Bryan made his triumphant return to the show as he and Jim discussed the top stories and tips of 2016! After going over Abigail The Intern’s Top 3 Tips, the self-pub squadron discussed stories about knowing your readers, using paid advertising, the problems with KU, the scammers of KU, and the rise and leveling-off of indie sales. They also thanked their patrons, Author Level Up, Character Sketch & Color, and Incursion: Merkiaari Wars Book 5. The final Question of the Week for 2016 is: What are you gonna get done in 2017?

Stephen Campbell from The Author Biz Podcast subbed for Bryan this week, as he and Jim took on tips about book covers, tax deductions, and producing art. After chatting up their patrons’ books (Email Lists Made Easy for Writers & Bloggers, 5 Numbers of Destiny, and 31 Days of Wisdom), Jim and Stephen talked trad pub podcasts, the end of Authors United, whether or not indies are declining, HarperCollins’ deal with Amazon Alexa, and Konrath’s major publishing decision. This week’s Question of the Week: What's your big indie publishing prediction for 2017?

With Bryan off hanging out with his new baby, Sheridan Stancliff joined the show to chat about tips on InstaFreebie ARCs, collaborations, and merchandising. After thanking their Patron-sponsored books of The Ten-Year Turnaround, Removed, and How to Drive Your Next Car Deal, Sheridan and Jim discussed news about a new app making waves in Croatia, a surge in creativity for digital comics, changes in Amazon’s pre-order policy, how KU free runs may not be as lucrative as you think, and why rented books could become a big deal. This week’s Question of the Week: Would you rent an ebook?

Jonny from Author Platform Rocket joined the guys to discuss Bryan’s results with his service. Jim offered to help folks find more reviewers as well (listen to the ep for more info). After discussing tips on productivity, BookBub, and bursts of promotion, they took on the latest in publishing news including Nook reporting errors, Amazon’s plans for India, ebook tax laws, artistic freedom, and using your backlist. This week’s Question of the Week: How do you promote your backlist? What kind of results have you had?

Jim’s sniffles kept this show short, tight, and intriguing, as he and Bryan discussed tips on author estate planning, transitioning to owning a business, and building your brand. After thanking their latest patrons, Kathy Coatney ( http://www.kathycoatney.com/dads-girls/ ), Percival Constantine ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013ZBP8WK ), and Bobby Adair ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E4VT778 ), this Thanksgiving twosome took on stories about Wattpad, book apps, Amazon ads, bookstores doubling as publishers, and what we should be thankful for. This week’s Question of the Week: What are you thankful for in your author career?

May Sage joined the guys this week for an awesome Lab segment as they discussed tips on holiday marketing, preparing for the worst, and mind-mapping. After thanking their patrons Ethan Jones (and his book The Secret Blush https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LDH2J1G ), Megan Haskell (and her book Sanyare https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ROBHMFY/ ), and Tara Ross (and her book Cubicle Jail to Laptop Lifestyle http://amzn.to/1ZNNHWl ), they took on news stories about Kobo contracts, trad pubs learning from indies, audiobooks in indie stores, Facebook tracking miscalculations, and the iOS Unsubscribe feature. This week’s Question of the Week: What are three things you could do to improve your emails to your readers?

Back from his day at the polls, Jim joined Bryan to talk tips on hustling, writing a novel quickly, and reader social network Litsy. After thanking their patrons, Chris Syme (and her book Sell More Books With Less Social Media http://amzn.to/2dRIefz ), David King (and his book Hitler Out of Time http://www.hitleroutoftime.com/amazon ), and Simon Goodson (and his book Wanderer’s Escape http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AZ7YSFQ ), the troublesome pair took on stories about book covers, European ebook lending, post-election book bumps, KU Australia, the future of audio, and Amazon’s new policy on KDP Ads. This week’s Question of the Week: Now that the exclusivity requirement is dropped, will you try KDP Ads with your non-exclusive books? Why or why not? Also, what book should Abigail review next for our new segment?

H. Claire Taylor subbed for Jim this week as the comedy duo of Cohen and Taylor took on the Sell More Books Show. After thanking their patrons Patrick O’Donnell ( http://bit.ly/mdcitypod ), C. Steven Manley ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00U3DW6MY ), and  L. Penelope ( http://lpenelope.com/books/song-of-blood-and-stone/ ), Bryan and Claire chatted about tips on advertising, dictation, and BookBub featured deals. News stories included Books-A-Million self-publishing packages, an Amazon reading service for kids, a new pricing policy at Amazon Books, Steve Scott’s 17 steps to $1,000 in publishing, and authors struggling to get email subscribers. This week’s Question of the Week: Have you noticed a decrease in email subscriber numbers? If so, what have you done to try to help numbers pick back up?

