Episodios

  • Crafting Irresistible Book Pages Readers and Bots Love with Wish I’d Known Then

    Crafting Irresistible Book Pages Readers and Bots Love with Wish I’d Known Then
    Dec 3 2025
    Jami Albright and Sara Rosett had me on the Wish I’d Known Then podcast. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the rapid changes in the publishing world especially regarding Artificial Intelligence you are not alone. In a recent episode of the Wish I’d Known Then podcast, we talked about everything from the importance of physical health to the specific AI tools that can save you hours of work. Here is an episode summary generated by Gemini 3 Pro: The Novel Marketing Conference: A Different Kind of Gathering Thomas kicked things off by discussing his upcoming Novel Marketing Conference, which stands out in a sea of writer events for one specific reason: no recordings. Unlike many conferences where sessions are recorded for later viewing, Thomas designed this event to be fully immersive and interactive. He describes it as “almost more of a workshop than a conference,” where attendees work in small “writer’s groups” and leave with a physical, actionable plan for selling more books in the coming year. The goal is to create a space for honest, unrecorded conversation and deep work, rather than just passive listening. The Foundation of Creativity: Your Health One of the more surprising but vital topics discussed was the role of physical health in an author’s career. Thomas shared his personal journey of prioritizing health, noting that “your body is the machine that your brain lives in”. He pointed out that many authors try to optimize their time but neglect their energy levels. You might carve out an hour to write, but if you are exhausted or brain-fogged, that hour won’t be productive. By treating health as a business asset, authors can improve not just their longevity but the quality of their creative output. Navigating the AI Revolution The centerpiece of the conversation was AI. Thomas offered a refreshing, balanced perspective that avoids both the “doom and gloom” and the “blind hype” often seen online. He noted that people tend to oscillate between thinking AI is “the end of humanity” or that it “creates nothing but slop”. His philosophy is simple: Don’t give AI the work you enjoy; give it the drudgery. A Practical Dictation Workflow For authors looking to speed up their drafting or note-taking, Thomas shared a specific workflow he uses to capture ideas while on the go: Hardware: He uses AirPods, which isolate his voice from background noise.App: He records using an app called “Just Press Record” on his Apple Watch or phone.Processing: He uses a tool called “Chapterize” to transcribe the audio.AI Cleanup: He then feeds that transcript into an AI tool (like ChatGPT or Claude) with a prompt to clean up the grammar and remove “umms” and “ahhs.” This stack allows him to dictate high-quality content while walking or driving, turning “dead time” into productive writing time. The Author Toolbox Thomas has developed a suite of tools specifically for writers, available at AuthorMedia.com. Some of the standout tools mentioned include: Book Cover Analyzer: Helps determine if your cover fits your genre conventions.Design Brief Generator: Creates a professional brief to send to cover designers.Character Namer: Tools that generate culturally and historically accurate names for characters (e.g., Victorian era names).Fact Checkers: Specialized tools for checking historical facts or checking medical facts without getting lost in a Google research rabbit hole. These tools are designed to work within “guardrails,” using pre-written prompts to ensure the AI gives you exactly what you need without requiring you to become a “prompt engineering” expert. Optimizing for the Future of Search A crucial insight Thomas shared is the shift from optimizing for search engines (SEO) to optimizing for AI. In the past, authors focused on getting their websites to rank on Google. Today, readers are increasingly asking tools like ChatGPT for book recommendations. Thomas explained that these AI models “read” the internet, including sites like Goodreads and Amazon. To ensure your book is recommended, you need to provide content that helps the AI understand who your book is for. He suggested adding “Director’s Commentary” or “Behind the Scenes” content to your book pages on your own website. This unique content differentiates your site from Amazon and gives the AI more context to recommend your book to the right readers. The Art of Pruning: Easiness, Joy, and Revenue Finally, the group discussed the challenge of having too much to do. Thomas introduced a framework he used in a mastermind group to decide what tasks to cut. He lists all his activities in a spreadsheet with three columns: Easiness: How easy is this task to do?Joy: How much joy does it bring me?Revenue: How much money does it make? By scoring activities on these metrics, it becomes clear which ones should be “sunsetted” or pruned. Just as the Texas legislature creates agencies with an...
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    1 h y 10 m
  • Beyond SEO: How to Get AI to Recommend Your Book (Before the Bestseller)

