Publish & Prosper

There’s a fine line to balance when you’re setting the retail price for your book! Too high, and you might discourage potential new readers. Too low, and readers might question the value of your content - or worse, you wind up losing money on every sale.  In this episode Matt & Lauren discuss how to determine the optimal list price for your book and what factors to consider. Dive Deeper 💡 Lul...

As authors, writers, and creative types, it’s easy to get caught up in the perceived importance of customer reviews. But do those reviews actually help you sell more books? In this episode, Lauren & Matt debate the value of book reviews for increasing your sales, boosting your book’s discoverability, and providing social proof for new readers.  Dive Deeper 💡 Barnes & Noble Press Blog on T...

In this episode, Matt & Lauren explore author brands. Listen now to discover the power of your author identity, why it is so important, and how to create and maintain a brand for your long-term marketing and sales success. Dive Deeper 💡 Read These Blog Posts What Is an Author Brand and Why Does It Matter? Complete Book Marketing Plan for Creators and Authors 💡 Watch Lulu University’s Author...

Super fans! We know them, we love them, we want them for our own. But how do you turn your casual fans into loyal, dedicated super fans? In this episode, Lauren & Matt discuss strategies like diversifying your products, demonstrating the value of your content, and creating a community for your fans. Dive Deeper 💡 Read These Blog Posts 5 Ways You Can Sell Your Book To Find Readers and Fans The...

In this episode, Matt & Lauren share their favorite survival tips for attending author and creator conferences! From packing essential supplies to putting your health first, hear our team’s must-haves and must-dos for anyone trying to maximize their time at a conference.  Dive Deeper 💡 Read more about Why Creator Events Are a Must for Creators & Entrepreneurs 💡 Watch Sessions from CEX 20...

In this episode, Matt & Lauren discuss the most valuable tool in any creator’s arsenal: customer data. Whether you’re tracking book sales and behavioral data, collecting customer information through direct sales, or reviewing your key social media and email marketing metrics, understanding your customer data is essential for long-term brand success.  Dive Deeper 💡 Read These Blog Posts Unlock...

In this episode, Lauren & Matt take a look at best practices for book design. We’ll review key design elements that often get overlooked on book covers, what to include inside your book, and whether or not we think it’s worth the cost to pay for book cover and interior design.  Dive Deeper 💡 Download Lulu’s Free Guides & Templates 💡 Check Out the Professional Designers on Our Hire A Pro...

In this episode Matt & Lauren take a look at the different types of editing your manuscript might need, debate which ones they think are most valuable, and share a few of their tips for making sure your book editing is done right.  Dive Deeper 💡 Find Freelance Editors and Hybrid Publishers on Lulu’s Hire A Pro Page 💡 Browse Fiverr for Freelance Editors 💡 Check out the Editorial Freelancers...

In this episode Lauren & Matt discuss the whys and hows of using Kickstarter to crowdfund your book. Learn why we think Kickstarter is a great option for self-published authors, what you need to know to get your campaign started, and how successful authors are crushing it with crowdfunding.  Dive Deeper 💡 Learn More About Kickstarter 💡 Check Out Some of Our Favorite Kickstarter Campaigns Joh...

In this episode, Matt & Lauren take another look at generative AI and how it can be a powerful tool to help authors and content creators. Hear some of our favorite tips for using ChatGPT as a sounding board, a hammer against writer’s block, and an expert ally on your writing journey.  Dive Deeper 💡 Read These Blog Posts Think Outside The Bot: How AI Can Help Content Creators Using Custom AIs...

Matt & Lauren recap their time at London Book Fair 2024, one of the biggest publishing conferences in the world. Get the lowdown on hot topics from the conference, an insider's look at the event, and a special peek into what it’s like to travel with Team Lulu. Dive Deeper 💡 Learn how (and why) Lulu is a Certified B Corp 💡 Watch this video on 5 Things to Know Before You Publish 💡 Check...

In this episode, Matt & Lauren explain why indie authors need to stop relying on Amazon as their primary sales channel. Listen now to hear why we feel so strongly about it, what alternatives we suggest, and how to get your readers on the same page. Dive Deeper 💡 Read These Blog Posts The Independent Author’s Guide to Thriving Without Amazon How To Convince Readers To Buy Books Directly From Y...

