The emPowered Author: A Marketing Podcast for Nonfiction Authors

If there’s one consistent question I get asked by authors, it’s this… what are some holiday marketing tips? How do I stand out amongst the noise and chaos of the holidays? This question comes up no matter the season… New Year’s, Valentines Day, St. Patrick’s Day and the Fourth of July… but the energy changes when November arrives because the domino effect of holidays is nearly triggered. Panic is starting to set in. We have people to buy for and yet, we want people to buy our books this holid...

You want to create an audiobook but how in the world do you produce one? Great question! I hadn’t a clue until I rolled up my sleeves and decided it was time for me to bring an audiobook to life. What I learned in the process was the seemingly simple journey of recording you reading your book was anything but simple. Worth it? Yes. Simple? No way! I’m so grateful that I was able to produce the audiobook alongside Phil, my audiobook supporter, and together we navigated the hours upon...

Words matter. Read a book by Mitch Albom and be reminded that each and every word has purpose. Work with an editor and they will help you leverage words with precision and meaning. Words connect people, break down walls and build bridges. And, guess what... audio matters too. Listen to a poorly produced podcast, and the mouth noises become like nails on chalkboards. Video calls with poor internet break conversations, hindering discussion that need to be had. And, audio matters in a...

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Books build bridges and break down walls. And this episode\'s discussion is proof of it. I’m joined with my friend and fellow author, Jane Gleeson, author of Who Stole My Ovaries?. She is a heart-centered support for women who are facing fertility challenges. Her book is raw and honest and real, and our conversation on this episode is too. As someone who navigated fertility concerns myself, I appreciate Jane\'s insights and even wish I had known her or...

How does your reader consume information? It’s one of the first questions I ask authors who are considering if an audiobook is a good solution for them. If you find yourself considering that maybe an audiobook is a way to share your message with those who need it most and consume information in that format, then by all means, it may be time to turn that book into an audiobook! But before you dive all in, I want you to make sure you have the technical guidance to do so at the professionalism t...

Should your book become an audiobook? Well, it depends. Audiobooks take time, resources and energy to create no matter how you create them. For some authors, it’s the perfect fit for their target reader. For others, it may not be the best use of efforts. It all, well, depends. Understanding the pros and cons for the listeners and you, the author, will help you make a more solid, strategic decisions.Today is a big day over here as I\'m launching the audiobook version of Make Your Author e...

From the moment I met Julie Wanzer, I knew she was a rockstar. Was it her energy? Possibly! She’s filled to the brim with more positivity than I thought one person could hold. Was it her passion? For sure! She loves what she does and it shows. But when I really knew we could be besties was when I learned that her forthcoming book was on LinkedIn! (And if you’ve been around her for a while, you know my stance on the platform. It’s one of the two nonnegotiables I believe every author needs...

Ever gone out to dinner alone? It’s not something I do regularly, but found myself sitting at a farm to table restaurant that made each plate from scratch at order while on my CEO retreat. The 45-minute wait was worth every minute, however the time I sat waiting for it was an opportunity for a lot of conversation time with me, myself and I. In normal Stephanie fashion, I found myself exploring the farm to table process and then quickly jumped to the manuscript to book process. (Y’all… I ...

I was having dinner with a friend who is working on publishing her first novel. We talked about everything under the sun… books and life related. But when she shared the advice of her book coach, I had to add to it. “I’m going to self publish,” she told me. “Because my book coach said it could take me a year or two for traditional publishing.” I suggested that she add a few years to that. I know people who are multiple years out and still can’t find a literary agent. She’s self publ...

Did you know that 99.9% of businesses across the US are family businesses. Corporations tend to get the spotlight, but family businesses are the backbone of our country. Authors, you may be forming a family business too and never knew it. Tom Hubler is an author I’d had the pleasure of working with in various aspects of his family business consulting and speaking work. From website design to platform support, our team has rolled up our sleeves to help him support more family businesses. ...

