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PODCAST

Novel Marketing

Thomas Umstattd Jr.

The longest-running book marketing podcast in the world. This is the show for writers who want to build their platform, sell more books, and change the world with writing worth talking about. Whether you self publish or are with a traditional house, this podcast will make book promotion fun and easy. Thomas Umstattd Jr. interviews publishers, indie authors, and bestselling traditional authors about how to get published and sell more books.

arts books

All Episodes

25:27

2025 Laptop Buying Guide for Authors

Novel Marketing ·

2025/04/09

Too many writers waste hundreds or thousands of dollars on laptop features they’ll never use. Worse yet, some struggle along with outdated, unreliable machines that sabotage their creativity and productivity.Here’s what tech companies don’t want you to know: That pricey laptop with all the bells and whistles? Most of those features are totally useless for authors.This week’s episode is my 2025 Laptop Buying Guide for Authors. You’ll discover:• Why the processor everyone obsesses over barely

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29:07

Email List Alchemy: How to Grow Your Email List Fast...

Novel Marketing ·

2025/04/02

Description & Times Building an email list made up of more than friends and family can feel impossible, especially before you've launched your first book. Eventually, you have to attract strangers. But how? How do you convince strangers to join your email list? We've been using a surprisingly effective method for years, yet I have never dedicated an entire podcast to it. In this week's episode, you'll hear from author Kelly Jo Wilson, who grew her email list to over 7,000 subscribers usin...

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27:40

Escaping the Procrastination Prison: A Guide for...

Novel Marketing ·

2025/03/26

Are you having trouble starting or finishing your writing? A subtle and sinister phenomenon may be keeping you from success. It may even be the reason your book is not finished yet. It might be why your book isn’t selling.What is it? Procrastination.You can’t beat procrastination by hustling harder; you need a plan that’s smarter.So, how do you escape the procrastination prison? One step at a time.In this week’s episode, you’ll learn 10 practical steps to help you overcome distractions, reclaim your

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41:58

How to Craft a Cancel Proof Marketing Strategy

Novel Marketing ·

2025/03/19

Blog version: https://www.authormedia.com/how-to-craft-a-cancel-proof-marketing-strategy/A few years ago, getting canceled could end your career. But author cancel culture has changed. Now, it can supercharge book sales.But how?In this week’s episode of Novel Marketing, I spoke with book marketer Christine Eriksen about how an indie author used an unplanned controversy as a powerful book marketing tool…and lived to tell about it.You'll learn:✅ Why cancel culture is changing and how it could

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45:16

Author Website Review: Christian Historical Romance

Novel Marketing ·

2025/03/12

How effective is your author website? In this week’s episode of Novel Marketing, I review the websites of top Christian Historical Romance authors, analyzing what they’re doing well and where they could improve. From SEO wins to missed opportunities, you’ll discover practical ways to enhance your own website. Find out: What bestselling authors get right about website design Common mistakes that could cost you readers and sales Simple fixes to improve SEO, navigation, and revenue Listen in or read

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59:40

Book Promotion in 2025: How AI Gives Authors More...

Novel Marketing ·

2025/03/05

It’s 2025, and authors are at war over AI. Some are embracing it, others are retreating to bunkers, and a few think it’s just another passing fad. But amid all the controversy, most authors are missing out on the AI advantage that everyone can agree on: AI can help you market your books, which gives you more time to write. Most of us became authors because we love writing, not because we love marketing. But what if AI could handle some of the heavy lifting for you? What if you could spend less

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37:47

The Sci-Fi Zeitgeist Has Shifted – What Authors Need...

Novel Marketing ·

2025/02/26

Science fiction is changing, and so are its readers. The cultural landscape that shaped the last 40 years of sci-fi is shifting, including thoughts about wokeness, AI, WWIII, population, and more. If you're still writing about overused and cliched sci-fi themes, you're missing the mark.In this week's episode of Novel Marketing, we explore:Why climate-change narratives are losing their grip on sci-fi readersHow population change can impact the next big sci-fi storiesThe new role of AI

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46:09

Indie Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing

Novel Marketing ·

2025/02/19

To indie publish or traditionally publish? That is the question.For years, indie publishing was seen as a fallback for authors who couldn’t land a traditional contract. But times have changed. Many indie authors now outsell and out-earn their traditionally published counterparts.And yet, while many traditionally published authors are switching to indie, it’s far less common to see a successful indie author sign with a major publisher.What would make an indie author turn down a traditional publishing

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22:50

Stop Writing Book Series!

Novel Marketing ·

2025/02/12

If you’re thinking about writing a book series, you might want to reconsider, especially if you’re a new author. That’s not to say you should never write a series, but it can be a risky endeavor, and I can prove it with math. In this week’s episode, I break down why writing a series may limit your potential readership. You’ll learn: The four steps every reader must take for your sequel to sell wellThe math behind why sequels struggle to sellThe hidden dangers of "battered reader syndrome" and...

