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Scott Sigler

Friend of the Show

Scott Sigler is a #1 New York Times best-selling author and an inaugural inductee into the Podcasting Hall of Fame. He began his career by narrating his own audiobooks and releasing them as free weekly podcast episodes, and he still releases free episodes every Sunday.

Scott has built a career as a traditionally published author, an indie author, and a podcaster, so he has practical, first-hand advice for writers on podcasting a novel, growing a fan base, and publishing an audiobook. He has joined Thomas on Novel Marketing twice, and both interviews are below.

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Episodes with Scott

How to Publish Your Book as an Audiobook With Scott Sigler

November 29, 2023

The booming audiobook market is prompting many authors to consider publishing their own audiobooks. Discover how to get your book on audio and increase your sales.

Listen to this episode

How to Turn a Podcast into a Bestselling Novel – with Scott Sigler

September 28, 2022

Learn how podcasting a novel launched Scott Sigler's books to the NYT bestseller list, and how he's sustained his podcast for over a decade.

Listen to this episode

What Scott Teaches

Podcast your novel to build a fan base

Scott serialized his novels as free weekly podcast episodes, and his readers still bought the books. He says the paper book became “more of a token” for people who had already heard the story.
Keep to a consistent weekly schedule, and avoid the “binge drop.” Some podcast apps only download the most recent episode, so releasing many at once confuses listeners.
The podcast and the audiobook serve two different markets, so giving away the story did not cannibalize his audiobook sales.

From: How to Turn a Podcast into a Bestselling Novel (2022)

Build your brand around your name

Scott’s reminder: you “aren’t selling a book or a series. You’re selling yourself.”
For your first five books, use a single podcast feed under your author name instead of a feed for each series.
Build an email list. Scott says it is the one thing you can control throughout your career, after seeing audiences built on Facebook and Tumblr lose momentum.

From: How to Turn a Podcast into a Bestselling Novel (2022)

Finish a bad first book

Scott's advice for new writers: write and finish a bad first book to train yourself to finish, then put it away for six months.
When you read it again, you will see what your readers would have seen, and you will be glad you did not publish it.

From: How to Turn a Podcast into a Bestselling Novel (2022)

Write for the ear

Reading his own books aloud taught Scott to cut the fat from his writing. He says he aims for nothing that reminds you that you’re reading: “I want you lost in the story.”
Before he marks a chapter final, he has Scrivener or Microsoft Word read it back with the computer voice to catch repeated words and confusing phrases.

From: How to Publish Your Book as an Audiobook (2023)

Produce and launch your audiobook

If you narrate your own book, start with an earlier or lower-pressure work, and record chapter by chapter so an editor can mark punch-ins as you go.
Choose a narrator you click with, because switching narrators mid-series upset readers. Scott’s advice is to ask for pre-orders on Audible, because they count toward week-one sales.
Scott recommends starting with The Rookie, and Thomas recommends The Stone Wolves, if you want to try his audiobooks.

From: How to Publish Your Book as an Audiobook (2023)

“Your first book is terrible.”

— Scott Sigler, in How to Turn a Podcast into a Bestselling Novel (2022)