Today we are talking about what wholesale discounts mean for authors, free audiobooks from Spotify, Amazon’s new policy regarding AI-generated books, and a bit more.

• Autumn’s Game by Mary Stone - Featured Author
• The Montague Bookmill, Montague, MA, USA - Featured Bookstore
• Book Profit Calculator
• KDP Royalty Calculator
• Spotify to Offer Paying Subscribers Free Audiobook Trial - WSJ
• Update: How to Tell Internet Archive to Remove Your Books - The Authors Guild
• Brooklyn Book Festival, Sept 24 to Oct 2
• Free audiobooks | Spotify
• Amazon’s New Disclosure Policy for AI-Generated Book Content Is a Welcome First Step - The Authors Guild
• New Literary Agent at Martin Literary
• Free Style Sheet Templates
• Free Writing Tips

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

"Strawberry Daiquiri" by Sarah Angel

"I Like You a Latte" by Amber Waldron

"The Calmest River" by The Turquoise Moon

"Slow Water" by Enzo Orefice

"Sweater Weather" by Amber Waldron

In this episode, we’re talking about a predatory publisher. We’re also discussing the difference between a good editor, a great editor, and your ideal editor.

• U.S. Book Show: B&N CEO Says Chain Is in Midst of Significant Change
• Membership - The Authors Guild
• Amazon's Kindle Rewards Beta Program
• Adelaide Continues to Ignore Author Complaints
• Judge Blocks Texas Book Ban Law
• Free Style Sheet Templates
• Free Writing Tips

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

"Hola Amigos" by Oleksii Abramovych

"Dreamboat Farewell (Trumpet & Acoustic Guitar)" by zoze

"Coast Of Mexico" by Ben Bostick

"Acapulco Sunset" by zoze

"Over The Ocean" by Sondé

Today I’m taking my own advice, plus we’re working on building your publishing team. We’re also learning of a good reason to make sure your print books are also available as ebooks.

• Pan Bookstore & Cafe, Izmir, Turkey - Featured Bookstore
• The Izmir Situation: Book 4 of the Sauwa Catcher Series by J.E. Higgins - Featured Author
• Otto Penzler Announces New True Crime Imprint Crime Ink
• Judge Approves Internet Archive Permanent Injunction, Limits It to Works That Have eBook Editions - Publishers Lunch
• The Bookseller - News - YouTube narrowly beats TikTok for young adults discovering books online, according to Nielsen report
• Free Style Sheet Templates
• Free Writing Tips

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

"Deep House With Middle Eastern Vibes" by Sondé

"Istanbul Morning Coffee (Oud & Guitar)" by zoze

"The Sound of the Middle East" by Rent Kid

"Turkish Action" by MoodMode

"Shadow Dance (Turkish Oud)" by zoze

Today we are talking about new imprints, working with beta readers and editors, and hiding your expertise.

• Hiring - Editorial Freelancers Association
• Marilynne Bradley - Featured Author & Illustrator
• The Novel Neighbor, St. Louis, Missouri - Featured Bookstore
• The Booker Prize 2023 | The Booker Prizes
• Hardie Grant Publishing
• Baker & Taylor Opens a New Chapter with Paw Prints
• Ten Speed Launches New Ten Speed Graphic Imprint
• HarperEnfoque is HarperCollins' New Spanish-Language Imprint
• The Bookseller - News - Canelo breaks new ground with horror imprint
• Fern Press
• McGraw Hill Stops Business Book Acquisitions - Publishers Lunch
• KKR Wins S&S for $1.62 Billion
• Free Style Sheet Templates
• Free Writing Tips

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

“Sunset in Los Cabos” by Humans Win

“Barcelona Night” by Yagull Music, Storyblocks Label

“Shake It and Break It” by Humans Win

“St Louis Blues” by Humans Win

“Singing the Blues” by Humans Win

We will be talking about is your book’s BISAC categories, the average advance for nonfiction authors, and how to transition from being your book’s author to your book’s publisher. 

