One of the hardest — and healthiest — creative skills is knowing when to pivot. Even when it seems like things are going well.

The thing is, the Author Culture Podcast didn’t fail.

It worked well enough to teach me what’s sustainable, what’s not, and what I want my creative life to look like moving forward.

Podcasting for a year was a joyful experiment. But after reviewing my available time and my life season, it became clear that continuing a solo podcast would pull energy away from writing books and supporting authors — the work I feel most called to do right now.

Author Culture continues here on Substack with those in-depth, encouraging blog posts you’ve been enjoying, plus in short-form videos on YouTube and Instagram.

Free Resources & Links

Sign up for my newsletter and get a free World Building Check-Up Guide + Social Media Cheat Sheet: Subscribe Here

Grab World Building Made Easy series on Amazon: Get the Series

Get Creative with Weird Writing Prompts: Weird Writing Prompts

Connect with me:

Instagram: @janeen_ippolito

Substack: Author Culture

Facebook: Janeen Ippolito Author

YouTube: @JaneenIppolito

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Author Culture is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber - paid subscribers get a monthly group Q&A/coaching call.

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Music by: https://bluefoxmusic.com

In this week’s episode of Author Culture, we’re closing out the year with a cozy, chatty, vlog-style roundup of everything that happened in Quarter 4 — from the stories I wrote, to the silly behind-the-scenes moments, to the fun surprises coming in 2026.

Yep, we’re talking books, Christmas cards, new tech, creative momentum, and a big reminder to breathe as we wrap up another whirlwind year in publishing. I also share the temporary (and delightfully chaotic) stand-in cover for my upcoming release… and tease the shiny, real one coming soon. 👀✨

In this episode, we’ll explore:

* A quick refresh of the books I wrote this year

* A sneak peek at my Christmas cards for readers, fans, and clients

* The new tech I picked up — and how it’s helping me work smarter

* A first look at what’s coming to Author Culture and my fiction lineup in 2026

* Why this season is the perfect time to rest, reset, and celebrate your own wins

* A silly temporary book cover reveal (yes, really) and hints about the official one

PLUS a gentle reminder: you’ve done more this year than you think. Take a breather. Celebrate your progress. And as always… go forth and be awesome.

Free Resources & Links

Sign up for my newsletter and get a free World Building Check-Up Guide + Social Media Cheat Sheet: Subscribe Here

Grab World Building Made Easy series on Amazon: Get the Series

Get Creative with Weird Writing Prompts: Weird Writing Prompts

Connect with me:

Instagram: @janeen_ippolito

Substack: Author Culture

Facebook: Janeen Ippolito Author

YouTube: @JaneenIppolito

___Music by: https://bluefoxmusic.com

In this week’s episode of Author Culture, we’re talking about something invisible, essential, and shockingly easy to overlook: the “air” of modern storytelling.

Yep—we’re diving into gratitude, communication, author discouragement, and the absolute sci-fi-level miracle that lets you write a book in your living room and have someone across the globe read it.

This episode is for you if you’ve ever felt behind, discouraged, or pressured to constantly optimize, grow, expand, and hustle harder—because sometimes, the key to joy in your author life starts with remembering what you already have.

In this episode, we’ll explore:

-Why modern communication is basically superpowers for authors

-Why writing and sharing stories is worth celebrating—even on the quiet days

-Remembering the miracle of reaching even one person

Free Resources & Links

Sign up for my newsletter and get a free World Building Check-Up Guide + Social Media Cheat Sheet: Subscribe Here

Grab World Building Made Easy series on Amazon: Get the Series

Get Creative with Weird Writing Prompts: Weird Writing Prompts

Connect with me:

Instagram: @janeen_ippolito

Substack: Author Culture

Facebook: Janeen Ippolito Author

YouTube: @JaneenIppolito

___Music by: https://bluefoxmusic.com

Author Culture is a reader-supported publication that offers tips for sustainable success for fiction authors like you - plus plenty of fandom joy. To receive new posts and support my work, become a free or paid subscriber.