Podcasts about Kindle Direct Publishing

In this week's episode, we take a look at the major self-publishing platforms that I use, and examine the pros and cons of each. This coupon code will get you 50% off the audiobook of Dragonskull: Doom of the Sorceress, Book #8 in the Dragonskull series, (as excellently narrated by Brad Wills) at my Payhip store: DOOM50 The coupon code is valid through June 24, 2025. So if you need a new audiobook this summer, we've got you covered! TRANSCRIPT 00:00:00 Introduction and Writing Updates   Hello, everyone. Welcome to Episode 253 of The Pulp Writer Show. My name is Jonathan Moeller. Today is May 30th, 2025, and today we are looking at the current major self-publishing platforms and what they offer indie authors. Before we get to our main topic, we'll have Coupon of the Week and an update on my current writing projects.   So let's start with Coupon of the Week. This week's coupon code will get you 50% off the audiobook of Dragonskull: Doom of the Sorceress (book number eight in the Dragonskull series, as excellently narrated by Brad Wills) at my Payhip store. That code is DOOM50. And as always, we will have the coupon code and the links to the store in the show notes. This coupon code is valid through June 24th, 2025. So if you are setting out on summer travels this summer and you need an audiobook to listen to while you're in the car or plane, we have got you covered. So now for an update on my current writing and audiobook projects. Ghost in the Corruption (as I mentioned last week) is now out and available at all the ebook stores: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Google Play, Apple Books, Smashwords, and Payhip. It is selling well. So thank you all for that. Now that Ghost in the Corruption is finished, what am I working on next? Well, back in 2023, I finished the Dragonskull and The Silent Order series back to back, so I declared Summer 2023 to be my Summer of Finishing Things. Well, it looks like Summer 2025 is going to be the Super Summer of Finishing Things because I intend to finish three series back to back.   First up is Shield of Power, the sixth and final book of The Shield War series. As of this publishing, I am 26,000 words into it, which puts me on Chapter 6 of 29. So I think it's going to end up being around 100,000-110,000 words long, and I am hoping it will be out in June, though it might slip to July depending on how things go. Once that is done, the next one up will be Stealth and Spells Online: Final Quest, which will be the third and very definitely final book of the Stealth and Spells Online trilogy. Believe it or not, I have been working on Final Quest on the side for so long that I passed the 100,000 word mark in that book this week. In fact, it's been a side project for so long that I don't remember how long I've been working on it, and I had to look up the metadata to check that I indeed started chipping away on it on October 18th, 2024. So I am very pleased that I'm nearly done with the rough draft and because of that reason, if all goes well, it'll come out very quickly after Shield of Power, since I think the rough draft will end up at about 125,000 to 130,000 words or in that neighborhood. Once Stealth and Spells Online: Final Quest is finished, I will then write Ghost in the Siege, which will be the sixth and final book of the Ghost Armor series. I am 1,500 words into that and hoping for that to come out in August or September, if all goes well. Once The Shield War, Stealth and Spells Online, and Ghost Armor are finished, I will finally be free to return to the Rivah and Nadia series. I realized that through all of 2024 and the first half of 2025, I had five unfinished series at the same time, and that was just too much for me to keep track of as a writer, and I think it may have been too much for the readers because it was too much of a wait between the different series as I worked my way through them. So five series at the same time is too much, so hence the Super Summer of Finishing Things. Going forward, I've decided that three unfinished series at the same time will be my maximum, which after the Super Summer of Finishing Things will be Cloak Mage, Half-Elven Thief, and a new epic fantasy series that I will set in the realm of Owyllain.   In audiobook news, Brad Wills started working on Shield of Battle this week and Hollis McCarthy started working on Ghost in the Corruption, so hopefully before probably about July or thereabouts, we will have those audiobooks available for you to listen to. So that is where I'm at with my current writing projects.   00:03:49 Main Topic of the Week: Self-Publishing Platforms for Ebooks [Note: Information in this Episode is Very Likely to Change]   So now let's move on to our main topic for the week, which is the main self-publishing platforms for ebooks. Today we will do a brief overview of the self-publishing platforms I currently use: Amazon/KDP, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Google Play, and Draft2Digital/Smashwords. The reason I wanted to do this is because there are many scammy platforms for self-publishing out there, but fortunately there are also many legitimate ones. Today we'll compare several of the most popular ones for ebooks. Just to make things easier for comparison, we'll be using the term platform to discuss both retailers and aggregators and we're not going to talk about options for self-publishing print or audio formats today. We're going to focus solely on ebooks.   First of all, what should you look for in a publishing platform? The first thing is to make sure you retain complete ownership of your content in all formats. Some of these scammer ones try to claim all rights to anything you try to post or sell through them, so that is definitely a red flag to watch out for. Make sure that you understand any exclusivity requirements of any programs that you sign up for such as KDP Select, such as if other formats like audio are also included in their requirements, how long exclusivity lasts, et cetera. If the platform requires exclusivity, that is definitely something to pay attention to. Make sure you do your research carefully to understand how pricing, royalties, and payments work on each individual platform. Sometimes some of them will pay quarterly, some of them pay monthly, and some of them pay you last month's royalties at the end of the month. Some of them like Amazon run like two months behind.   