

Author Update
Thomas Umstattd Jr.
Here’s what you can expect from Author Update:Publishing News: Stay in the loop on what’s happening in the industry.Advice That Matters: Learn how to make your book irresistible to readers.Live Q&A: Bring your questions and get answers from Thomas Umstattd and Jonathan Shuerger.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 11, 2025 • 1h 16min
Barnes and Noble, Bots, Bankruptcy and Beyond: The Big Beautiful Episode
Donate to disaster survivors at ADRN.org.https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/

Jun 28, 2025 • 1h 3min
The Case of Authors Vs. AI
Several court cases impacting authors, the NYT wonders if men read literary novels, and Jonathan starts a lawsuit against Thomas. All on this week's Author Update.https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/

Jun 21, 2025 • 1h 4min
How The Iran War Will Impact Authors
The Israel-Iran War, more AI impact on the workforce, zeitgeist discussion and more Patron Tools in the toolbox. All here with Author Update. https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/

Jun 14, 2025 • 1h 3min
Amazon Drops Printing Prices, Lays Off Kindle Staff, and Ends Hourly Rankings
Watch us on YouTube live!https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/

Jun 7, 2025 • 1h 1min
Is the AI Bubble Popping?
A new version of Vellum, Publisher Rocket ends its lifetime deal, and is the AI bubble going to burst?https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/

May 31, 2025 • 58min
The End of Google for Authors?
🎙️ Author Update – Episode: The End of Google (for Authors?)Hosts: Jonathan Shuerger & Thomas Umstattd Jr.🕒 Runtime: \~57 minutes📚 Topics: AI Search, SEO, Voice Cloning, Book Marketing, Author Tools---🔍 Episode Summary:Is this the beginning of the end for Google? In this episode, Jonathan and Thomas explore how AI is disrupting traditional search and discovery—and what that means for authors. From SEO and Pinterest to AI audiobooks and “Not a Literary Agent,” this is your update on everything changing in the publishing world.---🧭 What You'll Learn:* Why Google is losing market share—and what’s taking its place* How to optimize for AI-driven search (semantic SEO explained)* Why Gen Z is using Pinterest instead of Google* How to structure content for AI overviews* What voice cloning means for audiobooks* Tools for analyzing your publishing contracts* How to stay discoverable as bots change the rules---🛠️ Tools & Resources Mentioned:* Yoast SEO: [https://yoast.com](https://yoast.com)* Not a Literary Agent: [https://authormedia.com](https://authormedia.com)* 11 Labs (voice cloning): [https://elevenlabs.io](https://elevenlabs.io)* Opera’s Neon AI Browser: [https://www.opera.com/neon](https://www.opera.com/neon)* Pinterest Marketing (for Gen Z outreach)* ChatGPT, Grok, and AI-powered search tools---🔥 Hot Takes:* “Pinterest is now more useful than Instagram or TikTok for authors.”* “First-person POV dominates because it’s easier—not better.”* “AI-generated content is training new AI—welcome to the feedback loop.”* “You can't have a cyborg baby with an AI girlfriend… yet.”---🧠 Author Action Steps:1. Add rich, structured content to your blog2. Focus on being *the answer* for AI bots3. Experiment with voice cloning for budget audiobooks4. Explore Pinterest as a discovery tool5. Stay current—these shifts are accelerating---**🎁 Bonus for Patrons:**Thomas hosts a monthly bonus Q\&A episode exclusively for patrons. Get your questions answered live!👉 Support the show: https://authormedia.com https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/

May 23, 2025 • 1h 22min
Do 45% of Authors *Already* Use AI?!
https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/

May 16, 2025 • 1h 4min
KDP Royalty Changes & Invasion of the AI Audiobooks
https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/

May 10, 2025 • 60min
Skype Dies, Romantasy Surges, & Mr. Beast Starts Writing the Bestest Best Seller Ever
Author Update New Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Author-Updatehttps://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/

May 4, 2025 • 59min
Book Bans, Copyright Trolls Target Authors, and is Social Media Mostly Bots?
Blog Version: https://www.authormedia.com/book-bans-copyright-trolls/https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/


