Wed, 26 April 2017
Jim stepped in as chief news readers again this week as he and Bryan took on news about Kickstarter’s pledge change, Amazon’s scorched earth policy in Australia, and your new favorite self-publishing metaphor. Bryan’s Selling for Authors course is now open again for a limited time and available at https://www.sellingforauthors.com/invest17 (available through May 2nd). After thanking their patrons Sanyare: The Last Descendant, Plain Talk Book Marketing Blog Tours, and Blogging for Authors, Bryan and Jim tackled tips on Facebook ads, spreading out your KDP Select free days, and KDP Print. Other news stories included Scribl, Amazon Subscribe, and a peach farming mentality to publishing. This week’s Question of the Week: Do you think Kickstarter’s new feature to let guests contribute without signing up will increase the chances of funding for publishing projects? Why or why not? |
Wed, 19 April 2017
![]() J. Thorn joined the podcast this week in our latest lab segment as the trio chatted about Audible’s removal of the gifting feature and Written Word Media’s KU survey. After thanking their patrons Wanderer’s Escape, 5 Numbers of Destiny, and Email Lists Made Easy for Writers and Bloggers, J., Jim, and Bryan discussed tips on avoiding mistakes, turning your mistakes around, and taming your dictation dragon. News stories included another word on Amazon Cash, why you shouldn’t fight piracy, the classic future of indie titles, new changes to Kindle Worlds, Audible losing a feature, and an insightful KU feature. This week’s Question of the Week: Do you think Kindle Unlimited will be significantly larger in 3-5 years? If so, how will it impact indie authors going forward? |
Wed, 12 April 2017
Why hasn’t Amazon fixed the Page Flip feature? Bryan and Jim featured this question as the top story in another news-filled week of self-publishing. After thanking their patrons The Final Arrangement, Nightblade, and 31 Days of Wisdom, the self-pub stalwarts discussed connecting with C-list influencers, using Google Analytics to understand your demographics, and the two different types of author newsletters. This week’s news stories included Kobo’s acquisition of Shelfie, the launch of the Windows e-bookstore, Kindle Create, the Prime Reading “advance,” Amazon Cash, and the continued issue of the Page Flip feature on Kindle devices. This week’s Question of the Week: Why hasn’t Amazon fixed the Page Flip feature after six months of it being an issue? |
Wed, 5 April 2017
Bryan & Jim started their “senior year” off right with stories about Amazon’s acquisition of Souq, the new Amazon Influencer Program, and the debate about slow vs. fast writing. After thanking their patrons Slow Burn: Zero Day, Divorced Dad, and Vanguard, the “big men on campus” tackled tips on souped-up email signatures, back matter, and audiobooks. News stories focused on Kobo’s latest innovations, Hachette’s new content site, slow vs. fast writing, the acquisition of Souq, and Amazon’s new affiliate program. This week’s Question of the Week: Do you feel like a slow writer can succeed in the self-publishing world? Why or why not? |
Wed, 29 March 2017
Happy third podcast anniversary to Bryan & Jim! With three years under their belt, they were free to take on tips about book descriptions and author mindset after thanking their patrons Somebody’s Darling, Hitler Out of Time, and Guerrilla Tactics Against Passive Aggression in the Work Place. The top stories included Amazon Books in Chicago, Amazon Author Insights, a peek behind Data Guy’s curtain, indie bookstores as small publishers, and four writers on a train. This week’s Question of the Week: Who would your dream author collaboration be with and where would you go to write? |
Wed, 22 March 2017
Looks like Rocket has some competition. After Jim introduced Willow the Puppy to the Sell More Books Show, he and Bryan tackled the biggest stories of the week. This episode is brought to you by show patrons Twisting Fate, Character Sketch & Color, and The Last Verdict. In their last episode before the show’s three-year anniversary, Bryan and Jim talked tips about using social media to find readers, how to track what your fans are buying, and how to make Amazon Ads work for you. The top five stories included new opportunities for authors to get on TV, a new publishing path for academics, a new trad pub author going indie, Hachette’s two latest partnerships, and Marie Force’s changed stance on the New York Times list. This week’s Question of the Week: What do you think is the One Thing you should be focusing on to get more readers and why? Also, which one of us is Toots and which one is Puddle? |
Wed, 15 March 2017
What do Adam Croft and Patricia Cornwell have in common? They’re now both with Amazon imprints, which is this week’s top story. After thanking their patrons The Tilt, Twins of Prey, and Carnal, Jim and Bryan tackled tips on forwards, bios, and writing contests. News stories included traditionally published teen authors in India, Hachette’s acquisition of Bookouture, Dean Wesley’s Smith’s proposed change for agents, Libro.fm’s new audio subscription, Amazon’s latest review policy change, and Patricia Cornwell’s new deal with Amazon’s Thomas & Mercer imprint. This week’s Question of the Week: With word spreading that Amazon can get books to #1 with some major launches and better terms for authors, will more big-time trad pub authors join Amazon imprints? Why or why not? |
Wed, 8 March 2017
After a discussion about entrepreneurial parenting, Jim and Bryan take on the latest Author Earnings report, rejecting traditional publishing, and diehard dedication in Episode 153. Following the Patreon thanks to Shadow Raiders, How to Drive Your Next Card Deal, and Black Shadow Moon, the dedicated duo took on tips about burnout, thinking outside the box, and using your mailing list last on launches. News stories included Wattpad’s new feature Tap, Shatzkin’s “overhead” argument, and Author Earnings international report. This week’s Question of the Week: Which upstart group of small publishers do you think Data Guy is referring to in his tease for the next Author Earnings report and why? |
Wed, 1 March 2017
A wild week in publishing news means we’ve got TONS to talk about, including two big-time indie launches, several aggregator platforms going head-to-head, and Kobo Plus. After thanking our patrons the Hat Trick Series, Monkey Justice, and The Dragon Rustler, the broad-shouldered broadcasters of self-publishing took on tips about piracy, income, and mailing lists. News stories included Amazon continuing to crack down on affiliates, Qidian, a huge launch by Adam Croft, Kobo Plus, a triple-threat match between self-publishing aggregators, and Mark Dawson’s $29,000 thriller launch. This week’s Question of the Week: Have you used or do you plan to use Pronoun, Street Lib, or Publish Drive? If so, what’s your experience been so far. If not, what’s keeping you away? |
Wed, 22 February 2017
With the 3-year-mark approaching, Jim and Bryan took on stories about Joanna Penn’s new small press, J.A. Konrath’s unboxed stories, and more! After thanking their patrons The Prosperous Writer’s Guide to Making More Money, Removed, and A Curse upon the Saints, the tactical twosome took on tips about launching, cover design, and newsletters. Other stories included KDP Print going public, the need (or lack thereof) for sensitivity readers, and author rank. This week’s Question of the Week is: If you found some old stories on your hard drive or in your attic, would you polish them up or publish them right away as-is? Answer honestly given your current production schedule! |
Wed, 15 February 2017
The Big 150 is here, and Jim and Bryan are ready for a trip down memory lane before speeding toward the future. After playing a clip from their first episode, they thanked their patrons Where The Leaves Wither, The Last Days, and The Outline Book. They also covered tips on owning your destiny, learning from the right kind of authors, and balancing your art and your business. News stories included alleged Australian agent hijinks, the end of Samhain Publishing, aggregators baiting new author clients, small publishing house struggles, and a huge feature in The Times for indie authors. This week’s Question of the Week: When did you start listening to The Sell More Books Show? Do any memories stick out as the moment you decided to stick with the show for the long haul? (Also, feel free to add any comedic moments you remember from the past 149 episodes!) |
