Novel Marketing

My Worst Takes & Mistakes Over 500 Episodes

29 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve arrived! It’s the 500th episode of Novel Marketing.To celebrate, I’m giving away the MacBook Neo I reviewed a few episodes ago, but I’m ...

Stop Guessing: How to Know If Your Book Marketing Is Working

15 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Most authors can tell you their royalties but not their net profit per book. They spend money on ads, see sales come in, and assume things are fine. B...

The Cultural Zeitgeist Shift That's Making Indie Authors Rich

08 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

There’s a culture shift underway that most authors aren’t seeing. Even traditional publishers can’t figure out why their titles are resonating. ...

Apple's Cheapest Laptop Ever: Should Authors Buy It?

01 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

I bought and tested Apple's cheapest laptop so you don't have to.I stress-tested the MacBook Neo with a 250,000-word document, ran every maj...

Your Friends Lied About Your Book Cover

25 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Your author friends are lying to you about your book cover.Well, not on purpose. They can’t help it.When authors are trying to pick a book cover, th...

Reader Magnets Are Dead? Why Most Reader Magnets Fail

11 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Many authors say reader magnets don’t work anymore. But when done right, a good reader magnet can grow your email list from zero to thousands of sub...

Your Author Toolbox: Part 2

04 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Do you ever wish you had a team of writing, publishing, or marketing professionals to consult? Do you wish you had an assistant to help with the busin...

How to Become a Professional Writer With Joanna Penn

25 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Is your writing a hobby or a profession? The answer to that question changes everything.Many authors claim to be professionals but act like hobbyists....

Why Your Book Isn’t Selling: Metadata

18 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

If your book isn’t selling, it may not be your writing.It may be your metadata.In this week’s episode of the Novel Marketing Podcast, you’ll hea...

How to Format a Book with Vellum

11 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Many authors assume book formatting is complicated, expensive, or something only professionals can handle.In ​this week’s episode​, I talk with ...

How Authors Can Stay out of Jail

21 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

American Taxes, pay too little and you go to jail. Pay too much and you lose the money you need to reach more readers with advertising and promotion. ...

Productivity Secrets from Bestselling Author Jerry B. Jenkins

14 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Do you ever feel like your book is taking forever to write?Maybe you’ve been working on the same manuscript for years, and then you look up and see ...

Networking for Authors

07 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Most authors begin writing as a solitary pursuit and soon realize they don’t know other writers or industry professionals who can help them grow. So...

The 5 Year Plan to Become a Professional Author

31 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you ask a bestselling novelist how long it took to go from aspiring writer to published success, the answer is usually about ten years. One reason ...

Why Some Authors Are Ditching ChatGPT Entirely

18 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

ChatGPT used to be the go-to AI for authors, but it's no longer the best choice for every task. New models like Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, and G...

A Nonfiction Author’s Guide to Substack

10 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I am not a big fan of Substack for novelists. Most novelists are better off using the free version of Kit and WordPress. However, Substack is a comple...

Should You Create a Premium Hardcover Edition of Your Book?

03 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Hardcover books are back. Beautiful, premium, collector-quality editions are gaining momentum with readers who want books that look and feel special. ...

Amazon Algorithm Secrets That Separate Bestsellers from the Slush Pile

25 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Authors talk about “the algorithm” the way the little aliens in Toy Story talk about “the claw.” Does the algorithm randomly choose your book,...

The Shopify Trap: Why Authors Keep Losing Money

05 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Lately, I’ve been getting swamped with emails from authors asking about Shopify. Many are losing money and wondering what went wrong and how to fix ...

Stop Wasting Money on Ink: 2025 Printer Guide for Authors

29 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are you wasting money, time, and paper by using the wrong printer?Before you buy your next printer, make sure it has the features every author needs. ...

How to publish your audiobook through ACX

22 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Audiobooks have been the fastest-growing segment in publishing for a decade, and for many readers, an audiobook signals a real, human-written book. In...

How to Build an Email List before publishing your novel

08 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Many authors make the mistake of writing a book first and then trying to find readers. This is backwards and rarely works. However, if you follow thes...

Triple Your Writing Speed with Dictation

01 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The faster you write, the more books you can publish and the more money you can make from your writing.We all type slower than we speak, and if you’...

How to Boost Sales With Permafree Books

24 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Giving away your hard work for free doesn’t seem to make good business sense. So why do authors give away ebooks for free?What if “free” didn’...

