Introduction to Artificial Intelligence Understanding

AI is misunderstood. A lot of people talk about AI, but I haven’t heard anyone talk about what artificial intelligence really is. So, let’s fix that, at least for authors turned entrepreneurs.

I am a physicist and have multiple engineering degrees, including a doctorate. There was an opportunity from a U.S. Air Force initiative to write a funding proposal for a project that included an AI component.

All of us in flight safety, nationwide, got together to write that proposal. I wrote the AI section because my company was a leader in that field. Long story short, we were successfully funded with several million dollars for a five-year project.

But the pandemic hit in the first year, and combined with the huge Boeing mess, 1 in 3 of my coworkers and I were laid off. Being the Ph.D. in the building, I saw the layoffs coming three years in advance.

So, when I was asked to head up the USAF project, which included that AI component, I declined because I wanted the project to succeed without me. So, the project continued without too much of a hit.

Anyway, I learned a lot about AI in that first year. The part you should know about is data ponds, lakes, and oceans. An artificial intelligence is a neural network, like your brain.

It starts small, like a child’s brain rather than an adult’s, and grows by being fed data. Lots and lots of data.

The internet is filled with the written word. That is a massive data ocean that an AI neural network can use to grow and learn. The internet is also filled with videos, another data ocean that an AI neural network can grow on.

Most of the AI products you’ve been told about use these two data oceans. It’s called Generative AI.

Other types of AI neural networks use other data ponds and lakes. My aerospace AI project used proprietary inspection data that was not uploaded to the internet.

Yes, it was stored on a computer, but that computer wasn’t connected to the internet, so its contents weren’t shared with the world. Why not? Because it was protected for business reasons.

My point is, only information freely available on the internet can be used by an AI to grow its neural network. It can’t use the dark web. What is the dark web? It sounds sinister, but the dark web is anything on the internet not open to everyone. For example, your bank’s sign-in page is not on the dark web, because it can be seen by all, but everything you see after signing in IS on the dark web.

In my advanced course for my last business, I was asked if what I was sharing was information available on the dark web. I said yes, it was, right now, here in this class, because the course was behind a payment wall. As you might imagine, conspiracy theorists in the class don’t like that answer. But it’s still true.

So, when looking at AI solutions, ask yourself how the AI being marketed to you grew its neural network. What data was used? Was there a lot or only a little? Because only a little means the AI is weak or perhaps even useless.

• Previous: The Best Podcast Strategies for 2026
• Next: Forthcoming!

The post What AI Is | Artificial Intelligence Understanding for Authors-Turned-Entrepreneurs appeared first on Your Author Platform with Jon Friedl.

Introduction to Podcast Strategies

Let’s be honest: the podcasting gold rush is over. Some people throw around scary numbers, claiming that a massive percentage of new podcasts fail within the first few months. While the exact number is debatable, the core problem is very real: saturation.

There are over 4.5 million podcasts. You’re pouring your heart into creating great content, but it feels like you’re screaming into a void, just fighting for scraps of attention.

But what if the problem isn’t your content? What if you’re just fighting on the wrong battlefield? In the next few minutes, I’m going to show you the data-driven methods the top 1% of creators will be using in 2026 to sidestep the competition completely, turning overlooked topics into audiences that are not just loyal, but profitable.

For years, the advice has been painfully simple: “Just start a podcast.” Pick a huge topic you love—marketing, wellness, true crime—and hit record. The thinking was that if you build it, the listeners will magically come. In 2026, that’s a one-way ticket to burnout. Relying on organic growth from a single podcast app is like trying to cross the ocean in a rowboat.

The market is getting flooded with generic, AI-assisted content, and listeners are getting wise to it. They’re tired of the same old interviews and the same broad, cookie-cutter advice. When you try to make a show for everyone, you end up making it for no one. You get stuck, watching your download numbers flatline, and wondering why all your hard work is going nowhere. The old playbook is broken. It’s time for a new one.

The future of podcasting isn’t about shouting louder than everyone else; it’s about speaking with absolute clarity to a smaller, more dedicated audience. The strategy that’s going to define success in 2026 is data-driven niche targeting. Niche shows are becoming a primary growth strategy because they compete on relevance rather than just reach. This is about finding an audience that’s being ignored, owning a specific conversation, and becoming so valuable to that community that they can’t imagine their week without you.

This isn’t about thinking smaller; it’s about thinking smarter. It’s about turning your podcast from a megaphone into a magnet for your perfect listener. And I’m going to walk you through three ways to do exactly that.

First, you need to find your “micro-topic.” This is that sweet spot where a passionate audience already exists, but dedicated content is nowhere to be found. You have to stop thinking in big, general categories. The real gold is buried in the sub-topics.

Think about it: instead of another generic “business podcast,” what if you created a show specifically for “sustainable business practices in small-scale manufacturing”? Instead of a “parenting” show, you could launch a podcast for “parents of twins navigating the chaos of elementary school.” A targeted approach like this attracts a super-dedicated listener base from day one.

So, how do you find these goldmines?

irst, you put on your data-detective hat. Use tools like Spotify for Podcasters or Chartable to see which episodes are killing it in your broad genre. But don’t just copy what they’re doing—look for what they’re missing. What questions are popping up in the comments that aren’t getting answered? Those gaps are your opportunities.

Second, you ride the wave of current trends. Use AI-powered tools like BuzzSumo or Feedly to spot the breaking stories and cultural moments bubbling up in your potential niche. This lets you craft titles and hooks that are perfectly timed for SEO, making you instantly relevant. A “tech” podcast is broad and forgettable. A podcast analyzing how new AI tools are impacting freelance graphic designers? That’s a micro-topic that solves a specific, timely need.

Finally, get creative and blend topics to create something totally new. The core of the podcast audience is Millennials and Gen Z, so you can bridge that gap. Try mixing trending internet culture with career advice, or wellness insights with new tech. A flood of generic AI content can’t compete with a real, human perspective on a focused topic. Your unique voice in a well-defined niche is your ultimate unfair advantage.

Okay, so you’ve found your niche. That’s great, but it’s useless if nobody can find your show. The second method is to stop thinking of your podcast as an audio file and start treating it like the central gear in a multi-platform “discoverability engine.” In 2026, a podcast that lives only on podcast apps is dead.

