Episode 189 – The Sell More Books Show Summit, Indie Stability, and Tips from 20 Books Vegas

Question of the Week: Are you coming to the Sell More Books Show Summit on May 4-6, 2018 in Chicago? What are you most looking forward to about the conference?

Up for Chicago in May? It’s the perfect time to join Jim and Bryan for the Sell More Books Summit – have you booked your tickets yet? After taking a moment to thank their patrons, Leading Effectively: Proven Leadership, Ten Little Bridesmaids, and Sanyare: The Last Descendant, Jim and Bryan share tips on better use of Amazon KDP keywords, the plus-side of releasing books quickly, and using your personal mindset to increase success. In the news, latest research indicated libraries are a powerful, expanding marketplace for authors, Harry Potter meets the creators of Pokemon Go for a new augmented reality game, Google has opened up their publishing portal again on a case-by-case basis, what options Pronoun users have now that the platform is closing, and the business model for indie authors has finally stabilized giving authors what they need to run their own scalable businesses. Question of the Week: Are you coming to the Sell More Books Show Summit on May 4-6, 2018 in Chicago? What are you most looking forward to about the conference?

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Episode 188 – Pronoun Closing, Audible Romance, and Five-Year Goals (with Honoree Corder)

Question of the Week: Should we have seen the closure of Macmillan’s Pronoun coming? What should we do in the future to be prepared for major changes in the industry?

Did you see the Pronoun writing on the wall? After thanking their patrons Manhunt: The Power to Restore Civilization, Creative Collaborations: How to Form Lasting and Lucrative Partnerships without Being Smarmy, Write Like a Boss: From a Whisper to a Roar, guest co-host Honoree Corder joined Bryan for tips on setting goals, using a Twitter hack to grow your email list, and using weekly meetings to boost productivity. In a big news week, they cover changes coming in the US brick and mortar bookstores, story trends, a special Kindle app for readers in India, Audible’s new romantic side, and Pronoun’s last stand. Question of the Week: Should we have seen the closure of Macmillan’s Pronoun coming? What should we do in the future to be prepared for major changes in the industry?

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Episode 187 – Piracy, MailChimp, and Consistent Sales

Question of the Week: Given Amazon’s recent rank stripping of promoted books, do you think you’ll do fewer launch-style promotions and go for the slow and steady approach? Why or why not?

With Amazon’s recent rank stripping, should authors focus on a slow and steady promo effort rather than starting off with a bang? After thanking their patrons Guerrilla Tactics Against Passive Aggression in the WorkPlace, 31 Days of Wisdom, and Wanderer’s Escape, the dynamic duo of Jim and Bryan jump into tips about authors not feeling like imposters, keeping motivated during NaNoWriMo, and adjusting MailChimp settings. New items featured John Grisham’s biggest financial mistake, reading easier on mobile phones, Amazon cracking down on rank manipulation, Twitter locking authors out of their accounts, and why pirated books may not be as harmless as some think. Question of the Week: Given Amazon’s recent rank stripping of promoted books, do you think you’ll do fewer launch-style promotions and go for the slow and steady approach? Why or why not?

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Episode 186 – Amazon Brings Down the Hammer, Wide Release Strategies, and Audible Car Mode

Question of the Week: Has your spouse/significant other ever read your books? How involved are they in your publishing process and why?

How involved is your spouse in your writing? After thanking their patrons Vanguard: The Complete First Series, Divorced Dad: Kids are Forever, Wives are Not, and Hitler Out of Time, Jim and Bryan chat about tips on how authors can create books with perennial appeal, putting off learning new skills until they are needed, and using preorder promotions to launch a bestseller. News stories included what readers can expect from Wattpad’s new Premium service, Amazon’s new feature for young readers, Amazon Rapids, how Audible is making your commute a little easier, why KU and wide authors should use different marketing methods, and why Amazon is stripping some innocent authors of their books’ ranking. This week’s Question of the Week: Has your spouse/significant other ever read your books? How involved are they in your publishing process and why?

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Episode 185 – KDP Jumpstart, CreateSpace, and Seven-Figure Deals

Question of the Week: When are you planning to start using KDP Print? What will you miss the most about CreateSpace when it’s eventually closed?

