In this solo episode, Julie Ann unpacks the industry’s obsession with the “New York Times Bestseller” label and invites authors to re-center on purpose, impact, and discoverability. She explains how bestseller status became an ego-driven proxy for success, contrasts that with a service-driven definition of success, and shares practical guidance on titling, subtitling, and launching so your book is actually found by the people it’s meant to help. You’ll also hear a powerful story from one of Julie Ann’s early authors—and a reminder that changing even one life is real success.

What We Cover

• The difference between validation-seeking and service-driven publishing
• How lists like the NYT are curated (not pure volume-based) and why chasing them can distort your choices
• Why Amazon category strategy and searchability matter for discoverability
• Titling/subtitling that clearly signals your promise to the reader
• A packaging mindset: cover, subtitle, back cover copy, categories, and keywords as “the window in the box”
• A values reset: define success by the lives your book changes

6 Key Takeaways

1. Impact > Labels: Real author success is measured by reader transformation, not a status tag.
2. NYT ≠ Pure Sales: Lists like the New York Times are curated and selective; they’re not a simple scoreboard of total copies sold.
3. Be Findable: Optimize your title, subtitle, description, and categories with the exact terms your ideal reader would search.
4. Amazon Strategy Matters: Hitting relevant Amazon categories (even briefly) boosts visibility so the right readers—and media—can find you.
5. Package the Promise: Treat your cover, subtitle, and back cover like packaging that clearly shows “what’s inside” and who it’s for.
6. Choose Yourself: Don’t contort your voice to win contests or gatekeepers; publish authentically and let your story be medicine for you and your readers

Memorable Story

Julie Ann recalls publishing Dr. Jerry Fewster’s Don’t Let Your Kids Be Normal. His metric for success? If even one parent says the book changed how they’ll raise their child, that ripple is success.

Practical Prompts for Authors

• Who exactly am I helping with this book?
• What would my ideal reader type into Google/Amazon on the hardest day of their journey?
• Do my title and subtitle use those words clearly?
• Which three Amazon categories best match my reader’s search path?
• Does my back cover copy state the problem, promise, and path?

If you’re ready to shape a findable book that serves your reader—and your purpose—join Julie Ann at the Book in a Week retreat in Sayulita, Mexico. Your story is your portal.

Meet the Host: Julie Ann

Julie Ann is a publishing oracle and storytelling midwife who helps soul-led leaders birth books that awaken, heal, and transform.

With over 17 years in the publishing industry, she has guided more than 300 authors to write and publish nonfiction works that shift paradigms and reclaim truth. She is the founder of Influence Publishing, now evolved into The House of Story Medicine — Her gift is sacred listening — not just to words, but to what lives beneath them. She perceives the deeper current beneath your story, attuned to the moments where your voice trembles with truth. She is the eye of soul — the one who sees the unseen, holds the unspoken, and midwifes...