Wed, 8 February 2017
We’re one episode away from the Big #150, and to celebrate, we covered the latest news, including Amazon’s potential integration with PayPal and the end of Shelfie. After thanking their patrons Taking Charge, The Secret Blush, and 31 Days of Wisdom, Jim and Bryan tackled tips on paid marketing, switching genres, and going wide with audio. News stories included Smashwords expanding its library offerings, the new KU-like program Radish, changes to Kindle Scout on the reader side, the end of Shelfie, and how PayPal could change the way Amazon customers buy books. This week’s Question of the Week: Which of these three stories will have the most impact on Indies’ bottom line over the next few years: the Radish payment model, the Kindle Scout Leaderboard system, or PayPal integrating with Amazon and why? |
Wed, 1 February 2017
Never fear, the Kukral Bestseller List will always cater to indies! This week, Bryan went solo to tackle stories about the NY Times cutting some ebook lists, the trials and tribulations of Jeffrey M. Poole’s KU account, and several ideas on what indies and publishers can do next to find success. After thanking the SMBS patrons The Efficient Writer, Gone, and The Cordova Vector, Bryan also took on tips about 2016 marketing strategies, bad reviews, and DBW findings. This week’s Question of the Week: What should indies who’ve been targeting the bestseller lists do with their time and money now that they have less of a chance to make a list? |
Wed, 25 January 2017
Jim and Bryan are back with news about 2016 author data, audiobook monopolies, Microsoft’s new ebook store, and more! After thanking their patrons Pirates vs. Dragons, A Curse Upon the Saints, and Peaks of Passion, the talented twosome took on tips related to LinkedIn, the pulp mindset, and using Vellum on a PC. News stories included Kobo’s progress with Overdrive, Macmillan’s play with Pronoun, the new Microsoft ebook store, a big potential change in audiobooks going forward, and Data Guy’s 2017 Digital Book World presentation. This week’s Question of the Week: If you were publishing an audiobook on Audible today, given the potential of change in the next 7 years, would you go exclusive for higher royalties, or non-exclusive to take advantage of the potential new channels? |
Wed, 18 January 2017
Once you get Jim and Bryan started, they’ll never stop, and here comes episode 146! Inside, they discuss tips on brand building, mini goals, and a new affiliate plugin for Amazon. After thanking their patrons Cubicle Jail to Laptop Lifestyle, 31 Days of Wisdom, and Witch’s Sacrifice, they took on the news, which included stories on ebooks in libraries, writing income, ebook subscription models, indie startups, and whether or not recent news stories spell doom for indies. This week’s Question of the Week: What would you do with your $400,000 advance? |
Wed, 11 January 2017
Bryan and Jim have chutzpah, and they’re not afraid to show it with their contentious opinions on 2017 predictions, copyright issues, and more. After thanking their patrons, Covermint Design, Black Shadow Moon, and Twisting Fate, they tackled tips on self-publishing resources, interior book design, and advice for newbies. News stories included Amazon Books and locker locations, Jane Friedman’s trends for 2016, an author with unfair copyright issues, another author’s reasoning for leaving KU, and the top predictions for 2017. This week’s Question of the Week: Which paid advertising platforms do you think will be most effective in 2017? |
Fri, 6 January 2017
It’s bonus time! On January 1st, Bryan delivered a Facebook Live pep talk to all authors for 2017. Give it a listen to get some inspiration for the next 12 months! |
Wed, 4 January 2017
Welcome to 2017! Jim and Bryan took on the latest tips and news, including the sudden closure of All Romance Ebooks, new Kindle Unlimited box set rules, and the angry response to the recent Huffington Post anti-self-publishing article. After thanking their patrons, Ambition by Geoff North, How I Sold 80,000 Books by Alinka Rutkowska, and Song of Blood & Stone by L. Penelope, the guys tackled tips on AMS keywords, ACX, and the Self-Publishing Calculator. This week’s Question of the Week: Do you use Smashwords to publish your books wide? |
Wed, 28 December 2016
Bryan made his triumphant return to the show as he and Jim discussed the top stories and tips of 2016! After going over Abigail The Intern’s Top 3 Tips, the self-pub squadron discussed stories about knowing your readers, using paid advertising, the problems with KU, the scammers of KU, and the rise and leveling-off of indie sales. They also thanked their patrons, Author Level Up, Character Sketch & Color, and Incursion: Merkiaari Wars Book 5. The final Question of the Week for 2016 is: What are you gonna get done in 2017? |
Wed, 21 December 2016
Stephen Campbell from The Author Biz Podcast subbed for Bryan this week, as he and Jim took on tips about book covers, tax deductions, and producing art. After chatting up their patrons’ books (Email Lists Made Easy for Writers & Bloggers, 5 Numbers of Destiny, and 31 Days of Wisdom), Jim and Stephen talked trad pub podcasts, the end of Authors United, whether or not indies are declining, HarperCollins’ deal with Amazon Alexa, and Konrath’s major publishing decision. This week’s Question of the Week: What's your big indie publishing prediction for 2017? |
Wed, 14 December 2016
With Bryan off hanging out with his new baby, Sheridan Stancliff joined the show to chat about tips on InstaFreebie ARCs, collaborations, and merchandising. After thanking their Patron-sponsored books of The Ten-Year Turnaround, Removed, and How to Drive Your Next Car Deal, Sheridan and Jim discussed news about a new app making waves in Croatia, a surge in creativity for digital comics, changes in Amazon’s pre-order policy, how KU free runs may not be as lucrative as you think, and why rented books could become a big deal. This week’s Question of the Week: Would you rent an ebook? |
Wed, 7 December 2016
Jonny from Author Platform Rocket joined the guys to discuss Bryan’s results with his service. Jim offered to help folks find more reviewers as well (listen to the ep for more info). After discussing tips on productivity, BookBub, and bursts of promotion, they took on the latest in publishing news including Nook reporting errors, Amazon’s plans for India, ebook tax laws, artistic freedom, and using your backlist. This week’s Question of the Week: How do you promote your backlist? What kind of results have you had? |
Wed, 30 November 2016
Jim’s sniffles kept this show short, tight, and intriguing, as he and Bryan discussed tips on author estate planning, transitioning to owning a business, and building your brand. After thanking their latest patrons, Kathy Coatney ( http://www.kathycoatney.com/dads-girls/ ), Percival Constantine ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013ZBP8WK ), and Bobby Adair ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E4VT778 ), this Thanksgiving twosome took on stories about Wattpad, book apps, Amazon ads, bookstores doubling as publishers, and what we should be thankful for. This week’s Question of the Week: What are you thankful for in your author career? |
Wed, 23 November 2016
May Sage joined the guys this week for an awesome Lab segment as they discussed tips on holiday marketing, preparing for the worst, and mind-mapping. After thanking their patrons Ethan Jones (and his book The Secret Blush https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LDH2J1G ), Megan Haskell (and her book Sanyare https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ROBHMFY/ ), and Tara Ross (and her book Cubicle Jail to Laptop Lifestyle http://amzn.to/1ZNNHWl ), they took on news stories about Kobo contracts, trad pubs learning from indies, audiobooks in indie stores, Facebook tracking miscalculations, and the iOS Unsubscribe feature. This week’s Question of the Week: What are three things you could do to improve your emails to your readers? |
