This week we have a great show in store for you! Be sure to check out Bryan’s Kickstarter at the link provided. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Kevin J Fellows. Top Tips of the week include how to promote when you don't want to promote, how chapter titles can help sell books, and why to ask for blurbs and beta reads even when it hurts. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what is coming to AI audiobooks, what new link to use to promote your print books, what platform you should use to help go direct, how to take your buyer on a journey that increases book sales and what to do to get yourself back out there and writing again. Question of the Week: If you were to come up with a chapter title for one of your favorite chapters you’ve written, what would it be?

This week Claire is joined by Jami Albright and we have a great show in store for you! Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Kamuela Kaneshiro. Top Tips of the week include how to promote your audiobook on Instagram, when to bail on a project..or not, and how to make a fantasy world map for your book or readers. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include Why you need to have a print book not just an ebook, why your cover matters so much, what new social media platform is coming just for readers and writers, what indie author event is less than two weeks away. Question of the Week: Will you be checking out the Copper social media site, and if so, how do you see yourself using it?

This week we have a great show in store for you! Amazon Ad School is open through October 25th, sign up at the link provided. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Jon Auerbach. This weeks Honorable Mention is Serial Successes. Top Tips of the week include how to get your rights back from a vanity press, what are the best ways to include real people in your books without legal problems, and why going full-time can lead to less writing. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how to Kickstart a project without begging for money, what KDP is doing to books to make things easier on readers, what is an easy way to find your also boughts, why three men pretending to be one woman is a problem, and how translators are fighting for recognition. Question of the Week: Do you see Kickstarter being something you might try, and if so, what kind of project?

This week we have a great show in store for you! Today kicks off The 5-Day Amazon Ad Profit Challenge, its not too late to register! Claire also has a refresh of her free 5-Day Indie Author Alignment Course which will now be called Indie Author Supercharge. You can find the link to both of these in the show notes. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Jon Auerbach. This weeks Honorable Mention is Serial Successes. Top Tips of the week include how to be where your readers are, what are the best tools for writing on the go, and how to hook a reader onto your series to sell more books. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how to utilize Tik-Tok to sell your books, why you should be using deeper keywords, what is being done about the fake Amazon Review scam, why audiobook authors need your help, and what you can do to support your fellow author. Question of the Week: Are you on TikTok, and if not, have you simply not gotten around to it or is there a reason you’ve decided to pass?

This week we have a great show in store for you! Wednesday, October 13th kicks off The 5-Day Amazon Ad Profit Challenge, register now! Claire also has a refresh of her free 5-Day Indie Author Alignment Course which will now be called Indie Author Supercharge. You can find the link to both of these in the show notes. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Rebecca Carter. This weeks Honorable Mention is Print and Ebook, all in one place. Top Tips of the week include how to dress up your book page, where to find helpful email prompts, and how to promo without self-promo. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why email serial is most likely still dead, how Bookbub Ads are changing due to Apple, why to consider hiring someone to run Facebook ads for you, what new book formatting tool is making big promises, and why writing connected series sells more books. Question of the Week: What tip or takeaway from this week’s show are you going to add to your to-do list for the week and why?

This week we dive deep into going wide with western contemporary romance author Erin Wright. Erin is also one of the co-founders of the Facebook group Wide for the Win. Be sure to check out her link in the show notes. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Stephen Wholesome. This weeks Honorable Mention is Three Formats, One Dashboard. Top Tips of the week include how to manage your beta readers, what are the best tools to format your books, and how to train your brain to write more. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how PublishDrive is making things easier on authors, what wide authors can use to help finance book projects, what’s new with the audiobook market, how Trad Pub is defeating ebook pirates, the latest on KDP’s worst-kept hardcover secret, and why most author advice isn’t right for authors selling wide. Question of the Week: If you've considered going wide, what's currently holding you back? If you ARE wide, what's one of the reasons you decided to go wide?.

This week Claire is joined by author Lindsey Pogue. We will link her website in the show notes as well as Claire’s mega sale. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Elle Clouse. Top Tips of the week include how to get others to blurb your book, what a QR code can do for your books, and why its important to embrace marketing as an author. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include where to get great writing craft training for free, why Disney needs a wake up call from the author community, how B&N is making a comeback, how Audible is expanding and why Trad Pub will be suffering from a print book slow down this holiday season. Question of the Week: If you’re an Audible Plus subscriber, what do you think of the service, and what opportunities do you see for authors who put their books into it?

This week we have a great show in store for you. Be sure to check out Bryan's Book Multiplier Webinar and Claire’s 5-day course, the links will be provided in the show notes. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Patrick O’Donnell. Top Tips of the week include how to help readers review quickly, why a more accessible site will sell more books, and when to consider using a pen name. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how Susan Darlene Faw is using her indie bookstore to help other authors, what is going on with Amazon and the Big 5, how to make six figures with kids books, how to spot a suspicious hybrid publisher and how to save money while publishing. Question of the Week: What is a way you can support your fellow indie author between now and the end of the year?

This week we have a great show in store for you. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Amy Martinsen. Top Tips of the week include how to maximize your book revenue, how to start your own author mastermind, and when is a good time to get new covers for your books. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include who is bringing back in-app ebook purchases, how KU is allowing readers more books at once, how to plan ahead for your holiday promos, what is the new reporting metrics in your KDP Reports Beta and how to hit best seller status. Question of the Week: What is one thing you would like to set up in advance to promote your books this coming holiday season?

This week we have a great show in store for you Check out Bryan’s Q&A Session at the link in the show notes! Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Andrew Chamberlain. Top Tips of the week include what makes up an author platform, how to get your rights back and use them, and what is the value of a good blurb. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what lawsuits have begun, how stacking promos can help your book launch, what are the new ad bid strategies on Amazon, what is happening between KDP and Ingram and how to write when you are not feeling it. Question of the Week: If you knew it was guaranteed to succeed the way you’d planned, what one thing would you add to your next book launch, and why?

This week Bryan is joined by Dale L. Roberts who is an accomplished indie author and host of Self-Publishing with Dale on YouTube. The link to his channel is in the show notes so be sure to check it out! Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Jay S. Willis. Our Honorable Mention is Will The Real Ghost Writer Please Stand Up! Top Tips of the week include how to get more reviews, how to make the most of your personal writing retreat, and how to get your readers to open your emails. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why you might need to rethink your Amazon Ad strategy, why Patreon is under threat, how to get readers to open your emails, how Facebook ads are shifting and why you should try swapping with like-minded authors to find new readers. Question of the Week: What do you think about the concept of ghost writers working with your characters after you own death? Good? Bad? Indifferent?

We have a great show in store for you this week! Please be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Sara Prow Blackard. Top Tips of the week include what books you need to jumpstart your indie author career, why these marketing strategies just won’t work, and how to stop temptation and start writing. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how you can maximize your hourly rate, why readers are willing to buy wider, what’s selling on Kobo Plus in Canada, why Goodreads is in the news for regular people not just authors and why Apple's new email privacy isn't such a big deal. Question of the Week: In the next 3 months of your business, what is the project that you’re most excited about?

We have a great show in store for you this week! Please be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Check out Claire’s YouTube channel for a new video every Friday! You can find the link in the show notes. The winner this week is Hildie McQueen. Top Tips of the week include how an ARC Review Team can help you sell books sooner, why you may need to prove yourself to Amazon, and what an email welcome sequence can do for you. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why newer is better when it comes to publishing, how the MFA can improve the author business, what Youtube thinks of audiobooks, how scammers are using authors names to sell books and what BookFunnel is doing for your author support team. Question of the Week: Where have you found your ARC team members, what have you offered people to get them on your main list (no review incentives!), and what are some of your wins and challenges been throughout the ARC team-building process?

We have a great show in store for you this week! Please be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Erik Marshall. Top Tips of the week include how to master your author bio, who is helping new authors get started from zero, and how to utilize free bonus content. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why publishers are getting into the subscription game, what subscriptions Audible is rolling out in the UK, how to use the right keywords on Amazon, how to brighten your book pages on KDP and how to find your book’s comps and sell more. Question of the Week: Have you created a list of comp authors for your books? If so, who are they? If not, what’s the first step you’ll take toward building that?

Bryan is back this week and we have a great show in store for you, please be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Houston Hare. This weeks honorable mention is Undervalued Opportunity. Top Tips of the week include why you need to protect yourself with an LLC, what to do when your book is pirated, and why to check your rights with new apps and platforms. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how to succeed with email after the Apple upgrade, how BookShop.org is leading the diversity charge, what is Amazon doing with scammers, what traits of KU readers you need to know and how resting affects your work. Question of the Week: What’s one habit you can change this week to clear more time in your schedule for sleep?