Here’s the brutal truth: podcast apps are terrible search engines. While a lot of podcast discovery happens through searching and browsing, the search doesn’t usually start on those platforms. The real discovery is happening on Google and YouTube.

Here’s how you build your engine.

First, you need a “metadata-first” mindset. This means your titles, descriptions, and thumbnails are built for search from the very beginning. Don’t call your episode “Episode 47: Chat with Sarah.” Call it “How to Build an Email List from Scratch (with Sarah Johnson).” One is a label; the other is a solution to a problem someone is actually searching for. Use free tools like Google Autocomplete or Answer the Public to find the exact phrases your ideal listener is typing into a search bar.

Second, every single podcast needs an SEO-optimized microsite. This is not optional anymore. Platforms like Podpage or Riverside can automatically create a central hub for your show with full episode transcripts, guest bios, and show notes. Why is this so critical? Because Google can index every single word of those transcripts. Suddenly, every episode you publish becomes a powerful SEO asset, pulling in new listeners directly from search results for years to come.

Third, you have to embrace YouTube as your primary discovery tool. By 2025, YouTube had already become the most used platform for podcast listening in the U.S. and boasted over a billion monthly podcast viewers. Video podcasts aren’t a novelty anymore; they’re an expectation. Even if you’re not doing a full multi-camera setup, you have to repurpose your audio for the platform. Use tools to turn your audio into compelling video clips, shorts, and audiograms. A single one-hour episode can be sliced into five or seven clips for TikTok and Reels, a YouTube Short, a LinkedIn post, and an X/Twitter thread. This isn’t about just posting more—it’s about meeting your audience on the platforms they’re already scrolling and leading them back to your show.

This final method is where you transform your podcast from a passion project into a real business. The secret is realizing that a small, hyper-engaged niche audience is infinitely more valuable than a massive, passive one. While big, general-interest podcasts are fighting for pennies from programmatic ads, niche shows are building powerful, sustainable revenue streams.

It all starts with building a “community flywheel.” You create intense loyalty by making content that speaks directly to your listeners’ biggest problems and passions. You’re not just some voice they listen to; you become an indispensable resource.

From there, you monetize that trust. Brands will pay higher CPM rates to sponsor niche shows because they know they’re reaching a perfectly aligned audience that trusts the host. Forget generic ad reads. The real money is in strategies that feel authentic to your niche:

• Host-read ads that are basically mini-case studies: “Here’s how a listener who runs a small bakery used this exact software to solve the problem we were just talking about.” It’s an ad, but it feels like valuable content.
• Affiliate links for specific products, tools, and courses that you actually use and believe in. Because you’ve built so much trust, your recommendation carries serious weight.
• And most powerfully, you can move beyond ads entirely. Think paid communities, high-value workshops, or exclusive masterminds. For many creators, especially in business niches, the podcast isn’t the final product—it’s the top of a sales funnel that feeds into high-ticket services, coaching programs, and events.

To get this flywheel spinning faster, you tap into the power of collaboration. Use platforms like Podchaser Connect or MatchMaker.fm to find other creators in your exact niche for guest swaps and cross-promotions. This “audience borrowing” strategy is one of the fastest ways to grow because you’re tapping into pre-built communities of your ideal listeners, all without spending a dime.

So, let’s recap the new playbook for 2026. The losing strategy is trying to out-shout everyone in a saturated, general-interest market. The winning strategy is to change the battlefield entirely.

1. Find your Micro-Topic Goldmine by going deep into a passionate niche that nobody is serving properly.
2. Build a Discoverability Engine using smart SEO, a dedicated website, and multi-platform video to ensure your ideal listeners can find you.
3. Ignite a Community Flywheel, monetizing that deep loyalty through tailored sponsorships, affiliate income, and high-value products, rather than just chasing empty download numbers.

The podcasting world of 2026 isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room. It’s about being the most trusted voice in your room. Consistency, a clear mission, and a deep commitment to serving a specific audience—those are the things that will separate the forgotten hobby projects from the breakout hits. While everyone else is getting drowned out, you’ll be building an unshakeable, profitable brand.

• Previous: Building Your Author Brand in 2026
• Next: Forthcoming!

The post The Best Podcast Strategies for 2026 appeared first on Your Author Platform with Jon Friedl.

Introduction to Author Brand in 2026

So, you poured your heart and soul into writing a book you’re proud of… but the sales figures are telling a different story. It’s a hugely frustrating reality for so many authors: your incredible work sits undiscovered, lost in a sea of thousands of books published every day. You’re doing everything you’re “supposed” to do (posting on social media, telling people to buy your book), but it feels like you’re just shouting into the wind. That uncertainty is crushing, and the dream of being a full-time author feels like it’s slipping through your fingers.

But what if I told you the secret to long-term success isn’t about chasing algorithms or screaming into the void? It’s not about finding one magic marketing gimmick. It’s about building a small, dedicated community of superfans who will champion your work for years to come. In this article, I’m going to show you exactly how to build that community in 2026, step by step.

First, let’s talk about why this is the single most important strategy for authors in 2026. The publishing world is changing, big time. Readers are overwhelmed. They’re tired of generic ads and algorithmic recommendations that just don’t get them. They crave authenticity and a real connection. People don’t just buy books anymore; they buy into authors they trust and feel like they know.

This is where you have a massive advantage over the big publishers. You can build actual relationships. The goal is no longer popularity, but profitability by focusing on a smaller, more targeted audience. We’re moving away from “rented land,” like social media, where a single algorithm change can wipe out your reach, and toward assets you actually own. Your community is your foundation, a loyal group you can connect with directly, forever. It’s the difference between being a starving artist and building a sustainable, long-term author business.

So, how do we do it? It all starts by giving your community something to gather around.

Before you can build a community, you need to know who you are and what you’re about. This is your brand identity, and it’s the bedrock for everything else. A strong brand builds trust and makes you stand out. This doesn’t need to be some big, complicated thing. Just answer three simple questions.

First: What’s your niche? And I mean, get specific. You don’t just write “fantasy.” You write “cozy fantasy inspired by Welsh mythology.” You don’t just write “non-fiction.” You write “practical productivity guides for creative freelancers.” Your niche is the signal that helps the right readers find you.