Ready, set, launch! That’s a phrase that builds momentum. It’s a phrase that indicates that the countdown is on. You prepare, you get ready, then you run. Launching… book launching included… is much like that. Release on the other hand has phrases like just release the tension and release the hounds come with a whole different energy and purpose. It’s like you just open the flood gates and let it go. And, as you can expect it, a book release is the same way. Launch versus release is...

You\'re on the self-publishing journey, but what does that mean for printing? What options exist? And what is the difference between print-on-demand and offset printing; IngramSpark and Amazon\'s KDP? In the self-publishing space, this is very complicated for authors to grasp, oddly enough. It’s a journey I walk my clients through tie and time again, and it’s still a lot to understand. So today, I want to answer the questions you have to ensure your book becomes a book you hold! My fourth ...

For a book to thrive, groundwork must be laid beforehand. Just like a plant needs a solid foundation to stand strong, self-publishing an amazing book requires more than just its content. It becomes an extension of you, reflecting your thoughts, ideas, and experiences. Moreover, your book can serve as a powerful tool to build and grow your business. It establishes your authority, attracts potential customers, and expands your reach. As you embark on self-publishing, it\'s crucial to assess...

A book starts with a thought. You have something that the world needs and you’ve yet to find out there. You have a message that you need to share. You have an itch to get out something you’ve found to be a solution to a problem of many. If you’re like me, the kernel of an idea will pester you until you put your fingers to the keyboard and, peck by peck, you allow the story to evolve. Writing a book is a beautiful way to craft a message. But how do you share it? Well, before you can market i...

If you build it, they will come. We know that’s true from the movie Field of Dreams. But I believe that if you give value, they will come too. The world of inbound marketing is about value and trust. ⇢ When you give, you get. ⇢ When you offer, you receive. ⇢ When you create, they come. And, when your readers get there, they stay because they know you know them, you see them, and you have solutions for them. I’m excited to dig into the specifics of the various fo...

I bet if you sat down for only a minute and reflected, you could identify a turning point in your career. Something happened that changed everything for you. Maybe it was a personal experience or it could have been a professional one. Either way, it turned your life upside down. While it may sound like more fun to run away from those times, it’s best to trudge through, and Mike Amato is proof of that. Mike started a job that came with great opportunities, including a side dish of a major...

I met an author who was in the thick of churn. Y’all, she was cranking out content like a machine. But she was tired and I was tired hearing about all the movement she was doing… but getting little traction. Through a series of “why” questions… I got to the root as to why she was doing all of it… and it was because she thought she was supposed to. It was that simple. Maybe you think you are suppose to too (and, secret, you may be). But content without purpose is pointless. ...

People have questions. You have answers. You know how to share those answers with the people who directly ask you. But how do you use your answers as an opportunity to pull new readers or clients to you? How can people who don’t know you find you so they can hear your answers? Sounds like a tongue twister, right? If this makes your head spin, deep breaths. I’ve got you covered. On this week’s episode of The emPowered Author Podcast, I’m digging into the how in in-bound marketing. How do you s...

When women come together, beautiful things happen. But when women come together and collectively share their stories, emPowering things happen. Lisa Pinnock and the ladies she’s collaborated with are living proof of it. She’s supported dozens of women in becoming empowered to share their stories of triumph, hardship and perseverance. And, not only did the women she supported walk away stronger, they walked away authors in one of two beautiful anthologies called Uncover Your Light. I get cold ...

I don’t know about you, but I have enough problems. I don’t need any more. I am not in the business of looking for and investing in problems. Instead, I’m looking for and investing in solutions. Problems aren’t fun; solutions are! People want to spend money on fun not frustrating. Problems connect us but solutions save us. People want a superhero to pull them out of the “misery loves company” place. Problems aren’t what you want to be spending money on; but solutions are ...

