The Six Figure Author Experiment Podcast
by Six Figure Author Experiment
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Recent episodes
Episode 54 - Give Yourself Permission to Start Over
Oct 12, 2026
51m 45s
Episode 53 - Building a Creative Career Without Permission: AI, Brand Promises, and Choosing the Life You Actually Want
Jul 6, 2026
47m 55s
Episode 52 - Hypnosis for Authors: Rewiring Self-Doubt, Creativity, and Success
May 25, 2026
52m 38s
Episode 51 - The Grocery Store Test: Writing Faster, Marketing Smarter, and Finding Your Author “Magic Trick”
May 4, 2026
58m 17s
Episode 50 - From Book to Comic: Adapting Story, Selling Art, and Making Readers See the Movie
Apr 20, 2026
56m 12s
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| Date | Episode | Description | Length | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/12/26 |  Episode 54 - Give Yourself Permission to Start Over | * Listen on Spotify* Listen on Apple* Listen on Youtube* Listen on Pocketcasts* Book Launch checklist: https://BookHip.com/BDSWRRT* Millionaire Author Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/millionaireauthormastermind/* http://hapitalist.com/What if the thing keeping your creative career stuck isn’t a lack of talent, strategy, or opportunity, but the belief that you’re no longer allowed to change?In this episode of Six Figure Author Experiment, Lee and Russell look backward at the strange, messy paths that led them into full-time creative careers and forward at what happens when the career you’ve built no longer fits the person you’ve become.Russell shares the decade he spent trying to break into filmmaking, directing, comics, and publishing while making almost no money, accumulating debt, and repeatedly watching projects stall. Eventually, Kickstarter, conventions, direct sales, and years of experimentation helped him build a completely different path than the one he’d originally imagined. Pasted textLee traces her own creative life back even further, exploring how childhood reading became both an escape and the foundation for her writing, and how family expectations, religious upbringing, money, sexuality, and ideas about what constituted a “real” career shaped what she believed she was allowed to become. It wasn’t until she finally decided to call herself an author that everything began moving. Pasted textTheir stories lead to a larger question: How much of the life you want have you talked yourself out of because it doesn’t fit the path you were taught to follow?They discuss how schools, workplaces, families, and social expectations train people toward predictable paths, while creative entrepreneurship requires almost the opposite behavior: standing out, asking for attention, selling your work, taking risks, and tolerating uncertainty. Sometimes the first step isn’t developing a better strategy. It’s simply allowing yourself to want something different. Pasted textBut permission also means permission to quit.Russell explains why he recently dismantled huge portions of a business he’d spent years building after realizing the existing system was producing results he no longer wanted. Instead of endlessly optimizing what wasn’t working, he rebuilt his offers, products, coaching, apps, and business model around where his energy and audience were actually pulling him. Pasted textThat experiment revealed something surprising.After years of moving between comics, fiction, nonfiction, education, coaching, apps, and other projects, a substantial portion of Russell’s audience stayed with him through multiple reinventions. Even more strikingly, customers who consumed both his fiction and nonfiction had dramatically greater lifetime value than customers who stayed within either category alone. Pasted textMaybe audiences aren’t always following a series, genre, format, or product.Maybe they’re following you.The episode closes with a powerful reframing of what creators actually sell. People may discover you through a novel, course, app, coaching program, podcast, or newsletter, but the container isn’t necessarily the thing they’re buying. They’re seeking an emotion, transformation, identity, or experience, and your creative work is simply the vehicle that gets them there. Pasted textSometimes growing a creative career means building something new.Sometimes it means finally starting the thing you’ve wanted for years.And sometimes it means looking at everything you’ve built, realizing it belongs to an older version of you, and giving yourself permission to burn it down and begin again.Topics Covered:* Reinventing a creative business when the old version feels stale* Russell’s early career in filmmaking and broadcast journalism* Choosing University of Maryland over NYU and avoiding massive student debt* Financing early filmmaking equipment with credit cards* Directing films, pilots, and web series that struggled to reach audiences* Spending nearly a decade making almost no money creatively* Why unfinished projects can stall an entire career* Moving from filmmaking into comics and publishing* Kickstarter and the beginnings of a sustainable creative business* Selling books directly at roughly 40 conventions per year* Building a six-figure author business without publishing a book every month* Preparing to move an offline business online before the pandemic* Why reading a bad book can sometimes be more motivating than reading a masterpiece* Childhood creativity and the things we escape into* Trauma, nervous-system regulation, and creative expression* Lee’s upbringing in purity culture and restrictive Christianity* Giving yourself permission to become an author* Publishing five titles in January 2015* Why making the first $50 can feel transformative* Creativity, desire, identity, and personal power* Finding mentors who normalize bigger possibilities* Burnout after achieving the goals you once desperately wanted* Building success sustainably instead of endlessly chasing money* Leaving the door open for creativity even when you have a conventional job* Why society trains people toward predictable career paths* The psychological difficulty of creative entrepreneurship* Learning to tolerate visibility and asking people to buy your work* Rediscovering what you loved as a child* Asking childhood friends and family who you were before adulthood intervened* Neurodivergence and traditional workplaces* Taking tiny steps toward a creative dream* Why your nervous system needs evidence that taking risks won’t destroy you* Abandoning projects you no longer want to finish* Choosing the work you’ll actually create over theoretically profitable work* Russell’s decision to rebuild his business around coaching and nonfiction* Why businesses produce exactly the results they’re currently designed to produce* Knowing when incremental optimization isn’t enough* Giving yourself permission to stop doing things that don’t work* Creative reinvention as a form of identity change* Why successful creators experience repeated “ego deaths”* Audience retention across major business pivots* The surprising lifetime value of cross-format customers* Why separating fiction and nonfiction audiences may be unnecessary* Building around the creator rather than individual projects* Letting audiences decide which parts of your work they want* Finding the emotional promise underneath everything you create* Selling transformation rather than merely selling a format* Books, apps, coaching, courses, and other containers for the same underlying experience* Going where your creative energy is highest* Celebrating the weird parts of your creative identity* Giving yourself permission to start again This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sixfigureauthorexperiment.com | 51m 45s | ||||||
| 7/6/26 |  Episode 53 - Building a Creative Career Without Permission: AI, Brand Promises, and Choosing the Life You Actually Want | * Listen on Spotify* Listen on Apple* Listen on Youtube* Listen on Pocketcasts* Book Launch checklist: https://BookHip.com/BDSWRRT* Millionaire Author Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/millionaireauthormastermind/* http://hapitalist.com/* Marketing Boot Camp: https://www.skool.com/bookmarketingbootcamp* Marketing Course: https://geni.us/millionaireauthorThis episode begins with a simple catch-up between Lee and Russell, but quickly turns into one of their biggest conversations yet about the future of creative work.Lee shares how she’s experimenting with live writing sprints on TikTok after pursuing an ADHD diagnosis, introducing the concept of body doubling and why simply working alongside other people can dramatically improve focus and consistency for many creative minds.From there, the conversation pivots into artificial intelligence, but not in the way most people expect.Instead of debating whether AI is good or bad, Russell argues that creators are asking the wrong question. Rather than asking how AI can help produce more books faster, he explores how AI can unlock entirely new ways for audiences to experience stories through interactive apps, games, codices, workbooks, and other formats that previously required large development teams.That leads into a larger discussion about permission.Neither traditional publishing nor modern technology determines what creators are “allowed” to make anymore. The only real limitations are imagination, willingness to experiment, and understanding the business realities behind each creative decision.The episode also explores one of the most important concepts for building a sustainable creative career:Every creative goal is built from dozens of smaller skills.Whether someone wants to become a podcaster, novelist, filmmaker, or entrepreneur, success isn’t about mastering one discipline. It’s about gradually stacking complementary skills until seemingly unrelated experiences suddenly converge years later into a career that feels inevitable in hindsight.Throughout the conversation, Lee explains how she coaches authors by breaking seemingly impossible goals into measurable component skills, while Russell emphasizes that many creators fail simply because they confuse different goals, like “finishing a book” versus “writing the perfect book.”The discussion continues into branding, genre, audience expectations, marketing strategy, commercial fiction versus literary fiction, and why understanding your actual goals matters far more than copying someone else’s career.By the end, the conversation becomes less about books and more about designing an entire