This week Claire is joined by USAToday Bestseller Romance Author Michelle Spiva. We have a great show in store for you, please be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Ethan Jones. Top Tips of the week include how to market your book on Amazon, what to do when you’re not feeling supported as an author, and how to target your BookBub ads better. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what audiobooks are doing for kids and teens, who is Clubhouse competing with, what are the new domain features of Bookfunnel, how Amazon's new series feature can help and hurt and what you need to know about the Kindle Vella launch. Question of the Week: What is your five statement manifesto for your career over the coming year (“I am…” “I do…” “I have…”)?

Get in on Bryan’s ad challenge and check out Claire's youtube channel to find some great free resources. You can find the links in the show notes. Please be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Randy L. Top Tips of the week include how to help readers find your book with SEO, what to do when your find your ideal reader, and where to find upcoming writing conferences. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what Amazon changed to help readers understand their ads better, how to earn multiple streams of income, who’s upset about audiobook royalties, why ebook subscriptions are taking off, and what legal siege Amazon is under. Question of the Week: How might you prepare your business for when subscription services become more prominent in the industry?

Check out Bryan’s 5-Day Challenge on July 12th! Please be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Brian Scott Pauls. Top Tips of the week include how to maximize your writing time, what to learn from authors that came before you, and where to start when it comes to platform. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what new types of publishers to be on the look out for, how to make the most of those bad reviews, why pirated books are outranking published versions, what changes Bookbub is making to support diversity, and what you need to know when making a publishing decision. Question of the Week: Where’s somewhere in your writing business that you might have been unintentionally exclusionary, and how might your change your processes and platform to make sure a greater diversity of voices are heard?

Trixie Silvertale is here! She's a successful cozy author featured in an awesome case study that we talked about last week on the show. Please be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Michael Lauck. Top Tips of the week include what BookBub Ad you should be using, how to be twice as productive, and why you should market seasonally. This week’s honorable mention is Pointing Fingers. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how to protect yourself from audiobook scammers, how Google is getting more book and audio apps created, where to find more free reviews, what are Kindle Vella’s latest updates, and why you should sell direct. Question of the Week: Do you have a marketing and production schedule that goes beyond three months? If not, how do you think your production schedule would change if it was planned out 6, 12, or 18+ months into the future?

Welcome back to another episode! Bryan has a webinar this Thursday on how to fix the 5 most common book description mistakes so be sure to check that out. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Garrett Robinson. Top Tips of the week include how to get your book seen with Facebook ads, where to find motivation when stalled, and what is the best distribution strategy. This week’s honorable mention is New Kid on The Book Block. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what is Amazon’s biggest profit source, why Apple is making it harder for email marketing, what flood might be making its way to the indie world, how to reach readers, and how Amazon Ad school is reaching the mainstream. Question of the Week: What doom and gloom story that’s circulating through the author community do you think is the most overblown?

Welcome back to another episode! This week we dive into social media. Be sure to check out Jami Albright’s launch plan that will be linked in the show notes. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Blaine Moore. Top Tips of the week include how to maximize your international sales, what TikTok can do for you as an author, and how to find the best title for your book. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what the newest publishing trends of 2021 are, why audiobook sales are increasing, how you can get started on Instagram, why you need a book plan, and how to find a reader magnet that works for you. Question of the Week: What is your favorite social media platform right now and do you think you'll use one of these new-fangled platforms to promote your books at some point in the future?

This week we finally have Bryan and Claire together again! You can find the replay of the Craft Writing webinar that they did together in the links for this week’s show. A quick reminder that today is the final day for the Supercharge Offer so be sure to check it out. Leave a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is Matthew Herrmann. Top Tips of the week include how to incorporate writing breaks, where to find free live training if you’re new to publishing, and how to market your audiobooks. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why bookstores are paying royalties on second-hand books, why Android is putting a stop to tracking for ads, how you can get bonus royalties on your series, what Maryland is doing for its libraries, and where to find a cheaper color option for your paperbacks. Question of the Week: When are you going to take your next break from your writing and publishing work, and how are you going to schedule it in and make sure you stick to it?

This week Bryan is joined by Patrick O'Donnell, the host of the Cops and Writers Podcast and the author of the Cops and Writers duology. On June 4th, Claire and Bryan will be having a webinar on Craft Writing. All the links you need for this week will be provided in the show notes. Be sure to leave a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. The winner this week is - Blaine Moore. Our Honorable Mention is No Brainer Audio. Top Tips of the week include where to find Amazon’s contests, who is holding a Self-Published Science Fiction Competition, and what is the alternative for Patreon and Medium. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how to reboot a lagging audiobook series, what is Amazon buying, how Barnes & Noble is coming back to life, what you need to know to write faster, and why authors pay to write. Question of the Week: What are some of the things you've "earned" from being an author, including the "fringe benefits," that you wouldn't have in a normal job?

This week Claire is joined by Mike Stop Continues and Oliver Altair, you can find their information to learn more about Site Arcade in the show notes. We have a great show in store for you. Make sure to leave a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week. The winner this week is - Amanda Schiller. Top Tips of the week include why you are losing sales during your pre-launch period, how to get your author emails where they need to be, and how to get readers on your list. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what change is coming to Amazon’s e-books, what is Spotify doing with audiobooks, how to get your book seen, how to build better blurbs, and why you should optimize backlist titles for sales. Question of the Week: Would you consider using Spotify’s subscription service for your audiobooks, and how would you leverage possible ad opportunities?

This week Claire is joined by Drew Hayes, you can find his information in the show notes. We have a great show in store for you as we dive deep into serial. Make sure to leave a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week! The winner this week is - Lisa M. Lilly. Top Tips of the week include why you should get your books on as many platforms as possible, who is threatening to leave egregious reviews on Goodreads, and how super URL’s could be killing your book reviews. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what scammers are doing on Amazon, what to look at when considering indie vs traditional, what is Bookwire creating for the publishing and creator industry, what is happening with Kakao Entertainment, and where you can find helpful information when thinking about writing for Kindle Vella. Question of the Week: If you’re giving Kindle Vella a try, what are you hoping to get out of it?

This week we have a great show in store for you. Make sure to leave a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week! The winner this week is - Lisa M. Lilly. Top Tips of the week include how to choose a pen name, how to turn your work into multiple streams of income, and why you should clean up your social media. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why it pays to engage with your readers, what is going to change with personalized ads segment, where is paperback printing going to be available, how we will remember author and indie publishing leader Joel Friedlander, and what to prepare for when you end a series. Question of the Week: Who is an established leader in this industry who’s inspired you, and what qualities of theirs do you admire the most?

This week we have a great show in store for you. Make sure to leave a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week! The winner this week is - Anmarie. Top Tips of the week include how to get clicks on your ads, why to switch out your email list, and how to catch scammers. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include who is Disney refusing to pay, what is new with Amazon, how to get into the right mindset when writing, where has Kobo Plus launched, and how to take on new opportunities. Question of the Week: What sort of environmental accommodations do you make to aid your focus and get the most out of your deep-work time when you have it? 

This week we have a great show in store for you. Make sure to leave a review on Apple Podcast. The winner this week is - Jessica Hall. Our Honorable Mention is - Non-Fungible Bragging Rights. Top Tips of the week include what freebies can do for you, how a funnel can up your marketing, and how to write a bestseller. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how to make sure you don’t lose your Amazon Affiliate account, why you need to stop doubting if you’re an author, what concept is being offered to publishers of print and ebooks, who supports indie authors, and how to push on as an author. Question of the Week: What would you say you’ve learned since you started publishing about bringing people in to find out about you as an author and taking care of them along the way?

This week we have author Monica Leonelle on the show! She also teaches writing, publishing, business, and marketing. Claire still has some seats available for her last Indie Author Alignment Workshop on April 24th. You can check them both out at the links provided. The winner this week is - Betsy Flak. Top Tips of the week include why it may be time for you to dive into Tik Tok, what aggregator is best, and how to support your favorite authors without having to spend money. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what your sleep schedule says about you, who is the new cover design resource that just launched, what new changes are coming to Barnes and Noble, where you can track all your sales in one place, and what is Kindle Vella. Question of the Week: Are you planning on trying out Kindle Vella, and if so how are you planning on using it for your catalog?

Claire has her last Indie Author Alignment Workshop on April 24th before she switches things up, you can find tickets at the link provided. You can still join Bryan’s April 5-Day Amazon Ad Profit Challenge, all links will be in the show notes. The winner this week is - KT Sargent. Top Tips of the week include why quality might be better than quantity for email lists, what hybrid means in publishing, and what you need to know about growing in Instagram. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how introverts feel about returning to a pre-pandemic world, what what are the 7 P’s of publishing success, why brand strategy is important, what honest truth writers need to hear when starting out, and what  advice author Ines Johnson has for you. Question of the Week: What do you want your writing to do for you (outside of making you money)?

Happy April! Claire is back this week and has an Indie Author Alignment Workshop on April 24th, you can find tickets at the link provided. Bryan’s April 5-Day Amazon Ad Profit Challenge coming around the corner, look out for that link in the show notes. The winner this week is - Bradley. Top Tips of the week include how to market your children’s books, why video is a great way to engage with your readers, and what you need to know about starting a fiction podcast. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what is the PRO Act, why you should look into Medium to publish your books, what major update Scrivener is getting, what ACX needs to change about their sales reports and why you should think about going direct. Question of the Week: When do you think that selling direct will start to surpass Apple Books as the #2 sales platform for authors?

