Zeitgeist Report

Read the blog post: https://www.authormedia.com/report-trad-publishers-sell-fewer-books-than-indie-authors/

A new Simon & Schuster report reveals that traditionally published authors sell an average of just 12 books, reigniting a fierce debate between indie and traditionally published authors across social media. The data has fueled arguments over which publishing model actually delivers better results, with independent authors pointing to the report as proof that self-publishing and platforms like Kindle Unlimited outperform legacy publishing deals. The discussion digs into how author success should really be measured, why comparing sales figures alone misses the bigger picture, and how the rise of independent publishing platforms has created a growing middle class of working authors, similar to the historical shift from feudal economies to a mercantile and middle class. It also explores how AI technology is reshaping the entertainment and filmmaking industries, lowering barriers for independent creators, and shifting power away from traditional gatekeepers such as major publishers and studios. Topics include traditional publishing sales data, indie author royalty trends, Kindle Unlimited payout changes, the economics of book publishing, and how independent creators are competing for reader attention against major entertainment platforms like Netflix and YouTube. Watch Author Update Live at 4pm (Central) on Fridays: https://www.youtube.com/@Author-Update Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/novelmarketing Patron Toolbox (Author AI Tools): https://www.authormedia.com/patron-toolbox/ Novel Marketing Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Novel-Marketing Author Arsenal Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Author-Arsenal Join the AuthorMedia.social Community: https://authormedia.social/feed Bryan's Author Consulting: https://www.mywordpublishing.com/our-team/bryan-canter/ Hosted by Jonathan Shuerger and guest host Bryan Canter. Subscribe for weekly publishing industry analysis, author marketing strategies, and tech insights you can actually use. Visit AuthorMedia.com for show notes, tools, and resources. #AuthorTube #IndiePublishing #TraditionalPublishing

Read the blog post: https://www.authormedia.com/zeitgeist-cozy-fantasy-and-litrpg-surge-as-hottest-niches-in-2026/

A new summer 2026 K-lytics market report analyzing more than 8,000 Amazon sales categories reveals that fantasy titles are outselling science fiction by nearly four to one, driven largely by romantasy and the rapidly growing LitRPG subgenre. The data highlights indie author Matt Denman, whose Dungeon Crawler Carl series and personal imprint Dandy House now out-earns major publishers including Sarah J. Maas's traditional deals, moving an estimated 8,700 combined daily sales while retaining full e-book and audiobook rights. The report also identifies cozy fantasy as the single best opportunity in the genre, boasting a 23-to-1 sales-to-competition ratio, while science fiction colonization stories have collapsed 96% and military sci-fi has dropped 84%, reflecting a broader cultural shift away from optimistic, exploration-driven narratives toward darker, more dystopian storytelling. The findings offer a data-driven snapshot of where genre fiction demand is heading in the current book market. Times: 0:00 — Intro: Sci-Fi & Fantasy K-lytics Report Overview 2:13 — Genre Sales Rankings & Market Data 3:19 — Dungeon Crawler Carl's Dominance (Matt Dinman Case Study) 8:42 — Best Opportunities: Cozy Fantasy & LitRPG 11:20 — Genre Winners, Losers & Zeitgeist Discussion 23:44 — Report Tips & Closing Thoughts Watch Author Update Live at 4pm (Central) on Fridays: https://www.youtube.com/@Author-Update Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/novelmarketing Patron Toolbox (Author AI Tools): https://www.authormedia.com/patron-toolbox/ Novel Marketing Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Novel-Marketing Author Arsenal Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Author-Arsenal Join the AuthorMedia.social Community: https://authormedia.social/feed Bryan's Author Consulting: https://www.mywordpublishing.com/our-team/bryan-canter/ Hosted by Jonathan Shuerger and guest host Bryan Canter. Subscribe for weekly publishing industry analysis, author marketing strategies, and tech insights you can actually use. Visit AuthorMedia.com for show notes, tools, and resources. #CozyFantasy #Romantasy #LitRPG

Read the blog post: https://www.authormedia.com/zeitgeist-how-shifting-public-attitudes-on-the-u-s-military-are-reshaping-storytelling/

