction Engine: How It Reads Your Book Cover 6:11 โ Consistency in Posting: Why Posting Only at Launch Fails 6:43 โ How to Get a Hook Out in Three Seconds 7:03 โ The "If You Like X, You'll Love Y" Formula for Fiction 7:31 โ Negative Hooks vs. Positive Hooks โ And Why Negative Wins 8:01 โ Positive vs. Negative Hook Examples Explained 8:38 โ Psychology + Technology: The Intersection Where Social Lives 9:02 โ The Magic Formula for Authors on a Shoestring Budget 9:14 โ Lo-Fi Content: Why the Messy Desk Beats the Perfect Setup 9:44 โ The Comment Reply Video: Building Community Around Your Characters 10:13 โ Imposter Syndrome, Authenticity, and What Readers Actually Connect With 11:14 โ Has Social Gone Fully Video? What About Text and Images? 11:33 โ The Carousel Comeback: Images Now Outperforming Reels 12:21 โ AI Character Images in Carousels: A Fiction Author Tactic 13:01 โ Carousels on LinkedIn (Not Just Instagram) 13:29 โ The Rise of Influencer Marketing: How Big Brands Think About It 13:59 โ Three Reasons Brands Work With Influencers 15:21 โ Third-Party Credibility for Book Benefits (Not Features) 15:45 โ How to Approach BookTok Creators With Zero Budget 16:17 โ Budget Conversations: Be Upfront About What You Can Pay 18:29 โ The Organishยฎ Strategy: Boosting Your Own Content for $5โ$25 19:55 โ The Organishยฎ Calculator (ignitemediasocial.com) 20:23 โ Using Data to Double Down on What's Working 21:23 โ Cross-Platform Strategy: One Video, Multiple Platforms 21:49 โ Perfect Is the Enemy of Good: When Repurposing Makes Sense 23:00 โ You're Learning as You Go โ and Nobody's Watching Your Mistakes Yet 23:16 โ Pre-Launch vs. Post-Launch Content Strategy 23:50 โ Why Jim Hates Mystery Posts 24:49 โ When It's Okay to Ask for the Sale (and How) 25:17 โ Social as a Thousand-Piece Puzzle vs. TV's One-Trick Message 25:41 โ Humor in Social: When It Works, When It Doesn't 26:15 โ Dark Humor, Irish Wakes, and Why Risk Needs Vetting 27:13 โ How to Workshop a Piece of Content When You're a Solopreneur 29:05 โ Trends to Watch in 2026 and Into 2027 29:26 โ Trending Audio: Putting Your Own Spin on What's Already Working 30:49 โ Tools Breakdown: Phone, CapCut, Instagram Edits 31:17 โ Don't Over-Polish: Why Too Many Effects Can Kill Engagement 32:41 โ The 30-Minute-a-Week Social Strategy 33:02 โ Focus on Shares, Not Likes: The Algorithm Rewards Shareable Content 34:06 โ Social vs. Email: You're Renting vs. Owning 34:34 โ How to Use Social to Grow Your Email List 35:28 โ Stampede Social: The Comment-to-DM Tool Authors Should Know About 36:00 โ The Biggest Mistake Jim Sees on Social 36:19 โ The Mere Presence Effect: Why Existing Is Enough to Start 37:21 โ Where to Find Jim Tobin
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.