Second: What’s your voice? Are you witty and sarcastic? Warm and encouraging? Academic and intellectual? Your voice needs to be consistent across your books, website, emails, and social media. It’s how readers recognize you in a crowd.

And third: What’s your emotional promise? When someone reads your books or interacts with your content, how do you want them to feel? Seen? Thrilled? Empowered? Understood? That feeling is your promise, and it’s what will keep them coming back for more.

Once you have that clarity, you’re not just another author. You’re a beacon for a very specific type of reader. Now, let’s give them a place to gather.

The next step is to choose your home base. A huge mistake authors make is trying to be everywhere at once. The real key is to pick one or two platforms you actually enjoy and where your readers already hang out, and then go deep on those.

For many authors, a private Facebook Group is a fantastic starting point. It creates an exclusive space for your biggest fans to have conversations, ask you questions, and connect with each other. It can become an active online hub where reading and responding to comments builds a powerful sense of community.

However, the single most powerful tool you have is your email list. This is the only platform you truly own. Think of your newsletter less as a marketing blast and more like a personal letter to your biggest fans. This is where you can share behind-the-scenes stories, personal reflections, and exclusive content that nobody else gets. This direct line is your most valuable asset for turning casual readers into lifelong superfans.

Other great options include Discord for genres like Sci-Fi and Fantasy that thrive on deep lore discussions, or even a dedicated channel on YouTube or TikTok if you enjoy making videos. The specific platform matters less than the consistency and connection you build there.

Now, let’s talk about bringing that community hub to life.

Look, having a group or a list isn’t enough. A community is built through shared experiences and repeatable interactions. Let’s call them your rituals of connection. In 2026, the bar for creating this connection is surprisingly low, but it demands consistency.

The key is to think like a human, not a marketer. Authenticity is the goal, not advertising. Instead of just posting “buy my book,” share the weird historical fact that inspired a chapter. Talk about your writing struggles or a character that went completely off script. This human-first approach is what builds trust and makes readers feel like they know you.

Host simple live events. You don’t need a massive production. A 30-minute Zoom AMA, a virtual book club meeting, or even a silent reading session can create incredible loyalty. These real-time connections make your readers feel seen and valued.

Spark conversations with regular, engaging content. Launch a hashtag campaign on Instagram or TikTok to encourage readers to share photos of your book in the wild. Create polls on Twitter asking fans what a character should do next. Post discussion threads in your Facebook group about plot twists or fan theories. When you encourage participation, you turn passive readers into active community members. The goal is to create a two-way conversation, not a one-way broadcast.

No author is an island. The fastest way to grow your community is to tap into existing ones. This is all about working smarter, not harder, by leveraging the audiences others have already built.

The most powerful strategy here is collaborating with other authors in your genre. You are not competitors; you are colleagues. Set up newsletter swaps, where you promote their book to your list, and they promote yours to theirs. Team up for a joint giveaway or a co-hosted live stream interview. Their readers are already primed to love your work, and this kind of warm introduction is way more effective than a cold ad.

Beyond authors, connect with micro-influencers. These are the BookTokers, Bookstagrammers, and book bloggers with 10,000 to 30,000 followers who have a deeply engaged and trusting audience in your specific niche. Don’t just send them a generic request. Follow them, engage with their content authentically, and then reach out with a personal message about why you think your book would be a perfect fit for their audience. A single, heartfelt recommendation from a trusted influencer is worth more than a dozen ads.

These collaborations bring new people into your world. But the final step is what keeps them.

The ultimate goal here is to turn your readers into your most powerful marketing engine. You do this by making them feel like valued insiders.

Create an ARC team, or a “street team.” These are your most dedicated fans who get early access to your books in exchange for leaving reviews on launch day. This not only drives crucial launch momentum, but it also makes them feel like a special part of your journey.

Next, actively encourage and celebrate user-generated content. Run a contest for the best fan art inspired by your characters. Feature reader photos of your book on your Instagram page. Share glowing reviews and tag the person who wrote them. When you make your fans the heroes of your story, they will shout about your books from the rooftops. This creates a powerful, self-sustaining cycle of loyalty and organic word-of-mouth promotion.

So, let’s recap the five steps to building your author brand in 2026.

1. Define your brand promise.
2. Choose your community hub.
3. Create rituals of connection.
4. Collaborate to cross-pollinate.
5. Empower your advocates.

Building a community isn’t about chasing huge numbers or going viral. It’s about cultivating deep, meaningful connections that will sustain your career for years. It’s about building a business around your art, one loyal reader at a time. This is how you stop shouting into the void and start building a stable, profitable, and deeply fulfilling life as an author.

To help you get started, I’ve created a free Community Building Checklist for Authors, which walks you through setting up your first hub and planning your first month of content. The link is right down there in the description.

And before you go, drop an email and tell me what genre you write. I’d love to see the amazing communities you’re all building. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the next article.

• Previous: This Article Will Change the Way You See Authors as Entrepreneurs Forever
• Next: Forthcoming!

The post Building Your Author Brand in 2026 appeared first on Your Author Platform with Jon Friedl.

Introduction to Authors as Entrepreneurs Forever

Discover a new perspective on authors as entrepreneurs and how they build their personal brands, create engaging content, and monetize their writing skills. This article explores the entrepreneurial side of authors, revealing the strategies and mindset they use to succeed in the competitive world of publishing.

By reading this article, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the business side of writing and how authors can thrive as entrepreneurs. Get ready to transform your view of authors and the writing industry forever.

For a long time, we’ve viewed authors as purely creative individuals, often detached from the business side of their work. We imagine them locked away in their ivory towers, pouring their hearts and souls into their writing, oblivious to the commercial realities of the literary world.

But this view understates the strategic efforts and entrepreneurial challenges that authors face.

In reality, authors constantly navigate the complex world of publishing, making tough decisions about their work and finding innovative ways to reach their audience. They’re not just writers. They’re also marketers, brand builders, and salespeople.

By understanding this multifaceted role, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the skills and expertise that authors bring to the table.

Let’s take a closer look at the entrepreneurial traits that authors embody. They start by conducting market research, identifying reader needs, and developing products that meet those needs. They invest time and effort in writing and editing to craft a compelling narrative that resonates with their audience.