A discussion between two U.S. military veterans traces how American attitudes toward service members have shifted dramatically over the past two decades, from the patriotic surge following the Gulf War and the "thank you for your service" era of the Global War on Terror, to declining recruitment and disillusionment during the COVID-19 vaccine mandate period, followed by a rebound under new Pentagon leadership. The conversation examines the concept of "zero-defect culture," a risk-averse leadership mindset within military evaluation systems that critics argue discourages bold decision-making and accountability among officers, contrasted with historical examples of leadership forged through hardship, including the U.S. Army's shift toward MRAP vehicles to reduce combat casualties in Iraq. The discussion also covers the renaming of the Department of Defense to the Department of War, the lasting effects of the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan on military morale and suicide rates, and how these institutional and cultural changes are shaping a new generation of military-influenced fiction and storytelling. Times: 0:00 – Introduction: Military Culture & "Thank You for Your Service" 2:17 – Marine Corps vs. Army Culture 7:38 – History of Military Recruitment Trends (Vietnam to Today) 20:42 – Crafting Characters: Zero-Defect Culture Explained 36:12 – The Culture Shift in Military Leadership 44:45 – How Stories Shape Military Culture Watch Author Update Live at 4pm (Central) on Fridays: https://www.youtube.com/@Author-Update Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/novelmarketing Patron Toolbox (Author AI Tools): https://www.authormedia.com/patron-toolbox/ Novel Marketing Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Novel-Marketing Author Arsenal Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Author-Arsenal Join the AuthorMedia.social Community: https://authormedia.social/feed Bryan's Author Consulting: https://www.mywordpublishing.com/our-team/bryan-canter/ Hosted by Jonathan Shuerger and guest host Bryan Canter. Subscribe for weekly publishing industry analysis, author marketing strategies, and tech insights you can actually use. Visit AuthorMedia.com for show notes, tools, and resources. #Army #Storytelling #Marines

Read the blog post: https://www.authormedia.com/zeitgeist-why-vigilante-stories-are-seeing-chart-topping-popularity/

Two vigilante-themed works hit the top of their respective charts in the same week of June 2026, signaling a significant cultural moment for justice-focused fiction. Citizen Vigilante, a low-budget film starring Armie Hammer produced for approximately $5 million by Uwe Boll, grossed an estimated $65 million with no theatrical release and cracked the top 10 on Apple TV's iTunes chart days after its June 19th release. The film was simultaneously de facto banned in Germany, where film authorities refused to assign it an age rating despite its violence level matching widely available films like John Wick and The Equalizer — a move that drove American viewership higher. In the same week, Larry Correia's novel American Paladin seized the #1 position in Amazon's urban fantasy category across hardcover, e-book, and hot new releases, following a $300,000 Kickstarter campaign. The book's protagonist, Mike Spears, is a drifter who hunts supernatural threats while dispensing extrajudicial justice against human predators the legal system has failed to punish. The archetype traces directly to the 1837 novel Nick of the Woods by Robert Montgomery Bird — the literary ancestor of Zorro, Batman, The Punisher, and every masked vigilante in modern fiction. The current surge reflects a cultural shift from Spider-Man-era vigilantism (fighting what authorities can't handle) to a new archetype responding to what authorities won't handle — a distinction with deep roots in American history dating back to Lynch's Law, tarring and feathering, and the Revolutionary War. The genre presents a significant opportunity for independent authors, as traditional publishers and major studios have shown little appetite for the content, leaving the market open to self-published and small-press work. Times: 0:00 – Intro: Vigilante stories surging in popularity 5:27 – The Shift: Old vs. New vigilante fiction 11:59 – The original masked vigilante 18:21 – "An Appeal to Heaven" 25:39 – Justice vs. Mob Law 28:59 – Publishing Opportunity: Why indie authors should write vigilante fiction now 31:53 – Vigilante vs. Revenge 47:38 – Jesus as Vigilante 56:19 – Writing for Women: Beauty and the Beast 1:03:45 – Don't Discount Tragedy Watch Author Update Live at 4pm (Central) on Fridays: https://www.youtube.com/@Author-Update Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/novelmarketing Patron Toolbox (Author AI Tools): https://www.authormedia.com/patron-toolbox/ Novel Marketing Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Novel-Marketing Author Arsenal Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Author-Arsenal Join the AuthorMedia.social Community: https://authormedia.social/feed Hosted by Thomas Umstattd Jr. and Jonathan Shuerger. Subscribe for weekly publishing industry analysis, author marketing strategies, and tech insights you can actually use. Visit AuthorMedia.com for show notes, tools, and resources. #AuthorTube #PublishingNews #AINews

Read the blog post: https://www.authormedia.com/zeitgeist-happy-birthday-america-history-says-you-should-be-dead/