Finally, and this is a big one, you should not have to pay any money in order to upload your work. If they are asking for money upfront, it is probably a scam. Now, there are some aggregators that don't take a percentage and instead charge you a yearly fee. I'm not talking about them in this podcast episode because I don't use them, but they are out there. One example would be Book Funnel, which does charge a yearly fee for you to use but provides a valuable service in being a backend for running your own store on like Payhip or Shopify, and there's a couple of other useful services in that way, but they're not a storefront and they don't take a percentage of any royalties. They just charge a yearly fee. So they're not the topic with this episode.   All the platforms I've talked about today do not have any fees in order to upload. Reputable sites like Amazon or Kobo will instead take a percentage of each book's sale. It's also good to have a few realistic expectations before you start using self-publishing platforms, and one of them is that the platform is not a marketer. For example, many people complain that KDP doesn't showcase their books and they get lost in the millions of books available. However, none of these services are promising that you'll make the front page of their site just by publishing there. It's a common delusion among new indie authors that when you publish your first book, that's all you have to do and people will flock to it. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way.   In fact, since Amazon makes a small fortune off book ads, it's not in their interest to give away screen space for free, and this isn't to knock on Amazon, that's just the way the retail industry works. For example, if you go into a Target or a Walmart or another big box retailer, note the products that are prominently displayed on the aisle displays or the endcaps of the aisles. They didn't just get there randomly. The manufacturers of those products paid big money to Amazon and Target and Walmart and the other big box retailers to have their products featured there. In many cases, online commerce is no different.   Getting your book uploaded onto a platform is just the first step. Promoting and marketing the book is up to you and strategies for those will vary based on which ones you choose to use. For example, if you choose to make your work exclusive to just one platform, it's not a good idea to run Facebook ads in countries where that platform either doesn't exist or where it's not terribly popular. Today we're going to be just focusing on comparing the platforms, not how to best to market from them. So what are the options?   #1: First up is the most common platform people use and it's the 800 pound gorilla in the self-publishing space, and that is Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing. And what are the pros and cons of KDP?   Pro: They are the biggest force in ebook publishing in many countries, including the United States. Some authors find that as much as 80 to 95% of their ebook sales come from Amazon, even if they are not exclusive with Amazon. For myself, it's usually about 50 to 60% of my sales on any given month are from Amazon and the rest come from the other retailers.   Heavy readers are generally very familiar with the Kindle Store interface and Library setup, and many readers are kind of locked into Amazon because they own Kindle devices, subscribe to Kindle Unlimited, and have large Kindle Libraries. So those are all the pros of publishing with KDP.   Cons: If you're expecting a large portion of your sales to come from the print version of your book or if print sales are very important to you, be aware that many bookstores and libraries either can't or won't buy print books from Amazon, so you should find an additional platform for the print version such as Ingram Spark or maybe Barnes & Noble's print division. One big concern about going exclusive with Amazon is that you're losing readers who don't have Kindle books in their countries, people who are boycotting Amazon for a variety of reasons, people who are locked into another platform such as Apple or Kobo, or people who want to self-archive their ebooks since Amazon doesn't allow that anymore. If you're already wide, you'll have to look carefully at what percentage of your sales are non-Amazon and if this percentage is an amount you'd be comfortable risking losing in order to be exclusive. Occasionally authors do complain about the customer service available to KDP, especially if it's urgent. For myself, I've not personally had any huge problems with KDP customer service. That said, I think you should expect a lead time of about one to two business days on anything you ask because I usually go through the email form.   Does KDP offer a subscription service? Yes. Kindle Unlimited (KU) readers pay a set amount and can read an unlimited number of books each month, although they're limited as to how many they can have in their library at any one time. Promotions happen regularly, usually based around big sales like Prime Day, and it can make a subscription as cheap as $0.99 for a three month period. Some also receive free subscriptions by buying certain Amazon products such as a new Kindle or Kindle Fire.   The downside of being in Kindle Unlimited is the exclusivity. You can't be in KU without being exclusive with Amazon, or at least the specific book in question has to be exclusive. Not all of your books have to be exclusive, and many authors such as myself will usually put one series in KU and then make sure everything else is wide. You must agree to be exclusive with them for ninety days and that time period is renewable.   