This week Bryan is joined by Mark Leslie Director of Business Development at Draft2Digital, we have a great show in store for you. Check out Mark and Wide for the Win at the link provided. Bryan’s April 5-Day Amazon Ad Profit Challenge coming up so look out for that. The winner this week is - Abraham Benguigui and our Self Publishing Resource of the Week is Wide for the Win. Top Tips of the week include what is D2D payment splitting, why it’s important to find allies, and how spending time where your readers are is beneficial. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what new feature BookFunnel has launched, how author visits during the pandemic have changed, who is starting its own audiobook imprint, what to use to boost your book sales and what big name company has launched an audiobook store. Question of the Week: Based on this week's audio-related news, will you consider doing audiobook versions sooner, or do you still plan on doing audio sometime in the future?

Happy 7 Years of SMBS! We are so thankful for all of our awesome listeners and look forward to seven more years. Claire is holding a 5-Star Power Endings Masterclass this month and there are a few tickets left, you can find tickets at the link provided. Be sure to leave the show a review on Apple podcast. The winner this week is - Bill Cokas and our Honorable Mention is - Cops And Writers. Top Tips of the week include where to start when to make your author business a company, where to find daily write-ins, and why you need to let go of limiting beliefs. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how TikTok is boosting books for authors, where to find the new Nook, why self-promoting isn’t as icky as you think, what new platform Facebook is launching for authors, and what has happened with the Sell More Books Show over the last seven years. Question of the Week: How has the Sell More Books show helped you on your author career over the last 7 years?

Welcome back to another week of SMBS! Claire is holding a 5-Star Power Endings Masterclass this month, you can find it at the link provided. Be sure to leave the show a review on Apple podcast. The winner this week is - Wordsmith426 and our Honorable Mention is - Know Thy Reader. Top Tips of the week include where to start when launching a book, why it pays to learn the skills of advertising, and how to spice up your Amazon author page. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what scam to be on the look out for, which day is best for a book promotion, when are pre-orders a good idea, what bill is pending in Maryland, and why we’re saying bye to mobi. Question of the Week: What’s something that was a part of the indie publishing game when you started that has since been phased out?

This week we have a loaded show and we really dive into email. Claire is holding a 5-Star Power Endings Masterclass this month and Bryan is doing a Blurb & Sales Page Webinar on Thursday March 11th. Make sure to check them out at the links provided. The winner this week is - Jamie Collins. Our Honorable Mention this week is - Have fun storming the castle! Top Tips of the week include how to get started on your book cover, what Gmail hacks you need to know, and how to understand the Amazon algorithm.The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what is the alternative for Amazon’s ACX, how to work on your multitasking, what guide you need for publishing wide, how Author and YouTuber Dale Roberts revamped Thomas A. Bradley’s entire horror catalog, and whats going on with Amazon. Question of the Week: If there was a person with a list of all the relevant PR contacts, do you think you would prioritize 

Welcome to another week of SMBS! Claire is holding a 5-Star Power Endings Masterclass this month and Bryan is doing a BookBub webinar the day this episode goes live on March 3rd. Make sure to check them out at the links provided. Our Self Publishing Resource of the Week is - DIY Book Covers. The winner this week is - Sylvester Barzey. Top Tips of the week include how to make your co-writing process smoother, what you can do to catch a readers attention, and how to avoid libel charges. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how to have a clear content strategy, how Overdrive is making it easier to know your competition, what is Atticus, why making a fake commute may be just what you need, and how to tell if a book is a “Amateur Self-Published Book”. Question of the Week: What stop and start habits do you currently have to transition in and out of writing & marketing mode, and which ones might you adopt to strengthen that transition?

Welcome to another week of SMBS! Claire tells us about a 5-Star Power Endings Masterclass that she is holding next month. Bryan is also holding a Webinar on Thursday, February 25th with Alana Terry on Facebook Ads. Make sure to check them out at the links provided. Our Self Publishing Resource of the Week is - BkLnk. The winner this week is - Amy Martinse. Top Tips of the week include where to start with custom ads, what calculators you need to know about, and why it is helpful to know your ideal reader. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what you need to know about the new platform called Clubhouse, why Amazon has some explaining to do, where you can now stream Audible audiobooks, how Six Figure Author Lindsay Buroker is selling her audiobooks, and how to balance your mental health and social media. Question of the Week: If you could have a magical calculator that could import data from any variables, what would you want it to calculate for you?

There is some great words of wisdom at the end of the show so be sure to listen till the end! Claire is holding a Enneagram & Character Motivations Masterclass and you have a chance to win a free ticket on her Instagram page. Bryan is also holding a Hook & Email Webinar. Make sure to check them out at the links provided. This week’s winner is Steve Moretti. Self Publishing Resource of the Week is - An Author’s Guide to Working with Libraries and Bookstores by Mark Leslie Lefebvre. This weeks honorable mention is Our Little Thorn is Growing Up. Top Tips of the week include what hidden features are on BookBub, how to get more engagement on author blog posts, and why having a strong brand can make all the difference. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why you should consider going the indie route, how to build an author email list, and what way books are evolving, how you could get 10% bonus on your March royalty statement, and why you need to develop thick skin as an author. Question of the Week: When you receive criticism, how will you field it and how will you rebound to keep writing?

We have a great show in store for you this week. Claire is holding a Enneagram & Character Motivations Masterclass and you have a chance to win a free ticket on her Instagram page. Bryan is also holding a Hook & Email Webinar. Make sure to check them out at the links provided. This week’s winner is Eustacia Tan.Self Publishing Resource of the Week is - Book Craft: Cut the Fluff. Keep the Magic By Derek Murphy. Top Tips of the week include what does it mean to be good at marketing, what tips Findaway Voices has on boosting sales on Apple Books, and what great advice we learned from the Blurbs Sell Books Podcast. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include where to find a workshop on legal advice for publishing, why it is important to create your own platform, why authors need a support system, what the new rumor is about Kindle Unlimited plans, and why Jeff Bezos is stepping down as Amazon CEO. Question of the Week: What’s one thing you can do this year to get more control over your business?

Welcome back to another week of SMBS! Claire has a Enneagram and Character Motivations Master Class coming up on February 20th so check that out at the links provided. This week’s winner is Chez Churton. Our Honorable Mention Is - Who will watch the watchmen? Author Resource of the Week is - Write to Market: Deliver a Book that Sells by Chris Fox. Top Tips of the week include how to organize an ARC team, what the latest in email design trends are, and how to build engagement. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what author Julia Quinn shares about her book turned Netflix show, how to evaluate your own writing, why to update your back matter, what is new with Barnes & Noble, and why to put all your energy into one or two ways to market. Question of the Week: If you had to pick one marketing channel to use exclusively (besides your email list) what would you pick for YOUR business, and why?

Welcome back to another week of SMBS! We have some great stories this week for you. This week’s winner is David Mark Brown. Author Resource of the Week is - Dear Writer, You Need to Quit by Becca Some. Top Tips of the week include what to ask yourself before publishing, what to use to get your book seen and reviewed, and where to get a 3D mockup of your book. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what you need to know about hacked books, who is giving advice on writing a book, why Spotify is jumping into audiobooks, what new book fair Publishers Weekly is holding, and how you could get out of exclusivity agreements with the Audiobook Creation Exchange. Question of the Week: If you have an audiobook in ACX, what will you do, if anything, as a result of the updates to exclusivity?

This week we have a great show for you. Bryan is joined by MM author Quinn Ward. Thank you to all of our featured Patrons! Top Tips of the week include how to beat formatting stress, what you need for a great Amazon ad copy, and how to break even with audiobooks. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how author Alexa Kang spiced up her free reads for her newsletter subscribers, what new ebook company Medium has acquired, why Wattpad is on the verge of being sold, who is being accused of ebook price-fixing, and what is in store for authors in 2021. Question of the Week: Where are you now and what is your goal for where you're gonna be a year from now?

It is not too late to join Bryan’s 5 Day Amazon Ad Challenge or Claire's Indie Author Alignment Workshop. Check them out at the links provided. Thank you to our featured Patrons - The 8-Minute Writing Habit, Writing the Past, and Love's Current. Top Tips of the week include how to let readers preview your book on Amazon, what you need for an author platform, and where to find author podcasts’. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how to start 2021 on the right foot as an author, what book companies are doing to public schools, why Facebook is taking away page likes, what the pricing for IngramSparks print-on-demand paperbacks are increasing by, and how to set realistic goals for the new year. Question of the Week: What was the last book you read that made you cry?

