What Keeps Self-Published Books Off the New York Times Best-Seller Lists?

Episódios

How Authors Can Use Long-Form Video to Build Their Brand
9 abr· Publish & Prosper
In this episode of POD Pod, Lauren is joined by Lulu’s Education & Community Manager (and YouTube celebrity) Chelsea Bennett! Tune in for a conversation on the value of adding long-form video content to your marketing strategy, how authors can use video to connect with their audience, and getting comfortable on camera (and ignoring the haters).
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Dive Deeper
💡 Check Out Lulu on YouTube
💡 Watch These Episodes
Ep #47 | Metrics That Matter: A Guide for Authors & CreatorsEp #55 | How to Hit Your Perfect Pitch for Speaking EngagementsEp #60 | Book Publicity Simplified with Sarah Franklin
💡 Watch These Videos
How to Build a Community of True FansStephanie Chandler Webinar | Speaking to Sell Books: Break into Professional Speaking to Reach More ReadersFun With Formatting Webinar
💡 Read These Blog Posts
Social Media 101: YouTube For AuthorsHow to Write Effective YouTube Descriptions to Reach New Fans

Sound Bites From This Episode

🎙️ [10:58] “I think it really just humanizes your brand. It allows people to connect with you on a more authentic level. And so I think that that's really the value add, is more and more with the world that we live in with AI and automation and all of these things, I think people are really hungry for authenticity.”
🎙️ [29:03] “You have to remember the shelf life of videos, if it's good, can be up forever.”
🎙️ [43:19] “Even if at the end of the day, you decide that's not for me, or it's not helping me reach my goals, you have a whole new skill set that you can pull from when you try the next thing.”
💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
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How to Copyright the Copy That You Wrote
2 abr· Publish & Prosper
In this episode, Matt & Lauren–who are definitely not lawyers–take on copyright law. We talk through what indie authors need to know about copyrighting their books in the US, why and how authors should register their work for copyright, and how fanfiction and generative AI may impact copyright in the future.
Again: we are not attorneys.

Dive Deeper
💡 Copyright Resources
Creative Commons Register Your Work → How to Copyright Literary WorksBowker | Must-Know Copyright Basics & FAQsCopyrightsNowWhat Writers Should Know About CopyrightWrite Publish Sell | What Every Author Needs To Know About Copyright, ISBN, PCN and LCCNLibrary of Congress | Artificial Intelligence Report
💡 Listen to These Episodes
Ep #18 | How Writers Can Harness the Power of AIEp #59 | Mastering Book Metadata to Maximize Market Reach
💡 Read These Blog Posts
Copyright Law Basics For AuthorsHow to Copyright a Book
💡 Watch These Videos
What the Hell is Book Metadata?What is an ISBN?

Sound Bites From This Episode
🎙️ [11:41] “At the very least, we're going to give you the information that you need to look further into because it's hard to know what you don't know.”
🎙️ [20:00] “Which is also–does not mean that you've now copyrighted your work per se. Again, legally, technically, it is copyrighted because you created it, but you should still take the extra steps we're about to get into.”
🎙️ [46:16] “Endorsed by Lauren, who is not an attorney, by the way. But an elder emo. So she does carry some weight in some circles.”
💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
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Extend Your Books’ Shelf Life with Backlist Book Marketing
26 mar· Publish & Prosper
In this episode, Lauren and Matt are ready to inject new life into your backlist book titles. We share ideas for using your backlist to experiment with new formats and distribution channels, turning your older books into lead magnets, and generating passive income from your content long after launch.