Happy November! Jim and Bryan welcomed back Derek Siddoway of Book Review 22 for another Lab segment, but not before thanking their latest patrons Jennifer Evans (and her book Peaks of Passion http://bit.ly/pleaspnt ), Matthew Paulson (and his book The Ten-Year Turnaround http://www.amztk.com/tenyearturnaround ), and Randy Stapilus (and his book What Sells Books http://www.ridenbaughpress.com/whatsellsbooks/ ). This week, the candidate champs discussed tips on working smarter, diversifying income, and Amazon review rules. News stories included Nook Press changes, a recent scam, the dissolution of a big Author Solutions Relationship, a new freelance law, the likelihood of books disappearing, and being an early adopter. This week’s Question of the Week: Which stage of technological adoption is self-publishing in and why? Innovation, Early Adopters, Early Majority, Late Majority, or Laggards?

Honoree Corder visited the show to talk about publishing, books, and the Amazon Breakfast! After thanking Honoree (and her book You Must Write a Book http://bit.ly/ymwabhc ), Craig Lea Gordon (and his book Hypercage https://amzn.com/B01KPGFQXY ) and Kirsten Oliphant (and her book Email Lists Made Easy for Writers and Bloggers https://amzn.com/B01HLLYCA4 ), the trio discussed tips on author training, creative visualization, and finding your ideal readers. News stories included a nonfiction NaNoWriMo, Free Book Zones, interactive YA entertainment, the “wall of content,” horror bleeding indies, and tips from the Amazon Breakfast. This week’s Question of the Week: Have you used visualization or other personal development tactics to achieve your goals? Why or why not?

Are the good times over? Not for Jim, Bryan, and the indie community! After thanking their patrons Spider McGee (and his book Monkey Justice http://bit.ly/monkjust ), Charles Eugene Anderson (and his book Time Code http://bit.ly/thymecode ) and J. Rutger Madison (and his book A Curse Upon the Saints http://bit.ly/sntcurse ), the publishing patriots chatted about social media, author courses, and editor-finding tools. News stories included evaluating your business model, dedicating yourself to the right work, diversity in publishing, how to avoid getting swindled, and a drop in indie revenue from Author Earnings. This week’s Question of the Week: Why do you think indie authors experienced a decrease in the latest Author Earnings report?

After sharing the results of the first ever SMBS Presidential Election, Jim and Bryan took on the latest in book marketing news. Tips included solidifying your successful author mindset, the importance of focus during your writing time, and which type of marketing works best. Following their honoring of recent patrons Ethan Jones (and his book The Secret Blush http://bit.ly/secblush ), Chris Syme (and her book SMART Social Media For Authors http://amzn.to/1JLTwYI ), and Geoff North (and his book Thawed: CRYERS http://http://bit.ly/thawcry ), they touched on news stories related to Ellora’s Cave, publishing submission fees, Amazon Prime Reading, KDP page read errors, and KDP Print paperbacks. This week’s Question of the Week is: Will you stick with CreateSpace or test out KDP Print and why? Also, who would you like to be SMBS President?

With the news being a negative nelly, Jim brought the positive in the latest episode of the Sell More Books Show. After tackling tips on selling dozens of books at a time, optimizing BookBub Ad campaigns, and taking part in Amazon’s indie author celebration, the two triple-threats thanked their patrons Michael Alan Peck (and his book The Journeyman http://bit.ly/commjour ), Susan Illene (and her book Stalked by Flames http://bit.ly/stalkill ) and Brecht Ryckaert (and his book WordPress Security 101: http://bit.ly/wpsec101 ). News stories included Amazon’s Disney subscription, Facebook’s Marketplace, a new scammer, a trad pub author turned indie, Facebook video stat reporting errors, and Kindle Unlimited reporting errors. This week’s Question of the Week: Will Amazon’s error in reporting KU pages read impact your decision to put your books in KU? Why or why not? Also, who gets your vote for Sell More Books Show President? Jim? Bryan? Or a third-party candidate (a listener)?