creative life around what genuinely energizes you instead of chasing someone else’s definition of success.Topics Covered:* ADHD, body doubling, and productivity through co-working* Live TikTok writing sprints* Building creative momentum through accountability* Why the AI debate has become less interesting than AI’s unexplored possibilities* Using AI to create interactive fiction experiences* Games, apps, codices, and alternative storytelling formats* Moving beyond simply writing more books* Escaping the “book-a-month” mindset* Delivering a consistent brand promise* Lessons from Colleen Hoover and her readership* Brand consistency versus creative freedom* Why audiences buy feelings, not formats* Permissionless creativity in the modern publishing world* Teaching yourself instead of waiting for gatekeepers* Everything changes, but nothing is wasted creatively* How unrelated skills compound over time* Why every creative pursuit strengthens future work* The hidden skill tree behind creative careers* Breaking large goals into measurable subskills* Diagnosing bottlenecks in an author’s business* Identifying obvious versus non-obvious constraints* Marketing, branding, writing, and sales as separate skills* Goal clarity versus perfectionism* Finishing a book versus endlessly rewriting it* Coaching authors through creative paralysis* Living in the energy of the solution instead of the problem* Chapter-by-chapter developmental editing* Making stories “hookier” without sacrificing quality* Scene goals and narrative momentum* Book marketing bootcamps and implementation coaching* The five marketing levers:* Cover* Description* Audience* Ad creative* Ad copy* Improving conversion instead of increasing production* Hiring coaches to solve specific problems* Defining what “good” actually means* Literary fiction versus commercial fiction* Hook-driven storytelling* Character goals as reader engagement* Matching writing style to audience expectations* Understanding market size versus artistic goals* Commercial realities of genre fiction* Fantasy, romance, literary fiction, YA, and niche genres* Building businesses around niche audiences* Total addressable market* Choosing creative constraints intentionally* Dense fiction versus highly consumable fiction* Writing beautiful prose without sacrificing readability* Generating traffic versus improving conversion* Lessons from James Clear and Atomic Habits* Creating highly shareable nonfiction* The difference between broad-market products and niche products* Serving a small but passionate audience* Designing a creative life around personal values* Investing versus relying solely on book income* Aligning business models with lifestyle goals* Accepting tradeoffs instead of chasing impossible comparisons* Building a career that fits your definition of success This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sixfigureauthorexperiment.com | 47m 55s | ||||||
| 5/25/26 |  Episode 52 - Hypnosis for Authors: Rewiring Self-Doubt, Creativity, and Success | * Listen on Spotify* Listen on Apple* Listen on Youtube* Listen on Pocketcasts* Book Launch checklist: https://BookHip.com/BDSWRRT* Millionaire Author Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/millionaireauthormastermind/* http://hapitalist.com/This episode of The Six-Figure Author Experiment begins like a strange late-night radio broadcast from another dimension:“Welcome to hypnotherapy with Lee.”And somehow… it becomes one of the most emotionally revealing conversations the show has ever had.Lee Savino shares the story of how a single hypnotherapy session shattered seven years of internal resistance and unlocked her identity as an author. Before that session, she believed creativity wasn’t practical, success wasn’t safe, and writing wasn’t allowed. Afterward, something changed permanently.What follows is part mindset discussion, part nervous-system workshop, part guided meditation, and part philosophical excavation of why creatives so often block themselves from the lives they want.The episode explores how humans unconsciously “kneecap” themselves through language and expectation. How the brain filters reality based on identity. How most people are living in constant fight-or-flight without realizing it. And how creativity doesn’t emerge from pressure and strain nearly as often as it emerges from safety, spaciousness, and permission.Then the episode shifts fully into a live hypnotherapy session.Listeners are guided through breathing exercises, body relaxation, visualizations, future-self work, inner-child healing, abundance reframing, and identity reconstruction. The meditation moves through forests, oceans, dragons, future selves, and cosmic-scale imagery while reinforcing a central idea:You already contain the person you are trying to become.The conversation afterward becomes just as powerful as the hypnosis itself. Russell and Lee unpack how identity shapes opportunity, why language matters, how the nervous system affects business decisions, and why most people are tuned to the wrong “frequency” to even notice the opportunities around them.This is less an episode about hypnosis specifically and more an episode about:* self-permission,* creative expansion,* emotional safety,* and becoming someone capable of receiving the life they say they want.It’s strange. Vulnerable. Surprisingly practical.And somehow, by the end, dragons make complete psychological sense.Topics Covered:* Lee’s origin story with hypnotherapy and becoming an author* Creative suppression and inherited beliefs about art and success* Hypnosis as guided relaxation and suggestion work* Alpha, theta, and delta brainwave states* Why creativity often appears before sleep or upon waking* Meditation, relaxation, and the unconscious creative mind* The nervous system’s relationship to creativity and productivity* Why staring at a computer is not always “writing”* The concept of self-sabotage and unconscious resistance* How people “kneecap” themselves through language* Reframing identity statements (“I’m weird” vs. “I’m beautifully weird”)* Why mindset becomes the bottleneck after learning tactics* Future-based thinking: “When I succeed, then I’ll feel safe”* Realizing that what people truly want is the feeling, not the object* Using visualization to communicate safety and abundance to the nervous system* The psychological impact of physically browsing future possibilities (homes, cars, travel)* “I’ll have that too” as an abundance mindset practice* Why opportunity recognition changes after expectation changes* The role of cortisol, stress addiction, and fight-or-flight in creative life* The importance of rest, spaciousness, and “protecting capacity”* Looking into the distance to widen perception and calm the nervous system* Peripheral vision exercises and nervous system regulation* Guided body relaxation and somatic release techniques* Hypnosis and visual imagination as tools for emotional healing* Nature visualization and emotional grounding* Giving yourself symbolic representations of abundance and love* Future-self visualization and identity alignment* Why your future self “already exists” on a timeline continuum* Receiving wisdom from your future self* The metaphor of internal gravity pulling you toward your future* Expanding psychologically through scale and cosmic visualization* “Why are you so successful?” as a subconscious reframing question* Inner-child healing and revisiting painful memories safely* The Hiroo Onoda story as a metaphor for emotional fragmentation* Parts work and integrating abandoned emotional selves* Transforming memory from pain into wisdom* Becoming the source of your own love, safety, and validation* The idea that identity is constructed through repeated language* “Red truck syndrome” and selective attention psychology* The brain as a predictive machine* How belief alters perception of opportunities* The relationship between intuition and modern education systems* Effort vs. ease in creativity and business* Why many people are trying to break through walls instead of walking around them* Protecting emotional and creative capacity* Guided meditations as “nap and grow rich” tools* Why imagination can create tangible real-world behavioral shifts* The emotional aftereffects of hypnosis and meditation* Creativity as expansion instead of contraction* The role of self-love in long-term creative sustainability This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sixfigureauthorexperiment.com | 52m 38s | ||||||
| 5/4/26 |  Episode 51 - The Grocery Store Test: Writing Faster, Marketing Smarter, and Finding Your Author “Magic Trick” | * Listen on Spotify* Listen on Apple* Listen on Youtube* Listen on Pocketcasts* Book Launch checklist: https://BookHip.com/BDSWRRT* Millionaire Author Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/millionaireauthormastermind/* http://hapitalist.com/In this episode of The Six Figure Author Experiment, Russell and Lee sit down with romance author Celeste Barclay (also writing as Sabine Barclay), and things immediately go off the rails—in the best way possible.It opens with a now-legendary story: Celeste dictating an entire spicy scene… in a grocery store. Produce section? Fine. Dairy aisle? Escalating. By checkout, we’ve hit violence, catharsis, and 3,000 words. It’s chaotic, hilarious, and quietly profound. Because underneath the absurdity is a powerful truth: there are no rules when it comes to getting the words out.But the real engine of this episode isn’t just process. It’s understanding why readers buy—and why they come back.Celeste brings a rare combination of expertise: economics, teaching, and political marketing. She breaks down how authors can think like behavioral scientists, not just storytellers. The conversation moves from demographics to psychographics, from tropes to emotional triggers, from “what is this book about?” to “what does this book do to someone?”And then, like a quiet reveal in the middle of a magic act, Russell introduces the idea of the “magic trick”.Every author has one.The thing they do again and again that makes readers feel something specific.Once you see it, everything changes. Your writing sharpens. Your marketing simplifies. Your brand locks into place like a key turning in a door.The episode weaves between craft and business like a double helix: Emotion drives story. Emotion drives marketing. And consistency of emotion builds a career.By the end, what starts as a conversation about dictation turns into something much bigger: a framework for building a body of work that readers trust, return to, and recommend without hesitation.Topics Covered:* The infamous “grocery store dictation” story and writing without constraints* Using dictation to dramatically increase output (3,000 words in an hour)* Writing linearly vs. “pantser” discovery writing* Why removing friction in your process matters more than perfection* Celeste’s background: economics, teaching, and political marketing* Understanding consumer behavior in publishing* Macro vs. micro psychology of buyers and readers* The difference between demographics and psychographics* How to identify what readers actually want (not just what they say they want)* The importance of emotional outcomes in genre fiction* Asking the key question: What emotions are readers craving?