Novel Marketing

In this conversation, fantasy author Josiah DeGraaf shares his journey of building a thriving email list before his novel's release. He reveals how to identify your target reader and suggests unique ways to attract subscribers, such as leveraging live events and reader magnets. Josiah also discusses the benefits of using Kickstarter not just for funding, but for cultivating reader relationships and gathering valuable feedback. His strategies led to a successful launch, proving that knowing your audience is key to publishing success!

The faster you write, the more books you can publish and the more money you can make from your writing.We all type slower than we speak, and if you’re typing and creating a story at the same time, you type even slower. But what if you could regularly produce 50 words or more per minute? You’d be able to write a 120,000-word book in a 40-hour work week!Authors who can write that fast all use dictation. So why do so many authors hesitate to use it?If you’ve ever tried dictation and felt awkward, slow, or tangled up in the tech, you’re not alone. In this week’s episode, dictation expert Sarah Sawyer shows us the calm, practical way to ease into dictation so it feels natural and actually helps you write more.Here’s what you’ll learn:Which tech tools make it easy? (Hint: You probably already have them!)Techniques that help synchronize your creativity, brain, and mouthHow dictation can propel your writing and possibly save your healthAudio & Blog VersionsFor authors, dictation can skyrocket writing speed. Listen in or read the blog version to find out which tools and strategies will help you master the skill and write faster.https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/Support the show

Giving away your hard work for free doesn’t seem to make good business sense. So why do authors give away ebooks for free?What if “free” didn’t kill your revenue, but primed it? In this week’s episode, we’ll dig into the permafree strategy with Dale Roberts, author of Secrets of the Permafree Book.You’ll learn:Where permafree works (and where it flops)How to make Amazon price-match a free bookHow to determine whether the permafree strategy is working for youWhich kinds of standalone books might benefit from being permafreeIf you’ve got a strong series and a tight budget, permafree may be the fastest path from obscurity to discovery. Listen in or read the blog version to see if it will work for your book or books.https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/Support the show

So you wrote a good book, but you can’t seem to get reviews. Do you just throw up your hands? Why do reviews and ratings even matter?Well, the more reviews a book has, the better it will sell and the more reviews it will get. Without the social proof of reviews, readers scroll past your book listing, algorithms ignore you, and sales flatline.So, how do you get more book reviews?In this week’s episode, we’ll hear from Joe Walter of Independent Book Review. You’ll learnThree different kinds of reviews that can help your book gain visibilityHow ratings and reviews differ (and the easiest places to get each)Which tools can make the process of gathering reviews more efficientNo reviews = no trust = no sales. Find out how to fix that. Listen in or read the blog version and learn to use book ratings and reviews to increase your author credibility, book visibility, and sales.https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/Support the show

Most authors either avoid AI or use it badly. Let’s fix that.Authors who learn to use AI find that they have more time to write better books.In this week’s episode, Joanna Penn and I break down where to start, which tools are actually worth using, and how to get useful output instead of bland tasteless, voiceless, AI slop.You’ll learnHow to prompt ChatGPT like a coworkerThe best tools for images, deep research reports, audio, and marketing tasksWays to use AI that you probably haven’t considered beforeThe most important AI prompting tip you will ever learnListen now or read the blog version to learn how AI can do tasks you hate, sharpen your author voice, and give you more time to do the creative work you wanted to do when you first started writing.https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/Support the show

Every author needs editorial feedback. But not all feedback is good.If you accept every edit, you risk losing your voice and writing something bland. If you ignore all edits, you risk writing something sloppy that readers won’t buy. So how do you know which edits to take and which to toss?In this week’s episode, you’ll learn:7 “Bewares” to help you sort out good and bad editorial suggestionsWhether AI or human editors are helpful or hurtfulHow to develop good tastes that guide your writing voiceEditing is supposed to sharpen your writing, not smother your voice. Listen in or read the blog version to find out when you should (and shouldn’t) ignore feedback.https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/Support the show

Most writing conferences teach you how to write a better book or how to pursue a literary agent. But what if you have already written a great book and you need help selling it? Is there a conference for you?Yes! Announcing the 2026 Novel Marketing Conference, a live, in-person event focused on helping you market and sell more books.The 2026 conference is packed with innovations you won’t find anywhere else:100% live, interactive sessionsA small group of writers who write in your genreGuidance on creating a customized plan for your upcoming yearExcellent teaching by expertsYou’ll leave the conference with a 100-page workbook full of actionable steps to grow your author platform, increase book sales, and start the year with a clear plan.🎟️ Early bird tickets are on sale now through September 30, 2025. Prices start at just $299, and our limited number of Super Tickets are going fast, so reserve your spot today at ​NovelMarketingConference.com​.​Listen in​ to hear more details or ​read the blog version​ to see the tentative schedule as well as photos from past conferences. https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/Support the show

If you write picture books, chapter books, or middle-grade fiction, you know the challenge: kids read your books, but adults buy them.So how can you let young readers know about your books? Where can you connect with your readers? By meeting them in person in school classrooms!In this week's episode, award-winning author Becca Wierwille shares how school visits became her best book marketing strategy and how you can start doing them too.In this episode, you’ll discover:How to get your first (and second!) school visitWhat to include in your presentation to keep students engaged and coming back for moreHow to make it easy for school administrators to say "Yes!" to your visitSchool visits are fun! Listen in or read the blog version to discover how you can connect with young readers, positively impact schools, and sell more books.https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/Support the show

What’s up with ruthless heroes and romantasy?And what if the real reason your book isn’t selling has nothing to do with your writing and everything to do with the zeitgeist?In this week’s Novel Marketing episode, we’re ​featuring an episode of Author Update​. We unpack the massive cultural shift that's changing what readers crave. From romantasy's domination to the hunger for noble dark heroes, we explore what sells and why in the new "spirit of the age."In this episode, you’ll discover:The future of books with morally gray, sword-wielding protagonistsHow Gen Z’s love for brutal heroes reveals a deeper desireWhat the shift from grimdark to noble bright means for your next story​Listen in​ or read the ​blog version​ to dive into the vibes shaping the future of fiction.https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/Support the show

Ever wonder how some authors consistently sell a thousand books a month?What marketing tactics are they using? How can I get those results too?In the latest episode of the Novel Marketing Podcast, I talk with Susan Neal, author of nine books and CEO of the Christian Indie Publishing Association. Susan shares how she layers her marketing efforts—from podcast interviews to press releases—to drive book sales month after month.Here’s a taste of what you’ll learn:Which tactics helped her sell 7,000 books in 8 monthsHow to successfully pitch podcasts, blogs, and media outletsHow to avoid common author mistakes that hinder salesWhether you’re launching your first book or looking to grow sales of your back list, listen in or read the blog version. You’ll be inspired by Susan’s method and eager to try her tactics.https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/Support the show