After plugging the upcoming Indie Author Day (on October 8th, 2016), Jim and Bryan chatted with Ashley Durrer from InstaFreebie for their latest lab segment. Following their big thanks to two patrons, Craig Lea Gordon (and his book Hypercage ( https://amzn.com/B01KPGFQXY ) and Megan Haskell (and her book Sanyere: The Heir Apparent http://bit.ly/sanyare2 ), the publishing pilgrims took on tips related to relaunching your books, Shelfie’s new reader tool, and a “caring” social media strategy. News stories included Google Play’s new recommendation algorithm, Amazon’s big news about Audible, the end of the authors vs. Harlequin lawsuit, one author’s tough road, and another author’s joke-turned-success story. This week’s Question of the Week: If you could choose literary fame as a pauper or financial success without acclaim as an indie, which would you choose and why? How would your answer have differed when you just started out as an author?

This week, Jim and Bryan took on the latest in news and tips! After thanking their latest patron Matthew Paulson and his book The Ten-Year Turnaround (available here: http://www.amztk.com/tenyearturnaround ), the two trailblazers took on tips related to paid advertising, email collection, and erotica promo sites. News stories included Barnes & Noble blame, Hugh Howey’s publishing projections, some trad pub “Whale Math,” Colleen Hoover’s industry thoughts, and Rosalind James’ slow and steady approach to making readers happy. This week’s Question of the Week: Do you think too many authors and piracy are the reason Colleen Hoover’s book sales have decreased? Why or why not? If you were her, how would you use your large following to try to turn things around?

Here’s a little comedy for your Friday! In this special edition of the show, H. Claire Taylor joined Bryan to do a preview of their upcoming podcast, Something Nice to Say (you can contribute to the show’s Kickstarter campaign here: http://www.kicksomethingnice.com ). Bryan and Claire discussed their experiences with traditional publishing before launching into their trademark “three nice things.” Expect Daniel Plainview impressions and a discourse on the shark’s name in the movie Jaws.

Jim and Bryan definitely didn’t wear white for their first post-Labor Day episode. After Bryan chatted about his comedy Kickstarter (at http://kicksomethingnice.com ), they took on tips related to giveaways, launches, and fairy tale retellings. Following the much-deserved props given to Randy Stapilus and his book What Sells Books (available at http://www.ridenbaughpress.com/whatsellsbooks/ ), the self-publishing stalwarts talked fighting fraud, Pew surveys, indie crossword puzzles, library ebooks, and KU vs. Wide. This week’s Question of the Week: Would you put your free ebooks into the New York Public Library? Why or why not? What kind of results do you think you’d see from entering into the catalogue?

The heat is on with this late summer episode of The Sell More Books Show. Jim and Bryan discussed tips on Smashwords Alerts, book bundles, and permafree books. After thanking their latest patron Barb Drozdowich (and her book Blogging for Authors http://bit.ly/authblogbd ), they dissected news on Penguin’s subscription aversion, the Kindle Reading Fund, Shatzkin’s ideas to right the Nook ship, Google’s mobile site penalties, the opening of the Arthur C. Clarke Award to indies, and Amazon’s gains in India over Flipkart. This week’s Question of the Week: What would you do to turn around the fortunes at Barnes & Noble? Do you think any of Mike Shatzkin’s ideas would help the company recover?

The heat is on with this late summer episode of The Sell More Books Show. Jim and Bryan discussed tips on Smashwords Alerts, book bundles, and permafree books. After thanking their latest patron Barb Drozdowich (and her book Blogging for Authors http://bit.ly/authblogbd ), they dissected news on Penguin’s subscription aversion, the Kindle Reading Fund, Shatzkin’s ideas to right the Nook ship, Google’s mobile site penalties, the opening of the Arthur C. Clarke Award to indies, and Amazon’s gains in India over Flipkart. This week’s Question of the Week: What would you do to turn around the fortunes at Barnes & Noble? Do you think any of Mike Shatzkin’s ideas would help the company recover?

After a wild week, Jim talked AMC’s Reviewer Grabber and Bryan chatted up his Cinderella launch before they slammed into the latest tips and news. After thanking their patrons G.D. Leon (and his book The Frigorifio https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KPHK98A ) and Gillian Felix (and her service Plain Talk BM http://www.plaintalkbm.com/ ) the self-pub soulmates discussed trigger warnings, iBooks, and KDP Rocket. News stories included the New York Times’ self-pub advice, novels made from text messages, Kickstarter’s publishing prowess, how stacked ads helped Joanna Penn hit the USA Today list, and Wattpad’s new Futures ad program. This week’s Question of the Week: Would you read a book made up of text messages? Do you think Hooked will be the next big thing?

