Author: SMBS Team

Episode 285 – Keanu Reeves, Author Privacy, and 700 Words a Day (with Becca Syme)

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If you were to become the bestselling author in your genre tomorrow, would you be nervous about the amount of personal information you’ve shared with your fans? Why or why not?

How much is too much when you share personal info with readers? Episode 300 is coming! Jim is off this week and Bryan’s cohost is the brilliant Becca Syme. Bryan is recovering from a concussion and he’s also got a big Amazon Ads promo going on. This week’s Happy Books Review Winner is Tom. Thank you to our featured Patrons: Guardian of the Grail, The Thing Speaks for Itself, and Dark as the Grave. The Top Tips of the week include how to avoid social media FOMO, why beta readers are so valuable and how just one in-person event per year can benefit all types of writers. We have an Honorable Mention story this week about the amazing Keanu Reeves and his foray into the small press world. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how to workaround Vellum’s “no more .mobi” announcement, how author Jack Knight reached $1k in monthly sales with only two books, why author Julia Watts has been disinvited from a teen literary festival, how author Tamie Dearer reached $10k per month after 19 books, and where the line might be between connecting with readers and over-sharing. Question of the Week: If you were to become the bestselling author in your genre tomorrow, would you be nervous about the amount of personal information you’ve shared with your fans? Why or why not? read more

Episode 284 – One-Year Preorders, Biometric Payment, and Hoopla

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Do you think biometric scanning for payments will become normal within the next decade? Why or why not?

Place hand here to pay! Is Biometric scanning the future of payment? Bryan and Jim are counting down to show #300! Bryan announces his five days of building profitable Amazon ad campaigns for you. If you sign up for this five day challenge you’ll be entered in a raffle to win the Amazon Ads Group Coaching Mastermind. This week’s Happy Books Review Winner is Blaine Moore. Thank you to our featured Patrons: Inharmonic, Hitler Out of Time, and Shadow Raiders. The Top Tips of the week include the benefits and drawbacks of using Facebook groups as an author, how to change your mindset to “it’s about my book” in order to obtain better promotions, and the advantages of setting parameters while working on a multitude of projects. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include outrage at Amazon from small shop owners for early release on products, a rise ebook rentals at libraries due to Hoopla, just a flick of the wrist and you can pay at Whole Food Market, the growing industry of Audible, and how authors can set pre-order options up to a year in advance. Question of the Week: Do you think biometric scanning for payments will become normal within the next decade? Why or why not? read more

Episode 283 – Social Media, the Tamer Lawsuit, and One Billion Dollars

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What would ebook customers do if Amazon decided to drop publishing indie authors tomorrow? What would you do as an author?

If Amazon relinquished its publishing of indie Authors what would you do to maintain readers? How would it effect customers that have ereaders? Bryan and Jim are counting down to show #300! Bryan and Jim discuss avoiding Google newsfeed while receiving words of wisdom. This week’s Happy Books Review Winner is Rosanne. Thank you to our featured Patrons: The Last Days, Gone, and Covermint Design. The Top Tips of the week include why Findaway Voices can help authors set prices and branch across multiple selling platforms, how an ebook scam to take your book to “Hollywood” can cost you a fortune, and the true importance of a book cover. We have an Honorable Mention story this week and it seems that Audible will not use their captioning technologies on audiobooks where publishers have filed a lawsuit for copyright infringement. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include where to tap into new social media marketplaces for your ads, a lawsuit for copyright infringement on the common term “tamer,” How Amazon Prime has brought various consumers to indie authors out of self-interest, Eric Warren’s first series flop has motivated his second collection’s success, and how over one billion dollars has been paid out to the authors of Kindle Unlimited. Question of the Week: What would ebook customers do if Amazon decided to drop publishing indie authors tomorrow? What would you do as an author? read more

Episode 282 – Law of Attraction, No Math, and the Power of Rejection

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If you could rebuild Goodreads and Goodreads Ads from the ground up, how would you do it and why?