Dive Deeper
💡 BookFunnel
💡 BookBub
💡 Written Word Media | BookBub for Authors
💡 Listen to These Episodes
Ep #15 | Can You Really Support Your Business With Just 1,000 True Fans?Ep #41 | How to Drive Book Sales Without Offering DiscountsEp #56 | The Indie Author's Guide to Going Wide With Your Book Distribution
💡 Read This Blog Post
8 Simple Ideas for Backlist Book Marketing
💡 Watch This Video
Distributing Your Book With Lulu: What You Need to Know

Sound Bites From This Episode

🎙️ [10:37] “Your backlist is a great resource for you if you want to experiment with either going wide with your book sales or moving your books onto a different ecommerce platform than what you're using right now.”
🎙️ [29:26] “Anything you can do, anything that doesn't affect the integrity of your content, your book to drive more sales of more of your backlist titles or titles in general then you should try it for sure.”
🎙️ [34:09] “Especially for some of these low lift versions of backlist book marketing where it's costing you little to nothing to do them. Ten new emails from something that cost you two hours of your time and zero dollars is a win.”
💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
💀 Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
💀 Email us at [email protected]
💀 Sign up for our mailing list.
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Beyond the Algorithm: Relationship Marketing for Authors & Publishers [Live From London Book Fair]
19 mar· Publish & Prosper
Recorded Live from London Book Fair!
In this episode, Matt & Lauren explore the value of relationship marketing (tailoring your efforts to connect with your audience) versus algorithm marketing (tailoring your efforts to satisfy algorithms). We debate the merits of both strategies and share actionable steps to use them together to grow your brand.

Dive Deeper
💡 Watch the Session on YouTube
💡 Learn More About Lulu Direct
💡 Check Out ReallyGoodEmails.com
💡 Listen to These Episodes
Ep #24 | How to Turn Your Casual Fans into Super FansEp #47 | Metrics That Matter: A Guide for Authors & CreatorsEp #59 | Mastering Book Metadata to Maximize Market Reach
💡 Read These Blog Posts
Discoverability in the Age of AI SearchHow to Turn Casual Followers into Dedicated Super FansHow to Convince Readers to Buy Books Directly From You
💡 Watch These Videos
Lulu U Playlist | Direct SalesLulu U Playlist | Marketing Tips
Sound Bites From This Episode
🎙️ “Human impressions over digital impressions. If you take nothing else away today, write that down. Human impressions over digital impressions. Every day, all day.”
💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
💀 Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
💀 Email us at [email protected]
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Sustainability in Publishing: Reducing Waste One Print Book at a Time
12 mar· Publish & Prosper
In this episode, Matt & Lauren take a critical look at wasteful practices in the publishing industry. We share insight into what it takes to become a certified B Corp (like Lulu!), how book printing creates both physical and carbon waste, and what we can all do to make publishing more sustainable.

Dive Deeper
💡 Resources
→ Research: Consumers’ Sustainability Demands Are Rising
→ B Lab US & Canada
→ Book Sales: What that viral Substack post gets wrong.
→ No One Buys Books
→ Book Waste: The Dangers of Publishing and the Ethical Consumption of Books
💡 Listen to These Episodes
→ Ep #9 | Are Print Books Dead?
→ Ep #36 | The Indie Author’s Guide to Self-Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing
→ Ep #49 | What Keeps Self-Published Books Off the New York Times Best-Seller Lists?
💡 Watch These Videos
→ Why is Lulu a B Corp?
→ The Life of a Book
💡 Read What Being a B Corp Means to Us

Sound Bites From This Episode

🎙️ [9:52] “We're making the argument that print-on-demand and using a print-on-demand company like Lulu is more environmentally friendly than traditional publishing. But B Corp isn't just about that.”
🎙️ [22:40] “I would much rather see a book that was well read and well loved and shows the signs of it than a book that was printed, never opened, never sold, and then just destroyed.”

🎙️ [32:45] “I think when you combine the world of digital and print and you encourage a digital-first strategy for how you're publishing and printing, I think that's when you really start to optimize the sustainability factor of what we're doing in the publishing industry.”
💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
💀 Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
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Creating a Custom Book Business Using Lulu's Print API
5 mar· Publish & Prosper
In this episode, Lauren & Matt explore Lulu’s open source Print API. Don’t know what an API is? We’ve got you covered. We also talk through the value of personalized products and creative ways to use Lulu’s Print API to power your custom book business.