For this special Friday edition of the show, Bryan sat down and chatted about the launch of his new pen name with the fairy tale novel Cinderella Dreams of Fire ( http://bit.ly/cindydreams ). He’s challenged himself to launch a book into the Top 500 on Amazon and keep it in the Top 5,000 for 30 days. In this episode, Bryan goes through the writing strategy, marketing/launch strategy, promo schedule, and results of his promo, including some answers to questions you might have about his plan.

The returning champion (Bryan) re-emerged from Smith Mountain Lake as he and Jim tackled Amazon’s new Kindle in Motion feature and the rest of the latest news. After thanking their latest patron Megan Haskell (and her book Sanyere: The Last Descendent http://bit.ly/mhasksan ), the book bromance talked tips on book reviews, pop-ups, and sharing notes in Goodreads. News stories included retro London bookstores, the increase of the word “girl” in titles, Facebook’s rivalry with AdBlocker, Bob Mayer’s publishing predictions, and Kindle in Motion. This week’s Question of the Week: Do you think Kindle in Motion will be the next big thing in ebooks? Why or why not?

Vinny O’Hare visited the show today while Bryan was on vacation. Vinny and Jim chatted Facebook, brand awareness, and writing more books, as well as the five latest news stories. After thanking the show’s latest patron, Kirsten Oliphant (and her book Email Lists Made Easy for Writers and Bloggers https://amzn.com/B01HLLYCA4 ), the Internet marketing powerhouses discussed stories on Virgin Airlines, VAT legislation, audio choose-your-own-adventure books, whether or not “too many books” is a good thing, and Wal-Mart’s purchase of Jet.com. This week’s Question of the Week: Will there ever be a point where there are too many books in the world and will that affect book sales in the future?

Jim Kukral and the Magical Fishing Trip ended, allowing him to return to the show to chat about tips like hunting down book reviews, using Facebook Live, and learning what millionaire self-publishers have in common. After welcoming Derek Siddoway from Book Review 22 for a lab segment, and thanking their patron P.G. Kassel (and his book Black Shadow Moon http://bit.ly/brammistake), the dynamic duo took on the news. Stories included the recent Harry Potter launch, editing and moral rights clauses, faulty indie bookstore data, Universal Book Links, and the passion vs. purpose argument. This week’s Question of the Week, “When did you figure out that you were meant to be a self-publishing author, and what made you determine this?”

Honoree Corder joined the show in Jim’s absence this week, as she and Bryan talked tips, news, and breakfast. After thanking this week’s patron (S.J. Pajonas and her book Removed http://bit.ly/sjremove ), they shared tips about Scrivener for iOS, MFAs, and Kwill Publication’s new book-to-script program. News stories included a DRM court case, reasons for the rise of audio, new KU additions, doomsday trad pub scenarios, and why Pokemon GO could kill Facebook. This week’s Question of the Week: What do you think is going to be the next big thing in publishing and why?

Bryan promoted his new show (Something Nice to Say http://www.somethingniceshow.com ) and talked about his successful nonfiction launch before he and Jim talked backups, Amazon TOS, and torrents in the tips section. They thanked their latest patron Brecht Ryckaert (and his book WordPress Security 101 http://bit.ly/brechtword ) before moving onto the news. Stories included Amazon’s lame Kindle Q&A, a new proposed copyright law, why the sky isn’t falling, diversity in publishing, and Data Guy’s presentation at RWA. This week’s Question of the Week: Have you become embroiled in following too much self-publishing gossip? What should you be doing with your time instead? Subquestion: What do you hate most in this world? (Remember to share what you hate with Bryan and Claire at http://www.somethingniceshow.com )

Bryan launched his new book this week ( available here https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HYBWOF6 ) and he explains how he was able to sell over 800 copies in four days of release. He and Jim blasted through the show after thanking their patron L. Penelope (and her book Song of Blood & Stone http://lpenelope.com/books/song-of-blood-and-stone/ ), which included tips on box sets, breaking the rules, and ensuring your stories are immersive. News stories included Iran’s new bookstore project, AAP’s depressing ebook numbers, Indie Author Day, Audible Channels, and how to improve as a writer and a marketer. What deliberate actions would you have to take to get better as an author and as a marketer?