Happy New Year from the Sell More Books Show Team! We are hoping to have a great year of shows and are so happy to kick it off 2021 with the 353rd episode. Bryan is having his 5 Day Amazon Ad Challenge on January 11th and Claire has a Indie Author Alignment Workshop coming up, be sure to check those out at the links provided. This week’s winner is Shirish Deshpande. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Time Code, Unfrozen, and Rock Rain. Top Tips of the week include why you need an email list, what new challenge Amazon is launching, and how to avoid distractions. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why you should reach out to local media, what you need to know about scammers, what Medium is doing for your follower list, whats new with LMBPN Publishing, and how to push for categories you want. Question of the Week: What BISAC category would you want to add to the list that doesn’t already exist, and do you think it would be worth the push to make it happen?

We have enjoyed this year of The Sell More Books Show and look forward to you joining us in 2021! Kick off the new year with Claire’s 5 Day Indie Author Alignment Course for free. Brian is also holding his 5 Day Amazon Ad Challenge on January 11th with a special offer of a speed pass that allows you to jump ahead. Be sure to check these out at the links provided. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how the pandemic has impacted libraries, why traditional publishing struggles are occurring, what the surge in audiobooks means for Audible, what new changes Amazon Advertising had in 2020, and how it’s possible that the Coronavirus lockdowns have changes the industry. Question of the Week: What do you think is the biggest publishing story of 2020?

This week we have lots of great tips for you, remember to leave a review on Apple Podcast. Next week we have our SMBS year in review show so look forward to that. This week’s winner is Tracy Krimmer. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Cubicle Jail to Laptop Lifestyle and DEAD STILL. This weeks Honorable Mention is Google Keeps Going. Top Tips of the week include what to do about creating imprints, why categories can sometimes be difficult, and who is having their annual end of year sale. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why Apple doesn’t follow standard guidelines for online bookstores, what you need to know about having an ARC team, what google is doing in part of their new text-to-speech initiative for audiobooks, why Facebook sent out a message about negative affects on ads, and how to get inspiration from fellow authors and their stories. Question of the Week: What is something about you and your background or expertise from outside of your author life that you can bring into your writing to add uniqueness in 2021?

This week Bryan is back and we have a great show in store for you! This week’s winner is Dori H. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Where The Leaves Wither, The Cordova Vector, and Nolan Walker And The Superiors Squad. This weeks Honorable Mention goes to Legal Easy. Top Tips of the week include where to look to help you get started on your mockup, how to get the perfect title, and what you need to know when going wide. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include whats going on with Amazon and DPLA, how to beat time scarcity as an author, why audiobooks are a decision of time vs money, why and when to consider hiring a VA, and how to get yourself ready for the new year. Question of the Week: What is your pivot for 2021 if you have one? How will you be changing what you do and what you're doing and why will you be making that change?

This week Claire is joined by Indie Author and editor Julie Strauss. We have a great show in store for you! This week’s winner is Dave Core. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Level Up, 60 Second Tarot, and The Tilt. Top Tips of the week include when to consider pre-orders, what you need to know about building a book launch team, and what time-saving apps you need. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what Barnes & Noble is doing, why BookExpo is coming to an end, why there is a new petition against Amazon, what a new survey is saying about authors income, and why Google is making a leap into machine-generated audiobooks. Question of the Week: Regarding Amazon’s decision not to make its imprints available in libraries, do you see this as a sensible decision, a big missed opportunity, a money grab, or something else? 

This week we have a great show for you! Make sure to leave us a comment or answer the question of the week on our page. This week’s winner is Blaine Moore. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Prometheus Rising, The Nonfiction Outline Book, and Planet Dead One Shot. Top Tips of the week include how to stop overthinking your writing, what is new with Gumroad, and who is rolling out new features for marketing your book. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how to get started with Cookbook publishing, what is Binge Books, why indie authors books are disappearing from Bookshop.org, why members of the book business are objecting Penguin Random House from buying Simon and Schuster, and why self-care is good for your productivity. Question of the Week: Do you stick to one plotting/outlining technique or do you find it easier to overlay or synthesize multiple ones?

This week our show is loaded and we cant wait to share it with you! Be sure to leave a review on Apple Podcast. This week’s winner is Eustacia Tan. Thank you to our featured Patrons - A Turn for the Worse, TStrings of Subversion, and Mayhem & Murder. Top Tips of the week include what tactics you need to know when marketing a new release, why you need to get your hands on the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Bud Webster Legacy Kit, and what new design options are available on BookBub Ads creator. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why Disney is taking some heat, who is delivering audiobooks, what Amazon has to say about Sponsored Brand ads, how to nominate your own books for Kindle Deals and Prime Reading, and how Amazon is changing their return policy for Audible audiobooks. Question of the Week: Which of today’s stories and tips are you the most excited about and why?

This week Bryan and Claire are gearing up for a webinar they have on Thursday November
12th. Be sure to leave the show a review on Apple Podcast. This week’s winner is Lars Hedbor.
This weeks Honorable Mention is Trad Surge. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Spiritual
Conduct for Leadership: Servanthood, The Hunted, and "What Am I?": A Collection of
Traditional Word Riddles. Top Tips of the week include how you can use the upcoming holidays
to get eyes on your book, what to do to get your posts to preform well, and why or why not
social media might be for you. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include
what three things to consider for a relaunch, why you should have your books in every format,
how marketing and selling is a key factor to author success, what is stopping your book from
selling, and how to utilize your Amazon Smart Speaker. Question of the Week: How do you
think Echo devices will sort and provide information on book recommendations? Will they take
into consideration keywords, categories, overheard conversations, or something else?

This week we have a great show for you! Bryan and Claire have announced that they are going to be doing a webinar together on November 12th. Be sure to leave the show a review on Apple Podcast. This week’s winner is Lisa M. Lilly. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Love's Current, Sarah's Inheritance, and Cops And Planet Dead One Shot. Top Tips of the week include why to utilize editorial reviews on Amazon, what you need to know about the Netflix scam, and why you should read marketing blogs. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what you need to know about Bookshop, what email list myth you need to know, which NYC famous bookstore is asking for help, why its never to late to break out as a new author, and who is handing over the control of series pages to authors. Question of the Week: How are you going to take advantage of KDP’s new Series Page manager?

This week Bryan is back and shares some great words of wisdom at the end of the show! Claire is very engrossed in her new nonfiction book on indie author alignment that we can’t wait to hear more about. Be sure to leave the show a review on Apple Podcast. This week’s winner is Dan Thompson. Thank you to our featured Patrons - 60 Second Tarot, Writing the Past, and Cops And Writer’s: Crime Scenes And Investigations. Top Tips of the week include what print-on-demand is right for you, how to use social media to connect with readers, and what you need to write a good author biography. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what you need to know about rights licensing for indie authors, how to improve your writing, what the pandemic has impacted pricing for ebooks, why to consider going global, and why Audible is getting backlash over their return policy. Question of the Week: Do we think audible will change the audiobook return policy? Why or why not?

This week Bryan is prepping for his Amazon Ad Profit Challenge and has an offer available until October 26th. Claire is joined by Trixie Silvertale author of the Mitzy Moon Mystery Series. Be sure to check her out at the links provided below. This week’s winner is Matthew Herrmann please send Bryan an email to claim your prize. Thank you to our featured Patrons - The Efficient Writer, The Life Actionbook, and The Darby Shaw Chronicles Box Set. Top Tips of the week include what Draft2Digital is doing with notifications, why to consider having your own brand, and what what three myths you need to know. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include whats wrong with Amazons Kindle Create formatting tool, why Google Play is paying authors more, how to know if the holiday season is a good time to launch your book, why there is a problem with changing your ebook title, and why you need some self care as an author. Question of the Week: What’s something you could batch schedule that would help free up some mental space for writing?

It’s Bryans birthday! This week we have a great show for you don’t forget to leave a review on Apple Podcast. This week’s winner is Pockets McGee. Thank you to our featured Patrons - The Life of Magdaline Slatewood, The Reluctant Detective, and How to Write Manga. Top Tips of the week include what 5 rules every author should know when it comes to social media, how to expand your income with premium products, and what free indie author conference is coming up. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why Barnes & Noble’s Nook library is down, whats new with KDP, why you should look into digital streaming, how to figure out what kind of launch best suits you as an author, and what Facebook is adding to Admin Assist. Question of the Week: What part of your automated marketing or online presence might benefit from adding a little human touch to it?

This week Claire is joined by Ines Johnson, be sure to check out both of their youtube channels! We have a great show for you, don’t forget to leave a review on apple podcast. This week’s Best Page Forward book description winner is Patrick O’Donnell. Thank you to our featured Patrons - How to Sex Your Snake, Guild of Tokens, and Dorothy and the How to Self-Publish A Children's Book. Top Tips of the week include whats new with Amazon’s Kindle Create, why you should give Etsy a shot to sell your books, and how to better understand Facebook ads. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what’s new with library ebook checkouts, how indies are feeling about awards, what streaming platform for audio and ebooks has come to an end, why you should look into when is the best time to send emails to your lists, and why Amazon is recommending epub files. Question of the Week: If you were to win any category for your book in an indie publishing awards ceremony, what would you want that category to be?