Dive Deeper
💡 Learn more about Lulu’s Print API
💡 Sponsor Magnet by Justin Moore
💡 Listen to These Episodes
Ep #31 | Your 7-Step Guide to Building an Online BookstoreEp #43 | Make Your Self-Published Books Stand Out with Custom DetailsEp #58 | Creative Ways to Use Print-On-Demand to Support Your Business
💡 Read These Blog Posts
Personalization at Scale: How Lulu’s API Enables Customized PrintingScaling Your Business with Custom Books Using the Print API
💡 Watch These Videos
Webinar | The Business of Books: How To Use Lulu's Print API To Scale Your BusinessLulu U | Selling Direct with a Print API
Sound Bites From This Episode

🎙️ [13:40] “This is not a new concept. What this is is a more evolved technology for how to create these kinds of products in a really cool way and also get even more personalized and even more creative with them.”

🎙️ [27:10] “You are trying to build personal relationships with your customers, with consumers. Consumers are more conscientious than they were in the past. They are looking for - whether they realize it or not - they are looking for a personalized relationship experience.”
💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
💀 Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
💀 Email us at [email protected]
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Book Publicity Simplified with Sarah Franklin
26 fev· Publish & Prosper
In this episode, Matt & Lauren are joined by Sarah Franklin, Lulu’s Public Relations Manager and expert book publicist! Hear about book publicity simplified as Sarah answers questions like:
→ What’s the value in hiring a publicist vs. doing your own publicity?
→ What exactly is a publicist’s role in book marketing?
→ How do you make the most of earned publicity once you have it?
And more! Listen now or watch Episode #60 on YouTube.

Dive Deeper
💡 Featured
💡 Listen to These Episodes
Ep #10 | Marketing Your Book Pre-Launch, At-Launch, and Post-LaunchEp #13 | Earning Free Publicity for Your BookEp #57 | How to Use a Preorder Campaign to Boost Your Book Launch
💡 Read These Blog Posts
How to Earn Media Attention: Essential PR Tips for Authors
💡 Watch These Videos
PR for Authors: Building Buzz Around Your Book
Sound Bites From This Episode

🎙️ [11:05] “Depending on the goals for your book, a publicist is one of those things where you absolutely should spend the money if you can afford it and some of your goals for this book align with the need for having a publicist, right?”
🎙️ [25:24] “You know, they can get you exposure, but your expertise in your book, that should be the moneymaker right there.”
🎙️ [41:01] “Something may come of it, nothing may come of it, but nothing's gonna happen if you don't do anything.”
💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
💀 Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
💀 Email us at [email protected]
💀 Sign up for our mailing list.
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Mastering Book Metadata to Maximize Market Reach
19 fev· Publish & Prosper
In this episode, Lauren & Matt deep dive into book metadata and how it can better position your book in the market. Maximize your discoverability and reach with tips on choosing bookstore categories and BISAC codes, tools for keyword research, and best practices for making the most of your metadata.

Dive Deeper
💡 Complete BISAC Subject Headings List
💡 Bublish's AI Author Toolkit
💡 Publisher Rocket
💡 Listen to These Episodes
Ep #34 | Hooking New Readers With a Compelling Book DescriptionEp #37 | How to Get Your Book Into Indie BookstoresEp #51 | Finding Your Niche, Your Ideal Reader, and Your Target Audience
💡 Read These Blog Posts
SEO for Writers: A Deep Dive Into Keyword Research and AnalysisGenres, BISAC Subject Codes, and YouBISAC: What It Is and Why It Matters
💡 Watch These Videos
What is Metadata? YouTube ShortWhat the Hell is Book Metadata? BISAC Codes and How to Choose Them

Sound Bites From This Episode

🎙️ [3:02] “Your metadata is relevant to you if you're selling direct, if you're doing distribution, if you're sticking to a single ecommerce solution, whatever it is, no matter what you're doing, your metadata is relevant to your book.”
🎙️ [15:28] “I think you should be marketing to human beings and not to algorithms.”
🎙️ [32:21] “Understanding that to prepare yourself for a future where search looks different than it does now being as concise and specific with your keywords is going to be more important than ever.”
💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
💀 Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
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Creative Ways to Use Print-On-Demand to Support Your Business
12 fev· Publish & Prosper
In this episode, Matt & Lauren explore different ways print-on-demand technology can support your business. We share ideas for creating books for internal use, brand awareness and loyalty projects, and new product lines to consider.

