Episodes

You will never hear me tell an author to send out newsletters (not unless it’s a simple slip of the tongue)! There’s a reason so many indie authors collectively let out a groan whenever newsletters are brought up. They’re outdated. They’re time consuming. They’re ineffective. So many “experts” still tell indie authors to send out monthly newsletters. And so, they do. They spend hour upon hour creating this highly designed PDF colorful document with sections that talk about “my weekly wordcount”...

If you’re tired of spinning your wheels, posting content that gets you nowhere, and wondering why you can’t get above 200 likes on a single post, most likely, you’re posing “selfish” content. Here’s how to stop doing that. You’re not alone if you are frustrated to the point of wanting to throw your phone across the room because, no matter what you post, you can’t seem to get readers to pay attention, let alone engage, let alone buy your book. Most likely, it’s not the algorithm or your hashtags...

Paid ads put some things in front of some people, but what they cannot do is make them care, and that…that is the problem! Too many indie authors still think they have to pay for marketing, especially advertising on platforms like Facebook, Amazon, and BookBub. So, they throw hundreds, even thousands of dollars at these “pay to play” machines, then they wonder a month or more later why nothing is any different. The book publishing industry, including how we market our books, changed exponentia...

When it comes to AI and the author community, it’s time for people to put down the pitchforks, have a reality check moment, and come together instead of tearing each other down! AI has officially become one of the most divisive topics in the publishing industry, and emotions are running HIGH. After the internet exploded over the largely misrepresented comments made by Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt regarding AI-generated books, this conversation dives headfirst into the growing fear, outrage, c...

If you haven’t spent time building a full, cohesive, and effective author brand, you’re not just missing out on potential readers for your book…you’re likely repelling them! Most indie authors think branding starts and ends with a logo, a pretty website, or a matching Instagram feed. Meanwhile, readers are scrolling right past authors who feel disconnected, forgettable, inconsistent, or impossible to relate to online. In today’s publishing industry, readers don’t just buy books anymore — they b...

81% of consumers must trust a brand first before they ever consider buying from it, and readers are consumers, just like authors are brands. “People buy from people they know, like, and trust” may sound cliché at this point, but there’s a reason marketers have repeated it for decades: it works. Most indie authors don’t struggle because their books are bad. They struggle because they launch to an audience of strangers. In this week’s episode, we’re talking about one of the biggest mistakes autho...

Episode Title: Finding Your Audience and Build a Super Fanbase! Episode Summary If you don’t know who is actively looking for books like yours and are far more likely to buy your book, you’re shouting into the void, and that never sells books! Most indie authors don’t struggle because their book isn’t good—they struggle because they skipped the step of building an audience before they hit publish. In this episode, I break down why spending at least 90 days finding and understanding your ideal...

If your book blurb isn’t written perfectly (and correctly), you’re losing readers, not to mention money, by the minute! Your book blurb isn’t just a summary of facts. It’s your sales pitch, and if it’s not doing its job, your book isn’t selling. Too many authors think they’re supposed to summarize their plot in great detail and/or show off their amazing ninja writer skills. But nothing could be more incorrect! Your blurb needs to be written in a certain way with your target audience and their e...

It’s not either/or! The best self-publishing strategy for indie authors right now is something you’ve likely never heard of…until now. A lot of indie authors get stuck on the question of whether to publish exclusively on Amazon or “go wide.” But the truth is, most of the advice out there is either incomplete or flat-out misleading. Not enough “experts” are teaching the strategy that actually works in 2026 and likely will for a long time to come. In this episode, I break down what these terms a...

You’re supposed to be making money as an author, not handing it over to scammers and rip-off artists! Hands-down, the most infuriating part of being an indie author coach and advocate is hearing their heartbreaking stories of being ripped off and even outright scammed out of their hard-earned money! And you wouldn’t believe me if I told you how frequently I am the one who winds up telling an author that they fell for a vanity press deal, a scam, or completely unqualified service provider. It f...

If your book isn’t selling well at all, it’s not JUST a “marketing problem.” It’s a (fixable) problem with your conversion rates. The best way to convert Amazon scrollers to buyers is what I call The Trifecta of Book Sales - the three elements that make or break your ability to turn browsers into buyers, which includes your book cover, your title, and your blurb. Even with all the changes in publishing and marketing over the last few years, these fundamentals haven’t changed…and they still carr...

Authors with clear, consistent, and recognizable voices are 3X more likely to gain readers’ trust, as well as their loyalty. For indie authors, especially, establishing our brand voice isn’t an optional “thing” to tick off a list! It’s what sets you apart in a sea of those who are publishing every single day. When your tone, personality, and messaging are consistent and recognizable, readers start to remember you, trust you, and come back for more. Why? Because they’re not just connecting with ...

