SPS-473: Vellum Pulled AI

This week on The Self-Publishing Show, James Blatch and Cissy Mecca dive into the controversy surrounding Vellum's optional AI integration and the heated reaction from parts of the author community. After Vellum withdrew its new Claude-connected feature following criticism, James and Cissy explore both sides of the debate, including authors' concerns about AI training, creative ownership and the right to work without AI. They also discuss Spines, an AI-powered publishing company that has raised $64 million, and what the growth of automated publishing could mean for the industry. On a more practical note, Cissy shares how she's using ChatGPT to improve her author website's discoverability and gives an update on her latest medieval romance launch, including what's working, what's changed and her plans for the series. James also returns to ElevenLabs to produce an AI-narrated audiobook, using Claude to tackle some frustrating technical challenges, while the pair discuss AI-generated book trailers and whether viral videos actually translate into sales. Plus, James prepares for a trip to Fort Worth to finalise plans for SPS Live USA, with an eye on an even bigger event in 2028. Key Talking Points Vellum's AI integration controversy and the differing views within the author community Spines raises $64 million and the growing role of AI in publishing Using ChatGPT to improve author website discoverability and GEO Cissy's medieval romance launch results and plans for her new series AI-generated book trailers and the challenge of converting views into book sales James's experience producing an audiobook with ElevenLabs and Claude The importance of giving authors choices about how they use AI SPS Live USA preparations and potential expansion in 2028 Links & Resources Mentioned ProWritingAid https://prowritingaid.com Discount code: IWC15 for 15% off annual subscriptions Stuart Grant's Author Discoverability Session https://learnselfpublishing.com/discoverable Free access to Stuart's SPS Live session on improving author discoverability.

Black Friday is approaching, but is it a golden opportunity for indie authors or a time to rethink your advertising strategy? This week on The Self-Publishing Show, James Blatch and Cissy Mecca share their advice for navigating the busiest shopping season of the year. James explains why rising Meta advertising costs could make November particularly challenging for authors and discusses Meta's new product browsing feature and whether Amazon Ads might be a better option during the Black Friday rush. Cissy shares practical ideas for making the most of Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Small Business Saturday, from direct sales and special edition bundles to series discounts and newsletter swaps. They also discuss why understanding your own sales data is essential when planning promotions. Plus, Cissy reveals how an AI audit of her backlist uncovered a costly mistake that had been affecting her series read-through, while James shares how Claude helped identify problems with his advertising campaigns. There's also news of a Black Friday discount on two Learn Self Publishing courses, updates on upcoming writing retreats, and an invitation for authors in Fort Worth to meet up with James and Catherine ahead of SPS Live USA. Key Talking Points Black Friday marketing opportunities and challenges for indie authors Why rising Meta advertising costs could make Amazon Ads a better option in November Meta's new product browsing feature and its potential impact on advertising campaigns Direct sales, special edition bundles and Small Business Saturday promotions Series discounts, BookBub promotions and newsletter swaps Using AI to audit backlists, identify broken links and improve series read-through How Claude and ChatGPT can help optimise advertising campaigns and author websites LSP Black Friday course discounts and upcoming writing retreats Links & Resources Mentioned ProWritingAid https://prowritingaid.com Discount code: IWC15 for 15% off annual subscriptions SPS Black Friday Offers https://learnselfpublishing.com/blackfriday 25% off Amazon Ads for Authors and AI Translations for Authors courses until 11 December. Discount code: BLACKFRIDAY Vinci Books – Publishing Enquiries https://learnselfpublishing.com/vinci James Blatch – Fort Worth Meetup Enquiries [email protected]  

