Writers: You’re Running a Business Whether You Like It or Not

A WORDSLINGER PODCASTIf you want people to read your books, buy your books, and help you build a sustainable writing career, then you’re already in business—whether you like that idea or not.In this episode of the Wordslinger Podcast, I talk about why writers need to start thinking like entrepreneurs, what marketing really means, and why building your own platform matters more than chasing individual book sales.We get into mailing lists, reader ownership, Amazon exclusivity versus wide distribution, advertising, lead magnets, local marketing, the power of asking, and why your long-term goal should be to build an audience you can actually reach without depending entirely on Amazon, Facebook, YouTube, or anyone else’s algorithm.If you’ve ever said, “I just want to write,” but you also want readers, income, and a real career from your work, this episode is for you.Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at knoveltonbooks.comGET 15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER AT CHECKOUT WITH CODE STORYCUTSSubscribe to the Wordslinger Show for practical, experience-based guidance on writing, publishing, book marketing, indie publishing, storytelling, and building a creative career that lasts.TIMECODES:00:00 Welcome to the Wordslinger Podcast 01:15 Indie publishing, traditional publishing, and marketing 02:21 What marketing really means for writers 03:21 Building a deep and wide author platform 04:36 Why you need to own your audience 05:54 Social media is not your platform 06:42 Why email is still the foundation 07:48 Building 1,000 true fans 09:05 Why writers need their own sales platform 11:14 KDP Select and Kindle Unlimited explained 12:59 The downside of Amazon exclusivity 13:56 Are Amazon ads still worth it? 14:52 Why I use ads to build my mailing list 16:03 Lead magnets and free books 16:56 Building and expanding your reader base 18:03 Lookalike audiences and finding more readers 18:41 Asking is a superpower 19:15 Why giving people a “because” works 20:24 Marketing, business, and the writer mindset 21:30 Why writers need to treat writing like a business 22:08 If you want readers and money, you have a business 22:57 The myth that self-publishing ruins traditional publishing chances 24:34 Embrace your inner capitalist 25:43 How indie publishing changed the industry 28:06 AI, low-quality books, and standing out 29:14 Three things every indie author needs to do 30:10 Why building a platform beats chasing one sale 32:59 Nobody owes you a reader 33:47 The Wordslinger Show and what’s coming nextFIND KEVIN:Find Kevin and his books: https://kevintumlinson.comJoin Kevin on Substack: https://kevintumlinson.substack.comWordslinger Podcast home page: https://wordslingerpodcast.comSERVICES FOR AUTHORS:Polish your writing and make it ready for publishing with ProWriting Aid: https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5Publish your book to every major retailer online, get your book into print and ebook, and get support the whole way at Draft2Digital: https://draft2digital.com/wordslingerFind a virtual assistant to help you market your books and more at AuthorAnchor: https://authoranchor.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.