What does KDP pay in terms of royalty? For $2.99 to $9.99, they give you 70% of the sale price. Under $2.99 and above $9.99, it's 35%. So that is sort of an encouragement from Amazon to price your ebooks in the $2.99 to $9.99 range. Currently I price new novels at $4.99 and do short stories at $0.99 cents.   What do I do? I have all of my titles available through KDP. I have a smaller portion of my collection exclusive through KDP Select/KU, and I have only recently increased that amount of Select titles due to the economic downturn. I suspect that KU users are likely to hold onto their subscriptions while cutting other expenses because honestly, KU is a pretty good deal for readers and the monthly subscription costs is about the same as one tradpub frontlist ebook, but with a KU subscription, they could read thousands of books for the same price. The value of KU is really very strong for frequent romance, LitRPG, science fiction, and fantasy readers. There's a strong population in the KU subscriber base often referred to as binge readers. They care more about variety, discovering new books, and the ability to read a lot over the ability to read specific authors or stories.   So overall, I think if you are self-publishing and even if you don't like Amazon very much or don't plan to go exclusive, it's still in your best interest to publish your ebook with them, even if you are wide and intend to do all the other retailers just because Amazon really is the biggest ebook platform out there at the moment. #2: Now, the next self-publishing platform we're going to look at is Barnes & Noble Press, which as the name implies, belongs to Barnes & Noble. The Pros: some people are never, ever going to let go of their Nooks or they already have a large personal ebook library through the Nook so they feel locked into that platform. These readers are the majority of people buying ebooks through Barnes & Noble, but fortunately that group tends to read a lot. There's also a lot of trust in Barnes & Noble as a brand, and that inspires people to continue buying from them.   In fact, for a while in the indie author space at the end of the 2010s and the start of the 2020s, it was a regular prediction that Barnes & Noble was going to go out of business soon, but then the company was bought by a private equity firm, and while private equity firms often have a deserved bad reputation for stripping a company of assets and then selling it off at a bargain basement price (such as the fate of Red Lobster), that does not seem to be the case of what happened with Barnes & Noble and the company really has been strengthening in recent years. So they may be here to stay for a while.   The downsides of publishing with Barnes & Noble Press is that Barnes & Noble is relatively a minor player in the ebook market, though usually in the top four of most indie author ebook sales if they're wide. They have shifted their focus to selling print books instead of Nook devices, especially in the retail space.   Do they offer a subscription service? They do not. However, nothing about Barnes & Noble requires exclusivity, which is nice, and the royalty structure is pretty good. It's 70% over all titles over $0.99. So if you want, you could price your ebook at $0.99 or $19.99 and still make 70%, which you couldn't do with those prices on Amazon.     #3: The next self-publishing platform we'll look at is Kobo Writing Life, which is the ebook platform to publish on Kobo, which is owned by Rakuten. Pros: Kobo is strong in the international market and will help you to reach readers in many countries. Based on my sales data, in Canada and Australia, Kobo is significantly bigger than Amazon for ebook sales. Kobo has also had a surge of recent media attention in the US as people seek out alternatives to Amazon and Kindle devices.   The Con of Kobo, and this is a fairly small one, is that their US market share is still fairly small compared to Amazon or Barnes & Noble or some of the others. But as I mentioned, they're a lot stronger in Canada and Australia, and they do reach a lot of different countries, more than Amazon does.   Does Kobo have a subscription service? Yes, Kobo Plus. Kobo Plus is significantly less expensive than Kindle Unlimited, and there's an additional tier that allows you to add audiobook content to the plan. The library isn't quite as extensive as KU though, though. I should note that in the years since Kobo has been introduced, I'd say about half of my revenue from Kobo (sometimes 60% of my revenue from Kobo) comes from Kobo Plus and not from direct ebook sales. So it's getting to the point where the majority of their ebook revenue I suspect, is coming from Kobo Plus and not direct Kobo sales.   Do they require exclusivity? No, which is another strong selling point for Kobo Plus. For their royalty structure, ebooks over $2.99, you get 70% and any books over below $2.99, you get 45%, which is a more generous term than Amazon in terms of the royalty rate for below $2.99 and above $9.99.   So what do I do? I currently use it as one of the platforms for my ebooks. It's been a pretty strong seller for me consistently over the years, and every Kobo book that I have is also available in Kobo Plus, which probably explains the revenue split I was talking about earlier. #4: The next platform we'll look at is Draft2Digital/Smashwords, which we'll do as one because Draft2Digital and Smashwords are in the process of merging. Draft2Digital is technically what's called an aggregator, where you upload your book and then they can publish on a variety of different platforms for you, and in exchange, they take a small cut of the sales. Draft2Digital is, in my opinion, probably the most effective way to get your ebooks through Apple and Smashwords. Apple does have its own direct uploading service, but I've never used it because there are a bit too many hoops to jump through.   