Wed, 16 November 2016
Back from his day at the polls, Jim joined Bryan to talk tips on hustling, writing a novel quickly, and reader social network Litsy. After thanking their patrons, Chris Syme (and her book Sell More Books With Less Social Media http://amzn.to/2dRIefz ), David King (and his book Hitler Out of Time http://www.hitleroutoftime.com/amazon ), and Simon Goodson (and his book Wanderer’s Escape http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AZ7YSFQ ), the troublesome pair took on stories about book covers, European ebook lending, post-election book bumps, KU Australia, the future of audio, and Amazon’s new policy on KDP Ads. This week’s Question of the Week: Now that the exclusivity requirement is dropped, will you try KDP Ads with your non-exclusive books? Why or why not? Also, what book should Abigail review next for our new segment? |
Wed, 9 November 2016
H. Claire Taylor subbed for Jim this week as the comedy duo of Cohen and Taylor took on the Sell More Books Show. After thanking their patrons Patrick O’Donnell ( http://bit.ly/mdcitypod ), C. Steven Manley ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00U3DW6MY ), and L. Penelope ( http://lpenelope.com/books/song-of-blood-and-stone/ ), Bryan and Claire chatted about tips on advertising, dictation, and BookBub featured deals. News stories included Books-A-Million self-publishing packages, an Amazon reading service for kids, a new pricing policy at Amazon Books, Steve Scott’s 17 steps to $1,000 in publishing, and authors struggling to get email subscribers. This week’s Question of the Week: Have you noticed a decrease in email subscriber numbers? If so, what have you done to try to help numbers pick back up? |
Wed, 2 November 2016
Happy November! Jim and Bryan welcomed back Derek Siddoway of Book Review 22 for another Lab segment, but not before thanking their latest patrons Jennifer Evans (and her book Peaks of Passion http://bit.ly/pleaspnt ), Matthew Paulson (and his book The Ten-Year Turnaround http://www.amztk.com/tenyearturnaround ), and Randy Stapilus (and his book What Sells Books http://www.ridenbaughpress.com/whatsellsbooks/ ). This week, the candidate champs discussed tips on working smarter, diversifying income, and Amazon review rules. News stories included Nook Press changes, a recent scam, the dissolution of a big Author Solutions Relationship, a new freelance law, the likelihood of books disappearing, and being an early adopter. This week’s Question of the Week: Which stage of technological adoption is self-publishing in and why? Innovation, Early Adopters, Early Majority, Late Majority, or Laggards? |
Wed, 26 October 2016
Honoree Corder visited the show to talk about publishing, books, and the Amazon Breakfast! After thanking Honoree (and her book You Must Write a Book http://bit.ly/ymwabhc ), Craig Lea Gordon (and his book Hypercage https://amzn.com/B01KPGFQXY ) and Kirsten Oliphant (and her book Email Lists Made Easy for Writers and Bloggers https://amzn.com/B01HLLYCA4 ), the trio discussed tips on author training, creative visualization, and finding your ideal readers. News stories included a nonfiction NaNoWriMo, Free Book Zones, interactive YA entertainment, the “wall of content,” horror bleeding indies, and tips from the Amazon Breakfast. This week’s Question of the Week: Have you used visualization or other personal development tactics to achieve your goals? Why or why not? |
Wed, 19 October 2016
Are the good times over? Not for Jim, Bryan, and the indie community! After thanking their patrons Spider McGee (and his book Monkey Justice http://bit.ly/monkjust ), Charles Eugene Anderson (and his book Time Code http://bit.ly/thymecode ) and J. Rutger Madison (and his book A Curse Upon the Saints http://bit.ly/sntcurse ), the publishing patriots chatted about social media, author courses, and editor-finding tools. News stories included evaluating your business model, dedicating yourself to the right work, diversity in publishing, how to avoid getting swindled, and a drop in indie revenue from Author Earnings. This week’s Question of the Week: Why do you think indie authors experienced a decrease in the latest Author Earnings report? |
Wed, 12 October 2016
After sharing the results of the first ever SMBS Presidential Election, Jim and Bryan took on the latest in book marketing news. Tips included solidifying your successful author mindset, the importance of focus during your writing time, and which type of marketing works best. Following their honoring of recent patrons Ethan Jones (and his book The Secret Blush http://bit.ly/secblush ), Chris Syme (and her book SMART Social Media For Authors http://amzn.to/1JLTwYI ), and Geoff North (and his book Thawed: CRYERS http://http://bit.ly/thawcry ), they touched on news stories related to Ellora’s Cave, publishing submission fees, Amazon Prime Reading, KDP page read errors, and KDP Print paperbacks. This week’s Question of the Week is: Will you stick with CreateSpace or test out KDP Print and why? Also, who would you like to be SMBS President? |
Wed, 5 October 2016
With the news being a negative nelly, Jim brought the positive in the latest episode of the Sell More Books Show. After tackling tips on selling dozens of books at a time, optimizing BookBub Ad campaigns, and taking part in Amazon’s indie author celebration, the two triple-threats thanked their patrons Michael Alan Peck (and his book The Journeyman http://bit.ly/commjour ), Susan Illene (and her book Stalked by Flames http://bit.ly/stalkill ) and Brecht Ryckaert (and his book WordPress Security 101: http://bit.ly/wpsec101 ). News stories included Amazon’s Disney subscription, Facebook’s Marketplace, a new scammer, a trad pub author turned indie, Facebook video stat reporting errors, and Kindle Unlimited reporting errors. This week’s Question of the Week: Will Amazon’s error in reporting KU pages read impact your decision to put your books in KU? Why or why not? Also, who gets your vote for Sell More Books Show President? Jim? Bryan? Or a third-party candidate (a listener)? |
Wed, 28 September 2016
Jim and Bryan welcomed their first patron G.D. Leon to the show to talk about what he’s learned from the podcast. After thanking their patrons Jamie Arpin-Ricci (for the book The Last Verdict http://www.amazon.com/gp/ ), Gillian Felix (for her service Plain Talk Book Marketing http://www.plaintalkbm.com/ ), and Emma Alisyn (and her book Character Sketch & Color https://www.amazon.com/dp/
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Wed, 21 September 2016
After plugging the upcoming Indie Author Day (on October 8th, 2016), Jim and Bryan chatted with Ashley Durrer from InstaFreebie for their latest lab segment. Following their big thanks to two patrons, Craig Lea Gordon (and his book Hypercage ( https://amzn.com/B01KPGFQXY ) and Megan Haskell (and her book Sanyere: The Heir Apparent http://bit.ly/sanyare2 ), the publishing pilgrims took on tips related to relaunching your books, Shelfie’s new reader tool, and a “caring” social media strategy. News stories included Google Play’s new recommendation algorithm, Amazon’s big news about Audible, the end of the authors vs. Harlequin lawsuit, one author’s tough road, and another author’s joke-turned-success story. This week’s Question of the Week: If you could choose literary fame as a pauper or financial success without acclaim as an indie, which would you choose and why? How would your answer have differed when you just started out as an author? |
Wed, 14 September 2016
This week, Jim and Bryan took on the latest in news and tips! After thanking their latest patron Matthew Paulson and his book The Ten-Year Turnaround (available here: http://www.amztk.com/ |
Fri, 9 September 2016
Here’s a little comedy for your Friday! In this special edition of the show, H. Claire Taylor joined Bryan to do a preview of their upcoming podcast, Something Nice to Say (you can contribute to the show’s Kickstarter campaign here: http://www.kicksomethingnice.com ). Bryan and Claire discussed their experiences with traditional publishing before launching into their trademark “three nice things.” Expect Daniel Plainview impressions and a discourse on the shark’s name in the movie Jaws.
