301 / In this 301st episode, hear from listeners (thanks for the voicemails!) about their favorite topics and takeaways and another long-time supporter, Belinda Kroll joins us. Belinda is a cozy fantasy romance author and illustrator, and shares how she's streamlining her business to lean fully into her artisan side.

• Shifting from serial to artisan-focused publishing
• Leveraging Kickstarter and Shopify for book launches
• Balancing writing and business with family life
• Learning from setbacks and focusing on what works for you
• Adapting to industry changes and technology, including AI

💙 Become a supporter of the podcast: https://wishidknownforwriters.com/support or https://wishidknownthenpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

• Access to backlist of exclusive supporter episodes but the 200 episodes in the vault
• Shoutout on a future episode

📥 Send us a Text Message

⚡Links:

• Trope Book: https://books2read.com/MysteryandThriller
• Jami’s branding workshop: https://www.jamialbright.com/authorworkshops
• Aimee Robinson: https://www.aimeerobinsonromance.com
• Stephanie Faris: https://www.stephaniefaris.com
• Stephanie Faris on Steamy Instalove Shorts, Sweet Romance, and Dictation:https://wishidknownforwriters.com/278-2/
• Belinda Kroll:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/worderella/an-uncanny-bargain

https://worderella.com

https://worderella.com/links

https://brightbirdpress.com/

Writing Cozy Fantasy as a Joyful Side Hustle with Belinda Kroll: https://wishidknownforwriters.com/171-2/

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🚀 Jami’s Consulting and Workshops: https://www.jamialbright.com/authorworkshops

❤️ Jami’s books https://amzn.to/3wSraA5

🔎 Sara’s books https://www.sararosett.com/bibliography/

📚 Sara’s How to Write a Series book and audiobook: https://www.sararosett.com/how-to-write-a-series/

The Big List of Craft and marketing books mentioned on WIKT podcast episodes https://bookshop.org/lists/recommenced-resources-for-writers-from-the-wish-i-d-known-then-podcast

300 / In this 300th episode, we take a walk down memory lane, sharing behind-the-scenes stories from the early days of the podcast and reflecting on how far we’ve come—with over 500,000 downloads and listeners tuning in from all around the world. We chat about the most popular episode, our sometimes dodgy sound, and the connections we’ve made with authors and vendors in the indie publishing community.

Joining us is long-time listener and sports rom com author Parker Finch, who shares how staying reader-focused has helped her build a sustainable writing career. We discuss the ever-changing publishing landscape, creative fulfillment, and why mixing panic with positivity is totally normal for writers.

In the next episode, we’ll hear more from listeners (thank you for the voicemails!) and have another special author interview.

💙 Become a supporter of the podcast https://wishidknownforwriters.com/support

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⚡Links:

Parker Finch Parkerfinch.com

Melanie Harlow episode: https://wishidknownforwriters.com/209-2/

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🚀 Jami’s Consulting and Workshops: https://www.jamialbright.com/authorworkshops

❤️ Jami’s books https://amzn.to/3wSraA5

🔎 Sara’s books https://www.sararosett.com/bibliography/

📚 Sara’s How to Write a Series book and audiobook: https://www.sararosett.com/how-to-write-a-series/

The Big List of Craft and marketing books mentioned on WIKT podcast episodes https://bookshop.org/lists/recommenced-resources-for-writers-from-the-wish-i-d-known-then-podcast

📌 Send us your favorite moments and lessons learned for our 300th episode: https://www.speakpipe.com/WishIdKnownThen

299 / Do you ever wish you had a clear, actionable way to understand book trends and make smarter publishing decisions? Nat Connors of Kindle Trends shares insights on the power of market awareness, how to focus on your “author neighborhood,” and why success is more about craft than chasing trends.