Draft2Digital does, as I mentioned, have a way to publish on multiple storefronts at once while managing uploads and sales reporting through just one interface. They're not a storefront in and of themselves, although since Draft2Digital does own Smashwords, Smashwords essentially acts as their storefront for them. Although Draft2Digital lists Amazon, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble as an option, most authors will upload to these sites separately, and in fact, that's what I do for myself.   The Pros of Draft2Digital is that it's a definite time savings using Draft2Digital to publish across multiple platforms, especially with platforms like Apple that are more difficult or time consuming to learn. This is also a convenient way to make your work accessible to library platforms like Overdrive/Libby, Hoopla, and Bibliotheca, if that is important to you. Library sales have never been a huge priority of mine, but I've never been opposed to them either, so I usually just flip those switches on and then don't think about it again.   The Cons for Draft2Digital are that there was a period after the Smashwords migration where they received complaints about customer service and difficulty in setting up tax information, though I think that is mostly ironed out now.   One potential hazard for Draft2Digital with a very specific subset of writers is that if you are a writer of, shall we say, very hard erotica, the sort that ends up in very restricted categories on most stores, you will probably have trouble publishing through Draft2Digital. This is not, however, a problem that's unique to Draft2Digital. Amazon has what is called the “erotica dungeon”, where if you publish certain kinds of, like we said, very harsh erotica, your book isn't searchable on the Amazon store. You can link to it directly, but it will never show up on any search results. Kobo in particular has had problems with erotica.   Back in the 2010s, Kobo was also distributing ebooks to some British retailers, and these British retailers suddenly got upset when they noticed that these kinds of hard erotica were showing up on their store pages, which was not a good look for the company. And so there was a kerfuffle until that was all sorted out. My frank opinion with that is if you are writing these kinds of erotica, the big stores and Draft2Digital will never be on your side, and so you are better off pursuing a sort of a Patreon/running your own store on Shopify or Payhip strategy, but that is a bit of a digression.   So in terms of royalties, Draft2Digital takes 10% of the book's retail price per copy sold, which is in addition to whatever amount is taken by the specific storefront. So you are paying a bit of money in exchange for convenience for just uploading your book to Draft2Digital and having it push out the book to all the different stores for you.   What I do is I use Draft2Digital for Apple mainly because for a while I was using Smashwords, but Smashwords in the 2010s was a bit more persnickety than is now, and you needed to prepare a specially formatted doc file to publish on Smashwords and sometimes getting it through the Smashwords processing onto Apple was a bit of a pain. Draft2Digital took epub files, which are much easier to work with, and after a while I switched over all my Apple publishing to Draft2Digital entirely. So that's why I use Draft2Digital for Apple and for various library services that tend to be a minor amount of sales. Because of the difficulties on publishing direct to Apple, I do find that that 10% is good trade off in terms of selling books on Apple for me.   #5: Now onto Google Play's ebook self-publishing platform, which is, I think its full name is the Google Books Partner Center, which lets you publish books to the Google Play Store for sale on Android devices.   The Pros are that for writers interested in the international market, Google Play is another strong choice for a platform since the international mobile device market is very Android heavy. The iPhone (Apple) tends to be concentrated mainly in the US and a few of the wealthier countries like the UK and Canada, but Android has a much more international reach in general than the iPhone. Google Play also has some interesting promotional options for ebooks, such as offering the buyer a chance to subscribe to a specific series.   The cons are that some authors report that their sales reporting doesn't always consistently generate reports, and others are annoyed that it only generates a CSV file, (which isn't that much of a hardship for people who are familiar with Excel).   For myself, I found that there is a bit of a reporting lag on Google Play where it will sometimes take as long as five or six days for sales to show up on the dashboard, though usually it's only a delay of two days, though sometimes during the month you'll get these bigger lags and sometimes processing new material on the Google Play Store can be slow, and it can sometimes take two to three days for things to appear, though it usually gets worked out in the end. Does Google Play have a subscription service? It does not, nor does it require exclusivity, which is another point in its favor. And the royalties, the data is quite nice here. It is 70% for all price points in the countries listed on their support page, which only excludes a handful of countries like India, South Korea, and Japan (because of currency conversion regions or other local laws).   So those are the ebook publishing platforms that I currently use, and because I use them myself, I would recommend them. Hopefully that is helpful to you as you are looking for places to self-publish your book as you set out to become an indie author.   So that is it for this week. Thank you for listening to The Pulp Writer Show. I hope you found the show useful. A reminder that you can listen to all the backup episodes at https://thepulpwritershow.com. If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review on your podcasting platform of choice. Stay safe and stay healthy and see you all next week.  

