Best Thomas Umstattd Jr Podcasts (2025)

1
73 | AI Tools for Authors w/ Thomas Umstattd, Jr. 50:05

Play Pause

11h ago50:05

50:05

If you’re a writer, chances are you’ve felt the tension between timeless craft and ever-changing technology. On one hand, your voice and perspective are irreplaceable. On the other hand, new technology is reshaping the way books are written, marketed, and read. Is AI a threat to creativity or a partner that can free you to do your best work? What r…

1
Triple Your Writing Speed with Dictation 53:03

2h ago53:03

53:03

The faster you write, the more books you can publish and the more money you can make from your writing. We all type slower than we speak, and if you’re typing and creating a story at the same time, you type even slower. But what if you could regularly produce 50 words or more per minute? You’d be able to write a 120,000-word book in a 40-hour work …

1
Updates in Anthropic Case, NanoWriMo Replaced and How To Write First Aid 59:30

3d ago59:30

59:30

Payouts approved in the Anthropic case, Novel November comes to authors and Jonathan and Thomas talk about how to write first aid properly in your content. https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/By Thomas Umstattd Jr.

1
How to Boost Sales With Permafree Books 51:16

6d ago51:16

51:16

Giving away your hard work for free doesn’t seem to make good business sense. So why do authors give away ebooks for free? What if “free” didn’t kill your revenue, but primed it? In this week’s episode, we’ll dig into the permafree strategy with Dale Roberts, author of Secrets of the Permafree Book. You’ll learn: Where permafree works (and where it…

1
72 | The Social Media Exit Plan for Writers: 7 Steps to Leave Without Losing Your Audience 30:40

7d ago30:40

30:40

Are you a writer thinking about leaving social media, but not sure how to do it? Today, we’ll show you the exact steps we took to quit for good while keeping our readers with us. For show notes, go to https://writingoffsocial.com/72 Is it time for you to break up with social media? TAKE THE QUIZ!By Sandy Cooper

1
Amazon KU Allowed in Public Libraries, the TikTok Deal and Cancel Culture 1:02:24

11d ago1:02:24

1:02:24

Join us on Author Update to learn more about using libraries with KU books, the TikTok deal between US and China, and how cancel culture has changed. https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/By Thomas Umstattd Jr.

1
71 | Listener Survey Results: What You Asked For, What We’re Changing + What’s Coming 34:09

15d ago34:09

34:09

We're back from our break with a brand-new podcast season. Today, we’re sharing the key decisions we’ve made based on the wonderful feedback you provided through our 2025 Listener Survey last spring. We’ll tell you what we’re letting go of, what you asked for that we can’t provide, and what’s coming next for Writing Off Social. Listen in! For show …

1
Christian Author Assassinated 41:02

15d ago41:02

41:02

https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/ Support the show

1
Christian Author Assassinated, Mailer Lite Adjusts Its Free Plan and Kit Raises Prices 57:52

18d ago57:52

57:52

A somber reflection upon Charlie Kirk's life and ministry and how authors can emulate his success in their own careers, as well as industry news regarding email services. https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/By Thomas Umstattd Jr.

1
How to Get More Book Reviews 56:57

20d ago56:57

56:57

So you wrote a good book, but you can’t seem to get reviews. Do you just throw up your hands? Why do reviews and ratings even matter? Well, the more reviews a book has, the better it will sell and the more reviews it will get. Without the social proof of reviews, readers scroll past your book listing, algorithms ignore you, and sales flatline. So, …

1
Anthropic to Pay Authors $3000 Per Book, Zeitgeist, and Author Arrested for Tweets 1:15:58

22d ago1:15:58

1:15:58

We uncover shocking news about publishers failing to register copyrights, potentially leaving authors vulnerable in the Anthropic class-action lawsuit. We also explore the arrest of Irish author Graham Linehan for tweets posted from America. Plus, discover exciting developments in AI audiobook publishing with ElevenLabs' new 60% royalty marketplace…

51
The Author’s Guide to AI with Joanna Penn 54:17

27d ago54:17

54:17

Most authors either avoid AI or use it badly. Let’s fix that. Authors who learn to use AI find that they have more time to write better books. In this week’s episode, Joanna Penn and I break down where to start, which tools are actually worth using, and how to get useful output instead of bland tasteless, voiceless, AI slop. You’ll learn How to pro…

1
New International Shipping Rules Hit Authors and Libraries Acquire KU Books? 1:03:47

1M ago1:03:47

1:03:47

Join us on Author Update as we talk the latest news in publishing! https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/By Thomas Umstattd Jr.