Dive Deeper
💡 Listen to These Episodes
Episode #22 | Using Customer Data to Grow Your BusinessEpisode #33 | Books You Can Create Using Your Existing ContentEpisode #54 | Can Books Add Value to Your Business (Beyond Just Revenue)?
💡 Read These Blog Posts
6 Ways to Publish a Book Without Writing a Book6 Steps to Create and Print a Book for BeginnersHarness the Power of Publishing: Using Your Book for Lead Generation
💡 Watch These Videos
What Should I Publish? 10 Ideas Using Content You Already Have The Content Entrepreneur's Guide to Book Publishing
💡 Stephen Cabebe's book Disney Ready: Your Pain Free Parks Survival Guide
💡 How Armen Adamjan Uses Print-On-Demand To Turn Video Content Into Profitable Books
Sound Bites From This Episode
🎙️ [3:59] “This is not an episode about self-publishing a book to then use print-on-demand to then grow your business similar to some of the other episodes we've done, which are great. This is truly about the technology and functionality of print-on-demand in your business.”
🎙️ [22:23] “If you're listening to this and you're like, okay, but I already do that, but I just do it in like an email form or a PDF form or something like that. I'm like, just think about how much it's elevating the experience to get a physical printed copy of it.”
🎙️ [30:25] “I would rather win your mailbox than to compete against your inbox or struggle in your DMs.”
💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
💀 Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
💀 Email us at [email protected]
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How to Use a Preorder Campaign to Boost Your Book Launch
5 fev· Publish & Prosper
In this episode, Lauren & Matt make a case for why every indie author should try using a preorder campaign to support their prelaunch marketing efforts and boost their book sales. We talk through how preorder campaigns can help you reach your target audience, different kinds of campaigns, and ways to collect your preorders.

Dive Deeper
💡 To Be Fair…
💡 BookBub | How Authors Use Preorders to Promote New Books in 2023

💡 Listen to These Episodes
Episode #10 | Marketing Your Book Pre-Launch, At-Launch, and Post-LaunchEpisode #13 | Earning Free Publicity for Your BookEpisode #19 | Crowdfunding Your Self-Published Book With Kickstarter

💡 Read These Blog Posts
Managing Your Presales, Crowdfunding, and Book LaunchDropshipping for Entrepreneurs & Creators With Lulu's Order Import ToolStreamlining Kickstarter Fulfillment: How Kris Waldherr Used Lulu’s Order Import ToolHow I Ran a Successful Crowdfunding Campaign for My Book

💡 Watch These Videos
Lulu's Order Import Tool: Bulk Ordering Made EasyWhy People Buy: Using Psychology to Sell More Books Webinar | Crowdfund Your Dream Project with Kickstarter

Sound Bites From This Episode

🎙️ [4:34] “It is so much easier to market your book prelaunch. And the further out you start, for the most part, the easier it gets to market it.”
🎙️ [32:31] “Every time you do a preorder or a sales campaign or anything else where you're selling these things directly, that is an opportunity to gain more email addresses and customer contacts and build your own database.”
🎙️ [48:47] “I mean, you can do those things. But the point is you can go outside of the box and get more creative and drive more value and more urgency and incentive for people to want to be part of this preorder versus just picking up a copy afterwards.”

💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
💀 Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
💀 Email us at [email protected]
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The Indie Author's Guide to Going Wide With Your Book Distribution
29 jan· Publish & Prosper
In this episode, Matt & Lauren answer questions about moving your books from Amazon to other ecommerce solutions, including global distribution and direct sales. Learn how to maximize your book’s availability, forge stronger connections with loyal readers, and grow your revenue when you go wide.