When I was a little kid, I was filled with questions. So much so, actually, that I remember my parents being frustrated one day in front of my grandma and she asked them how I was going to learn if I didn’t ask questions. Grandma may have been a proponent of inbound marketing before it was a thing! The truth is, she was right. People ask questions because they have interest and their interest can be deepened if they find the answers out by trusted sources that deepen their interest and b...

Stop looking for the change; become it. It’s become a thread in my life for probably over a decade now when I began writing Color Today Pretty. It’s been a cornerstone to how I see my personal life and interactions with others. But when I had the opportunity to read Self-Elected by lisa wise, I realized that it is a responsibility of business owners to… actually, it’s a privilege. lisa is the owner of a successful suite of property management businesses in the DC area, but as with most p...

I don’t know about you, but when people start using words I haven’t a clue what they mean I shut down. Life is hectic enough; no need to add words to it that make no sense or lack context unless… they matter. Unless they are game-changing. Unless someone takes a moment to break down not only what it means but why I should care in the process. Then, those words become committed to memory and I can take action from them. That is what happened to me when I uncovered inbound marketing… and it’s w...

To sell books requires people to know about them. To ensure the right people know about them, you need to know who your target audience is and where they go for trusted info. Then, you need a plan to be seen as a trusted source so you can be visible there. It sounds simple and it can be as long as you don’t give up on doing it. It needs a plan and it needs commitment to the plan. That’s where the fireworks happen. For many authors, this is either the exciting part of book marketing or the ter...

I 100% believe that divine appointments happen daily, and my meeting Shannon Carroll is proof of it.️ We were both at the same writer\'s retreat.️ We had some overlapping connections.️ Our paths crossed one morning which began a conversation that would turn into not just amazing author connections but a deep friendship too.️ And, on top of it all, a diagnosis I was newly navigating had similarities to what her husband had experienced and they wrote a book about it.This connection was desti...

How many hats do you have to wear to make your author emPact? ⇢You have a writer hat. And, you are likely comfy with that one. I mean, you have to write a book to make a book happen.⇢You have your author hat. Most authors learn the ins and outs of authorship. We know that to become an author requires us to publish a book and all. ⇢And, you have an authorpreneur hat, too. But authorpreneurship isn’t something every author realizes that they have signed up for. (And I promise you that...

You’ve written a book. Now what? This is a question many ask me and while today’s episode will offer some helpful tips on your next steps, I want to start by sharing what you shouldn’t do. ⇏ Don’t keep them in a box in your basement to collect dust and mildew (or get impacted by an air conditioner leak… ahem, I know this from personal experience).⇏ Don’t think they will sell themselves. (Friends, nothing will do that. Promise.) ⇏ Don’t try to manifest it’s success. (Believe me, I su...

During the pandemic, so many of us found ourselves contemplating what our dreams were and the path we were taking to make them happen. I’ve heard from many authors, time and time again, that the book that they would one day write moved up on the priority list. I have had the pleasure of meeting an author who wrote reflections during that time and published an amazing book from it. I just spoke to an author who used the time to put his life story on paper. And, today you’ll hear from a dear fr...

Ready. Set. Launch! Launching a book may feel a bit like launching a rocket. There’s stress and planning. Momentum builds. It takes off and you hold your breath to see if the rocket will make it to outerspace safely, and only then can you find your breath again. I had the pleasure of watching a rocket launch a few years ago, and it was stressful. I’ve also had the pleasure of personally launching 3 books and supporting countless other authors launch theirs. And, they too are stressful. B...

I’m on a quest for being able to better define emPact… and I’m talking about the emPact that we have around here that is spelled a bit differently. This emPact has greater… well… emPact. emPact happens when people are vulnerable, when we let down our guard and be honest with ourselves in a way that not just changes us but changes others. Every author has the potential to make their author emPact, and Katie Anderson is proof of it. Katie\'s book, Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn, highlights h...