* “Heartbeat moments” and emotional payoff in romance* Why readers return for emotional catharsis, not just plot* How to translate emotional expectations into marketing copy and visuals* Tropes as shopping signals and silent calls to action* Why trope cards outperform generic marketing graphics* Marketing as nonfiction writing (clear, factual, persuasive)* The challenge of writing marketing copy before the book exists* Loglines, positioning, and communicating value quickly* The concept of the author “magic trick”* Examples of magic tricks across authors and genres* How your magic trick becomes your brand promise* Why consistency matters more than novelty for long-term success* When breaking your brand promise causes reader backlash* Pen names and when to separate your brand* Emotional memory as the core driver of repeat readership* Branding vs. marketing: why branding reduces long-term effort* Building a signature series as a marketing engine* How each new book sells the previous ones* Simple vs. easy: why success frameworks are deceptively hard* Distilling your brand into a single guiding sentence* Using reader reviews to identify your brand promise* The “potato theory” of creativity (one core idea, many outputs)* Why clarity of brand creates freedom, not limitation* Final truth: readers don’t just buy books—they buy predictable emotional experiences This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sixfigureauthorexperiment.com | 58m 17s | ||||||
| 4/20/26 |  Episode 50 - From Book to Comic: Adapting Story, Selling Art, and Making Readers See the Movie | * Listen on Spotify* Listen on Apple* Listen on Youtube* Listen on Pocketcasts* Book Launch checklist: https://BookHip.com/BDSWRRT* Millionaire Author Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/millionaireauthormastermind/* http://hapitalist.com/* https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/leesavino/sold-to-the-berserkers* In this episode of The Six Figure Author Experiment, Russell and Lee dive deep into the art and business of adapting a novel into a comic, using Lee’s Sold to the Berserkers as a case study. What starts as a conversation about a spicy, emotionally charged romance quickly evolves into a masterclass on translation between mediums, visual storytelling, and creative strategy.Russell breaks down one of the most important concepts in comics: the “gutter”. The space between panels where the reader’s brain fills in the action, effectively turning still images into a movie. This becomes the central lens for the entire discussion. Adapting a book is not about copying scenes. It’s about choosing the keyframes that allow the audience to imagine everything else.Lee reflects on the emotional core of her original work, particularly how romance functions as emotional catharsis and psychological processing, especially for readers navigating fear, vulnerability, and desire. The conversation expands into why romance is often misunderstood, despite being one of the most emotionally impactful genres.On the business side, the episode offers a surprisingly tactical breakdown of how authors can approach comics as a multi-format asset strategy. From Kickstarter campaigns to special edition illustrated books, art prints, and multiple cover variants, Russell outlines how one creative project can be leveraged across multiple products to maximize return on investment.The result is both philosophical and practical: a reminder that adapting your work isn’t about preservation. It’s about reinvention, understanding what each medium does best, and building a creative ecosystem where your story can thrive in multiple forms.Topics Covered:* The origin of Sold to the Berserkers and its rapid, emotionally driven creation* Why romance readers crave catharsis: transforming fear into emotionally satisfying outcomes* The role of “non-con reluctance fantasy” and why it resonates with certain audiences* Adapting older work for modern audiences and shifting cultural contexts* The challenge of translating internal, emotional prose into visual storytelling* Why some scenes work in books but fail visually in comics* The importance of tone adjustment and softening elements for new mediums* Understanding audience differences between romance readers and comic fans* The concept of the “gutter” in comics and why it’s the key to storytelling* How comics rely on readers to mentally fill in action between panels* Keyframes vs. exposition: choosing the right moments to depict visually* Why comics are about triggering imagination, not showing everything* Common mistakes authors make when adapting books into comics* Why comics and novels require fundamentally different storytelling approaches* The limitations of comics: less space for interiority and deep philosophical dialogue* The strengths of comics: action, visuals, symbolism, and emotional immediacy* Why adaptation should be treated as a new creative work, not a direct translation* Examples of adapting comics back into novels and expanding interiority* The importance of understanding what each medium does best* Recommendation: Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud as a foundational resource* Emotional storytelling vs. informational storytelling and why emotion drives engagement* Romance as “emotional labor processing” and its cultural undervaluation* How stories help process fear, anger, and emotional complexity* Why readers must “slow down” when reading comics compared to prose* The interplay between words and images in effective comic storytelling* Practical structure: typical comic length (20–32 pages) and panel breakdowns* The concept of splash pages and how they impact pacing and visual storytelling* Building a multi-product strategy: comic + illustrated book + art prints* Reusing art across formats to maximize ROI* Cover strategies: multiple variants, NSFW vs SFW versions, premium editions* Budget realities: comic production costs and working with artists* Using Kickstarter to fund comic projects and validate demand* Leveraging communities and networks to find collaborators* The importance of “who you know” in creative production pipelines* Creating special edition books with integrated illustrations* Stretch goals and expanding visual content post-launch* Using one creative project to generate multiple income streams* Final takeaway: don’t translate your book—reimagine it for the medium you’re in This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sixfigureauthorexperiment.com | 56m 12s | ||||||
| 4/6/26 |  Episode 49 - Tertulia for Authors: A Simpler Website, Email, and Direct Sales Stack for Indie Authors | * Listen on Spotify* Listen on Apple* Listen on Youtube* Listen on Pocketcasts* Book Launch checklist: https://BookHip.com/BDSWRRT* Millionaire Author Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/millionaireauthormastermind/* http://hapitalist.com/* https://link.tertulia.com/ykHxfSIn this episode of The Six Figure Author Experiment, Russell and Lee sit down with Lynda Hammes, co-founder of Tertulia, to explore a tool built to solve one of the most exhausting parts of the author business: the messy, expensive, duct-taped-together stack of websites, email tools, direct sales platforms, and assorted software subscriptions. Lynda explains how Tertulia began as a book discovery platform and online bookstore, then expanded into Tertulia for Authors, a streamlined author platform designed to make websites and audience-building dramatically easier.The conversation centers on a live walkthrough of the Tertulia website builder, showing how quickly an author can generate a site from an ISBN or ASIN and an Instagram handle, then customize colors, branding, books, blog posts, and calls to action. Lynda demonstrates how the platform imports metadata, reviews, retailer links, and book information, then layers in tools for lead magnets, blogs, custom pages, email campaigns, and direct sales. The core promise is simple but powerful: authors should be able to build a polished home base in minutes, not wrestle for weeks with a pile of disconnected tools.Russell and Lee also dig into a larger issue underneath the tech demo: why so many authors still avoid building a real online home base, even in 2026. The answer is not usually philosophical resistance so much as tool fatigue and intimidation. Tertulia’s pitch is that authors already know they need a website, an email list, and better direct reader relationships. They just do not want to become accidental web developers to get there. That is where the platform is trying to meet them: less friction, fewer subscriptions, and less maintenance over time.A major thread in the episode is author audience ownership. Lynda notes that one recurring lesson from Tertulia’s work with authors is that social media attention is far less durable than a reader email list, and that email campaigns often outperform social in actual sales. Tertulia’s built-in tools are meant to make that shift easier by combining reader magnets, email capture, newsletter templates, and direct sales in one place. For authors tired of bouncing between MailerLite, BookFunnel, Shopify, and a website builder, this consolidation is a major part of the appeal.The episode also opens the door to Tertulia’s broader ecosystem beyond author websites. Lynda describes the original Tertulia business as a book discovery and commerce platform, featuring curated recommendations, celebrity book clubs, indie press roundups, and author recommendation content. That context matters because it positions Tertulia not just as a software tool, but as a company thinking seriously about reader discovery, book buying, and the relationship between authors and audiences.By the end, the episode makes