Novel Marketing

Hosted by Thomas Umstattd Jr.

Business Marketing Arts Books

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Episodes

517

Latest episode

Nov 2026

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About the show

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. Whether you self publish or are with a traditional house, this podcast will make book promotion fun and easy. Thomas Umstattd Jr. interviews publishers, indie authors, and bestselling traditional authors about how to get published and sell more books.

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60 recent

November 4, 2026Episode 52232 min

How to Turn Readers Into Collectors Using the Diderot Effect (Marketing Psychology)

Little Golden Books have sold billions of copies with almost no advertising. You might guess it's the cute animals or the cheap price. But plenty of books try that and fail. The real reason is a piece of marketing psychology so powerful it works on babies who can't read yet. It works even better on adults. It's called the Diderot Effect, and most authors have never heard of it. In this week's episode of Novel Marketing, you'll discover: The one detail on the back of a Little Golden Book that almost every other publisher gets wrong, even the ones who copy the idea The "boring" production choice that decides whether readers finish buying your series or stop halfway The one-sentence email that turns a single limited-edition buyer into a collector for life Listen in or read the blog version to discover how it works and how it can help you sell any kind of book, and every book that comes after it. Blog link: https://www.authormedia.com/how-to-turn-readers-into-collectors-using-the-diderot-effect-marketing-psychology/ YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/iDL0xot34TE Support the show

October 29, 2026Episode 5211 hr 2 min

Is Curios the Shopify Killer for Authors?

In my recent episode The Shopify Trap , I explained why selling direct doesn’t always pay off for authors. When you’re selling dozens of books instead of thousands, monthly fees and sales tax paperwork can eat your profits. Meanwhile, Amazon takes a substantial cut of every sale. So, is there a better way to sell directly to readers without giving up your margins or adding another monthly bill? I asked Greg Keogh, co-founder of Curios, a direct-sales platform used by thousands of authors. Greg and his team built Curios to handle the headaches that often come with selling direct, from sales tax to customer service. In this week’s episode , you’ll learn Three advantages you have over Amazon if you’re selling direct One Curios data feature that no other platform is giving authors How Curios saves you from having to be a tax expert and tech support (two things authors generally despise!) Listen to the full episode or read the blog versio n to discover whether selling direct makes sense for you and the many features and benefits Curios offers authors. Blog link: https://www.authormedia.com/is-curios-the-shopify-killer-for-authors/ Author media social link: Youtube link: https://youtu.be/G_1qrunlZkg Support the show

October 14, 2026Episode 52050 min

The 5 Kinds of Author Kickstarter Campaigns

Most authors know only one kind of Kickstarter campaign, and for many of them, it isn't the best one. This week on Novel Marketing, you’ll hear from Russell Nohelty, a USA Today bestselling author of over 70 books who has run dozens of successful Kickstarter campaigns. Russell wrote the book on the subject, How to Launch Your Book on Kickstarter , and he didn't hold back, even when he disagreed with me. In this week’s episode , you’ll learn Five different types of Kickstarter campaigns you can run Which campaign work best for your career stage and situation The Kickstarter reward you should never offer The right Kickstarter campaign will give you far more information about your readers and launch than your readers can even articulate to you. Listen in or read the blog version so you don't pick the wrong kind of Kickstarter for your book. Blog link: https://www.authormedia.com/the-5-kinds-of-kickstarter-campaigns-for-authors/ Guest: Russell Nohelty Topic: The five kinds of author Kickstarter campaigns, and how to pick the one that fits your career YT Link: https://youtu.be/TzyWQdmR1P8 Support the show

October 7, 2026Episode 5191 hr 6 min

Your AI Is Lying About Your Book

The chatbot told him his manuscript was brilliant. The humans gave his manuscript a C. That's what happened to one author who trusted AI as his editor. If you use AI to help with your editing, it's probably lying to you too, and not just once in a while. In this week’s episode , I talked with Matthew Bowman, a freelance science fiction and fantasy editor who has worked with authors for 16 years and runs the Novel Ninja blog. Matthew helped me develop many of the anti-flattery techniques behind the Patron Toolbox, and he's spent the past year testing which prompts actually get AI to tell the truth. Here's some of what we cover. What happens when you tell the AI someone else wrote your chapter? Which two-word phrase flips every major AI into a mode where it tells the truth? What's the one small fib that makes an AI ruthlessly critical of the work you show it? Listen in or read the blog post before your next draft goes out, so your first honest feedback doesn't come from a one-star review. Blog link: https://www.authormedia.com/ai-is-lying-to-you-about-your-book/ Authormedia.social link: YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/htdXu0-xjR0 Support the show

September 30, 2026Episode 5181 hr 4 min

How to Relaunch Your Book

Your book may not be dead. As Miracle Max would say, it might only be mostly dead. A book that flopped three years ago could sell better today than it did on launch day, but only if you fix what actually broke. This week, I talked with Julie Broad, founder of Book Launchers and host of BookLaunchers.TV. Julie is a #1 Amazon bestselling author, and her team has helped more than 400 authors write, publish, and market their books. When her clients publish second editions, her team moves their reviews over all the time. In this episode, you'll discover Whether a book that sold well at launch is a candidate for relaunch. The review pattern that tells you if a relaunch will waste your money. The one change that makes it impossible to keep your reviews when you relaunch. Listen in or read the blog version before you spend a dime on a new cover, so your relaunch doesn't repeat the mistakes that stalled your book the first time. Blog link : https://www.authormedia.com/how-to-relaunch-your-book/ Authormedia.social link YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/0CjW9JmGAxI Support the show