101
When to Ignore Your Editor 32:30

1M ago32:30

32:30

Every author needs editorial feedback. But not all feedback is good. If you accept every edit, you risk losing your voice and writing something bland. If you ignore all edits, you risk writing something sloppy that readers won’t buy. So how do you know which edits to take and which to toss? In this week’s episode, you’ll learn: 7 “Bewares” to help …

1
Spotify Upgrades Audiobook Accessibility and George R.R. Martin Told To Step Down 1:07:34

1M ago1:07:34

1:07:34

Check out our commentary on the past week's events with news on Spotify, Harper Collins and WorldCon. https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/By Thomas Umstattd Jr.

1
The End of Rapid Release and the Advent of Breadgeist 1:12:02

2M ago1:12:02

1:12:02

This one was a doozy. We covered AI's shortcomings, how authors can maximize their output potential and how cowboy romances relate to bread making. Yes, sir, you can only get that kind of content here, on Author Update. https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/By Thomas Umstattd Jr.

151
Announcing the 2026 Novel Marketing Conference 23:40

2M ago23:40

23:40

Most writing conferences teach you how to write a better book or how to pursue a literary agent. But what if you have already written a great book and you need help selling it? Is there a conference for you? Yes! Announcing the 2026 Novel Marketing Conference, a live, in-person event focused on helping you market and sell more books. The 2026 confe…

1
Is AI okay for Christian Authors? 59:04

2M ago59:04

59:04

Is using AI sinful, helpful, or just complicated? In this thought-provoking episode, bestselling author Kate Angelo joins us to discuss the ethical, practical, and spiritual implications of AI for Christian writers. From biblical analogies to real-world tools, this conversation explores some pressing questions for Christians about AI, creativity, a…

1
GPT-5 Is Here 1:00:47

2M ago1:00:47

1:00:47

Come listen to Jonathan and Thomas discuss the latest advancements from OpenAI and what they mean for writers, as well as the cultural war between Texas and Australia. https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/By Thomas Umstattd Jr.

151
How to Get Started with Author School Visits and Make Your Book Playground Famous 49:54

2M ago49:54

49:54

If you write picture books, chapter books, or middle-grade fiction, you know the challenge: kids read your books, but adults buy them. So how can you let young readers know about your books? Where can you connect with your readers? By meeting them in person in school classrooms! In this week's episode, award-winning author Becca Wierwille shares ho…

1
Audible Reduces Author Royalties, Trad Sales Plummet, Indie Sales Rise 1:14:52

2M ago1:14:52

1:14:52

Listen to this week's episode of Author Update as Jonathan and Thomas dive into Audible's royalty shenanigans, the woes of the trad pub world vs. the success of the indie scene. https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/By Thomas Umstattd Jr.

201
Zeitgeist, Dystopian Fatigue, and the Rise of Ruthless & Noble Heroes 1:03:29

2M ago1:03:29

1:03:29

What’s up with ruthless heroes and romantasy? And what if the real reason your book isn’t selling has nothing to do with your writing and everything to do with the zeitgeist? In this week’s Novel Marketing episode, we’re featuring an episode of Author Update. We unpack the massive cultural shift that's changing what readers crave. From romantasy'…

1
Substack, GoodReads and MORTAL KOMBAAAAAAT!!! 27:19

2M ago27:19

27:19

Solo episode with Jonathan as Thomas is on vacation. We're going into changes with Substack, GoodReads, Kindlepreneur's look into Amazon keywords, and much more. https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/By Thomas Umstattd Jr.

201
How to sell 1,000 books a month 33:06

2M ago33:06

33:06

Ever wonder how some authors consistently sell a thousand books a month? What marketing tactics are they using? How can I get those results too? In the latest episode of the Novel Marketing Podcast, I talk with Susan Neal, author of nine books and CEO of the Christian Indie Publishing Association. Susan shares how she layers her marketing efforts—f…

1
Zeitgeist: The Age of Ruthless Heros 1:05:41

2M ago1:05:41

1:05:41

Feast your ears as Jonathan and Thomas discuss the direction fiction is taking, and how societies deal with major turns. https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/By Thomas Umstattd Jr.

