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Novel Marketing

Thomas Umstattd Jr.
Novel Marketing
Latest episode

510 episodes

  • Novel Marketing

    Get More Time to Write by Using a Grok Bot

    03/09/2026 | 25 mins.
    Authors have historically lamented all the administrative, technological, and marketing tasks that go along with being a writer. How many times have you sighed and said, “But I just want to write!”
     We have just gone through a massive transition in how authors use AI. You can now have AI agents do tasks for you, which means you can delegate all your non-writing tasks to a bot. You tell the bot what to do, and it does it! 
    It might sound like magic, but in today’s episode, I’m going to show you it is real. You’ll learn the step-by-step process of creating your own Grok Bot AI agent, and you’ll be shocked to find out how easy it is.
    This is a shorter episode and a bit different from our regular format. You’ll likely get the most out of this episode by watching the video on YouTube. You’ll see exactly what the screen looks like and how I prompt GrokBot. You’ll also be able to find the exact wording for each of my prompts in the blog version of this episode. 
    Let me know what you think of this episode in the comments of this post’s thread on AuthorMedia.social. If there is interest, I will make more tutorials to help you leverage AI agents to give you more time to write.
    Blog link: https://www.authormedia.com/get-more-time-to-write-by-using-a-grok-bot/
    Authormedia social link: https://authormedia.social/c/novel-marketing/get-more-time-to-write-by-using-a-grok-bot/
    Support the show
  • Novel Marketing

    Will Your Back Matter Get Your Book Banned on Amazon?

    26/08/2026 | 1h
    It's 1:30 in the morning, and a woman in Cleveland has just finished your book. She meant to go to bed hours ago, but she just couldn't put it down, and now she's at the end, feeling that particular ache that comes from finishing a book you loved. She turns the page to see what you have for her next.
    What does she find?
    Your book’s last pages might be quietly costing you thousands in sales, subscribers, or readers. They might even be getting your ebook banned on Amazon. But they should be thrilling your readers and propelling your sales.
    In this week’s episode, you’ll hear Laurie Christine talk about making the most of those pages at the very end of your book.
    You’ll learn
    The one call-to-action you should choose for your first book, which seems to contradict the Novel Marketing method
    What kinds of links are prohibited in Kindle books (and what to use instead)
    The easiest way to thrill your readers while increasing your page reads and profitability by 10%
    Listen in or read the blog version to make sure your back matter is working for you instead of putting your book at risk.

    Blog link: https://www.authormedia.com/will-your-back-matter-get-your-book-banned-on-amazon/
    AuthorMedia.social link: 
    YT Link: https://youtu.be/EIANWV02sTM
    Support the show
  • Novel Marketing

    SEO for Author Websites: The Only Guide You Need in 2026

    05/08/2026 | 1h
    If a reader Googled your name right now, what would come up? An abandoned LinkedIn profile from a career you left behind? A neglected Goodreads page? An insurance agent in Albuquerque who happens to share your name?
    There's only one number-one spot on Google,  and if you don't claim it for your name, someone else will. The good news is that your most powerful tool for winning that spot is the one piece of the internet you fully control. It’s your author website.
    In this week’s episode, you’ll hear from Jason Barnard, digital marketing expert who has spent more than a decade teaching Google and AI who people are.
    You'll learn:
    The overlooked page on your website that Google checks first.
    The Wikipedia alternative that is easier to write and curate
    How you can get Jason’s robust SEO audit of your site, for free
    Whether your website needs a little fine tuning or you’re building one for the first time, listen in or check out the blog version to find out what you should prioritize and what you can stop stressing about.
    Blog link: https://www.authormedia.com/seo-for-author-websites-the-only-guide-you-need-in-2026/
    AuthorMedia.social link:
    YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/PNpmOklWm8M
    Support the show
  • Novel Marketing

    The Comprehensive Guide to BookFunnel

    29/07/2026 | 59 mins.
    You know you need an email list. You've heard about reader magnets and maybe you even have one, but you're stuck at a handful of subscribers, wondering how other authors build lists of tens of thousands of engaged readers who actually buy their books.
    Damon J. Courtney knows how. He's an author and the creator of BookFunnel, a service that helps authors grow their email lists and deliver many types of digital products to readers.
    In this week’s episode, you’ll learn 
    Whether you need a "lead magnet" or a "reader magnet" (there’s a distinction nobody talks about)
    How readers can get tech support when downloading your ebook or audiobook
    How to give a free copy of your ebook or audiobook when you’re meeting people in person
    How to tip the scales toward having readers buy directly from you rather than Amazon (so you can keep more profit)
    Whether you’re looking to grow your email list, distribute ebooks and audiobooks, or sell directly from your own website, listen in or read the blog version to discover how BookFunnel can make each of those author tasks easy.
    Blog link: https://www.authormedia.com/the-comprehensive-guide-to-bookfunnel/
    AuthorMedia.social link: https://authormedia.social/c/novel-marketing/the-comprehensive-guide-to-bookfunnel/
    YT Link: https://youtu.be/qLxqq4bKh1g
    Support the show
  • Novel Marketing

    Why Your Cover, Blurb, and Hook Are All Just Guesses

    22/07/2026 | 1h 5 mins.
    Every month, traditional publishers lose more ground to indie authors.
    One reason it’s happening is that in trad publishing, a committee or the highest-paid person in the room makes the call on book covers, marketing copy, and even what they suppose readers might like. Both get it wrong far more often than they want to admit.
    Most indie authors aren't much better off. They just swap the highest-paid person’s opinion for their own, and trust their own gut on covers, titles, and blurbs.
    But savvy authors skip this guessing game entirely. They test everything, and they're outselling everyone else.
    In this week’s episode, USA Today best-selling author Steve Piper sits down with Thomas to break down exactly how split testing works.
    You’ll discover:
    How many ideas you should test to find a viable one
    What kinds of book-related assets work for split testing
    The sneaky metric that fools most authors into thinking their split-tested ads are working
    If you need help choosing a title, cover, or copy, or if you’re wondering why your ads aren’t working, listen in or read the blog version to find out how you can know for sure what will work.
    Blog link: https://www.authormedia.com/why-your-cover-blurb-and-hook-are-all-just-guesses/
    AuthorMedia.social link: https://authormedia.social/c/novel-marketing/why-your-cover-blurb-and-hook-are-all-just-guesses
    Support the show
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About Novel Marketing
The longest-running book marketing podcast in the world. This is the show for writers who want to build their platform, sell more books, and change the world with writing worth talking about. Whether you self publish or are with a traditional house, this podcast will make book promotion fun and easy. Thomas Umstattd Jr. interviews publishers, indie authors, and bestselling traditional authors about how to get published and sell more books.
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