Direct download: Final_SMBS_Bonus_Ep_-_Something_Nice_About_Trad_Pub_Updated_9-8-16.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am EST |
Wed, 7 September 2016
Jim and Bryan definitely didn’t wear white for their first post-Labor Day episode. After Bryan chatted about his comedy Kickstarter (at http://kicksomethingnice.com ), they took on tips related to giveaways, launches, and fairy tale retellings. Following the much-deserved props given to Randy Stapilus and his book What Sells Books (available at http://www.ridenbaughpress. |
Wed, 31 August 2016
The heat is on with this late summer episode of The Sell More Books Show. Jim and Bryan discussed tips on Smashwords Alerts, book bundles, and permafree books. After thanking their latest patron Barb Drozdowich (and her book Blogging for Authors http://bit.ly/authblogbd ), they dissected news on Penguin’s subscription aversion, the Kindle Reading Fund, Shatzkin’s ideas to right the Nook ship, Google’s mobile site penalties, the opening of the Arthur C. Clarke Award to indies, and Amazon’s gains in India over Flipkart. This week’s Question of the Week: What would you do to turn around the fortunes at Barnes & Noble? Do you think any of Mike Shatzkin’s ideas would help the company recover? |
Wed, 31 August 2016
The heat is on with this late summer episode of The Sell More Books Show. Jim and Bryan discussed tips on Smashwords Alerts, book bundles, and permafree books. After thanking their latest patron Barb Drozdowich (and her book Blogging for Authors http://bit.ly/authblogbd ), they dissected news on Penguin’s subscription aversion, the Kindle Reading Fund, Shatzkin’s ideas to right the Nook ship, Google’s mobile site penalties, the opening of the Arthur C. Clarke Award to indies, and Amazon’s gains in India over Flipkart. This week’s Question of the Week: What would you do to turn around the fortunes at Barnes & Noble? Do you think any of Mike Shatzkin’s ideas would help the company recover? |
Wed, 24 August 2016
After a wild week, Jim talked AMC’s Reviewer Grabber and Bryan chatted up his Cinderella launch before they slammed into the latest tips and news. After thanking their patrons G.D. Leon (and his book The Frigorifio https://www.amazon.com/dp/ |
Fri, 19 August 2016
For this special Friday edition of the show, Bryan sat down and chatted about the launch of his new pen name with the fairy tale novel Cinderella Dreams of Fire ( http://bit.ly/cindydreams ). He’s challenged himself to launch a book into the Top 500 on Amazon and keep it in the Top 5,000 for 30 days. In this episode, Bryan goes through the writing strategy, marketing/launch strategy, promo schedule, and results of his promo, including some answers to questions you might have about his plan.
Direct download: SMBS_Bonus_Episode_Final_Sound_Bryans_Launch_Challenge.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:10am EST |
Wed, 17 August 2016
The returning champion (Bryan) re-emerged from Smith Mountain Lake as he and Jim tackled Amazon’s new Kindle in Motion feature and the rest of the latest news. After thanking their latest patron Megan Haskell (and her book Sanyere: The Last Descendent http://bit.ly/mhasksan ), the book bromance talked tips on book reviews, pop-ups, and sharing notes in Goodreads. News stories included retro London bookstores, the increase of the word “girl” in titles, Facebook’s rivalry with AdBlocker, Bob Mayer’s publishing predictions, and Kindle in Motion. This week’s Question of the Week: Do you think Kindle in Motion will be the next big thing in ebooks? Why or why not? |
Wed, 10 August 2016
Vinny O’Hare visited the show today while Bryan was on vacation. Vinny and Jim chatted Facebook, brand awareness, and writing more books, as well as the five latest news stories. After thanking the show’s latest patron, Kirsten Oliphant (and her book Email Lists Made Easy for Writers and Bloggers https://amzn.com/B01HLLYCA4 ), the Internet marketing powerhouses discussed stories on Virgin Airlines, VAT legislation, audio choose-your-own-adventure books, whether or not “too many books” is a good thing, and Wal-Mart’s purchase of Jet.com. This week’s Question of the Week: Will there ever be a point where there are too many books in the world and will that affect book sales in the future? |
Wed, 3 August 2016
Jim Kukral and the Magical Fishing Trip ended, allowing him to return to the show to chat about tips like hunting down book reviews, using Facebook Live, and learning what millionaire self-publishers have in common. After welcoming Derek Siddoway from Book Review 22 for a lab segment, and thanking their patron P.G. Kassel (and his book Black Shadow Moon http://bit.ly/brammistake), the dynamic duo took on the news. Stories included the recent Harry Potter launch, editing and moral rights clauses, faulty indie bookstore data, Universal Book Links, and the passion vs. purpose argument. This week’s Question of the Week, “When did you figure out that you were meant to be a self-publishing author, and what made you determine this?” |
Wed, 27 July 2016
Honoree Corder joined the show in Jim’s absence this week, as she and Bryan talked tips, news, and breakfast. After thanking this week’s patron (S.J. Pajonas and her book Removed http://bit.ly/sjremove ), they shared tips about Scrivener for iOS, MFAs, and Kwill Publication’s new book-to-script program. News stories included a DRM court case, reasons for the rise of audio, new KU additions, doomsday trad pub scenarios, and why Pokemon GO could kill Facebook. This week’s Question of the Week: What do you think is going to be the next big thing in publishing and why? |
Wed, 20 July 2016
Bryan promoted his new show (Something Nice to Say http://www.somethingniceshow. |
Wed, 13 July 2016
Bryan launched his new book this week ( available here https://www.amazon.com/dp/ |
Wed, 6 July 2016
The guys welcomed Jonny Andrews for their latest Lab segment and talked doomsday Nook scenarios before tackling the latest news! After thanking their latest patron Simon Goodson (and his book Wanderer’s Escape http://www.amazon.com/dp/ |
Wed, 29 June 2016
After Jim recounted his experience at the Cleveland Cavaliers parade and Bryan discussed his upcoming new book, How to Write a Sizzling Synopsis, the triple-threat-twosome tackled stories on algorithms, Brexit, joining the midlist, Nook’s POD idea, and author service scams. They also thanked their latest patron Anmarie Uber (and hßer book 5 Numbers of Destiny http://bit.ly/5numdest ) and provided a few thoughts on tips related to Snapchat, pricing at $1.99, and getting more out of your readers. This Week’s Question of the Week: How would the indie landscape be different if Nook tackled POD six years earlier in June 2016? |
Wed, 22 June 2016
Amazon brought down the hammer in our top two stories of the week. After thanking their patron Parker Hudson (and his book On the Edge http://bit.ly/parkhud ), Jim and Bryan took on tips related to web tracking, single tasking, and choosing your genre. They quickly dispensed with stories on the Apple settlement, Neon Play, and Facebook video to get to the big ones: harmful KU scams and Amazon dropping more ebook deal affiliates. We have a Dual Question of the Week: Why did Amazon drop Pixel of Ink and the other deal sites? What should Bryan name his baby? |
Wed, 15 June 2016