Dive Deeper
💡 Wide for the Win Facebook Group
💡 Kindlepreneur Survey | The Truth On Selling Books Direct: Insights from 876 Authors
💡 Listen to These Episodes
Ep #16 | The Indie Author's Guide to Thriving Without AmazonEp #25 | Author Branding 101: Building a Brand Beyond Your BooksEp #31 | Your 7-Step Guide to Building an Online Bookstore
💡 Read These Blog Posts
Is Selling Your Book on Amazon Enough?The Independent Author's Guide to Thriving Without Amazon
💡 Watch These Videos
Start Here Lulu U Video PlaylistWebinar | Direct Sales for Fiction Authors with Michael Chatfield

Sound Bites From This Episode
🎙️ [1:57] “Going wide, specifically, is more the idea of maximizing your reach and discoverability by having your book available in as many different marketplaces as possible.”
🎙️ [23:03] “Eyeballs are really hard to catch these days. Attention is so short. There's so much white noise out there. Don't put in all that hard work or money or both, and then just send them somewhere else to buy it.”
🎙️ [47:07] “This is not an overnight decision. This is not something that you should decide after listening to this episode, yeah, you guys are right. I'm definitely going to do this. And tonight you're going to go home and pull all your books.”
“We are right. They should do this.”
💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
💀 Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
💀 Email us at [email protected]
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How to Hit Your Perfect Pitch for Speaking Engagements
22 jan· Publish & Prosper
In this episode, Lauren & Matt share tips for aspiring public speakers. We talk through presenting your best pitch to event organizers, targeting your ideal audience with your session title and description, and representing yourself with your speaker bio.

Dive Deeper
💡 Learn About CEX 2025
💡 Joe Pulizzi on LinkedIn
💡 Mic Drop Workshop
💡 Jeff Sieh
💡 Andrew Davis
💡 Mike Pacchione

💡 Listen to These Episodes
Ep #13 | Earning Free Publicity for Your BookEp #34 | Hooking New Readers With a Compelling Book DescriptionEp #46 | How to Maximize ROI on In-Person Events

💡 Read These Blog Posts
Why Creator Events Are a Must for Creators & EntrepreneursHow to Pitch Your Book for Earned Promotion

💡 Watch This Video
Webinar with Stephanie Chandler | Speaking to Sell Books: Break into Professional Speaking to Reach More Readers

Sound Bites From This Episode
🎙️ [10:05] “When pitching yourself to an event, whether it's a big one or a small one, you got to remember that the point of pitching yourself or the point is to convince the event organizers why you specifically can add value to that event.”
🎙️ [36:36] “Even if your speaking track record is extremely light or zero, you should still be confident in sharing your qualifications as to who you are and why you bring relevance to the topic and the event.”
🎙️ [52:15] “If you're pitching yourself to the correct events, this is the most qualified audience that you are ever going to get yourself in front of."
💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
💀 Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
💀 Email us at [email protected]
💀 Sign up for our mailing list.
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Can Books Add Value to Your Business (Beyond Just Revenue)?
15 jan· Publish & Prosper
In this episode, Matt & Lauren tell you why publishing a book can do more for your business than just adding a new revenue stream.. Learn how books can establish your expert reputation, connect you with new audiences, and strengthen relationships with your existing fans.

Dive Deeper
💡 The Tilt Newsletter
💡 The Business Book ROI Study
💡 Listen to These Episodes
Ep #22 | Using Customer Data to Grow Your BusinessEp #24 | How to Turn Your Casual Fans into Super FansEp #33 | Books You Can Create Using Your Existing Content

💡 Read These Blog Posts
Harness the Power of Publishing: Using Your Book for Lead GenerationScaling Your Business with Custom Books Using the Print APIThe Benefits of Writing a Book: Why Every Entrepreneur Should Publish

💡 Watch These Videos
Webinar with Stephanie Chandler | Speaking to Sell Books: Break into Professional Speaking to Reach More Readers

