311 / Think you need to be on every platform, spend big on ads, or release a book every month to succeed as an indie author? We’re busting some of the most common publishing myths.

✨ This week’s sponsor is Vellum: http://tryvellum.com/wish

But first, we catch up on life after a writing retreat: the post-draft crash, newsletter plate-spinning, and the genuine weirdness of evaluating promos when the market keeps shifting

• Honest BookBub promo numbers and why results look different now
• Why discoverability matters more than "good enough" writing
• Why you don't need every social media platform to succeed
• Newsletters, Goodreads, and BookFunnel as practical visibility tools
• Why direct sales and Kickstarter can work even with a small audience
• Why rapid release is optional and genre dependent
• Why ads don't require huge spend, and how AI is changing targeting
• Genre zeitgeist: how trends like cozy and romantasy impact your strategy

💙 Become a supporter of the podcast https://wishidknownforwriters.com/support or https://wishidknownthenpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

• Access to backlist of exclusive supporter episodes
• Shoutout on a future episode
• Thanks to long-time supporter Delaney Smith 💜

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⚡Links:

• http://tryvellum.com/wish
• Alessandra Torre on Goodreads: https://open.substack.com/pub/wishidknownthenpodcast/p/alessandra-torre-on-goodreads-movie-10c?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

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Support the show

🚀 Jami’s Consulting and Workshops: https://www.jamialbright.com/authorworkshops

❤️ Jami’s books https://amzn.to/3wSraA5

🔎 Sara’s books https://www.sararosett.com/bibliography/

📚 Sara’s How to Write a Series book and audiobook: https://www.sararosett.com/how-to-write-a-series/

The Big List of Craft and marketing books mentioned on WIKT podcast episodes https://bookshop.org/lists/recommenced-resources-for-writers-from-the-wish-i-d-known-then-podcast

310 / AI is getting better at producing words, audio, and even video, which raises the question for authors: how do readers know there’s a real person behind the book?

In this episode, we talk about how writers can stand out in a sea of AI content through leaning harder into trust, voice, and real connection. We share concrete ways to signal “I’m a real person” without forcing yourself to overshare or turn your life into content.

✨ This week’s sponsor is: Reedsy https://reedsy.com/studio and https://reedsy.com/studio/templates

• Why authenticity and connection matter more as AI output scales—and what history tells us about tech panic cycles
• How parasocial relationships work, where they go sideways, and how real-world interaction cuts through the noise
• Practical ways to show your humanity: imperfection, process sharing, physical objects, and curation
• Protecting your author voice and using credibility signals to build lasting reader trust

📌 Get a PDF download of all the ideas: Real, Not AI: 20 Ways Authors Signal Humanity and Build Reader Trust

💙 Become a supporter of the podcast If you've gotten value from the podcast and would like to share back with us, you could support the podcast. You'll get access to the backlist of exclusive supporter episodes and a shoutout on a future episode.

https://wishidknownforwriters.com/support or https://wishidknownthenpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

We’d love to hear from you. Comments will be open on this episode in Substack: https://wishidknownthenpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

⚡Links:

• Reedsy https://reedsy.com/studio and https://reedsy.com/studio/templates
• Patty McGree on using grammar as your paintbox:
• https://pod.link/1495247798/episode/QnV6enNwcm91dC0xODY2MDEzOA
• Joanna Penn and The Creative Penn Podcast: https://pod.link/309426367
• Thanks to long-time supporter Parker Finch: https://parkerfinch.com/

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Support the show

🚀 Jami’s Consulting and Workshops: https://www.jamialbright.com/authorworkshops

❤️ Jami’s books https://amzn.to/3wSraA5

🔎 Sara’s books https://www.sararosett.com/bibliography/

📚 Sara’s How to Write a Series book and audiobook: https://www.sararosett.com/how-to-write-a-series/

The Big List of Craft and marketing books mentioned on WIKT podcast episodes https://bookshop.org/lists/recommenced-resources-for-writers-from-the-wish-i-d-known-then-podcast

309 / Lona McCombie, social media marketer for authors, unpacks essential strategies for authors looking to promote their work, especially on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

✨ This week’s sponsor is: Reedsy https://reedsy.com/studio and https://reedsy.com/studio/templates

• Starting out in social media marketing
• Promo strategies for book releases
• Best practices for TikTok marketing
• Cross-posting content on social platforms
• Results of paid promo vs. organic reach
• Trends in book promo content

💙 Become a supporter of the podcast https://wishidknownforwriters.com/support

• Access to backlist of exclusive supporter episodes
• Private slack group
• Shoutout on a future episode

📥 Send us a Text Message

⚡Links:

https://reedsy.com/studio and https://reedsy.com/studio/templates

💙 Thank you to long-time supporter Kathleen Bailey: https://kathleenbaileyauthor.com

📥 Send us a Text Message

Support the show

🚀 Jami’s Consulting and Workshops: https://www.jamialbright.com/authorworkshops

❤️ Jami’s books https://amzn.to/3wSraA5

🔎 Sara’s books https://www.sararosett.com/bibliography/

📚 Sara’s How to Write a Series book and audiobook: https://www.sararosett.com/how-to-write-a-series/

The Big List of Craft and marketing books mentioned on WIKT podcast episodes https://bookshop.org/lists/recommenced-resources-for-writers-from-the-wish-i-d-known-then-podcast