How would you improve Goodreads ads if you had limitless power? Bryan and Jim are counting down to show #300! Jim announces his fiction writing team project will be an amazing sci-fi adventure novel written with Tom Sully Sullivant—sign up for previews in the Show Notes. Bryan . This week’s Happy Books Review Winner is Lori L. Robinett. Thank you to our featured Patrons: The Secret Blush – A Jennifer Morgan Novel, Wanderer’s Escape, and A Curse upon the Saints. The Top Tips of the week include why controlling your brand is so important, how the right reader magnets can attract your ideal reader, and when ritual is needed to accomplish your writing goals. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how Abacus can make royalty sharing a breeze, what the Big 5 are doing to stop Amazon’s copyright infringement, How author Jim Heskett made the leap to full-time, how Beatrix Potter’s own tale surpasses that of her rabbit, and when Goodreads will stop running their self-serve ads and why. Question of the Week: If you could rebuild Goodreads and Goodreads Ads from the ground up, how would you do it and why? read more

Episode 281 – Clean Links, Author Support, and No Market No Sales

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Have you ever set goals for a book launch or promotion? What’s your goal with your next book?

Is your book launch strategy built on a foundation of goals or floating in a sea of fate? Bryan and Jim are looking forward to show #300! Jim will announce his new project in next week’s episode. Bryan will be sending excerpts of Hook, Line, Bestseller to his ARC team. This week’s Happy Books Review Winner is Zach Guido. Thank you to our featured Patrons – Twins of Prey, The Final Arrangement, and Wanderer’s Escape. The Top Tips of the week include why reviews disappear, 14 great marketing tips, how bigger ad spend can benefit your data. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how Google started renting books, why authors supporting one another is critical to success, why writing to market works, how the YA community came together to support one of their own, and how author Alana Terry made 1k on a standalone in less than 30 days. Question of the Week: Have you ever set goals for a book launch or promotion? What’s your goal with your next book? read more

Episode 280 – Gaming Netflix, Kobo Marketing, and Gardening

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With James Daunt from Waterstones taking over the B&N CEO job, what are some ways he could make the U.S. bookstore as British as possible?

Are you ready for a “British” bookstore invasion? Bryan is on vacation this week. Bryan is back and the team is at full strength this week! This week’s Happy Books Review Winner is David Avoura King. Thank you to our featured Patrons – Cubicle Jail to Laptop Lifestyle, The Dragon Rustler (Cowboys and Dragons Book 1), and Star Flame: A Story From the Meclauks Kingdom. The Top Tips of the week include how to get the most from your ACX coupons, the true value of an accountability partner and where to find one, why the great outdoors is your creative partner. This week’s Honorable Mention covers the addition of more big names to the Amazon author stable. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how the Norsemen pillaged Netflix, how author Mike Chen used ad stacking to soar up in the rankings, why Rachel Morgan Goetsch set he sights on Kobo sales, how the new CEO will steer the Barnes and Noble ship, and how the Vines managed to double the sales and KU reads of Chris’s debut after only two weeks. Question of the Week: With James Daunt from Waterstones taking over the B&N CEO job, what are some ways he could make the U.S. bookstore as British as possible? read more

Episode 279 – Keywords, Pirates, and Getting Over Yourself

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What would you need from a traditional publisher to sign a contract with a morality clause in it?

To sign or not to sign? What would it take to convince you to subject yourself to a morality clause in a publishing contract? Bryan is on vacation this week. Jim welcomes his special guest host, Chrishaun Keller-Hanna! This week’s Happy Books Review Winner is Randy Green. Thank you to our featured Patrons – Guild of Tokens: Initiate, Mayhem & Murder, and How to Self-Publish A Children’s Book: Everything You Need To Know To Write, Illustrate, Publish, And Market Your Paperback And Ebook. The Top Tips of the week include why the right keywords are so important, what you can learn from the top authors in your field, and what the pros and cons are of Bookbub’s various advertising opportunities. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include what you should know about pirates, how traditional publishers an AB-using morality clauses, how author Jeffrey Munn used niche marketing to nearly triple his sales, what happened to the Washington Post bestseller list, and how author RE Vance hit his first 5-figure month. Question of the Week: What would you need from a traditional publisher to sign a contract with a morality clause in it? read more

Episode 278 – Dean Koontz, Affordable Launch Plans, and Wattpad Paid Stories

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What do you think Amazon promised in its marketing plan to author Dean Koontz to get him to sign a big deal with an Amazon imprint?

