Novel Marketing

Hosted by Thomas Umstattd Jr.

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Episodes

500

Latest episode

Jun 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.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 11, 2026Episode 50546 min

How to Revive a Dead Book With a Promo Stack

Are your book sales stuck? Maybe sales have slowed. Maybe your launch never took off. Or maybe you're spending money on ads without seeing results.This week on Novel Marketing, Amazon ad specialist Bryan Canter explains how "promo stacking" can revive a struggling book and put it in front of new readers.You'll learn:What promo stacking is and why it worksWhich promotions deliver the best ROI for your genreThe ideal order and timing for each promotionHow promo stacking can generate more reader reviewsWhether your book launched last month or five years ago, you’ll learn how promo stacking can rescue a dead book and reach new readers when you listen in or read the blog version.Blog Link: https://www.authormedia.com/how-to-revive-a-dead-book-with-a-promo-stacking/AuthorMedia Social Link: https://authormedia.social/c/novel-marketing/how-to-revive-a-dead-book-with-promo-stackingYouTube Link: https://youtu.be/v2KN46pdbRwNovelMarketing.com/patron Support the show

June 3, 2026Episode 5048 min

Why I'm Giving Away a $249 Course This Month

Instead of a guest interview or a marketing deep-dive, in this week’s episode I'm inviting you to something I've spent years building for authors who want to be taken seriously.You’ll discover:How you can get lifetime access to my $249 course this month for $0How you can get your questions answered by me live on a monthly basisHow you can get my digital doppelgänger (ie. AI Thomas) to answer your questions faster and (sometimes better) than I can.Listen to this short episode or read the blog version to take advantage of these benefits before the end of the month.Blog link: https://www.authormedia.com/why-im-giving-away-a-249-course-this-month/Support the show

May 27, 2026Episode 50325 min

Announcing the 2027 Novel Marketing Conference

A writers conference with no pitch appointments, no breakout tracks, and no recordings? What’s left? A conference that sold out last year! The Novel Marketing Conference is different, and every single attendee that responded to our survey said they were glad they came in 2026. In this week's episode, I break down exactly why I removed those traditional writers conference elements and what we added instead. Here are three things you'll learn: Which feature past attendees consistently name as the most valuable part of the entire weekend.Which parts of the Novel Marketing method you can only learn in person at the conference.What we’re adding to Thursday night’s ice-cream social in 2027! The 2027 conference is already filling up. Super tickets are gone, but standard and gallery tickets are still available. Don’t wait to secure your spot. There's a live count of available tickets at NovelMarketingConference.com. When they're gone, they're gone. Listen to the full episode, read the blog version, or watch on YouTube to get the complete schedule and see why this might be the best investment you make in your writing career this year. Blog link: https://www.authormedia.com/announcing-the-2027-novel-marketing-conference/NovelMarketing.com/patron Support the show

May 14, 2026Episode 5021 hr 17 min

The Four Loves That Drive Book Sales

Have you ever finished a book you loved, handed it to a friend, and heard back, "It was fine"?That disconnect has nothing to do with the quality of the writing. It has everything to do with a principle C.S. Lewis understood well enough to write classics that have endured for decades.In this week's episode, I sat down with bestselling novelist Angela Hunt to break down the four ancient loves that drive all fiction, and how mastering them can help you produce a bestseller and a classic.You’ll learnThe type of love almost every genre needs more of, and why the most violent stories need it most.How the loneliness epidemic is creating a massive hunger in readers, and which type of love lonely readers are yearning for.The type of love that makes for a classic but is hardest to write and easiest to botch. Get it wrong and your climax feels cheesy. Get it right and readers won't shut up about your book.We also explore the dark side of each love and how to use that tension to propel your plot forward.If the stakes in your story aren’t working or you’re sick of cheap, salacious storylines, listen in or read the blog version to learn how to incorporate these four types of love into your story. This one might change how you outline your next book or build your characters.Blog link: https://www.authormedia.com/the-four-loves-that-drive-fiction/NovelMarketing.com/patron Support the show

May 6, 2026Episode 5011 hr 1 min

Rules for Book Advertising with David Gaughran

The difference between making thousands of dollars on your next book and losing money can come down to a few cents per click.If your ads generate even a few pennies of net profit, you can run them until you've sold tens of thousands of books. But if you're losing money, no amount of spending will fix it. In this week's episode, David Gaughran, a veteran of digital advertising, joins me to talk about how to make your book advertising actually pay you back.Here's a taste of what you’ll learn:Why the authors spending the most on Facebook ads are often doing it wrong (and what to do instead)The marketing asset that makes every advertising endeavor more profitableHow to reach your exact readers on Facebook now that author targeting is goneListen in or read the blog version to discover how to approach book advertising strategically. You will feel more confident about when to advertise and when to invest your time (and dollars) elsewhere.Blog Link: https://www.authormedia.com/15-rules-for-book-advertising-with-david-gaughran/Author Media.social link: (Live at 11:02 AM on May 6) https://authormedia.social/c/novel-marketing/15-rules-for-book-advertising-with-david-gaughranNovelMarketing.com/patron Support the show