The guys welcomed Jonny Andrews for their latest Lab segment and talked doomsday Nook scenarios before tackling the latest news! After thanking their latest patron Simon Goodson (and his book Wanderer’s Escape http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AZ7YSFQ ), Jim and Bryan shared tips on metadata, the purpose behind your emails, and creating the perfect hook. News stories included Nook’s email barrage, Tales From the Crypt pulling from WattPad, applying 10x thinking, Facebook further reducing organic reach, and confessions from a former publishing intern. This week’s Question of the Week: If you employed 10x thinking, what would your 10x self-publishing goal be? How might you achieve it?

After Jim recounted his experience at the Cleveland Cavaliers parade and Bryan discussed his upcoming new book, How to Write a Sizzling Synopsis, the triple-threat-twosome tackled stories on algorithms, Brexit, joining the midlist, Nook’s POD idea, and author service scams. They also thanked their latest patron Anmarie Uber (and hßer book 5 Numbers of Destiny http://bit.ly/5numdest ) and provided a few thoughts on tips related to Snapchat, pricing at $1.99, and getting more out of your readers. This Week’s Question of the Week: How would the indie landscape be different if Nook tackled POD six years earlier in June 2016?

Amazon brought down the hammer in our top two stories of the week. After thanking their patron Parker Hudson (and his book On the Edge http://bit.ly/parkhud ), Jim and Bryan took on tips related to web tracking, single tasking, and choosing your genre. They quickly dispensed with stories on the Apple settlement, Neon Play, and Facebook video to get to the big ones: harmful KU scams and Amazon dropping more ebook deal affiliates. We have a Dual Question of the Week: Why did Amazon drop Pixel of Ink and the other deal sites? What should Bryan name his baby?

Summary: Michael Lister revisited the show to discuss his USA Today bestseller play, and Jim and Bryan talked reviews, discount rants, and Google indifference in the latest episode. After thanking their patron Nora Remenia (and her book Guerrilla Tactics Against Passive Aggression http://bit.ly/passagress ), the triple threat twosome tackled tips on domains, email signatures, and post scheduling. News stories included testimonial contests, book review aggregators, trad pub print stats, discounting doubters, and Google’s indifference to selling more books. This week’s Question of the Week: What kind of prize would you need up for grabs to sign up for a $99 traditional publishing contest and why

Abigail Dunard, the first SMBS intern, joined Jim and Bryan on the show this week as they discussed the latest Author Earnings report and much, much more. After thanking their patrons Annie Adams (The Final Arrangement http://amzn.to/1Z7yEoF ) and Chris Shumate (31 Days of Wisdom http://amzn.to/1XC9wth ), the trio took on tips about cover branding, Facebook video, and email marketing services. News stories included the dominance of Amazon imprints, ambiguous Amazon policies, how long sales rank takes to update, the scourge of truncated emails, and the May 2016 Author Earnings report. This week’s Question of the Week: Which part of the newest Author Earnings report is most surprising to you? How do you think this info will impact your career going forward

No words to describe this fun, live on tape, show where Bryan and Jim answered questions and had some fun.

BookBub is selling ads and Jim thinks it’s a mistake. Welcome to the latest episode, which featured tips on creative scheduling, video marketing, and book titles. This week, you should check out Bryan’s upcoming webinar with Mark Dawson ( http://www.selfpublishingformula.com/bryan ), and our latest patron Percival Constantine (and his book Vanguard http://bit.ly/pcvanguard ). Our latest news stories included the continued rise of audio, adult coloring VAT, the team of Pronoun and MacMillan, Moneyball in publishing, what trad pub should fear, and BookBub Ads. This week’s Question of the Week: Do you plan on buying BookBub ads? Why or why not? Do you think BookBub Ads will be a success?

Michael Lister joined the show in our latest Lab segment about the USA Today Bestseller List. Bryan and Jim also took on a trio of tips and six news stories in the self-publishing world! After thanking Michael (who was also our featured patron with his mystery box set: http://bit.ly/6jjmyst ), our illustrious hosts spoke on finding more ad targets, building up a base of readers, and spending money on Fiverr. They also touched on stories about Kobo’s new customer acquisition, the plight of the trad pub author, non-compete agreements, whether low prices devalue authors, AI book marketing, and Ellora’s Cave’s latest threat. This week’s Question of the Week: Do you think indie authors pricing books at 99 cents and free has hurt the industry? Why or why not?