Then, they build their platform, leveraging social media and other marketing channels to connect with readers and promote their work.

Many authors also take control of their sales strategy, using self-publishing models, negotiating deals with publishers, or finding innovative ways to monetize their content. By embracing these entrepreneurial strategies, authors can build a loyal following, increase their visibility, and ultimately drive sales.

This shift in mindset has enabled many authors to thrive in the competitive literary landscape.

One powerful example of this is the story of Amanda Hocking, an American author who self-published her novels and went on to sell millions of copies worldwide. By taking control of her marketing, branding, and sales strategy, she built a thriving career and connected directly with her readers.

Her success story is a testament to the power of entrepreneurial thinking in the literary world.

Understanding that authors are multifaceted entrepreneurs fundamentally changes the way we view the entire publishing industry. It highlights the complexity and skill required to create and promote literary works.

By recognizing the business acumen that authors bring to the table, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the creative process and the people behind it.

If you’ve ever thought of authors as just creative types, it’s time to rethink that assumption.

• Previous: The Economy of Rage: Opportunity or Cautionary Tale?
• Next: Building Your Author Brand in 2026

The post This Article Will Change the Way You See Authors as Entrepreneurs Forever appeared first on Your Author Platform with Jon Friedl.

Introduction to Cautionary Tale

Disparaging comments that garner tens of thousands of likes can be seen as either a business opportunity or a cautionary tale for online businesses. Rage bait is an economic strategy where an advertisement is inserted into the middle of content to generate revenue for the creator. Promoting strong emotional content for your online business can be massively profitable, but care must be taken to prevent your business from becoming a cautionary tale for other creators.

Intentionally making your content emotional involves baiting your audience. Engineering content to provoke rage often results in maximum engagement, clicks, and shares. Whether it’s rage or some other emotion, exploiting it to keep users on your platform longer increases ad revenue and data collection.

Every online business seeks to generate emotion in its fanbase. It’s fundamental to a company’s success. But provoking rage or fear is not the only emotions that work. Ask yourself these questions,

• Are you serving people?
• Is your cause worthy?
• Are you trying to make a difference?

If your answer to any of these questions is “yes”, then the economy of emotional content is an opportunity.

Baiting is a tactic where content creators gain engagement by evoking strong emotions in their audience. Rage bait is the most effective form of clickbait, at least in the short term. While using rage may seem deplorable to some, it works along with other emotions. A tool isn’t evil; instead, its ultimate evaluation comes from what it accomplishes.

Being deliberately antagonistic, snarky, or enraging, yet being more mild-mannered, sells. Consider the history of superstars. When performing live shows in a medieval village hundreds of years ago, a celebrity’s range was limited. But with improved technology, actors nowadays are not limited by how far their performances can reach.

This change in reach caused by technology cannot be understated. Being your village minstrel was an excellent local career for your lifetime. But with technology nowadays, the city of Reno doesn’t just care about singers who grew up in Reno. Instead, Reno residents witness the very best performers the world has to offer.

With the range of internet and cable channels, content creators have virtually no limit on how far they can reach. Social media platforms are attention machines that recognize, boost, and reward strong engagement. So, get your community via social media for massive results.

Using rage becomes a cautionary tale when long-term results fade after a rage-driven audience grows tired of it. Yes, some audience members become addicted to rage and will always be fans of it. Otherwise, the economy of rage is short-term success only.

One way to end the rage economy is to help your audience get involved. Participating in activism is more inspiring than succumbing to an addiction of rage. Making a difference that matters can lead to long-term business results, while emotion without action is short-term and ultimately meaningless.

Eventually, some will choose to stop being consumed by rage-driven content. In essence, rage will burn itself out, eventually. We can already see this in the abysmal poll numbers for certain politicians who depend on a rage economy.

The lifecycle of rage ultimately ends with only a few die-hard fans remaining. You’ll want your business to end up in a good economic position after the rage ends. So, manage your rage-inducing content.

Consider being kind or thoughtful to people, as many will likely resent you while the economy of rage exists. In this way, you’re engaging in a short-term rage economy, which will position you for a long-term business once the rage dies down. This will initially attract massive attention, but it also appeals to the silent kind or savvy observers who are being served your content.

I’ve done this on other channels for years. I’m intelligent, educated, and skilled in a specific hobby that I’ve leveraged to build an online business. I am hated by many in that niche, including other creators, which earns me attack videos that feed my content to their audiences. Every time another hate video comes out, my channel grows tremendously, because not everyone watching is a hater.

Generating massive revenue by provoking fear in people can be highly profitable. However, if you didn’t already know this, making money alone isn’t fun; it is pretty dull. The challenge of helping and serving your audience is far more interesting and, in the long term, more successful as a business.

If you’re not having fun, it’s hard to stay motivated, even when you’re generating money. Without motivation, creators encounter burnout and subsequent business losses. Your best path to success is to be true to your values and beliefs, to be yourself.

Instilling rage and anger in an audience you’ve collected is a business, but if you don’t keep them interested, then fans move on to the next enormous outrage. To prevent that, you need to keep feeding them red meat. If you don’t, one downside is that you become the red meat they’re looking to devour.

You could create an audience railing against your competitor because they have an online course, and you fundamentally oppose any such business plan. They provoke hate and rage in an audience by claiming that “selling” content is evil, yet they create and distribute free content, only to place it behind a paywall to generate massive revenue. Yes, I know, it doesn’t make sense.

But that is part of its charm, what an audience comes to expect. And it does work successfully. Say something, then thirty seconds later, say the exact opposite, and everyone is overjoyed.

All you need to do is never get caught. And if you do get caught, deny it. And if you are convicted, never admit guilt.

Rage is contagious, but so is being kind-hearted. Haters are terrible at humor, so mock them. Doing so supports your hard-won community of non-haters.

As with any business, consider your exit strategy. If you build an audience of haters, make sure you can’t be found later. Start your business with a big bushy beard, an outrageous hat, and sunglasses, so you’ll never be recognized without them. Oh, and avoid using your real name, so most will never know who you are when you walk past them in the future.

If you are building an audience of non-haters, consider converting haters into non-haters by turning their anger into action. Get involved in the communities you care about.