So you wrote a book, congrats! Skip the waiting game with publishers. You can do it yourself with Kindle Direct Publishing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Esta semana he recibido correos con cambios en la monetización que pagan Podimo y KDP.En Podimo, ahora con mi enlace de afiliado, estos es lo que gano:“5 € cuando un nuevo oyente se registre para una prueba gratuita7 € cuando ese oyente se convierta en suscriptor de pago*Ejemplo:*Si 50 personas se registran para una prueba y 20 de ellas se convierten en suscriptores de pago, ganarás: (50 x 5 €) + (20 x 7 €) = **390 €”**Te dejo mi enlace de referido en Podimo por si te animas a probarlo

Welcome back to the final episode of the Creativity Miniseries! In this conversation, Emily Sutherland and I open up our personal creativity toolkits and share the resources and strategies that help us bring our ideas to life. Working on this miniseries with Emily has been an absolute joy. She's not just an incredible creative and coach—she's also become a trusted friend and advisor throughout the development of Wrestling a Walrus, my first children's book. I truly could not imagine doing this without her. Interestingly, we didn't plan on recording another discussion on the creative process, but that's exactly where our behind-the scenes, warm-up conversation led us. So, we left it in. I think you might find some usefulness in this bonus material as we share our thoughts on the value of authenticity, the importance of differentiating yourself, and the surprising relationship between uncertainty and clarity.  A huge thank you to Emily for her wisdom and generosity, and to you for joining us as part of the creative community.  SPECIAL MENTIONS Emily Sutherland's Storytelling for Business (April 4, 2025) and Nurturing Your Creative Self (May 9, 2025) - https://www.emilysutherland.me/events Storytelling Community (Substack) - https://open.substack.com/pub/storytellingcommunity The Secret Lies Within by “Auntie Anne” Beiler and Emily H. Sutherland - http://bit.ly/3FmIxPT Betsy B. Murphy - https://substack.com/@betsybmurphy or http://betsybmurphy.com/ Vanessa Marin, sex therapist on IG @vanessaandxander PROCESS TOOLKIT Write it down when you feel it (and be prepared in the middle of the night). Be ready for the idea. Be discerning about what, when, and who to share your idea with.    When your idea is at a tender stage, who are your tender people? Do you need an editor or a cheerleader? Journaling. Let the creative juices flow without requiring an outcome. The more you write, the more ideas will come. Immerse yourself  and trust the process.  Try on new ideas to see if they go anywhere. “I make what I like, and they eat it how they want to eat it.” - Erykah Badu to Donald Glover ELECTRONIC TOOLS Manuscript Software - Scrivener - affiliate link: https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overview?fpr=emilysuth Google Docs, YouTube, and Apps (e.g., voice memo, talk-to-text, notes) IngramSpark - https://www.ingramspark.com/  Kindle Direct Publishing - https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B008241EAQ Storytelling Workshops - https://www.emilysutherland.me/events PHYSICAL TOOLS  Fine Tip Sharpie Pen or The Pilot G2 (in multiple colors!) Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert - https://www.elizabethgilbert.com/books/big-magic/ Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott - https://writingforyourlife.com/bird-by-bird-some-instructions-on-writing-and-life/ The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron - https://juliacameronlive.com/books-by-julia/ Rifle Paper Company little notebooks (great for lefties!) - https://riflepaperco.com/ The Treasured Journal - https://danielleireland.com/journal DANIELLE IRELAND, LCSW Thank you for your support and engagement as part of the Don't Cut Your Own Bangs community. Feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or anything you'd like to share. You can connect with me at any of the links below. Website - https://danielleireland.com/ The Treasured Journal - https://danielleireland.com/journal Substack - https://danielleireland.substack.com/ Blog - https://danielleireland.com/blog/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/danielleireland_lcsw Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/danielleireland.LCSW Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@danielleireland8218/featured        

Send us a textKendra Collier shares her journey from horseback riding enthusiast to published children's book author. Her book "Amber's Equestrian Alphabet" began as a high school senior project but quickly became a passion project combining her love for animals with new writing skills.• First fell in love with horses during a trail ride in Tennessee just three years ago• Competes in show jumping and earned second place in her first competition• Created "Amber's Equestrian Alphabet" to teach children the ABCs through horse-themed content• Published through Kindle Direct Publishing with both print and e-book versions available on Amazon• Designed book with rhyming text and horse jokes to keep children engaged• Planning to study wildlife biology in college and hopes to work in animal conservation• Dreams of owning her own farm with horses and creating personal riding trails• Book launch event scheduled for March 29th from 11am-2pm at the Oconee LibraryVisit www.aeabookseries.com for more information or email info@aeabookseries.com to connect with Kendra.