With their sights always set on the next big game changer, Jim and Bryan took on the latest in publishing news. After thanking their latest patron Ladey Adey (and her book Unfrozen http://www.ladeyadey.com/author/ ), the dynamic duo covered tips on indie promo sites, digital publishing pitfalls, and Audible’s new gifting feature. Stories included a crowdsourced sci-fi novel, one publisher’s argument for gatekeepers, the Amazon ebook giveaway system, publisher contract terms, BookExpo America, and Goodreads’ new deal site. This week’s Question of the Week: Will Goodreads Deals overtake BookBub as the #1 author email marketing service? Why or why not?

Bryan and Jim are back with more news than you can shake an Author Solutions Star Trek writing contest at! After thanking their new patrons, Bobby Adair (and his book Slow Burn: Zero Day http://bit.ly/slowburne ) and L.J. Burke (and his book Divorced Dad http://bit.ly/daddivor ), the double stack of digital news took on tips about self-published workbooks, Goodreads ebook giveaways, and Amazon’s new Video Direct platform. News stories included Simon & Schuster’s Star Trek writing contest, attractiveness in trad pub contracts, estate planning, The Fussy Librarian’s affiliate troubles, and Hugh Howey’s thoughts on 2009 ebook selling vs. today. This week’s Question of the Week: Will you take additional steps to plan for the publishing side of your estate? Why or why not?

With a little help from their five intern candidates, Bryan and Jim took on a massive news week in the world of self-publishing. After thanking their new patron Nora Femenia (and her book The Silent Marriage http://bit.ly/silmarr ) Chris Fox dropped by the show to discuss the results of his 21-Day Novel Writing Challenge. Chris and the guys discussed tips on book marketing examples, the costs of editing, and productivity heat maps. The temporary trio examined 7 big stories, including Kobo’s expansion to Turkey, backwards copyright law proposals, trad pub algorithms, podcast TV adaptations, branded content on Facebook, Wattpad’s new entertainment endeavor, and the Amazon Advantage program. This week’s Question of the Week: Are you going to shell out $99 a year to join the Amazon Advantage program? Why or why not?

With Jim on a boat somewhere, Bryan invited fiction and nonfiction author Monica Leonelle to the show! After thanking patron Emma Alisyn (and her book Character Sketch & Color http://bit.ly/emcolor ), Monica & Bryan focused their energy on tips about BookBub, indie pressure, and writing sprints. News stories included the Pulitzer Prize push, Kindle Scout naysayers, Google Play, Amazon's publisher recruitment for KU, who loses most when scammers win, and indie film rights. This week's Question of the Week: "If you had the opportunity to sell your film rights tomorrow for a small sum, would you sell them or would you hold on to them in hopes of actually getting your film made?" 

With Bryan in a particularly punchy mood, he and Jim dug deep into the latest in self-publishing news. After thanking their favorite patron Spider McGee (and his book Monkey Justice http://bit.ly/secretjim ), they discussed tips related to choosing your book title, pre-orders, and indie accounting methods. The news stories included Kobo’s intriguing reader study, the Google Books U.S. Supreme Court decision, the Kindle Oasis, the Smashwords Survey of 2016, and a scam that’s taking over the free charts. This week’s Question of the Week: Would you want Google Books to scan your books and index the contents for online search? Why or why not?

It’s springtime in the self-publishing world, and Jim and Bryan are blooming with tips and news to help you grow your author career. After thanking their latest patron David King (and his book Hitler Out of Time http://www.hitleroutoftime.com/amazon ), the lilac-fresh friends dug up some tips on audiobooks, going wide, and iBooks. News stories included Hugh Howey’s latest option, the gamification of the ebook industry, a trad pub auction, how publishers should adapt, Facebook Live, and the newest approximately of the Amazon algorithm. This week’s Question of the Week: Do you think the Amazon sales algorithm is game-able? Why or why not?