Is this the beginning of the end for CreateSpace? After thanking their patrons, The Busy Busy Author, The Last Verdict, and Slow Burn: Zero Day, Jim and Bryan took on tips about podcasts, BookBub Ads, and social media anxiety. News stories included how to grow your business, outside-the-box marketing, KDP Jumpstart, the closing of CreateSpace’s e-store, and seven-figure trad pub deals. This week’s Question of the Week: When are you planning to start using KDP Print? What will you miss the most about CreateSpace when it’s eventually closed?

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Episode 184 – iBooks Issues, Draft2Digital Affiliates, and Amazon X-Ray

Question of the Week: Do you use iBooks? How do you think it compares to other ebook marketplaces and why?

With a trio of massive tips, Jim and Bryan brought the fire for episode 184. After thanking their patrons Carnal, Twisting Fate, and Character Sketch & Color, the publishing prima donnas discussed tips on nonfiction books, beta readers, and relaunching your books. News stories included romance publishers falling short on diversity, using Amazon’s built-in X-Ray feature, Draft2Digital’s new affiliate program, romance authors’ frustration at a recent New York Times piece, and why iBooks may slide from its #2 spot. This week’s Question of the Week: Do you use iBooks? How do you think it compares to other ebook marketplaces and why?

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Episode 183 – Bookfunnel Direct Sales, Hurricane Relief, and Facebook Ads (with Michael Cooper)

Question of the Week: If you don’t yet use Facebook Ads, what’s the main reason you don’t include them as part of your marketing?

Sci-fi author Michael Cooper joined us today for a longer-than-usual but extremely informative Lab segment. After thanking their patrons, Peak Democracy, The Final Arrangement, and Nightblade, Bryan and Jim tackled tips on pen names, selecting your next story to write, and how to promote your books. News stories included the publishing practices of Marcel Proust, publishers helping hurricane victims, AAP’s ebook sales increase, and Bookfunnel’s new direct sales integration. This week’s Question of the Week: If you don’t yet use Facebook Ads, what’s the main reason you don’t include them as part of your marketing?

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Episode 182 – Intellectual Property, Kindle in China, and The Future of Nook

Question of the Week: Is Barnes & Noble getting a tech partner or selling its ebook and e-reader business a good thing for authors or a bad thing and why?

Has Nook finally waived the white flag? Find out in our latest episode! Jim and Bryan take on tips about efficient book launches, common mistake, and information overload. After thanking their patron Dead Still, the two triple-threats discussed stories on Amazon’s Alibaba sale in China, attitudes about intellectual property, Canada’s audio battleground, and Barnes & Noble making changes with the Nook. This week’s Question of the Week: Is Barnes & Noble getting a tech partner or selling its ebook and e-reader business a good thing for authors or a bad thing and why?

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Episode 181 – iPhone X, Author Customer Support, and Chance the Rapper

Question of the Week: At what point should an indie be considered a “sellout?”

Bryan and Jim are back with a very news-focused show! After thanking their patrons, Black Shadow Moon, The Tilt, and Twins of Prey, the publishing pundits discussed making big plays, connecting with readers on social media, and how to improve your email engagement. News stories included an idea for improving KDP customer support, lessons Joanna Penn learned in her sixth year in publishing, why trad pub bet big against digital, a new system in erotica characterization, and what we can learn from Chance the Rapper. This week’s Question of the Week: At what point should an indie be considered a “sellout?”

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Episode 180 – Kobo Audiobooks, AMS Advice, and Scammer Crackdowns

Question of the Week: How much would your earnings have to drop to consider going wide instead of in KU? Also, would you consider leaving if Amazon’s actions against the scammers aren’t effective? Why or why not?

What’s your KU pain point? Jim and Bryan ask the big questions this week on Episode 180. After thanking their patrons Guardian of the Brail, Achieve Anything in Just One Year, and How to Drive Your Next Car Deal, the Towers of Publishing Power discussed tips on paperback preorders, rookie publishing mistakes, and a new email swap service. News stories included teaching self-publishing to high schoolers, Rip Van Winkle syndrome for midlisters, tips for Amazon Ads, Kobo’s new audiobook platform, and Amazon’s lawsuits to stop scammers. This week’s Question of the Week: How much would your earnings have to drop to consider going wide instead of in KU? Also, would you consider leaving if Amazon’s actions against the scammers aren’t effective? Why or why not?

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