a clear case for what Tertulia is trying to become: not just “another website builder,” but an increasingly complete ecosystem for authors who want to look professional, grow an email list, sell direct, and simplify their business infrastructure without paying for five separate services or spending their creative energy on backend chaos.Topics Covered:* What Tertulia is and how it evolved from a bookstore and discovery platform into Tertulia for Authors* Lynda Hammes’s overview of Tertulia’s mission to simplify the author tech stack* Why authors still resist building websites, even though they know they need one* The “Frankenstack” problem: juggling Wix, WordPress, MailerLite, BookFunnel, Shopify, and other disconnected tools* Live demo of building an author website using only an ISBN/ASIN and Instagram handle* Importing books, metadata, retailer links, descriptions, and reviews automatically into an author site* The design process: choosing templates, updating colors, branding, and layout quickly* How Tertulia handles blogs and custom pages for authors who want more than a static website* Reader magnets and lead capture built directly into the website platform* Replacing the BookFunnel + MailerLite + website combo with a more unified toolset* Email campaigns inside Tertulia, including book-specific newsletter templates for cover reveals, preorders, and more* Why Tertulia prioritized easy, author-specific email templates before more advanced automation features* Selling ebooks and audiobooks direct through the site using Stripe checkout* Tracking direct buyers and audience data inside the platform* The option to prioritize direct buying while still linking to outside retailers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble* Discussion of embedding pixels for ad tracking and direct sales campaigns* Using Tertulia even if some products are sold elsewhere, such as Shopify or Kickstarter* Adding books manually when they are not widely distributed or do not yet have standard metadata in major systems* Review curation and why Tertulia prefers a cleaner “top review” approach instead of dumping in hundreds of raw reviews* The role of discoverability and how Substack-style discovery compares to bookstore-based discovery* Tertulia’s roots as a discovery engine for books, with curated recommendations and retail built in* Author recommendation content and why author-to-reader recommendation paths can be especially powerful* Tertulia’s celebrity and hosted book club ecosystem, including Bellatrist Book Club* The Tertulia co-op membership for readers and how it differs from the author-facing subscription* Pricing for Tertulia for Authors, including the free trial and monthly subscription tiers* Why onboarding without requiring a credit card lowers friction for authors who just want to test a site first* Domain transfer and setup options for authors moving over from older platforms* Future roadmap: automation sequences, author-fulfilled print commerce, and broader fulfillment solutions* Tertulia’s Friday Zoom office hours and author community support model* Why the long-term maintenance burden is often worse than the initial website setup itself* Final takeaway: for many authors, the real value is not “more tech,” but less chaos, fewer subscriptions, and a website they will actually keep updated This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sixfigureauthorexperiment.com | 55m 38s | ||||||
| 3/23/26 |  Asymmetric Risk, Weird Ideas, and the Business of Creative Smashups | * Listen on Spotify* Listen on Apple* Listen on Youtube* Listen on Pocketcasts* Book Launch checklist: https://BookHip.com/BDSWRRT* Millionaire Author Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/millionaireauthormastermind/* http://hapitalist.com/In this wide-ranging episode of The Six Figure Author Experiment, Russell and Lee explore the strange intersection of creative chaos, business strategy, and long-term author careers. From Viking werewolf comics and serialized audio deals to squirrel shifter romance and tarot decks for business diagnostics, the conversation centers on one key idea: innovation comes from smashing unlikely things together.Along the way, they unpack the concept of asymmetric risk — taking creative bets that might fail but could also unlock entirely new audiences. The discussion also dives deep into rights management, creative positioning, and building books as long-term assets, reminding authors that every book can become part of an expanding investment portfolio if they retain control of their rights.The result is both philosophical and practical: a reminder that in the modern publishing landscape, success often comes from embracing weird ideas, hedging experiments intelligently, and creating work that only you can make.Topics Covered:* “Bushwhacking” creativity: cutting new paths by smashing ideas together* Agility quotient and why adaptability may matter more than emotional intelligence* From Viking werewolves to erotic comics: turning unexpected mashups into stories* Translating books into other media: comics, serialized audio, and new formats* Why books function as long-term creative assets and investment portfolios* Licensing opportunities authors often overlook (AI audio, streaming, serialized audio)* The importance of protecting your intellectual property and retaining rights* Common publishing contract pitfalls: perpetual rights and overly broad licensing* Narrowband rights strategies for audiobooks and emerging media* How creators can learn from early career publishing mistakes without getting stuck* Emotional detachment from failed deals or old publishers* Asymmetric risk: the relationship between unconventional ideas and breakthrough success* Why the biggest creative opportunities often come with the highest uncertainty* Hedging creative bets with proven series or steady income streams* Testing experimental ideas through Kickstarter, serialization, or niche launches* Using data and reader feedback to refine experimental series* Why authors sometimes mistake creative failure for personal failure* “Containers for money”: different projects attracting different audiences* Why some books in the same series perform differently than others* Building reader relationships through newsletters and audience ownership* Experimentation as a core creative business strategy* Why weird ideas (squirrel shifters, tarot business decks, bizarre brands) can succeed* The importance of positioning and finding the right audience* Trope + voice: combining market expectations with unique creative elements* Why tropes help readers discover new stories* Positioning creative work for discoverability without losing originality* The tension between writing for the market vs writing personal passion projects* How niche ideas can become major successes if they find the right readers* Learning to tolerate criticism and dislike when building a public creative brand* Why being distinctive is increasingly important in an AI-saturated world* Encouraging imagination and experimentation in creative careers* Turning books into multiple formats and revenue streams* The long-term value of building a creative ecosystem around your work* Final takeaway: success often begins with one weird idea you decide to pursue anyway This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sixfigureauthorexperiment.com | 55m 07s | ||||||
| 3/9/26 |  Episode 47 - Tarot for Business, Permission Slips, and the “F*** List” (Delegation That Actually Frees You) | * Listen on Spotify* Listen on Apple* Listen on Youtube* Listen on Pocketcasts* Book Launch checklist: https://BookHip.com/BDSWRRT* Millionaire Author Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/millionaireauthormastermind/* http://hapitalist.com/In this episode of The Six Figure Author Experiment, Lee and Russell veer delightfully off-road into a “totally new format” conversation that blends tarot, business diagnostics, mindset, guided meditations, nervous system regulation, and delegation. Lee shares her two-year journey toward creating a tarot deck without spending $25K–$30K on art, and how AI helped her extract and match quotes from her own books into card concepts. That rabbit trail turns into a bigger theme: permission. Why creators freeze, hustle, or stall out when the real work is learning to believe you belong in the room. From “capitalist tarot” systems (major arcana as business phases) to talismans and rituals that anchor identity, the conversation lands on a practical delegation framework: start with the projects you will never do, hire for agency, and run 7-day experiments instead of building fragile job roles.Topics Covered:* Lee’s new format experiment: building a tarot deck (and why it matters)* The real cost of a traditional tarot deck: 78 cards + art + printing* Pivoting from full art to text-based decks: oracle/stuck deck hybrids* Using AI to extract quotes from your own catalog and match them to cards* “I can’t hit the trend unless I make the trend” and why creators rebuild systems to understand them* Building “business tarot”: diagnostics designed for business, not pasted onto it* Tarot as structured language: major arcana, phases, and shared symbolic meaning* Tarot as poetry: interpretation as self-revelation, not author intent* “Beyond the book” expansion: why rituals and repeat-touch objects matter* Anchors and talismans: poker chips, degrees on walls, and belief as the real ticket in* Permission economy vs. self-permission: how creators get trained to ask instead of act* Lee’s guided meditations for authors: relaxing into the solution-state and letting the brain map the path* Reticular activating system: priming your mind to notice solutions* Hustle vs. freeze: sympathetic overload, cortisol loops, and “gas + emergency brake” burnout* Walking as regulation: bilateral movement cues safety and de-escalation* Play as nervous system reset: “sketch with no outcome,” look up, take a photo, be present* Delegation as a common creator pain point: burnout + distrust + micromanaging* Delegation metaphor: if you order coffee without running into the kitchen, you’ve delegated* Hiring for agency: “extrapolating from known data” as Russell’s key interview test* The recursive feedback loop: taste, questions, and improving output over time* The “F*** List”: projects you will never do (perfect first delegation targets)* Don’t hire for high-context roles too early: community, ads, brand voice, etc.* Delegate low-hanging fruit first: personal life tasks and modular business tasks* Delegation stall-out: bicycle → Ferrari transition and tolerating the temporary slowdown* 7-day experiments over rigid goals: test, review, iterate, replace* Zone of genius homework: notice flow states, write them down, delegate the rest* Space creates growth: firing headaches, reclaiming runway, hiring better replacements* Closing recap: tarot, meditations, delegating, and embracing “good chaos” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sixfigureauthorexperiment.com | 52m 24s | ||||||
