Write Publish Market

In this episode, Jodi reacts to recent industry reports on declining nonfiction sales and explains why business owners, leaders, and entrepreneurs who want to use a book as a marketing asset shouldn't let these numbers/trends derail their book plans.  Time Stamps: 00:00 Nonfiction book publishing is not in peril 01:56 The sources sparking the "collapse" conversation 04:00 The numbers: Bookscan, the AAP, and Publishers Marketplace 05:53 Traditional publishing's goal vs. your goal 07:46 Are business owners still reading? (Yes.) 08:45 Why nonfiction sales are declining 10:45 "Why would someone buy my book if the info is free?" 11:45 Using media to draw readers in, not check them off 13:00 Why the front-end work matters more now 14:00 Don't let traditional publishing numbers stop your book Keywords: nonfiction book publishing, state of publishing 2026, nonfiction book sales, self-help book sales decline, business book, book as a marketing asset, book for business owners, self-publishing nonfiction, hybrid publishing, traditional publishing, intangible ROI, book ROI, author platform, building authority, building trust with readers, AI and nonfiction, how-to nonfiction, prescriptive nonfiction, book marketing strategy, BookScan data, six-figure book deals, professional author vs. business owner, writing a book for your business, thought leadership book, podcast guesting for authors Resources Mentioned: Jane Friedman's "Publishing Industry Update: First Half 2026" Tim Ferris blog post "Has AI Already Killed How-To Nonfiction? Sales Trends, My Personal Data, and What It Might Mean for the Future" Sean DeLone's Dear Head of Mine Substack by Sean DeLone "The Nonfiction Book Market Is Collapsing"Book Brainstorm Session with Jodi: https://tidycal.com/jodibrandon/book-brainstorm Coffee + Commas signup: https://bit.ly/coffeeandcommassignup   LINK TO FULL EPISODE (RAW) TRANSCRIPT: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13lil_M0lbUG8CqgDbhGI0cYXc4BHYm2dDCo7RrGRrJo/edit?usp=sharing

In this episode, Jodi breaks down why this happens to almost every business owner writing a book — and the two opposite mistakes that can derail your manuscript if you don't catch them. Time Stamps: 0:00 – Intro 0:45 – The "uh-oh, is this even the right book?" moment 2:10 – Why book ideas evolve mid-draft 3:40 – Trap one: ignoring the shift 5:00 – Trap two: overreacting and the hamster wheel 6:30 – How to tell refinement from a real rewrite 7:45 – Factoring in the cost of changing direction 9:00 – Wrap-up + conclusion   Keywords: book writing process, book idea evolution, nonfiction book outline, working outline, book coaching strategist, business owner book, book manuscript clarity, book writing momentum, self-publishing deadlines, beta reader feedback, book audience research, knowledge gap, book transformation, refining a book idea, restarting a manuscript, book project misalignment, writing rabbit hole, book planning, manuscript revision, book coaching, nonfiction writing process, business book strategy, book outline tweaks, writing momentum loss, finishing your manuscript   Resources Mentioned: Coffee + Commas signup: https://bit.ly/coffeeandcommassignup Write Publish Market Episode 218: 5 Tools for Business Owners to Write Your Book Faster    LINK TO FULL EPISODE (RAW) TRANSCRIPT: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lBYsxxKO5Xb02-G9peOO1i730cjd7lITNDRBN1O77B0/edit?usp=drive_link

In this episode, Jodi breaks down why overcomplicating your nonfiction book actually backfires, overwhelming readers, diluting your message, and making your book harder to market. She walks through how to identify the real knowledge gap between you and your reader, why "more information" doesn't equal "more value," and how messaging, positioning, and reader outcomes work together like a three-legged stool. Time Stamps: 00:00 – Welcome to Write.Publish.Market. 00:45 – Why business owners overcomplicate their books 02:00 – The fear of leaving something out 03:15 – Finding the knowledge gap between you and your reader 05:00 – Why overteaching weakens a book 06:30 – The real cost: reader implementation and satisfaction 08:00 – How an unclear book makes marketing harder 09:30 – Messaging, positioning, and reader outcomes as a three-legged stool 10:45 – Final thoughts on keeping your book on poin   Keywords: nonfiction book writing, business book strategy, book marketing, author positioning, book messaging, reader transformation, knowledge gap, overteaching, book clarity, imposter syndrome, business owner author, book ROI, simplifying your book, point A to point B, book reader outcomes, book launch strategy, author expertise, book as marketing asset, business book ROI, writing for your audience, book positioning strategy, nonfiction author tips, book writing process, foundational book work, write publish market   Resources Mentioned: Coffee + Commas signup: https://bit.ly/coffeeandcommassignup Ready Set Write Challenge: www.jodibrandoneditorial.com/readysetwrite   LINK TO FULL EPISODE (RAW) TRANSCRIPT: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1F0PFNiz6QJZLftHsfZ9xNri2NM_1xpDTLPoe3wW01AY/edit?usp=sharing

