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Zeitgeist: Davy Crockett King of the First Turning
I’ve been pondering a lot about the return of King Arthur in the new zeitgeist. I am starting to wonder if Arthur will return, and specifically, if he will return to America. America has had two kings and neither of them were Arthur. Our kings were Davy Crockett, King...
The Mary Poppins Zeitgeist: From Grimbright to Nobledark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W0VEjeVm7w This conversation unpacks how stories reflect cultural “turnings” in the zeitgeist, using Mary Poppins, Winnie the Pooh, Marines in wartime, and superhero tales as case studies. The Thomas Umstattd Jr. and Jonathan Shuerger...
17 Days Left: How to Claim Your $3,000+ From Anthropic’s $1.5B AI Copyright Settlement
This week’s highlights: Authors have only 17 days left to claim up to $3,000+ per book in the $1.5B Anthropic AI copyright settlement. YouTube’s revenue now surpasses Disney, confirming the creator economy’s dominance, a trajectory indie authors are mirroring. Amazon ended its Book Club and excluded authors from new AI ad tools.
How I Fight Off Copyright Trolls Targeting My Blogs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrM68ayZhSk This article walks through several real-world encounters with copyright trolls targeting my blogs, how their schemes work, and the practical defenses I used to fight them off without paying. It also shows how DMCA...
Why Your Book Isn’t Selling: Metadata
Discover how metadata for books can significantly improve your book sales and visibility in online stores like Amazon.
Substack Breach: Author Information Compromised
TikTok is back, but its algorithm retrain may disrupt BookTok, the author-targeted data breach, Amazon’s new DRM download option, soaring Bible sales, ChatGPT ads, Sanderson’s “we are the art” speech, and what the Super Bowl halftime shows reveal about today’s book buyers.
How to Get a Professional Email Address
Your email address might be the first thing an agent or editor sees. Learn how to make a good first impression with your email address.
How to Format a Book With Vellum
Learn how Vellum can save you money, time, and headache when formatting your next book or reader magnet.
Platform
Platform
When to Ignore Your Editor
Discover 7 issues authors must beware of when getting editorial suggestions from humans or AI and when to ignore or accept the feedback.
How to Get Started with Author School Visits and Make Your Book Playground Famous
Selling books for kids is a challenge. Discover how you can connect with young readers, positively impact schools, and sell more books.
Adapting a Podcast to YouTube
Discover the keys to adapting a podcast to YouTube. Understand what works best to grow your channel effectively.
AI Optimization for Authors
Transform your approach to book marketing with AI optimization for authors. Find out how AI can help readers discover your book.
A Storytelling Revolution: Inside the World of Serialized Fiction
Learn how platforms like Royal Road and Ream Stories are revolutionizing serialized fiction and offering a path to building an audience.
Networking for Authors: How to Build Relationships Without Being Awkward
Many authors feel stuck. They're toiling away in obscurity, and none of their...
How to Build a Rejection-Proof Platform in 2025
To build an author platform, you need a method that works long term. Discover one method and five steps that will give you a solid author platform to stand on.
Contact Page Dos & Don’ts for Authors
Learn how to create a successful author contact page and form that helps readers and influencers find you and makes spammers leave you alone.
Publishing
Publishing
Productivity Secrets from Bestselling Author Jerry B. Jenkins
Productivity tips for writers that will help you finish your book and find a sustainable writing pace for your career.
The Five-Year Plan to Become a Professional Author
Discover a five year plan for writing a novel and how it helps aspiring authors build their craft, finish the book, and become a professional author.
The Savvy Author’s Guide to Picking an LLM
Discover which LLMs and AI tools are best for your writing and marketing processes, and how the tools compare to one another.
2025 Desktop Printer Guide for Authors
Learn what kind of home printer an author needs and which one will get you the best bang for your buck.
How to Publish a Novel in 2025
Learn how to successfully publish a novel with my six-step roadmap. Avoid common mistakes and start at the right place for strong sales.
An Introduction to Author Ecosystems with Russell Nohelty
Explore the concept of author ecosystems and discover marketing strategies tailored to your unique approach and audience.
Your Author Toolbox: Time-Saving Tools for Busy Authors
Discover this suite of innovative writing tools for authors designed to streamline your writing, marketing, email list, and sales efforts.
Escaping the Procrastination Prison: A Guide for Tired Authors
Ten practical steps to help authors overcome procrastination, reclaim focus, and start writing and promoting books with confidence.
Promotion
Promotion
Author Taxes – A 2026 Guide to Avoiding Jail & Overpaying
Taxes for authors don’t have to trigger panic. Discover rules for bookkeeping and taxes and what common mistakes to avoid.
The Five-Year Plan to Become a Professional Author
Discover a five year plan for writing a novel and how it helps aspiring authors build their craft, finish the book, and become a professional author.
The Shopify Trap: Why Authors Keep Losing Money
Discover the best ecommerce platform for authors and several surprisingly good options for selling books directly to readers.
How to Build an Email List Before You Publish Your Novel
Discover the many ways to grow your email list before you publish your book.
How to Sell 1,000 Books a Month
Learn how to improve your book sales with proven strategies for selling 1,000 books a month through layered marketing, podcasts, and more.
How to Work With a PR Firm to Promote Your Book
Publicity has always been important for authors. Find out which media outlets are most useful to authors in 2025.
What does ChatGPT Actually Know About Your Book?
Do the most popular AI tools know about your book? Do they know enough to recommend it to readers? Discover how to find out if they do.
How to Create Sales Optimized Book Pages for Your Author Website
Discover why a website book page is vital for authors and how to design an effective page that captivates and helps readers and AI alike.