98% of consumers say brand authenticity matters more than ever before when choosing which businesses to support. And readers are no different. They don’t just connect with books; they connect with the people who write them. Your brand story is the small but meaningful part of your life that explains why you write the kinds of stories you do. It’s not about oversharing or turning your life into a memoir. It’s about sharing a relatable moment, experience, or passion that helps readers see the rea...

80% of consumers say they MUST be able to relate to and connect with a brand before they buy from it (and yes, that includes books)! Long gone are the days when authors could hide behind our computer screens in blissful anonymity as we write to our little hearts’ content. They’ve been replaced with a modern market filled with consumers (including readers), who must feel some sort of personal connection to a brand before they invest a penny in them. We have to build what’s called the “know-like-...

Being an indie author doesn’t really mean you have to do everything totally alone. Most indie authors have heard the term “street team,” but if you asked them to explain it clearly, they’d hesitate. A true street team is a small, organized group of loyal readers (and other supporters) who actively help you build visibility before, during, and after your launch. The problem is that no one really teaches what a street team actually does, how to structure it, or how to turn reader enthusiasm into ...

Is using an outdated strategy REALLY worth damaging or even losing your career as an indie author? I’m betting your answer to that is that, no, it isn’t. Unfortunately, too many indies are either unaware of or unwilling to stop things that are damaging their chances at a career, let alone a successful one. And one of the most dangerous “strategies” still being used daily by indie authors is the ARC Review process. So, this week, on Write! Grow! Launch!, I’m diving deep into yet another “hot to...

What would happen if Taylor Swift’s next album dropped, and it was death metal? The truth is, while a tiny handful of her millions of die-hard fans MIGHT think it’s cool, the vast majority, and I mean 99.999%, would revolt. That may seem like an absurd thing to imagine, but it’s exactly what many indie authors try to pull off daily, then wonder why they aren’t selling books. That’s exactly why this week, on Write! Grow! Launch!, I’m going to slow things down a smidge and give you the no BS, no...

If you don’t know your WHY, you’ll simply blend in with the thousands of other people writing in your niche, and that’s a very bad thing! This week, I’m sitting down with bestselling indie author, EJ Yerzak, to talk about one of the most overlooked steps any author should take early in their career, which is to discover your WHY. What exactly do I mean by this? I mean, every author needs to figure out WHY they write what they write, why they want to share their story, and why they think they h...

One of the biggest myths in the indie author world is that your online content should be all about writing, your book itself, your journey, connecting with other authors, but… In Episode 3, I will explain exactly why this is entirely outdated advice that doesn’t work, never has, and never will…and what you can do starting now to create better content that is far more likely to attract readers and convert them to buyers and fans of your book! There is nothing at all wrong with supporting the in...

Bestselling Romantasy Indie Author Bree Granado on Making Industry Connections That Will Make Your Brand So Fire! Being an “indie author” doesn’t mean you MUST do everything totally alone! Making genuine connections in the biz is easier (and more rewarding) than you think. In this episode of Write! Grow! Launch! I sit down for an open, honest, and super helpful chat with one of my clients (and new besties), Bestselling Romantasy Author, Bree Granado. Her dark romantic fae fantasy A Fate of Sh...

What if everything indie authors have been taught about “marketing” their books is the reason their books aren’t selling? In this episode of Write! Grow! Launch! I break down why traditional book marketing tactics such as constant pitching, spammy posts, cold DMs, and even paid ads have never worked for indie authors and never will. It’s now 2026, and in today’s reader-savvy, relationship-driven market, desperate selling doesn’t just fall flat…it actively pushes readers away. That’s why, in t...

If you’re tired of vague advice and publishing myths, you’re in the right place. Write! Grow! Launch! is a top-ranked podcast for indie authors who want profitable self-publishing, real strategy, and zero BS. Hosted by veteran of the publishing industry and indie author marketing & branding coach, Christina Kaye, this show is guaranteed to teach you things NO ONE else will, give you advice that ACTUALLY works, and hopefully, inspire and motivate you (and maybe even make you laugh once or twice)...

Even if you’re a bit camera shy, being a guest host or being interviewed on a podcast can make a huge difference in your success as an author! Every single appearance you can make on … The post Episode 9: Get Yourself Featured on Podcasts (with Author Matty Dalyrimple)

YouTube Can Be a Great Platform to Increase Visibility for Your Author Brand, Gain More Readers, and Increase Book Sales! Ever considered using YouTube as a platform for selling your books? Maybe a little camera … The post Episode 8: Using YouTube to Sell More Books (with Author Michael LaRonn) appeared first on Book Boss Academy.