Best James Blatch Podcasts (2025)

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066 - AI Translations, A10 Algorithm and other stuff 47:37

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4d ago47:37

47:37

In this episode Jame & Cara start to look back on a fast moving year for indie publishing. They touch on AI Translations, one of the big breakthrough areas, the mythical A10 Amazon Algorithm and plenty of other chat! USEFUL LINKS: Get 15% of annual plans at our sponsor ProWritingAid by using code IWC15 https://www.prowritingaid.com Join our Patreon…

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2025 Author Survey Results 1:00:20

7d ago1:00:20

1:00:20

Ricci and Ferol break down the newest Written Word Media Author Survey, sharing what more than 1,300 authors revealed about income, catalog size, marketing tactics, and where book sales are really coming from in 2025. They discuss the continued importance of email lists, how packaging influences sales, the realities of KDP Select vs. going wide, an…

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065 - Building a Direct Empire (with AP Beswick) 55:28

12d ago55:28

55:28

We are joined by the multi-talented Adam Beswick (AP Beswick) to talk empire building. Adam has used TikTok to build a loyal following of readers and he now focuses on selling direct to them, using TikTok Shop and TikTok Lives. He's an evangelist for the platform and he has a fantastic mindset. It's a great chat! USEFUL LINKS: Get 15% of annual pla…

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064 - Drafting a Novel 41:22

19d ago41:22

41:22

It's NovelNovember and we're both drafting a new novel! USEFUL LINKS: Get 15% of annual plans at our sponsor ProWritingAid by using code IWC15 https://www.prowritingaid.com Join our Patreon for exclusive access including Live Q&As with James & Cara and your chance to discuss your writing career. https://www.indiewritersclub.com/support…

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AI Rights and the Future of Publishing with Created by Humans Founder Trip Adler 31:11

21d ago31:11

31:11

In the newest episode of The Written Word Media Podcast, Scribd co-founder Tripp Adler joins Ricci Wolman to explore how his newest venture, Created by Humans, is helping authors navigate the rise of artificial intelligence. When you listen in, you will learn what AI rights are, how they fit into existing publishing contracts, and why this new mode…

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063 - Influencing the Influencers 35:35

26d ago35:35

35:35

This week Cara & James touch on the subject of influencers and how to use them. James also talks about the coming AI storm for ads, he reports on AuthorNation and rants about the cost of living! USEFUL LINKS: Get 15% of annual plans at our sponsor ProWritingAid by using code IWC15 https://www.prowritingaid.com Join our Patreon for exclusive access …

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062 - News from AuthorNation Vegas 36:34

1M ago36:34

36:34

In this week's episode, James reports from AuthorNation, indie publishing's largest conference. The talk is of new technology, a recent slump in ads effectiveness and the possibility of more seismic changes to come! USEFUL LINKS: Get 15% of annual plans at our sponsor ProWritingAid by using code IWC15 https://www.prowritingaid.com Join our Patreon …

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How to Build Courage and Silence Self-Doubt as an Author 33:48

1M ago33:48

33:48

In this inspiring episode, Ferol sits down with Jonathan Graham, founder of Daily Courage, to explore how creatives can turn fear into fuel. Jonathan shares his journey from Silicon Valley to launching a mission-driven business dedicated to helping people remove fear as a barrier to their potential. Together, they unpack practical tools like the “f…

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061 - Author Scams & Ghost Writing 39:40

1M ago39:40

39:40

This week we delve into the intriguing world of ghost writing. You might know Cara is/has been, a professional ghost writer and she spills the beans on this industry that takes place largely in the shadows. We also touch on the sudden epidemic of author scams using AI to highly personalise the first approaches. USEFUL LINKS: Get 15% of annual plans…

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060 - How to Create an INCREDIBLE AI Assistant 55:25

2M ago55:25

55:25

This week we have a bona fide guest! Cissy Mecca is a close friend and fellow author whose work I'm constantly admiring—she's brilliant at finding innovative ways to streamline our publishing workflow. (And she's an incredible writer, too.) We recently stayed together in Florence, and I was fascinated watching her receive her daily structure from h…

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The Future of Indie Publishing: Real Talk with James Blatch 22:16

2M ago22:16

22:16

The indie publishing world is moving fast - and the authors who stay curious are the ones who thrive. In this live-recorded episode from the Novelist Inc. (NINC) Conference, Ferol Vernon sits down with James Blatch, co-founder of Self Publishing Formula, to talk about what's working right now for independent authors. From AI translation tools that …

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059 - Trad Vs Indie - Is There Now a Winner? 41:31