This week Claire is back and we have a great show for you! This week’s Best Page Forward book description winner is Bradley. Thank you to our featured Patrons - The Busy Busy Author, Leading Effectively, and Dorothy and the Cane of Destiny. Top Tips of the week include why you should have a positive mindset this upcoming season, what tricks you should know about social media to help your engagement, and how you can keep your writing momentum strong. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what’s new with Audible, how Facebook Ads are changing, how to market your book, why the pressure is on for Barnes and Noble, and what indie authors need to prepare for when it comes to Amazon. Question of the Week: Looking back, what was the best use of your marketing time during your first year publishing?

This week Bryan is joined by Patrick O’Donnell’s and Jim Kukral! Bryan has a Book Description webinar this Thursday on the 5 mistakes authors most commonly make with their book descriptions, be sure to check that out. Check out Patrick’s website at the link provided. This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is Lisa M. Lilly. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Email Lists Made Easy for Writers and Bloggers, Kiss Kill, and The Sell Smarter Collection. Top Tips of the week include what to know about Kindle Daily Deals, how to find the perfect audiobook reader for you, and what Dave Chesson is sharing about Amazon categories. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how much writers can work and still be considered freelance, who is interested in buying Simon & Schuster, why Amazon’s Audible Escape subscription service is being discontinued, why 20BooksTo50K indie conference is being cancelled, and what strategies you can learn to keep yourself sane as an author. Question of the Week: What are you going to do to connect with the people that you want to connect with this year via the internet since there are no in person events?

This week we have a great show for you, we’re talking a lot about timelines. Don’t forget to check out Claire's new course and Bryan has a webinar next Thursday on the 5 mistakes authors most commonly make with their book descriptions so stay tuned for more info on that. This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is Chez Churton. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Doubt The Stars, Leah’s Choice, and Plague at Snake Creek. Top Tips of the week include why to think about putting out a Christmas-related book, what getting some time in nature can do for you, and how connecting with new people helps your marketing. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what author Joanna Penn has learned in her nine years as a full-time author, where is Goodreads going, why you need to put in the time to market a good book, what Amazon’s new book clubs feature does, and why Facebook ads are getting cancelled. Question of the Week: Looking back on a timeline of the last six years of your successes and failures, what important insights or perspective can you take away from it?

This week Claire has an AMA coming up on September 10th where she will be answering all story questions and questions about her course so don’t miss out on it! We’ve got a great show for you. Don’t forget to leave a review on Apple Podcast. This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is Darren Sapp. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Inharmonic, DEAD STILL, and Pendant. Top Tips of the week include how to get a good cover for bargain prices, everything you need to know about author mailing lists, and why Pinterest could be the marketing tool your looking for. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include whats happening with Amazon’s shipping, what lessons authors have learned during the pandemic, why there is a need for virtual bodyguards for online events, what Amazon is doing to their buy button, and how a free book in your series can help you. Question of the Week: What’s one positive thing you’re experiencing that you wouldn’t have experienced were it not for the pandemic-related changes to the world?

This week we get to hear about Claire’s new Super Charge Your Story Course that just launched so be sure to check it out. Don’t forget to leave a review on Apple Podcast. This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is Dave Core. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Not Write Now, Kept In The Dark, and Excelsior. Top Tips of the week include what four things you need for a perfect cover, why Apple Books is promoting “First in a Series Free”, and what a standing desk can do for you. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why Powell’s Books is pulling out of Amazon, what tips Chris Fox has for making your characters feel real, what’s next for Spotify, why publishers booksellers and authors are joining forces against Amazon, and how self confidence can help you grow as an author. Question of the Week: Do you think Amazon warrants some kind of anti-trust action and should be split up into different companies to further competition? And how might that affect self publishing in the years going forward?

This week Bryan and Claire share their Self-Publishing Live experience with us. Claire has a new course coming out on August 31st and Bryan teases a new webinar coming in September. Don’t forget to leave a review on Apple Podcast. This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is Chez Churton. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Call of Dust, Outage Boxed Set Books 1-3, and Win For Love. Top Tips of the week include what you need for a good sales funnel, where to find a free critique for your book, and what you should know about Boook.link. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why we are saying our goodbyes to KOLL, what is happening on September 3rd, how you can create comics and role-playing games, how you can spice up online book events, and what is Audible launching for just $7.95. Question of the Week: If you were to receive a machine-based data report/diagnosis of your book, how would you treat the issues as a soulful, creative writer?

This weeks show is coming to you from Self Publishing Live! Bryan and Claire are so excited to be here. We have a great show for all of our listeners. Top Tips of the week include what new tool BookBub has to offer for audiobooks, why internal links might be the new up and coming feature, and what you can gain from translating your books. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what quiet time can do for your writing, why you should know several ways to bring in money as an author, how your daily writing habits make a difference in your books, why understanding your readers is an important part of being an author, and what Best Page Forward’s Bryan Cohen has to say about writing compelling stories. Question of the Week: How do you get buy-in from the people you love that your non-typing writing time is also valuable to your process and career?

This week we have a great show for you, don’t forget to leave a review on Apple Podcast. Claire is still running a free Indie Author Alignment: 5-Day Foundation course. This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is Sara Prow Blackard. Thank you to our featured Patrons - A Band Director's Guide to Everything Tuba, Faster Than Falling, and The 30-Day Femme Manifesting Game. Top Tips of the week include how writing short fiction is good for getting started and book sales, what Abacus can do for you, and what you should know about pre-release campaigns. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include who’s reading what, how Dan can help you start writing the book you’ve always wanted, why the sales of romance novels go up during global downturns, how you can spice up online book events, and what year has been the best for print and ebook. Question of the Week: What could you share through video that would forge a stronger connection between you and your readers?

Bryan is back and we have a great show for you this week! Be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcast. Don’t forget that Claire is running a free Indie Author Alignment: 5-Day Foundation course. This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is Eve H. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Symphony of the Wind, Trauma-Sensitive Early Education, and 

The Strange. Top Tips of the week include why asking yourself hard questions can lead to the best marketing plan, how making writing a habit and not a task changes your outlook, and why to use sweepstakes in your marketing strategy. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why it is important to know what your goal is, what getting fresh eyes on your manuscript can do for you, should cancel culture be cancelled, why author Patrick Rothfuss is taking some heat, and why you should retain as many rights as possible. Question of the Week: What’s something you could stop doing that’s not moving you toward YOUR definition of success, and what’s something you like doing that you could replace the old thing with?

What metric would be a business changer for you if Amazon could provide it? Bryan is out this week and H. Claire Taylor is joined by Becca Syme of the Better-Faster Academy. Claire is running a free Indie Author Alignment: 5-Day Foundation course. She also has a preorder for her Supercharge Your Series course and the offer ends August 1st so make sure to check those out! This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is Flyover. The Top Tips of the week include why less is more when it comes to marketing, what will you tell readers when they ask why they should buy your book, and how walking can benefit your brain. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what increases in earnings are coming from indie publishing, why book cover designers are speaking up, how the lockdown sparked a popular genre, why you should enroll your books via eBook, and what has Amazon added into their Ads Dashboard. Question of the Week: What metric would be a business changer for you if Amazon could provide it?

There are many different ways to promote your book, what is one five-minute task that you could do today to promote your book? This week we have a great show for you! Don’t forget to leave us a review on Apple podcast. This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is Steph Pajonas. If you become a Patron of the show you will now get access to the show 8-12 hours earlier then when it airs! The Top Tips of the week include what ten marketing hacks bestselling author Zoe York is giving to you, how to create content that will attract your ideal reader, and why pre-orders may be hurting you instead of helping you. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how to avoid getting scammed by a vanity press, what new service NetGalley is adding to their lineup, what publishers look for when deciding which book to bet on, how BookBub’s new feature “related authors” could be beneficial to you, and where Kobo Plus is being launched next. Question of the Week: What is one five-minute task you could do to promote your book today?

What are some ways that you can you prioritize some long-term reader farming instead of only focusing on short-term reader hunting? This week we have a great show for you! Don’t forget to leave us a review on Apple podcast. This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is Nalani Sheils. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Blogging for Authors, Shadow Raiders, and Guardian of the Grail. The Top Tips of the week include what myths you should know about publishing, how to find the perfect book cover just for you, and why practicing getting into states of focus is important. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what genre of print books are increasing in sales, why you should check out some of the newer ebook distributors, what new update is coming to the copyright process, why sustainable marketing is a lot like farming, and what new feature Facebook is launching for page owners that is similar to Patreon. Question of the Week: How can you prioritize some long-term reader farming instead of only focusing on short-term reader hunting?