Back from rainy Austin, Bryan and Jim beamed about their fun and educational experience at the Smarter Artist Summit. After thanking their latest patron Jamie Arpin-Ricci and his book The Last Verdict (available at http://bit.ly/lastverd ), the troublesome honorary texans took on tips about free books, niching down, and using short stories in anthologies. News stories included $27 ebooks, YA superhero books, doing it all, using genre-specific covers, providing ebooks to the masses, and putting in 14 hour days. This week’s Question of the Week: How would you be willing to change your life to sell two million ebooks? Could you stand the 14-hour days? Why or why not?

Live from Opal Divine’s Penn Field in Austin, Texas, Jim and Bryan piggybacked off the Smarter Artist Summit this week to bring you their first ever live show. In front of a raucous crowd, the happiest of hosts thanked their latest patron (Emma Alisyn and her book Character Sketch & Color http://bit.ly/emcolor ) before launching into a trio of tips about Isaac Asimov’s writing habits, Instagram ads vs. Twitter ads, and an interesting cover art tactic. The news stories included the need to say no to some free promotion gigs, how Fifty Shades of Grey has failed the long tail, a successful book bundling website, how consumers have the choice on what and how they buy, and writing to market vs. writing to multiple markets. This week’s Question of the Week: Which should you do: write to market or write to multiple markets at once and why?

With one week to go until their live show in Austin, Jim and Bryan tackled the latest publishing tips and news on the web. Jim has created a new SMBS coloring book! Also, Bryan's course is available again through Monday ( https://www.sellingforauthors.com/March ). After thanking their latest patrons, Victoria Danann (and her book Carnal - http://bit.ly/dancarn ) and Caro Bégin (and the book Twisting Fate - http://bit.ly/beginfate ), the indie pundits discussed weird in-person marketing tactics, anti-procrastination apps, and six ways to ruin your book marketing. News stories included OverDrive ebooks in elementary schools, James Patterson’s master plan, reader data analytics, one novelist’s opinion about self-publishing, how big indies are making their own imprints, and Audible’s new Clips feature. This week’s Question of the Week: How will you use Audible’s Clips feature to promote your audiobooks?

A front matter firestorm erupted this week in the indie author community, and Jim and Bryan are here to shine some light on it. After thanking their latest patron (W.C. Hoffman and his book Twins of Prey http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JCSDYTK ), they took on a trio of tips about networking, extroverting, and finding beta readers. News stories included the sins and virtues of email marketing, takeaways from Digital Book World, Data Guy’s first public appearance, Kindle Unlimited scam artists, and Amazon’s knee jerk Terms of Service change. This week’s Question of the Week: What’s your take on back matter Tables of Contents needing to change and how will this impact you? Will you need to reformat your books?

It’s Self-Publishing 101 in Jim and Bryan’s 101st episode. After thanking Michael La Ronn and his Author Level Up YouTube channel ( www.authorlevelup.com ), the princes of publishing took on tips about digital Amazon giveaways, cover art, and increasing your revenue. News stories included Amazon’s 2nd physical store, the age of most Kobo readers, publishing’s need for dynamic change, the top subcategories on Amazon, used ebooks, and Nook’s closure of its UK store. This week’s Question of the Week: How will the closure of Nook’s UK store impact your author business? Do you plan on continuing to publish to the Nook US store?

We’ve hit triple digits! Bryan and Jim celebrated how they always do: by tackling the top news and tips of the week. After thanking their patron Jeff Adams (and his Hat Trick Series http://www.amazon.com/gp/bookseries/B00YVWBRYQ/ ) they chatted Facebook, a killer editing combo, and a time-tested promotional strategy. News stories included scamming the bestseller list, Kobo’s POD service, what financially successful authors have in common, the closure of Samhain Publishing, the Bookseller/Author Solutions controversy, and DBW’s interview with Data Guy. This week’s Question of the Week: Do you think the Bookseller stepped over the line of journalism with their Author Solutions interview or can they publish whatever they want? 

Chris Fox, the author of Write to Market, visited the show this week for our latest lab segment. Jim and Bryan thanked their patron Kathy Coakley and her book Dad's Girls ( http://www.kathycoatney.com/dads-girls/ ) before launching into their final double-digit show (#99!). The trio of tips included pointers on burnout, book file sizes, and social media image sizes. The top five news focused on the Amazon recommendation algorithm, Facebook ads, expert reviews, keywords, and Scribd's latest scale back. This week's Question of the Week: Which opinion do you trust more when you buy books: experts or friends/Amazon strangers and why?