    Beyond SEO: How to Get AI to Recommend Your Book (Before the Bestseller)
    Oct 14 2025
    Alex Strathdee had me on his podcast Before the Bestseller to talk about AI. Here is an AI summary: In the rapidly evolving landscape of book marketing, authors have long been told to master Search Engine Optimization (SEO). But as we move deeper into the age of artificial intelligence, a new, perhaps more critical, strategy has emerged: AI Optimization (AIO), sometimes called Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). In a recent episode of Before the Bestseller, host Alex Strathdee sat down with the legendary Thomas Umstattd Jr.—host of the Novel Marketing Podcast and a self-described “book marketing hero”—to uncover the strategies, struggles, and secrets behind getting AI to recommend your book over the competition. This isn’t just about keywords anymore; it’s about training the digital brain of the internet to recognize your authority. Here is a deep dive into the insights Thomas shared on how authors can navigate this new frontier. The Rainforest Cafe Lesson: Why AI Recommendations Matter To understand the power—and the quirks—of AI optimization, Thomas shared a telling anecdote from a recent family trip to San Antonio, Texas. When planning the trip, he didn’t turn to Google or Yelp; he asked an AI to build an itinerary for his family, specifically requesting fun activities for children. The AI recommended the Rainforest Cafe on the famous Riverwalk. While the Riverwalk is known for authentic Tex-Mex, the AI prioritized the Rainforest Cafe because it offered “animatronic animals,” fitting the specific prompt for “fun activities for kids”. When Thomas arrived, there was a 40-minute wait, while better, more authentic restaurants nearby were actively soliciting customers. The food at the Rainforest Cafe was, in Thomas’s words, “awful,” but the establishment was thriving because it was the kind of place ChatGPT would recommend. The lesson for authors is stark but valuable: The goal isn’t to trick AI into selling a bad product, but to realize that AI recommendations can drive massive traffic. If you want your book to be the one readers find when they ask ChatGPT, “What should I read next?”, you need to understand how the AI thinks. How Does AI Know About Your Book? If you ask an AI model to recommend a book based on a photo of your bookshelf, it can do so with shocking accuracy because it analyzes the books in its Large Language Model (LLM). But how does your specific book get into that model? According to Thomas, one major source is piracy. Recent court cases have revealed that AI companies often train their models on massive datasets downloaded from pirate websites. While this sounds alarming, the courts have generally ruled this as “fair use” because the AI’s reading of the text is considered transformative. Thomas offers a controversial take for nonfiction authors: piracy might actually be beneficial. If pirated copies lead to a million people reading your book and establishing you as a thought leader, you will likely make more money in the long run through speaking engagements and podcast invites than you would have from book sales alone. In the world of nonfiction, the idea itself is often less valuable than the execution and the authority of the author. However, AI training data usually cuts off at the top 7 million most popular books. If your book is new or hasn’t reached that threshold, the AI might not “know” it exists in its core training data. In these cases, the AI relies on external sources it can read, such as Goodreads. The Sycophancy Problem A major pitfall for authors testing their AI visibility is the “sycophancy” of current models. If you ask ChatGPT about your own book, it will often flatter you, telling you exactly what it thinks you want to hear. It might even hallucinate that your book is a bestseller when it isn’t. To combat this, Thomas developed a suite of “AI Knowledge Checkers” in his Patron Toolbox. These tools are designed to blind the AI from the live web, forcing it to answer only from its internal context window. This reveals whether the AI actually knows who you are or if it’s just quickly Googling you to be polite. The Foundation of AIO: Your Author Website If you want to rank in AI recommendations, you must stop relying solely on Amazon or social media. You need a robust author website. Thomas emphasizes that the principles of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and AIO are nearly identical. If you have been ignoring your website, you are already behind. Thomas highlighted three specific areas of your website that need to be optimized: 1. The Homepage Your homepage needs to be technically sound and content-rich. Thomas’s toolbox includes a scanner that acts like a “curmudgeonly webmaster,” giving you a brutally honest score on your homepage’s effectiveness. 2. The Book Page A common mistake authors make is having a single page listing all their books. For AIO, every single book ...
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    38 m
  • AI Tools for Authors w/ Writing Off Social