How to Get More Book Reviews

10 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

So you wrote a good book, but you can’t seem to get reviews. Do you just throw up your hands? Why do reviews and ratings even matter?Well, the more ...

The Author’s Guide to AI with Joanna Penn

03 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Most authors either avoid AI or use it badly. Let’s fix that.Authors who learn to use AI find that they have more time to write better books.In this...

When to Ignore Your Editor

27 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Every author needs editorial feedback. But not all feedback is good.If you accept every edit, you risk losing your voice and writing something bland. ...

Announcing the 2026 Novel Marketing Conference

13 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Most writing conferences teach you how to write a better book or how to pursue a literary agent. But what if you have already written a great book and...

How to Get Started with Author School Visits and Make Your Book Playground Famous

06 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you write picture books, chapter books, or middle-grade fiction, you know the challenge: kids read your books, but adults buy them.So how can you l...

Zeitgeist, Dystopian Fatigue, and the Rise of Ruthless & Noble Heroes

30 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What’s up with ruthless heroes and romantasy?And what if the real reason your book isn’t selling has nothing to do with your writing and everythin...

How to sell 1,000 books a month

23 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ever wonder how some authors consistently sell a thousand books a month?What marketing tactics are they using? How can I get those results too?In the ...

How to Work With a PR Firm to Promote Your Book

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Publicity has always been important for authors. Mark Twain promoted his books by writing letters to the paper, and even Agatha Christie, who was know...

What does ChatGPT Actually Know About Your Book?

09 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You’ve optimized your book for AI, updated your website, polished your metadata, maybe even watched our AI Optimization for Authors episode.But how ...

How to Create Sales Optimized Book Pages for Your Author Website

25 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Well, this is embarrassing.After 12 years of teaching authors how to build better websites, I realized I’ve never covered the most important page on...

Is Your Traditional Publisher Going Bankrupt? 8 Warning Signs to Look Out For

18 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The publishing industry is facing significant challenges. We just went through a major zeitgeist shift, and reader preferences radically changed. AI a...

How to Adapt a Podcast to YouTube

11 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You work hard to create content for your audience. But how do you get more mileage and reach out of each piece you create?One way is to adapt your con...

How to Publish a Novel in 2025

04 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you been dreaming about publishing a book that actually sells?The hard truth is that most authors fail because they jump straight into writing. T...

An Introduction to Author Ecosystems with Russel Nohelty

28 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever followed popular marketing advice that worked wonders for someone else but completely fell flat for you? Or have you watched another aut...

AI Optimization for Authors

21 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Most authors are thinking about AI the wrong way. AI isn’t really a tool for writing books, but it’s quickly becoming the most powerful tool for s...

Your Author Toolbox

14 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What if you had a toolbox filled with over 30 expert-level resources to help you sell more books and spend less time marketing?In this week’s episod...

How to generate passive income with affiliate marketing

07 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are you leaving money on the table every time you share a link to your book?In this week’s episode, we talk with Jesse Lakes, co-founder of Geniusli...

How to PROFITABLY Advertise a Solo Book on Amazon

30 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Without advertising, most books only sell to the author’s friends, family, and neighbors. People across the country or across town may never hear ab...

Announcing Author Update

16 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Publishing is changing faster than ever before. New AI tools are dropping every time you turn around, and the way authors write, publish, and sell boo...

2025 Laptop Buying Guide for Authors

09 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Too many writers waste hundreds or thousands of dollars on laptop features they’ll never use. Worse yet, some struggle along with outdated, unreliab...

Email List Alchemy: How to Grow Your Email List Fast With Giveaways

02 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Description & TimesBuilding an email list made up of more than friends and family can feel impossible, especially before you've launched your...

Escaping the Procrastination Prison: A Guide for Tired Authors

26 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are you having trouble starting or finishing your writing? A subtle and sinister phenomenon may be keeping you from success. It may even be the reason...

How to Craft a Cancel Proof Marketing Strategy

19 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Blog version: https://www.authormedia.com/how-to-craft-a-cancel-proof-marketing-strategy/A few years ago, getting canceled could end your career. But ...

Author Website Review: Christian Historical Romance

12 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How effective is your author website? In this week’s episode of Novel Marketing, I review the websites of top Christian Historical Romance authors, ...

Book Promotion in 2025: How AI Gives Authors More Time to Write

05 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 2025, and authors are at war over AI. Some are embracing it, others are retreating to bunkers, and a few think it’s just another passing fad....