Promoting strong emotional content for your online business can be massively profitable, but care must be taken to prevent your business from becoming a cautionary tale for other creators.

• Previous: The Reality of an Online Author Business is Messy but Fun
• Next: This Article Will Change The Way You See Authors As Entrepreneurs Forever

The post The Economy of Rage: Opportunity or Cautionary Tale? appeared first on Your Author Platform with Jon Friedl.

Introduction to Online Author Business

Starting a website, finding an audience on social media, and getting Google search engine juice must be self-started. You might wonder if you can do it successfully, but that’s normal. Remember how you felt when you started writing your first book? And that early messiness worked out just fine!

Starting an online business is a hurdle to get over, just as beginning your book was a challenge. You’ve gotten over the first threshold of writing a book. This next book won’t be nearly as difficult due to the confidence you’ve gained.

Fearing the next steps is natural. That’s human. Let’s look at the coming challenges to understand the reality of successfully addressing them.

If you’ve self-published, you own your content. There may be details here that matter, like being a children’s author where the words are yours, but the illustrations are owned by someone else you’d hired. Or you didn’t self-publish, so you need the publisher’s permission to use the contents of your book.

Worst case, you create new content which becomes your next, yet unpublished, book. And once you have content, you’re off and running with your online business. The mental challenge for authors is to become a businessperson who sells something more than the book.

Try to re-imagine what your book can do for your fans. The door has now swung wide to offer consultations, online courses, speaking engagements, and so much else. What might you offer your audience to turn them into willing or enthusiastic clients?

Your website is home base. It’s the center of your author business. But why?

It’s where you collect emails from future clients. With fans voluntarily providing their email addresses, perhaps in exchange for something worthwhile (a lead magnet), you can subsequently send notifications about other valuable items. You won’t get such an opportunity when they purchase your book from book distribution companies, which retain that valuable business asset for themselves.

With a fan’s email, you can support their goals with an email series. It’s not sell, sell, sell, sell, but rather nurture, nurture, nurture, sell. Use your emails to empower them, make recommendations, direct them to resources, survey them, and, yes, occasionally offer them a big-ticket product of your own making.

Having a YouTube channel serves your business in two ways. First, embedded videos add a multimedia element to your website posts, pages, and emails to fans. Second, YouTube can generate revenue from views if you’re one of the 6% of YouTube creators who have been monetized.

Go where your fans are. That’s how you find and get more fans. Do your fans, meaning potential clients, watch YouTube videos? Or do they prefer TikTok? Or perhaps they like to listen while they drive to work.

Do your fans prefer audio? If so, start a podcast. It’s not hard.

Having a podcast is a good practice for eventually converting your book into an audio version. Audio books have strict quality requirements, such as very low background noise and limited breathing sounds. Podcasts have neither of those quality requirements, partly because most podcast listeners are in their cars, where road noise is much louder than static or breathing sounds.

Further, podcasts are far less complicated than videos, which have lighting and scene issues to overcome. If you have limited content, then interview your fans and clients. It’s easier because you’ll only be talking for about half the podcast episode.

After you collect a few fans using the subscribe link on your website, survey them to ask which social media sites they use most. That’s how you learn which social media sites you must frequent the most. Go where your fans are!

What do you post on social media? Links to website articles, YouTube videos, and podcast episodes. Other details include finding the best time to post and using tools like Buffer and other services to help schedule posts on social media.

Post on social media daily. Doing so takes just a few minutes, and since most fans are on just one channel, posting similar content on each channel is a great way to multitask. Even YouTube has posts.

A small portion of marketing is advertising. Yes, you’ll want to advertise. It’s part of your marketing strategy. But what else? Oh, so much else!

Do you have professional photographs of yourself? No? Get them – they’ll be the best money you’ll ever spend.

Do you have a media kit? Take the time to put one together for your business so that it’s ready when reporters or investors call. Or if you win an award!

Marketing is so important and diverse that you’ll likely end up with a marketing team. When that happens, not to overwhelm you if you’re just getting started, consider setting it up with:

• team transparency and trust
• tools to foster connection
• team collaboration
• performance management
• time tracking
• peer-to-peer recognition

Starting a website, finding an audience on social media, and getting Google search engine juice must be self-started. Wondering if you can do it successfully is normal.

• Previous: Connecting with Fans Through Emails for Them, Mostly
• Next: Forthcoming!

The post The Reality of an Online Author Business is Messy but Fun appeared first on Your Author Platform with Jon Friedl.

Introduction to Fiction Book Business

Writing a work of fiction can lead to a new novel, but it can also become the cornerstone of an online entrepreneurial business. For instance, online courses are lucrative for nonfiction books. But fiction books can also be turned into a massively profitable online business with memberships, subscriptions, and paid speaking engagements.

Find my podcast wherever you listen to audio!

The primary financial benefit for an author’s online business is collecting fans’ emails. When they buy a book, they understand that book distributors keep their audience’s contact information. Instead, if you collect those emails, then we can market your next book or other products to your audience.

What might fiction authors market? Fiction authors have the same products as nonfiction authors, apart from online courses. For example, you could sell your multi-step process for writing books in your genre, and your audience of aspiring authors would likely be happy to purchase it.

Ask yourself what you’d purchase from your favorite fiction authors to understand what your fans would want from you. Your products may center around the many questions you ask yourself as a fiction writer because your fans ask themselves those same questions. An author has fans who might reach out to you, but an online business entrepreneur has a community of fans who reach out to each other as well as to you.

For instance, how did you establish the timeline of your stories? Once created, when in that timeline do you write your first book series for a pivotal character? Do you then go back in time to the legends that the character was inspired by, or jump to the future where those characters are themselves misunderstood legends?

Once you start to think about it, you’ll have endless decisions to share with your fans, who will eat up every word. Here are a few more ideas. First, what are some of the difficulties you’ve had as a writer?

Second, tell a behind-the-scenes story from your life as an author. What’s your daily schedule like? What activities or trips do you take to rejuvenate?

Third, speak to your fans about where you get your inspiration. Was it a mentor from college? Or a family member?

The list of offerings continues, as I’ll explain. Consider each idea as the theme of a speaking engagement offered at a book convention. Because it is or could be. However, first, you need to build that website and create a strong online presence.