We all have mental blocks, what are some that are holding you back from your upcoming projects and why are they having that effect? This week we have lots of great tips to share with you! Bryan’s Free 5-Day Amazon Ad Profit Challenge starts July 13th so make sure to check it out and H. Claire Taylor just released her last Jessica Christ book! This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is Kenesha W. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Sell More Books With Less Social Media, Nightblade, and Leaving Eva. The Top Tips of the week include what getting reviews on your book can do for you, why authors are upset with Lulu, and why a book launch includes marathons, sprints, and pounces. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include who has managed to become the fifth largest bookstore chain in the US, why Walmart pulled Kobo reader displays from it’s stores, how Ingram is keeping up with the surge of print-on-demand books, what advice Kristine Kathryn Rusch has for traditional authors, and how to keep up with everything you need to do as an author. Question of the Week: What mental blocks do you think are holding you back from your upcoming projects and why do you think they're having that affect?

At what point in your Sales Page/Amazon Listing do you think you're losing your non-readers? What can you do to solve this problem? What was your process for coming to this conclusion? This week Bryan is getting ready for The Free 5-Day Amazon Ad Profit Challenge that starts July 13th. H. Claire Taylor also has some exciting things in the works for this summer, make sure to join her list. This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is Liz Alton. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Embracing the Magic, More than Monsters, and God and Gigs. The Top Tips of the week include what to do when thinking about going wide, where to submit your film ideas for Netflix, and why you should think about marketing your book first before anything else. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what is happening with The Internet Archives, why Apple is being targeted for their Apple tax, why Author Alexandra Duncan cancelled her own novel, what influences a reader to pick up their next book, and why you shouldn’t be afraid of going wide. Question of the Week: At what point in your Sales Page/Amazon Listing do you think you're losing your non-readers? What action do you think you should take to fix it? What was your process for coming to this conclusion?

Do you have an area of your publishing or marketing that's fallen flat? What can you do to change your course of action to improve it? This week Bryan is joined by MM romance author Quinn Ward. Don’t forget to leave a review on the show! This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is Margaret McGriff. Thank you to our featured Patrons - The Secret Blush, Gone, and What Sells Books. The Top Tips of the week include how to stop social media from distracting your writing time, what to know about a new survey from bookcareers.com, and tips for proofreading your own writing. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what marketing tips you should know, what Barnes & Noble has to say about e-books, how self-help author Marc Reklau went from $800 per month to over $35,000, how the COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to affect the business of publishing, and why indie authors are changing the publishing industry. Question of the Week: What's one area of your publishing or marketing that's fallen flat? How can you change your course of action to improve it?

We talked about growing our email list, what’s one activity you could do regularly grow your list by 10% in the next 30 days? This Thursday is Bryan’s Blurb Webinar make sure to check it out at the link below and H. Claire Taylor is releasing the third book of her Kilhaven Police series! This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is Lisa M. Lilly. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Cowgirl, Unexpectedly, A Dragon among the Eagles: A Novel of the Roman Empire, and The Ten-Year Turnaround. The Top Tips of the week include what to know about using someone else email newsletter, why to consider using a sensitivity reader, and where to find tools for outlining your novel. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how writing a novel is a lot like a romance, what vanity press is according to ALLi’s John Doppler, how to market your audiobook, what you need to know about Amazon’s branding, and how to get the most out of email lists. Question of the Week: What's one activity you could do regularly that would grow your email list by 10% in the next 30 days?

What's one opportunity you can employ for you to earn more than the usual $2.99 from your biggest fans? This week Bryan is back and getting ready for a live Book Description Demo next week while H. Claire Taylor is getting back into the swing of things and finishing up her last Jessica Christ book! Remember that she is still offering a 20% discount on her story alignment course when you use the code SMBS. This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is Kelsie Stelting. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Wanderer's Escape, Unfrozen, and Hypercage. The Top Tips of the week include what kind of personality do you have according to mystery author Greta Boris’ quiz, what to know about SEO, and where to find free educational opportunities. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what to know before writing a book with a friend, why you should do some homework and math before deciding where to publish, how thinking of your writing like a business will set you up for success, what advice author Jenny Madore is giving us, and how the publishing world could be changing. Question of the Week: What's one opportunity you can employ for you to earn more than the usual $2.99 from your biggest fans?

After listening to the discussion about how to use keywords and key phrases in your book description, what's the first step you're going to take toward optimization? This week H. Claire Taylor is joined by Monica Leonelle be sure to check out her series The Productive Novelist. H. Claire Taylor is still offering a 20% discount on her story alignment course when you use the code SMBS. This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is Christopher Wills. Thank you to our featured Patrons - The Cordova Vector, The Thing Speaks for Itself, and Kick Author Overwhelm to The Curb. The Top Tips of the week include what words you should be adding to your blurb, what new feature IngramSpark is offering, and how to successfully enter into a collaboration. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what genre is rising in sales, why Internet Archive is facing some serious trouble, what four types of books are we seeing a surge in, how to use Kobo’s cost-per-click to distribute your book, and how author RJ Blain upped her typical sales by over $30,000 in less than one month. Question of the Week: After reading about how to use keywords and key phrases in your book description, what's the first step you're going to take toward optimization?

You are running an awards show for your genre, what would you call it and why? This week Bryan is having a FB Ads Webinar with Alana Terry and H. Claire Taylor is getting back into her writing groove! Don’t forget to leave a podcast review. This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is Kori D. Miller. Thank you to our featured Patrons - What Am I?: A Collection of Traditional Word Riddles – Deluxe Edition, Ships of My Fathers, and Somebody's Darling. The Top Tips of the week include what to know when it comes to pricing your books, why you should be asking questions before writing a guest blog, and how many words should you be writing. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include whats going on with Wolf-Kink Erotica, why self-help books are doing so well right now, how you now have the opportunity to sell your books on Instagram and Facebook, why to get yourself ready for Kobo, and why the RWA has retired their RITA award. Question of the Week: If you ran an awards show for your genre, what would you call it and why?

In the show we covered Series Page promo ideas, will you be trying them out? Would this preform well for you? How might you incorporate this into your promo schedule? This week Bryan is offering a special discount on his course that expires 5/20 and H. Claire Taylor is giving us a pro tip so make sure to listen for it at the end.This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is J Bennett. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Dad’s Girls, Vanguard: The Complete First Season, and 31 Days of Wisdom. The Top Tips of the week include how Joanna Penn edits, what programming tools you need to look into, and why you should add more categories to your book. This week we have an honorable mention and that is I Will Survive. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why ebook and audio sales are seeing a dramatic increase, what World Media is doing to support authors, why do over 80% of authors quit within 3 books, why you should be marketing your series page instead, and how BookBub is allowing you to customize your ad campaign. Question of the Week: Will you try out the Series Page promo idea we discussed during the show? How might you incorporate this into your promo schedule and how well do you think it would perform for you?

What is keeping you from producing audiobooks? If you already have audiobooks, what made you decide to pull the trigger and how did you make the decision between profit share or all up front? This week H. Claire Taylor is joined by author Nathan Van Coops! This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is Christopher Willace. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Call of Dust, Twins of Prey, and Monkey Justice. The Top Tips of the week include why you don’t need a Mac to go direct with your books on Apple, how to keep all your publishing eggs in your own basket with direct selling, and what to think about when it comes to turning your book into audio. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include who was the mystery donor that helped UK bookshops weather the coronavirus pandemic, sales success tips from author Adam Geen, why you should check your emails if you saw some unusual activity with your Kindle books, how author Adam Fletcher is earning a full-time living off of a genre that practically doesn’t exist, and what Amazon sales ranks currently are. Question of the Week: If you already have audiobooks, what factors did you consider to decide between profit share or all up front, and how did you decide when to pull the trigger? And if you don't have audiobooks yet, what factors are keeping you from feeling like now is the right time to produce them?

Everyone has a reason for starting, what is your "why" behind writing and publishing your books? Bryan and H. Claire Taylor are feeling good this week and want to remind you to leave a review on the show! This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is Lars Hedbor. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Inharmonic, Achieve Anything In Just One Year, and Flotsam. The Top Tips of the week include what Amazon is doing for European Union marketplaces, how to get a review on your book the easy way, and which company takes an additional cut before pricing your book in the catalog. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how to help your local bookstores stay afloat, who’s sales is the coronavirus boosted, what author Steven Higgs is doing to earn $21,000 this month, who is doubling ACX, and what great tips Author Megan Erickson is sharing. Question of the Week: What's your "why" behind writing and publishing your books?

What is one non-writing task that you could spend just one hour a day on for the next week, that could have the most impact on your publishing career? Bryan's Amazon Ad School Course just concluded and he had an awesome turnout! H. Claire Taylor wanted to remind everyone that she has some free recourses on tips for writing and marketing as well as coming up with author strategy available on her website so make sure to check those out. This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is Dave Core. Thank you to our featured Patrons - The Silent Marriage: How Passive Aggression Steals Your Happiness, The Avant Champion: Rising, and Rebel Song. The Top Tips of the week include where you can find a free guide with advice tailored to authors of every level, how really knowing your genre well can help in writing to market, and why setting up your writing space ahead of time is setting you up to conquer new challenges. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include could Google Books really be opening up or are they pulling our leg, who is making the decision to stop paying royalties for books downloaded with a promo code, what author John Van Stry did because he felt it would help the author community, why we should continue to keep distributing to Barnes & Noble and keep some faith in them, and what cozy mystery author C.S. Woolley is claiming to be worth the time investment for the results she is seeing and will continue to see. Question of the Week: What non-writing task that you spend just one hour a day on for the next week would have the most impact on your publishing career?

