• About
  • Resources
    • Patron Toolbox
    • Coaching Groups
    • Podcast Host Directory
    • Affiliate Links
    • Podcast Gear Guide
    • AI Thomas
  • Courses
  • Blog
    • Platform
    • Publishing
    • Promotion
    • Zeitgeist
  • Podcasts
    • Novel Marketing
    • Author Update
    • Christian Publishing Show
  • Conference
  • .social
  • Contact
AI Fiction Seizes 27.5% of KDP’s Genre Catalog

AI Fiction Seizes 27.5% of KDP’s Genre Catalog

by Thomas Umstattd Jr. | Aug 10, 2026 | Author Update

Libro.fm expands ebooks to 5,000 indie stores, while AI disrupts a $2 million book auction. HarperCollins grows 15%, Fable reaches 5 million users, and AI fiction nears 30% of Amazon’s genre catalog.

SEO for Author Websites: The Only Guide You Need in 2026

SEO for Author Websites: The Only Guide You Need in 2026

by Thomas Umstattd Jr. | Aug 5, 2026 | Author Websites, Platform

Discover effective author website SEO, AIO, GEO strategies to secure your name on Google and showcase your books effectively.

Zeitgeist: How Science Skepticism Is Reshaping Popular Fiction

Zeitgeist: How Science Skepticism Is Reshaping Popular Fiction

by Thomas Umstattd Jr. | Aug 3, 2026 | Genre Analysis, Zeitgeist

Declining institutional trust in science is fueling a cultural shift toward supernatural fiction—magic, witches, and vampires across every genre.

Fauci’s Diary, Joe Rogan, and the Magic Boom in Fiction

Fauci’s Diary, Joe Rogan, and the Magic Boom in Fiction

by Thomas Umstattd Jr. | Aug 3, 2026 | Author Update

AALA’s new pay-to-play agent rules, Substack’s faulty AI detector, publishing’s low AI adoption, and the supernatural fiction surge.

Zeitgeist: How to Navigate Leftist Violence as an Influencer

Zeitgeist: How to Navigate Leftist Violence as an Influencer

by Thomas Umstattd Jr. | Jul 29, 2026 | Culture & Politics, Zeitgeist

How to navigate leftist violence and protect your family as an influencer.

The Comprehensive Guide to BookFunnel

The Comprehensive Guide to BookFunnel

by Thomas Umstattd Jr. | Jul 29, 2026 | Platform

Unlock the potential of BookFunnel for authors. Learn how to grow your newsletter subscribers and engage readers effectively.

Zeitgeist: Saving People Through Stories

Zeitgeist: Saving People Through Stories

by Thomas Umstattd Jr. | Jul 28, 2026 | News, Zeitgeist

Discover how you can incorporate disasters into your story to save lives.

The Digital vs. Physical War: AI Companies Are Pulping Books by the Pallet

The Digital vs. Physical War: AI Companies Are Pulping Books by the Pallet

by Thomas Umstattd Jr. | Jul 28, 2026 | Author Update

Literary agents can now charge for marketing, indie print revenue jumped 75%, the $1.5B Anthropic settlement was approved, and AI may have crossed the AGI line.

Why Your Cover, Blurb, and Hook Are All Just Guesses

Why Your Cover, Blurb, and Hook Are All Just Guesses

by Thomas Umstattd Jr. | Jul 22, 2026 | Promotion, Strategy

Discover how split testing can help you write a book readers will love and help you sell that book to the right readers.

The Atlantic Just Declared the Age of Reading Is Over

The Atlantic Just Declared the Age of Reading Is Over

by Thomas Umstattd Jr. | Jul 21, 2026 | Author Update, Promotion

Post-literate America, the Google Gemini lawsuit, AI audiobooks winning, and indie authors out-earning traditional. Plus: is the debate hurting your creativity?

Zeitgeist: Trad Publishers Sell Fewer Books Than Indie Authors

by Thomas Umstattd Jr. | Jul 21, 2026 | Zeitgeist

Uncover the real conversation as writers compare indie and traditional publishing. What defines success in writing?

The 5 Tiers of Audiobooks: Which One Should You Publish?

The 5 Tiers of Audiobooks: Which One Should You Publish?

by Thomas Umstattd Jr. | Jul 15, 2026 | Audiobook Publishing, Publishing

Finding out how to make an audiobook can be easier than you think. Learn affordable ways to bring your book to life.