Mit KI zum eigenen Buch: Den Weg zur Publikation meistern   Wie entsteht eigentlich ein Buch? Diese Frage stellt sich vielen Autorinnen und Autoren – insbesondere, wenn sie den Prozess zum ersten Mal durchlaufen. In der aktuellen Podcast-Episode sprechen wir mit Christine, die aus ihrer Erfahrung als Sport-Mental-Coach und Hypnosetherapeutin ein Buchprojekt ins Leben gerufen hat. Ihr Thema: Entscheidungen fällen. Christine Ziervogel auf LinkedIn: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-ziervogel   Vom Gedanken zur Umsetzung: Der Weg zum eigenen Buch Der Prozess begann mit einer Idee: Menschen bei Entscheidungsprozessen zu unterstützen. Doch wie daraus ein strukturiertes Buch machen? Christine entschied sich für Interviews mit Experten aus unterschiedlichsten Bereichen – von einem Professor über einen Notfallmediziner bis hin zu erfolgreichen Unternehmern. Die Herausforderung: Wie verarbeitet man diese Gespräche effizient in Text? Hier kam erstmals KI ins Spiel. Mit einer passenden Transkriptionssoftware wandelte Christine die Interviews in Text um – ein erster Meilenstein. Doch das war nur der Anfang.   KI als Unterstützung – nicht als Ersatz In der Podcast-Episode sprechen wir darüber, wie Künstliche Intelligenz nicht nur bei der Transkription hilft, sondern auch beim Strukturieren und Verfeinern von Texten. Ein Exposé musste erstellt werden, Kapitel strukturiert, Inhalte ausgearbeitet und Übergänge flüssig formuliert werden. Doch eines ist klar: Ein Buch komplett von einer KI schreiben zu lassen, würde nicht die gleiche Qualität und Authentizität liefern. Daher nutzt Christine KI als hilfreiches Werkzeug, um ihre eigenen Stärken besser einzusetzen und ineffiziente Arbeitsschritte zu beschleunigen.   Publikation: Self-Publishing oder Verlag? Neben dem Schreibprozess steht auch die Frage im Raum: Veröffentlichung über einen klassischen Verlag oder Self-Publishing? Plattformen wie Kindle Direct Publishing oder Print-on-Demand-Anbieter erleichtern es heute enorm, ein Buch in Eigenregie zu veröffentlichen. Gleichzeitig bietet ein Verlag natürlich eine andere Reichweite und Expertise. Auch hier hilft KI, indem sie beispielsweise bei der Erstellung eines Buchblocks, der Covergestaltung oder der Optimierung des Manuskripts unterstützt. Aber das letzte Wort bleibt immer beim Autor.   Fazit: KI als Booster, nicht als Ersatz Christine zeigt eindrucksvoll, wie der Einsatz von KI den Buchprozess effizienter gestalten kann – ohne die persönliche Note zu verlieren. Von der ersten Idee über die Interviews und das Exposé bis hin zur finalen Veröffentlichung: Mit den richtigen Tools kann der Traum vom eigenen Buch realistischer werden als je zuvor.     Noch mehr von den Koertings ...  Das KI-Café ... jede Woche Mittwoch (>350 Teilnehmer) von 08:30 bis 10:00 Uhr ... online via Zoom .. kostenlos und nicht umsonstJede Woche Mittwoch um 08:30 Uhr öffnet das KI-Café seine Online-Pforten ... wir lösen KI-Anwendungsfälle live auf der Bühne ... moderieren Expertenpanel zu speziellen Themen (bspw. KI im Recruiting ... KI in der Qualitätssicherung ... KI im Projektmanagement ... und vieles mehr) ... ordnen die neuen Entwicklungen in der KI-Welt ein und geben einen Ausblick ... und laden Experten ein für spezielle Themen ... und gehen auch mal in die Tiefe und durchdringen bestimmte Bereiche ganz konkret ... alles für dein Weiterkommen. Melde dich kostenfrei an ... www.koerting-institute.com/ki-cafe/   Das KI-Buch ... für Selbstständige und Unternehmer Lerne, wie ChatGPT deine Produktivität steigert, Zeit spart und Umsätze maximiert. Enthält praxisnahe Beispiele für Buchvermarktung, Text- und Datenanalysen sowie 30 konkrete Anwendungsfälle. Entwickle eigene Prompts, verbessere Marketing & Vertrieb und entlaste dich von Routineaufgaben. Geschrieben von Torsten & Birgit Koerting, Vorreitern im KI-Bereich, die Unternehmer bei der Transformation unterstützen. Das Buch ist ein Geschenk, nur Versandkosten von 6,95 € fallen an. Perfekt für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene, die mit KI ihr Potenzial ausschöpfen möchten. Das Buch in deinen Briefkasten ... www.koerting-institute.com/ki-buch/   Die KI-Lounge ... unsere Community für den Einstieg in die KI (>1200 Mitglieder) Die KI-Lounge ist eine Community für alle, die mehr über generative KI erfahren und anwenden möchten. Mitglieder erhalten exklusive monatliche KI-Updates, Experten-Interviews, Vorträge des KI-Speaker-Slams, KI-Café-Aufzeichnungen und einen 3-stündigen ChatGPT-Kurs. Tausche dich mit über 1200 KI-Enthusiasten aus, stelle Fragen und starte durch. Initiiert von Torsten & Birgit Koerting, bietet die KI-Lounge Orientierung und Inspiration für den Einstieg in die KI-Revolution. Hier findet der Austausch statt ... www.koerting-institute.com/ki-lounge/   Starte mit uns in die 1:1 Zusammenarbeit Wenn du direkt mit uns arbeiten und KI in deinem Business integrieren möchtest, buche dir einen Termin für ein persönliches Gespräch. Gemeinsam finden wir Antworten auf deine Fragen und finden heraus, wie wir dich unterstützen können. Klicke hier, um einen Termin zu buchen und deine Fragen zu klären. Buche dir jetzt deinen Termin mit uns ... www.koerting-institute.com/termin/   Weitere Impulse im Netflix Stil ... Wenn du auf der Suche nach weiteren spannenden Impulsen für deine Selbstständigkeit bist, dann gehe jetzt auf unsere Impulseseite und lass die zahlreichen spannenden Impulse auf dich wirken. Inspiration pur ... www.koerting-institute.com/impulse/   Die Koertings auf die Ohren ... Wenn dir diese Podcastfolge gefallen hat, dann höre dir jetzt noch weitere informative und spannende Folgen an ... über 390 Folgen findest du hier ... www.koerting-institute.com/podcast/   Wir freuen uns darauf, dich auf deinem Weg zu begleiten!