Sound Bites From This Episode
🎙️ [7:36] “Throughout your entire business journey, there's always going to be a need in most cases to establish some authority in the area with which you actually do business, whether you sell physical products or services… One of the best ways to do that, obviously, is to have a book in hand, right?”
🎙️ [15:54] “So many people still to this day think that because they have a social media channel presence of whatever amount of followers, it doesn't matter that they're doing great, they're riding high and they've got a viable business. Wrong. 100% wrong. If that business is built on Instagram, then Instagram has a business and followers – you don't.”
🎙️ [25:38] “A book can be a great buy-in opportunity for customers to test the water with you, or for potential customers to test the water with you.”
💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
💀 Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
💀 Email us at [email protected]
💀 Sign up for our mailing list.
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How to Create A Writing Habit That Actually Sticks
8 jan· Publish & Prosper
Is this the year you’re finally going to publish that book? Or maybe you just want to write more than you did last year. In this episode Lauren & Matt share tips for building a writing habit in a way that works best for you… and set a few lofty goals of their own.
Let us know what your writing goals are for this year! Email us at [email protected].

Dive Deeper
💡 Lulu Blog | Writing & Editing, Software Reviews
💡 Audrey Hughey | The Write Services
💡 Related Episodes
Ep #32 | 5 Things to Know Before You Start PublishingEp #38 | From Manuscript to Market: 5+ Tools to Help You Draft, Publish, and Sell Your Book
💡 Read These Blog Posts
How to Get Started Writing6 Writing Habits to Write MoreHow to Write a Book: A 6-Step Guide for Beginners
💡 Watch These Videos
Webinar | Create Your Ultimate Authorship Plan for 2024 with Audrey HugheyWebinar | How To Write An Outline For A Nonfiction Book with Stefanie NewellLulu U | 6 Tips to Create a Writing Habit that Sticks

Sound Bites From This Episode

🎙️ [16:25] “A lot of people want to talk about the importance of writing every day. I think it is more important to set yourself consistent goals that are achievable for you.”
🎙️ [25:02] “There's nothing worse than when you're just looking at a blinking cursor on a blank word doc and you've suddenly forgot just like every word that exists in the English language.”
🎙️ [43:20] “So if there's something that you heard in this episode that you're like, I could see how that works, but I just - I don't think it would work for me. Try it anyway. Try it a couple of times. And if you're still like, nope, hate this. Okay, you tried it. Maybe you learned something else from it that you can apply in a different way and then move on.”
💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
💀 Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
💀 Email us at [email protected]
💀 Sign up for our mailing list.
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Did Indie Authors Publish and Prosper in 2024?
18 dez 2024· Publish & Prosper
In this episode Matt & Lauren recap some of the hottest topics and trends in the publishing industry from 2024, and make a few predictions for 2025.
Thanks for a great year of publishing and prospering with us!

Dive Deeper
💡 Written Word Media | 2024 Indie Author Survey Results: Insights into Self Publishing for Authors
💡 Louis Grenier | $16k in 5 Days Book Launch Breakdown
💡 Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey A. Moore
💡 Bublish’s AI Author Toolkit

💡 Listen to These Episodes
Ep #18 | How Writers Can Harness the Power of AIEp #38 | From Manuscript to Market: 5+ Tools to Help You Draft, Publish, and Sell Your BookEp #43 | Make Your Self-Published Books Stand Out with Custom Details
💡 Read These Blog Posts
Direct-to-Consumer BooksellingSudowrite Review

Sound Bites From This Episode
🎙️ [9:06] “I think that that also explains that huge jump we saw in stores being created and active this year versus last year, because I do really think that this year, more than ever, it connected for people and they've started sort of piecing this puzzle together.”
🎙️ [29:01] “And the truth of the matter is nobody has any idea what AI in publishing looks like for next year… But we do know, and I think it will always be true, that it can't replace human creativity, human emotion. It can't elicit responses like a human can with their writing. So use AI for what it's good at, for productivity. Use it for the tools, and making your life easier.”
🎙️ [47:21] “I think these business savvy creators and content entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs in general are going to be at the forefront of people saying like, we understand the value of selling direct. And if a traditional publisher isn't going to work with us on that, then that's okay. We'll just do it ourselves.”

💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
💀 Find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
💀 Email us at [email protected]
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Finding Your Niche, Your Ideal Reader, and Your Target Audience
11 dez 2024· Publish & Prosper
In this episode Lauren & Matt explore the journey to successful audience growth by finding your content niche, defining your ideal reader, and identifying your target audience. We also discuss the value of learning from other creators, ways to inject new life into your marketing efforts, and the correct way to pronounce niche, among other things.

