The Self Publishing Show

This week on The Self-Publishing Show, James Blatch and Cissy Mecca are joined by Stuart Grant to talk about author discoverability in the age of AI and why your author website might be more important than ever. Stuart explains how the way readers search for books and authors is changing, and what authors can do to make sure they're being found and recommended by tools such as ChatGPT. They discuss the difference between traditional SEO and the newer GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation), the importance of keeping your online information consistent, and some surprisingly simple ways to improve your website's visibility. James and Cissy also share their own experiences of updating their websites using AI, and Stuart offers listeners a free author website audit to help identify what's missing. Plus, there's an update on SPS Live USA, including ticket prices, Founders tickets and when tickets will go on sale. Key Talking Points Author discoverability and how AI is changing the way readers find books SEO versus GEO and what authors need to know Why your author website is central to your online presence Using schema markup to help search engines and AI understand your website How ChatGPT and Claude can help with website optimisation The importance of FAQs, blogging and consistent author information Stuart Grant's free website audit for SPS listeners SPS Live USA ticket prices and early access for Patreon supporters Links & Resources Mentioned ProWritingAid: https://prowritingaid.com Discount code: IWC15 Free Author Website Audit: https://learnselfpublishing.com/audit SPS Patreon / Support: https://learnselfpublishing.com/support SPS Live USA Waitlist: https://learnselfpublishing.com/spsliveusa SPS Live Digital Recordings: https://learnselfpublishing.com/digital Stuart Grant – http://digitalauthorstoolkit.com https://reedsy.com/stuart-grant On social media @stuartgrantuk on all platforms

This week on The Self-Publishing Show, it's launch day for Cissy Mecca's latest medieval romance, while James Blatch is getting serious about his own writing again, with a preorder underway and book two already taking shape. The main discussion focuses on two significant developments at Amazon KDP. James and Cissy look at the new limits on the number of titles authors can upload each week and reports that Amazon may no longer be honouring permafree price matching. They discuss why these changes may be happening, how they could affect different types of indie authors, and why adapting to changes outside your control is simply part of running an author business. There's also news from SPS Live London 2027, with Isabelle Knight and A.P. Beswick announced as the latest speakers, plus details of ProWritingAid's Novel November, the Orlando writing retreat and a very big SPS announcement coming next week. Key Talking Points Cissy's launch day and the next book already on preorder Amazon KDP's new weekly publishing limits What the KDP changes could mean for rapid-release authors and translations Reports of changes to Amazon's permafree price matching Adapting your author business when platforms change the rules ProWritingAid's Novel November writing challenge Isabelle Knight and A.P. Beswick announced for SPS Live London 2027 Writing routines, deadlines, editors and accountability The Orlando writing retreat and the value of author communities A major SPS announcement coming next week Links & Resources Mentioned ProWritingAid: https://prowritingaid.com Discount code: IWC15 Orlando retreat waitlist - indiewritersclub.com/orlando Cissy's New Series: https://www.amazon.com/Ruthless-But-Her-Captive-Medieval-ebook/dp/B0HDN38GS6 James' new A+: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spider-espionage-thriller-Espionage-Thrillers-ebook/dp/B0HJQBSTGD/ PWA's Nov-Nov: https://prowritingaid.com/novel-november Meta Link Workaround: https://youtu.be/frjsqfhKruI?si=cKvwPiYc-yk9_2Ym For the FB messages: Log into business page Go to: https://business.facebook.com/latest/inbox/automated_responses Select "custom keywords" automation

This week on The Self-Publishing Show, James Blatch is joined by author Skye McKinnon to dig into the numbers behind BookBub Featured Deals and ask whether they still offer authors the same value they once did. Skye shares data from 28 BookBub deals, showing how the additional sales generated by her 99-cent promotions have fallen significantly over the years. They discuss whether the cost still stacks up, the results from free promotions, and whether combining several smaller newsletter promotions could offer better value. The conversation also turns to Skye's recent success with Instagram and Facebook Reels. After experimenting with short-form content using Author Scale, she saw older books that had barely been selling suddenly take off, with some reels reaching hundreds of thousands of views. James also shares a few thoughts on using AI, including where tools such as Claude can be useful for analysing author business data – and where authors should be more cautious about relying on their answers. Key Talking Points Skye McKinnon's findings from 28 BookBub Featured Deals Whether BookBub promotions still offer good value for authors Free versus 99-cent promotions and the importance of sell-through Stacking smaller newsletter promotions as an alternative to BookBub Skye's success using Instagram and Facebook Reels to revive older books Using Author Scale to create short-form book content Repurposing successful organic content for paid advertising Using AI to analyse author business and advertising data Links & Resources Mentioned ProWritingAid: https://prowritingaid.com Discount code: IWC15 SPS Patreon / Support: https://learnselfpublishing.com/support BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com SPS LIVE 2027 tickets are now available: https://www.learnselfpublishing.com/spslive