How does the painfully long wait time on ACX approvals affect your publishing plans and what could you do to mitigate or even capitalize on this new reality?Bryan's Amazon Ad School Course is now live. You can get 30 days of direct email support and lifetime access to the Amazon Ad Profit Challenge at SellingForAuthors.com/April20 This week H. Claire Taylor is joined by author Jami Albright who is also an Indie publishing coach so make sure to check out her website. Claire is still running a promo on her story alignments with he code SMBS. All link will be provided for you. This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is S.A. Schneider. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Black Shadow Moon: Stoker's Dark, Twisting Fate, and A Christmas Gift. The Top Tips of the week include what could be better for you than an author website, what can help you build stronger reader connections, and what playing a metadata game can teach you. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why library supporters are calling authors and publishers greedy, how Ingram’s LightningSource could become the new normal, what drastic changes are happening to people in the Amazon Associates affiliate program, could Amazon be struggling during this pandemic, and who’s two week standard processing time has turned into seven weeks. Question of the Week: How does the painfully long wait time on ACX approvals affect your publishing plans and what could you do to mitigate or even capitalize on this new reality?

What is something that you could do to enhance your marketing, publishing, writing, or service that would also increase your energy (i.e. you really like doing it!)? Bryan’s 5-Day Amazon Ad Profit Challenge is live and its not to late to join, check it out. Claire gave us a 20% off coupon for her Story Alignment Course which is code SMBS don’t let it go to waste! This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is Connie B. Dowell. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Carnal, Character Sketch & Color, and The Perfect Death. The Top Tips of the week include how popular authors are using Instagram and Twitter to help promote new book releases, what special offers Print on Demand service Ingram Spark is running, and what new software you can use to polish up your grammar in your online writing apps. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why indies might find this a good time to go wide, how regular email contact with your readers can be a more affective way of advertising than social media, what very quiet landmark deal was made between Apple and Kindle, are print books being considered an essential during this time, and who you can contact to help you understand Amazon Ads and make them seem less intimidating. Question of the Week: What is one thing you could do to enhance your marketing, publishing, writing, or service that would also increase your energy (i.e. you really like doing it!)?

Only choosing one, at this stage in your author career, are you trying to improve your ROI or scale up your existing ROI? Bryan’s 5-Day Amazon Ad Profit Challenge is back on April 13th don’t miss it! Claire also hinted to us that she will be putting another workshop together! This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is Darren Sapp. Thank you to our featured Patrons - The Last Verdict, Divorced Dad: Kids are Forever, Wives are Not, and Sanyare: The Last Descendant. The Top Tips of the week include where you can find some financial help during this time of crisis, why you should limit or force yourself when it comes to being creative, and how this might be your time to dip your toes into Facebook ads. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how you can not only order your favorite fast food with Postmates but a book as well, what Amazon is now doing about pre-orders and delays, which horror and thriller author achieved a four-figure profit with Amazon Ads, what genre of books are are seeing a spike in sales, and who reached dolphin status of 50k sales in one month? Question of the Week: At this stage in your author career, are you trying to improve your ROI or scale up your existing ROI? (And remember, you can only choose one or the other)

What is something that you as an author could “take a loss on” now that could possibly build your audience later on? Bryan’s 5-Day Amazon Ad Profit Challenge is back on April 13th don’t miss it! Get a story alignment consultation with Claire to get your story fixed up and save $149 through April 4th when you use the code FOURFOUR. All the links for these will be available to you. This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is Chez Churton. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Jaded: Luke, Hook's Daughter: The Untold Tale of a Pirate Princess, and How to Pick Up Women with a Drunk Space Ninja. The Top Tips of the week include how starting a daily blog might keep your creative brain rolling and keep you from feeling burnt out and ready to quit, why readers are saving nineteen dollars and ninety-eight cents with Amazon, and how bad reviews can possibly help your books sell. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how accurate are the numbers in the Bookstat list, what Amazon is now replacing with Amazon Charts Top 20 Books, what novelists are doing on social media to promote their colleagues during this time of cancelled book tours, what genre of books are rising in sales and which aren’t, and where are Amazon promo codes going? Question of the Week: Putting yourself in the shoes of early ACX, what could you give away or take a loss on now that might help you to build your audience later?

With the current crisis going on, as an author what are some things you may be able to do to help your readers out? On today’s show Bryan is joined by Alana Terry, a Christian suspense writer and teacher for authors on paid advertising. They want to wish everyone peace an good health during these times! Alana has her course up as a pay what you can and a portion of the proceeds will go to helping out during this time of the Covid-19. Be sure to check out Claire’s free supercharge your protagonist workshop, she also has a sale right now on her story alignment consultation so be sure to also check that out and use the code FOURFOUR by 4/4/20. All the links for these will be available to you. This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is Liberty Speidel. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Get it Done, The House, and Dark as the Grave. The Top Tips of the week include how taking the sidebar from your blog can help you start up your author website, what you can gain from using a writing prompt regularly, and how easy it is to turn your book into the latest EPUB 3.0 format with Daisy.org. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how PublishDrive is making it easy for authors to publish your print and digital and audiobook formats, why something as simple as asking readers to review your books can make a huge difference, whats causing Macmillan to abandoned its unpopular ebook embargo, who is announcing that their entire library of ebooks, audiobooks, and magazine articles will be free for 30 days, and ACX is doing to help out due to the impact of Covid-19 to the creative community. Question of the Week: What are some ways that you feel like you as an author could help your readers handle this crisis?

When working from home do you have a certain routine that helps you “get out of your pajamas” and start your work day? If so, what is it? Today is the final day of Bryan’s Blurb Bonus Package with Best Page Forward so make sure to check it out and H. Claire Taylor has a free chat on April 2nd talking about supercharging your protagonist, there are only 10 seats available so grab yours soon! This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is Blaine Moore. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Thawed: CRYERS Book 1, How To Drive Your Next Car Deal: The How-To Guide To Negotiating A New Car Deal, and The Tilt. The Top Tips of the week include how being quarantined may lead you to writing your best work like Shakespeare, why “writing crap” is a common tip amongst successful romance authors, and how putting on some pants can encourage you to get to writing. This week’s honorable mention goes to Amazon being flooded with coronavirus books. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what is the future of coronavirus vs authors, publishers, and booksellers, how learning the skills of publishing and web designing can save you lots of money, why British company DeepZen is already ahead of the game, why the UK government is saying goodbye to the 20% VAT, and what finding your niche can do for your book sales according to children’s book author Melissa Torres. Question of the Week: When you work from home, do you have any routines to make you feel like you have transitioned to the professional period of your day or do you just get into it and mix it up?

The last calendar year has been filled with many different events, say you could create a subgenre based on a specific one, what would it be?  Bryan has a Sell More Books Forever Webinar this Thursday so be sure to check it out and H. Claire Taylor has a pre-order up for a new pen name! This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is S. A. Schneider. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Where The Leaves Wither, The Three Story Method: Foundations of Fiction, and 5 Numbers of Destiny. The Top Tips of the week include why calculating math might be worth it for your read-through rates, how your not so happy ending books can partake in the hottest new literary genre, and why to start thinking about copywriting. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how to make your non-writing tasks a bit easier, what is causing the Big 5 to possibly turn Big 4, why you should consider alternate plans when it comes to the London Book Fair, how tweaking and relaunching ‘failed’ books may start to earn you some money, and how Indie author M.R. Mathias went from being in a Texas prison to writing dozens of books that have totaled over $1 million through amazon book sales. Question of the Week: If you could create your own subgenre based on events of the last calendar year, what would it be?

The first quarter of 2020 is almost over, what will you be doing in the second quarter of 2020 to market your books? Maybe something out of your comfort zone? Bryan mentions that he will be having a book description webinar coming soon and H. Claire Taylor is recruiting people for her new class. Be sure to check out Kirsten Oliphant's Launch Class. This week’s Super Charger Story Course Winner is Dan Thompson. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Woodpecker Wars: Celebrating the Spirituality of Everyday Life, Taking Charge: Making Your Healthcare Appointments Work for You, and The Final Arrangement. The Top Tips of the week include what is causing Indies to give up on google, how you can use content marketing to market not only non-fiction but also fiction, and why your best promotional tool is your readers themselves. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how Hachette’s 2019 revenue increased by 5% over 2018’s revenue, why Publishers Weekly believes Amazon Publishing has come out on top, how authors can learn from the marketing mistakes from the movie Birds of Prey, what is being done about book scams starting on April 27th, and why Hachette, Amazon, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Macmillan, and Penguin US are all pulling out of the London Book Fair. Question of the Week: What are you going to do to market your books in the second quarter of 2020? If you try something outside of your usual comfort zone, what will it be?