2M ago41:31

41:31

We discuss the the state of Trad vs Indie after a couple of comments from notable authors and commentators and come to an interesting conclusion! Also - it's possible Taylor Swift is secretly self-publishing poetry on Amazon KDP! We look at the evidence and implications... USEFUL LINKS: Get 15% of annual plans at our sponsor ProWritingAid by using …

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058 - The Big Facebook Ads Experiement 40:53

2M ago40:53

40:53

Much has happened behind the scenes of the Facebook Ads Manager and so james is setting out a series of tests. spending money on various combinations of Adv+ and manual targeting to see what's working now. James also reveals the finalists for the 2025 Amazon Kindle Storyteller Award without giving away any judging secrets! USEFUL LINKS: Get 15% of …

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Hybrid Publishing Lessons with Erica Rooney: From Writing to Launch 29:13

2M ago29:13

29:13

By Written Word Media

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057 - The New Era of AI Searching 51:01

2M ago51:01

51:01

It's Friday! It's the Indie Writers Club! We continue our deep dive into the new era of searching using AI. Even if you are dead set against all things AI - you cannot ignore the fact that readers will be searching for your books using AI in the future. That means you need to adapt the way you describe your books, where you list them and a host of …

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056 - Get Your Books Ready for GEO! 41:17

2M ago41:17

41:17

The era of keywords and Google searches is coming to an end. Searching through a longer form conversation with an AI is already taking over. That means we need to get our blurbs and book packages ready for the new era. James & Cara discuss the take-aways from NINC including Ricardo Fayet's talk on GEO. USEFUL LINKS: Ricardo's Blog: indiewritersclub…

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Productivity Hacks Every Author Needs 36:12

3M ago36:12

36:12

Staying productive as an author isn’t just about writing more - it’s about creating systems that help you focus, avoid burnout, and actually enjoy the process. In this episode of The Written Word Podcast, Ricci Wolman and Ferol Vernon share their favorite productivity hacks, from planning your week with intention to using the Pomodoro technique and…

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055 - Are Facebook Ads Back? 37:19

3M ago37:19

37:19

In episode 55, James reports from the Floridian beach where he's attending the annual NINC conference. He and Cara also report some encouraging signs from their Facebook Ads campaigns. USEFUL LINKS: Join our Patreon for exclusive access including Live Q&As with James & Cara and your chance to discuss your writing career. https://www.indiewritersclu…

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054 - Becoming a Full Time Author 50:21

3M ago50:21

50:21

Making the switch from hobbyist to full-time author is a dream for many. But it comes with its own challenges. From two of us who have become full time self-employed, we go through some of the pitfalls and areas to think about. USEFUL LINKS: Self Publishing Launchpad is open for enrolment: https://www.learnselfpublishing.com/launchpad Join our Patr…

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How to Grow Your Author Email List (and Why It Matters More Than Ever) 29:51

3M ago29:51

29:51

Your email list is one of the most powerful marketing tools you’ll ever build as an author. However, getting from zero to thousands of subscribers can feel overwhelming. In this episode of The Written Word Podcast, Ricci Wolman and Ferol Vernon break down practical, proven strategies to grow your list. From adding your first 15 “friendlies” to usin…

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053 - Audio Books for Authors - Part 2 47:52

3M ago47:52

47:52

It's part 2 of our discussion about generating income from audio versions of your books. We talk about the AI options among other things, and James has a mini rant about the opposition many authors still face, because they use the latest technology which is available to all. USEFUL LINKS: ElevenLabs: https://www.indiewritersclub.com/elevenlabs Join…

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052 - Audio Books for Authors - Part 1 34:12

3M ago34:12

34:12

We take a two episode dive into audio books. In the first part we discuss the options facing indies, such as wide or exclusive, self produce or collaborate etc. USEFUL LINKS: Join our Patreon for exclusive access including Live Q&As with James & Cara and your chance to discuss your writing career. https://www.indiewritersclub.com/support Self Publi…

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How to Grow Your Author Platform: The Power of Building an Email List 41:35

4M ago41:35

41:35

Email marketing isn’t dead - in fact, it might just be your most valuable tool as an indie author. In this episode, Ricci and Ferol break down why building and nurturing your email list is still one of the smartest and most effective ways to connect with readers and sell more books. You’ll Learn: Why email offers a stronger ROI than social or paid …

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051 - How to Plot Your Next Novel 44:32

4M ago44:32

44:32

There's no correct way to plot, but here are our suggestions. Mentioned in the pod were my 5 points to note during plotting - see below the links. USEFUL LINKS: Join our Patreon for exclusive access including Live Q&As with James & Cara and your chance to discuss your writing career. https://www.indiewritersclub.com/support Novel November - a new w…

