Kathleen Sweeney is the CEO of Book Brush, a comprehensive design platform specifically created for authors since 2018. Book Brush specializes in helping authors create professional marketing graphics, book covers, 3D book mockups, video trailers, and social media content without requiring design expertise. The platform offers over 300 3D book versions, hundreds of cover templates, and access to 4.4 million stock images and videos through Pixabay integration. Kathleen leads the company's mission to make book marketing accessible and stress-free for indie authors, providing tools that help authors create professional-looking promotional materials that align with genre expectations and build author branding across all social media platforms.

In this episode:

• Why some indie books look like bestsellers and others don't
• The importance of professional cover design for genre alignment
• Book Brush's author-specific design platform and tools
• Creating 3D book mockups from flat covers with simple clicks
• Using templates and graphics designed specifically for different genres
• Font pairing and color psychology for book marketing
• Author branding strategies and maintaining consistent visual identity
• Video creation tools including vertical format for mobile viewing
• Trope graphics and their effectiveness in reaching target readers
• Common cover design mistakes authors make
• The process of creating covers and marketing materials
• Hidden features and creative ways to use Book Brush tools
• Getting started with Book Brush: tutorials, support, and community

Resources mentioned:

• Book Brush
• Pixabay

Connect with Kathleen Sweeney:

• Website: https://bookbrush.com/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/BookBrush
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BookBrush/

Connect with Teddy Smith:

• @teddyagsmith
• Website: https://publishingperformance.com/?ref=ywm3mtc
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/publishingperformance/
• Pinterest - https://nz.pinterest.com/publishingperformance/
• Instagram - https://instagram.com/publishingperformanceinsta
• Youtube -https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHV6ltaUB4SULkU6JEMhFSw
• Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/publishing-performance/

Support the show

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Dan Miller is the founder of The Copy Detectives, a specialized service that helps authors navigate copyright permissions and AI content disclosure requirements. With extensive experience in copyright law and clearance processes, Dan assists authors in understanding when they need permission to use quotes, images, and other content in their books. His expertise has become increasingly important as AI-generated content creates new challenges for copyright registration and protection. Dan works with authors to assess manuscripts for copyright issues, secure necessary permissions, and ensure compliance with both U.S. Copyright Office and Amazon KDP disclosure requirements for AI-generated content.

In this episode:

• How AI content affects copyright ownership and registration
• The new requirement for copyright certificates before filing lawsuits
• Why authors need to register copyrights within 90 days of publication
• The difference between copyrightable and non-copyrightable AI content
• Amazon KDP's AI disclosure requirements and potential consequences
• When quotes require permission versus fair use considerations
• The five different U.S. copyright laws currently in effect
• Public domain content and Creative Commons licensing
• Why song lyrics and poetry quotes are particularly expensive
• The importance of keeping detailed records of all source materials
• International copyright considerations under the Berne Convention
• How to work with copyright clearance services

Resources mentioned:

• U.S. Copyright Office: https://www.copyright.gov/
• Amazon KDP: https://kdp.amazon.com/
• Creative Commons: https://creativecommons.org/
• Berne Convention: https://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ip/berne/
• Fair use doctrine
• Public domain databases
• Copyright registration certificates

Connect with Dan Miller:

• Website: https://thecopyrightdetective.com/

Connect with Teddy Smith:

• @teddyagsmith
• Website: https://publishingperformance.com/?ref=ywm3mtc
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/publishingperformance/
• Pinterest - https://nz.pinterest.com/publishingperformance/
• Instagram - https://instagram.com/publishingperformanceinsta
• Youtube -https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHV6ltaUB4SULkU6JEMhFSw
• Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/publishing-performance/

Support the show

Discover More with Our Curated Starter Packs: https://teddyagsmith.com/starter-packs/

Kevin Tumlinson is a bestselling author and Chief Brand Officer for Author Anchor, a service that connects authors with trained virtual assistants from the Philippines. With extensive experience managing multiple business ventures while maintaining his writing career, Kevin understands the challenges authors face in balancing creative work with business operations. Author Anchor specializes in providing budget-friendly VAs at $7.50/hour who are specifically trained in author-related tasks including social media management, Facebook advertising, Amazon ads, graphic design, and platforms like BookBrush, Vellum, and Kickstarter. Kevin advocates for strategic delegation that increases revenue potential rather than just removing unwanted tasks from an author's plate.