A strong website and online presence on social media open more possibilities as a fanbase grows. The following potential revenue streams are possibilities. Choose a few of them, perhaps only one, that appeals to you and your fanbase, then go for it.

Later, elsewhere, I’ll explain how to easily create, grow, and maintain each of these revenue streams. But here, next, I’ll define them. Welcome to being more than an author, but an entrepreneur, too.

Memberships and subscriptions give your fans exclusive access to you and your team via monthly or annual billing. Many services offer these arrangements, such as Patreon, YouTube (if monetized), your website, and others, including asynchronous messaging apps like Volley. Deciding which service to use will be your most difficult decision.

The intent of memberships and subscriptions is to offer a select portion of your audience premium content. What premium content, you ask? Well, isn’t that an interesting question?

You could post your regular content a week or so before posting it publicly. In this way, it’s no real extra effort on your part while still being valuable to that select audience. You could also consider it a dry run to determine if that content is much better or worse than your prior content.

But memberships and subscriptions can include two-way communication. Perhaps you can add live streams. But perhaps you already have regular live streams for everyone, so perhaps add weekly or monthly Zoom meetings so you can see and hear your premium audience members.

In your niche, do your fans physically gather somewhere with an auditorium where you could offer them an annual speaking engagement? Search for book conventions, get onstage, and speak to your fans. But make sure someone is recording your presentation!

What you want is to be paid for your future speaking engagements, and for that, you need a sizzle reel. For the next speaking engagement, ask to be paid, and as proof, offer your sizzle reel to justify the payment. A sizzle reel highlights your prior speaking engagements to demonstrate your value.

Unless your niche is you alone, partnerships and collaborations are an option. What’s the goal here? The intent is to reach another creator’s audience by being on their YouTube channel, podcast, website, and more.

And their intent is to be introduced to your audience for the benefit of both of you. You have a list of your competitors, right? So, send an email to each of them, approximately the same size as your channels, asking if they’d like to partner with you on a story or essay.

Avoid asking creators with far larger channels than your own. There’s no motivation for them to agree, same as if a channel a tenth your size were to ask for a collaboration. Sorry … email deleted.

Writing a work of fiction can lead to a new novel, but it can also become the cornerstone of an online entrepreneurial business. Fiction books can also be turned into a massively profitable online business with memberships, subscriptions, and paid speaking engagements. So, dream big!

• • Grow Your Book Business by Meeting Fans Where They Are!

• Previous: Entrepreneur the Heck Out of Your Nonfiction Book
• Next: Forthcoming!

The post How to Create a Fiction Book Business as an Entrepreneur appeared first on Your Author Platform with Jon Friedl.

Introduction to Your Nonfiction Book

Building a business around your existing book can be a strategic decision that potentially positions you for greater success than writing another book. Consider which approach might offer a clearer pathway to becoming a seven-figure CEO. It’s important to note that this journey goes beyond financial gain; it centers on the opportunity to reach and assist a larger audience.

Find my podcast wherever you listen to audio!

Building a business involves establishing processes as you progress. There will be numerous processes to consider. This doesn’t refer to one-time tasks, such as creating a:

• Website
• Podcast
• YouTube channel

Instead, we’re focusing on ongoing processes for crafting website articles, producing podcast episodes, and creating various video styles. Consistency and standardization are key to building brand recognition. Think of your business as akin to running a factory, with much of the operation occurring online rather than dealing with physical products.

Consider the organization of your website articles. How many images do you typically include, and where are they positioned? For instance, do you consistently place the feature image at the top of each article?

These decisions must be made once and documented as part of your established processes. This approach significantly simplifies your workflow, allowing you to perform your tasks efficiently.

Keep in mind that processes will evolve over time. It’s advisable to review your articles every six months. Links may become outdated, and circumstances change, necessitating periodic checks as part of your article-related processes.

I will provide detailed process steps through this channel. Some may be needed immediately, while others will be developed over time.

Building a successful business is a gradual process, mirroring the saying that Rome wasn’t built in a day. Generally, developing into a seven-figure CEO can take approximately seven years.

As an engineering student, I learned a methodical approach akin to eating an elephant: you start at one manageable piece, such as the tail, and then progress to individual ears, and so on.

In my previous position, a young engineer requested guidance while we had a guest engineer visiting from a factory that had recently burned down in Ireland. The young engineer questioned how we achieved so much in our aerospace project. I suggested, “Create a list of tasks. Then, prioritize them.” I turned to the visiting engineer and added, with a hint of humor, “Oh! Sorry!”

The surprised looks on their faces indicated the impact of the conversation. This interaction served as an important lesson in project management and prioritization. It’s an insight that can be valuable in any career path. Will you take this lesson to heart?

To start your journey, focus on your nonfiction book. You can create engaging articles for a website from your book, which you’ll need to set up. Here are some steps to help you build your website.

Next, consider launching a podcast, a YouTube channel, and profiles on social media platforms where your audience is active. For enhanced visibility, embed your podcast episodes and long-form videos or playlists within your articles. This multimedia approach will significantly increase the likelihood of your content being noticed.

Your priority may initially be to create a website dedicated to your articles, especially if you haven’t yet begun generating income from your online endeavors. This time spent is an investment in the future of your business.

When your schedule is tight, the website should be your starting point. Collecting email addresses from your audience is essential, as these will become a crucial asset to your business.

Once you’ve established a comfortable process for writing articles, consider expanding into a podcast or YouTube channel. It is advisable to start with a podcast, as it often reaches a comfortable production level faster than video content.

You may be tempted to jump straight into video creation for quick revenue via YouTube, but this mindset is outdated. Relying solely on video content won’t necessarily lead to financial freedom, regardless of your subscriber count. It’s important to diversify your efforts and not concentrate all your resources in one place. A quick glance at Google’s stock price, the parent company of YouTube, will illustrate the volatility inherent in such platforms.

You are essentially the driving force behind your company, with all decisions resting on your shoulders. Much like living alone, certain tasks, such as picking up that sweater on the floor, will remain unattended unless you act.

As your YouTube channel starts to flourish, aided by the support from fans of your podcasts and website, you’ll generate enough revenue to bring on your first hire, followed by more in time. Your initial recruitment should focus on a video editor. At the same time, the next hire could be someone to manage your email correspondence—replying to most inquiries and forwarding a select few that require your attention.