    AI Tools for Authors w/ Writing Off Social
    Sep 30 2025

    I joined the Writing Off Social Podcast as a guest for Episode 73 AI Tools for Authors.

    We explored AI tools’ good sides. We covered bad and ugly sides too. I shared how these technologies democratize writing. They are like the typewriter or word processor. They boost productivity.

    We discussed Grammarly, ProWritingAid, Scrivener, ChatGPT, and the Patron Toolbox.

    Of course, we didn’t shy away from the downsides: the risks of over-reliance on AI for generating entire books, potential ethical issues in authorship.

    Overall, it was a fantastic experience being on the show and I came away energized by the discussion on how authors can adapt to this productivity boosting tech without losing their voice. If you’re an author curious about AI, I highly recommend checking out the episode. It’s packed with actionable tips and resources to get you started
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    50 m
  • Book Discoverability In An Age Of AI. GEO For Authors With Joanna Penn

    Book Discoverability In An Age Of AI. GEO For Authors With Joanna Penn
    Jun 13 2025

    Joanna Penn, host of the Creative Penn Podcast had me on to talk about:

    • How authors can benefit from AI optimization
    • Principles authors need to keep in mind as search is changing
    • Different AI models and their capabilities
    • Making your author website LLM-friendly
    • How to utilize Goodreads to improve your GEO
    • The future of AI agents in book buying
    • Staying positive and curious in the ever-changing AI landscape
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    58 m
  • Zeitgeist Discussion About King Arthur, Conan the Barbarian, and Solomon Kane with Ryan Gutierrez