As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, renewed attention is being paid to a historical pattern identified in "The Fate of Empires," a 1976 essay by British General Sir John Glubb, which argues that major empires throughout history tend to collapse after approximately 250 years. The analysis cites historical examples including the Assyrian Empire (247 years), the Ottoman Empire (250 years), the Spanish Empire (250 years), and the British Empire (roughly 250 years), alongside the Roman Republic's own multi-century evolution through cycles of pioneering, conquest, commerce, affluence, intellectual growth, and eventual decadence. The report draws parallels between Rome's ability to extend its republic through internal reforms — such as the creation of the Tribune of the Plebs — and America's current constitutional mechanisms, including the little-known process of a constitutional convention, for which enabling legislation has already passed in roughly half of U.S. states. The discussion examines historical cycles of national renewal, the shift from republics to empires, and ongoing debate over America's current political and cultural trajectory as it enters its next quarter-millennium. Times: 0:00 — Intro: The 250-Year Empire Death Clock theory 5:00 — The six eras of an empire's life cycle 8:05 — How America's system was modeled on Rome 18:40 — Rome's lost military technology 20:59 — Is America a republic or an empire now? 32:17 — Constitutional convention and the Fourth Turning 38:17 — Political rhetoric and the risk of real violence 42:47 — Parenting, strength, and the playscape lesson 47:56 — Fiction, morality, and true consequences 53:35 — Character, virtue, and writing with courage Watch Author Update Live at 4pm (Central) on Fridays: https://www.youtube.com/@Author-Update Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/novelmarketing Patron Toolbox (Author AI Tools): https://www.authormedia.com/patron-toolbox/ Novel Marketing Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Novel-Marketing Author Arsenal Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Author-Arsenal Join the AuthorMedia.social Community: https://authormedia.social/feed Hosted by Thomas Umstattd Jr. and Jonathan Shuerger. Subscribe for weekly publishing industry analysis, author marketing strategies, and tech insights you can actually use. Visit AuthorMedia.com for show notes, tools, and resources. #AuthorTube #PublishingNews #AINews

Read the blog post: https://www.authormedia.com/zeitgeist-the-uk-rape-gang-inquiry-report-is-out/

Belfast Riots Breakdown (Members Only): https://www.youtube.com/live/A3L3iclRGpc?si=2g-87C14BXsLWsMW The UK government under Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a ban on social media access for children under 16, excluding Bluesky, beginning in spring 2027, using new powers granted by the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, which amends the Online Safety Act of 2023, following a public consultation that drew over 116,000 responses. The policy requires adults to verify their identity through government-issued ID to access social media platforms, effectively eliminating online anonymity in a country where approximately 30 people per day are currently arrested for social media posts. Separately, a crowdfunded independent inquiry covering 149 local authority districts and drawing on court records, prior official inquiries, and over 20 survivor accounts produced a 219-page report estimating that at least 250,000 young British girls suffered repeated sexual abuse, gang rape, trafficking, forced pregnancy, and coerced religious conversion at the hands of organized grooming gangs. The report found that 87% of convicted perpetrators in group-based child sexual exploitation cases bore distinctly Muslim names, predominantly from Pakistani heritage, and concluded that police, social services, schools, NHS staff, and successive governments suppressed ethnicity data and returned victims to abusers out of fear of racism accusations. The report reached 32 million views on X while receiving limited coverage from mainstream UK outlets. The National Crime Agency has ordered police to reopen hundreds of cold grooming gang cases dating back to 2010. The Major Oak in Sherwood Forest — a tree over 1,000 years old associated with Robin Hood — was also officially declared dead this week, adding to a series of nationally symbolic losses including the 2021 police killing of a rare white stag and the 2023 felling of the Sycamore Gap tree on Hadrian's Wall. Times: 0:00 - UK Bans Kids from Social Media & Forces Adult ID Verification 3:17 - UK Rape Gangs Report: 250,000 Victims, 32M Views, Media Blackout 10:01 - "I Don't Think You Are, Mate." 13:49 - The Ancient Law of Hospitality & The Odyssey 15:57 - The Crusades — Were They Justified? 18:55 - The US Navy Was Founded to Fight Muslim Slave Traders (Barbary Wars) 24:07 - Has England Lost the Mandate of Heaven? 28:46 - What Authors Can Do: Writing Catharsis & Justice for an Angry World Watch Author Update Live at 4pm (Central) on Fridays: https://www.youtube.com/@Author-Update Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/novelmarketing Patron Toolbox (Author AI Tools): https://www.authormedia.com/patron-toolbox/ Novel Marketing Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Novel-Marketing Author Arsenal Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Author-Arsenal Join the AuthorMedia.social Community: https://authormedia.social/feed Hosted by Thomas Umstattd Jr. and Jonathan Shuerger. Subscribe for weekly publishing industry analysis, author marketing strategies, and tech insights you can actually use. Visit AuthorMedia.com for show notes, tools, and resources. #AuthorTube #PublishingNews #AINews