• Why market awareness empowers authors, not confines them
• Finding and using your author “neighborhood”
• The importance of craft and authentic voice for long-term success
• Avoiding overwhelm by choosing marketing and sales channels that work for you

📌 Send us your favorite moments and lessons learned for our 300th episode: https://www.speakpipe.com/WishIdKnownThen

💙 Become a supporter of the podcast https://wishidknownforwriters.com/support

• Access to backlist of exclusive supporter episodes
• Shoutout on a future episode

📥 Send us a Text Message

⚡Links:

• https://kindletrends.com
• https://kindletrends.com/infographics/

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Support the show

🚀 Jami’s Consulting and Workshops: https://www.jamialbright.com/authorworkshops

❤️ Jami’s books https://amzn.to/3wSraA5

🔎 Sara’s books https://www.sararosett.com/bibliography/

📚 Sara’s How to Write a Series book and audiobook: https://www.sararosett.com/how-to-write-a-series/

The Big List of Craft and marketing books mentioned on WIKT podcast episodes https://bookshop.org/lists/recommenced-resources-for-writers-from-the-wish-i-d-known-then-podcast

298 / We continue our discussion about what’s working in the indie author space. We join Douglas Pratt and Nicholas Harvey and share insights on navigating newsletter platforms, maximizing translations, and adapting to the changes in audiobooks and direct sales. This episode is full of practical nut-and-bolts tips and ideas.

• Newsletter platform pros, cons, and cost-saving tips
• Subject lines, open rates, and optimizing reader engagement
• Using AI and hybrid methods for international translations
• Selling audiobooks direct, wide strategies, and the rise of AI narration
• Planning for balance, productivity, and sustainability in a changing market

📌 Send us your favorite moments and lessons learned for our 300th episode: https://www.speakpipe.com/WishIdKnownThen

💙 Become a supporter of the podcast https://www.buzzsprout.com/2121723/subscribe

• Access to backlist of exclusive supporter episodes
• Shoutout on a future episode

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⚡Links:

Sara on the Christian Publishing Show: https://www.christianpublishingshow.com/why-every-author-should-try-writing-a-mystery-at-least-once/

Two Authors Podcast: https://thetwoauthorschatshow.podbean.com

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🚀 Jami’s Consulting and Workshops: https://www.jamialbright.com/authorworkshops

❤️ Jami’s books https://amzn.to/3wSraA5

🔎 Sara’s books https://www.sararosett.com/bibliography/

📚 Sara’s How to Write a Series book and audiobook: https://www.sararosett.com/how-to-write-a-series/

The Big List of Craft and marketing books mentioned on WIKT podcast episodes https://bookshop.org/lists/recommenced-resources-for-writers-from-the-wish-i-d-known-then-podcast

297 / How are authors adapting in 2025's changing publishing world? Sara Rosett, Jami Albright, Nicholas Harvey, and Douglas Pratt share lessons learned, trends they’re seeing, and practical strategies from their own writing careers.

• Sales trends and challenges in 2025
• Experimenting with book marketing
• Special editions and direct sales
• Using Patreon and subscriptions
• Impact of AI on publishing
• Social media strategies for authors
• Facebook ads and Amazon changes
• Reader engagement and superfans

💙 Become a supporter of the podcast https://www.buzzsprout.com/2121723/subscribe

• Access to backlist of exclusive supporter episodes
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⚡Links:

Two Authors Podcast: https://thetwoauthorschatshow.podbean.com

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Support the show

🚀 Jami’s Consulting and Workshops: https://www.jamialbright.com/authorworkshops

❤️ Jami’s books https://amzn.to/3wSraA5

🔎 Sara’s books https://www.sararosett.com/bibliography/

📚 Sara’s How to Write a Series book and audiobook: https://www.sararosett.com/how-to-write-a-series/

The Big List of Craft and marketing books mentioned on WIKT podcast episodes https://bookshop.org/lists/recommenced-resources-for-writers-from-the-wish-i-d-known-then-podcast

296 / Do you want to leverage your author website, use AI tools efficiently, and prune your tasks strategically so you can sell more books and focus your creative energy where it counts?

Thomas Umstattd Jr. shares insights on optimizing your book pages, using AI wisely, and making tough choices to thrive in a crowded publishing world.