Do you think Amazon imprints are in a position to attract more big name authors? Bryan will be off next week and Jim has a special surprise guest host booked! Bryan has over 300 people signed up to his ARC team and is setting the goal of 100 reviews in the first 48 hours. Jim’s book Unskippable will be at 99 cents for a few more days – grab a copy if you haven’t had the chance. This week’s Happy Books Review Winner is Lars Hedbor. Thank you to our featured Patrons – The Reluctant Detective, Get it Done, and Sanyare: The Last Descendant. The Top Tips of the week include what you can do to streamline your BookBub “follow” call to action, how a simple card can give people the information they need to remember you—and your book, and what you can do to declutter your work-in-progress. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why the French Army is turning to sci-fi writers for advanced warning, how Kym Thurlow used a pen name to test the waters and learn from her mistakes, how Wattpad’s monetization features are benefitting authors, why Jami Albright turned to free options to support her latest book launch, and why Dean Koontz has taken the plunge with an Amazon imprint. Question of the Week: What do you think Amazon promised in its marketing plan to author Dean Koontz to get him to sign a big deal with an Amazon imprint? read more

Episode 277 – Audible Rights, Google Play Changes, and After the Launch

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Would having the text available during your audiobook listening improve your reader experience? Do you think that Audible has violated existing rights agreements by testing its new audio to text feature?

What is your opinion of Audible’s new audio to text feature? Bryan and Jim are looking for a great idea for the 300th show. Bryan shares some great author feedback and testimonials from Best Page Forward! Jim’s book Unskippable is currently available for 99 cents for a limited time. This week’s Happy Books Review Winner is Jon Evans. Thank you to our featured Patrons – Corruption of Identity, Hook’s Daughter: The Untold Tale of a Pirate Princess, and Sales Success Stories: 60 Stories from 20 Top 1% Sales Professionals. The Top Tips of the week include how to recover from a failed book launch, why it’s so easy to waste money marketing your book, and what are the three essential questions every author must answer. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why teen writers are actually using ghostwriters, how Danielle Burton hit her first $1k month, what the royalty changes on Google Play mean for indie authors, how Aidy Aaward is making her 20BooksTo50k dreams come true, and why it sounds a lot like copyright infringement over at Audible.com. Question of the Week: Would having the text available during your audiobook listening improve your reader experience? Do you think that Audible has violated existing rights agreements by testing its new audio to text feature? read more

Episode 276 – Work-Life Balance, Mad Librarians, and the Riches in the Niches

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If you could donate some of your book sales to charity, which charity would you donate to and why?

Does your author business have a favorite charity? Bryan’s new book about writing awesome Amazon ads and hooks is coming soon! Jim has hit more than 60 reviews for Unskippable and recommends authors spend the time to build a good ARC team. This week’s Happy Books Review Winner is Philip. Thank you to our featured Patrons: How to Pick Up Women with a Drunk Space Ninja, Leah’s Choice, and The Rookie Writer Playbook: A Planner/Organizer for Writers. The Top Tips of the week include how to juggle writing time and relaxing time on vacation, why mailbox overload can spoil a great vacation, and what visibility tips you might be missing if you’re a KDP author. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include why libraries are boycotting Blackstone, how Victoria Smith doubled her sales for June 2019, how the Association of American Publishers plans to sue Amazon into submission, how to avoid the dangers of comparisonitis, and why niche marketing turned into profits for Alexa Kang and company. Question of the Week: If you could donate some of your book sales to charity, which charity would you donate to and why? read more