James and Cissy discuss new marketing insights and mindset strategies for indie authors navigating an increasingly complex publishing landscape. From experimenting with BookBub ads and improving AI-assisted translations to analysing breakout success in romance adaptations, the conversation explores how authors can stay competitive in a crowded market. Cissy also shares a creative direct-to-reader marketing tactic, sending postcards to readers, as a way to build stronger audience relationships beyond digital platforms. The episode concludes with the hosts' "Three Things" mindset practice, a simple daily habit designed to help authors maintain perspective, gratitude, and motivation in a challenging creative career.

Key Talking Points

• How BookBub ads and promotional pricing strategies can create long-tail sales effects beyond the initial campaign.
• Lessons learned from improving AI-assisted translations and the impact of higher-quality translations on international book sales.
• Why certain romance stories and adaptations suddenly explode in popularity — and what authors can learn from those breakout successes.
• Creative marketing experiments, including sending postcards and physical mail to readers to build stronger audience connections.
• The "Three Things" daily mindset practice: identifying something that made you happy, something that moved your work forward, and something you're looking forward to.

Links & Resources Mentioned

• ProWritingAid (Sponsor – code IWC15 for 15% off annual subscriptions)
  https://prowritingaid.com
• AI Translations Course https://learnselfpublishing.com/aitranslations
• BookBub Advertising Platform https://bookbub.com/ads
• James Blatch's donation link: http://jamesblatch.com/marathon
• The Self Publishing Show 2026 https://www.learnselfpublishing.com/spslive
• Heated Rivalry: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt35495073/

James and Cissy reflect on conversations from a recent indie author mastermind in Savannah, Georgia, where the biggest topic on everyone's mind was discoverability in the age of AI. With thousands of new titles flooding platforms like Amazon KDP every day, the hosts explore how authors can adapt - from optimising metadata for AI search to expanding audiobook distribution and experimenting with platforms like YouTube. The episode culminates in a bold proposal: introducing a publishing fee on KDP uploads to discourage low-quality AI-generated content and improve the reader experience.

Key Talking Points

• The growing discoverability crisis on Amazon as AI enables massive volumes of low-quality books to be uploaded daily.
• Practical strategies authors can use to improve AI discoverability, including consistent blurbs, Google Books previews, and optimised author websites.
• Why expanding audiobook distribution beyond exclusivity, including platforms like Spotify and YouTube - may become an important discovery tool.
• The importance of deep Amazon categories and metadata optimisation to help books surface in searches.
• James' controversial proposal: a refundable publishing fee for KDP uploads to reduce AI-generated "content farms" and improve reader experience.

Links & Resources Mentioned

• ProWritingAid (Sponsor – code IWC15 for 15% off annual subscriptions): https://prowritingaid.com
• Reedsy (research on AI discoverability mentioned): https://reedsy.com
• Draft2Digital (library distribution discussed): https://draft2digital.com
• AI Translations Course: https://learnselfpublishing.com/aitranslations
• Self-Publishing Show Live: https://learnselfpublishing.com/spslive

James and Cissy dive into the evolving AI conversation, reacting to viral commentary about whether artificial intelligence will truly replace white-collar jobs and what that means for writers. They explore the difference between superficial and deep AI usage, the economics behind tech industry messaging, and how authors can adapt rather than resist. They also discuss the irreplaceable value of in-person author events, relationship building, and why conferences continue to be career accelerators in an increasingly digital industry.

Key Talking Points

• A viral "Stay Human" TikTok challenges the narrative that AI will eliminate white-collar jobs, reframing it as investor-driven hype rather than economic inevitability.
• Why authors won't be replaced by AI but may be replaced by authors who use AI effectively and strategically.
• The difference between shallow AI use and deep, professional integration (including translation workflows and creative production).
• Why in-person events accelerate learning, build trust, create lifelong industry friendships, and often spark the biggest career breakthroughs.

Links & Resources Mentioned

• ProWritingAid (Sponsor – code IWC15 for 15% off annual subscriptions): https://prowritingaid.com
• Social Media Examiner – AI Explored Podcast: https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/ai-explored/
• https://www.tiktok.com/@kelly_boesch_ai_art?_r=1&_t=ZN-94CQZzFmP4g
• Author Nation: https://authornation.live
• Self-Publishing Show Live (London conference): https://learnselfpublishing.com/spslive
• Irelands Publishing Show: https://www.indienetworkevents.com From learnselfpublishing.com