In this episode, Jodi welcomes email marketing strategist and Kit-certified expert Bev Feldman back to the show to talk about how business owners should use their email lists before, during, and after writing a book. They dig into the real difference between a newsletter platform like Substack and an email marketing tool like Kit, why welcome sequences are non-negotiable, and how to use your launch team and beta readers as one of the highest-engagement segments you'll ever build.   Time Stamps: 0:00 – Welcome and episode setup 1:13 – Why email marketing tools come up in book conversations 3:00 – How to choose the right email marketing platform 5:25 – Newsletter platforms vs. email marketing software (Substack, Beehiiv, Kit) 11:26 – Using your email list before you've even committed to writing 14:22 – Building excitement and getting feedback pre-launch 16:38 – The post-launch mistake almost everyone makes 19:07 – Segmenting your list: beta readers and launch teams 23:19 – Why email marketing is ongoing relationship building 27:18 – Welcome sequences and automated emails, explained   Keywords: email marketing for authors, book marketing strategy, Kit email marketing, ConvertKit for authors, Substack vs Kit, Beehiiv newsletter platform, welcome sequence, email automation, launch team, beta readers, pre-launch marketing, evergreen book marketing, list segmentation, email newsletter strategy, business owner author, nonfiction book marketing, email list growth, lead magnet sample chapter, book launch sequence, post-launch marketing, relationship marketing, thought leadership newsletter, email open rates, book as marketing asset, Write Publish Market podcast, book writing for business owners, book writing for leaders, business owners criting books   Resources Mentioned: Coffee + Commas signup: https://bit.ly/coffeeandcommassignup Kit: www.kit.com Jessica Lackey (newsletter-to-book example) Haley Dale/Your Content Empire   About Our Guest: Bev Feldman is an email marketing strategist and Kit Certified Expert at Your Personality Tech Fairy who helps credentialed professionals - think financial advisors, therapists, and other expertise-based business owners - build email systems that actually work for how they run their business. Her approach in email marketing is grounded in consent, simplicity, and sustainability.  Website: https://yourpersonaltechfairy.com/ Services guide: https://yourpersonaltechfairy.com/email-marketing-services-guide    LINK TO FULL EPISODE (RAW) TRANSCRIPT: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17wQFsMDv0LfcclF-sDxjVi_HrkkwYnyzT9Q2uxt7MHc/edit?usp=sharing

In this episode, Jodi welcomes back Ashley Shepard to talk about book publishing project management and dispel one of the biggest myths in book publishing today: that self-publishing equals total DIY. Jodi and Ashley talk about how publishing is an investment, whether of time, money, energy, or a mix of all three.   Time Stamps: 00:00 – Welcome back, Ashley 02:00 – The myth that self-publishing means total DIY 04:00 – Publishing as an investment: time, money, energy 06:00 – Capacity vs. bandwidth, and why we overestimate our energy 11:00 – The "if you want it fast, it's not going to be cheap" rule 14:00 – Project management for publishing: aligning your book with your business goals 18:00 – Coaching, consistency, and the value of an outside perspective 21:00 – Vetting a publishing partner: referrals, reviews, and the Olivia Benson approach 24:00 – Red flag: bulk book packages and why Ashley avoids them 26:00 – Reading your contract and asking about rights and royalties 29:00 – The non-negotiables: cover designer, formatter, editor 33:00 – The "queen bee" concept and protecting your income-producing activities   Keywords: self-publishing, book publishing strategist, business owner authors, publishing as an investment, capacity vs bandwidth, book formatting, cover design, professional book editing, hiring a book editor, publishing project management, vetting a publishing partner, book contracts, rights and royalties, lead magnet book, nonfiction book for business, author coaching, profitable publishing, book launch strategy, queen bee role, income-producing activities, DIY book publishing myths, traditional vs self-publishing, publishing red flags, book as a marketing asset, hiring contractors for your book, book editing myths   Resources Mentioned: Coffee + Commas signup: https://bit.ly/coffeeandcommassignup Profitable Publishing Episode 16 Profitable Publishing Episode 7Clockwork by Mike Michalowicz   About Our Guest: Ashley Shepard is a self-publishing consultant and book marketing strategist based in the metro Atlanta, GA area. As the owner of Shep Publishing House, Ashley helps self-published authors get from the page to the people™with efficient and effective marketing strategies.    Client wins include selling 100 books sold in a week, $10,000 made in presale revenue, speaking gigs secured, book launch parties sold out, and much more. Shep Publishing House focuses on helping authors connect with their audience to publish profitably.   With a background in literacy, teacher coaching, and staff development, Ashley is able to explain complex marketing and publishing ideas in simple terms to help authors and entrepreneurs reach their goals. Unlike most book marketers and publishers, Ashley has the unique quality of being a best selling author herself. This insight helps her to make realistic suggestions and effective options to support client needs.   Book Site: www.preorderprofits.com/book Main Site: Www.ProfitablePublishing.com Facebook: www.Facebook.com/ProfitablePublishing Threads: www.threads.com/@profitablepublishing YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@ProfitablePublishing Instagram: www.Instagram.com/ProfitablePublishing    LINK TO FULL EPISODE (RAW) TRANSCRIPT: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gQRNy4il7q1fni72sVY0QzlMbtaJVeuXblf0PX5lan0/edit?usp=sharing