About this episode

Jane Friedman discusses the transformative shifts in the publishing industry and the new strategies authors must adopt in the creator economy.

Welcome, writers and book lovers. The Bleeders is a podcast about book writing and publishing. Make sure you subscribe to the companion Substack : https://thebleeders.substack.com/welcome Today’s guest is publishing expert, author, and newsletter pioneer Jane Friedman, a 25+ year industry veteran and the author of The Business of Being a Writer . She talks candidly about how the publishing industry has transformed in the creator economy era—and why building a sustainable writing career today requires far more than just landing a book deal. In this episode, Jane breaks down the transformative shifts reshaping publishing, from the rise of Substack, TikTok, and direct-to-reader marketing to the growing legitimacy of self-publishing and hybrid publishing models. We get into why entrepreneurial authors are thriving, how video platforms are driving book sales in surprising ways, and why newsletters and email lists remain one of the most powerful tools for writers. We also talk about platform building, ownership and rights, bestseller lists, audiobook strategy, and how today’s authors are thinking differently about control, distribution, and long-term career sustainability. Plus, Jane…

People in this episode

Host: Courtney Kocak

Guest: Jane Friedman

Topics covered

• publishing industry
• creator economy
• self-publishing
• entrepreneurial authors
• AI in publishing
• platform building

Keywords

• publishing
• writing career
• self-publishing
• TikTok
• Substack
• AI
• entrepreneurial authors
• newsletter
• book sales
• platform building

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Substack, TikTok, AI

Books & works: The Business of Being a Writer

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