Dive Deeper
💡 Check Out SparkToro
💡 Read Written Word Media’s 2024 Indie Author Survey Results: Insights into Self Publishing for Authors

💡 Listen to These Episodes
Ep #25 | Author Branding 101: Building a Brand Beyond Your BooksEp #35 | Designing the Right Go-to-Market Strategy for Your BookEp #47 | Metrics That Matter: A Guide for Authors & Creators

💡 Read These Blog Posts
Building Effective Reader Personas for Authors and CreatorsHow to Find Your T arget Audience

💡 Watch These Videos
Webinar | How to Create a Multi-Million-Dollar Business From Your Business Book with Joe Pulizzi

Sound Bites From This Episode
🎙️ [10:07] “The start of that journey is understanding who your audience is, who you're creating content for, what is your niche topic or content area, and then understanding like, how do I create content for this audience, but more importantly, how do I market and sell it to this audience?”
🎙️ [23:01] “You should be doing this… I'm not going to say regularly, but the very least periodically. You should be updating your own understanding of who your readers are, who your audience is, who you're writing for, who you're writing to.”
🎙️ [39:14] “You have to understand that these things that you're doing, again, whether you want to agree to this or not, you're building a business. And so everything you do is a step towards sustainability long-term.”

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Debunking Myths and Misconceptions About Self-Publishing
4 dez 2024· Publish & Prosper
In this episode, Matt & Lauren tackle some of the most common misconceptions about self-publishing. We debunk myths like:
❌ You won’t make any money self-publishing
❌ You have to spend a lot of money to self-publish
❌ There’s no credibility in self-publishing
And most importantly: fake M&Ms are just as good as real M&Ms.

Dive Deeper
💡 Editorial Freelancers Association Editorial Rates Chart
💡 Listen to These Episodes
Ep #2 | Is Self-Publishing the Best Path for Today’s Creators? Ep #8 | Self-Publishing is a Team SportEp #20 | Do You Need to Hire Professional Editors for Your Book?Ep #25 | Author Branding 101: Building a Brand Beyond Your BooksEp #36 | The Indie Author’s Guide to Self-Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing

💡 Read These Blog Posts
How Lulu Simplifies Self-Publishing6 Steps to Create and Print a Book for Beginners5 Visual Indicators Your Book Is Self-Published

💡 Watch These Videos
Lulu U | Start Here PlaylistThe Life of a Book

Sound Bites From This Episode
🎙️ [4:29] “There's no guarantee you're going to make money one way or the other, it really boils down to effort. And that is also true across all of the publishing paths.”
🎙️ [25:37] “It's not a one size fits all thing in any way when it comes to how much you're going to spend on self-publishing. If you're operating under the assumption that you can only find success as a self-published author if you sink a lot of money into any part of it… that's just not true.”
🎙️ [36:32] “I think these days people want to be more in control of their content and their money and their life. And I think that they're able to do that through self-publishing and they feel better doing it because of the fact that tools have gotten better.”

💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
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What Keeps Self-Published Books Off the New York Times Best-Seller Lists?
27 nov 2024· Publish & Prosper
In this episode, Lauren & Matt discuss the New York Times Best Seller lists. Learn how the lists are decided, what disqualifies a book from being a potential NYT Best-Seller, and why self-published authors rarely make the cut.

Dive Deeper
💡 The New York Times | About the Best Sellers
💡 Novlr | The New York Times Bestseller Lists Explained
💡 Wikipedia | The New York Times Best-Seller List
💡 Jane Friedman | Self-Published Bestseller Lists

Sound Bites From This Episode
🎙️ [4:29] “What I mean when I say it doesn't matter is that you can still achieve incredible success as a self-published author without having your name on the New York Times best-seller list.”
🎙️ [12:15] “They were getting sued for not including a specific title on the list despite the sales. And the argument that they made was that it is not exclusively based on straight up math and sales numbers, but is more of an editorial product that is influenced by sales numbers, but also influenced by other things.”
🎙️ [34:35] “I'm going to make Matt's blood boil a little bit because I'm going to say that I think that for self-published authors… hitting the top of the Amazon charts is probably more important for your sales and discoverability than hit the New York Times list would be."

💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
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What Does Taylor Swift Know About Book Publishing?
20 nov 2024· Publish & Prosper
In this episode, Matt & Lauren have a conversation about Taylor Swift’s upcoming book, talking through her decision to self-publish it, and what that says about the future of traditional publishing.
Disclaimer: This episode was Matt’s idea, not Lauren’s.

Dive Deeper
💡 Target Press Release
💡 Related Episodes
Ep #2 | Is Self-Publishing the Best Path for Today's Creators?Ep #16 | The Indie Author's Guide to Thriving Without AmazonEp #36 | The Indie Author’s Guide to Self-Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing

Sound Bites From This Episode
🎙️ [14:36] “Time and time again, we see plenty of people who have built an audience for themselves, regardless of size, but it works for them. There's high engagement. They know their audience better than anybody else, and they are able to self-publish content and reach their audience and achieve whatever their primary goals are.”
🎙️ [16:20] “I think as… this idea of creating and owning your content and the distribution methods to get it to market continues to increase, I think traditional publishing's value continues to decrease.”
🎙️ [41:24] “At the end of the day I never thought I would find inspiration in something Taylor Swift did, but here we are.”
💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
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Metrics That Matter: A Guide for Authors & Creators
13 nov 2024· Publish & Prosper
In this episode, Lauren & Matt review the important metrics you need to be tracking to boost your book sales, grow your brand, and connect with a loyal audience. We take a look at social media, email, website, and customer data and share valuable tools and tips to help you make the most of the data you collect.

Dive Deeper
💡 Check Out These Resources
Shopify | Ecommerce Analytics Tools for Online Store OwnersSparkToro | https://sparktoro.com/ ManyChat | https://manychat.com/creators

💡 Read These Blog Posts
Unlock Your Content Business Potential With User DataTracking Your Marketing Efforts With UTM TagsComplete Tech Stack for Publishing

💡 Listen to These Episodes
Episode #11 | Email Marketing for Authors & CreatorsEpisode #12 | Social Media Marketing for Authors & CreatorsEpisode #22 | Using Customer Data to Grow Your BusinessEpisode #31 | Your 7-Step Guide to Building an Online Bookstore

Sound Bites From This Episode

🎙️ [10:38] “A lot of these metrics are interconnected, and that's kind of the whole point in tracking them and in paying attention to them. And I know that's going to sound really overwhelming as we rattle off a bunch of different types of metrics that you should be looking at, but they really do inform each other in a lot of different ways.”
🎙️ [24:03] “If you're sending an email out once a week or once every two weeks or whatever, and you're asking people to buy your book and you're sending them to Amazon, you're not going to have the data as to whether or not they bought a book from that email.”
🎙️ [35:55] “All roads should lead to however you get somebody to purchase a book, wherever they do that. And primarily that should be on your website.”

💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog,
our YouTube channel, and more.
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Beyond the Algorithm: Relationship Marketing for Authors & Publishers [Live From London Book Fair]

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Creating a Custom Book Business Using Lulu's Print API

Book Publicity Simplified with Sarah Franklin

Mastering Book Metadata to Maximize Market Reach

Creative Ways to Use Print-On-Demand to Support Your Business

How to Use a Preorder Campaign to Boost Your Book Launch

The Indie Author's Guide to Going Wide With Your Book Distribution

How to Hit Your Perfect Pitch for Speaking Engagements

Can Books Add Value to Your Business (Beyond Just Revenue)?

How to Create A Writing Habit That Actually Sticks

Did Indie Authors Publish and Prosper in 2024?

Finding Your Niche, Your Ideal Reader, and Your Target Audience

Debunking Myths and Misconceptions About Self-Publishing

What Does Taylor Swift Know About Book Publishing?

Metrics That Matter: A Guide for Authors & Creators