Happy 2025 to you all. This is my second attempt at writing this intro, the first one involved me ranting for 4 paragraphs about the egregious uses of AI across the book world, but I realised that this isn't the positive start to a new year you might need from me.
Now, as someone who has been tracking and talking about the impact of technology and innovation on authors, books and publishing for over 15 years, I think it is safe to say that we are definitely having another period of rapid change.
Putting AI aside for one minute (oh, please), social media is in a tailspin - Twitter has all but been destroyed, Zuckerberg has decided that facts are seriously over-rated and TikTok is about to pull out of the US - when did these platforms stop being nice places to post photos of your coffee, and become tools for pumped-up billionaires to destabilise democracies around the world? Hey ho.
As a consequence of these changes on social media, we are seeing a mass exodus of users, including authors, with many realising that none of these platforms offer a truly safe online space. I think authors and industry folk are rightly horrified at the thought of building their followers from scratch again or learning how a new platform works, and many are thinking about what a post-social or no-social world looks like for them.
It has always been a good strategy to rely on communication channels that you CAN control, and use your marketing energy wisely. None of you will be surprised for me to talk about your AUTHOR NEWSLETTER as a top priority. I think I've been banging this drum for a very long time. And, it remains the single most valuable tool in your marketing arsenal - you get to control the message, the timing, and all of your subscribers will definitely receive it. It is true that building your subscriber list is NOT a quick process, but if you're in this business for the long-term, what better time to start than NOW!
I was talking to Katie Morwenna who runs The Empowered Author with me and she is now offering an author newsletter service - she can help you set up your email management tool, and also write and send your newsletters (with your input). Get in touch with her if this sounds good. We also have a very reasonably priced online training course which covers everything you need to know about author newsletters.
This might also be useful for a post-social world - I gave a presentation last month outlining how 5 successful self-published authors are building reader communities beyond social media and creating new revenue streams using tools like Patreon, Ream Stories, Kickstarter and more, you can watch it here.
Thank you for getting this far!
I also have some news - I have launched a new newsletter for book-lovers, called As Seen On Booktok. As the name suggests, I will be recommending books that booktokers are talking about - not just the huge books that everyone associates with booktok but also the quieter books; the debuts, translated fiction, backlist and more. I'd love for you sign up for it, simply click here.
As Seen On Booktok aims to share the HUGE amount of book love from TikTok with other readers who might not be super active there. The idea reflects the thinking behind Meet The Booktokers which offers authors and publishers a way to connect with booktokers without needing to be active on TikTok.
I'm really excited that over 750 booktokers have now signed up and there are lots of fantastic books up on the site. The next monthly newsletter is going out to 750 booktokers early next week, so do get in touch if you'd like to place an ad or sponsor it. Email me here.
As always, do scroll down for all of the useful and interesting posts I've found this month.
Enjoy
Sam x
MARKETING
How can authors identify their most successful marketing paths? - Emily Enger Substack
21 Ways Authors Delighted Their Facebook Followers in 2024 - Rick Burnes for BookBub
How much work actually goes into it getting on the NYT bestseller list. Let’s talk about it - Scott Reintgen on Threads
Who is the graphic novel consumer in the UK? - Nielsen Book Data blog
Death by a thousand Substacks - Tyler Denk on Big Desk Energy
How authors can talk about their books on TikTok - Meet The Booktokers blog
Self-Publishing Marketing and Promotion Advice: Best Blogs 2024 - ALLi
Creative Planning Tips for Authors by Orna Ross - Oran Ross for ALLi
Audiobook Production & Marketing - Karen White for Draft2DIGITAL blog
WRITING CRAFT
Samantha Harvey talks about her writing process - Waterstones podcast
Tropes Vs. Stereotypes Vs. Clichés: Why Knowing The Difference Is Important - Bang2Write website
Michael Connelly Q&A and who he would invite to his fantasy dinner party - Simon Mayo’s Books of the Year podcast
Chapters, Submitting a Series, & Serials! - Writing About Dragons and SH*T podcast with Erin M. Evans, B. Dave Walters, and Treavor Bettis
What Is The Difference Between Author Voice, Character Voice and Tone? - Clare for Writers & Artists website
OTHER SHIZZLE
What is the most hotly anticipated book on booktok publishing in 2025? - Meet The Booktokers blog
The Rise of the Indie-Made Special Edition - Alli Blog
How publishing's broken, and what to do about it - Business book author, Alistair Croll, on LinkedIn
Spredges effect: why books are becoming more beautiful - Matilda Battersby on The Bookseller [£]
The Submissions Process with Literary Agent Simon Trewin - Writing.ie
Jenny Colgan about her experiences of rejection as a cosy romance writer - Rejected Writers Club podcast
Chuck Tingle (pseudonymous name) is a much-beloved icon in the SFF book world and beyond. He shares the incredible story of his journey through publishing - Publisher Rodeo podcast
How Authors Can Build Global Credibility With International Rights with Guest Annie Oswald - Smith Publicity podcast
Seth Godin Says AI Is Accelerating Book Publishing’s Decline - Seth Godin for Forbes
A Big Five–Published Author Goes Indie - Cynthia Swanson for Publishers Weekly
EXTRA, EXTRA
I am working with a start-up who is launching a new platform to help aspiring writers get their work under the noses of publishers and agents. It also does quite a lot of clever things to find you early readers too. If you want to find out more, email me here. Ideally you have a manuscript or a few chapters that you would be happy to share on the new platform.