In this episode:

• Why authors need VAs and what tasks to delegate first
• The Author Anchor model: $7.50/hour trained VAs from the Philippines
• How to structure your first VA projects for maximum success
• The importance of clear communication and process documentation
• Marketing tasks VAs excel at: social media and Facebook advertising
• Building trust and working relationships across time zones
• When to hire additional VAs and scale your author business
• The economics of VA hiring: only when it increases revenue potential
• Ethical considerations and win-win economics of international hiring
• Setting up systems, software access, and payment structures

Resources mentioned:

• Author Anchor: https://authoranchor.com/
• BookBrush: https://bookbrush.com/
• Vellum: https://vellum.pub/
• Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/
• Shopify: https://www.shopify.com/
• Slack: https://slack.com/
• Discord
• LastPass
• BookFunnel
• StoryOrigin

Book Recommendations:

• Various Kevin Tumlinson titles mentioned: https://www.kevintumlinson.com/books

Connect with Kevin Tumlinson:

• Website: https://authoranchor.com/
• Promo link: https://authoranchor.com/promo

Connect with Teddy Smith:

• @teddyagsmith
• Website: https://publishingperformance.com/?ref=ywm3mtc
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/publishingperformance/
• Pinterest - https://nz.pinterest.com/publishingperformance/
• Instagram - https://instagram.com/publishingperformanceinsta
• Youtube -https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHV6ltaUB4SULkU6JEMhFSw
• Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/publishing-performance/

Support the show

Discover More with Our Curated Starter Packs: https://teddyagsmith.com/starter-packs/

Matty Dalrymple is a bestselling author with two thriller series: the Ann Kinnear Suspense novels and the Lizzy Ballard thrillers. She's also the host of The Indy Author Podcast, which has been running since 2016 with nearly 270 episodes. As a writing consultant and speaker, Matty helps authors navigate both the craft and business sides of publishing. Her expertise in podcasting for authors stems from years of hosting her own show and appearing as a guest on numerous other podcasts, making her a valuable resource for authors looking to leverage audio content for platform building.

In this episode:

• Why authors should be podcast listeners before becoming podcast guests

• The importance of having expertise beyond just your own book

• How to research and identify the right podcasts for your genre

• Creating personal connections with podcast hosts for better opportunities

• Developing multiple conversation angles beyond "I wrote a book"

• Using podcasts for networking and building long-term relationships

• The difference between book tour podcasts and expertise-focused shows

• Why social media matchmaking services can help beginners practice

• Creating effective one-pagers and pitch materials for hosts

• How podcast appearances can lead to speaking gigs and consulting opportunities

Resources mentioned:

• PodMatch for podcast guest/host connections

• The Indy Author Podcast (Almost 300 now!)

• BookFunnel for cross-promotion strategies

• Author Nation conference for networking

Book Recommendations:

• Podcasting for Authors by Matty Dalrymple

• The Podcast Guest Playbook by Matty Dalrymple & Mark Leslie Lefebvre

Connect with Matty Dalrymple:

• Website: theindyauthor.com

• Fiction website: mattydalrymple.com

• The Indy Author Podcast

• Fiction series: Rock, Paper, Scissors (Lizzy Ballard thrillers)

• The Falcon and the Owl (Ann Kinnear suspense)

Connect with Teddy Smith:

• @teddyagsmith
• Website: https://publishingperformance.com/?ref=ywm3mtc
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/publishingperformance/
• Pinterest - https://nz.pinterest.com/publishingperformance/
• Instagram - https://instagram.com/publishingperformanceinsta
• Youtube -https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHV6ltaUB4SULkU6JEMhFSw
• Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/publishing-performance/

Support the show

Discover More with Our Curated Starter Packs: https://teddyagsmith.com/starter-packs/

Hassan Osman is an Amazon bestselling author and the founder of Sidegig Hacks and Writer on the Side. While maintaining a demanding corporate career, Hassan has published over 20 books with 9 Amazon bestsellers reaching over 120,000 readers, plus 17 courses with 430,000+ unique students. His expertise lies in creating short, focused books (10,000-12,000 words) for busy managers and corporate leaders, covering soft skills and leadership development. Hassan advocates for treating books as "business cards on steroids" - tools that generate more revenue from opportunities they create than from direct sales. His systematic approach emphasizes the 80-20 principle, focusing on content repurposing across multiple platforms including Amazon, Udemy, and Gumroad.