Let us know what you think!Unlock the secrets of turning your family's rich history into a dynamic digital treasure trove with the help of Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing. Discover how digital publishing not only facilitates easy distribution but also creates a lasting resource for family reunions.1. Prepare Your Book for Publishing2. Publish via Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)3. Choose Distribution Settings4. Set Your Pricing5. Share the Book with Your Family6. Gifting Copiesorder copies of your book at the author's cost (for print books) send gift copies of the Kindle versionFor Document conversions:Website: https://calibre-ebook.com/Related Blogs:"Reads over Royalties""EPUB with InDesign, Page Breaks""Secrets with the Trees" by John A BrandtBe sure to bookmark linktr.ee/hittinthebricks for your one stop access to Kathleen Brandt, the host of Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen. And, visit us on YouTube: Off the Wall with Kathleen John and Chewey video recorded specials. Hittin' the Bricks is produced through the not-for-profit, 501c3 TracingAncestors.org.

At the beginning of the year, Dave and Brad made a series of predictions and set some personal goals for the year. The year is over, and it's time to see how they fared.Predictions for 2024BRAD: Twitter will crash in 2023 2024DAVE: Social media will remain distributed over five or six platformsBRAD: Web users will begin to pivot away from social mediaDAVE: Patreon will move closer to an IPOBRAD: Kickstarter will remain #1 by continuing to avoid mentioning blockchainDAVE: SDCC will return to normal after an abnormal '23... and profits will plummet for creatorsThings we DIDN'T see coming!AI snuck up on us in 2024 — No one predicted that!Bluesky snuck up on us, too!Goals for 2024DAVE: Launch "Pickles" Kickstarter in Jan/Feb, launch "Drive 4" Kickstarter in summerBRAD: In Q1, Kickstart an Evil Inc book paired with an After Dark edition. Kickstart another book — Webcomics Handbook, Evil Inc After Dark or collection of single-panel comics — in Q2/Q3DAVE: Prepare for a 5-15% sales drop at Comic-Con InternationalBRAD: Personal appearances, including SDCC and NCSDAVE: ComicLab Across AmericaBRAD: Use NON-social-media alternatives to drive Patreon.DAVE: Revisit KIndle Direct PublishingBRAD: Start prepping website for a post-Patreon futureDAVE: Build the ComicLab Patreon to 500 members   You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

“In El Salvador, I dropped $5 out of my pocket at the border, and some guy came running up to me. At the beginning of the trip I would have been surprised by that. But by that point I would have been surprised if it didn’t happen.” —Matt Savino In this episode of Deviate, Rolf and Matt talk about how the first version of his travel book was way too long, and what he ended up editing out (6:00); the origins of Matt’s Central America road trip, why he ended up turning it into a book, and how he ended up taking Rolf’s Paris class (12:00); how Matt’s “Spreadsheet of Pain” helped him edit his book down to manageable size, and how historical research helped his narrative (17:00); how he wrote about a road trip that didn’t actually reach its objective, and how he tried to model his narrative on Bill Bryson’s writing (26:00); how Matt used a hybrid publisher to get his travel book into the world in two years (31:00); the challenges, idiosyncrasies, and creative joys that come with creating a hybrid published book (39:00); how AI bots determined that Matt had “plagiarized” what turned out to be his own book (54:00); and Matt’s advice for people interested in hybrid publishing (60:30). Matt Savino (@ushuaia_or_bust) is the author of Land Without a Continent: A Road Trip through Mexico and Central America. He can be contacted via his website. Notable Links: Paris travel memoir writing workshop (Rolf’s writing classes) Matt’s Spreadsheet of Pain (note explainer tab at the bottom) No Baggage Challenge (Rolf’s 2010 blog and video series) Justin's elephant-poop cold remedy (2010 video) Walking every single street in NYC (Deviate episode) The Sweet Superstition of Rooting for the Royals, by Rolf Potts (essay) Van Life Before #VanLife (Deviate episode) Developmental editing (pre-publication writing support) Hybrid publishing (assisted self-publishing) Jew (comedy special by Ari Shaffir) Perhapsing (nonfiction narrative strategy) Illumify Media (hybrid publisher) Cliff Clavin (fictional character on Cheers) IngramSpark (self-publishing book company) Kindle Direct Publishing (e-book publishing platform) Authors, books, and agents mentioned: Bill Bryson (author) Julie Pesano (travel writer and teacher) Cole Kazdin (writer and writing coach) Who Killed the Bishop? by Francisco Goldman (book) Blood of Brothers, by Stephen Kinzer (book) Turning the Tide, by Noam Chomsky (book) A Walk in the Woods, by Bill Bryson (book) Chloe Cooper Jones (author) Eddy L. Harris (travel author) James Faccinto (book publicist and former Paris student) April Eberhardt (literary agent and publishing consultant) AWOL on the Appalachian Trail, by David Miller (book) Pati Jinich (chef, author, and TV host) The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel's 2017 album Lumber. Note: We don't host a “comments” section, but we're happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at deviate@rolfpotts.com.