| 2/23/26 |  Episode 46 - Increase AOV with Direct Sales (and Get Weird Doing It) | * Listen on Spotify* Listen on Apple* Listen on Youtube* Listen on Pocketcasts* Book Launch checklist: https://BookHip.com/BDSWRRT* Millionaire Author Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/millionaireauthormastermind/* http://hapitalist.com/In this New Year episode of The Six Figure Author Experiment, Lee Savino and Russell Nolte are joined by David Viergutz, founder of Scare Mail and CEO of Epistolary.com, to talk about a business metric Lee now can’t unsee: AOV (Average Order Value). What begins as a direct-sales strategy conversation quickly turns into a masterclass on premium experiences, fandom-building, and escaping the tired publishing “rat race.” David shares how he went from running ads in the 20 Books / SPS model to building a thriving story-letter empire, why epistolary fiction is story-first or die, and how authors can experiment with higher-priced offers without losing the magic. The through-line: in a world flooded with AI and noise, the advantage is human creativity, bold formats, and products that feel like experiences.Topics Covered:* What AOV (Average Order Value) is and why it matters for direct sales* Thinking like a business owner without losing your author soul* David’s origin story: list-building, ads, and long-term strategy* Why niche audiences can still generate massive success* “Taylor Swift pricing” as a mindset shift for premium offers* Why experiences sell: readers remember how something made them feel* The birth of Scare Mail: the mailbox as a storytelling medium* Epistolary fiction basics: letters, artifacts, rabbit holes, and immersion* Why some stories should never be “novelized”* Building a blue ocean: creating a category people can’t comparison-shop* Why the most online generation craves print and human touch* How fandom deepens through participation and interactivity* “Move closer to the customer” as a modern business principle* Building a cult-level fanbase one person at a time* The “thousand true fans” concept applied to premium fiction* Author archetypes and why “aquatic” creators win by reinventing formats* Premium experiences that scale like books: create once, sell forever* The customer journey is the same for gum, books, and Teslas (attention is the difference)* Why Amazon’s rules aren’t the only axis you can play on* Why KU is not the whole market (and why authors mistake it for the whole audience)* Pricing power: increasing prices without dips when the experience is unique* The economics problem: $20 customer acquisition vs. $3.99 products* Direct sales advantages: owning the customer relationship and reducing noise* Indie presses and “algorithm rain” strategies that don’t actually market* The Fire & Ice offer: two versions, premium pricing, and upsells to raise AOV* Why customers should pay shipping (and why authors often sabotage margins)* Risk reversal: refunding + buying a competitor’s book as a bold trust play* Testing product ideas cheaply: MOQ realities and starting with paper-based artifacts* Story-letter fundamentals: hook the story first, then explain the delivery* The epistolary rule: if you can’t explain “why letters?” start over* Artifacts defined: what counts, what works, and what’s lazy filler* Examples of artifacts: polaroids, recipes, journal entries, QR codes, audio links, word searches, ribbons, puzzles* Designing artifacts to enhance story, not add envelope weight* The “scavenger hunt” model: clues, interaction, and layered payoff* Creativity as competitive advantage in an AI-saturated world* “Get weird” as strategy: uniqueness creates true blue-ocean differentiation* Where to find David and how to pitch an epistolary project This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sixfigureauthorexperiment.com | 56m 40s | ||||||
| 1/26/26 |  Episode 45 - Bodywork, Burnout, and the Lie of Anxiety | * Listen on Spotify* Listen on Apple* Listen on Youtube* Listen on Pocketcasts* Book Launch checklist: https://BookHip.com/BDSWRRT* Millionaire Author Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/millionaireauthormastermind/* http://hapitalist.com/In this deeply honest and wide-ranging episode of The Six Figure Author Experiment, Lee and Russell dive into the often-overlooked connection between bodywork, burnout, creativity, and financial success. Drawing from neuroscience, somatic tracking, chronic illness research, and lived experience, they explore why mindset work alone often fails — and how unregulated nervous systems keep authors stuck in cycles of exhaustion, anxiety, and self-criticism. This episode reframes success through the lens of safety, regulation, and joy, offering practical tools for healing, creativity, and sustainable growth in 2026 and beyond.Topics Covered:* Why writer’s block and income plateaus often originate in the body, not the mind* The mind-body connection: psychosomatic symptoms, TMS, and neuroplastic pain* Burnout as a survival response, not a personal failure* How hustle culture disconnects creators from their bodies* Why affirmations alone don’t work without somatic safety* Somatic tracking and checking in with the body throughout the day* The role of chronic stress in shutting down creativity and desire* Trauma responses and internal “protector parts” formed in childhood* How negative self-talk operates below conscious awareness* Why your nervous system doesn’t understand language — only sensation* Rest vs. productivity: redefining what “success” feels like* Neutral thinking and releasing judgment as a path to peace* Parasympathetic vs. sympathetic nervous systems explained simply* Why anxiety is not a signal of danger — and when it actually matters* Fight, flight, freeze, fawn, and people-pleasing as stress responses* The myth of boredom and anxiety as opposites* How animals regulate stress — and what humans forgot* Breathwork basics: resonant breathing, 4–7–8 breathing, and why box breathing isn’t enough* Why most adults don’t breathe properly (and how to fix it gently)* Pain reprocessing therapy, Curable, JournalSpeak, and brain retraining* Yoga, stretching, movement, and ancient regulation practices across cultures* Religion, ritual, and community as nervous system regulation tools* Why creativity and marketing require safety, play, and embodiment* The danger of perfectionism and the value of “good enough” action* Closing stress cycles instead of suppressing emotion* Why emotions naturally last 90 seconds — and what keeps them looping* Radical acceptance of self, others, and life events* Why most things actually work out for most people* The “dog on the nail” metaphor and choosing relief sooner* How fear-driven busyness blocks inspiration* Why rest creates better ideas faster than grinding* Cutting spinning plates instead of sustaining exhaustion* Doing fewer things better as the true path to scaling* Reverse time-blocking: designing work around life, not the opposite* Why regulation is the foundation for creativity, income, and joy* Choosing softness, safety, and pleasure as a radical success strategy* Teaching the next generation emotional regulation as a superpower* Redefining “paradise” as presence, peace, and creative flow This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sixfigureauthorexperiment.com | 1h 04m 42s | ||||||
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| 12/29/25 |  Episode 44 - Butter, Joy, and Universal Fantasies with Theodora Taylor | * Listen on Spotify* Listen on Apple* Listen on Youtube* Listen on Pocketcasts* Book Launch checklist: https://BookHip.com/BDSWRRT* Millionaire Author Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/millionaireauthormastermind/* http://hapitalist.com/In this delightfully rich episode of The Six Figure Author Experiment, Lee and Russell sit down with bestselling author and teacher Theodora Taylor to talk about Universal Fantasy, Butter Sponsors, and how to keep your creativity alive. Together, they explore how to rediscover joy in your work, why tropes resonate so deeply with readers, and how “butter” — those emotionally charged, sensory-rich story moments — can transform good books into unforgettable ones. From Batman and Beauty and the Beast to K-pop Demon Hunters, this conversation is a masterclass in emotional storytelling and audience connection.Topics Covered:* What Universal Fantasy really means (and how it differs from tropes)* “Butter” and “Butter Sponsors”: how to find what makes your story delicious* Why readers crave emotional payoff — and how to deliver it at an 11* Turning familiar tropes into deeply resonant, character-driven moments* How to use set-up and payoff to craft satisfying emotional arcs* Common author fears about “too much butter” — and why it’s rarely enough* How creative burnout often stems from disconnection from joy* Using songs, movies, and aesthetics as inspiration (Butter Sponsors in action)* Finding new creative sparks through The Artist’s Date and playful exploration* How “Enemies to Lovers” and “One Bed” tropes can be done right* Why professors taught us to avoid “cringe” — and why we must unlearn that* Emotional truth vs. literary restraint: making readers feel* The psychology of wounded heroes (and why Batman is the ultimate billionaire romance archetype)* Writing as entertainment — embracing your role as storyteller and performer* How to bring joy back into your author career through intention and play* Theodora’s framework of “Butter Comps” — finding comp stories across media* Building an “author butter” style unique to your voice and emotional palette* The Happy Medium between structure and intuition in storytelling* Why joy and generosity are the secret to long-term creative fulfillment This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sixfigureauthorexperiment.com | 47m 24s | ||||||
