In this episode, guest Willow Winters dives deep into the challenges and strategies of independent publishing, offering valuable insights for writers looking to grow their careers. She shares her journey with Kickstarter, self-publishing, and creative marketing, providing actionable advice for authors seeking long-term success. * Stay Persistent and Take Risks: Willow’s early Kickstarter campaigns barely met their goals, but persistence led to six-figure successes. Writers should embrace the...

In this episode, the speakers dive into the realities of building a sustainable career as an author, touching on marketing, conference experiences, and different strategies for long-term success in the writing world. Key Takeaways: * Conference Networking Over Information: Traditional writing conferences are often information-heavy, but true value often comes from networking. Focus on connecting with peers and industry experts who can share real-world applications and strategies. Don't be...

Launching a book as an indie author often feels like a make-or-break moment, but there are different approaches depending on your goals, bandwidth, and long-term strategy. Some writers follow an aggressive, high-frequency launch schedule, while others treat their book launches as supplementary to their overall income. The key is finding a method that aligns with your energy and business model. * Adjust Your Launch Expectations: Not every book launch has to be a major event. If your primary...

This episode of The Six-Figure Author Experiment features Lee and Russell discussing the power of building leverage, the long-term strategies behind creating profitable book series, and overcoming the pressures of success. They emphasize the importance of loving the writing process and staying consistent, while also balancing creative freedom with business goals. Here are the key takeaways: * Build Leverage Over Time: Success often comes after years of building a strong catalog. Russell...

In this episode of The Six-Figure Author Experiment, Lee and Russell share their insights on the realities of being an author, discussing everything from book launches to the challenges of sustaining a long-term career. Their candid conversation provides actionable advice for writers navigating both the creative and business sides of publishing. Here are five key takeaways: * Prioritize Collaboration Over Immediate Sales: While events like Comic-Con can feel exhausting, Lee emphasizes the...

This episode of the Six Figure Author Experiment podcast focuses on post-launch strategies and marketing techniques for indie authors, featuring a detailed discussion with guest Mike from Written Word Media. The conversation explores the effectiveness of various advertising strategies, including the use of Facebook, Instagram, and Amazon ads, with an emphasis on the importance of testing different ad creatives and understanding the nuances of different platforms. Key Discussion Points: *...

This episode dives deep into strategies for authors to make their books more marketable while staying true to their creative vision. The hosts, including Russell, Lee, and Monica Leonelle, discuss the "bullseye method," a strategy where authors start with core, often niche, ideas that are closest to their hearts but might not be widely marketable. Over time, these ideas are gradually expanded to appeal to a broader audience, aligning more with market trends without losing the essence of the...

Overview The conversation is hosted by Russell and Lee, with guest Nick Erickson, an expert in running ads for authors. The main focus is on understanding and implementing effective ad strategies to boost book sales, particularly through platforms like Facebook, Amazon, and BookBub. Key Discussion Points * Challenges of Advertising for Authors: * Many authors are reluctant to engage with advertising due to the complexity of ad platforms and the mindset that writing should be their primary...

This episode is the continuation of the live stream event discussing the launch of The Godsverse Chronicles. In this session, the focus shifts to more detailed strategies around multi-format book releases, direct sales, and the importance of building a supportive team. The discussion also includes practical advice on balancing personal life with professional responsibilities. Key Points: * Multi-Format Launch and Its Impact: * The conversation opens with a discussion on the benefits of...

This episode is the first part of a live podcast focused on the launch of The Godsverse Chronicles series. It covers the journey of relaunching the series, marketing strategies, and lessons learned from the experience. Key Points: * The Journey of The Godsverse Chronicles: * The series has been in development since 2017, evolving through multiple launches and rebrands. * The podcast discusses the challenges faced in the initial launch, including low sales and poor market reception, which led...

Introduction and Guest Overview: * The episode features Malorie Cooper, a well-known figure in the publishing community, who has written over 100 books and is an expert in Facebook ads for authors. * Malorie discusses how Facebook ads significantly boosted her book sales, taking her from selling 300 books a year to 300 books every two or three days. Key Discussion Points: * Facebook Ads for Authors: * Facebook ads were crucial in scaling book sales for Malorie and her business, "The Writing...

Welcome to the Six Figure Author Experiment Podcast. Hosts Russell Nohelty and Lee Savino dive into a colorful mix of personal anecdotes, book marketing strategies, and insights on making book launches successful. This episode is packed with practical advice and lively discussions. Key Highlights: * The Art of Personal Style: * Russell kicked off the episode by showcasing his new Keith Haring jacket and Russell from "Up" hat, sharing a fun story about his Disneyland trip and how he ended up...

Hosts Russell Nohelty and Lee Savino delve into the highs and lows of book marketing, offering practical advice and personal insights into what makes a successful book launch. This episode focuses on strategies to make necessary marketing tasks more enjoyable and effective. Key Highlights: * Balancing Fun and Function: * The episode opened with a discussion on finding the balance between enjoyable activities and essential tasks in the author business. Russell and Lee emphasized that while not...