Summary: Michael Lister revisited the show to discuss his USA Today bestseller play, and Jim and Bryan talked reviews, discount rants, and Google indifference in the latest episode. After thanking their patron Nora Remenia (and her book Guerrilla Tactics Against Passive Aggression http://bit.ly/passagress ), the triple threat twosome tackled tips on domains, email signatures, and post scheduling. News stories included testimonial contests, book review aggregators, trad pub print stats, discounting doubters, and Google’s indifference to selling more books. This week’s Question of the Week: What kind of prize would you need up for grabs to sign up for a $99 traditional publishing contest and why |
Wed, 8 June 2016
Abigail Dunard, the first SMBS intern, joined Jim and Bryan on the show this week as they discussed the latest Author Earnings report and much, much more. After thanking their patrons Annie Adams (The Final Arrangement http://amzn.to/1Z7yEoF ) and Chris Shumate (31 Days of Wisdom http://amzn.to/1XC9wth ), the trio took on tips about cover branding, Facebook video, and email marketing services. News stories included the dominance of Amazon imprints, ambiguous Amazon policies, how long sales rank takes to update, the scourge of truncated emails, and the May 2016 Author Earnings report. This week’s Question of the Week: Which part of the newest Author Earnings report is most surprising to you? How do you think this info will impact your career going forward |
Fri, 3 June 2016
No words to describe this fun, live on tape, show where Bryan and Jim answered questions and had some fun. |
Wed, 1 June 2016
BookBub is selling ads and Jim thinks it’s a mistake. Welcome to the latest episode, which featured tips on creative scheduling, video marketing, and book titles. This week, you should check out Bryan’s upcoming webinar with Mark Dawson ( http://www. |
Wed, 25 May 2016
Michael Lister joined the show in our latest Lab segment about the USA Today Bestseller List. Bryan and Jim also took on a trio of tips and six news stories in the self-publishing world! After thanking Michael (who was also our featured patron with his mystery box set: http://bit.ly/6jjmyst ), our illustrious hosts spoke on finding more ad targets, building up a base of readers, and spending money on Fiverr. They also touched on stories about Kobo’s new customer acquisition, the plight of the trad pub author, non-compete agreements, whether low prices devalue authors, AI book marketing, and Ellora’s Cave’s latest threat. This week’s Question of the Week: Do you think indie authors pricing books at 99 cents and free has hurt the industry? Why or why not? |
Wed, 18 May 2016
With their sights always set on the next big game changer, Jim and Bryan took on the latest in publishing news. After thanking their latest patron Ladey Adey (and her book Unfrozen http://www.ladeyadey.com/author/ ), the dynamic duo covered tips on indie promo sites, digital publishing pitfalls, and Audible’s new gifting feature. Stories included a crowdsourced sci-fi novel, one publisher’s argument for gatekeepers, the Amazon ebook giveaway system, publisher contract terms, BookExpo America, and Goodreads’ new deal site. This week’s Question of the Week: Will Goodreads Deals overtake BookBub as the #1 author email marketing service? Why or why not? |
Wed, 11 May 2016
Bryan and Jim are back with more news than you can shake an Author Solutions Star Trek writing contest at! After thanking their new patrons, Bobby Adair (and his book Slow Burn: Zero Day http://bit.ly/slowburne ) and L.J. Burke (and his book Divorced Dad http://bit.ly/daddivor ), the double stack of digital news took on tips about self-published workbooks, Goodreads ebook giveaways, and Amazon’s new Video Direct platform. News stories included Simon & Schuster’s Star Trek writing contest, attractiveness in trad pub contracts, estate planning, The Fussy Librarian’s affiliate troubles, and Hugh Howey’s thoughts on 2009 ebook selling vs. today. This week’s Question of the Week: Will you take additional steps to plan for the publishing side of your estate? Why or why not? |
Wed, 4 May 2016
With a little help from their five intern candidates, Bryan and Jim took on a massive news week in the world of self-publishing. After thanking their new patron Nora Femenia (and her book The Silent Marriage http://bit.ly/silmarr ) Chris Fox dropped by the show to discuss the results of his 21-Day Novel Writing Challenge. Chris and the guys discussed tips on book marketing examples, the costs of editing, and productivity heat maps. The temporary trio examined 7 big stories, including Kobo’s expansion to Turkey, backwards copyright law proposals, trad pub algorithms, podcast TV adaptations, branded content on Facebook, Wattpad’s new entertainment endeavor, and the Amazon Advantage program. This week’s Question of the Week: Are you going to shell out $99 a year to join the Amazon Advantage program? Why or why not? |
Wed, 27 April 2016
With Jim on a boat somewhere, Bryan invited fiction and nonfiction author Monica Leonelle to the show! After thanking patron Emma Alisyn (and her book Character Sketch & Color http://bit.ly/emcolor ), Monica & Bryan focused their energy on tips about BookBub, indie pressure, and writing sprints. News stories included the Pulitzer Prize push, Kindle Scout naysayers, Google Play, Amazon's publisher recruitment for KU, who loses most when scammers win, and indie film rights. This week's Question of the Week: "If you had the opportunity to sell your film rights tomorrow for a small sum, would you sell them or would you hold on to them in hopes of actually getting your film made?" |
Wed, 20 April 2016
With Bryan in a particularly punchy mood, he and Jim dug deep into the latest in self-publishing news. After thanking their favorite patron Spider McGee (and his book Monkey Justice http://bit.ly/secretjim ), they discussed tips related to choosing your book title, pre-orders, and indie accounting methods. The news stories included Kobo’s intriguing reader study, the Google Books U.S. Supreme Court decision, the Kindle Oasis, the Smashwords Survey of 2016, and a scam that’s taking over the free charts. This week’s Question of the Week: Would you want Google Books to scan your books and index the contents for online search? Why or why not? |
Wed, 13 April 2016
It’s springtime in the self-publishing world, and Jim and Bryan are blooming with tips and news to help you grow your author career. After thanking their latest patron David King (and his book Hitler Out of Time http://www.hitleroutoftime. |
Wed, 6 April 2016
Back from rainy Austin, Bryan and Jim beamed about their fun and educational experience at the Smarter Artist Summit. After thanking their latest patron Jamie Arpin-Ricci and his book The Last Verdict (available at http://bit.ly/lastverd ), the troublesome honorary texans took on tips about free books, niching down, and using short stories in anthologies. News stories included $27 ebooks, YA superhero books, doing it all, using genre-specific covers, providing ebooks to the masses, and putting in 14 hour days. This week’s Question of the Week: How would you be willing to change your life to sell two million ebooks? Could you stand the 14-hour days? Why or why not? |
Fri, 1 April 2016
While in Austin, Jim and Bryan felt compelled to record another jam-packed news show. With so much occurring in the previous few days, there wasn’t enough time to wait until next week. Please enjoy our special bonus episode!