| 12/1/25 |  Episode 43 - Breaking Down Brick Walls: How to Find the Door, the Window, or the Lesson | * Listen on Spotify* Listen on Apple* Listen on Youtube* Listen on Pocketcasts* Book Launch checklist: https://BookHip.com/BDSWRRT* Millionaire Author Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/millionaireauthormastermind/* http://hapitalist.com/In this powerful and reflective episode of The Six Figure Author Experiment, Russell and Lee explore what it really means to hit a brick wall in your creative or business journey — and why you shouldn’t always try to smash through it. Through stories of coaching calls, spiritual metaphors, and mindset shifts, they unpack how resistance often signals misalignment, not failure. Learn how to recognize when you’re forcing the wrong path, how to find “the door” instead of breaking the wall, and how to diagnose whether your challenge is a project, audience, prioritization, or income problem.Topics Covered:* Why most “brick walls” aren’t meant to be broken — they’re signals, not barriers* Healing limiting beliefs one “brick” at a time instead of fighting the whole wall* The armor we build from childhood and how to safely shed it for true growth* Addition by subtraction: why scaling up often requires doing less, not more* Learning to control inputs, not outputs — and embracing creative surrender* How collaboration and outside perspectives accelerate your author growth* Releasing control and building trust through editing, partnerships, and feedback* The difference between “real” blocks and imagined ones — mindset vs. mechanics* The universe’s brick walls as invitations to pivot, not punishments* Understanding when pain or loss is actually clearing the path for expansion* The “lock through” metaphor: waiting for alignment before moving to the next level* How fear disguises itself as over-control or over-effort* The “Happy Compass” framework: diagnosing your true problem* Heart / Project problems – issues inside the book or creative work* Audience problems – not enough or the wrong readers* Prioritization problems – too many low-impact actions* Income problems – conversion or pricing challenges* Why solving the wrong problem keeps authors stuck* Choosing the money: how to double down on what’s already working* Micro-practices to open your “flow” with money and creative energy* Nervous system regulation and somatic awareness for sustainable creativity* How embodiment, mindset, and business systems interconnect* From frustration to flow: how to reconnect with joy and direction This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sixfigureauthorexperiment.com | 27m 51s | ||||||
| 10/27/25 |  Episode 42 - The Science of Scaling (and Healing): Balancing Growth, Mindset, and Nervous System Regulation | * Listen on Spotify* Listen on Apple* Listen on Youtube* Listen on Pocketcasts* Book Launch checklist: https://BookHip.com/BDSWRRT* Millionaire Author Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/millionaireauthormastermind/* http://hapitalist.com/In this thought-provoking episode of The Six Figure Author Experiment, Russell, Lee, and guest Heather Hildenbrand dive deep into The Science of Scaling — exploring what happens when manifestation meets hustle culture. They debate the book’s “tech bro” tone versus its powerful mindset principles and uncover how authors can use identity shifts, nervous system regulation, and space-making to create success sustainably. From millionaire self-concept to burnout recovery, this episode bridges business strategy, psychology, and woo-woo wisdom to redefine what “scaling” really means.Topics Covered:* Why The Science of Scaling feels more like “Manifestation for Tech Bros”* The connection between identity, self-concept, and rapid transformation* Reframing impossible goals as catalysts for identity shifts* Raising your “floor”: creating boundaries and cutting clutter to scale effectively* How nervous system regulation impacts creativity, peace, and success* The biology of manifestation: using the reticular activating system (RAS) intentionally* Healing burnout and reclaiming calm after hustle culture* The power of “creating space” for deep work and emotional health* Why authors must believe they are capable before success can manifest* Delusional goals, embodiment, and future-self meditations* Balancing masculine (strategic) and feminine (energetic) approaches to business* Making peace with uncertainty and doing “dumb” experiments that actually work* Scaling peace of mind versus scaling income* How regulating your body makes scaling sustainable* From survival mode to creative flow: learning to close the stress cycle* Simplifying to scale: finding your “one great idea” instead of chasing everything* Freedom to create vs. freedom from obligation* How to hold your “want” tightly but your “how” loosely* Accepting imperfection: “I’m rich and a hot mess” mindset* Millionaire problems vs. survival problems—and why normalization matters* Manifestation, belief systems, and emotional neutrality as keys to sustainable growth This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sixfigureauthorexperiment.com | 1h 22m 56s | ||||||
| 9/29/25 |  Episode 41 - Profit First for Authors with Seth Norris, CPA | * Listen on Spotify* Listen on Apple* Listen on Youtube* Listen on Pocketcasts* Book Launch checklist: https://BookHip.com/BDSWRRT* Millionaire Author Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/millionaireauthormastermind/* http://hapitalist.com/In this episode of the Six Figure Author Experiment, Lee and Russell are joined by Seth Norris, CPA and founder of Author CPA. Together, they demystify accounting, taxes, and cash flow for authors, with a focus on the popular Profit First method. Seth explains how authors can structure their finances to increase profit, manage ad spend, and avoid costly tax mistakes. From S-Corps to home office deductions, they cover practical strategies to help authors keep more of what they earn while building a sustainable business mindset.Topics Covered:* Why most authors avoid money conversations—and why that’s a mistake* The core principles of the Profit First method* How to use multiple bank accounts to enforce profit, taxes, and expenses* Recommended Profit First percentages for authors under $250K/year* What “real revenue” means and why ad spend may belong in cost of goods* Challenges of funding growth and why debt can be dangerous* How to reinvest profit and owner pay strategically* The role of intellectual property as an asset in author businesses* When and why to consider switching from sole proprietor/LLC to S-Corp* The true tax differences between LLCs and S-Corps* How “reasonable compensation” works under IRS rules* Smart ways to save on taxes: SEPs, Solo 401Ks, and home office deductions* Hobby vs. business rules and how to prove intent to profit* Why mindset matters: paying yourself and thinking like a business owner* Memorable tax court cases authors can learn from (including a brothel research deduction!)* Building systems that support sustainable growth and financial confidenceWebsite: authorcpa.comYoutube: youtube.com/@authorcpaNewsletter: norriscpafirm.com/newsletter This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sixfigureauthorexperiment.com | 56m 09s | ||||||
| 8/25/25 |  Episode 40 - Writing Naked: Vulnerability, Reinvention, and Longevity in Publishing with NYT bestseller Jennifer Probst | * Listen on Spotify* Listen on Apple* Listen on Youtube* Listen on Pocketcasts* Book Launch checklist: https://BookHip.com/BDSWRRT* Millionaire Author Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/millionaireauthormastermind/* http://hapitalist.com/In this inspiring episode of the Six Figure Author Experiment, Russell and Lee sit down with New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Probst to explore the realities of a long-term writing career. Jennifer shares insights from 35+ years in the industry, reflecting on vulnerability, resilience, and the cycles of growth and reinvention every author faces. Together, they discuss balancing creativity with business, the importance of community, and how to embrace both failures and breakthroughs as part of the journey. The conversation also dives into Jennifer’s Write Naked philosophy, scaling strategies, and how to build sustainable systems that support both creative freedom and financial security.Topics Covered:* Jennifer Probst’s 35-year career and hitting 60 published books* The raw beginnings of writing and finding your first readers* Building impact versus just chasing income* Authenticity, vulnerability, and balancing private vs. public life as an author* Product-led growth and how books grow by being shared* The evolution of publishing: from query letters to Substack, Patreon, and community platforms* Navigating shame, pivots, and rebuilding after setbacks* Root systems: unseen growth periods that lead to future breakthroughs* Creating space in life and career versus chasing endless hustle* The value of resilience and the ability to reinvent repeatedly* Understanding growth seasons vs. monetization seasons* Simplifying your message and focusing on what truly carries* Scaling by doing fewer things exceptionally well* The importance of systems and middle-ground solutions between burning out and blowing up projects* Why effort doesn’t directly equal income in writing* Jennifer’s Write Naked course and its focus on joy, craft, and authenticity* The balance between consistency, reinvention, and longevity in an author career This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sixfigureauthorexperiment.com | 58m 34s | ||||||