ยฉ 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
#indieauthor #socialmediamarketing #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #tiktokbooks #booktok #authorlife #contentcreator #writingcommunity #authortips #indiepublishing #jimtobin #ignitesocialmedia #carusele #writtenwordmediaThe 5% Podcast CommitmentWritten Word Media2026-05-28 | Here is the hard truth about starting a podcast, and why it's worth it anyway. ๐
Most podcasts die before episode 10. If you want to commit, here's what realistic looks like:
๐ Weekly pod โ give it 6 months before judging ๐ Every 2 weeks โ give it 12 months ๐ Monthly โ 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 #writtenwordmediaHow to Pitch a Podcast as a GuestWritten Word Media2026-05-26 | Authors, here's why your podcast pitch isn't getting responses (and how to fix it) ๐
โ "I'd love to come on and talk about my book." โ "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: 1๏ธโฃ Listen to their show first and find a topic they touched on but didn't go deep enough on. 2๏ธโฃ Propose THAT topic specifically, not your book in general. 3๏ธโฃ Name the "dinner table moment", the one surprising thing listeners will tell their family tonight. 4๏ธโฃ 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 #writtenwordmediaThe Author Podcasting Playbook: 3 Things to Know Before You StartWritten Word Media2026-05-26 | 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 YOUโLL LEARN:
0:00 โ Introduction & Ricci's Owl Update ๐ฆ 3:19 โ Why Podcasting Works: Intimacy, Trust, and Long-Form Connection 4:30 โ The "Why" Behind Podcast Marketing 5:38 โ Parasocial Relationships: The Psychology of Podcast Trust 6:49 โ Podcasting as Deep Reader Connection vs. Surface-Level Marketing 7:10 โ The SEO/GEO Bonus: Show Notes as Permanent Web Presence 8:07 โ Transcripts and the "Human Signal" in an AI World 9:08 โ It's Okay to Be Unpolished (Ferol and Ricci's Own Experience) 10:00 โ Ricci the Recovering Perfectionist on Why Imperfect Is More Powerful 11:03 โ Podcast Appearances as First-Draft Content 11:24 โ You Get Better With Reps 12:10 โ Don't Listen Back to Your First Episode 13:08 โ Two Podcast Formats: Host-Only vs. Guest Format 14:06 โ How to Find the Right Shows to Guest On 15:29 โ What to Include in Your Guest Pitch Email 16:36 โ Pitch Specifically: Propose a Topic, Not Just Yourself 17:34 โ The "Dinner Table Moment" Test for Your Pitch Angle 17:53 โ Benefits Over Features: Emotion and Surprise in Pitches 18:30 โ Nonfiction Authors: Your Credibility Is Already the Hook 19:23 โ Once You're Booked: How to Prepare 19:43 โ Ask for Questions in Advance 20:42 โ Send Your Own Bio (Don't Leave It to the Host) 21:01 โ Make Your Bio Sound Good Out Loud 22:05 โ Day-Of Prep: Equipment, Headphones, Show Up Early 23:11 โ Gear Tip: Check the Dale Roberts YouTube Episode 23:35 โ The Sign-Off Moment: Be Ready for "Where Can People Find You?" 24:12 โ Know Your Top Three Asks in Advance 25:13 โ Add a Benefit Statement to Your Sign-Off 25:51 โ Be Sincere: Tell Listeners It Means Something 26:07 โ Should You Start Your Own Podcast? 26:46 โ Hosting Is a Calling, Not a Strategy 28:25 โ The Commitment Gap: Book Writers vs. Pod Launchers 29:13 โ Podcasting vs. Other Content Formats 29:45 โ Why the Publish Delay Suits Authors 31:17 โ It's a Long Game: Realistic Traction Timelines 32:14 โ Commit to 12 Months Before Judging Success 32:44 โ The 5% Who Stick With It โ and Why That's a Moat 33:09 โ Frequency: Why Every Other Week Was the Right Call 34:19 โ Platform Decisions: Transistor, Distribution, Audio vs. Video 35:25 โ Recap: The Three Things We Covered Today 36:42 โ It's Hard and It's Worth It 37:06 โ Start Small: You Don't Have to Go on Joe Rogan First
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.
ยฉ 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
#indieauthor #podcastingforauthors #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #authorlife #podcastguest #writingcommunity #authortips #indiepublishing #publishingtips #bookpromotion #writtenwordmedia #parasocialrelationship #authorpodcast #contentmarketingThe #1 mistake authors make on YouTube is ๐Written Word Media2026-05-14 | The #1 mistake authors make on YouTube is inconsistency.
And Dale Roberts learned this the hard way ๐
Dale spent the last year buried in a 12-book series. His upload schedule dropped. The results? ๐ Less views ๐ Less watch time ๐ 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 #writtenwordmediaThe YouTube Research HackWritten Word Media2026-05-12 | Want to know EXACTLY what your readers are watching on YouTube?