September 23, 2026Episode 51750 min

How to Write Short Stories with Joanna Penn

The slowest way to write a novel is to start writing a novel. It sounds backward, but it’s not. In this week’s episode , you’ll hear from Joanna Penn of The Creative Penn . She’s spent years exploring short fiction as both craft practice and creative outlet, and she pushed back a bit on my claim about the slowest way to write a novel. You’ll learn What Joanna considers the main benefit of short stories Where and how she comes up with ideas for short stories (and novels) An unconventional way to start analyzing your favorite short stories (and where to find good ones!) Listen in or read the blog version so you don’t make rookie mistakes that end up baked into your 300-page novel. Blog link: https://www.authormedia.com/how-to-write-short-stories-with-joanna-penn/ Social link: YT Link: https://youtu.be/uufSPHkketQ YT Collab Link: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCdug0jLfpkayiiRyU4WqPPQ/collaboration/UCT-0HmBAtZpaLX2liUNebiQ Support the show

September 16, 2026Episode 51645 min

Should You Leave Kindle Unlimited in 2026? The Math May Surprise You

Authors on KDP Select get access to $700 million a year in the Kindle Unlimited fund. One login, one dashboard, one algorithm, one company to deal with. But that same company won't let you talk to a human with authority when something goes wrong, and it runs an algorithm that can end your career without telling you why. So which is it? More money, or more freedom? In this week's episode , you’ll hear from Kris Austin, CEO and co-founder of Draft2Digital, to figure out the real answer, and it isn't the same for every author. Here's what you'll learn: Why the "safe" choice on Amazon can turn into the riskiest How Draft2Digital can simplify every aspect of going wide A little-known change that lets KU authors do something that was off-limits until recently Listen in or read the blog version to find out which path is best for you and your book. YT Link: https://youtu.be/cPyv2iIztwo Support the show

September 3, 2026Episode 51525 min

Get More Time to Write by Using a Grok Bot

Authors have historically lamented all the administrative, technological, and marketing tasks that go along with being a writer. How many times have you sighed and said, “But I just want to write!” We have just gone through a massive transition in how authors use AI. You can now have AI agents do tasks for you, which means you can delegate all your non-writing tasks to a bot. You tell the bot what to do, and it does it! It might sound like magic, but in today’s episode , I’m going to show you it is real. You’ll learn the step-by-step process of creating your own Grok Bot AI agent, and you’ll be shocked to find out how easy it is. This is a shorter episode and a bit different from our regular format. You’ll likely get the most out of this episode by watching the video on YouTube . You’ll see exactly what the screen looks like and how I prompt GrokBot. You’ll also be able to find the exact wording for each of my prompts in the blog version of this episode . Let me know what you think of this episode in the comments of this post’s thread on AuthorMedia.social . If there is interest, I will make more tutorials to help you leverage AI agents to give you more time to write. Blog link : https://www.authormedia.com/get-more-time-to-write-by-using-a-grok-bot/ Authormedia social link : https://authormedia.social/c/novel-marketing/get-more-time-to-write-by-using-a-grok-bot/ Support the show

August 26, 2026Episode 5141 hr 0 min

Will Your Back Matter Get Your Book Banned on Amazon?

It's 1:30 in the morning, and a woman in Cleveland has just finished your book. She meant to go to bed hours ago, but she just couldn't put it down, and now she's at the end, feeling that particular ache that comes from finishing a book you loved. She turns the page to see what you have for her next. What does she find? Your book’s last pages might be quietly costing you thousands in sales, subscribers, or readers. They might even be getting your ebook banned on Amazon. But they should be thrilling your readers and propelling your sales. In this week’s episode , you’ll hear Laurie Christine talk about making the most of those pages at the very end of your book. You’ll learn The one call-to-action you should choose for your first book, which seems to contradict the Novel Marketing method What kinds of links are prohibited in Kindle books (and what to use instead) The easiest way to thrill your readers while increasing your page reads and profitability by 10% Listen in or read the blog version to make sure your back matter is working for you instead of putting your book at risk. Blog link: https://www.authormedia.com/will-your-back-matter-get-your-book-banned-on-amazon/ AuthorMedia.social link: YT Link: https://youtu.be/EIANWV02sTM Support the show

August 5, 2026Episode 5131 hr 0 min

SEO for Author Websites: The Only Guide You Need in 2026

If a reader Googled your name right now, what would come up? An abandoned LinkedIn profile from a career you left behind? A neglected Goodreads page? An insurance agent in Albuquerque who happens to share your name? There's only one number-one spot on Google, and if you don't claim it for your name, someone else will. The good news is that your most powerful tool for winning that spot is the one piece of the internet you fully control. It’s your author website. In this week’s episode , you’ll hear from Jason Barnard, digital marketing expert who has spent more than a decade teaching Google and AI who people are. You'll learn: The overlooked page on your website that Google checks first. The Wikipedia alternative that is easier to write and curate How you can get Jason’s robust SEO audit of your site, for free Whether your website needs a little fine tuning or you’re building one for the first time, listen in or check out the blog version to find out what you should prioritize and what you can stop stressing about. Blog link: https://www.authormedia.com/seo-for-author-websites-the-only-guide-you-need-in-2026/ AuthorMedia.social link: YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/PNpmOklWm8M Support the show