Novel Marketing

By Thomas Umstattd Jr.

The longest-running book marketing podcast in the world. This is the show for writers who want to build their platform, sell more books, and change the world with writing worth talking about. Wheth

... more

4.8

325325 ratings

Download on the App Store

Download on the App Store

Get it on Google Play

FAQs about Novel Marketing:

How many episodes does Novel Marketing have?

The podcast currently has 639 episodes available.

Novel Marketing episodes:

May 01, 2016 080 – Q & A Extravaganza

Intro Paragraph:
(Thomas) Our first question comes from Runescape Gold dot com. No, that’s not his name but he or she didn’t give one. But I love this question. Do I have the guts to quit my job?
Dave Smale
I know it’s never a good idea to get a friend (or a friend of a friend with an English Lit degree) to be your editor. Does the same hold true for beta readers? If so, how do you find dependable beta readers?

Beta readers need to be fans of and readers of your genre.
If you write mystery you want Beta readers who read at least 12 mystery books a year.
They need to know what a good mystery book looks like.
Beta readers should point out problems. Not suggest solutions. It is your editor who helps you solve problems.

Name Rick Barry Author of The Methuselah Project
Question
I see that many authors have their own online listing in Wikipedia. Is that vital for an author today? Even in addition to the author’s own website, Twitter page, Facebook, etc., etc.? And if a Wikipedia listing is crucial (or at least helpful for marketing), please give tips and the pros and cons of having a Wikipedia listing. Thanks guys!

A wikipedia page is a big deal. James is a best selling author and he doesn’t have one. Thomas doesn’t have one either.
A Wikipedia page is very valuable as an author. It helps your SEO, notoriety and credibility.
It is against Wikipedia’s rules to create your own page. This is considered a vanity page.
You have to be big enough for your fans to be willing to create the page and defend in in the Wikipedia discussion.
The best way to get a wikipedia page is to get traditional national mainstream media to do a piece about you.

Name Courage Knight Novelist and Author of Do It Yourself Editing: A Guide for the Ebook Author

Question
I’m confused! What is the difference between a webpage and a facebook page? I know what a webpage is, and what a facebook page is, but what I mean is – the content that I put on them? It sounds like I’m supposed to write the same content on both – telling a story, sharing information with my fans, etc. But is there any difference in what I post to my blog or my facebook page?

Go fish
Each social network has its own culture and dialect. You message is the same but the way you communicate that message must fit the culture you are trying to reach. White Baptist Church and an African American Baptist Church. Same doctrine. Different service.
Facebook is about video and images. The Facebook messages that spread tend to start in Photoshop and iMovie.
Blogging is about text. It is longer form.

(James) Q From Brennan McPherson who has a book out called, Cain. I’m just starting to read this and pretty excited to dive into it.

Brennan says, “Greetings guys, fantastic Podcast. Such great content. Thanks for all your hard work and for sharing your expertise freely with us newbies!

What are the most important ingredients that go into helping any PR opportunity successfully sell books? In talking with my publisher, they’ve gotten their authors on Good Morning America, FOX News, and myriad other national television shows, yet sold fewer than 500 copies that week. That’s terrible. When you have a viewership in excess of 1 million and yet sell 500 copies, that’s 1/20th of 1% actually converted into buyers. Houston, we have a problem. There’s gotta be a way to ensure more people convert from potential buyers to actual purchasers.”

Guest host

Name Holly Holladay with Holiday House Publishing

Hi Thomas & Jim,

Q: I am a big fan of the Novel Marketing podcast,
...more
30min
April 23, 2016 How to Write a Crazy Cool Author Bio
Ten tips to help you write a bio that your audience will enjoy and remember.

You can find the blogpost version of this episode HERE.
The post How to Write a Crazy Cool Author Bio appeared first on Author Media.
Support the show
...more
22min
April 23, 2016 How to Write a Crazy Cool Author Bio

Novel Marketing listener Samantha Johnson, author of The Beginner’s Guide to Vegetable Gardening, recently wrote:

I discovered the Novel Marketing podcast a few months ago, and since then, I’ve listened to nearly all the episodes in the archive. Great stuff! I now have a lot of new marketing ideas to try, and I’ve learned ways to fine-tune the things I’ve already been doing.I’d love to see you guys discuss how to write the perfect author bio. I know you’ve touched on this briefly in the past, but an entire episode would be awesome.”

Samantha, your wish is our command!

Bios are one of the most overlooked aspects of an author’s marketing, but it’s one of the first things a potential reader, interviewer, publisher, or agent will look for.

Most people assemble a few personal facts, mention their success highlights, and believe they’ve written a good bio.

Trained public speakers learn how to introduce a person using their bio. Professionals take your three-paragraph bio and edit it to a couple of sentences that will interest the particular audience and whet their appetites for what you’re about to say.

Sadly, it’ doesn’t always happen that way. Often, the conference director, who has not been trained as a public speaker, will simply read all three paragraphs of a very boring author bio. When that happens, you, as the featured speaker, have lost half the audience before you’ve even begun.