This week on The Self-Publishing Show, James Blatch and Cissy Mecca are joined by Hollywood screenwriter and author Thomas Dean Donnelly to discuss his new book, Superdraft, and how writers can improve their writing process to produce better books, faster. Tom explains why writers often become attached to their existing routines and how making even small changes can transform the way they work. He introduces the two competing voices in every writer's head – the creator and the critic – and explains why giving each its own space is essential for a more productive and enjoyable writing process. From brainstorming and outlining to walking, dictation and allowing your subconscious mind to do the heavy lifting, Tom shares practical techniques to help writers overcome creative blocks, generate better ideas and rediscover the joy of writing. Plus, James and Cissy discuss Amazon's announcement that Kindle Unlimited is becoming Kindle Plus, including the introduction of audiobooks and concerns about how the changes could affect author earnings. There's also exciting news that SPS Live USA has officially sold out! Key Talking Points Tom Donnelly's new book Superdraft and why writing process matters just as much as craft Understanding the creator and critic voices and how to use them effectively Why brainstorming without judgement can unlock better story ideas Finding the right balance between plotting and pantsing Making small changes to your writing routine to improve productivity The benefits of walking, dictation and giving your subconscious mind space to work How writing groups and sharing story ideas can strengthen your creative process Kindle Unlimited's move to Kindle Plus and concerns about audiobook payments SPS Live USA sells out, with a waiting list being set up Links & Resources Mentioned ProWritingAid https://prowritingaid.com Discount code: IWC15 for 15% off annual subscriptions SPS Patreon / Support https://learnselfpublishing.com/support SPS Live LONDON  https://learnselfpublishing.com/spslive SPS Live USA Waitlist https://learnselfpublishing.com/spsliveusa SPS Live Digital Recordings https://learnselfpublishing.com/digital Superdraft TD Donnelly: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0HN6P14X3 

This week on The Self-Publishing Show, James Blatch and Cissy Mecca tackle a growing concern for indie authors: is the flood of AI-generated books making it harder for genuine authors to get noticed and earn a living? James shares some worrying findings from research into AI-written books, alongside data from Alex Newton showing how AI-generated titles are making their way into competitive Amazon categories. They discuss what this means for authors, the potential impact on Kindle Unlimited earnings, and why building a loyal readership and maintaining a strong newsletter could be more important than ever. Cissy also shares a clever and affordable way to create special edition paperbacks using IngramSpark, plus a fresh approach to newsletter swaps after analysing the marketing habits of successful romance authors. There's also an update on latest on SPS Live USA ticket sales, and news of another speaker joining the Fort Worth line-up. Key Talking Points The growing number of AI-generated books and their impact on indie publishing Alex Newton's findings on AI-written books in competitive Amazon categories Concerns about manipulated rankings, page reads and Kindle Unlimited earnings Why building your own audience and email list matters more than ever Cissy's affordable special edition paperback hack using IngramSpark Bringing back newsletter swaps to reach new readers Using AI to improve reader freebies, websites and newsletter marketing SPS Live USA ticket updates and Mark Recklau joining the speaker line-up Links & Resources Mentioned ProWritingAid: https://prowritingaid.com Discount code: IWC15 SPS Patreon: https://learnselfpublishing.com/support SPS Live 2027 USA: https://learnselfpublishing.com/spsliveusa SPS Live 2027 LONDON: https://www.learnselfpublishing.com/spslive

This week on The Self-Publishing Show, James Blatch and Cissy Mecca are joined by Stuart Grant to talk about author discoverability in the age of AI and why your author website might be more important than ever. Stuart explains how the way readers search for books and authors is changing, and what authors can do to make sure they're being found and recommended by tools such as ChatGPT. They discuss the difference between traditional SEO and the newer GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation), the importance of keeping your online information consistent, and some surprisingly simple ways to improve your website's visibility. James and Cissy also share their own experiences of updating their websites using AI, and Stuart offers listeners a free author website audit to help identify what's missing. Plus, there's an update on SPS Live USA, including ticket prices, Founders tickets and when tickets will go on sale. Key Talking Points Author discoverability and how AI is changing the way readers find books SEO versus GEO and what authors need to know Why your author website is central to your online presence Using schema markup to help search engines and AI understand your website How ChatGPT and Claude can help with website optimisation The importance of FAQs, blogging and consistent author information Stuart Grant's free website audit for SPS listeners SPS Live USA ticket prices and early access for Patreon supporters Links & Resources Mentioned ProWritingAid: https://prowritingaid.com Discount code: IWC15 Free Author Website Audit: https://learnselfpublishing.com/audit SPS Patreon / Support: https://learnselfpublishing.com/support SPS Live USA Waitlist: https://learnselfpublishing.com/spsliveusa SPS Live Digital Recordings: https://learnselfpublishing.com/digital Stuart Grant – http://digitalauthorstoolkit.com   https://reedsy.com/stuart-grant On social media @stuartgrantuk on all platforms