Read the blog post: https://www.authormedia.com/zeitgeist-in-a-news-scene-dominated-by-the-heavy-lets-take-a-look-at-the-fun-around-the-world/

With the United States hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup, international visitors from Japan, South Korea, the UK, Germany, and across Europe are encountering an America shaped not by Hollywood or cable news but by regional food, college football stadiums, and small-town culture. Foreign tourists arriving with expectations of political division are leaving with viral impressions of Texas barbecue, biscuits and gravy, Yellowstone, and portion sizes described as medically irresponsible. The eight largest sports stadiums in the world (outside of North Korea's political arenas and India's cricket stadium) are all American college football venues — a fact stunning European visitors who expected NFL-level spectacle at universities they had never heard of. The viral cultural exchange is accelerating on X (formerly Twitter), which began auto-translating posts between regular users, allowing Japanese, Korean, and American individuals — not just influencers — to react to each other's food, customs, and daily life in real time. The conversation covers regional barbecue traditions (Texas, Kansas City, and Carolina styles), Japan's craftsmanship culture, South Korea's 24-hour urban energy, India's spice-driven cuisine rooted in food preservation history, Mexico's food-as-love-language ethos, and Italy's countryside versus city cultural divide. A secondary discussion examines how global cultural homogenization is eroding city identities worldwide while rural and regional cultures remain distinct — and what that means for authors writing place-specific fiction. Times: 0:00 — Intro: World Cup Tourists Discovering the Real America 2:36 — United States: BBQ, Stadium Culture & American Food 7:48 — Japan: Craftsmanship, Tea Ceremonies & Cultural Overlap 15:22 — South Korea: 24-Hour Culture, Korean BBQ & K-culture 16:34 — India: Spice, Bollywood & Food Preservation History 19:02 — Mexico: Food as Love Language & Taco Culture 21:04 — Italy: Art, Family, and Writing Location-Based Fiction 23:06 — Writing Takeaway: Use Location to Enrich Your Books 27:33 — Scotland Story: Dunnottar Castle Trespass & Cultural Identity Watch Author Update Live at 4pm (Central) on Fridays: https://www.youtube.com/@Author-Update Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/novelmarketing Patron Toolbox (Author AI Tools): https://www.authormedia.com/patron-toolbox/ Novel Marketing Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Novel-Marketing Author Arsenal Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Author-Arsenal Join the AuthorMedia.social Community: https://authormedia.social/feed Hosted by Thomas Umstattd Jr. and Jonathan Shuerger. Subscribe for weekly publishing industry analysis, author marketing strategies, and tech insights you can actually use. Visit AuthorMedia.com for show notes, tools, and resources. #AuthorTube #PublishingNews #AINews

Read the blog post: https://www.authormedia.com/zeitgeist-in-a-news-scene-dominated-by-the-heavy-lets-take-a-look-at-the-fun-around-the-world/

With the United States hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup, international visitors from Japan, South Korea, the UK, Germany, and across Europe are encountering an America shaped not by Hollywood or cable news but by regional food, college football stadiums, and small-town culture. Foreign tourists arriving with expectations of political division are leaving with viral impressions of Texas barbecue, biscuits and gravy, Yellowstone, and portion sizes described as medically irresponsible. The eight largest sports stadiums in the world (outside of North Korea's political arenas and India's cricket stadium) are all American college football venues — a fact stunning European visitors who expected NFL-level spectacle at universities they had never heard of. The viral cultural exchange is accelerating on X (formerly Twitter), which began auto-translating posts between regular users, allowing Japanese, Korean, and American individuals — not just influencers — to react to each other's food, customs, and daily life in real time. The conversation covers regional barbecue traditions (Texas, Kansas City, and Carolina styles), Japan's craftsmanship culture, South Korea's 24-hour urban energy, India's spice-driven cuisine rooted in food preservation history, Mexico's food-as-love-language ethos, and Italy's countryside versus city cultural divide. A secondary discussion examines how global cultural homogenization is eroding city identities worldwide while rural and regional cultures remain distinct — and what that means for authors writing place-specific fiction. Times: 0:00 — Intro: World Cup Tourists Discovering the Real America 2:36 — United States: BBQ, Stadium Culture & American Food 7:48 — Japan: Craftsmanship, Tea Ceremonies & Cultural Overlap 15:22 — South Korea: 24-Hour Culture, Korean BBQ & K-culture 16:34 — India: Spice, Bollywood & Food Preservation History 19:02 — Mexico: Food as Love Language & Taco Culture 21:04 — Italy: Art, Family, and Writing Location-Based Fiction 23:06 — Writing Takeaway: Use Location to Enrich Your Books 27:33 — Scotland Story: Dunnottar Castle Trespass & Cultural Identity Watch Author Update Live at 4pm (Central) on Fridays: https://www.youtube.com/@Author-Update Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/novelmarketing Patron Toolbox (Author AI Tools): https://www.authormedia.com/patron-toolbox/ Novel Marketing Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Novel-Marketing Author Arsenal Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Author-Arsenal Join the AuthorMedia.social Community: https://authormedia.social/feed Hosted by Thomas Umstattd Jr. and Jonathan Shuerger. Subscribe for weekly publishing industry analysis, author marketing strategies, and tech insights you can actually use. Visit AuthorMedia.com for show notes, tools, and resources. #AuthorTube #PublishingNews #AINews