Are you looking to write a book this year? If so, I want to ensure that you write a book that others will buy. I call that a marketable book. This requires some prep work from you on identifying your target audience and outlining how you are going to use this book with them. Then, you have to plan to make it happen. Make a commitment to yourself to schedule time now. Put it on the calendar. Hold it as sacred. And make it happen.During this episode, I\'m joined by Jennifer Crosswhite, and toget...

Would you go on a trip to a new destination without a map? You may be up for that challenge but I know I’d get lost. Would you attempt to put together a piece of IKEA furniture without the directions? If you’ve done it a time or two before maybe not, but I’d rather get it done than see how long it would take me to do it without directions. What about finish school without a plan? Dive into a career without a plan? Build a home without a plan? Do I need to go on? Plans are amazing, when they p...

We are just a day away from a new year, and I don’t know about you… but I’m excited! 2023 is destined for greatness, I believe it. And, I believe that it can be for you too. I wanted to give you an inside glimpse into how I’ve been planning for the new year every year and some tips that keep me focused after the honeymoon phase of the new year excitement fades. If you’re an author and you’re in need of some planning ideas… today I’ve got you covered. Also, if we could help you plan for a succ...

It’s Christmas time, so I wanted to gift you a special treat. A bonus episode in this season of The emPowered Author Podcast and this episode is all about Pinterest. I’m joined by the amazing Pinterest expert, Deb Gonzales, and she shares so many nuggets of goodness! Pinterest, when used best, is an awesome evergreen option for authors to consider, and Deb shares the best strategies to tackle it! Visit our website to download The Author’s Guide to the Social Dilemma where you can follow along...

As with many things in life, some social platforms are here for a season. Others stick around for decades. During this season of The emPowered Author Podcast, I have been highlighting the platforms that have had longevity and purpose for authors to consider, and Twitter is one of them. It’s never been my platform of choice, mainly because of its belief that less is more (and that’s hard for me over here!) but it’s jam-packed with value for writers, authors and authorpreneurs. And, it may be a...

Does the camera make your hands sweat and your voice crack or do you get a rush of adrenaline and ideas right when you hit record? I’ve likely not found as polarizing of viewpoints with authors outside of talking about the differing feelings of sharing a message through the written word and through the spoken word. Some love it and many despise it. But most will agree that it’s not going away and its here to stay. Video is important in message sharing, which is why on this episode of The emPo...

We want everything. Now. Instantly. For authors, that includes the publishing of our books… the royalties raking in… the business we are building alongside to flourish. We want it all and we want it now. Right?! Our culture has created this need for instant gratification and instant success. But when it comes to social media, even today’s topic of Instagram is anything but instant. The name of the book marketing game is consistency, and when it comes to social media success, that is painfully...

My favorite holiday every is Thanksgiving! I love the food and the family time, but I really love what it means... for me personally and for book marketing. I\'ve finally figured out what the most important differentiator is for authors. What makes them stand out when it comes to book marketing, and it\'s this. Thanks + Giving. Those two words are jam-packed with marketing gems, and today I\'m telling you all about it on this episode of The emPowered Author Podcast. Also, check out our 2022 Auth...

Facebook! The social media platform that got my feet wet into how our world would become connected in a way that no one dreamed possible. Facebook created a major yet unexpected shift when it released, causing people to reimagine how we communicated with others and how marketing would evolve. I believe not all platforms are created equal, and many evolve, as well. Facebook, my friends, is one of them. Does it make sense for you to include it in your author platform efforts? Possibly. But I do...

There are very few must haves I recommend. You need a website, author friend. Hands down, a must. And outside of that, the second non-negotiable in my book is that you need to be on LinkedIn. I don’t think you have to do all the things or be all the places, but I do believe that being visible and engaged on LinkedIn will bode well for all authors, non-fiction especially. Why? Well, because not all social media platforms are created equally, and LinkedIn is the one poised for conversion. On th...