| 7/14/25 |  Episode 39 - Why Growth Periods Can Make You Feel Broke | * Listen on Spotify* Listen on Apple* Listen on Youtube* Listen on Pocketcasts* Book Launch checklist: https://BookHip.com/BDSWRRT* Millionaire Author Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/millionaireauthormastermind/* http://hapitalist.com/In this candid episode of the Six Figure Author Experiment, Russell and Lee discuss navigating significant financial and business changes, the reality behind income and profit, and the crucial systems authors need to succeed long-term. Russell shares the ups and downs of his recent financial rollercoaster, the closure of Writer MBA, and how unexpected challenges ultimately led to growth and newfound financial stability. Lee highlights the importance of building sustainable systems, prioritizing newsletters and community engagement, and emphasizes the value of resilience, emotional regulation, and strategic pivoting.Topics Covered:* Managing drastic financial shifts and loss of major income streams* Realities of revenue versus profit for authors* The hidden cost of business growth and reinvestment* Why some authors appear successful but struggle financially* The importance of reducing friction in business growth* Long-term strategies versus short-term gains in publishing* The power and profitability of newsletters and automation* Creating sustainable income through diverse revenue streams* The emotional toll of closing down projects and businesses* Pivoting effectively after setbacks* Building financial and emotional resilience* Introducing Russell’s new membership, "Capitalist," focusing on happiness and balanced success* Lee's Book Marketing Bootcamp details and approach* How to create systems that continuously support author income* Understanding the true value of passive income and long-term asset creation* Learning to embrace endings and creating space for new opportunities* Strategic budgeting, saving, and financial preparedness for uncertainty* Emotional intelligence in handling business disappointments and stress* How mindset and expectations shape enjoyment and success This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sixfigureauthorexperiment.com | 49m 02s | ||||||
| 7/7/25 |  Episode 38 - What Is Enough? Money, Satisfaction, and Fulfillment | * Listen on Spotify* Listen on Apple* Listen on Youtube* Listen on Pocketcasts* Book Launch checklist: https://BookHip.com/BDSWRRT* Millionaire Author Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/millionaireauthormastermind/* http://hapitalist.com/In this emotionally insightful episode of The Six Figure Author Experiment, Russell returns from a whirlwind European tour through Prague, Vienna, and Bratislava with a personal story that carries a deeper lesson. He shares a moment of panic when he thought he lost his expensive SLR camera and how, instead of spiraling into stress and ruining the trip, he chose peace. This unexpected act of mindfulness—of staying present despite looming loss—sparks a conversation about growth, mindset, and how long-term success as a creator is deeply tied to emotional resilience.Lee and Russell explore how years of professional challenges—from losing companies to surviving chaotic launches—have reshaped how Russell views control, money, and creative life. They touch on themes like letting go of perfection, managing emotional responses, and focusing on what’s truly in your control.This episode isn’t just a travel tale—it’s a powerful metaphor for author life. Sometimes, you have to trust the process, accept uncertainty, and keep moving forward.Takeaways:* Emotional growth is a key part of author success.* You don’t need to control every outcome to enjoy the moment.* Losing something can be an opportunity to gain perspective. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sixfigureauthorexperiment.com | 28m 14s | ||||||
| 6/9/25 |  Episode 37 - Self-Sabotage, Fear of Success, and Building a Career That Sees You | * Listen on Spotify* Listen on Apple* Listen on Youtube* Listen on Pocketcasts* Book Launch checklist: https://BookHip.com/BDSWRRT* Millionaire Author Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/millionaireauthormastermind/* http://hapitalist.com/In this deep and emotionally resonant episode of The Six Figure Author Experiment, Russell and Lee go beyond marketing strategies to talk about what really holds authors back: fear of being seen, fear of momentum, and the resistance that shows up when we’re close to success.Lee opens up about launch avoidance, the anxiety of visibility, and the physical effects of pushing through emotional blocks. Together, they explore the tension between doing the “right things” and sabotaging yourself at the moment it matters most. From co-author dynamics to the pressure of performance, from setting the vulnerability level in your community to crafting transformational fiction—this episode is a masterclass in emotional clarity and sustainable authorship.If you’ve ever found yourself procrastinating the most important thing, questioning your worth, or wondering why you can’t seem to follow through—this episode is for you.Topics Covered:* Why self-sabotage isn’t laziness—it’s fear of transformation* The surprising emotional toll of being seen and gaining momentum* Co-author partnerships and the temptation to hide behind others* How fear can manifest as over-productivity, burnout, and avoidance* Physical anxiety responses to visibility and viral success* Setting the vulnerability tone in small reader communities* Why readers share: building emotional resonance over gimmicks* Using fiction to help readers (and ourselves) feel deeply seen* How dark romance, fantasy, and smut can become safe containers for exploration* Forest author marketing: transformation, resonance, and identity* The myth of “needing to connect more” vs. letting your work connect* Russell’s insight: “Nobody loves your book because you wrote it well”* Understanding your true offer: what transformation does your book provide?* Marketing as a conduit—not the transformation itself* Scaling slowly and sustainably: from one-person bootcamps to lasting legacy* 31 launches in 36 months: the consequences of saying yes to everything* Letting go of cluttered calendars to build something amplifiable* Six Figure series case study: https://millionaire-author-coaching.teachable.com/l/pdp/six-figure-series-case-study* Book marketing bootcamp: https://millionaire-author-coaching.teachable.com/p/bookmarketingbootcamp This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sixfigureauthorexperiment.com | 58m 29s | ||||||
| 6/2/25 |  Episode 36 - Wide vs. KU: Career Sustainability, Platform Strategy, and Mental Health with Erin Wright | * Listen on Spotify* Listen on Apple* Listen on Youtube* Listen on Pocketcasts* Book Launch checklist: https://BookHip.com/BDSWRRT* Millionaire Author Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/millionaireauthormastermind/* http://hapitalist.com/In this episode of The Six Figure Author Experiment, we sit down with Erin Wright—bestselling romance author and founder of Wide for the Win—to unpack the real differences between wide publishing and Kindle Unlimited. Erin joins co-hosts Russell and Lee to explore how author archetypes, release strategies, international markets, and even dopamine hits from Amazon rank can affect your success depending on the path you choose.We dig into the psychology, practicality, and sustainability of both publishing approaches—from mental health and burnout to long-tail income and international reach. This isn’t about one path being better—it’s about helping you choose what actually works for your books, your audience, and your life. Whether you’re in KU, thinking about going wide, or just trying to future-proof your author business, this conversation is full of insight, humor, and real-world experience.Topics Covered:* Erin Wright’s journey from librarian to bestselling wide author* Founding Wide for the Win and growing to over 18,000 members* How KU limits access to libraries and international markets* Author archetypes: Forest, Grassland, Aquatic, and Phoenix* The psychological toll of KU’s treadmill and algorithm dependence* Why KU can be detrimental—not just neutral—for some authors* How wide platforms reward longevity vs. KU’s focus on newness* Preorder mechanics: Apple and Kobo vs. Amazon* Bank over rank: why chasing rank won’t pay your mortgage* Wide publishing as “choose your own adventure”* Transitioning to wide with foreign translations* Real examples of burnout, bounce-backs, and big wins* Hiring help for wide distribution (and knowing when to do it)* Tips for sustainable author careers in an unpredictable marketLinks:* Six Figure series case study: https://millionaire-author-coaching.teachable.com/l/pdp/six-figure-series-case-study* Book marketing bootcamp: https://millionaire-author-coaching.teachable.com/p/bookmarketingbootcamp This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sixfigureauthorexperiment.com | 1h 14m 14s | ||||||
| 5/12/25 |  Episode 35 - How Tropes Sell Books: Mastering Story Ingredients, Reader Expectations, and Marketing with Jennifer Hilt | * Listen on Spotify* Listen on Apple* Listen on Youtube* Listen on Pocketcasts* Book Launch checklist: https://BookHip.com/BDSWRRT* Millionaire Author Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/millionaireauthormastermind/* http://hapitalist.com/In this episode, Jennifer Hilt, author of The Trope Thesaurus series, joins Lee and Russell to break down the true power of tropes in fiction writing—not as clichés, but as emotional shorthand and marketing gold. Together, they explore how tropes function in storytelling, why they’re the secret weapon of bestselling authors, and how to twist them in ways that honor your voice and resonate with readers. Whether you’re writing epic fantasy, spicy romance, domestic thrillers, or cozy mysteries, this episode helps you see tropes not as a box but as a toolkit. You'll learn how to identify, use, and market tropes so readers instantly “get” your story—and want more.Topics Covered:* Jennifer’s definition of tropes—and how they differ from clichés* The three “buckets” of tropes: character, conflict/stakes, and setting* Why tropes aren’t formulas—they’re ingredients readers crave* The role of tropes in genre blending (e.g., romance + mystery, fantasy + thriller)* Using tropes to reverse-engineer your blurb and boost conversion* The growing importance of “trope cards” in romance marketing* Why your book already has tropes (even if you don’t realize it yet)* How identifying tropes can solve plot problems and unlock stalled drafts* Misdirection and red herrings as underused “conflict” tropes* Tropes as shared language between you and your reader* Examples of evergreen tropes: ticking time bomb, forced proximity, only one bed* Why “structure is just a list of tropes” and how that builds trust with readers* The value of “same but different” stories in commercial fiction* Baking marketing into your book from the beginning* Layering in secondary genre tropes to widen appeal* How voice transforms tired tropes into unforgettable stories* Using your personal “id list” to build trope-rich stories that excite you* The power of identity and series-spanning tropes (e.g., orphan to icon arcs)* The difference between trope usage in high-concept vs. slow-burn fiction* Tropes as both creative springboards and safety nets for readers This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sixfigureauthorexperiment.com | 59m 57s | ||||||