    Zeitgeist Discussion About King Arthur, Conan the Barbarian, and Solomon Kane with Ryan Gutierrez
    May 2 2025
    Join author Ryan Gutierrez as he sits down with Thomas Umstattd Jr., for an insightful conversation about storytelling, publishing trends, and literary traditions. In this episode, we explore: The fascinating parallels between Solomon Kane and modern heroic charactersHow biblical archetypes influence fantasy and western storytellingThe historical foundations of King Arthur legends and their cultural impactStrategies for finding your target audience as an authorThe importance of moral clarity in storytelling Key takeaway: “Having the courage to say ‘I’m not for everyone, but I am for this group of people’ and making something they absolutely love—if you have that creative courage, commercial success is a lot easier to find.” Whether you’re a writer looking to improve your marketing strategy, a reader interested in literary traditions, or simply love great storytelling, this conversation offers something for everyone! Follow Ryan Gutierrez here. YouTube Version In this episode of The Big Draw, Ryan sits down with Thomas Umstattd Jr. of the Novel Marketing podcast for a sprawling, thoughtful conversation. They move from Robert E. Howard’s pulp heroes to King Arthur, from westerns to dystopias, from bedtime stories to box office strategy, and from Rome’s fall to Washington stepping down from power. What starts as a chat about Solomon Kane and a new Arthurian comic grows into a wide-ranging exploration of archetypes, morality, and what our heroes say about us. Key takeaways Archetypal characters like Conan, Solomon Kane, Arthur, and King David keep resurfacing because they tap into deep, shared ideas about courage, justice, and power.Westerns and dystopias are two ends of a moral spectrum about government: can power serve the good, or is it inherently corrupt?Moral clarity in fiction is not childish. It is often more resonant and rewatchable than endlessly “gray” characters and settings.The most commercially successful stories are rarely “for everyone.” They are aimed fiercely at a specific audience who then drag everyone else to them.King Arthur, Cincinnatus, Caesar, and Washington are not just history and legend. They function as founding myths that shape how whole nations imagine leadership.Returning to clear archetypes and old heroic patterns is not regression. It can be the most radical and needed move in a disoriented culture. The Longest-Running Book Marketer In Podcasting Meets The Big Draw Ryan: Everybody, it’s me again. It’s Ryan. This episode of The Big Draw is a special one for me. I have the wonderful Thomas Umstattd Jr. on the show. I wanted to make sure I said his last name right. I’m a big fan of this man’s channel. He runs what I believe is the longest-running novel marketing podcast in history, Novel Marketing. I listen to his stuff a lot while I work on my own literary projects, and I think he’s brilliant. He has a great head on his shoulders, and I’m glad to have him on. How are you doing, Thomas? Thomas: I’m doing well. Thank you for having me. Ryan: Absolutely. Do you want to address my audience with anything in particular? Maybe tell them more about yourself before we get into Solomon Kane, which I cannot wait to talk about? Thomas: Sure. I host three podcasts: Novel Marketing, which you mentioned. That one is about getting more readers for your book.The Christian Publishing Show, which is focused on craft and the publishing process.And a brand new YouTube show that is currently on the Novel Marketing YouTube channel called Author Update, which focuses on publishing news, marketing news, and also general news and how it applies to authors. Ryan: It’s excellent. It’s wonderful. We actually started getting into this topic before we hit record, and I stopped us because I wanted to save it for the show. You were talking about Solomon Kane, and I would love to know what your thoughts are about that, because you had kindly compared some of the work I do to Robert E. Howard’s Solomon Kane stories. Conan, Solomon Kane, And The Archetype Of The Hammer Of God Thomas: Yeah. So Conan is of course the more famous of the Robert E. Howard stories. Conan is a figure who stands against civilization. In a typical Conan story, civilization is evil and corrupt. The kings are corrupt. The wizards are corrupt. Conan is not a good man in a moral sense. But he has a code of honor. It’s his code of honor that insulates him from the corruption of the society around him while he is smashing bad guys and killing demons and saving damsels. When Robert E. Howard stopped writing Conan, he shifted mostly to this other character, Solomon Kane. Those stories take place, I think, in the 1600s. Kane is a Puritan. A warrior Puritan. Imagine a violent Presbyterian with a big black Puritan hat who goes around fighting zombies and killing evil. He is a very righteous man. One of the interesting things about the stories is that there is a lot of deus ex machina. He is not ...
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    1 h y 56 m
  • An Indie Creator’s Guide to Marketing Sci-Fi and Fantasy