Hosts Russell Nohelty and Lee Savino return with a fresh episode of the Six Figure Author Experiment podcast, focusing on the importance of audience building, consistent marketing strategies, and the challenges authors face in breaking through financial barriers. Key Highlights: * The Power of a Growing Audience: * Russell and Lee discussed how building a substantial audience over time can significantly ease the process of book launches and sales. Lee highlighted her journey from struggling...

Lee and Russell are joined by Steve Pieper who teaches click-test advertising and direct sales strategy to authors.  Opening credits and editing by the amazing Jim Wilbourne.  Hosts Russell Nohelty and Lee Savino kicked off the latest episode of their Six Figure Author Experiment podcast with special guest Steve Pieper, a.k.a. Lars Emmerich, discussing the ins and outs of click testing and direct sales for authors. Key Highlights: * Introduction to Steve Pieper: * Steve Pieper, writing...

Welcome back to another exciting episode of the Six Figure Author Experiment, where we guide you through breaking your first or next $100,000 goal. This week’s episode dives deep into the unpredictable world of hiring and firing in the creative industry. Another “Mess-ipode.” Lee and Russell discuss leveling up in your author business by failing bigger and failing forward.  Opening credits and editing by the amazing Jim Wilbourne.  Do you like this free form (Squirrel!) conversation or do you...

This week Russell and Lee talk about everything. We’re calling this style podcast a “Mess-ipode.”  Do you like this free form (Squirrel!) conversation or do you prefer a more structured episode? Or do you not notice a difference? :P  Opening credits and editing by the amazing Jim Wilbourne.  * Lazy launches or Do as Lee says, not as she does * “Life is so lifey” * How do you level up as a creator? * Delegating and firing or how Russell blew $30,000 on marketing but learned a lot * Lee’s...

Episode 9 Russell’s six figure author experiment and book launch is coming together! In this episode, Lee and Russell are joined by Kathleen Sweeney from Book Brush to talk about how Book Brush can help authors with marketing and promotion with their image creation tools and their new social media management service.  Opening credits and editing by the amazing Jim Wilbourne.  * Direct vs. indirect sales  * How to make a “love my book kit” (media kit)  * Batching - how Lee bulk creates...

We’re still talking about Lee’s Kickstarter project, The Millionaire Author Mindset. Listen to Part One here: Opening credits and editing by the amazing Jim Wilbourne.  Join us as we discuss:  * Why nonfiction can be perfect for Kickstarter * The nonfiction funnel - book to courses * How kickstarter allows you to test your ideas  * How to get over your fear of doing something new * “Investment comes before growth” * The question to ask yourself when you are writing nonfiction: Who am I...

Episode 7 It’s Opposite Day! Russell is launching Amazon so Lee’s going to launch her project, The Millionaire Author Mindset, on Kickstarter. This is the first part of a 2-part episode. Part 2 can be found below. Opening credits and editing by the amazing Jim Wilbourne.  Join us as we discuss:  * Why nonfiction can be perfect for Kickstarter * The nonfiction funnel - book to courses * How kickstarter allows you to test your ideas  * How to get over your fear of doing something new *...

Episode 6: Self-liquidating offers: a boring term that makes us sound super smart! Join Lee and Russell as they discuss ways to advertise and push a pre-order using a direct store bundle–the author version of a self-liquidating offer. Opening credits and editing by the amazing Jim Wilbourne.  * Self-liquidating offers in courses and nonfiction, and now fiction * Russell’s pre-order marketing strategy   * Launch marketing strategy  * Nick Erik’s 5x5 ad creation strategy * Nick’s recommended...

Episode 5: Monica Leonelle joins Lee and Russell to discuss big launches. We run down a laundry list of the things Lee Savino and her cowriter did for their biggest launches (which resulted in each book hitting the USA today bestseller list back in 2021-2022). Then we asked Russell: What sounds fun for you?  Opening credits and editing by the amazing Jim Wilbourne.  The Book Launch Laundry list:  * Bookbub pre-order promotions  * Social media posts, giveaway posts * Goodreads giveaways * ARC...

Lee and Russell welcome Michael Hourigan from Written Word Media to discuss paid newsletter promotions such as Freebooksy and Bargainbooksy.  * The most important marketing tool an author (or anyone) can have * Easy and proven ways to grow a newsletter  * How Lee earns a full time income on autopilot  * WTF is “Promo stacking” and WTF do we care? * A quick and easy way to get a launch plan (hint: make Michael do it)  * How to get free help fixing your blurb  Resources:  * Free Book Launch...

Episode 3: Lee and Russell are joined by Melissa Storm to discuss releasing a NSFW paranormal romance comic book on Kickstarter. They’re two days into this launch and are already fully funded. Content warnings: dirty jokes. It’s Lee’s fault. Put your headphones in.  * The basics of Kickstarter projects * Popular genres on Kickstarter   * Pros and cons of working with a comic publisher  * Best practices for collaborating or co-writing with another creator  * The three stages of a Kickstarter...