| 5/5/25 |  Episode 34 - Kickstarter: Oriana Leckert on Direct Sales, Community Building, & Creative Freedom | * Listen on Spotify* Listen on Apple* Listen on Youtube* Listen on Pocketcasts* Book Launch checklist: https://BookHip.com/BDSWRRT* Millionaire Author Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/millionaireauthormastermind/* http://hapitalist.com/In this episode of The Six Figure Author Experiment, we sit down with Oriana Leckert, Head of Publishing at Kickstarter, to dive deep into how authors are leveraging Kickstarter to hit six-figure goals, build powerful communities, and take full control of their careers. Oriana shares insider stats, success strategies, and powerful examples of how direct-to-reader models are reshaping the publishing world. We explore why crowdfunding is more than just funding—it’s about creating unforgettable experiences, amplifying your brand, and future-proofing your author career in an uncertain world. Whether you're a new author, seasoned indie, or thinking about launching your first campaign, this episode is packed with actionable insights you won't want to miss.Topics Covered:* Oriana Leckert’s journey through publishing and Kickstarter leadership* Why direct-to-reader models are outperforming traditional and self-publishing* Year-over-year growth statistics for publishing projects on Kickstarter* Key success metrics: 84% success rate with 25+ backers, $16K average raise* How Kickstarter backers behave differently from typical book buyers* The secret to Kickstarter’s algorithm: attention and early momentum* Why backer community and engagement trump pure audience size* The growing power of subscriptions and how Patreon and Kickstarter work together* Using Kickstarter to test ideas, validate demand, and build sustainable income* Examples of creative rewards: from scene kits to special editions and experiences* How Kickstarter campaigns drive amplification even beyond funding* Curating emotional experiences for readers through physical and digital rewards* The future of publishing: quality over quantity, 100 true fans, and direct community building* Oriana’s advice for building a resilient, connected author career in uncertain times This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sixfigureauthorexperiment.com | 48m 34s | ||||||
| 4/27/25 |  Episode 33 - Cracking the Amazon Code: Beyond Ads with Janet Margot | * Listen on Spotify* Listen on Apple* Listen on Youtube* Listen on Pocketcasts* Book Launch checklist: https://BookHip.com/BDSWRRT* Millionaire Author Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/millionaireauthormastermind/* http://hapitalist.com/In this high-impact episode, former Amazon insider Janet Margot drops truth bombs about what really moves the needle on Amazon—and it’s not just tweaking your ad bids.After a decade helping build the Amazon ads platform specifically for books, Janet has seen the game from the inside. Now she’s out in the wild, coaching authors to not just run ads, but to think strategically about their entire Amazon ecosystem.💡 What You’ll Learn:* Why most ad problems aren’t ad problems—they’re product problems.* The biggest myths authors believe about Amazon ads.* How to use your product page, book packaging, and strategy to create a flywheel that works even when ads aren’t.* Why Janet calls herself an “Amazon coach” instead of an “ads coach” now—and what that shift means for your career.* The missing piece from most advertising courses (including her first book!) and why her new second edition focuses more on strategy over tactics.🛠️ Lee and Russell jump in with their own experiences—Russell brings his signature “burn-it-down-and-rebuild” mindset while Lee’s juggling spicy Batman novels and the grind of the long game.This episode is a goldmine for indie authors who:* Feel like their ads are “working” but sales still suck.* Are ready to stop throwing money at Amazon and start building a sustainable system.* Want to understand what Amazon rewards (hint: it's not just money).If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the backend of your author business, or you’re tired of buying one more ads course that doesn’t deliver, this is the episode you can’t afford to miss. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sixfigureauthorexperiment.com | 54m 54s | ||||||
| 3/31/25 |  Episode 32 - Writer MBA Mastermind & Conference | * Listen on Spotify* Listen on Apple* Listen on Youtube* Listen on Pocketcasts* Book Launch checklist: https://BookHip.com/BDSWRRT* Millionaire Author Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/millionaireauthormastermind/* http://hapitalist.com/Episode Summary: Live from New Orleans – Six Figure Author ExperimentIn this episode, recorded live at a conference in New Orleans, hosts Monica Leonelle, Lee Savino, and Russell Nohelty reflect on a uniquely energizing experience. Unlike typical conferences that leave attendees drained, this event fostered connection, collaboration, and genuine breakthroughs.Key Takeaways1. Surprisingly Energizing Experience• Despite two full days of activities, the hosts felt energized instead of exhausted.• This is rare for conferences, especially when you’re also organizing or speaking.2. Responsibility Was Shared—By Design• The event was intentionally structured so attendees, not just organizers, contributed to each other’s success.• This created a more collaborative atmosphere and lightened the burden on the “core team.”3. Mastermind Format Delivered Results• The small group and one-on-one conversations during the mastermind led to powerful breakthroughs.• Attendees had space to talk, listen, and support one another—something often missing from big events.4. Hybrid Structure = Best of Both Worlds• The event included both a mastermind and a traditional conference portion.• The mastermind was experimental but impactful; the conference followed a more familiar format with vendors and speaker tracks.5. The People Made It Work• The success was largely due to curating a room full of generous, driven, “cool” people.• The team trusted that putting the right people together would lead to magic—and it did.Final ThoughtThis episode is proof that author events can go beyond panels and presentations. With intentional design and the right community, they can create meaningful momentum and real change in an author’s career.Let me know if you’d like this turned into show notes, a newsletter, or something visual! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sixfigureauthorexperiment.com | 40m 46s | ||||||
| 2/10/25 |  Episode 31 - Creating a Sustainable Sales Ecosystem | * Listen on Spotify* Listen on Apple* Listen on Youtube* Listen on Pocketcasts* Book Launch checklist: https://BookHip.com/BDSWRRT* Millionaire Author Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/millionaireauthormastermind/* http://hapitalist.com/This episode features a presentation Russell gave in Lee’s Facebook group tht breaks down a crucial lesson for authors: success isn’t about picking the “best” platform, whether it’s Kickstarter, Substack, or direct sales, but about how they work together to amplify each other.The focus isn’t on chasing the next big thing or worrying about industry collapse. It’s about simplifying, optimizing, and integrating existing strategies to create a sustainable sales ecosystem.Key takeaways include:* Why direct sales, crowdfunding, and memberships work better together.* How to build a system where each platform strengthens the others.* The importance of doing fewer things, better, instead of chasing silver bullets.If you’re tired of constantly adapting to new trends, this talk offers a practical, no-nonsense approach to making a living as an author. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sixfigureauthorexperiment.com | 35m 56s | ||||||
| 1/20/25 |  Episode 30 - Navigating the Page-Turner Playbook with Ines Johnson | * Listen on Spotify* Listen on Apple* Listen on Youtube* Listen on Pocketcasts* Book Launch checklist: https://BookHip.com/BDSWRRT* Millionaire Author Mastermind Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/millionaireauthormastermind/* http://hapitalist.com/Summary: In this episode of The Six Figure Author Experiment, hosts Monica and Russell welcome co-host Lee Savino and guest Ines Johnson, a prolific romance author and Kickstarter powerhouse. Ines dives deep into the art of crafting page-turner pacing, drawing from her background in screenwriting and television. She shares insights into the structural techniques that keep readers hooked, such as adapting episodic storytelling methods to novels and mastering subplot integration.Key highlights include:* Kickstarter Success: Ines shares how Russell inspired her to relaunch a Kickstarter campaign, leading to a staggering $24,000 in just two days.* The Page-Turner Formula: Ines discusses her screenwriting roots and how the discipline of episodic TV informs her approach to building tension and satisfying resolutions in books.* Writing Weird and Marketable: The group debates balancing creative uniqueness with market demands, encouraging authors to lean into tropes and genres while adding their personal "special sauce."* Books for Fans vs. Audience Growth: Ines and the hosts explore how authors can create projects to satisfy devoted readers while planning broader appeal books to attract new fans.* Practical Writing Tips: From understanding shared marketing language in tropes to layering storylines using concepts like Levitt's Paradigm, this episode is packed with actionable advice.The episode also tackles questions from the audience about applying pacing techniques to unconventional books, tracking subplots, and the value of creating standalone versus serialized works.Takeaway: Whether you're a plotter, a pantser, or somewhere in between, this episode delivers essential strategies for crafting compelling narratives, building a loyal audience, and navigating the complexities of the modern publishing landscape. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sixfigureauthorexperiment.com | 50m 35s | ||||||
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Chart history for The Six Figure Author Experiment Podcast
Peaked at #52 in New Zealand, currently #52 in New Zealand.
| Market | Genre | Peak | Current | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | — | #52 | #52 | — |
| New Zealand | — | #142 | #142 | — |
Chart Positions
2 placements across 1 market.
Chart Positions
2 placements across 1 market.