Direct download: SMBS_Special_Austin_Show_-_April_2016.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:40am EST |
Wed, 30 March 2016
Live from Opal Divine’s Penn Field in Austin, Texas, Jim and Bryan piggybacked off the Smarter Artist Summit this week to bring you their first ever live show. In front of a raucous crowd, the happiest of hosts thanked their latest patron (Emma Alisyn and her book Character Sketch & Color http://bit.ly/emcolor ) before launching into a trio of tips about Isaac Asimov’s writing habits, Instagram ads vs. Twitter ads, and an interesting cover art tactic. The news stories included the need to say no to some free promotion gigs, how Fifty Shades of Grey has failed the long tail, a successful book bundling website, how consumers have the choice on what and how they buy, and writing to market vs. writing to multiple markets. This week’s Question of the Week: Which should you do: write to market or write to multiple markets at once and why? |
Wed, 23 March 2016
With one week to go until their live show in Austin, Jim and Bryan tackled the latest publishing tips and news on the web. Jim has created a new SMBS coloring book! Also, Bryan's course is available again through Monday ( https://www.sellingforauthors.com/March ). After thanking their latest patrons, Victoria Danann (and her book Carnal - http://bit.ly/dancarn ) and Caro Bégin (and the book Twisting Fate - http://bit.ly/beginfate ), the indie pundits discussed weird in-person marketing tactics, anti-procrastination apps, and six ways to ruin your book marketing. News stories included OverDrive ebooks in elementary schools, James Patterson’s master plan, reader data analytics, one novelist’s opinion about self-publishing, how big indies are making their own imprints, and Audible’s new Clips feature. This week’s Question of the Week: How will you use Audible’s Clips feature to promote your audiobooks? |
Wed, 16 March 2016
A front matter firestorm erupted this week in the indie author community, and Jim and Bryan are here to shine some light on it. After thanking their latest patron (W.C. Hoffman and his book Twins of Prey http://www.amazon.com/dp/ |
Wed, 9 March 2016
It’s Self-Publishing 101 in Jim and Bryan’s 101st episode. After thanking Michael La Ronn and his Author Level Up YouTube channel ( www.authorlevelup.com ), the princes of publishing took on tips about digital Amazon giveaways, cover art, and increasing your revenue. News stories included Amazon’s 2nd physical store, the age of most Kobo readers, publishing’s need for dynamic change, the top subcategories on Amazon, used ebooks, and Nook’s closure of its UK store. This week’s Question of the Week: How will the closure of Nook’s UK store impact your author business? Do you plan on continuing to publish to the Nook US store? |
Wed, 2 March 2016
We’ve hit triple digits! Bryan and Jim celebrated how they always do: by tackling the top news and tips of the week. After thanking their patron Jeff Adams (and his Hat Trick Series http://www.amazon.com/gp/ |
Wed, 24 February 2016
Chris Fox, the author of Write to Market, visited the show this week for our latest lab segment. Jim and Bryan thanked their patron Kathy Coakley and her book Dad's Girls ( http://www.kathycoatney.com/ |
Wed, 17 February 2016
Jim and Bryan announced their upcoming Live show in Austin on March 29th and a surprise milestone as they approached the big 100 in the show's 98th episode. After re-featuring Geoff North and his book Thawed: Cryers ( http://bit.ly/thawcry ), the Laurel and Hardy lookalikes tackled tips on group promotions, honing your blurbs, and defining your target audience. News stories touched on the latest Harry Potter book, going wide, the CreateSpace book ban, the case for Amazon Books, and the Author Earnings firestorm. This week's Question of the Week: Do you believe Authors Earnings numbers? Do you think they need additional verification? Why or why not? |
Wed, 10 February 2016
Stellar and bittersweet news alike greeted Jim and Bryan this week as they tackled the latest and greatest in the self-publishing world. First, Bryan announced free mailing list training on Thursday at Noon EST with Nick Stephenson (sign up here http://bit.ly/nickbryweb ). After thanking their latest patron M.A. Robbins (and the book The Tilt http://bit.ly/thetilt ), your illustrious hosts discussed tips on also-boughts, social media overwhelm, and audiobooks. News stories included what it means to be a self-publishing success, BookBub's 98 book marketing ideas, Amazon Books' call for curators, business plans for authors, Kindle Unlimited's KENPC 2.0, and Author Earnings' two-year report. This week's Question of the Week: Did your page numbers go down on Kindle Unlimited? If so, how far did they drop and how does that make you feel? |
Wed, 3 February 2016
Bryan returned to a jam-packed show about long-term sales, wishful thinking, and keeping your reviews. After discussing Bryan's limited-edition mailing list mastermind ( available at http://www.thousandsofreaders. |
Wed, 27 January 2016
Alida Winternheimer dropped by the show today to fill in for Bryan as she and Jim took on the top tips and news of the week. After giving props to this week's featured patron, P.G. Kassel and his book Black Shadow Moon ( http://www.pgkassel.com ), they took a stab at tips related to editing, finances, and marketing methods worth modeling. The subjects of the news stories included Shelfari, today's marketing trends, finding your voice, Amazon's new two-tier quality control system, and Hugh Howey's advice on how to be a writer. |
Wed, 20 January 2016
Using their +1 charm podcast mics, Jim and Bryan took on the latest in self-publishing news and tips. After giving props to their latest patrons, Spider McGee and his book Monkey Justice ( http://bit.ly/secretjim ) and John Keller's How to Drive Your Next Car Deal ( http://bit.ly/drivedacar ), the dual dynasty covered tips on front matter, effective content, and BookFunnel. The Top 5 News included stories on international ebook-reading, a new feature for Amazon's Echo device, Wizards of the Coast's D&D self-publishing platform, the effectiveness of book promotion sites, and the parallel paths of trad and indie publishing. This week's Question of the Week is "Have book promotion sites become less effective for you? If so, how do you plan to use them in your future marketing?" |
Wed, 13 January 2016
The lab segment has returned! J. Thorn dropped by the show to compare his recent results between a successful Facebook ad campaign and a BookBub for his box set. Check out the infographic on our website! After giving props to their latest patron Anthony A. Kerr and his book The Dragon Rustler ( http://bit.ly/dragrust ), Jim and Bryan took on tips about book preview embedding, outsourcing, and idea generation. The Top 5 News included stories on more Amazon title culling, the "secret sauce" of marketing, Pottermore's big change, reactive editorial selections, and the sale of Author Solutions. This Week's Question of the Week: "Why do you think Penguin sold Author Solutions? Will the Author Solutions' new owner expand or retract the company's reach and why?" |
Wed, 6 January 2016
It's our best show of the year (so far)! After Jim responded to a counterpoint about his standby Amazon competition argument, and Bryan drew a winner for the book description giveaway, the astute authorpreneurs chatted KDP ads, BookBub's new feature, and an audiobook ad trick. They also re-featured patron Crissy Moss and her book Witch's Sacrifice ( http://bit.ly/witchsac ). News stories this week included how the publishing industry really works, the Authors Guild's call for contract changes, Joe Konrath's 2016 resolutions, the importance of used book stores, and several pundit predictions for 2016. This week's Question of the Week: What are your predictions for 2016? If your predictions come true, how will your author business change throughout the year? |
Wed, 30 December 2015
A new year is upon us as Jim and Bryan creep closer to the show century mark! After Bryan announced his temporary course opening ( https://www.sellingforauthors.
With hankies in hand, Bryan and Jim discussed memories of 2015 and some of their favorite tips, including author branding, virtual assistants, and paid advertising. The trends of the year included trading places, cracking down, indie statistics, the KU-pocalypse, and multiple major indie success stories. This week's Question of the Week (the final one of 2015!) is: What do you think was the biggest news story of 2015? How did it make a major impact on indie publishing?
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Wed, 23 December 2015
Christmas is in the air, but Bryan and Jim are still telling it like it is. They started with Jim's big "guess the clip" giveaway! They continued with news stories like KU's international pages read change, indemnity clauses in trad pub contracts, publishing success, innovation in publishing, the myth of the Everyreader, and the adult coloring craze. Before the took on tips about Apple, staying fresh in a series, and mailing list growth, they re-featured their patron Honoree Corder and her book Prosperity for Writers ( http://bit.ly/honorpro ). This week's Question of the Week: What does realistic publishing success look like to you? Where do you see your publishing business in five years? |
Wed, 16 December 2015
The pair of publishing podcasters have a new nickname (and you'll have to listen to find out)! After praising their patrons Kathy Coatney (Dad's Girls http://www.kathycoatney.com/
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Wed, 9 December 2015
Jim and Bryan have reached over 100 reviews on iTunes! You can still leave a review to enter Bryan's book description giveaway contest before December 31st. In their latest show, they touched upon tips about keeping book reviews, building a better website, and spending less time on Twitter. They also thanked their latest patrons Geoff North (author of Thawed: Cryers http://bit.ly/thawcry ) and J. Rutger Madison (author of A Curse Upon the Saints http://bit.ly/curssaint ). News stories included ebooks in Kenya, Jane Friedman's content marketing success, the addictiveness of self-publishing control, how publishers and authors can work together, Smashwords latest publishing poll, and the new Author Earnings Amazon UK report. This week's Question of the Week: How far in advance do you plan your publishing schedule? How do you (or could you) use pre-orders to improve your pre-planned releases?