April 29, 2026Episode 50046 min

My Worst Takes & Mistakes Over 500 Episodes

We’ve arrived! It’s the 500th episode of Novel Marketing.To celebrate, I’m giving away the MacBook Neo I reviewed a few episodes ago, but I’m also revealing my worst takes and biggest mistakes over the past 500 episodes.Some of those takes were correct, but when circumstances changed, the advice was no longer good. But sometimes, I was wrong from the start. Gather ‘round and hear the tale of the evolution of the host and his book marketing advice.Listen in or read the blog to find out which pieces of advice have stood the test of time (and always will) and which pieces you can cast off like a crumpled first draft.And don’t forget to enter to win the MacBook Neo! You can find links and details on the blog or YouTube.NovelMarketing.com/patron Support the show

April 15, 2026Episode 49952 min

Stop Guessing: How to Know If Your Book Marketing Is Working

Most authors can tell you their royalties but not their net profit per book. They spend money on ads, see sales come in, and assume things are fine. But are they? Sales and profit are not the same thing.How can you find out if you’re making money or just making sales?In this week’s episode, you’ll hear from Eiri Theodorou, founder of Publisher Champ, an analytics platform used by over 25,000 authors.You’ll learnHow one of Amazon’s metrics is somewhat misleading (and how to find the truth)How you can track real-world marketing (like speaking and interviews) in a dashboardHow to find out if your best-selling book is masking problems with your other books.If you want to stop guessing about your profitability, listen in or read the blog version. You’ll be able to invest in marketing with more certainty and become truly profitable.NovelMarketing.com/patron Support the show

April 8, 2026Episode 4981 hr 3 min

The Cultural Zeitgeist Shift That's Making Indie Authors Rich

There’s a culture shift underway that most authors aren’t seeing. Even traditional publishers can’t figure out why their titles are resonating. If your book isn’t selling, it could be a cover or craft problem, but it might be a zeitgeist problem. In this week’s episode, you’ll hear from fantasy and LitRPG author Seth Ring. We discuss the biggest cultural shift in storytelling in two decades and what it means for your books.You’ll discoverWhat’s become of the morally conflicted anti-hero tropeWhat readers are tired of and hungry forA sure-fire way to write a story that resonates for this new zeitgeistThis cultural shift puts authors in a uniquely strategic place. If you want to make an impact with your writing and bring hope and change to the world through stories, it’s your time to shine. Listen in or read the blog version to find out how.Blog Link: https://www.authormedia.com/the-cultural-zeitgeist-shift-thats-making-indie-authors-rich/AuthorMedia.social link: https://authormedia.social/c/novel-marketing/the-cultural-zeitgeist-shift-that-s-making-indie-authors-richYouTube Link:https://youtu.be/zVz0pd-P3TUNovelMarketing.com/patron Support the show

April 1, 2026Episode 49745 min

Apple's Cheapest Laptop Ever: Should Authors Buy It?

I bought and tested Apple's cheapest laptop so you don't have to.I stress-tested the MacBook Neo with a 250,000-word document, ran every major writing app, and pushed the machine to its limits. Whether the Neo is right for you depends on what you use your computer to do, because authors do more than just type words into a word processor.In this week's episode of Novel Marketing, you’ll learnWhat you should look for (and ignore) when buying a laptop in 2026Which laptops I recommend for authors, podcasters, and PC usersWhether the MacBook Neo is the right choice for you as an authorWhich laptop I will not recommend in 2026Listen in or read the blog version to find out which machine is the best bang for your buck and your use cases as an author.NovelMarketing.com/patron Support the show

March 25, 2026Episode 49645 min

Your Friends Lied About Your Book Cover

Your author friends are lying to you about your book cover.Well, not on purpose. They can’t help it.When authors are trying to pick a book cover, they often ask their friends which cover they like best. But that strategy doesn’t work because your friends look too closely. They think about your feelings. They vote based on which cover has more votes.But your cover isn’t for your friends.It’s for strangers.In this week’s episode, we unpack why beautiful covers, which are loved by your friends, fail to help your book sell. You’ll hear how one author made his losing ads profitable without rewriting a single word of his book.In this week’s episode you’ll learnWhat makes a cover “good”How you can get accurate data on what will make readers click to buyHow much you’ll need to spend to get a cover that sellsIf your ads aren’t working, it may be time to examine the elements of your cover. Listen in or read the blog version to find out how. NovelMarketing.com/patron Support the show