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050 - News Round Up 47:44

4M ago47:44

47:44

Episode 50 is a good time to take stock of the industry and discuss the latest developments that can affect our indie world. Useful links: LSP Launchpad Course waitlist: https://www.learnselfpublishing.com/launchpad Get your ticket for SPS Live: https://www.learnselfpublishing.com/spslive Join our Patreon for exclusive access including Live Q&As wi…

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How to Promote Your Book on Any Budget (and Other Questions You’re Probably Asking) 36:14

4M ago36:14

36:14

Want to sell more books without breaking the bank? Curious which promos actually work and how to tell? Ricci Wolman, Ferol Vernon, and Emma Boyer answer the most common (and important) questions we get from authors every day. How to promote with a small budget. How to revive a backlist that’s gone quiet. What to do when Amazon throws you a curvebal…

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049 - Your First Two Years as an Indie Author 47:10

4M ago47:10

47:10

Let's talk about the author platform you need to build. This episode covers those crucial foundation months as you start out. USEFUL LINKS: Join our Patreon for exclusive access including Live Q&As with James & Cara and your chance to discuss your writing career. https://www.indiewritersclub.com/support…

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048 - Are Facebook Ads Still Number One for Authors? 40:44

4M ago40:44

40:44

Welcome to episode 48 of the Indie Writers Club. This week Cara (spicy romance, romance) and James Blatch (thrillers) discuss Facebook (Meta) Ads. For years they have reigned supreme as the goto resource to drive readers to Amazon. But are they still working for writers? USEFUL LINKS: Join our Patreon for exclusive access including Live Q&As with J…

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How Email Promos Actually Work (and Why They Still Sell Books) 32:27

4M ago32:27

32:27

If you want to sell more books, reach more readers, and spend less time guessing what works, start here. In this episode, Ricci Wolman and Ferol Vernon break down the strategy that helped launch the careers of countless successful indie authors - email promos. They’ll explain what email promos are, when to run them, and why they’re still one of the…

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Boost Your Book Sales with the Latest Trends from the Self Publishing Show (SPS) London 40:46

4M ago40:46

40:46

Emma Boyer is back from London and joins Ferol and Ricci to share her key takeaways from the Self Publishing Show (SPS)—Europe’s biggest indie author conference. In this episode, the team breaks down what they saw, heard, and felt at SPS and what it means for indie authors in 2025. You’ll Learn: Emerging trends in streaming vs. subscription audiobo…

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How Free Promos Can Grow Your Author Business 30:04

4M ago30:04

30:04

Welcome to the very first episode of The Written Word Podcast. This show is for people who write stories—and want them to be read. Authors. Indie or traditional. Aspiring or ten books deep. Each week, we dive into the business of being an author—marketing strategies, growing your audience, and selling more books. What’s working, what’s not, and wha…

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047 - How to Translate Your Books and Sell in Foreign Markets 59:43

5M ago59:43

59:43

In this episode we deep dive into the process and strategy for launching your English language books into global markets. We recommend scribeshadow.com (they are not a sponsor, this is a genuine recommendation). You can use our referral code IWC50 for 50% off your first month. You download a free PDF that contains the key points from the discussion…

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046 - The Dark Side of AI 35:24

5M ago35:24

35:24

I'll confess, I love using AI for various parts of my marketing and editing, but even as an advocate of what AI can do for us writers, even I know there is a dark side. I experienced that recently with an email and in this episode we talk about how scammers are always one-step ahead. USEFUL LINKS: Join our Patreon for exclusive access including Liv…

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045 - How to Use an AI Manuscript Critique 48:04

5M ago48:04

48:04

In this episode of the Indie Writers Club, James and Cara discuss various aspects of writing, the use of AI in manuscript critiques, and the impact of translations on indie publishing. They explore the benefits of using tools like ProWritingAid, the importance of character development, and the themes that resonate within their stories. The conversa…

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044 - Writers Retreat and Conference Report 39:11

5M ago39:11

39:11

In this episode, Cara and James reflect on their recent experiences at the first IWC Writers' Retreat and the SPS Live conference. They discuss the networking opportunities, feedback from workshop sessions, and the sense of community among indie writers. Useful links: Join our Patreon for exclusive access including Live Q&As with James & Cara and y…

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043 - How to Survive the Editing Process 48:54

6M ago48:54

48:54

It's the Indie Writers Club with Cara & James! This week we talk editing/revising/rewriting, whatever you call it. Some of us love it (me) some hate it (Cara) but we all have to do it! Big thanks to our sponsors prowritingaid.com, who make the entire process SO much easier (use code IWC15 for 15% off annual plans). _________________________________…

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042 - Create the Perfect Writing Environment 50:46