Big news this week – The Self-Publishing Show Live is coming to the USA! James Blatch and Cissy Mecca reveal the plans for the first SPS Live USA, taking place at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden in Texas on April 29th and 30th, 2027. The first year will be deliberately small, with just 200 places available, and the first 100 people on the waitlist will have the chance to secure special Founders tickets. They also reveal the first two speakers: bestselling romance author Lucy Score and Hollywood screenwriter Tom Donnelly. James talks through why Fort Worth was chosen, plans for keeping the event affordable and what they want to bring across from the London conference. Elsewhere, James and Cissy discuss the latest controversy surrounding RARE London 2027 and the large number of authors withdrawing from the event. James also shares an update on his Etsy experiment, including what happened when he promoted his Cold War book package directly to his mailing list and why bringing your own traffic to a new sales platform can make such a difference. Key Talking Points SPS Live USA officially announced for April 29th–30th, 2027 Fort Worth Botanic Garden confirmed as the venue The event will be limited to 200 attendees in its first year The first 100 people on the waitlist will be offered Founders tickets Lucy Score and Tom Donnelly announced as the first speakers Why SPS Live USA will avoid traditional hotel room blocks The latest controversy surrounding RARE London 2027 James's Etsy experiment and selling books as gift packages Why driving your own traffic to a new platform can help generate sales Avoiding "shiny new object" syndrome and focusing on what's already working Links & Resources Mentioned ProWritingAid: https://prowritingaid.com Discount code: IWC15 SPS Live USA Waitlist: https://learnselfpublishing.com/spsliveusa SPS Patreon / Support: https://learnselfpublishing.com/support

This week on The Self-Publishing Show, it's launch day for Cissy Mecca's latest medieval romance, while James Blatch is getting serious about his own writing again, with a preorder underway and book two already taking shape. The main discussion focuses on two significant developments at Amazon KDP. James and Cissy look at the new limits on the number of titles authors can upload each week and reports that Amazon may no longer be honouring permafree price matching. They discuss why these changes may be happening, how they could affect different types of indie authors, and why adapting to changes outside your control is simply part of running an author business. There's also news from SPS Live London 2027, with Isabelle Knight and A.P. Beswick announced as the latest speakers, plus details of ProWritingAid's Novel November, the Orlando writing retreat and a very big SPS announcement coming next week. Key Talking Points Cissy's launch day and the next book already on preorder Amazon KDP's new weekly publishing limits What the KDP changes could mean for rapid-release authors and translations Reports of changes to Amazon's permafree price matching Adapting your author business when platforms change the rules ProWritingAid's Novel November writing challenge Isabelle Knight and A.P. Beswick announced for SPS Live London 2027 Writing routines, deadlines, editors and accountability The Orlando writing retreat and the value of author communities A major SPS announcement coming next week Links & Resources Mentioned ProWritingAid: https://prowritingaid.com Discount code: IWC15 Orlando retreat waitlist - indiewritersclub.com/orlando Cissy's New Series: https://www.amazon.com/Ruthless-But-Her-Captive-Medieval-ebook/dp/B0HDN38GS6 James' new A+: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spider-espionage-thriller-Espionage-Thrillers-ebook/dp/B0HJQBSTGD/ PWA's Nov-Nov: https://prowritingaid.com/novel-november Meta Link Workaround: https://youtu.be/frjsqfhKruI?si=cKvwPiYc-yk9_2Ym For the FB messages: Log into business page Go to: https://business.facebook.com/latest/inbox/automated_responses Select "custom keywords" automation