When I’m asked to speak, I always provide a long bio and a short bio. The person introducing me can choose from the buffet of information in my long bio and deliver only the parts that will interest or entertain the audience in attendance.

But I also provide a short bio for the MC who isn’t prepared or doesn’t know the protocol. That way, the audience and I don’t have to endure the long reading of the long bio.

Your bio is your introduction and therefore needs to be entertaining, provocative, or at the very least, not boring. It should hook the audience and pique their interest.

Generally speaking, the audience doesn’t care where you went to college or how many kids you have. They are wondering how you will impact them. There are exceptions for nonfiction writers. For example, if you’re writing a parenting book, your readers will be very interested to know how many kids you have and whether they’re grown or not. But for novelists, readers will be less interested in your personal history and more interested in how you’ll entertain them through your writing.

Your bio should entertain or provoke them in some way, and whatever you include should invoke emotion.

Here are some tips for writing a bio that will hook your audience.

How to write an interesting author bio:* Tip #1: Be relatable but keep some mystery.* Tip #2: Use humor.* Tip #3: Tell us where you live, even if you’re not specific.* Tip #4: Give people a sense of your voice.* Tip #5: Write your bio in third person.* Tip #6: Remember, it’s not about you. * Tip #7: Give your authority.* Tip #8: Customize your bio for different audiences.* Tip #9: Watch your length.* Tip #10: Give a call to action.* Two Examples...
...more
22min
April 01, 2016 078 – How To Become a Career Writer Part 4: How to Make Money With Your Knowledge & Celebrity
Your Celebrity Fabio Story Publisher Avon Books estimated his image increased sales by as much as 33% when he appeared on the cover with a woman; 45% when he appeared alone. Each photo session would get Fabio in about 16 cover poses that artists could reuse for multiple covers. He’s on more than 2,000 book […]

You can find the blogpost version of this episode HERE.
The post 078 – How To Become a Career Writer Part 4: How to Make Money With Your Knowledge & Celebrity appeared first on Author Media.
Support the show
...more
24min
April 01, 2016 078 – How To Become a Career Writer Part 4: How to Make Money With Your Knowledge & Celebrity
Your Celebrity

Fabio Story

Publisher Avon Books estimated his image increased sales by as much as 33% when he appeared on the cover with a woman;
45% when he appeared alone.
Each photo session would get Fabio in about 16 cover poses that artists could reuse for multiple covers. He’s on more than 2,000 book covers.
The guy most famous for bare-chested covers made very little money from posing for them. He used his popularity to turn himself into an iconic brand.
It is easier to turn fame into fortune, than it is to turn fortune into fame. And that is how you make money as an author.

Special Access
Related Products
Dave Ramsey’s Envelope System Wallet
Merchandise

Study Guide
A Poster of Your Book Cover
A Poster of the Map of your world.

Cafepress.com

Your Knowledge

Info Products

Audio Courses (Ted)
Video Courses (udemy.com)
Focused eBooks & PDFs

Speaking

Speaking Fees

Themes
Radio interviews

Back of the Room sales

Find audiences to speak to about your book.

Cultivate Evangelists

Coaching

Helping other authors through the self publishing process.
Coaching on your area of expertise.

Podcasts

Sell ads.

Sponsor:
One of the best ways to get going on making money as an affiliate is with MyBookTable. This plugin is one of the cheapest ways to upgrade your website and boost your book sales. It also helps you make more money per book by integrating with Amazon’s Affiliate program. It pays for itself after just 50 books sold. If you use coupon code “novelmarketing” on checkout you can get 10% off.

...more
24min
March 15, 2016 077 – How To Become a Career Writer Part 3: Make Maximum Money with Your Writing Skills
75 #1 Think Like a Business 76 #2 Make Money on the Book 77 #3 Make Maximum Money with Your Writing Skills Use Your Writing Skills As an Editor Pays faster. The editor is the first and sometimes only person to make money on a book. Creating a course to teach writing to other […]

You can find the blogpost version of this episode HERE.
The post 077 – How To Become a Career Writer Part 3: Make Maximum Money with Your Writing Skills appeared first on Author Media.
Support the show
...more
24min
March 15, 2016 077 – How To Become a Career Writer Part 3: Make Maximum Money with Your Writing Skills

75 #1 Think Like a Business
76 #2 Make Money on the Book
77 #3 Make Maximum Money with Your Writing Skills

Use Your Writing Skills

As an Editor

Pays faster. The editor is the first and sometimes only person to make money on a book.
Creating a course to teach writing to other writers is how many authors make their money.

Write for periodicals:

Short story collections
Magazines
Journals
Websites/Internet

As a Ghost Writer

Ghost writers typically get money up front as well as sometimes getting a cut of the ongoing revenue. This is the fun of writing without having to deal with haters and marketing.

As a work for hire

Define work for hire. No royalties, but most books never get past their advance anyway. A team helping you plot. Stretches you in other writing areas/genres. Can be fun!