• Why your book page matters for both readers and AI discovery
• Tips to optimize book pages for GEO (generative engine optimization)
• Innovative uses of AI tools for marketing and productivity
• Strategies for pruning projects and focusing your efforts
• Evolving business model for nonfiction and why community matters now more than ever

💙 Become a supporter of the podcast https://wishidknownforwriters.com/support

• Access to backlist of exclusive supporter episodes
• Private slack group
• Shoutout on a future episode

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⚡Links:

Author Media: https://www.authormedia.com

Jami’s workshop: https://www.jamialbright.com/authorworkshops

Sara’s letter subscription: https://sararosettbooks.com/products/mysteries-in-the-mail (Preorder open until Dec 8, 2025)

Affiliate signup for letters: https://sararosettbooks.affiliatery.staqlab.com/partner/signIn

How to Create a Sales-Optimized Book Page for Your Website: https://www.authormedia.com/how-to-create-sales-optimized-book-pages-for-your-author-website/

Send us a text

Support the show

🚀 Jami’s Consulting and Workshops: https://www.jamialbright.com/authorworkshops

❤️ Jami’s books https://amzn.to/3wSraA5

🔎 Sara’s books https://www.sararosett.com/bibliography/

📚 Sara’s How to Write a Series book and audiobook: https://www.sararosett.com/how-to-write-a-series/

The Big List of Craft and marketing books mentioned on WIKT podcast episodes https://bookshop.org/lists/recommenced-resources-for-writers-from-the-wish-i-d-known-then-podcast

295 / Curious how authors can build thriving, sustainable careers—even without rapid releases or a huge backlist?

Matthew J. Holmes shares how he transformed his wife’s books into a six-figure business, the realities of book advertising, and the mindful strategies indie authors need now.

• Turning a single slow-release series into a profitable business
• Simplicity vs. complexity in book marketing and ads
• Importance of advertising platform focus
• Common mistakes in author advertising strategies

💙 Become a supporter of the podcast https://wishidknownforwriters.com/support

• Access to backlist of exclusive supporter episodes
• Private slack group
• Shoutout on a future episode

📥 Send us a Text Message

⚡Links:

• https://www.matthewjholmes.com/
• https://www.matthewjholmes.com/courses
• Sara’s Mysteries in the Mail letters: https://sararosettbooks.com/products/mysteries-in-the-mail
• Jami’s workshop: https://www.jamialbright.com/authorworkshops
• Joanna Penn’s podcast about Author Nation Lessons Learned: https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2025/11/17/lessons-learned-from-author-nation-2025-with-joanna-penn/

Send us a text

Support the show

🚀 Jami’s Consulting and Workshops: https://www.jamialbright.com/authorworkshops

❤️ Jami’s books https://amzn.to/3wSraA5

🔎 Sara’s books https://www.sararosett.com/bibliography/

📚 Sara’s How to Write a Series book and audiobook: https://www.sararosett.com/how-to-write-a-series/

The Big List of Craft and marketing books mentioned on WIKT podcast episodes https://bookshop.org/lists/recommenced-resources-for-writers-from-the-wish-i-d-known-then-podcast

294 / Do you want to pitch your book to Hollywood? Screenwriter, playwright, and novelist Bart Baker shares how authors can position their books for adaptations. He also gives us the story behind Honeymoon With Harry, a movie deal twenty-plus years in the making, which will go into production in 2026, starring Kevin Costner and Jake Gyllenhaal for Amazon/MGM.

• Lessons from writing plays, scripts, and novels
• What authors should know about adaptation and selling movie rights
• When to get legal advice
• The business side: money management finding trusted advisors
• Why following trends is unhelpful—and what to do instead

💙 Become a supporter of the podcast https://wishidknownforwriters.com/support

• Access to backlist of exclusive supporter episodes
• Private slack group
• Shoutout on a future episode

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⚡Links:

• www.bartvbaker.com

Send us a text

Support the show

🚀 Jami’s Consulting and Workshops: https://www.jamialbright.com/authorworkshops

❤️ Jami’s books https://amzn.to/3wSraA5

🔎 Sara’s books https://www.sararosett.com/bibliography/

📚 Sara’s How to Write a Series book and audiobook: https://www.sararosett.com/how-to-write-a-series/

The Big List of Craft and marketing books mentioned on WIKT podcast episodes https://bookshop.org/lists/recommenced-resources-for-writers-from-the-wish-i-d-known-then-podcast