Zeitgeist: How Shifting Public Attitudes on the U.S. Military Are Reshaping Storytelling

Zeitgeist: How Shifting Public Attitudes on the U.S. Military Are Reshaping Storytelling

by Thomas Umstattd Jr. | Jul 13, 2026 | Culture & Politics, Zeitgeist

Two U.S. military veterans discuss how attitudes toward service members have changed since the Gulf War, the rise of military “zero-defect culture,” the impact of the Afghanistan withdrawal and COVID-era policies on morale and recruitment, and how these shifts are influencing a new generation of military fiction.

Zeitgeist: Cozy Fantasy and LitRPG SURGE as Hottest Niches in 2026

Zeitgeist: Cozy Fantasy and LitRPG SURGE as Hottest Niches in 2026

by Thomas Umstattd Jr. | Jul 13, 2026 | Genre Analysis, Zeitgeist

A summer 2026 K-lytics report reveals fantasy titles are outselling science fiction by nearly four to one, driven largely by romantasy and the rapidly growing LitRPG subgenre.

The Week That Changed Indie Publishing: KDP Royalties, Book Pirates, and AI Audio Theft

The Week That Changed Indie Publishing: KDP Royalties, Book Pirates, and AI Audio Theft

by Thomas Umstattd Jr. | Jul 13, 2026 | Author Update

Amazon expands KDP’s 70% royalty to $12.99, authors battle book piracy, AI audiobooks spark controversy, and new K-lytics data reveals Fantasy’s booming market. Plus: Spotify, Xbox layoffs, EU surveillance, and more publishing news.

« Older Entries
Next Entries »

7 Secrets of Amazing Author Websites

In this free video course, you will learn how to craft a website that readers will love visiting.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Recent Episodes

  • Should You Leave Kindle Unlimited in 2026?
  • Zeitgeist Report: A Year After Charlie Kirk and What Has Changed
  • Zeitgeist Report: Anti-AI Panic Now Has a Payroll
  • The US Copyright Office Is Flagging Human-Written Books as AI
  • Zeitgeist: How SSRIs Change What Women Want to Read
  • Amazon Caught Stealing Authors’ Ad Dollars

Categories

  • Author Update (64)
  • Platform (313)
    • Author Websites (105)
    • Blogging (58)
    • Branding (28)
    • Podcasting (17)
    • Public Speaking (14)
    • Social Media (81)
  • Promotion (385)
    • Advertising (30)
    • Copywriting (11)
    • Email Marketing (30)
    • Marketing 101 (14)
    • Marketing Psychology (13)
    • PR (21)
    • Strategy (74)
  • Publishing (341)
    • Audiobook Publishing (11)
    • Book Design (25)
    • Business Advice (57)
    • Conference Tips (16)
    • Crowdfunding (13)
    • Independent Publishing (51)
    • Productivity (55)
    • Traditional Publishing (24)
    • Writing Craft (145)
  • Zeitgeist (122)
    • Book & Movie Reviews (6)
    • Culture & Politics (25)
    • Genre Analysis (15)
    • News (67)
    • Turnings (5)
    • Zeitgeist 101 (9)

Tags

Advertising (32) AI (21) Amazon (45) Audiobooks (21) Author Websites (109) Blogging (72) Book Covers (26) Book Launch (31) Book Pitches (19) Book Promotion (139) Book Reviews (21) Branding (38) Business (70) Craft (31) Crowdfunding (20) Editors (26) Email List Growth (34) Email Marketing (45) Email Newsletter (28) Facebook (26) Fiction (20) Independent Publishing (85) Interview (120) Kickstarter (22) Measurement (20) News (20) Planning (19) Platform (78) Podcasting (36) Podcast Tour (20) Productivity (90) Publishing (34) Reader Magnet (27) Readers (62) Sales (25) Self Promotion (22) SEO (20) Social Media (70) Strategy (41) Traditional Publishing (28) Twitter (19) WordPress (33) Writing (96) Writing Tools (34) Zeitgeist (19)
  • Home
  • About
  • Resources
    • Courses
    • Contact
    • Coaching Groups
    • Podcast Host Directory
  • Blog
    • Author Websites
    • Writing Craft
    • Blogging
  • Novel Marketing Podcast
    • Subscribe to Podcast
    • Patreon
  • Privacy & DMCA Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Contact