6M ago50:46

50:46

Do you listen to music? Work on a sofa? Write at 5am or midnight? In this episode we discuss the various ways we can create an atmosphere conducive to creativity and productivity. ___________________________________________ Join our Patreon: https://www.indiewritersclub.com/supportBy James Blatch & Cara Clare

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041 - It's time to work less to achieve more... 51:19

6M ago51:19

51:19

It might sound counter intuitive, but in this episode we'll use Cal Newport's guide to productivity to show that working less and working better is the future. It will take a mindset change to shake off the notion that we 'need to be busy' in order to be productive. _______________________________________ Join our Patreon to get closer to the Show:…

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040 - The Amazon Algorithm Change You NEED to Know About 44:02

6M ago44:02

44:02

Episode 040 of The Indie Writers Club! In this episode James & Cara discuss the significant implications for indie authors of Amazons algorithm upgrade from A9 and A10. Support the podcast by becoming a Patreon supporter and joining our lively community of self published authors. https://www.indiewritersclub.com/support…

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039 - How Many Authors Now Use AI? 48:15

6M ago48:15

48:15

In this week's episode James & Cara review BookBub's author survey on attitudes to AI. You can read the survey using the link below. We also discuss our current work-in-progress and reflect on last week's Patreon Live Q&A! Links: Patreon: https://www.indiewritersclub.com/support BookBub Author AI Survey: https://insights.bookbub.com/how-authors-are…

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038 - GLADIATOR II: What a Mess! 53:37

7M ago53:37

53:37

In this episode we review and dissect Ridley's Scott's sequel to the incredible film Gladiator. Spoiler alert, we did not use the expression 'incredible' to describe it... LINKS: Support us via our Patreon and take part in a live monthly Q&A among other great perks: patreon.com/indiewritersclub Head to prowritingaid.com and use code IWC15 for 15% o…

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037 - How to Get Your Book Made into a Hollywood Film! 56:29

7M ago56:29

56:29

In this special episode, James is joined by Hollywood scriptwriter Tom Donnelly. They discuss the chances of getting your book optioned and how to create a story that will grip your reader.By James Blatch & Cara Clare

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036 - Indie News Round Up 42:18

7M ago42:18

42:18

In this episode of the Indie Writers Club, James reports back from the Global Publishing Summit in Seville, they discuss the launch of a men only publishing house and they discuss James' venture into AI translations. Links: Join our Patreon: https://www.indiewritersclub.com/supportBy James Blatch & Cara Clare

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035 - Character First Writing 38:10

7M ago38:10

38:10

In this episode of the Indie Writers Club, James & Cara revisit the topic of Character. Story versus character is a debate we had in an earlier episode and we decided that the perfect outcome is when your characters lead the story and when the story changes your characters. As Sharon Horgan says...people remember the characters long after they've f…

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034 - Selling Your Backlist 33:05

8M ago33:05

33:05

James reports from an author mastermind event in Aruba (not in Mexico, it turns out). They discuss various tips and ideas especially around selling your existing titles. Also - try out the Google Animation tool on your covers: https://aistudio.google.com/generate-videoBy James Blatch & Cara Clare

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033 - Self Publishing News & Trends 51:10

8M ago51:10

51:10

In this episode James & Cara discuss the week's developments in the indie world and James starts an experiment to see if AI translation service Scribeshadow can do a good enough job on his novels to launch them in France with no human intervention.By James Blatch & Cara Clare

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032 - Writing in a Series for Optimal Sales 44:06

8M ago44:06

44:06

In this episode James & Cara discuss the latest developments in the world of publishing and they discuss how to write in a series or serial to maximise book sales. Support the Show and get exclusive benefits by joining our Patreon: https://www.indiewritersclub.com/supportBy James Blatch & Cara Clare

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031 - Patreon Launch 46:31

8M ago46:31

46:31

It's your chance to become a part of the IWC and help us stay on air. Head to indiewritersclub.com/support to sign up.By James Blatch & Cara Clare

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030 - Did Meta Steal Your Book? 56:26

9M ago56:26

56:26

We discuss the use by Meta of pirated versions of books to build their AI. And we talk about our own action points from the fabulous Ireland's Publishing Show. Useful links: Check if your book has been pirated on LibGen: https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2025/03/search-libgen-data-set/682094/ Free PDF - Five Immediate Actions Indie Aut…

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029 - Does AI Hate Your Novel? 35:50

9M ago35:50

35:50

In this episode Cara and James road test a new AI manuscript analysis tool from seasoned experts, ProWritingAid. The results were...unexpected. Try out the tool yourself: indiewritersclub.com/pwaBy James Blatch & Cara Clare