Here's the hack from someone with 120K subscribers and 7M views ๐
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 #indiepublishingHow Authors Are Winning On YouTube Right NowWritten Word Media2026-05-12 | 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 โ Introduction & Dale's YouTube Origin Story 1:12 โ How Dale Got Started: The Accidental Channel 2:29 โ 10 Years on YouTube: Four Monetized Channels 3:57 โ The 114-Day Upload Streak (What He Learned) 5:50 โ How to Hit 10K and 100K Subscribers 7:37 โ Where to Start: Know Your Ideal Viewer 8:06 โ The Separate Profile Research Hack 10:27 โ Taking Inspiration Without Copying 11:46 โ What Should Your First Video Be About? 12:26 โ Seed Your Channel: How Many Videos Before You Launch 13:23 โ Audiobooks on YouTube: A Hidden Monetization Strategy 14:49 โ Trend Hacking: How to Find Your Reader Through Pop Culture 16:44 โ You Don't Have to Talk About Writing Craft 17:12 โ Be a Reader, Not a Writing Teacher 18:15 โ The Biggest Mistake Authors Make on YouTube 18:30 โ Consistency Is Everything (Dale's Own Hard Lesson) 19:26 โ Quality vs. Quantity: What "Consistent" Actually Means 20:48 โ Long Form, Shorts, and Live Video: The Three Mediums 22:11 โ Live Streaming: The Community Builder 23:25 โ Multi-Streaming Landscape + Portrait 24:45 โ Posts in the Shorts Shelf (Breaking News from Dale's YouTube Rep) 26:17 โ Quizzes and Polls: Underused by Authors 27:01 โ Do You Need Help or Can You DIY? 27:36 โ Start Free: DaVinci Resolve, CapCut, iMovie 28:43 โ Gear Breakdown: What Actually Matters 29:30 โ Lighting First, Then Microphone 30:26 โ USB Mic Recommendation: Yeti/Snowball 31:01 โ Walter Wyburn: 100K Subscribers on 360p Video 33:03 โ How YouTube Has Changed in the Last Two Years 33:25 โ The AI Content Explosion, and Why Humans Win 34:31 โ Is There a Premium on Authenticity Right Now? 35:13 โ Introverts Can Crush It on YouTube 37:03 โ Pen Names and YouTube: What Are Your Options? 37:47 โ Faceless Videos and the Freida McFadden Wig Approach
RESOURCES & LINKS: โ DaVinci Resolve and CapCut โ iMovie and Windows Movie Maker โ Blue Yeti Snowball Microphone โ SelfPublishingwithDale.com โ Dale L. Roberts Instagram โ Dale L. Roberts YouTube โ Books about Self-Publishing by Dale โ How to Build Courage and Silence Self-Doubt as an Author with Jonathan Graham โ 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.
ยฉ 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
#indieauthor #youtubeforauthors #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #daleroberts #authorlife #writingcommunity #youtubestrategy #contentcreator #authortips #indiepublishing #publishingtips #bookpromotion #writtenwordmedia #selfpublishingwithdaleFAQ Strategy for AI DiscoveryWritten Word Media2026-04-30 | One easy thing you can add to your book page TODAY that helps AI engines recommend your book ๐ an FAQ section.
AI engines don't just look for keywords; they look for answers to questions.