In this episode:

• Why books are "business cards on steroids" that open bigger opportunities
• The four-circle method for choosing profitable book topics
• Writing 10,000-word books that people actually finish reading
• How promotion starts before the book is completed
• Content repurposing strategies across books, courses, podcasts, and social media
• Using popular highlights from Kindle to create Twitter content
• Publishing under multiple pen names for different genres
• Udemy course creation: turning $600 books into $35,000 courses
• Gumroad strategies for packaging books with additional bonuses
• Custom ChatGPT creation for writing in your own voice
• The Four Week Write Your Book system and course
• Building sustainable creator workflows while working full-time

Resources mentioned:

• Sidegig Hacks newsletter: http://www.sidegighacks.com/
• Writer on the Side blog and podcast: https://www.writerontheside.com/
• Amazon KDP: https://kdp.amazon.com/
• Udemy: https://www.udemy.com/
• Gumroad: https://gumroad.com/
• ChatGPT Plus

Book Recommendations:

• Write Your Book on the Side by Hassan Osman (free): https://course.writerontheside.com/
• Better Online Meetings by Hassan Osman: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FPB2Y6K?&linkCode=ll1&tag=pubperf-20&linkId=400c65572fa1761b41f901ed6233057c&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

Connect with Hassan Osman:

• Website: https://www.writerontheside.com/
• Newsletter: http://www.sidegighacks.com/
• Course: https://course.writerontheside.com/
• Email: hassan@writerontheside.com

Connect with Teddy Smith:

• @teddyagsmith
• Website: https://publishingperformance.com/?ref=ywm3mtc
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/publishingperformance/
• Pinterest - https://nz.pinterest.com/publishingperformance/
• Instagram - https://instagram.com/publishingperformanceinsta
• Youtube -https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHV6ltaUB4SULkU6JEMhFSw
• Linkedin -

Support the show

Discover More with Our Curated Starter Packs: https://teddyagsmith.com/starter-packs/

Michael La Ronn is a bestselling author who has published over 100 books while maintaining a full-time corporate job and family life. After a near-death experience in 2012, he transformed from aspiring writer to prolific author, developing systematic approaches to productivity that he shares in his non-fiction books and YouTube channel. Michael writes primarily science fiction and fantasy featuring bold underdogs, and has built a substantial following through his Author Level Up YouTube channel with nearly 50,000 subscribers. His expertise lies in time management, dictation techniques, and maintaining consistent writing output through innovative productivity methods including mobile writing, visualization techniques, and strategic project switching.

In this episode:

• How a near-death experience in 2012 sparked his writing calling
• Managing 100+ books while working full-time and raising a family
• The three ways to manage time: add, edit, and delete
• Writing on mobile devices using Scrivener and Microsoft Word
• The power of switching between projects to avoid writer's block
• Visualization techniques for solving story problems
• Documentation-based outlining for pantsers who write by discovery
• Dictation workflows using voice recorders and AI transcription
• Using "Pikachu" as a dictation safe word for error correction
• Capturing story ideas religiously for 15 years in digital notebooks
• Building sustainable writing habits without burnout
• The Author Level Up YouTube channel and writing app tutorials

Resources mentioned:

• Scrivener app
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft OneNote
• Apple Notes
• Evernote
• ChatGPT and Claude
• Grammarly
• ProWritingAid
• ProsWrite (AI transcription software)
• Google Notebook
• Microsoft Excel
• Plotter

Book Recommendations:

• Be A Writing Machine by Michael La Ronn: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1985174480?&linkCode=ll1&tag=pubperf-20&linkId=400c65572fa1761b41f901ed6233057c&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
• Be A Writing Machine 2.0 by Michael La Ronn: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMYYJ182?&linkCode=ll1&tag=pubperf-20&linkId=400c65572fa1761b41f901ed6233057c&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
• How to Dictate a Book by Michael La Ronn: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09HG55P5Q?&linkCode=ll1&tag=pubperf-20&linkId=400c65572fa1761b41f901ed6233057c&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

Connect with Michael La Ronn:

• Website: https://authorlevelup.com/
• Fiction website: https://www.michaellaronn.com/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/authorlevelup

Discover More with Our Curated Starter Packs: https://teddyagsmith.com/starter-packs/

Connect with Teddy Smith:

• @teddyagsmith
• Website: https://publishingperformance.com/?ref=ywm3mtc
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/publishingperformance/
• Pinterest - https://nz.pinterest.com/publishingperformance/
• Instagram - https://instagram.com/publishingperformanceinsta
• Youtube -https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHV6ltaUB4SULkU6JEMhFSw

Support the show

Discover More with Our Curated Starter Packs: https://teddyagsmith.com/starter-packs/

Chris Benetti is the founder of Smart Author Media and a book funnel marketing expert who has sold over 55,000 books for his clients. Specializing in self-liquidating book funnels and Facebook advertising, Chris helps authors turn their books into profitable lead generation tools that feed into higher-ticket offers and services. His agency focuses exclusively on the Meta suite (Facebook and Instagram) and has generated over $750,000 in revenue for clients while spending $250,000 on ads. Chris's systematic approach combines detailed funnel strategy, conversion rate optimization, and creative testing to help authors build sustainable book-based businesses rather than just selling individual books.

