The 22 Lions Podcast: AI, Self-Publishing and Book Empire Secrets

If you’re struggling to know whether your book will sell — or how to afford professional production — a disciplined pre-sale can solve both. In this 8-minute episode Dan Desmarques walks you through a five-step Pre-Sale Validation Sprint: validate the concept, create a minimal pre-sale offer, run a focused micro-campaign, use collected revenue to fund audiobook/cover/editing, and convert early buyers into launch advocates. You’ll get explicit prompts for copy, pricing, and messaging you can test in 24 hours, plus a concise case study of an indie nonfiction author who turned a $700 pre-sale into a funded audiobook and a 3x launch spike. This episode keeps tactics practical, ethical, and KDP-compatible — no hype, no shortcuts. By the end you’ll have a one-day action plan to validate demand, a checklist for deliverables, and the exact language to invite pre-buyers to become your first promoters.

Too many authors stop at ‘finished draft’ and wonder why sales stall. This episode delivers a practical, five-step editing system that blends traditional editorial strategy with AI tools so your manuscript becomes a polished product that converts. In clear, numbered steps you’ll learn macro structural edits to strengthen promise and pacing; AI-assisted line editing without losing author voice; a proofing and format checklist that prevents embarrassing errors in KDP and audiobook files; beta-ARC testing that produces data you can act on; and final audiobook/narration prep to protect listener experience and royalties. Each step includes quick prompts, tool recommendations, and a mini case study showing how a 12,000-word nonfiction draft moved from sloppy first draft to a top-converting KDP listing. Finish with a 10-minute action you can do today to improve your manuscript and a custom CTA to 22 Lions’ publishing services for hands-on help.

Stop guessing which cover or title will sell — test it. In this 8-minute playbook you get a hands-on, repeatable system for rapid cover and title conversion testing that fits a single-session workload and a modest ad budget. You’ll learn how to design three distinct creative hypotheses, run short, controlled traffic tests, read conversion signals beyond raw clicks, and turn a winning creative into a full launch and ad strategy. The episode balances design psychology with measurable ad metrics so you can defend creative choices to partners, designers, or publishers. I include a concise case study showing a cover swap that increased buy-rate, an immediate action step you can start today, and a direct CTA to book a 22 Lions Cover Conversion Audit if you want a done-for-you pilot.

This episode teaches indie authors a compact, test-first approach to turning short-form social clips into measurable KDP conversion lifts. Dan and Aria explain how to harvest high-conversion moments from your manuscript, audiobook, or author narration; use AI to generate multiple script variants and headline hooks; and produce quick, mobile-friendly 20–45 second videos that drive clicks to your Amazon listing or a one-click landing magnet. You’ll get a practical, ethical workflow you can run in a weekend: how to pick test moments, craft three AI-backed creative angles (curiosity, problem-solution, and social proof), where to run low-cost split tests (Reels/TikTok/YouTube shorts + small social ad budgets), and how to read early KPIs to decide which creative to elevate into Amazon ad campaigns or your KDP product page. Designed for authors who want measurable, repeatable ways to move the needle without a big budget or production team.

Discover how to turn the often-ignored backmatter of your ebook, paperback, and audiobook into a predictable list-builder and sales engine. In this 8-minute monologue Dan Desmarques lays out five practical, low-friction steps: map reader journeys to relevant offers, insert frictionless opt-ins and audio previews, craft micro-offers tailored to format-specific buyers, add measurement hooks that work with KDP and email platforms, and run tiny split-tests that tell you what actually moves the needle. You’ll hear a concise real-author example showing a measurable boost in email sign-ups after a backmatter overhaul and get one immediate 10-minute audit you can run today. No hype — just actionable moves authors can implement between drafts. Episode finishes with a custom CTA inviting listeners to 22 Lions' publishing services for hands-on backmatter implementation and funnel setup.

Your cover is the single most powerful conversion lever between a browser and a buyer. This episode gives a tight, actionable blueprint for running four low-cost split tests that remove guesswork and pick a cover that actually sells. You’ll get a clear testing sequence, the exact metrics to track, how to set statistically useful sample sizes on a budget, and a real mini case: a non-fiction author who increased CTR by 42% after two quick rounds. The episode walks through image vs. title treatments, thumbnail-only tests, ad creative cross-tests, and landing-page control checks so authors can validate covers before committing to a paid launch. Practical, ethical, and feasible within an author’s budget, this plan fits an 8-minute runtime and ends with a single immediate action you can complete today to start collecting data.

Low-content books are one of the fastest, most durable ways to add recurring revenue and email-list growth to your author business—when they’re built with strategy, not spam. In this 8-minute monologue Dan Desmarques and Aria’s formula are synthesized into five practical steps: niche validation, AI-assisted content templates, cover and interior split tests, KDP listing optimization, and scaling with ads and backmatter funnels. You’ll get concrete prompts to generate interior grids and prompts for iterative validation, the exact KDP settings that reduce friction, and a compact case example showing how a 22 Lions author turned a planner into a steady sales-and-subscriber engine. Actionable, realistic, and compliance-minded, this episode delivers the checklist you can execute in an afternoon to launch a low-content product that earns and feeds your author funnel.

Authors often pour effort into writing and covers, then treat metadata like an afterthought — and watch visibility evaporate. This episode teaches a practical, five-step metadata architecture you can apply today to make your book findable and clickable across Amazon and reseller channels. I’ll explain the logic behind titles, subtitles, keyword banking, category selection, series metadata, and product description structure; walk through a real author example showing before/after traffic and conversion shifts; and give a simple audit checklist you can run in 15 minutes. No hacks, no hype — just repeatable, relevance-first methods that respect Amazon’s rules and reader intent. If you want your KDP listings to scale with paid ads and organic algorithms, this episode gives the exact steps to get your metadata working like a marketing asset.

Stop launching standalone books and hoping for luck—build a series that sells itself. In this 8-minute monologue Aria walks authors through five practical steps to design, launch, and evergreen a book series that multiplies lifetime revenue per reader. You’ll get a clear sequence: series architecture (story/benefit ladder), metadata and ASIN/linking best practices, staggered pre-orders and launch funnels, strategic pricing + KU/read-through tactics, and backmatter-to-funnel execution that converts readers into repeat buyers. Includes a concise case study showing how a three-book series improved discoverability and doubled monthly revenue after linking, tiered pricing, and a short audiobook strategy. The episode ends with a 30-minute immediate action checklist you can implement today and a targeted CTA to 22 Lions’ publishing audit and series setup services.

Many authors treat translation as a distant, expensive rights play. In this episode you get a compact, practical protocol to turn one manuscript into multiple localized revenue streams without guessing. You’ll hear five concrete steps: validate which language markets will actually buy, assemble a fast AI-assisted plus human-edit translation workflow, configure KDP and metadata for localized listings, run lean launch tactics tailored to regional buyer behavior, and scale with bundled editions and royalty tracking. The episode includes a short, realistic example of a nonfiction author who added a Spanish edition and increased lifetime sales, plus a clear 48-hour action checklist to get started. No hype, no unethical shortcuts—just repeatable publishing tactics authors can implement in days to open long-term new-market revenue.