What crazy and fun way would you try to promote your book if money wasn’t a concern? How would you go about it? Bryan announces that he is going to be getting back into non-fiction this year and H. Claire Taylor shares with us that she has been putting up medium posts on author and story strategy as well as writing productivity. This week’s Happy Books Review Winner is Darren Sapp. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Nolan Walker And The Superiors Squad, Journaling Power: How to Create the Happy, Healthy Life You Want to Live, and WordPress Security 101: How to secure your website against hackers. The Top Tips of the week include how to look out for yourself to prevent getting scammed, what Matthew McCreary’s five step process is to writing a book, and where you can find the best apps for writing projects. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why authors in the US income will continue to decline, how your biggest obstacle when it comes to writing productivity may just be yourself, how self-publishing can lead to more money and flexibility, what you can do to get your short piece of fiction shared with the public, and why Indie author and mentor Chris Fox funded a role-playing game version of his bestselling space fantasy series that is now over 133% funded. Question of the Week: If money weren't a concern, what wild and fun activity would you want to try to promote your book? And how would you get started?

What challenges do you think you'd face as part of the adaption if you could acclimate a story of yours into any other medium, what would it be and why? Bryan and H. Claire Taylor are feeling very grateful to be able to talk to all the listeners every week whether it be diving deep into some big controversy or diving deeper into ideas relating to self-publishing. This week’s Happy Books Review Winner is Ethan Jones. Thank you to our featured Patrons - Removed, A Curse upon the Saints, and If You Give a Guy a Beer. Tickets are available for Self Publishing Live. The Top Tips of the week include how to get the most out of any author conference, why scheduling time to write is so important, and how getting your books into a library can create a domino effect. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how you can hire the right person for the job using self-publishing service providers, why self-publishing is also learning publishing and marketing for yourself, how to get books in the mail that you might have never considered, how learning to master ads will help you not suck at marketing, and where you can find a new documentary about self-publishing. Question of the Week: If you could adapt a story of yours into any other medium, what would it be and why? What challenges do you think you'd face as part of the translation?

When AI learns to write a novel that's identical from human novels, how do you think that the writing world will shift? Bryan and H. Claire Taylor are getting things done and checking things off of their to do lists. This weeks Happy Books Review Winners are Jon Auerbach & Bethany Tucker. Thank you to our featured Patrons - One Survivor, Citizen Second Class, and Jasper Kaine. The Top Tips of the week include why you should have a copyright notice and a reservation of rights, why to consider donating a copy of your children’s book to Diverse Book Finder, and how to give your print books a new look. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what new technology will be affecting the writing world, how we know that the author business is continuing to grow, which transcription service is the best fit for you, why many people are not happy about how Barnes & Noble and Penguin Random House celebrated Black History Month and how author Jayne Hawke recovered from burnout. Question of the Week: How do you think the writing world will change when AI learns to write a novel that's indistinguishable from human novels?

What joyful moments have you had that led you to today in your publishing career? Bryan and Claire are in the same room! Thank you to all of our Patrons! The Top Tips of the week include how Booksprout is your cure all, why you need to join Brandon Sanderson’s class, and what is the best tool to write in. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how you can still be frugal when it comes to editing, how to hire a ghostwriter, what the numbers say about libraries and other activities, why Author Chris Fox didn't love his cover, and why you should write what you love. Question of the Week: Looking back on your writing and publishing to this point, what are three moments that brought you incredible joy in the smaller milestones that led you to where you are today?

What would you want your readers to expect from you? Bryan is finally taking a rest day! Claire’s party is this week! This week’s Happy Books Review Winner is Garett Robinson. Thank you to our featured Patrons: Dad's Girls, The Outline Book, and Cubicle Jail to Laptop Lifestyle. The Top Tips of the week include how to recover from a failed book launch, how you can still make a living in indie, and what you need to be productive. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what the Macmillan boycott has done to the bottom line, why you may want to get into self-help books, what procrastination may actually mean, how author Steff Green earned $200k, and what is changing with Penguin Random House. Question of the Week: In your ideal world, what would your readers' expectations be about what you write, how often you release it, what you price it, and how often you get in contact with them?

How would your work change if you shifted your focus? This week is the final parts of Bryan’s Amazon Ad Challenge it's never too late to follow along! Claire is getting her launch party ready! This week’s Happy Books Review Winner is Linda Fausnet. Thank you to our featured Patrons: Grand Theft Auto and Other Misdemeanors, Angelborn, and Time Code. The Top Tips of the week include how to edit your book faster, why you need to reach out to your superfans, and what ads are the best. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what new law has hit Missouri, how the lawsuit with Audible turned out, why Amazon ad school may be a great call for you, how author Howard Tayler sees success, and why your word count may be falling short. Question of the Week: If you changed your focus from looking for productivity to meaning, what would you stop doing and why?

What do the next four years look like for you? This week is Bryan’s Amazon Ad Challenge its never too late to follow along! Claire is finishing up her series up! This week’s Happy Books Review Winner is  Bill Cokas. Thank you to our featured Patrons: The 30-Day Writing Challenge, Stalked, and SMART Social Media. The Top Tips of the week include what you need to do to sell your book, why Instagram is your friend, and how the public domain has changed. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include was has changed in the RWA, how Janna Penn manages her time, why getting a coauthor may refuel your fire for writing, who will be charting books, and what S.W. Hubbard is going to do in 2020. Question of the Week: When you think ahead to what you'll have accomplished in four years, what will you do to get the most out of your awesome backlist in 2024?

What will your new year’s resolution help your productivity? You’re going to learn a little more about our new host Claire. How she spends her days and what she's done this year! This week’s Happy Books Review Winner is Jerri Williams. The Top Tips of the week include how to promote your new book, how StoryOrgin can help you track yourself, and what Kells Mcphillips recommends to keep up the productivity. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why Refined Fool Beer is the place to publish, what ebooks lost out on in the 10s, what scam you need to avoid, why the Rita Awards were cancelled, and why you shouldn’t be like Laura Burton. Question of the Week: Going into 2020, what changes will you make to your routine to save more time and get more accomplished?

What is Jim going to do with all this new free time? Episode 300 is here! We say goodbye to Jim and welcome Bryan's new co-host. The Top Lessons we learned, Consistency is Key, Be UnSkippable, and Reward fans with Callbacks. An honorable mention goes to how to get your books viewed. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why writers aren’t able to keep up, how amazon made this author raise her price, what has happened since Christmas in the romance novel world, why Author Brady Frost did better than expected, and what changes are coming for Rakuten. Question of the Week: What do you think Jim will do with his Tuesdays now that he's not recording the Sell More Books Show?

What story did we miss in 2019? Episode 300 is next week! Bryan is visiting family and Jim is getting ready for life after SMBS. Bryan’s new hint for the new cohost is that she is five-feet ten-inches tall. Be on the lookout for Bryan’s new Amazon Ad Challenge coming up in January. The 5 News stories that mattered most to indies in 2019 include what Barnes & Noble did to stay in business, the struggles and successes of Amazon, how many wonderful options exist outside of the Audible exclusive option, why some indie community success stories sound so familiar, and what are the biggest changes in the Amazon Ad dashboard. Question of the Week: What's the biggest news story of 2019 that we didn't cover in today's episode and why?

What does the year 2039 look like for the publishing world? Episode 300 is so close! Bryan’s new hint for the new cohost is that she is obsessed with ghost adventures. Two more weeks with Jim! Be on the lookout Bryan has a new Amazon Ad Challenge coming up in January. This week’s Happy Books Review Winner is Guillaume Sauvé. Thank you to our featured Patrons: Get it Done, How to Pick Up Women with a Drunk Space Ninja, and Leah’s Choice. The Top Tips of the week include what your last minute gift can be, how you can revisit this years 20books event, and Smashwords' new feature. An honorable mention goes to why the Big 5 may be changing. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how podcasts are going to change, why 2039 may be the year with no books, how libraries are bringing the people back, why your upticks may actually be old, and How Kobo is changing and growing. Question of the Week: Do you think paper books will be dead by the year 2039? Why or why not?

When should an author change up how they do translations? Episode 300 is so close! Bryan’s new hint for the new cohost is that she has written over 20 novels. This week’s Happy Books Review Winner is Patrick O’Donnell. Thank you to our featured Patrons: Planet Dead One Shot, How to Sex Your Snake, and Excelsior. The Top Tips of the week include how to improve your cover, what ways you can spruce up your older books, and why you should maybe get a mentor. An honorable mention goes to why you need to make an audiobook. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why you don’t need to worry about AIs, how to be more successful when publishing wide, how social media may not be the key, why your ads won't get old, and when you should change your translations. Question of the Week: At what point in an author's journey do you think he or she should try this new system for creating translations of their books?