Smith Myth: 4 Myths about Self-Publishing
By Andrea Kiliany Thatcher In the often opaque and labyrinthian publishing world, self-publishing emerged as a beacon of creative autonomy. It offered authors the keys to unlocking their literary destinies. But amidst this shimmering promise, lurk shadows of misconceptions that often obscure the path to success. As aspiring self-published authors, it’s crucial to navigate through […]
New Podcast Episode: Discussing the Indie Author Landscape with Amy Edelman
What defines an “indie author”? Well, we say small press, hybrid, and self-published authors are indie authors. Any author who is not traditionally published. What are some stigmas associated with being an independent author? I have to say it’s changed a lot in 15 years. Originally, when I started IndieReader, there was a distinct separation […]
5 Top Publishing Considerations for Independent Authors
By Astra Crompton, FriesenPress Independent authors have more avenues for manufacturing, formats, distribution, and promotion than ever before. With all the BookTokers and Bookstagrammers out there promoting their favourite reads, the options can seem overwhelming. How can you get your book noticed? The truth is, there are choices an author makes all along their publishing […]
Smith Myth: 3 Myths About Media Interviews
By Courtney Link and Mariam Ata Communicating effectively when speaking publicly can be a daunting task at first. There is always the fear that we might embarrass ourselves, are not prepared enough, or don’t have enough knowledge to speak to an audience. Even celebrities, entrepreneurs, and well-known authors have had struggles with confidence during media […]
New Podcast Episode: Introduction to Professional Speaking with Josh White
Speaking is becoming more and more of a priority for many authors looking to grow their professional brand, so we’ve invited Josh White, the Managing Director of Epic Keynotes, to explain how to begin developing your speaker brand, where your book fits in, and goals to consider. Why might someone want to be a speaker? […]
Upcoming Webinar: From Pages to Stages
Discover the Intersection of Authorship and Speaking Writing a book and writing a keynote are very different practices, but each can inform the other, and should if speaking is a big part of your author platform, or vice versa. In fact, many authors are in-demand speakers as one of the opportunities that arise from publishing […]
Are You Unintentionally Hindering Your Speaking Business Growth?
Uncover the Top 5 Missteps Most Business Authors Make That Prevent Steady Income and 3 Ways to Fix By Andria Younger, Coach and Growth Strategist for Business Authors Who Speak I’ve been in the speaking industry for over 15+ years, and the last 4 years have led to rapid change in how people discover, define […]
New Podcast Episode: Give an Expert Podcast Interview with Tom Schwab
What does the current podcasting landscape look like? For any business, any thought leader, there are thousands of people that you could help. The problem is they don’t know you exist. They don’t know your book exists. Some people will say, “Well, break through the noise.” Let’s be honest, we’re probably all adding to the […]
How Thought Leaders Make Money and Build Their Business Through Speaking
By Peter Winick If you ask new nonfiction authors what they’d like to do once they get their book published, many (nearly 80%) will say, keynote speaking. There’s something alluring and sexy about being a keynote speaker: The travel, the relatively high fees one expects to charge, the thrill of sharing your work and being […]
Call for Entries! 2024 Smith Publicity Book Marketing Scholarship
Write a Persuasive Essay and Enter to Win Our 2024 Scholarship We’re delighted to call for entries for the 2024 Smith Publicity Book Marketing Scholarship. The submission period will be open from March 5 to May 15, 2024. The 2024 Essay Prompt*: Write a persuasive essay between 1,000-1,500 words in response to the prompt: “What contemporary […]