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Your Friends Lied About Your Book Cover
Discover how to find a good book cover that attracts the right readers and drives clicks that lead to sales across all platforms.
The Anti AI Jihad Has Begun: Major Publisher Yanks Novel Over Proven AI Use
Hachette just pulled a bestselling horror novel over AI writing accusations — and it’s sending shockwaves through the publishing world. In this episode of Author Update, we break down the “Shy Girl” controversy and what it means for every indie and traditional author, the explosive 4 million books flooding Amazon in 2025 (a 39% surge in self-publishing), Scholastic’s declining revenue and what it signals about the future of traditional publishing, the Bible reading boom led by millennial men, how to protect yourself from copyright troll shakedowns, and a deep dive into the K-Lytics Mystery/Thriller/Suspense report revealing techno thrillers are up 49% while assassination thrillers are crashing. Whether you’re self-publishing on Amazon, navigating AI tools like Sudowrite and ChatGPT, pricing your ebook for maximum profit, or trying to spot the next hot genre trend, this is the publishing news, book marketing strategy, and cultural zeitgeist analysis authors need to stay ahead in 2026.
The Mary Poppins Zeitgeist: From Grimbright to Nobledark
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 explore the spectrum from Grimbright to...
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.
Indies Win! Harlequin to Close Historical Romance Line
Supreme Court tariffs ruling, Harlequin exits historical romance, BookFunnel adds digital signings, and major AI shifts from ElevenLabs, Perplexity Pro, and Google’s new Web MCP reshaping audiobook production and SEO.
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.
Zeitgeist: Two Halftime Shows, One Nation: What the Super Bowl Split Says About American Readers
The 2026 Super Bowl featured two competing halftime shows—the NFL’s official Bad Bunny performance and Turning Point USA’s alternative show with Kid Rock—and the streaming data reveals a seismic cultural shift that every author must understand about audience and platform.
Platform
Platform
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.
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.
Genius Link: A Guide for Authors
Explore the benefits of universal book links for authors. Drive sales by linking to your book across multiple platforms worldwide.
How to Use Research to Market Your Novel
Wondering what to include in your newsletter, blog, or podcast? Find out how to repurpose your research and thrill your readers.
How to Create an Online Course
Learn how to transform your book into an engaging online course. Discover what types of content work best and how to maximize your course’s success.
Web Hosting for Frugal Authors
To build an author website, you first need web hosting. Discover which type of web hosting is best for your author website and which to avoid.
Are Pen Names Going Away?
There are several great reasons (and several bad ones) to use an author pen name. Find out which reasons still make sense in the age of AI authors and bots.
Publishing
Publishing
How to Publish Your Audiobook Through ACX
Get guidance, tips, and recommendations for publishing your audiobook on ACX with the highest quality at the best price.
Triple Your Writing Speed with Dictation
For authors, dictation can skyrocket writing speed. Find out which tools and strategies will help you master the skill and write faster.
The Author’s Guide to AI with Joanna Penn
Discover how authors use AI to gain more time for creative writing and how you can get useful output instead of bland AI slop.
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.
Is Traditional Publishing Dying? Surprising Trends Authors Can’t Ignore
Explore the trends that will shape the industry and how they will impact authors.
Project Management for Authors
Discover how project management techniques can help authors tackle the overwhelming task of writing, publishing, and marketing their books.
How to Worldbuild Your Book into a Bestseller
Discover the power of story worldbuilding to captivate readers and boost book sales. Create immersive settings that leave a lasting impact.
How to Write Stories Readers Will Love by Knowing the Zeitgeist
If it takes you two years to write a book, you owe it to yourself to ask the...
Promotion
Promotion
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 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.
How to Grow Your Email List Fast With Giveaways
Need more subscribers? Explore the Kingsumo book giveaway technique that helped one author gain thousands of new emails.
How to Craft a Cancel Proof Marketing Strategy
Discover how author cancel culture has changed and learn about its impact on book sales and public perception.
Book Promotion in 2025: How AI Gives Authors More Time to Write
Learn how authors can use AI to generate book marketing ideas, audience descriptions, and images so they can reclaim their time for writing.
How to Sell Books From a Table
Maximize your book sales at in-person events with these expert tips. Learn to effectively sell books and avoid common mistakes.