So if you add questions like:
โ Who would enjoy this book? โ Is this part of a series? โ Does this end in a happily ever after? โ 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 #indiepublishingThe KU Google Play LoopholeWritten Word Media2026-04-28 | 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:
โ Go to Google Play Partner Center โ Upload your book as "preview only" (NOT for sale) โ Set the preview to 10% or less of your book โ That's it, you're in the Google Books ecosystem
โ ๏ธ 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 #indiepublishingYour Book Is Invisible to AI (Heres How to Fix It)Written Word Media2026-04-28 | 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 YOUโLL LEARN:
0:00 โ Introduction & Ferol's Return 1:55 โ WWM's New 10โ15 Day Promo Stacks (A10 Follow-Up) 3:53 โ Today's Topic: GEO and How AI Finds Books 4:18 โ SEO vs. GEO: What's the Difference? 6:17 โ The Three AI Engines Authors Need to Know 6:38 โ ChatGPT: Biggest Consumer Market Share 6:50 โ Gemini: Google's AI, Most Actionable for Authors 8:26 โ Claude by Anthropic: B2B Dominance & Developer Reach 9:54 โ Why Ferol Started with Gemini 10:18 โ Old SEO vs. New AI Search: The Key Difference 11:54 โ How Gemini Consolidates Book Recommendations 12:22 โ Gemini's Secret Weapon: It Owns a Bookstore 13:15 โ Google Play Partner Center: The KU Author Loophole 14:13 โ The 10% Preview Rule (Don't Skip This) 15:21 โ Wide vs. KU: What This Means for Each 16:29 โ YouTube Transcripts and Google's Ecosystem 17:15 โ Why WWM Promotions Build AI Authority Too 19:13 โ How Ferol Researched This: Asking the AIs Themselves 20:16 โ The FAQ Strategy: Add This to Your Book Page Now 21:58 โ Amazon Product Pages Already Do This (Here's Why) 22:38 โ Gemini Recap: Top 3 Action Items 23:04 โ ChatGPT & Claude: More Similar Than Different 23:40 โ Why Indie Books Are Underrepresented in AI Training Data 24:00 โ Editorial Reviews: How to Get the Trad-Publishing Signal 24:50 โ Where to Put Reviews (Hint: Not Just Your Own Site) 25:27 โ Reddit: High Risk, High Reward 26:07 โ Ricci's Reddit Rules: Proceed With Caution 28:11 โ ChatGPT + Shopify: The Agentic Commerce Connection 29:40 โ Rich Book Descriptions: More Text = More Recommendations 30:38 โ Why Reviews Are Data-Rich Context for AI 31:23 โ Important Caveat: This Is About Reader Discovery, Not AI Writing 32:06 โ GEO Is Where SEO Was in 2007 32:43 โ Ask the AI: Use It to Audit Your Own Discoverability 33:30 โ Difficulty-Ranked Recap: Easiest to Hardest
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.
ยฉ 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved. #indieauthor #bookmarketing #aibooks #geooptimization #selfpublishing #chatgpt #gemini #bookdiscovery #authorlife #amazonkdp #writingcommunity #authortips #publishingtips #bookpromotion #writtenwordmediaSpeaking Fees BreakdownWritten Word Media2026-04-16 | What does paid speaking actually pay?
Here's the real breakdown from Forbes Top Speaker Jess Ekstrom ๐
๐ฐ Just starting out: $500โ$5,000 ๐ Some reps + a demo reel + credible clients: $5,000โ$10,000 ๐ Established + a book: $10,000+ โญ 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 $2,200โ$5K range.
So, if you're doing 3โ4 talks a year at $5โ10K? 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 #writtenwordmediaHow to Get Speaking Gigs as an AuthorWritten Word Media2026-04-14 | Before you write a single slide, answer this: after people hear me speak, they will _____ because my talk will _____.