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Wed, 2 December 2015
Jim and Bryan marveled at having lasted 87 episodes as they took on the latest news in self-publishing. After giving props to their latest patron, S.J. Pajonas and her book Removed (available at http://bit.ly/sjremoved ), they tackled tips on pseudonyms, Draft2Digitlal's email service, and long-term blogging. News stories included thoughts on the sharing economy, how Netflix and self-publishing relate, what trad pubs fail to understand about ebooks, where you'll see a self-pubbed book mentioned for the first time ever, and whether or not you should write to market. This week's Question of the Week: Do you write for passion or do you write to market? Why have you made that decision? |
Wed, 25 November 2015
With Bryan back from his walkabout, he and Jim discussed the latest in the self-publishing sphere. After giving a hat tip to their patron Jonathan Small and his book Ascent ( http://www.amazon.com/dp/ |
Wed, 18 November 2015
With Bryan camping (living) in a van down by the river, your co-hosts taped a special show on the subject of email marketing. They re-featured patron Michael Alan Peck's book The Journeyman ( http://michaelalanpeck.com/ |
Wed, 11 November 2015
Councilman Elect Jim Kukral and Marshmallow Elect Bryan Cohen reunited for the latest episode of the show. After re-featuring Patron Susan Illene and her book Stalked by Flames ( http://amzn.to/1Q80kFr ), the determined duo took on tips about promoting sequels, co-writing, and using video marketing. News stories focused on the passing of a self-publishing godfather, HarperCollins' acquisition of The Midlist, Amazon's purge of books using certain keywords, opinions on Amazon Books, and whether or not we're living in the "post-content era." This week's Question of the Week: What value do you think Amazon is getting out of its latest retail venture? Would you want one in your city? Why or why not? |
Wed, 4 November 2015
With Jim off winning an election (!!!), Bryan welcomed three of his early Selling for Authors students to the show. Dystopian new adult author Tarah Benner, nonfiction author Nathan Meunier, and dark fantasy author John L. Monk visited the podcast to talk tips, news, and Bryan's Selling for Authors course (which closes its doors on Thursday, November 5th, 2015 at 11:59pm EST). Learn more at https://www.sellingforauthors.com After thanking new patron Chris Ayala (author of The Last Days at www.TheLastDaysTrilogy.com ) and returning patrons Kate Curran (She's Out of His League at http://bit.ly/shesout ) and Marc Gunn (Pirates vs. Dragons at http://bit.ly/pirdrag ), Bryan and the gang talked tips. The tips of the week focused on blurbs, writing like you talk, and using Facebook ads to grow your mailing list. News stories included Amazon's bookstore, a woman who reviewed 31,000+ books, the decline of eReaders, trad pub's international strides, Kris Rusch's opinion on agents, and trad pub testing out the permafree model. This week's Question of the Week: Should we be worried about trad pub trying out permafree? Why or why not? What do indies still have as a competitive advantage over trad pubs? |
Tue, 27 October 2015
As Bryan dealt with the throes and joys of his Selling for Authors course launch (located at https://www.sellingforauthors.com ), the determined dyad took on the latest in indie publishing news. Jim and Bryan praised their latest Patron, Alan Frederick Hight, and his book Where The Leaves Wither ( http://eepurl.com/badxB9 ), and talked tips on card readers, Quotle, and Twitter giveaways. The news includes stories on Ellora's Cave, indies in libraries, Amazon's future reviewer plans, Kobo's new promos for authors, trad pub authors going indie, and the influx of high-end author courses. This week's Question of the Week: What's something you're an expert on that you could teach a course about? How might you go about creating and promoting the course? |
Wed, 21 October 2015
Bryan and Jim headed deep into autumn with their latest episode on Amazon's Fiverr reviews lawsuit, building giant email lists, and a comparison between indie and trad pub income. After thanking their wonderful Patrons for the week, Jennifer Evans Kochalka's Grand Theft Auto and Other Misdemeanors ( http://amzn.to/1GRIzFb ), Tara Ross' Cubicle Jail to Laptop Lifestyle ( http://amzn.to/1ZNNHWl ), and Mark Cooper's Merkiaari Wars Box Set ( http://www.amazon.com/dp/
The news stories included million-reader email lists, indie author advice from the CEO of Hachette, Google book scanning project, Sela Lyons' indie success, and Amazon's lawsuit against Fiverr book reviewers. This week's Question of the Week: How do you get your book reviews? What are some ways you might use to gather more?
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Wed, 14 October 2015
This week, Bryan and Jim tackled another wild week in publishing, including stories on the VATmess expanding, the Author Earnings ebook market report, and the Amazon Crossing announcement. First, Bryan talked about the successes and failures of his insane last week activities, such as an attempt to hit the NY Times list with a BookBub and his March to a Bestseller 3 event. You can opt-in to get his free training course for authors at http://sellingforauthors.com
Our Featured Patron of the week was Thomas Umstattd of the Novel Marketing Podcast (http://www.novelmarketing.com ). Jim and Bryan also covered tips on free book promotions, pre-orders, and writer's block. This week's Question of the Week: Which non-Amazon ebook retailer would you like to see at #2 in the market and why?
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Wed, 7 October 2015
This week, Bryan announced a million things (actually three things) to help indie authors, including his new free video training (go to http://authorcopy.com to get on his list), his attempt to hit the USA Today Bestseller List with his writing prompts box set) (get it on Nook at http://bit.ly/noblocknook ) and his new Selling for Authors Facebook Group ( http://bit.ly/sfagroup ). Don't forget, he's also got March to a Bestseller 3 coming up this Friday ( http://marchtoabestseller.com ).
With the promotional parade over, Jim and Bryan talked tips and news after thanking their latest Patreon patrons (Susan Illene's Stalked by Flames http://amzn.to/1Q80kFr ) and (Chris Syme's SMART Social Media for Authors http://amzn.to/1JLTwYI ). The tips included the next level of marketing, Blab, and better author bios. The tumultuous twosome also talked Facebook Groups, a year-long marketing plan, to KDP Select or not to KDP Select, the evolution of authorship, and high concept branding.
This week's Question of the Week: How would you create a high concept brand around your books?