I’m going to date myself on today’s episode, but I have to share that I literally remember the day when Facebook became a thing and my college didn’t have access to it yet. I also remember working at a company that had such a stringent social media policy that it would be laughable now. I remember life before social media, but I know that because of it, we are all forever changed. It’s changed how we connect with people, and it’s changed how we promote our offerings… and authors, you can’t es...

Every author has the potential to make their author emPact, and Wendy Cocke is proof of it. Wendy\'s book, Making Flex Work, has allowed her the opportunity to help others... and she credits this podcast and Stephanie\'s insights to helping her do just that! In this episode of The emPowered Author Podcast, Stephanie and Wendy discuss how authors can make an emPact, and the power of Stephanie\'s message found throughout this podcast and in her book, Make Your Author emPact: Sell More Books,...

Growth requires reflection, and as we inch closer to the end of the year, you may be planning out your authorpreneur business offerings for next year. If so, this episode of The emPowered Author Podcast is worth a listen. The best businesses – the ones that are emPactful and profitable – are continuously looking for opportunities to improve. As 2023 knocks on the door, I wanted to take a moment to discuss how you could look back to grow forward, too!Authorprenurship is also more than a checkl...

You and I may be a bit different when it comes to entrepreneurship. While you may dream of all that it could offer; I tried time and time to run away from it. It had other plans, and running a business wasn’t a part of it. However, authorpreneurship kept knocking and I decided to stop running from it and, instead, see what it had to offer. And, I’ve been pleasantly surprised. While running a business is no small feat; it’s downright rewarding once you get it up and running. In this episode of...

You’ve solved the authorpreneur equation, but are you benefiting from it? You have a marketable solution, but are you marketing it? You have a business but are your offerings clear? Are you talking about them and are others doing the same? Books that aren’t being read makes my soul cry! And businesses — meaningful ones – that aren’t getting traction because you’re not promoting them makes my heart break. Let’s fix that during this podcast episode!Books mean business, literally. Over the ...

When some people say that they have \"been there, done that\" it means they aren\'t open to trying something again. Others, like me, see that phrase a bit differently. In fact, it\'s wisdom shared and that\'s what this episode is all about. In this episode of The emPowered Author Podcast I read a chapter from my new book, Make Your Author emPact: Sell More Books, Increase Your Reach & Achieve Your Why, and it just so happens that chapter is called Been There, Done That and It\'s Time I Wrote a ...

Some people write a book because they have a dream to do so. Figuratively of course! They can envision a world where their name is on a book and they are making an emPact with it. Welp, I never had that type of dream. Instead, I had a literal one. A literal dream put me on this journey to write a book which later took me on the journey to help authors around the world market theirs. This week, in celebration of the launch of my third book, Make Your Author emPact, I wanted to share with you a...

There are a handful of days in my life that I’ll never forget. And today is added to it! It\'s the launch of my newest book, Make Your Author emPact: Sell More Books, Increase Your Reach & Achieve Your Why. Ahh! Today calls for a celebration, and I am so excited to share with you a sneak peek into the top three things I learned while launching this book.I will never, ever take for granted the journey an author is on. And this book reminded me just how emotional and meaningful it is. ...

Writing a book on emPact got me thinking … I wonder what some of my family feels about it. Specifically, I was curious if there were authors who had made an emPact in their lives like authors had made an emPact in mine. So I decided to ask them. And I had way too much fun in the process.I learned that I take for granted small nuggets of information, because asking this question and hearing their answers was honestly such beautiful moments for me. They were excited to share (well, except my yo...

Books mean business, literally. Over the years of helping authors with book marketing support, there is a commonality that I have picked up on and it’s this. Most authors don’t realize that the moment they write and publish a book, they have actually launched a business. This season of The emPowered Author Podcast is focused on helping authorpreneurs with marketing insights to build or grow their business alongside or from their book. It just so happens this episode of the podcast dives into ...