In this episode Lauren and Matt discuss Kevin Kelly’s 1,000 True Fans theory, what it means to be a true fan (or super fan), and a few unique ways small business owners and content creators have turned casual buyers into true fans.  Dive Deeper 💡 Read the Kevin Kelly’s 1,000 True Fans essay 💡 Read The 1,000 True Fan Theory: Sustainable Income for Creators on the Lulu blog 💡 Watch Joe Pulizzi’s...

In this episode Matt & Lauren explore paid book promotion. We review our favorite sponsorship opportunities, take a brief look at different types of book promo ads and paid social media ads, and debate the value of influencer marketing.  Dive Deeper 💡 Check out Written Word Media 💡 Check out BookFunnel 💡 Learn how to set up BookBub Ads 💡 Read Social Media 101: Facebook, Instagram, and X So...

In this episode, Matt & Lauren debate earned promotion, PR and publicity efforts, and creator collaborations. Learn how to promote your book with earned media opportunities, book signings, public speaking, and collaboration with fellow creators. Dive Deeper 💡 Read These Blog Posts The Complete Book Marketing Plan for Authors and Creators   How to Pitch Your Book for Earned Promotion Selling Y...

In this episode, Lauren & Matt talk about using valuable and authentic social media engagement to find new readers, ideas for promoting your books, and a few of their favorite social media dos and biggest don’ts.  Dive Deeper 💡 Read These Blog Posts Social Media 101 for Authors Basic Social Media Book Promotion Social Media Promotion 💡 Watch These Videos TikTok, BookTube, and Instagram - Oh...

In this episode, Matt & Lauren discuss one of the most successful marketing strategies, share ideas and tips for building your email list, and review best practices for keeping those subscribers engaged.  Dive Deeper 💡 Check Out These Reports Lulu & The Tilt’s Creator Insights Report Email marketing stats from HubSpot’s State of Marketing in 2024 report Written Word Media’s 2023 The State...

In this episode, Lauren & Matt explore the three stages of promoting your book—pre-launch marketing, at-launch marketing, and post-launch marketing. Download your free book marketing checklist to help you stay on track.  Dive Deeper 💡 Read These Blog Posts Complete Book Marketing Plan How to Plan & Promote Your Book Pre-Launch How to Pitch Your Book for Earned Promotion How to Grow Your A...

In this episode, Matt & Lauren discuss some of the most important questions asked by authors and creators - is it worth it to publish my books in print? Are readers still buying print books, or is print dead? Dive Deeper 💡Review the Data Overall book sales & revenue statistics, reported by Words Rated How print book sales in 2023 compared to previous years, reported by Publishers Weekly  ...

In this episode, Lauren & Matt discuss the publishing, design, and marketing experts that you may want to help you self-publish your book. We take a look at hybrid publishers, different types of editors, and interior versus exterior designers. Plus, hear our thoughts on which services are a must-do and which we think you can DIY to help keep costs low, a few suggestions for tools designed to h...

Lulu.com is a print-on-demand self-publishing company. But what exactly is print-on-demand? And why is it such a popular business model?  In this episode, Matt & Lauren explore the environmentally-friendly, budget-conscious benefits of print-on-demand. We also answer a few FAQs about POD, including why it takes a little extra time to receive your book, what you can expect from the book’s produ...

In this episode, Matt and Lauren expound on the many reasons we’re passionate about sponsoring and attending in-person events. We talk about why we love meeting new people (even as a pair of introverts), the educational and inspirational benefits, networking and community-building opportunities, and more!  Matt’s Famous Vegas Out-of-Office: I am out of the office Monday, November 6th, through Frid...

In this episode Lauren and Matt address the robot in the room – artificial intelligence! We share a few of our favorite ways to use AI and generative AI tools to help streamline content creation. Learn how we use AI as a research and analytics aid, to help with drafting and outlining content, to come up with variations on email subject lines and titles, and more!  Dive Deeper 💡Curious about any o...

In this episode, Matt and Lauren tackle the question on every author and creator’s mind – can you actually make money from books? We share our favorite tactics for maximizing your book’s earning potential, including doing your market research, selling direct, making effective use of all your content, and more. Plus, we share some Lulu authors & creators who are doing it right!  Dive Deeper 💡...

In this episode, Lauren & Matt tackle some common myths, misconceptions, and hesitations creators often share about selling direct! We debunk concerns like, “I don’t know how to build my own website,” “I don’t have what it takes to run a business,” and “I rely on third-party platforms for discoverability.” Plus, we share why selling direct is the future of book publishing, and why we think it’...