065 - Building a Direct Empire (with AP Beswick)

In this episode of the Indie Writers Club, Cara talks us through her launch strategy for a standalone book (a Chatterly retelling with vampires and spice!).This is one of the toughest challenges for indies. Our process generally relies on series and readthrough, but with the many options emerging for exploiting your book (translations, special editions etc) might this be a future strategy we can all follow?**** WARNING - NSFW - WE DO DISCUSS SPICE SCENES ****USEFUL LINKS:Join the AI Translations course waitlist:https://www.learnselfpublishing.com/aitranslationsGet 15% of annual plans at our sponsor ProWritingAid by using code IWC15https://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

This week Cara and I review the current happenings in the world of indie and we briefly discuss our own plans for 2026.And at 43.47 (if you want to skip ahead) Cara makes a sad announcement :(We both wish you a Happy New Year and here's to an enjoyable, fun 2026!James.USEFUL LINKS:Get 15% of annual plans at our sponsor ProWritingAid by using code IWC15https://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

In this festive episode of the Indie Writers Club, James Blatch and Cara Clare discuss the challenges of taking downtime during the holiday season while managing their writing businesses. They reflect on sales trends during Christmas, share personal experiences with marketing strategies, and delve into the impact of TikTok's algorithm changes on book promotion. The conversation also highlights success stories in indie publishing, the implications of AI in translations, and innovative book launch strategies. Finally, they share their favourite Christmas movies, emphasising the nostalgia and comfort these films bring during the holiday season.TakeawaysTaking downtime during the holidays can be challenging for business owners.Sales trends often dip during the holiday season, particularly for eBooks.Marketing strategies need to adapt to changing platforms like TikTok.Success in indie publishing often comes from direct engagement with readers.AI can be a useful tool for translations, but it requires careful management.Book launch strategies are evolving, with influencer marketing gaining traction.Nostalgia plays a significant role in holiday movie preferences.The pace of change in the publishing industry is accelerating.Personal experiences can inform marketing decisions and strategies.Finding a balance between work and downtime is essential for creativity. Get 15% of annual plans at our sponsor ProWritingAid by using code IWC15https://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/supportChapters00:00 Christmas Reflections and Business Challenges03:03 Marketing Strategies During the Holiday Season05:48 Navigating TikTok's Algorithm Changes08:47 Celebrating Success: Sasha Black's Journey11:34 The Future of AI in Translations14:35 Book Launch Strategies and Influencer Marketing21:06 Christmas Movie Nostalgia26:46 The Comfort of Familiar Films31:06 Jane Austen and Holiday Humor

In this week's episode Cara and James are joined by Robin Bennett-Freebairn whose non-fiction gift books are flying off the virtual Etsy shelves. This has big implications for special editions and box sets, especially at this time of year.USEFUL LINKS:Get 15% of annual plans at our sponsor ProWritingAid by using code IWC15https://www.prowritingaid.comJoin 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

In part two of a look back at 2025, Cara and James discuss where we are with AI acceptance (spoiler, a dwindling band of holdouts very much exist). We also discuss direct selling as one of the big expansion areas for indies.USEFUL LINKS:Get 15% of annual plans at our sponsor ProWritingAid by using code IWC15https://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

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 IWC15https://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

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 plans at our sponsor ProWritingAid by using code IWC15https://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

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 IWC15https://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

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 IWC15https://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

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 IWC15https://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