The Sci-Fi Zeitgeist Has Shifted – What Authors Need to Know

26 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Science fiction is changing, and so are its readers. The cultural landscape that shaped the last 40 years of sci-fi is shifting, including thoughts ab...

Indie Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing

19 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

To indie publish or traditionally publish? That is the question.For years, indie publishing was seen as a fallback for authors who couldn’t land a t...

Stop Writing Book Series!

12 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re thinking about writing a book series, you might want to reconsider, especially if you’re a new author. That’s not to say you should ne...

How to Sell Books From a Table

05 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever set up a book table and stacked your books neatly, only to walk away with disappointing sales? You're not alone.But there is a bett...

Listen to This Before Your Next Podcast Guest Interview

29 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Congrats on getting booked for a podcast interview! Whether you’re promoting your book or lead magnet, your audio quality on the podcast can make or...

A Storytelling Revolution: Inside the World of Serialized Fiction

22 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Serialized fiction has been captivating readers for centuries, from nightly bedtime stories to Charles Dickens' Great Expectations to modern writ...

Is Traditional Publishing Dying? Surprising Trends Authors Can’t Ignore in 2025

08 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Where is publishing headed in 2025? Are we witnessing the end of traditional publishing or the birth of something new?In this week's episode of N...

Networking for Authors: How to Build Relationships Without Being Awkward

18 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Many authors feel stuck. They're toiling away in obscurity, and none of their promotion efforts seem to go anywhere.Success in publishing is as m...

Project Management for Authors

11 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the endless task of writing, publishing, and marketing your book? From deciding which software to use for writing to fi...

How to Build a Rejection Proof Platform in 2025

25 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Your author platform is your ability to spread the word about your book. As an indie author, your platform is directly linked with how large your book...

Contact Page Dos & Don’ts for Authors

20 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Is your website’s Contact page serving your readers and web visitors?In the past, authors simply shared their email addresses on their websites. But...

How to Worldbuild Your Book into a Bestseller

13 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Choosing the right setting can supercharge your book sales. Some people read a book just for its setting. A good setting can lead to spin-off products...

How to Run a Local Book Festival

06 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes in marketing, it pays to zig when everyone else is zagging. In this digital age, when authors race to do everything online, it's easy t...

How to Write Stories Readers Will Love by Knowing the Zeitgeist 

30 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As Yoda says, “Difficult to see the future is.” But difficult is not impossible. Causes have effects, and the more you have a sense of the rhythms...

How to Use Reverse Coupons 

23 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Has inflation eaten away at your book profits? Perhaps you want to start advertising and need some margin. Or maybe readers are not taking you serious...

How to Write Enduring Bestsellers with the Two-Act Chiastic Structure

16 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The last time I visited Barnes and Noble, I marveled at the comic book section. Western comic books only filled a couple of shelves, while around the ...

The Strategy Behind Reader Super Magnets

09 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Reader magnets are like real magnets. Sometimes, they aren't very magnetic, and other times, they're so magnetic that we can rapidly grow an...

What to do When Book Sales Start Slipping

02 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Are your book sales starting to dip a bit? Perhaps your book sales were once great and are now starting to fall. You may see this drop in sales for se...

Marketing a Book Series with Kristina Stanley

25 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Holy Grail for many authors is to write a popular book series where readers of book one go on to read book two and so on. Writing a popular book s...

Announcing the 2025 Novel Marketing Conference

11 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I'm excited to announce that tickets are now for sale for the 2025 Novel Marketing Conference. The conference will be held in Austin, Texas, on J...

How to Write Novels Men Want to Read

04 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A few weeks ago, Dazed Digital published an article asking why men no longer read novels. The article itself had no satisfying answers, but the questi...

How to Deliver Your Book Baby

28 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Authors often refer to their books as "babies." As I've worked in the publishing world with authors and now that we are awaiting the bi...

How to use research to market your novel

21 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Novelists often struggle with what to write or say in their email newsletters, blogs, and podcasts. Unpublished novelists often feel like they have no...

How to Create an Online Course

14 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever wondered if a course would be a better way to present the material in your book? Have your readers asked you to develop your book into a...

How writing short stories can make you a better novelist

07 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

You probably know that offering a reader magnet on your website is imperative to growing your email list, tantalizing readers with a sample of your wr...

Web Hosting for Frugal Authors

31 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Your website is one of your most critical book marketing assets. It’s where you manage your online reputation, grow your email list, and sell books....

