Behind the Book Cover

Peter Shankman, a five-time best-selling author and the creator of HARO, dives into the intriguing world of media exposure. He shares the amusing backstory of how HARO was created by accident and reveals tips on how authors can grab journalists' attention. Little-known tactics emerge, like personalized email pitches and rapid response strategies. Shankman also humorously discusses the unexpected PR win for Yoo Hoo after a truck heist. His insights on the evolving landscape of journalism and effective communication are invaluable for aspiring authors.

Rich Goldstein is a patent attorney, speaker, host of the Innovations and Breakthroughs podcast and, most relevantly for this show, the author of the bestselling book The ABA Consumer Guide to Obtaining a Patent, which was published by the American Bar Association.He's someone who understands through and through what a book can do for someone's business and in this episode, we got into all that as well as how writing a book changed Rich's career, why he sends a copy of the book to anyone who requests it and how writing a book could, theoretically, make an entrepreneur a cool five million.FOR MORE ABOUT THE PODCAST AND OTHER THINGS, GO TO WWW.ONGOODAUTHORITYPOD.COM

In this fascinating conversation, Rob Fitzpatrick, author of "Write Useful Books" and YCombinator alum, shares his expertise on crafting books that generate recommendations. He reveals his method for finding and engaging beta readers to enhance a book’s desirability. With monthly earnings of approximately $25k from his three books, he illustrates the power of effective storytelling and reader feedback. Fitzpatrick also reflects on the importance of mentorship in writing, making this a treasure trove for aspiring authors.

Zara Barrie, author of the memoir "Girl Stop Passing Out in Your Makeup" and co-host of "GirlZ Interrupted," teams up with Dayna Troisi, managing editor of Go Magazine and creative writing professor. They dive into the art of turning viral social media success into book sales. Their conversation spills into the joys and pitfalls of book promotion on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, the challenge of maintaining authenticity, and the quirky world of merch. Expect laughs and invaluable insights on building meaningful connections online!

Paul Angone, an author known for helping young adults navigate life's challenges, shares his unique journey from eight years of rejection to selling over 100,000 books after a viral blog post. He discusses the symbiotic relationship between books and online courses, illustrating how to transform a manuscript into engaging learning experiences. Paul emphasizes the importance of perseverance, leveraging digital platforms, and investing in quality resources for creative projects, proving that reality can surpass even your wildest dreams.

Jesse J. Anderson's journey to bookdom is unlike any other guest I've had on the show. For one, he's not launching a book to help build his business. Also, that book—Refocus: A Practical Guide to Adult ADHD—hasn't launched yet. In fact, he hasn't even finished writing it. Why, then, you may ask, would I have him on the show? Well, Jesse has also built up an impressive Twitter following by releasing Twitter threads of book chapters—a topic we dive into in detail. When he's not writing books in public, Jesse is a designer and developer who has made it his mission to help others better understand what ADHD really is.FOR MORE ABOUT THE PODCAST AND OTHER STUFF, GO TO WWW.ONGOODAUTHORITYPOD.COM.

Ben Mezrich has sold over 10 million copies of his books.And, by the way, that’s not even the impressive part. The impressive part is that he sells EVERY SINGLE ONE OF HIS BOOKS as a movie or TV show; in fact, if Hollywood isn’t interested in the treatment, he doesn’t even write the book.Mezrich has gotten into this position because of a chance encounter with some MIT students, which led to his writing Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions, which led to Kevin Spacey snapping up the film rights before the book was even out, which led to the book spending over 60 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.Then there was his book, The Accidental Billionaires, which David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin jumped on as Mezrich was writing the book and which, of course turned into the multi award-nominated movie The Social Network. (Mezrich is the only non-fiction author to have two adaptations open at #1 at the box office.)He’s written numerous other books, including Bitcoin Billionaires and The Antisocial Network and is also a consulting producer on Billions. Oh, and his most recent book, The Midnight Ride, has an NFT component that already has over 3500 owners.So how does this happen? How does a former struggling novelist become Hollywood’s go to guy pursued by designers who want to dress him for his book tours? And what is the secret to finding the sort of story that makes Hollywood salivate? It’s all in this episode.GET MORE INFO ON THE POD AND OTHER STUFF BY GOING TO WWW.ONGOODAUTHORITYPOD.COM

Alex Strathdee is no ordinary writer.That's because he's as much an entrepreneur as he is a writer.How do we know this? Because when he wrote his book, Experience Over Degrees, and it didn't transform the world—or even his life—he didn't just shelve the book and the experience like most people.Instead, he asked: how can I get more people to see this?What followed was a targeted campaign to colleges and then a targeted campaign to businesses to pay for that first campaign. It's an ingenious approach and he breaks it all down in this episode.Now he helps other authors make an impact with his company, Advanced Amazon Ads and he even has a free gift for YOU where he breaks down his strategies. Get that free gift here.IF YOU WANT MORE INFO ABOUT THE PODCAST AND OTHER STUFF, GO TO WWW.ONGOODAUTHORITYPOD.COM.

Mike Koenigs, a serial entrepreneur and 13-time bestselling author, reveals how to turn books into lucrative ventures. He uncovers strategies for leveraging writing beyond traditional sales, emphasizing personal branding and audience targeting. Koenigs shares insights on living resourcefully, channeling adversity into entrepreneurship, and maintaining perspective during economic hardships. His journey from survival to success serves as inspiration for aspiring writers, encouraging them to innovate and maximize their online presence.

Tawny Lara, known as The Sober Sexpert and author of *Dry Humping*, shares her insights on launching a book without alcohol as a crutch. She discusses creative ways to drive pre-orders, like making swag from her book announcement. Transitioning to sober dating, Tawny emphasizes the importance of humor and vulnerability in relationships. The conversation also touches on the benefits of outsourcing during a book launch and the emotional realities authors face, reminding listeners to leverage community support for success.