251
How to Work With a PR Firm to Promote Your Book 49:42

3M ago49:42

49:42

Publicity has always been important for authors. Mark Twain promoted his books by writing letters to the paper, and even Agatha Christie, who was known for being very private, still did interviews with prominent newspapers. Yet some authors think this kind of publicity is old-fashioned. In a world dominated by social media, do we even need traditio…

1
Barnes and Noble, Bots, Bankruptcy and Beyond: The Big Beautiful Episode 1:16:00

3M ago1:16:00

1:16:00

Donate to disaster survivors at ADRN.org. https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/By Thomas Umstattd Jr.

251
What does ChatGPT Actually Know About Your Book? 14:00

3M ago14:00

14:00

You’ve optimized your book for AI, updated your website, polished your metadata, maybe even watched our AI Optimization for Authors episode. But how do you know if any of it is working? In this week’s episode, you’ll discover how to measure your AI optimization success. Because the hard truth is that if ChatGPT, Grok, or Gemini doesn’t know your bo…

1
21st Century Apologetics: Why Christians No Longer Need to be Relevant 58:37

3M ago58:37

58:37

The cultural ground beneath us is shifting fast. The kinds of books that impacted your faith a decade ago, and possibly inspired you to write, likely won’t have the same effect on readers in this cultural moment. How do you write books that resonate with readers without compromising biblical truth? In this week’s episode, I speak with pastor and au…

1
70 | How to Sell 1,000 Books a Month w/Susan Neal 46:21

3M ago46:21

46:21

It's our SEASON 5 FINALE! And we are thrilled to speak with Susan Neal about her latest book, "How to Sell 1,000 Books a Month: Strategies to Improve Sales." Listen as Susan offers insights on building a strong foundation for book marketing, creating effective lead magnets, the importance of email automation, and the benefits of attending writers' …

1
The Case of Authors Vs. AI 1:02:55

3M ago1:02:55

1:02:55

Several court cases impacting authors, the NYT wonders if men read literary novels, and Jonathan starts a lawsuit against Thomas. All on this week's Author Update. https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/By Thomas Umstattd Jr.

301
How to Create Sales Optimized Book Pages for Your Author Website 27:42

3M ago27:42

27:42

Well, this is embarrassing. After 12 years of teaching authors how to build better websites, I realized I’ve never covered the most important page on your site: your book page. Your book’s webpage isn’t just for selling your book anymore. It’s now key to showing up in Google search results and getting recommended by AI tools like ChatGPT. In this w…

1
69 | How to Sell Your Books Using Street Teams w/Kara Swanson 47:32

3M ago47:32

47:32

This week, we are speaking with author and cofounder of The Author Conservatory, Kara Swanson. Listen as Kara shares her insights on building and managing a Street Team as an effective book-selling strategy, emphasizing the importance of training, clear communication, and establishing relationships with team members. Kara also discusses strategies …

1
How The Iran War Will Impact Authors 1:04:17

3M ago1:04:17

1:04:17

The Israel-Iran War, more AI impact on the workforce, zeitgeist discussion and more Patron Tools in the toolbox. All here with Author Update. https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/By Thomas Umstattd Jr.

301
Is Your Traditional Publisher Going Bankrupt? 8 Warning Signs to Look Out For 31:32

3M ago31:32

31:32

The publishing industry is facing significant challenges. We just went through a major zeitgeist shift, and reader preferences radically changed. AI also showed up in a big way, so it should be no surprise that several traditional publishers are struggling to adapt. What happens to you and your book if your publisher goes bankrupt? How will you kno…

1
68 | Is it a Ministry or Business? How to Know When to Charge For Your Work 1:15:44

4M ago1:15:44

1:15:44

As Christian creatives, navigating the space between ministry and business can be confusing. We want to honor God with our work—but is it okay to charge for it, too? In today’s episode, we’re exploring the intersection of calling, creativity, and income—and how we can faithfully pursue the work we feel led to do, without guilt or hesitation. This w…

1
Amazon Drops Printing Prices, Lays Off Kindle Staff, and Ends Hourly Rankings 1:03:20

4M ago1:03:20

1:03:20

Watch us on YouTube live! https://novelmarketingconference.com/ https://novelmarketingconference.com/By Thomas Umstattd Jr.

1
How to Adapt a Podcast to YouTube 59:02

4M ago59:02

59:02

You work hard to create content for your audience. But how do you get more mileage and reach out of each piece you create? One way is to adapt your content for another platform. I recently started adapting my podcast into a YouTube channel. But how do you do that? I learned the hard way how not to do it. To gain traction on YouTube, you have to res…