• FREE Complete BISAC Subject Headings List - Book Industry Study Group
• DonorsChoose: Support a classroom. Build a future.
• Charity Ratings and Donor Resources | Charity Navigator
• Seeing Novels from Both the Writing and Publishing Sides
• 6 Writing Careers To Consider – Forbes Advisor
• How big will your book advance be? Results of my nonfiction author survey. - Josh Bernoff
• USPS Ground Advantage
• Amazon's New European Sourcing Policies Raise Concerns for U.S. Publishers
• Free Style Sheet Templates
• Free Writing Tips

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

"Road to Cuba" by zoze

“Welcome Home (30 seconds)” by Enzo Orefice

“Shopping Street” by New Library Sounds

“Lofi Beat - The Peace of Mind” by Oleksii Abramovych

Today we're talking about what happens after you've signed a contract with a publishing house. I'm also asking if you're a plotter or a pantser.

• Rahva Raamat bookstore in Viru Keskus, Estonia - Featured Bookstore
• Death in Tallinn by Allan Martin - Featured Author
• Looking Glass Literary & Media Management
• Literary — Triangle House
• WattPad Introduces Scheduling Feature
• Introducing Bookstat's Bestseller Lists
• USA TODAY Best-selling Booklist is back: What you need to know
• Federal Trade Commission Proposes Rule to Ban Fake Reviews
• Simon & Schuster Draws Bid From Investor Backed by Abu Dhabi-Based Sovereign Fund - WSJ
• Free Style Sheet Templates
• Free Writing Tips

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

"Anything for the Blues" by Humans Win

"You and Me in Paradise" by Humans Win

"Late Summer Night Blues" by The Turquoise Moon

"Night Crawler (Tenor Sax)" by zoze

"Summer Hop" by zoze

We’ve talked this season, and since the inception of this show, about the challenges of landing a literary agent. Today I’m offering 7 practical and actionable tips to help you land an agent.

• Freakshow Summer by Anthony Bartley - Featured author
• St Rita’s Amazing Traveling Bookstore, Tobacco Valley, Montana - Featured bookstore
• Hiring - Editorial Freelancers Association
• Query Shark Rates
• Query Shark Blog
• QueryTracker
• Layoffs Begin at Penguin Random House as Buyout Departures Come into Focus
• Simon & Schuster Draws Bid From Investor Backed by Abu Dhabi-Based Sovereign Fund - WSJ
• Fake books on Amazon
• In OpenAI Copyright Lawsuits, Discovery Complications Likely to Take Center Stage | Legaltech News
• AI and Hollywood Strikes
• Free Style Sheet Templates
• Free Writing Tips

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

"Note To Self" by Simon Jomphe Lepine

"Blow Off Some Steam" by Ben Bostick

"Wasting Gas" by Ben Bostick

"Quirky Life" by MoodMode

"After All" by Enzo Orefice

I hope you enjoy this bonus episode. Next week, we’re on summer break. Do something fun. The week after that, we’ll be continuing on with season 4. 

Thank you so much for listening. As always, you deserved this break. 

• AG Recommends Clause in Publishing and Distribution Agreements Prohibiting AI Training Uses - The Authors Guild
• Free Style Sheet Templates
• Free Writing Tips

Join me on the Overthinking Couch in the Writing Break cafe for what I hope to be a useful overview of artificial intelligence in book publishing today.

• AG Recommends Clause in Publishing and Distribution Agreements Prohibiting AI Training Uses - The Authors Guild
• ChatGPT Secret Training Data: the Top 50 Books AI Bots Are Reading
• Those Fancy Large Language Models Were Trained On eBooks From Smashwords, Without Permission - Publishers Lunch
• AI-created images lose U.S. copyrights in test for new technology | Reuters
• OpenAI Releases First $20 Subscription Version Of ChatGPT AI Tool
• The Age of AI has begun | Bill Gates
• Free Style Sheet Templates
• Free Writing Tips

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

Strawberry Daquiri by Sarah Angel

I Don’t Hate You But Goodbye by Sarah Angel

We are California dreaming today. As usual, I’m bringing you the latest publishing news. Plus, I’m also sharing 3 ways to know that you are ready to seek out an editor, a literary agent, or beta readers.

• The Only Black Girls in Town by Brandy Colbert - Featured Author
• The Salt Eaters Bookshop, Inglewood, CA - Featured Bookstore
• CCBC Releases Statistics Regarding Diversity in Children's Literature Published in 2022
• CI2023: Trends in the Children's Market
• NaNoWriMo
• The Scribe Media Files | Sam Lacrosse | Substack
• 'Eat, Pray, Love' author Elizabeth Gilbert pulls new Russia book after backlash : NPR
• Free Style Sheet Templates
• Free Writing Tips

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

“Summertime Blues” by Humans Win