Jim and Bryan announced their upcoming Live show in Austin on March 29th and a surprise milestone as they approached the big 100 in the show's 98th episode. After re-featuring Geoff North and his book Thawed: Cryers ( http://bit.ly/thawcry ), the Laurel and Hardy lookalikes tackled tips on group promotions, honing your blurbs, and defining your target audience. News stories touched on the latest Harry Potter book, going wide, the CreateSpace book ban, the case for Amazon Books, and the Author Earnings firestorm. This week's Question of the Week: Do you believe Authors Earnings numbers? Do you think they need additional verification? Why or why not?

Stellar and bittersweet news alike greeted Jim and Bryan this week as they tackled the latest and greatest in the self-publishing world. First, Bryan announced free mailing list training on Thursday at Noon EST with Nick Stephenson (sign up here http://bit.ly/nickbryweb ). After thanking their latest patron M.A. Robbins (and the book The Tilt http://bit.ly/thetilt ), your illustrious hosts discussed tips on also-boughts, social media overwhelm, and audiobooks. News stories included what it means to be a self-publishing success, BookBub's 98 book marketing ideas, Amazon Books' call for curators, business plans for authors, Kindle Unlimited's KENPC 2.0, and Author Earnings' two-year report. This week's Question of the Week: Did your page numbers go down on Kindle Unlimited? If so, how far did they drop and how does that make you feel?

Bryan returned to a jam-packed show about long-term sales, wishful thinking, and keeping your reviews. After discussing Bryan's limited-edition mailing list mastermind ( available at http://www.thousandsofreaders.com ), the self-publishing pair thanked their latest patron (L. Penelope's Song of Blood & Stone - http://lpenelope.com/books/song-of-blood-and-stone/ ) and discussed tips on systematization, raw links, and conquering Kobo. The news stories included Audible's new direction, the 50 Shades of Gray legal case, Fakespot, an Amazon wish list, and Long Tail sales. This week's Question of the Week, "What's the number one thing Amazon could change to improve your life as an author?"

Alida Winternheimer dropped by the show today to fill in for Bryan as she and Jim took on the top tips and news of the week. After giving props to this week's featured patron, P.G. Kassel and his book Black Shadow Moon ( http://www.pgkassel.com ), they took a stab at tips related to editing, finances, and marketing methods worth modeling. The subjects of the news stories included Shelfari, today's marketing trends, finding your voice, Amazon's new two-tier quality control system, and Hugh Howey's advice on how to be a writer. 

Using their +1 charm podcast mics, Jim and Bryan took on the latest in self-publishing news and tips. After giving props to their latest patrons, Spider McGee and his book Monkey Justice ( http://bit.ly/secretjim ) and John Keller's How to Drive Your Next Car Deal ( http://bit.ly/drivedacar ), the dual dynasty covered tips on front matter, effective content, and BookFunnel. The Top 5 News included stories on international ebook-reading, a new feature for Amazon's Echo device, Wizards of the Coast's D&D self-publishing platform, the effectiveness of book promotion sites, and the parallel paths of trad and indie publishing. This week's Question of the Week is "Have book promotion sites become less effective for you? If so, how do you plan to use them in your future marketing?" 

The lab segment has returned! J. Thorn dropped by the show to compare his recent results between a successful Facebook ad campaign and a BookBub for his box set. Check out the infographic on our website! After giving props to their latest patron Anthony A. Kerr and his book The Dragon Rustler ( http://bit.ly/dragrust ), Jim and Bryan took on tips about book preview embedding, outsourcing, and idea generation. The Top 5 News included stories on more Amazon title culling, the "secret sauce" of marketing, Pottermore's big change, reactive editorial selections, and the sale of Author Solutions. This Week's Question of the Week: "Why do you think Penguin sold Author Solutions? Will the Author Solutions' new owner expand or retract the company's reach and why?" 

It's our best show of the year (so far)! After Jim responded to a counterpoint about his standby Amazon competition argument, and Bryan drew a winner for the book description giveaway, the astute authorpreneurs chatted KDP ads, BookBub's new feature, and an audiobook ad trick. They also re-featured patron Crissy Moss and her book Witch's Sacrifice ( http://bit.ly/witchsac ). News stories this week included how the publishing industry really works, the Authors Guild's call for contract changes, Joe Konrath's 2016 resolutions, the importance of used book stores, and several pundit predictions for 2016. This week's Question of the Week: What are your predictions for 2016? If your predictions come true, how will your author business change throughout the year?