Author Media has a list of over 10,000 subscribers, and around half of them open our emails, which means our open rates hover around 50%. That’s a high open rate!
It’s partly because new subscribers join our email list through webinars I present for writers and authors. By the end of each webinar, attendees know enough to want to open emails from Author Media and me. Plus, the comments, questions, and polls associated with the webinar allow me to get to know my audience better.
If you want to get to know your “Timothy” and grow your email list by adding subscribers who want to open your emails, it might be time for you to host a webinar.
But how do you deliver webinars readers want to attend?
In this week’s episode, you’ll learn 12 tips for hosting educational and entertaining webinars people want to attend.
You’ll learn

• How to capture and retain your attendees’ attention
• How much time to spend on your presentation or Q&A
• What to do after the webinar to continue to the attendees

Listen in or check out the blog version to find out how you can build an email list full of your “Timothys” and grow an engaged tribe through hosting an author webinar.

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An Uber driver's most valuable asset is his car. A photographer's camera is critical. An Uber driver with a broken car can't make money, and a photographer with a cheap camera will slowly starve.
What is the critical tool for an author? What tool will help you earn money and keep you from starving?
Your laptop!
You write, edit, and promote your book on your laptop. A reliable, compatible computer is key to your success. Put another way, an old, unreliable computer is a terrible liability.
Investing in a good laptop is not just a smart move, it's a potential tax-deductible business expense for professional authors.
But how do you know what kind of laptop is best for you?
In this week's episode, you'll find out:

• What kind of speed and storage an author's laptop needs
• What to avoid when buying a laptop
• What you don't need in a laptop

Listen in or check out the blog version of this episode to find out what kind of computer will best help you in your writing career.

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When readers browse Amazon, they have already decided to purchase a book. The only question is: Which book will they choose? What if there was a way to reach readers at this pivotal moment and persuade them to pick your book from the list they're considering?
There is! It is called Amazon Advertising, and it has become one of the most popular forms of book promotion for indie authors.
However, many authors feel intimidated by the idea of running Amazon ads.
In this week's episode, you'll hear from Alana Terry, a USA Today bestselling author of over 40 books and Amazon ads expert.
You'll discover

• Why Amazon ads might be a good place to start
• Six steps to quickly create your first ad
• How to determine whether your ads are working
• And much more

 If you've wanted to sell more books on Amazon but have felt overwhelmed by the process of running ads, listen in or check out the blog version of this episode to find out the quickest way to get started.

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The tools we use for writing have evolved over the centuries, from quill and inkpot to the printing press, to the word processor to AI. Recent developments in AI tools for writers have sparked everything from laughable images to controversy and fear.
Is AI evil? Is it safe?
In this week’s episode, we’ll discuss what you need to know about AI in our current day. You’ll learn

• How (and how early) it developed
• What threats it poses to writers
• What advantages it offers
• How to wield it for good in the world

Listen in or check out the blog version of this episode to learn what to watch for and how AI can increase your writing output and improve your craft.

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Almost every traditionally published book goes up for preorder before it comes out. However, the advice surrounding preorders can be confusing for indie authors. Some indies say preorders are critical. Others say having a preorder for your book can hurt sales.
Who is right?
Should you set up a preorder for your book? Are preorders a good idea or a bad idea?
Preorders can help or hurt, depending on what kind of author you are.
In this week’s episode, you’ll learn:

• What kind of author is helped by a preorder
• Why preorders are so important for some authors
• How to make the most of your preorder window

Listen in or check out the blog version of this episode to learn the benefits and drawbacks of making your book available for preorder before its launch date.

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You’ve heard me talk about the Five Ps of Marketing, and in this week’s episode, we tackle the third P: Place. In other words, where should you sell your book?
Many authors struggle to find the right place to sell their books. Whether you're an indie or traditional author, you must discover the best places to sell.
So, how can you unlock the power of place for your book?
In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why the location where you sell your book is important and powerful
• Three case studies on authors who have maximized sales in the right places
• Online and offline places where you can sell your book

Selling your book in the right place is important for connecting with the right readers and making sales. Listen in or check out the blog post to find out how place impacts your book sales.

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The term "self-publishing" doesn't mean that you sit in a cabin in the woods all by yourself and emerge with a published book as if you'd done it all singlehandedly.
It's rare to find one person who has all the skills required to turn an idea into a physical book. We need cover designers, formatters, web designers, assistants, and more. You might be self-publishing, but you will need some help.
But what if you don't know anyone who can help? Where can you find skilled professionals who can produce the high-quality work your book deserves?
I asked Ricardo Fayet, the cofounder of Reedsy, a curated community of book professionals
In this week's episode, you'll learn

• How to search Reedsy to find experienced professionals who specialize in your genre
• How Reedsy vets the professionals in their marketplace
• How Reedsy makes money and saves you money at the same time

Listen in to discover how Reedsy can help indie and traditional authors create beautiful, compelling, and marketable books, and find all the related links in the blog version.

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This year marks the end of an era.
The Book Launch Blueprint is entering its seventh and final year. Since we began offering it in 2018, it has been one of our most popular courses.
Launching a book is one strategy that works well for indie and traditional as well as fiction and nonfiction.
But why is a book launch so important?
In this week’s episode, you’ll discover

• Who needs a book launch (and who doesn’t)
• Other methods that work for some authors
• What a successful book launch does for your book and your career
• What we'll cover in this year's final Book Launch Blueprint

Registration for the final cohort of the Book Launch Blueprint course is now open.

• Registration Closes: Friday, April 12
• Live Student Orientation: Friday, April 12.
• Course Begins: Monday, April 15
• Course Concludes: Friday, May 10

Listen in to learn a few book launch secrets and get an overview of the course, or check out the blog version of this episode.

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How much money does it cost to become a professional author?
Any profession will cost you when you're just getting started. If you're broke, I recommend listening to my episode titled The Starving Author: How to Market Books Without Money.
Assuming you have some money, you need a spending plan. But how much money do you need to budget for the first five years of your writing career? I asked Kent Sanders, host of The Profitable Writer Podcast and founder of the Profitable Writer Community, a membership group that serves writers and helps them become more profitable.
In this week's episode, you'll learn

• How much money to set aside for writing-related expenses
• What writing tools and investments yield the best return for authors
• Which expenses you can avoid early in your career

 Listen to the podcast or read the blog version, and be sure to ask your questions and leave your comments on AuthorMedia.social.

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Email marketing is one of the most powerful tools for connecting with readers and selling books. Obviously, you want a lot of email subscribers, but it doesn't matter how many subscribers you have if they don't open and read your emails.
How do you craft the kind of emails that capture your reader's attention and help you sell more books?
In this week's episode, you'll learn

• Three elements that make readers open your emails
• Which element is least important
• What to write in your email newsletter

If you don't yet have your first 1,000 newsletter subscribers, listen in, and you'll be on your way to 1,000 subscribers. Be sure to check out the blog version for a long list of links related to growing your email list.

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A few years ago, the popular buzzword in the author world was "tribe." Building a tribe of readers was seen as the key to success. Reader relationships are still important for authors, so why did the term "tribe" go out of fashion?
Having a tribe of readers is still an incredible asset that will help you sell your books and raise your profile amongst readers, but you need to know how and where to build a tribe if you want it to grow.
In this week's episode, you'll learn:

• The difference between a platform and a tribe
• Why authors need a tribe
• How large your tribe needs to be
• Where to gather your tribe to ensure a positive experience

If you've been wondering how to listen to your Timothy or eavesdrop on a conversation between several of your target readers, listen in to find out how and where to build your tribe or check out the blog version of this episode.

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