This week on The Self-Publishing Show, James Blatch and Cissy Mecca reflect on SPS Live 2026 and the Cambridge Retreat, sharing their biggest takeaways from the event and the sessions that made the biggest impact. From direct sales and BookVault strategies to AI workflows, reader engagement, advertising, TikTok marketing, and writing for commercial success, the pair discuss the practical lessons authors can apply immediately to their own publishing businesses. The episode serves as a post-conference debrief, highlighting the trends, tools, and mindset shifts that are shaping the future of indie publishing.

Key Talking Points

• Key lessons and standout moments from SPS Live 2026 & The Cambridge Retreat
• Direct sales opportunities and simplifying fulfilment with BookVault
• Using AI to streamline author businesses and administrative workflows
• Building AI projects and systems rather than relying on individual chat prompts
• Advertising strategies and improving marketing effectiveness
• Why consistency beats chasing viral success on TikTok
• Reader engagement, newsletter performance, and audience growth
• Writing for commercial success and understanding reading-age expectations
• The importance of clear, accessible writing ("Saxon over Latin")
• Practical actions authors can take immediately after attending a conference
• How successful authors focus on implementing ideas rather than collecting them

Links & Resources Mentioned

• ProWritingAid: https://prowritingaid.com
• SPS Live 2026 Digital: https://www.learnselfpublishing.com/spslive-digital
• BookVault: https://bookvault.app
• Tammi Labrecque: https://newsletterninja.net
• Gunning Fog Index — estimates how hard a piece of writing is to read. The formula is: Fog Index=0.4×(wordssentences+100×complex wordswords)\text{Fog Index} = 0.4 \times \left( \frac{\text{words}}{\text{sentences}} + 100 \times \frac{\text{complex words}}{\text{words}} \right)Fog Index=0.4×(sentenceswords​+100×wordscomplex words​)Where: Words per sentence = total words ÷ total sentences Complex words = words with three or more syllables, usually excluding proper nouns, familiar compound words, and common suffix forms. So in plain English: Fog Index=0.4×(average sentence length+percentage of complex words)\text{Fog Index} = 0.4 \times (\text{average sentence length} + \text{percentage of complex words})Fog Index=0.4×(average sentence length+percentage of complex words)Example: If a passage has:
  • 120 words
  • 6 sentences
  • 12 complex words
  Then: Average sentence length = 120 ÷ 6 = 20 Percentage of complex words = 12 ÷ 120 × 100 = 10 0.4×(20+10)=120.4 \times (20 + 10) = 120.4×(20+10)=12 So the Fog Index is 12, meaning the writing is roughly suited to someone with a 12th-grade / late secondary-school reading level.