Consider establishing a team structure that allows you to remain in front of the camera or microphone while team members manage the rest of the operations. Another effective approach is prioritizing working on the business rather than getting lost in daily tasks.

Use your book as a resource to create articles for your website, integrating an embedded podcast episode and a long-form video. Have your team edit these materials to ensure they align perfectly with your brand vision. Aim to produce thirty to one hundred pieces of content to lay the groundwork for an online course titled “30 Days to…”

To test the waters of market interest, consider preselling the foundational course at a lower price than you might anticipate. This course should consist entirely of recorded videos and text assignments. After it has been on the market for a period, you can then shift focus to your advanced, higher-priced course.

This six- to eight-week advanced course will involve weekly online meetings with your students to address their questions. Given that your foundational course, a prerequisite for this advanced offering, set high expectations, this program is expected to deliver exceptional value. At this point, it stands as your premium offering.

Approximately ten percent of your email subscribers will likely enroll in your introductory online course. From this group, about ten percent will advance to your higher-level course. Furthermore, around ten percent of those enrolled in the advanced course may go on to purchase your subsequent offering.

At this stage, various options are available, such as organizing a conference, assisting clients in developing their businesses and implementing their strategies, or engaging in paid speaking opportunities. The potential avenues are extensive. However, one critical question remains: what is your plan?

As you embark on your business journey, it’s essential to contemplate its conclusion—not in the context of failure, but in terms of success. What steps will you take when your business flourishes?

Will your children inherit the enterprise, assuming they are interested in it? Alternatively, do you intend to sell it or cease operations suddenly?

Any business owner must have an exit strategy. While you may not need to finalize this plan immediately, it’s wise to consider it now to avoid being unprepared later. Reflecting on this matter is highly recommended.

Instead of focusing solely on writing another book, consider the potential benefits of establishing a business centered around your existing work. This approach may increase your chances of becoming a successful seven-figure entrepreneur, allowing you to reach and support a larger audience of fans.

• What Motivates Authors to Become Entrepreneurs
• Video: Do You Edit Your Own Videos?

• Previous: Find Your Fans Who Love Listening to Podcasts
• Next: How to Create a Fiction Book Business as an Entrepreneur

The post Entrepreneur the Heck Out of Your Nonfiction Book appeared first on Your Author Platform with Jon Friedl.

Introduction to Begin Growing

As you embark on your growth journey, it may become a distant memory of what it felt like to first step into this process. Currently, you are at the beginning stage of your development. Nevertheless, your commitment to achieving success remains strong.

Find my podcast wherever you listen to audio!

Congratulations on establishing your business entity from your book! So, what’s next?

I assume you’ve published your book and set up a website, as this is a vital step in promoting your work. After laying this groundwork, your priority should be to attract fans. This marks the beginning of your journey into entrepreneurship. There is a systematic approach to creating something from nothing.

If you’ve published your book, the people who buy it are your fans. However, whether you chose traditional or self-publishing, direct access to these fans can be tricky. The publishing industry often limits your ability to reach out to your audience.

In both publishing routes, the distributor typically retains the contact information of your book buyers. Their email addresses represent a valuable business asset, and gathering this information independently should be a key goal for your business.

For self-published authors, you can easily start collecting email addresses. Consider adding a brief note at the end of your book, encouraging readers to visit your website for more information: “For more, visit my website at [your website].”

If you’ve published through a traditional press, work on having your website linked on your author page with the publisher, distributor, and any social media platforms where your presence is established. This is a strategic way to begin building your fanbase.

To enhance your online presence, the next step is to share high-quality, relevant content. If you self-publish, your business typically retains ownership of the materials in your book, giving you the freedom to use them as you wish. However, if your book is published through traditional means, you may need to obtain permission before using any of its content due to copyright concerns.

If you’ve opted for traditional publishing, reviewing your contract or consulting with your lawyer to determine your rights regarding content usage is advisable. Should you find restrictions, consider discussing this matter with your literary agent or publisher. If permission is not granted, you can still use your book as inspiration for new content instead of posting direct excerpts online.

Your book is valuable for its quality and relevant information, whether you draw directly from it or create new content inspired by its themes. Producing fresh material could even lead to additional work. Self-published authors can also gain new insights by engaging with their readers, which might lead to significant revisions or the development of an entirely new manuscript.

Choose a theme or topic from your book and create a website article based on it, whether a direct adaptation or an inspired take. If you’re concerned about length, consider writing concise, 1,000-word articles with four to five well-structured sections.

Now that you have a website article, you’ve created a significant asset for your business. To enhance its effectiveness, it’s essential to conclude each section of your article with a relevant image. This practice indicates to search engines that your content is valuable, improving the likelihood of a higher ranking.

Next, consider producing a podcast episode based on your article. Start with a standard introduction, including an engaging hook to capture your listeners’ attention. Then, read through the article and wrap it up with a compelling closing hook. For more details on podcast creation, refer to my other resources.

Additionally, you’ll want to create both long-form and short-form videos. A long-form video should capture the essence of your article in a highly produced format and last just a few minutes. In contrast, multiple short-form videos, each under 59 seconds, can be created based on individual sections of your article, presenting a more casual and relatable style.

Further instructions on producing these video types will be provided separately. Much like writing articles, podcasting and video production are straightforward processes. Be prepared to generate various content, keeping in mind that while it can be rewarding, it may also become repetitive.

After finalizing your podcast and long-form video, incorporate them into your article. Phrases such as “Keep Reading… Or Watch/Listen Instead!” can effectively guide your audience. By including images at the end of each section, your article will offer a rich multimedia experience favored by search engine optimization, enhancing engagement and visibility.

To effectively amplify your reach, start by sharing your article, podcast, long-form video, and short-form videos across all popular social media platforms. This broad approach is essential initially. As your fan base grows, take the time to analyze your analytics or conduct surveys to find out which platforms your audience prefers. At that point, you can focus more on specific communities.

It’s important to remember that your success is not solely tied to the number of followers you accumulate on any given social media platform. Often, follower counts can be misleading and serve as vanity metrics. Instead, aim to collect email addresses from your audience, as this serves as a crucial business asset.