This week on The Self-Publishing Show, James Blatch and Cissy Mecca catch up from opposite sides of Europe, with Cissy joining from Sicily as she prepares for the September 29th launch of her new book. James shares news from Learn Self-Publishing, including plans for a brand-new course, Self-Publishing Pathway, which will replace Launchpad and be built from the ground up for today's publishing landscape. He also reveals details of the Orlando writing retreat taking place in March and teases a major industry announcement coming on October 8th. The main discussion turns to AI audio, as James shares his latest experience using ElevenLabs to create an audiobook version of his novella Desert Venom. They look at how much AI narration has improved, where AI-narrated audiobooks can currently be distributed, and the cost and practical considerations for indie authors. Cissy also gives an update on her upcoming book launch, including ARC readers, Meta preorder ads, Amazon Ads and her new Vanguard reader group. She shares how she's using Claude and ChatGPT to analyse years of sales, newsletter and BookBub data to help shape a more data-driven launch strategy. Key Talking Points The new Self-Publishing Pathway course and the future of Launchpad The Orlando writing retreat in March A major Learn Self-Publishing announcement coming October 8th James's experience creating an AI-narrated audiobook with ElevenLabs Where authors can distribute AI-narrated audiobooks Human narration versus AI narration and the cost of producing audio Cissy's September 29th book launch and ARC reader strategy Meta preorder ads, Amazon Ads and the new Vanguard reader group Using Claude and ChatGPT to analyse historical sales and marketing data Links & Resources Mentioned ProWritingAid: https://prowritingaid.com Discount code: IWC15 SPS Patreon / Support: https://learnselfpublishing.com/support Orlando Writing Retreat Waitlist: https://indiewritersclub.com/orlando ElevenLabs: https://elevenlabs.io

This week on The Self-Publishing Show, James Blatch is joined by author Skye McKinnon to dig into the numbers behind BookBub Featured Deals and ask whether they still offer authors the same value they once did. Skye shares data from 28 BookBub deals, showing how the additional sales generated by her 99-cent promotions have fallen significantly over the years. They discuss whether the cost still stacks up, the results from free promotions, and whether combining several smaller newsletter promotions could offer better value. The conversation also turns to Skye's recent success with Instagram and Facebook Reels. After experimenting with short-form content using Author Scale, she saw older books that had barely been selling suddenly take off, with some reels reaching hundreds of thousands of views. James also shares a few thoughts on using AI, including where tools such as Claude can be useful for analysing author business data – and where authors should be more cautious about relying on their answers. Key Talking Points Skye McKinnon's findings from 28 BookBub Featured Deals Whether BookBub promotions still offer good value for authors Free versus 99-cent promotions and the importance of sell-through Stacking smaller newsletter promotions as an alternative to BookBub Skye's success using Instagram and Facebook Reels to revive older books Using Author Scale to create short-form book content Repurposing successful organic content for paid advertising Using AI to analyse author business and advertising data Links & Resources Mentioned ProWritingAid: https://prowritingaid.com Discount code: IWC15 SPS Patreon / Support: https://learnselfpublishing.com/support BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com SPS LIVE 2027 tickets are now available: https://www.learnselfpublishing.com/spslive

This week on The Self-Publishing Show, James Blatch and Cissy Mecca are together in Pennsylvania after celebrating the wedding of their friends Lucy Score and Tim. James even had the honour of officiating the ceremony. There's also exciting news for Lucy Score fans: Things We Never Got Over is heading to the screen, with filming for the Amazon Prime series, titled Runaway, about to begin in Vancouver. Inspired by Lucy and Tim's own friends-to-lovers story, James and Cissy dive into romance tropes and why they work. Cissy runs through some of the most popular tropes with readers right now, from enemies to lovers and forced proximity to fake dating, grumpy/sunshine, second chance and fated mates. They look at how tropes create conflict and reader expectations, how authors can combine several tropes in one book, and why the same relationship dynamics can be useful well beyond romance. Key Talking Points Why building an audience and strong author business matters before a breakout moment arrives Why tropes have become such a powerful part of romance marketing How BookTok has helped make readers increasingly trope-aware Enemies to lovers and why it remains such a popular trope Forced proximity and the "one bed" microtrope Combining multiple tropes to build conflict and tension Fake dating and arranged relationship scenarios Grumpy/sunshine and opposites attract Friends to lovers and second-chance romance Protective and morally grey heroes Fated mates Using romance-style relationship dynamics in thrillers, crime, fantasy and science fiction Why successful tropes still need believable characters, conflict and emotional development A preview of next week's discussion on book promotions and BookBub Featured Deal performance Links & Resources Mentioned ProWritingAid: https://prowritingaid.com Discount code: IWC15 SPS Live 2027 TICKETS are now available here is the link for more information: https://www.learnselfpublishing.com/spslive