In this episode, Lauren & Matt peer into their crystal balls for a look into the future (or make some very sound projections grounded in knowledge and experience). We take turns sharing our insights and expectations for what’s to come in the publishing industry in 2026, including:

🔮 Print-on-demand will become as important to the publishing supply chain as other tech solutions over the years

🔮 Authors will explore more ways to build their brand by blending self-publishing and traditional publishing strategies

🔮 Traditional publishers will adopt direct sales practices, both to increase their profit margins and to build relationships with readers

But the real question is…was there confetti in Matt’s future? Watch the episode on YouTube to find out!

Dive Deeper

💡 Explore These Resources

• Check out Matt’s book Profit On-Demand: The Creator’s Guide to Building a Profitable Business with Print-on-Demand
• Lulu’s 2025 Books & Business Insights Report

💡 Listen to These Episodes

• Ep #78 | How to Use Generative AI to Sell More Books
• Ep #97 | How Print-On-Demand is Fueling the Resurgence of Magazines
• Ep #99 | 2025 Plot Twists in Publishing (That Everyone Saw Coming)

💡 Read These Blog Posts

• Digital Printing for Traditional Publishers
• Amazon Isn’t the Only Option: Going Wide to Diversify Your Book Sales
• What Can Lulu Do For You?
  
  

Sound Bites From This Episode

🎙️ [5:58] “Print-on-demand models will become as important, I think, to the publishing supply chain as some of the other things that have surfaced over the years.”

🎙️ [29:23] “Anytime you can gain a full percentage point, multiple or even double digit percentage points, like that's an opportunity you want to jump at. So when you look at what direct sales affords you, when that's implemented properly, especially with a print-on-demand model, there's just no arguing with that.”

🎙️ [35:35] “I think if we…let's say six months from now, we talk about the trend of POD for new users coming into the ecosystem. Yeah, I bet it's more than an uptick.”

💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog, our YouTube channel, and more.
💀 Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
💀 Email us at podcast@lulu.com
💀 Sign up for our mailing list.

In this episode, Matt & Lauren look back on this year in publishing. We review some of our predictions from 2024 and how those trends impacted the industry in 2025, including:

• How AI continued to dominate the conversation
• Why more and more authors and publishers are exploring direct sales
• How traditional publishers are adopting print-on-demand solutions
• Why building community is more important than ever

Listen now, or watch the full episode on YouTube!

Dive Deeper

💡 Explore These Resources

• Lulu | 2025 Books & Business Insights Report
• Kajabi | State of Creator Commerce Report 2025
• Jane Friedman | The Key Book Publishing Paths: 2025–2026

💡 Listen to These Episodes

• Ep #52 | Did Indie Authors Publish and Prosper in 2024?
• Ep #56 | The Indie Author's Guide to Going Wide With Your Book Distribution
• Ep #68 | Maximizing Your Chances of Discoverability in Generative AI Search
• Ep #96 | Building a Landing Page for Your Book

💡 Read These Blog Posts

• Author Research: What the Top 5% of Creators Do Differently
• Digital Printing for Traditional Publishers
  
  

Sound Bites From This Episode

🎙️ [18:20] “[Selling direct] has become so common and so easy that I think that not only will it continue, but I think you're really gonna start seeing a lot of major players adopting it now going into 2026.”

🎙️ [27:15] “I don't think we're gonna be living in a world much longer where it's an us versus them mentality, indie publishing versus traditional publishing.”

🎙️ [40:25] “I think that this year people really kind of had the reality check of, oh shit, we can't do it this way. I cannot put all of my eggs in this basket if I'm not the one holding the basket.”

💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog, our YouTube channel, and more.
💀 Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
💀 Email us at podcast@lulu.com
💀 Sign up for our mailing list.

In this episode, Lauren interviews everyone’s new favorite author…Matt Briel! Lauren & Matt talk through the experience of writing, editing, and publishing a book. Hear firsthand how Matt developed a writing practice that worked for him, what it was like working with a professional editor and beta readers, and where he found the motivation and inspiration to get his book published.

Check out Matt’s new book Profit On-Demand: The Creator’s Guide to Building a Profitable Business with Print-on-Demand.

Watch the video episode, streaming now on YouTube.

💡 Listen to These Episodes

• Ep #53 | How to Create A Writing Habit That Actually Sticks
• Ep #75 | 7 Steps to Publishing Your Book
• Ep #93 | Tales from the Scrypt: Self-Publishing Horror Stories (and How to Survive Them)

💡 Read These Blog Posts

• How to Write a Book: A 6-Step Guide for Beginners
• Pre-Publishing Checklist For Your Book
• Turning Your Content Into a Book: A Step-by-Step Guide for Creators

💡 Watch These Videos

• Lulu U Playlist | Start Here!
• Lulu U Playlist | Publishing on Lulu
• How to Get Started with Direct Sales
  
  

🎙️ [8:55] “When it comes to nonfiction book publishing you are inherently going to become even more of an expert in whatever it is you're talking about. Because you have to actually do research and process the thing that you're working on and become articulate about how to explain these things.”

🎙️ [24:01] “Making progress, I think, tangible progress that you feel good about really helps you stay locked in.”

🎙️ [41:50] “But you know, a lot of it is you're making these changes because if you have trust in your editor and you have a good editor, then I mean, that's the point. You should take those suggestions and make them.”

💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog, our YouTube channel, and more.
💀 Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom!
💀 Email us at podcast@lulu.com
💀 Sign up for our mailing list.