You can effectively engage with your audience through email communications, utilizing the email addresses they willingly provide. The nature of these emails—typically consisting of low-cost offerings and higher-value items—will be discussed in a separate guide. It suffices to know that a typical strategy involves sending a community email cycle of about ten or eleven messages. A more detailed article on establishing this cycle will be available soon. However, it all begins with building a solid fan base.

Once you achieve your goal of attracting fans, the specific number you choose becomes a strategic business decision, leading to a series of rapid developments.

First, it’s essential to conduct a survey of your fans to determine their preferred social media platforms. By identifying where they are most active, you can streamline your efforts and focus on the sites that matter, thus conserving your time and energy.

Next, initiate your automated community email cycle. This series of emails, which will be dispatched over several weeks, should start off simple. As you engage in podcast interviews and interactions with your fans, this communication will naturally evolve and expand.

Additionally, you will begin to shape your product offerings based on insights gathered from your audience. This could initially involve a straightforward 30-day course that you presell to assess interest levels. You might also consider offering paid consultations for fans seeking more in-depth engagement at an accelerated pace.

This stage marks not the conclusion of your business journey but rather the commencement of a new chapter. Future discussions will include the possibility of hiring, such as bringing on a video editor, now that you have clarity on your branding needs.

One day, you may find yourself reminiscing about your early experiences. To preserve these valuable memories, consider maintaining a journal. It serves as an effective tool for documenting your journey. Currently, you are in the initial stages of this process.

• Do You Edit Your Videos?
• On Social Media, Where Is the Best Place to Reach Your Fans?

• Previous: What Motivates Authors to Become Entrepreneurs
• Next: Seven Steps to an Easy Website Setup

The post How To Get Your First Fans As An Author Fast! appeared first on Your Author Platform with Jon Friedl.

Introduction to Community First

Recognizing fans’ desires is essential for business growth. Understanding their motivations is the first step in engaging with your potential audience. Fostering a sense of community is also at the heart of this engagement.

Or … Listen Instead!

Find my podcast wherever you listen to audio!

An audience once sought blogging as a primary means to discover content creators. In the past, blogging was a powerful tool for gaining visibility and building a business. Individuals could achieve higher rankings on Google by creating engaging blogs, driving website traffic, and effectively establishing their businesses.

While blogging is significant today, its effectiveness is enhanced when an audience has already been cultivated. Blogging serves as a means of fostering community, as contemporary audiences are increasingly seeking meaningful connections. Therefore, engaging with your audience actively and creating authentic connections is essential, offering them a space where they feel they belong.

Though blogging is not the only method for building a community, it remains important. Authors excel at producing written content that resonates with audiences, making blogging a vital part of community-building strategies.

A highly effective method for building a community is through live streaming. By engaging directly with your audience during a live session, you can address their questions, discuss an existing article, or delve into topics that pique your interest. This interactive format allows for real-time feedback and invites your audience to contribute their inquiries.

From my experience with a previous YouTube channel, I conducted 223 live streams, some lasting over two hours. This duration appeared to be the optimal time for maintaining my vocal stamina.

Hosting live streams offers valuable insights into your audience’s preferences and inspires the types of topics you should explore. Additionally, this format fosters a genuine connection between you and your audience, as I observed through participation analytics from my past business experience. Engaging with your community in this manner can lead to a stronger bond and a more informed understanding of their interests.

In addition to quick insights available through blogging and community interaction facilitated by live streaming, audiences today increasingly seek more in-depth content. However, this desire for deeper understanding should not demand their full attention like traditional reading or viewing activities.

One effective way to deliver this depth is through podcasting. This medium allows your audience to engage with your voice while they perform other tasks, such as driving, mowing the lawn, or working at their desks.

To create a compelling podcast, consider expanding on the key points from your brief blog to form a comprehensive hour-long episode. If you have already hosted a live-streaming event on the same topic, you can easily repurpose that content by extracting the audio and releasing it as a podcast episode. This approach saves time and maximizes the value of the content you’ve already created.

Creating a community and delivering valuable information begins with your website articles, often called blogs. By adapting these articles, you can create a live stream and a podcast, establishing interconnected content across platforms.

One advantage of blogging is that writers possess the skills to communicate effectively. Leverage your writing abilities to engage and nurture your audience; all your efforts originate from this foundational element.

To illustrate the distinction between writing a book and producing a website article, consider the difference between film and television production. Movies usually require extensive scripts that undergo numerous revisions. In contrast, television episodes can be produced more rapidly once writers have gained experience, allowing for a faster turnaround.

In this analogy, your book represents the feature film, while blog articles serve as the weekly television episodes. Extending this comparison further, your live stream functions like a press event, and your podcast resembles a radio interview. This analogy provides an interesting perspective on how different content formats can complement one another.

To effectively engage with your audience, you must be active on their preferred social media platforms. You may want to hold off on joining specific sites until you identify where your followers are most active. For example, have you considered platforms like Bluesky, Snapchat, TikTok, or Instagram?

Once you’ve determined your platforms, take time to understand how to utilize each one’s unique features to foster connection, depth, and speed in your interactions. For instance, can you stream community events live on your chosen platform?

Bluesky allows you to share links to pre-recorded YouTube videos but does not support live streaming. Regarding video content, Bluesky excels in providing depth and speed through its video link feature, although it may not facilitate both simultaneously. Additionally, the comment section plays a vital role in building community connections.

This overview highlights the importance of understanding each platform while building your author platform. While I could summarize every social media site, it’s beneficial to empower yourself with this knowledge due to social media’s constantly evolving nature.

Take the time to evaluate your existing social media accounts and assess what type of content performs best based on these three criteria:

1. Connection
2. Depth
3. Quickness

If you have specific platforms in mind and would like assistance in maximizing their potential to connect with your audience, feel free to email me at jon@yourauthorplatform.com. Alternatively, you can book a one-hour consultation to discuss your social media strategy in detail. I look forward to connecting with you.

Your audience is looking for three key elements: a sense of community connection, comprehensive knowledge, and timely content. Meeting these expectations is essential. Are you prepared to deliver?

• Previous: Grow Your Book Business by Meeting Fans Where They Are!
• Next: Is Blue Sky the Next Big Thing for Writers?

The post How To Build A Community People Love appeared first on Your Author Platform with Jon Friedl.