    An Indie Creator’s Guide to Marketing Sci-Fi and Fantasy
    Dec 11 2024
    The Arbiter of Worlds YouTube Channel had me on yesterday to talk about marketing for their new podcast ACKS to Grind. The host, Alexander Macris and I talk for over an hour about marketing Sci-Fi, Fantasy books and boardgames. We explored the similarities between marketing novels and creative projects like board games. We talked about Kickstarter strategies, email lists, engaging newsletters, and more. I asked ChatGPT to write a summary of the episode and here is what it said: In a recent episode of the Axe to Grind podcast, Alexander McCreese hosted Thomas Umstead, a marketing expert and founder of Author Media, to discuss the secrets of marketing for indie creators. The conversation bridged the world of indie novelists and creators in gaming, board games, and Kickstarter campaigns. Here’s a comprehensive recap of the insights they shared. Marketing Across Industries: Lessons from Novels and Games Thomas Umstead began by highlighting the parallels between marketing indie novels and other creative products. He explained that Kickstarter has been a transformative platform for creators, starting with its roots in the board game community. Stretch goals, a common feature of crowdfunding, originated in board game campaigns and have become a standard across industries. However, the most successful Kickstarter projects today are often books, thanks to innovative approaches adopted by authors. For creators launching their first Kickstarter, Umstead suggested leveraging their personal networks—the same people who would attend a wedding or baby shower. These early supporters create momentum and establish credibility. The second Kickstarter, however, relies on fans rather than friends. At this stage, creators must build a dedicated email list, a strategy long perfected by authors. The Power of Email Lists Umstead emphasized that an email list is one of the most powerful tools for indie creators. Authors meticulously cultivate these lists, keeping fans engaged through newsletters. A good email list converts superfans into backers who eagerly preorder new products. He encouraged creators to incentivize sign-ups by integrating invitations and QR codes into their existing content, like board game rulebooks. When asked about the ideal size for an email list, Umstead noted that 500 engaged subscribers could make a significant impact for indie authors or creators. He also stressed the importance of sending regular updates, at least quarterly, to keep lists active and avoid spam filters. The key, he said, is balancing quality and quantity—an engaged list of superfans is far more valuable than a large, disinterested audience. Creating Content Fans Want McCreese shared his struggle to consistently generate newsletter content. Umstead advised against weekly newsletters unless inspiration strikes regularly. Monthly updates often suffice, with more frequent emails before and after a launch. Content ideas include reviews and recommendations of books, games, or media that align with the creator’s niche. These insights demonstrate shared tastes and build trust. For example, a writer of military science fiction could review similar books from a unique perspective, such as a former military member’s take on authenticity. This approach resonates with fans and cements the creator’s authority in their genre. Reviews don’t need to be groundbreaking—honest opinions can be enough to spark engagement. Building a Brand: Personality vs. Product A recurring theme in the conversation was the balance between marketing the creator and marketing the product. Umstead explained that human connection drives loyalty. Fans are more likely to follow and support a person than a faceless brand. This doesn’t mean overexposing oneself on social media. Instead, creators should strategically reveal aspects of their personality that align with their audience’s values and interests. McCreese reflected on his experiences managing multiple brands under his name. Umstead recommended creating a central hub, like a personal website, that links to all projects. This simplifies the discovery process for new fans and strengthens the creator’s overall brand. Advertising and Platform Strategies The conversation also touched on paid advertising. Umstead noted that ads can be highly effective when executed well. However, advertising amplifies existing strengths and weaknesses. A great product with poor advertising will underperform, and vice versa. He suggested creators focus on three key elements before investing in ads: an appealing product, a clear pitch, and professional presentation. While platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and BoardGameGeek offer ad opportunities, Umstead cautioned against relying solely on them. Creators must own their audience through email lists and personal websites to mitigate the risks of algorithmic changes or deplatforming. Understanding Your Audience Knowing the target audience is fundamental to any successful ...
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    1 h y 17 m
  • Which Book Promotion Strategies Work in 2024

    Which Book Promotion Strategies Work in 2024
    Jun 4 2024

    In this episode of Writing of Social Sandy, Mary K. and I talk about what kind of marketing actually works for authors.

    About Writing off Social

    Sandy and Mary believe that creativity flourishes when writers are free to choose their own path. They spent years feeling trapped by social media, believing it was the only way to grow their audience and share their work. But not anymore. They have discovered countless ways to connect to and nurture their audience—ways that offer a better return on their investment of time, and that don’t drain their energy.

    As they have become more vocal about their decision to leave social media, writers like you are emerging from behind your computer screens to say, “Hey there! Social media isn’t working for me either.”

    They see you and are glad you’re here.
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    Menos de 1 minuto
  • The Rise and Fall of Social Media for Writers

    The Rise and Fall of Social Media for Writers
    May 28 2024

    In this episode of Writing of Social Sandy, Mary K. and I talk about the history of social media an authors. When and why did it work? And more importantly when in why did it stop working?

    About Writing off Social

    Sandy and Mary believe that creativity flourishes when writers are free to choose their own path. They spent years feeling trapped by social media, believing it was the only way to grow their audience and share their work. But not anymore. They have discovered countless ways to connect to and nurture their audience—ways that offer a better return on their investment of time, and that don’t drain their energy.

    As they have become more vocal about their decision to leave social media, writers like you are emerging from behind your computer screens to say, “Hey there! Social media isn’t working for me either.”

    They see you and are glad you’re here.
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    Menos de 1 minuto