Read the blog post: https://www.authormedia.com/zeitgeist-light-fire-and-clarity-what-the-latest-baby-name-data-tells-us-about-the-shifting-culture/

New data from the Social Security Administration's annual baby name release reveals a striking cultural shift in American naming trends: parents are increasingly choosing names that evoke brightness, hope, and optimism, while the dark or edgy millennial-era names popular in the 1990s and 2000s are rapidly falling off. Names with meanings tied to light, fire, and clarity — including Eleni (up by 4,500 births), Ikari (meaning "light"), Kasai (meaning "fire"), and Clarity (jumping from rank 344 to 87) — are surging in popularity. Meanwhile, the entire family of "-aiden" names — Jayden, Brayden, Braydon, and Tristan — are in steep decline, alongside Zendaya, Luna, Maya, Camilla, and Ava, which dropped out of the top 10 for the first time. The name Ellen experienced one of the most dramatic single-year drops on record. Elena entered the top 10 for the first time while perennial leaders Liam and Olivia remain dominant, and Charlotte is gaining ground. The name Donald has shown a historically flat trajectory despite the polarizing political figure who carries it, while Charlie saw a modest rise that analysts expect to shift in 2026 data. The SSA has tracked naming trends going back to 1916, providing nearly 150 years of cultural data — and the current trend points toward a collective longing for a brighter, more optimistic era. Watch Author Update Live at 4pm (Central) on Fridays: https://www.youtube.com/@Author-Update Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/novelmarketing Novel Marketing Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Novel-Marketing Author Arsenal Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Author-Arsenal Patron Toolbox: https://www.authormedia.com/patron-toolbox/ Hosted by Thomas Umstattd Jr. and Jonathan Shuerger. Subscribe for weekly publishing industry analysis, author marketing strategies, and tech insights you can actually use. Visit AuthorMedia.com for show notes, tools, and resources. #AuthorTube #PublishingNews #AINews

Read the blog post: https://www.authormedia.com/zeitgeist-light-fire-and-clarity-what-the-latest-baby-name-data-tells-us-about-the-shifting-culture/

New data from the Social Security Administration's annual baby name release reveals a striking cultural shift in American naming trends: parents are increasingly choosing names that evoke brightness, hope, and optimism, while the dark or edgy millennial-era names popular in the 1990s and 2000s are rapidly falling off. Names with meanings tied to light, fire, and clarity — including Eleni (up by 4,500 births), Ikari (meaning "light"), Kasai (meaning "fire"), and Clarity (jumping from rank 344 to 87) — are surging in popularity. Meanwhile, the entire family of "-aiden" names — Jayden, Brayden, Braydon, and Tristan — are in steep decline, alongside Zendaya, Luna, Maya, Camilla, and Ava, which dropped out of the top 10 for the first time. The name Ellen experienced one of the most dramatic single-year drops on record. Elena entered the top 10 for the first time while perennial leaders Liam and Olivia remain dominant, and Charlotte is gaining ground. The name Donald has shown a historically flat trajectory despite the polarizing political figure who carries it, while Charlie saw a modest rise that analysts expect to shift in 2026 data. The SSA has tracked naming trends going back to 1916, providing nearly 150 years of cultural data — and the current trend points toward a collective longing for a brighter, more optimistic era. Watch Author Update Live at 4pm (Central) on Fridays: https://www.youtube.com/@Author-Update Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/novelmarketing Novel Marketing Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Novel-Marketing Author Arsenal Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Author-Arsenal Patron Toolbox: https://www.authormedia.com/patron-toolbox/ Hosted by Thomas Umstattd Jr. and Jonathan Shuerger. Subscribe for weekly publishing industry analysis, author marketing strategies, and tech insights you can actually use. Visit AuthorMedia.com for show notes, tools, and resources. #AuthorTube #PublishingNews #AINews