Get My Book Out There Podcast

If you've ever wondered what it really takes to become a successful author, this episode is your reality check — and your encouragement. In this candid and heart-to-heart conversation, New York Times bestselling author S.E. Smith and author business strategist Narelle Todd from Get My Book Out There share the truths, surprises, and lessons they wish someone had told them before starting their auth...

In this episode, Narelle Todd and New York Times Bestselling author S.E. Smith dive deep into the future of writing, reading, and business for authors in the age of AI. 💡 From the ethics of AI training on authors' works to how writers can harness automation to free up creative time, this is a grounded, eye-opening conversation about how technology is reshaping publishing. You'll hear both perspec...

Giving away a free book has long been the go-to strategy for authors building their email lists—but does it still work? In this episode, Narelle Todd and New York Times bestselling author S.E. Smith dive into why the traditional freebie model is losing steam and explore innovative ways to attract—and keep—your ideal readers. From music playlists and personality quizzes to love letters from your ch...

What do you do when a story won't leave you alone—even if it doesn't fit into any of your current series? In this episode, Narelle Todd and S.E. Smith explore the challenges and opportunities of writing "outlier" books that fall outside your established brand. Susan shares how she created her S.E. Smith Signature Romance line to give standalones a home without diluting her brand—and why she chose...

What do you do when Amazon cancels your book just days before release—without warning? In this powerful and surprisingly funny episode, Narelle Todd and S.E. Smith share the behind-the-scenes chaos of Pets in Space 10 , the 10th-anniversary sci-fi romance anthology that Amazon accidentally deleted right before launch. They talk candidly about the shock, the scramble, and the emotional toll—but als...

Should you update your book covers—or leave them as they are? In this episode, Narelle Todd and S.E. Smith unpack the realities of recovering a series, from the artistic struggle of letting go of covers you love to the marketing and financial considerations that come with change. Susan shares her experience updating her Cosmos Gateway series after 15 years, including the unexpected can of worms: d...

Are you writing the books of your heart and wondering how to turn them into a long-term, successful author business? Join Narelle Todd and S.E. Smith as they dive into the three foundational pillars every author needs to create stability, confidence, and consistent growth. Whether you're writing passion projects or dreaming of full-time authorship, you'll discover practical strategies to build a s...

After a much-needed break, we're back—and we're getting real about why we pressed pause and how to come back stronger. Narelle shares her parotid cancer journey, radiation, and a scary post-treatment blood clot, plus what recovery taught her about letting go of control and living in the present. Susan talks about burnout, dog-sledding in Svalbard, an Iceland blizzard rescue, and why stepping away...

In this episode, we explore how self-published authors can adapt to new technologies and innovative marketing strategies to boost book sales and build a community of dedicated readers. 📚✨ 🔍 Key Takeaways: Embracing Change : Learn how Susan and Narelle navigate the ever-evolving tech landscape to stay ahead in book marketing. Kickstarter Success : Discover the step-by-step process behind launchi...

Join Narelle Todd and S.E. Smith in this enlightening episode of "The Get My Book Out There Podcast." Today, we dive deep into the heart of diversity in romance writing. 🌍💖 Narelle and Susan discuss the importance of authentically representing different cultures and experiences in your stories. We share practical tips on how to create diverse characters that resonate with readers, whether you're...

In this episode, Narelle Todd and NYT Bestselling author, S.E. Smith, discuss the most common self-sabotage habits that hold authors back from reaching their full potential. Learn how to identify and overcome these pitfalls to boost your productivity, enhance your writing, and successfully market your books. 🔍 Key Takeaways: The importance of showing rather than telling in writing and how to mast...

Narelle Todd and NYT Bestselling author S.E. Smith share their experience of using AI and automation for self-published authors. Discover how these tools can streamline your admin tasks, enhance your writing, and supercharge your book marketing efforts without increasing your workload. 🔍 Key Takeaways: The evolving role of AI in book marketing and writing. How AI can improve your writing quality...