๐ฏ 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 #writtenwordmediaHow to Supplement Your Author Income with Speaking Gigs with Jess EkstromWritten Word Media2026-04-14 | 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 โ Introduction & Jess's Background 1:05 โ Welcome & The "Speaker or Author" Myth 1:44 โ Why Doing Both Makes You Better at Each 4:38 โ Can Fiction Authors Be Speakers Too? 4:47 โ The Thriller Author Who Landed Corporate Keynotes 6:04 โ What Companies Actually Hire Outside-Industry Speakers For 8:23 โ Authors = Athletes: The Framework That Transfers 9:40 โ How to Build Your First Keynote 10:13 โ The Transformation Promise (Your Speaking North Star) 12:02 โ The "Bumps That Spike" Framework 13:08 โ How to Find Speaking Gigs (Outbound vs. Inbound) 13:34 โ Carrie Booker: Mic Drop's AI Speaking Agent 14:54 โ LinkedIn Strategy for Getting Booked 17:11 โ Just Tell People You Speak 17:53 โ Beating Imposter Syndrome as a New Speaker 18:35 โ Speaking Is Speaking, Stop Discounting Your Reps 20:30 โ What Mic Drop Workshop Actually Does 23:58 โ Why Community Is the Secret Weapon in Speaking 25:44 โ When to Charge and When to Speak for Free 26:41 โ The Keynote as a Product (Not a Favor) 28:16 โ Speaking Fees Breakdown: $500 to $35K 31:07 โ The Income Opportunity: 3โ4 Talks at $5โ10K 31:38 โ The Halo Effect on Book Sales 33:25 โ Making It Without Losing It: Jess's New Book 36:16 โ Where to Find Jess + Mic Drop Resources
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.
ยฉ 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
#indieauthor #publicspeaking #bookmarketing #authorbusiness #selfpublishing #micdropworkshop #authorlife #speakerlife #writingcommunity #keynote #authorentrepreneur #bookpromotion #jessekstrom #writtenwordmedia #indiepublishingAuthors: How to create a media outreach packageWritten Word Media2026-04-02 | 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 #writingcommunityWhat NOT to do when pitching local pressWritten Word Media2026-03-31 | A local publisher told us exactly what makes editors delete your email instantly:
โ Getting the editor's name wrong โ Getting the publication's name wrong โ Ignoring the subject line โ Pitching last-minute (they're on deadline 2.5 weeks before publish!) โ Not researching the magazine before you pitch
The good news? Fixing these is completely in your control and the authors who do get covered:
โ Know who you're pitching โ Know what they cover โ 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 #indiepublishingHow to Get Your Book in Local Magazines (What Editors Wont Tell You)Written Word Media2026-03-31 | 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 โ Introduction & Rory's Background 01:21 โ Inside Triangle Media Partners 02:08 โ How Editors Decide What to Cover 03:00 โ How to Pitch: Email, Snail Mail & Drop-Offs 04:37 โ Do Editors Actually Read Your Outreach? 06:04 โ Editorial Calendars & Planning 3โ4 Months Ahead 07:42 โ How to Reverse-Engineer a Publication's Themes 08:20 โ Polite Persistence: Why Following Up Works 09:53 โ Your Book Launch Isn't the Only Hook 10:23 โ Pitching Backlist Books, Seasonal Angles & Bylines 12:46 โ Don't Take It Personally โ Keep Pitching 14:08 โ Local Events, Swag Bags & Indie Bookstores 16:54 โ The Real Reach of One Local Feature 17:30 โ The Halo Effect: What One Placement Can Unlock 18:28 โ Playing to Your Strengths as an Author 19:39 โ The No-Nos: What Editors Actually Hate 22:52 โ Creative Pitches That Really Worked 24:51 โ Rory's Step-by-Step Action Item Checklist 26:59 โ 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.
ยฉ 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
#indieauthor #bookmarketing #authortips #localpress #bookpromotion #writtenwordpodcast #publishingtips #authorlife #getpublished #bookprIs it time to update your Amazon ads strategy? #selfpublishingWritten Word Media2026-03-19 | If Amazon ads have been your go-to book marketing strategy, this one's for you ๐
Amazon's A10 update is officially giving more weight to traffic coming from outside the platform โ your mailing list, TikTok ads, newsletter promos โ 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 โ and the algorithm is now actually rewarding you for using them.
Full breakdown in the latest episode of The Written Word Media Podcast โ link in description!
#indieauthor #amazonalgorithm #a10update #amazonads #bookmarketing #amazonkdp #selfpublishing #authortips #bookpromotion #externaltraffic #indiepublishing #writingcommunity #authorlife #publishingtips #writtenwordmediaThe A10 Algo: 3 Things to Know #amazonkdpWritten Word Media2026-03-17 | Amazon updated its algorithm and your old playbook might not be cutting it anymore ๐
Here are the 3 things that matter most for your book's visibility on A10:
1๏ธโฃ Your book page โ ditch the keyword stuffing. Natural language, genre tropes, and subgenres are the move now.