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Wed, 30 September 2015
After introducing their latest patron, Michael Allen Peck and his book The Journeyman, Bryan and Jim tackled the latest tips and news. Tips included myths about author marketing, Draft2Digital's new back matter feature, and passive book marketing. Stories focused on an Oyster update, the growing pay-per-page model, indie author post-production, the mahogany desk flu, the Author Earnings individual report, and the passing of an important figure in self-publishing. The Question of the Week is: Should we keep the sounders? And how has KBoards helped you during your indie author career? |
Wed, 23 September 2015
Jim and Bryan took on a big week of news in the self-publishing with their latest episode. After Bryan officially announced the latest March to a Bestseller event (available at http://www.marchtoabestseller.com ), the tag team re-featured one of their $3 patrons, Sandy Williams and her book Shades of Treason. They also took on tips about whining, selling on iBooks, and collaboration. The news stories included the ad-blocking iOS9 browser, the latest month of KU earnings, getting readers to finish books, Amazon's server outage, and Google's acquisition of Oyster. This week's Question of the Week is: Do you think Google will try to compete in the book subscription market? How else do you think Oyster's integration will impact the Google Play store? |
Wed, 16 September 2015
This week, Bryan has gone temporarily solo! Learn 5 things you may not have known about him before you hear the unplugged version of your favorite self-publishing news show. Tips include strategies on mailing lists, what not to do with paid marketing, and how to better understand your readers. The news stories focused on CreateSpace pirates, the cost of self-publishing, how to make Facebook work for you, why you should write four books a year, and the latest Author Earnings Report. This week's Question of the Week: What paid advertising methods have worked best for you? How often do you use them to strengthen your author business? Bonus Question: What else would you like to learn about Bryan? |
Wed, 9 September 2015
Jim and Bryan brought the thunder in their landmark 75th episode! After the two talkers gave props to their latest Patreon supporters (Mark E. Cooper's Merkiaari Wars Box Set, C. Steven Manley's Awakened, Kate Curran's She's Out of His League, and Honoree Corder's Prosperity for Writers), Bryan introduced his $1,000 Copywriting for Authors Giveaway. Enter and get his book description cheat sheet at http://authorcopy.com
This week's tips included solutions for top writer excuses, how to create an indie collective, and why you should track your marketing efforts. News stories focused on the Wall Street Journal's piece on ebook pricing, Facebook marketing, Kindle Scout, judging books by their covers, more zombie publishing memes, and Jamie McGuire's Walmart shelf placement. This week's Question of the Week: Do you buy books at Walmart? How hard would you work to get your books on the shelves there?
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Wed, 2 September 2015
This week, Jim and Bryan welcomed Honoree Corder, the bestselling author of Prosperity for Writers to the show. They also mentioned their newest Patreon pledges on the air, including Crissy Moss (the author of Witch's Sacrifice), Marc Gunn (the creator of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast), Alinka Rutkowska (author of How I Sold 80,000 Books), Parker Hudson (author of On the Edge), Jonathan Small (author of Ascent), and Sandy Williams (author of Shades of Treason). You can contribute to the Patreon page at http://patreon.com/smbs
Jim, Bryan, and Honoree took on a trio of tips about turning your book into a brochure, getting blurbs, and a rule of thumb for marketing budgets. News stories included the Author Solutions settlement, why librarians don't seek out self-published books, Simon & Schuster's small entry into KU, the Authors Guild's campaign against non-competes, Stephen King's unintentionally pro-indie argument, and the self-publishing print-on-demand #1 worldwide bestseller. This week's Question of the Week: What's your best estimate on when the New York Times Bestseller list will either cease to exist or have to change drastically? If it does have to change, what will that change look like?
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Wed, 26 August 2015
Jim and Bryan started the episode by announcing their new Patreon page. By becoming a patron of the show, you can get your book mentioned on air and contribute to several awesome milestones like extra episodes and an SMBS road tour! Check out the page at https://patreon.com/smbs
During the episode proper, the sluggers of self-publishing news tackled tips on improving Dragon Dictate, selling direct, and pricing your books. News stories included the last-second acquisition of PubSlush, the closing of HarperCollins Authonomy, Ann Jacobs' attempt to join the Ellora's Cave lawsuit, Konrath and Eisler's take on the "Amazon is a Monopoly" meme, Amazon's new Also Boughts drop-down menu, and the massive Hugo Awards controversy. This week's Question of the Week is "If you were on the shortlist to get a Hugo nomination in the midst of the Sad Puppies controversy, would you have withdrawn your name? Why or why not?"
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Wed, 19 August 2015
After Jim teased two new Author Marketing Club resources and Bryan offered a free consultation for new Best Page Forward subscribers, the triumphant team tackled the latest tips and news. The three tips included building a launch team, creating captivating Facebook cover images, and increasing your engagement on Google Plus. The top five newsworthy stories focused on the closure of PubSlush, John Scalzi's diversification claims, St. Martin's Press allegedly failing to live up to its contract, Liz C. Long's frustration at the self-publishing stigma, and July's Kindle Unlimited payout numbers. This week's Question of the Week: "What were your July KU numbers? Are you happy with the results? Why or why not?" |
Wed, 12 August 2015
After Bryan talked dictation and Jim put out a call for developers, the terrific twosome tackled the best tips and news of the week. The three tips included advice on pre-orders, lessons to learn from James Patterson's Masterclass, and how to start off right in self-publishing. The compelling news stories included male pen names, comparisons between print journalism and traditional publishing, author displeasure with Audible, Fantasy-Faction's post on why you shouldn't self publish, and a massive story on agency pricing. This week's Question of the Week is "Would you buy an e-book if it was priced higher than the paperback or hardcover? Why or why not?" |
Wed, 5 August 2015
In the dog days of summer, only the strong self-publishing newscasters survive. Bryan and Jim talked writing speed and Jim's latest Authorpreneur interview before diving head first into the tips. The advice included spreading audiobooks with OneBook, selling local with the bookseller's mindset, and fiction writing lessons from Joanna Penn. The news included stories on picking your ideal reader, the myth of author laziness, trad pub blacklisting blurbs for POD books, Konrath and Eisler's Authors Guild fisking, and one author's reminiscences of trad pub days gone by. This week's Question of the Week: What qualities would you want in an organization that protects the interests of authors and why? |
Wed, 29 July 2015
With solid nights of sleep behind them, Jim and Bryan tackled the latest topics in self-publishing. After discussing Bryan's new URL for his service, BookBestPageForward.com, and Jim's latest interviews on Authorpreneur.fm, the marketing mavens took on the tips and news. Tips included how to average out the stats of the bestsellers of the last decade, aspiring authorpreneur advice, and how to live more simply. News stories focused on picking a new term for indie authors, Mike Shatzkin's potential about-face, summer reading statistics, a review of indie author library services, and the impact piracy has on indies. The Question of the Week: Will book piracy become as huge as music piracy did during the Napster days? Will it impact the average indie author? Why or why not? |
Wed, 22 July 2015
As Bryan fought back sleepiness and Jim teased a new Author Marketing Club tool, the podcasting pals gave episode #68 their all! They tackled tips on ambition, a new Twitter app, and how to treat book reviewers. Bryan and Jim also covered the latest in self-publishing news, including stories on direct Facebook sales, Douglas Preston's letter to the Department of Justice, Amazon Follow, the underground world of Kindle ebooks, and the transparency of the publishing business. This week's Question of the Week: "Do you think the Kindle Gold Rush post was real or fake? What do you think we should take from it either way?" |
Wed, 15 July 2015
With Jim using his "Gone Fishin'" sign, Bryan welcomed another British guest co-host to the show this week: Simon Whistler of the Rocking Self Publishing Podcast! Simon and Bryan chatted about last week's question before moving into tips about free Kindle book covers, online quizzes, and writing 5,000 words per hour. News stories included reports on the closing of Nook's international store, the spread of ebooks in India, the Ted Cruz bestseller list controversy, Kobo's eRead Local campaign, Shawn Inmon's post on starting from scratch, and the Authors Guild's 50/50 ebook royalty initiative. This week's Question of the Week is "What would you do differently if you were starting self-publishing today?" |