Susan (S.E. Smith) recently dove into her first Kickstarter. In this episode, Susan and Narelle Todd discuss what they found out along the way and how to tailor the world of Kickstarter campaigns for self-published wide authors. 🌟✨ Discover how to harness the power of Kickstarter to boost your book sales, engage with readers, and create unique rewards that resonate with your audience… without lo...

Welcome to a personal journey into the world of More Than Human! In this podcast, Susan (S.E. Smith) shares the inspiration behind creating this thrilling series and why she offered it as a Kickstarter. The series all began with a question: What if humans were believed extinct in a world dominated by shifters? This idea sparked a creative fire that led to the development of the More Than Human ser...

As children, we're taught to believe in the magic of connection. Whether it's the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, or the Easter Bunny, we're taught that when we believe in something strongly enough, it feels real. The same is true when it comes to marketing. If you can tap into the magic of connection with your reader avatar, you can create a powerful marketing force that will work wonders for your book...

Come behind the scenes of Narelle's Mastermind and her August sales activator challenge. Coming into the biggest book buying months of the year (September - December), Narelle challenged her Mastermind to start flexing their marketing and sales muscles so they have their marketing groove on when the last quarter of the year arrives.   In this podcast, Narelle shares the exact process for Authors a...

When it comes to increasing book sales, you will need to step outside your comfort zone and try new marketing activities, ones that potentially scare you or you don't want to do but you know you need to. While this can be uncomfortable, it's important to remember that these new habits will help you reach new readers and increase sales. In this podcast,  Narelle shares an exercise she does with her...

We have had some interesting and even curly questions asked over the years. As S.E. Smith is a wide author and not in Kindle Unlimited (KU), by far the most popular curly question from readers is, "How do I read your books for free?".   In this podcast, Narelle discusses the approach her and Susan use to respond to readers seeking free books. Rather than ignore, send to spam, or shame, Narelle and...

Selecting a coach to work with is a personal choice because there are obviously many different coaches and many different coaching styles. How do you know who to go with as what is right for one person may not be right for you?   In this podcast, Narelle Todd shares her approach to coaching that helps authors achieve (and exceed) their goals. An experienced coach, Narelle tailors her approach to e...

If you're an author, it's time to face the truth: the reason you might not be getting what you desire in your business is you.   In this podcast, I talk about the number one thing stopping authors from reaching their goals and sabotaging their business - their mindset. Authors often are not aware of their own self-sabotage or what to do next to correct the situation they have created. But with som...

Short, punchy, and attention getting – these are the three things readers want when they're scrolling through their social media feeds. And if you can give them a piece of your story that achieves all of those goals in just a few sentences, you've done your job. Bring on Snippets!   Snippets are 1-2 powerful sentences from your story that not only give your readers a taste of your story but also e...

Short, punchy, and attention getting – these are the three things readers want when they're scrolling through their social media feeds. And if you can give them a piece of your story that achieves all of those goals in just a few sentences, you've done your job. Bring on Snippets!   Snippets are 1-2 powerful sentences from your story that not only give your readers a taste of your story but also e...

Have you ever wanted to reach out to someone who is further along in their author journey and ask for their help or advice? Chances are fear has held you back from reaching out or thinking that you are the only one who has a question or doesn't know what to do next.   This podcast is all about how to empower yourself and ask for help so you can grow your author business quicker and, in turn, help...

In this podcast, you'll learn our 3 best productivity apps for Mac and Windows systems so you can write anywhere, be more productive, streamline your workflow, and edit and format faster. We can't imagine not using these now after discovering them!   These apps for productivity range from writing your book, editing your book to working anywhere. These productivity tools are paid but are OTPs (one...

You know bad days are going to arrive, probably when you least want them or expect them. You have a choice as to how you will deal with those bad days and in today's podcast, we look at what motivates us to push through on the bad days and do what we have committed to or need to achieve.   It's time to flex your resilience muscle with us so grab a coffee, let's go!!