As a Copywriter

One of the best selling forms of writing. Often paid by the word or my the hour. It is not uncommon for a copywriter to make $50-$60k a year and top copywriters make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.
Back cover copy

Kylie Dunn- Do. Share. Inspire.

Newsletters

As a Blogger

Once you get to about 100,000 pageviews a month you can start making real money on advertising on your blog. Particularly if you have a focused niche that is attractive to advertisers.

Sponsor: One of the best ways to get going on making money as an affiliate is with MyBookTable. This plugin is one of the cheapest ways to upgrade your website and boost your book sales. It also helps you make more money per book by integrating with Amazon’s Affiliate program. It pays for itself after just 50 books sold. If you use the coupon code “novelmarketing” on checkout you can get 10% off.
...more
24min
March 01, 2016 076 – How To Become a Career Writer Part 2: Make Maximum Money on Your Book
Tips for Making the Most on Your Book: Publish Prolifically. (Each book boosts sales for your other books) BUT DON’T OVERDO THIS: too many choices are not a good thing… Write Quickly (Quality + Speed = Excellence). Perfection is a trap. Write Consistently Write Early (There is a scientific reason for writing first thing in […]

You can find the blogpost version of this episode HERE.
The post 076 – How To Become a Career Writer Part 2: Make Maximum Money on Your Book appeared first on Author Media.
Support the show
...more
20min
March 01, 2016 076 – How To Become a Career Writer Part 2: Make Maximum Money on Your Book
Tips for Making the Most on Your Book:

Publish Prolifically. (Each book boosts sales for your other books)
BUT DON’T OVERDO THIS: too many choices are not a good thing…

Write Quickly (Quality + Speed = Excellence). Perfection is a trap.
Write Consistently
Write Early (There is a scientific reason for writing first thing in the morning. You have more willpower and more creative energy.)

Learn How to Sell
Use Amazon Affiliates (See Episode 73)
Think Career

Links:

* Go Givers Sell More
* Episode 73: How to Double Book Profits Through Affiliate Revenue

Sponsor: One great to boost the money you make on your book is with MyBookTable. This plugin is one of the cheapest ways to upgrade your website and boost your book sales. It also helps you make more money per book by integrating with Amazon’s Affiliate program. It pays for itself after just 50 books sold. If you use the coupon code “novelmarketing” on checkout, you can get 10% off.
...more
20min
February 15, 2016 075 – How To Become a Career Writer Part 1: Think Like a Business
Think Like a Business: Delegate Determine what your time is worth. Only do what only you can do. Read The Four Hour Workweek Build a Team Writing Assistant Ways to pay Editor Literary Manager Webmaster Investors (You need to invest in your own book) Agent CPA How to Become a Business You are already a […]

You can find the blogpost version of this episode HERE.
The post 075 – How To Become a Career Writer Part 1: Think Like a Business appeared first on Author Media.
Support the show
...more
23min

FAQs about Novel Marketing:

How many episodes does Novel Marketing have?

The podcast currently has 639 episodes available.

More shows like Novel Marketing

The Sell More Books Show: Book Marketing, Digital Publishing and Kindle News, Tools and Advice by Bryan Cohen and H. Claire Taylor: Self Publishing Author Entrepreneurs

The Sell More Books Show: Book Marketing, Digital Publishing and Kindle News, Tools and Advice

315 Listeners

The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers by Joanna Penn

The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers

630 Listeners

Self-Publishing with ALLi by Alliance of Independent Authors

Self-Publishing with ALLi

60 Listeners

Creative Funding Show by Thomas Umstattd Jr.

Creative Funding Show

22 Listeners

Christian Publishing Show by Thomas Umstattd Jr.

Christian Publishing Show

102 Listeners

Thomas Umstattd Jr. Guestcast by Thomas Umstattd Jr.

Thomas Umstattd Jr. Guestcast

3 Listeners

Wish I'd Known Then Podcast For Writers by Sara Rosett and Jami Albright

Wish I'd Known Then Podcast For Writers

132 Listeners

Fiction Writing Made Easy with Savannah Gilbo | How to Write a Novel & Writing Advice by Savannah Gilbo

Fiction Writing Made Easy with Savannah Gilbo | How to Write a Novel & Writing Advice

1,477 Listeners

The Indy Author Podcast by Matty Dalrymple, The Indy Author

The Indy Author Podcast

30 Listeners

The Rebel Author Podcast by The Rebel Author Podcast

The Rebel Author Podcast

74 Listeners

Self Publishing Insiders by Draft2Digital, Mark Leslie Lefebvre, Jim Azevedo, Lexi Greene

Self Publishing Insiders

26 Listeners

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing by Bianca Marais, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

786 Listeners

Essential Guide to Writing a Novel by James Thayer

Essential Guide to Writing a Novel

430 Listeners

Brave New Bookshelf by Steph Pajonas and Danica Favorite

Brave New Bookshelf

23 Listeners

Indie Writers Club by James Blatch & Cara Clare

Indie Writers Club

14 Listeners

Author Update by Thomas Umstattd Jr.

Author Update

34 Listeners