2๏ธโฃ External traffic โ your newsletter, socials, promo sites. Traffic coming from outside Amazon now carries more weight than Amazon ads.
3๏ธโฃ Consistent marketing โ 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 #writtenwordmediaThe Amazon A10 Update: 3 Things Every Indie Author Needs to KnowWritten Word Media2026-03-17 | Amazon quietly overhauled its search and recommendation algorithm โ 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. Youโll 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 YOUโLL LEARN:
2:43 Today's Topic: The Amazon A10 Algorithm 3:21 Change Is Frustrating โ 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 โ 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:
โ 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 โ 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.
ยฉ 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
#indieauthor #amazonalgorithm #bookmarketing #selfpublishing #kindleunlimited #authortips #a10algorithm #bookpromotion #indiepublishing #writtenwordmedia #authorlife #publishingtips #amazonkdp #booksales #writingcommunityThereโs No Permanent Decision with KDP #writingcommunityWritten Word Media2026-03-05 | Scared to go exclusive with Amazon? It's not as permanent as you think ๐
KDP Select runs in 90-day increments โ 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 #authoradviceKU vs Wide: What the Data Actually Says (No Ideology Allowed)Written Word Media2026-03-03 | KU or wide? It's the debate that never dies in indie publishing โ and we're ending it with data. ๐
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 โ 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 โ 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.
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. ยฉ 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
#indieauthor #selfpublishing #bookmarketing #authorbusiness #writingcommunity #authortips #publishingtips #kindleunlimited #kdpselect #widepublishing #authorcareer #writtenwordmedia #authoradvice #indiepublishing #bookpromotion #authorlifeKDP payouts - are they worth it? #indiepublishingWritten Word Media2026-03-03 | Amazon is paying out $62 million to authors. Every. Single. Month. ๐ฐ
When KDP Select launched in July 2014, the monthly fund was $2.5 million. In January 2026? $62.2 million โ 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 ๐
#kindleunlimited #kdpselect #indieauthor #selfpublishing #authorbusiness #writtenwordmedia #bookmarketing #indiepublishingAd Spend for Indie Authors #shortsWritten Word Media2026-02-19 | 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 #writtenwordmediaWhat to do if your first book didnt take off #shortsWritten Word Media2026-02-17 | Your first book didn't take off? Join the club.
Data shows your first book is rarely your breakoutโand that's totally normal (Colleen Hoover didnโt 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 thatโs probably not what you want to hear, but the undeniable truth is that more books = more income, better ads, and stronger craft.
๐ You're not behind, youโre just building.
Full episode on the backlist advantage is liveโlink in description ๐
#indieauthors #selfpublishing #authorlife #writingcommunity #bookmarketing #indiepublishing #authortips #writingtips #authorsofinstagram #booktok #authorbusiness #firstbook #authoradvice #writingadvice #publishingtips #indieauthorsofinstagram #authorcommunity #writtenwordmedia #backliststrategy #authorcareerFrom First Book to Sustainable SalesWritten Word Media2026-02-17 | Your first book didn't become a bestseller? That's actually completely normalโand we have the data to prove it. ๐
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 thingโit'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 anyoneโwe'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.
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.
ยฉ 2025 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
#indieauthor #selfpublishing #bookmarketing #authorbusiness #writingcommunity #authortips #publishingtips #backliststrategy #authorcareer #writtenwordmedia #authoradvice #indiepublishing #bookpromotion #authorlife #firstbookWhat Do Readers Want From You Online?Written Word Media2026-02-11 | The short version: readers who follow authors are genuinely interested in their creative lives. What they write, how they write, what theyโre working on, and what inspires them. There is one category that tends to cool things off pretty quickly, but weโll let Ricci and Ferol explain that part. ๐ ๐ Blog โ writtenwordmedia.com/reader-survey-2026 ๐๏ธ Podcast โ youtube.com/watch?