This week on The Self-Publishing Show, James Blatch and Cissy Mecca have a packed episode of indie publishing news, starting with a significant change to Amazon's preorder rules. Authors can now set up preorders up to 18 months in advance and postpone them twice without penalty – enough to tempt even preorder-phobic James into considering one for his next book. They also discuss a legal case involving Amazon Ads, Cissy's plans to test a Goodreads giveaway for her upcoming release, and the opportunities for indie authors in the Italian market following James's conversation with the team behind Indieverse in Milan. Later, Cissy shares an experiment using ChatGPT and Claude to create an interactive, visual experience around the world of her historical romance series. This leads into a wider conversation about AI, reader-facing marketing and the pressure some romance authors feel around using AI in their businesses. Key Talking Points Amazon's new 18-month preorder window Authors can now postpone a preorder twice without penalty James considers setting up a preorder for his next book The North Carolina Attorney General's case involving Amazon Ads Cissy's Goodreads giveaway experiment for her September launch Goodreads Giveaway Month and whether giveaways are worth testing Tracking launch data with Claude The Indieverse conference in Milan and the Italian indie publishing market Opportunities for English-language indie authors publishing in Italian An upcoming SPS conversation about the Italian market Cissy's AI-created interactive world-building experience for readers Using ChatGPT to create historical inspiration images Using Claude to build interactive marketing experiences AI as a tool for launch preparation, data and book marketing The debate around reader-facing AI use in romance Authors deciding their own boundaries and approach to AI Links & Resources Mentioned ProWritingAid: https://prowritingaid.com Indie Writers Club / SPS Support: https://learnselfpublishing.com/support Down Under Mystery Club: https://ajblythe.com/podcast Cissy's: Walk the Border Password: vivian

This week on The Self-Publishing Show, James Blatch checks in from his final day in New Zealand while Cissy Mecca takes us behind the scenes of her upcoming historical romance launch. They discuss realistic launch goals, building an ARC and influencer team, setting a marketing budget, and choosing advertising strategies that have actually worked for you rather than simply throwing money at launch day. James also shares insights from Written Word Media on how authors at different stages of their careers are approaching AI, plus plans to test different Facebook ad setups and share the results with the SPS community. Key Talking Points Cissy's strategy for launching her upcoming historical romance Setting realistic goals and expectations for a book launch Building ARC, street team and influencer support Finding and approaching relevant book influencers Deciding when to send physical books to creators Creating a launch budget that feels sustainable Facebook versus Amazon advertising Why proven strategies matter more than simply spending more James's upcoming Facebook ads testing and challenge/webinar Written Word Media's findings on author attitudes towards AI James's plans for another writers' retreat in Florida in 2027 Links & Resources Mentioned ProWritingAid: https://prowritingaid.com SPS Patreon / Support: https://learnselfpublishing.com/support

This week on The Self-Publishing Show, James Blatch and Cissy Mecca conclude their two-part conversation with Michael Evans, founder of Creatorwood. They delve deeper into how AI is transforming books into cinematic experiences, discussing the practical realities of creating feature-length films, the current limitations of AI video, and how authors can use visual storytelling to reach new audiences. Michael also shares his vision for the future of AI-powered entertainment and how authors can position their intellectual property for the next wave of publishing innovation. At the start of the episode, James also announces that SPS Live 2027 tickets will be launching soon and reminds listeners about the exclusive Creatorwood giveaway, with 1,000 free viewings of the AI feature film adaptation of David Viergutz's Scare Mail. Key Talking Points Part 2 of the interview with Michael Evans, founder of Creatorwood Turning books into feature-length AI-generated films The opportunities and limitations of AI filmmaking today Choosing which stories are best suited to visual adaptation Building new revenue streams from your intellectual property The future of AI-powered entertainment for authors Why story remains more important than technology Creatorwood's vision for connecting authors directly with audiences Announcement of SPS Live 2027 dates and ticket launch Creatorwood giveaway: 1,000 free viewings of Scare Mail Links & Resources Mentioned ProWritingAid – https://prowritingaid.com Creatorwood: https://www.creatorwood.tv/homepage Free Scare Mail viewing giveaway: https://www.learnselfpublishing.com/creatorwood

This week on The Self-Publishing Show, James Blatch and Cissy Mecca argue that as AI makes it easier than ever to produce competent books, craft is becoming an author's greatest competitive advantage. They explore why developing a distinctive voice, creating emotionally resonant stories, and continually refining your writing matter more than ever. Alongside the discussion on craft, they also cover the latest AI developments, compare tools like Claude, ChatGPT and Fable, and share practical advice on using technology without losing the human qualities that make readers fall in love with books. Key Talking Points Why craft is making a comeback in the age of AI How a distinctive author voice sets your books apart from AI-generated content What "voice" really means—and practical ways to develop your own Why emotionally resonant writing creates the word-of-mouth every author wants The difference between writing quickly, writing slowly, and writing well How editors and writing coaches should strengthen your unique style, not standardise it Understanding that improving craft looks different for every writer The influence of TikTok and shareable reading moments on modern storytelling The latest updates from Fable, Claude and other AI tools Choosing the right AI subscription and building an effective workflow Links & Resources Mentioned ProWritingAid: https://prowritingaid.com Claude AI: https://claude.ai ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com Google Gemini: https://gemini.google.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com Anthropic: https://www.anthropic.com