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45:21

How to Sell Books From a Table

Novel Marketing ·

2025/02/05

Have you ever set up a book table and stacked your books neatly, only to walk away with disappointing sales? You're not alone.But there is a better way to sell books from your book table at in-person events.In this week's episode of Novel Marketing, I sit down with Sarah Hickner, an expert in book table sales, to uncover:Common mistakes authors make at book tables (and how to avoid them)Simple tricks to draw readers in without feeling pushyHow to use giveaways, bundles, and book covers to

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16:42

Read This Before Your Next Podcast Guest Interview

Novel Marketing ·

2025/01/29

Congrats on getting booked for a podcast interview! Whether you’re promoting your book or lead magnet, your audio quality on the podcast can make or break your credibility.In our latest episode, we share pro tips on:How to prepare for your interview (beyond just showing up)Microphone techniques that make you sound like a proThe gear you need (that doesn’t break the bank)What to do after the interview is doneI’ve been podcasting since 2007, I’ve tested a lot of gear, and I’ve made some classic

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55:53

A Storytelling Revolution: Inside the World of...

Novel Marketing ·

2025/01/22

Serialized fiction has been captivating readers for centuries, from nightly bedtime stories to Charles Dickens' Great Expectations to modern writers on platforms like Royal Road and Wattpad.In this episode, I interview bestselling author Seth Ring, who shares how serialized fiction helped him write 25+ books, build a dedicated fanbase, hone his craft, and achieve financial success.Discover:The benefits of writing serialized storiesThe key differences between Wattpad, Royal Road, and other

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32:16

Is Traditional Publishing Dying? Surprising Trends...

Novel Marketing ·

2025/01/08

Where is publishing headed in 2025? Are we witnessing the end of traditional publishing or the birth of something new?In this week's episode of Novel Marketing, we’re unpacking:The surprising trends reshaping the industry.Why successful indie authors are rejecting six-figure advances.How romantasy, premium books, and shifting political preferences are transforming bestseller lists.And of course, we can’t ignore AI. We'll even see what AI has to say about the future of publishing and

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33:15

Networking for Authors: How to Build Relationships...

Novel Marketing ·

2024/12/18

Many authors feel stuck. They're toiling away in obscurity, and none of their promotion efforts seem to go anywhere.Success in publishing is as much about who you know as what you know. And sometimes, the lack of knowing the right people keeps you from finding success.We still live in a world that's run by human people, and your connection to those humans will lead to your success. If the word networking makes you feel awkward, you need to change your mindset.Networking is about

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37:24

Project Management for Authors

Novel Marketing ·

2024/12/11

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the endless task of writing, publishing, and marketing your book? From deciding which software to use for writing to figuring out how to keep track of all the characters in your story, the choices can feel paralyzing, and the number of things that need to be done can be very overwhelming.Besides your writing tasks, you have the business side of things: scheduling meetings, tracking your finances, recording book sales, running ads, and figuring out if your business is

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53:10

How to Build a Rejection Proof Platform in 2025

Novel Marketing ·

2024/11/25

Your author platform is your ability to spread the word about your book. As an indie author, your platform is directly linked with how large your book launch can be. Bigger platforms lead to bigger launches. All else being equal, traditional publishers always prefer large-platform authors to authors with no platform.So, how do you grow your author platform?This week’s episode is a webinar I recently presented.You’ll learn· Two myths about author platform· What you’ll need to build an

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16:06

Contact Page Dos & Don’ts for Authors

Novel Marketing ·

2024/11/20

Is your website’s Contact page serving your readers and web visitors?In the past, authors simply shared their email addresses on their websites. But that opened the door to a flood of spam, which drowned out real messages from readers.Connecting with your readers is essential to building your readership, so you can’t simply remove your email address from your website. But how do you create an effective Contact page that helps readers connect but keeps spammers out?In this week’s episode, we’ll

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54:50

How to Worldbuild Your Book into a Bestseller

Novel Marketing ·

2024/11/13

Choosing the right setting can supercharge your book sales. Some people read a book just for its setting. A good setting can lead to spin-off products like board games, art books, coloring books, calendars, comic books, and even movies.Setting not only turns people on to a story, but it also turns people off.Every author must answer the question, “How can I place my story in a setting that readers want to spend time in?” And the answer to that question is an art and practice called worldbuilding.In

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30:07

How to Run a Local Book Festival

Novel Marketing ·

2024/11/06

Sometimes in marketing, it pays to zig when everyone else is zagging. In this digital age, when authors race to do everything online, it's easy to forget the magic of face-to-face interactions. Personal connections can transform your relationship with your readers and fellow authors.A book festival is a fantastic way to meet with readers and writers at the same time in real life. But what is a book festival, and how can you organize one?In this week's episode, I asked Dave Cohen to talk

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70:23

How to Write Stories Readers Will Love by Knowing the...

Novel Marketing ·

2024/10/30

As Yoda says, “Difficult to see the future is.” But difficult is not impossible. Causes have effects, and the more you have a sense of the rhythms of the past, the better you can sense the future.If it takes you two years to write a book, you owe it to yourself to ask, “What kinds of books will be popular in two years?” Reader preferences change over time, but sometimes they change rapidly. If you don’t keep up, you may get stuck writing a book people no longer want to read.So, how can you determine

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