In this episode:

• Understanding self-liquidating book funnels and how they pay for themselves
• Why books rarely make profit on their own and need strategic backend offers
• Building effective book sales pages with headlines, social proof, and bonuses
• Order bump strategies that convert 40-50% of book buyers
• Two-step order forms for lead capture and remarketing opportunities
• Upsell sequences that solve problems created by the book content
• Facebook advertising strategies focused on creative testing over targeting
• The ASCET framework for systematic ad testing and optimization
• Case study: Nigel Moore's 10X ROI with free book funnel strategy
• Why books should serve business purposes, not just generate book sales
• Conversion rate benchmarks and key metrics for funnel optimization
• The importance of having backup offers and multiple ad creatives ready

Resources mentioned:

• Smart Author Media free resource page: https://smartauthormedia.com/resources
• Meta advertising suite
• Two-step order form systems
• ChatGPT: https://openai.com/index/chatgpt/
• GoHighLevel: https://www.gohighlevel.com/
• Kartra: https://kartra.com/
• Kajabi: https://kajabi.com/
• ClickFunnels: https://www.clickfunnels.com/
• Book funnel templates
• Ad copy swipe files

Book Recommendations:

• Strategic business and systems books
• System distillation books

Connect with Chris Benetti:

• Website: https://smartauthormedia.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itsbenetti/

Connect with Teddy Smith:

• @teddyagsmith
• Website: https://publishingperformance.com/?ref=ywm3mtc
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/publishingperformance/
• Pinterest - https://nz.pinterest.com/publishingperformance/
• Instagram - https://instagram.com/publishingperformanceinsta
• Youtube -https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHV6ltaUB4SULkU6JEMhFSw
• Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/publishing-performance/

Support the show

Discover More with Our Curated Starter Packs: https://teddyagsmith.com/starter-packs/

Michael Stockham is a trial attorney and bestselling author who has successfully built a self-publishing business around his legal thriller series. Starting with a creative writing background before becoming what he calls an "accidental lawyer," Michael brings authentic courtroom detail to his novels through his 25+ years of trial experience. His debut novel "Confessions of an Accidental Lawyer" has garnered over 3,500 reviews and multiple awards, leading to his Jake Fox legal thriller series. Michael approaches his writing career as a business venture, developing systematic processes for planning, writing, and marketing his books while maintaining his full-time legal practice. He's also actively pursuing media adaptation opportunities, pitching his nine-book series concept at film festivals.

In this episode:

• How his background as a trial attorney informs his legal thriller writing
• The journey from creative writing degrees to accidental lawyer to novelist
• Building a systematic approach to writing with detailed chapter outlines
• Using story structure principles from Save the Cat and Hero's Journey
• The importance of authentic detail in courtroom and technical scenes
• Marketing strategies including BookBub feature deals and award submissions
• Working with book coach Aurora Winter for creative collaboration
• Planning a nine-book series as three interconnected trilogies
• Self-publishing through Whistling Pigs Press with freelance contractors
• Pitching book-to-TV adaptations at the Banff World Media Festival
• Building author business systems for long-term sustainability
• Balancing full-time legal career with consistent writing schedule

Resources mentioned:

• BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/
• Authors AI: https://authors.ai/
• Save the Cat writing methodology: https://savethecat.com/
• Story Grid: https://storygrid.com/
• Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing: https://kdp.amazon.com/
• Whistling Pigs Press: https://whistlepigpress.com/

Book Recommendations:

• Save the Cat Writes a Novel: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0399579745?&linkCode=ll1&tag=pubperf-20&linkId=400c65572fa1761b41f901ed6233057c&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

Connect with Michael Stockham:

• Publisher: https://whistlepigpress.com/
• Series: Jake Fox legal thrillers: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CQQFZVJJ?&linkCode=ll1&tag=pubperf-20&linkId=400c65572fa1761b41f901ed6233057c&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
• Standalone: Confessions of an Accidental Lawyer: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B5YDHHCC?&linkCode=ll1&tag=pubperf-20&linkId=400c65572fa1761b41f901ed6233057c&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

Connect with Teddy Smith:

• @teddyagsmith
• Website: https://publishingperformance.com/?ref=ywm3mtc
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/publishingperformance/
• Pinterest - https://nz.pinterest.com/publishingperformance/
• Instagram - https://instagram.com/publishingperformanceinsta
• Youtube -https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHV6ltaUB4SULkU6JEMhFSw
• Linkedin -

Support the show

Discover More with Our Curated Starter Packs: https://teddyagsmith.com/starter-packs/