How to Avoid Book Marketing Overwhelm

17 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Feeling overwhelmed by book marketing can lead authors to look for shortcuts. Shortcuts lead to expensive complications. Expensive complications lead ...

The Savvy Authors Guide to Passwords

10 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Being an author requires you to have hundreds of online accounts for different software and services. Websites such as Amazon, ConvertKit, Publisher R...

How Connor Boyack Sold Millions of Books Directly to Readers Without Using Amazon

03 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Can you make a living as an author without selling through Amazon? Many authors wonder.Amazon is the sole revenue source for many indie authors, but A...

Are Pen Names Going Away?

26 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

With the rise of AI authors, how do you prove you are a human author? Most authors prove their humanity with their names and photos. Your identity pro...

Why Your Book is Still Unfinished (Hint: It’s Your Phone’s Fault)

19 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I remember watching Steve Jobs's keynote presentation for the original iPhone. This magical new device, he said, would revolutionize our producti...

Printing the Future: Quality Offset Print-on-Demand with BookVAULT

12 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Authors around the world are trying to reduce their reliance on Amazon. However, most of us still use and like Amazon. In fact, many authors earn most...

The Powerful Nonfiction Pitching Recipe That Works for Both Fiction and Nonfiction

05 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

One key to becoming a bestselling author is the selling. And one element of sales is the sales pitch. Some authors think pitches are only to be used f...

From Tech Timid to Tech Savvy: How to Master Any Technology

28 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

My first DOS computer had no mouse. Its screen had two colors: green and white. Today, computers have mice and complex graphics, and there is no need ...

The Thriving Author: How to Market Books When You Have Money to Invest

22 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A few months ago, we released an episode called The Starving Author: How to Market Books When You Have No Money.After the episode aired, several autho...

Speak, Engage, and Inspire: Secrets of Entertaining & Educational Webinars that Sell

01 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Author Media has a list of over 10,000 subscribers, and around half of them open our emails, which means our open rates hover around 50%. That’s a h...

2024 Laptop Buying Guide for Authors  

24 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

An Uber driver's most valuable asset is his car. A photographer's camera is critical. An Uber driver with a broken car can't make money...

How to Sell More Books With Amazon Ads

10 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When readers browse Amazon, they have already decided to purchase a book. The only question is: Which book will they choose? What if there was a way t...

AI for Authors in 2024 - The Good, Bad, and Ugly

03 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The tools we use for writing have evolved over the centuries, from quill and inkpot to the printing press, to the word processor to AI. Recent develop...

Pros and Cons of Pre-Orders

27 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Almost every traditionally published book goes up for preorder before it comes out. However, the advice surrounding preorders can be confusing for ind...

Marketing 101: Place

20 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

You’ve heard me talk about the Five Ps of Marketing, and in this week’s episode, we tackle the third P: Place. In other words, where should you se...

How to use Reedsy to Independently Publish Your Book

13 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The term "self-publishing" doesn't mean that you sit in a cabin in the woods all by yourself and emerge with a published book as if you...

Book Launch Secrets

06 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This year marks the end of an era.The Book Launch Blueprint is entering its seventh and final year. Since we began offering it in 2018, it has been on...

How to Publish on a Budget

28 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How much money does it cost to become a professional author?Any profession will cost you when you're just getting started. If you're broke, ...

How to Write Emails That Readers Want to Read

21 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Email marketing is one of the most powerful tools for connecting with readers and selling books. Obviously, you want a lot of email subscribers, but i...

How to Build a Tribe Online And Form a Community of Readers

14 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A few years ago, the popular buzzword in the author world was "tribe." Building a tribe of readers was seen as the key to success. Reader re...

How to Market With No Money

07 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Two authors recently asked me the same question: “What should I do if I have no money for book marketing?"It’s a question that requires explo...

When to Quit

24 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Are you thinking about quitting publishing or writing? You started full of energy and optimism, but it has been a hard road, and you feel tired.Should...

From Page to Screen: How to Adapt your Novel into a Screenplay

17 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Do you long to see your story on the big screen? If so, I have good news.Every streaming platform is desperate for new content to give them the edge i...

Chrome Extensions Every Author Needs in 2024

10 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Google Chrome is the most popular web browser, but if you're just using basic Chrome, you're missing out on some amazing time-saving tools a...

Publishing Industry Secrets Revealed at the Penguin Random House Trial

02 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

For those outside the publishing industry, the inner workings of the industry are wrapped in mystery.How do books get published?Who decides which book...