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Dave Kellett discusses the three phases of art. First, you're just trying to make it work. Then, you try to make it right. And after you've mastered those, you can begin to make it fast.On today's show:Make it work, make it right, make it fastUPDATE: Danielle Corsetto's lettering tipsUPDATE: Substack Notes adviceUPDATE: KDP and Global ComixSummaryThe hosts discuss the stages of artistic development in comics, starting with making it work, then making it right, and finally making it fast. They compare this progression to the process of building a shelf, where you start by making it functional and then refine it over time. They estimate that it takes about 3-5 years to make it work, 10-15 years to make it right, and even longer to make it fast. They emphasize the importance of putting in the time and effort to reach each stage of development. In this part of the conversation, Brad and Dave discuss the different stages of their careers in comics and how they have evolved over time. They talk about the importance of making it right before making it fast and how their skills and speed have improved over the years. They also discuss the idea of never being as good as their heroes but striving to be the best version of themselves.Additionally, they share a lettering tip from Danielle Corsetto and discuss the potential of Substack. Brad and Dave discuss their experiences with Substack and Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) in this conversation. Brad shares his positive experience with Substack, highlighting its features and the potential for audience growth. They also discuss the drawbacks of KDP, including discoverability issues and the difficulty of dealing with Amazon. Brad recommends Global Comix as an alternative platform for building an audience. The conversation concludes with a discussion of upcoming projects and the excitement for the future.TakeawaysThe process of artistic development in comics involves three stages: making it work, making it right, and making it fast.Making it work is about creating a functional comic while making it right involves refining the details and improving the quality.Progressing through each stage takes time and effort, with estimates of 3-5 years to make it work, 10-15 years to make it right, and even longer to make it fast.Putting in the work and consistently creating comics is essential for growth and improvement as an artist. It is important to focus on making it right before trying to make it fast.Skills and speed improve over time with practice and experience.Strive to be the best version of yourself rather than trying to be as good as your heroes.Consider flipping and printing the artwork on the back to create perfect hand-lettered original art.Substack has the potential to be a valuable platform for comic creators. Substack offers a great platform for artists to share their work and build an audience.KDP may not be the best option for indie creators due to discoverability issuesGlobal Comix is a promising alternative platform for building an audienceIt's important to focus on creating joyful and engaging content on social media platforms  You get great rewards when you join the ComicLab Community on Patreon$2 — Early access to episodes$5 — Submit a question for possible use on the show AND get the exclusive ProTips podcast. Plus $2-tier rewards.Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive.

Welcome to Day 1 of the 3-Day Planner Publishing Challenge Series! To get the most out of this challenge and get your free workbook along with direct 1:1 feedback from me as you develop your profitable planner idea, register over at publishaplanner.com/challengeSarahSend us a Text Message.Find more resources over at SarahSteckler.comCome say hi on Instagram @sarahsteckler

Join me for a 3-Day Planner Publishing Challenge starting August 26th! Trainings will be dropping right here on the Mindful Productivity Podcast but if you want to get the most out of the experience I highly recommend registering over at publishaplanner.com/challenge so you can get access to our video trainings, workbook, and direct 1:1 feedback from me to help you narrow down your focus for your profitable planner idea!Register here -->See you then!SarahSend us a Text Message.------Join me starting August 26th for a 3-Day Planner Publishing Challenge where I'll be walking you through generating your profitable planner idea & planner publishing options. Register here -->------Find more resources over at SarahSteckler.comCome say hi on Instagram @sarahsteckler

Hello, and welcome to another episode of the podcast. But before we get started, I want to talk for a minute for those of you who have recipes that you have collected or written that you want to publish in a book. Did you know that with a few simple tools, you can easily format and publish your book in about 3 months? This is exactly what I teach in my course Cookbooks on KDP. I help food bloggers and recipe collectors learn how to format and publish their recipes in a book using Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing platform. So if you have recipes ready to publish and want to publish them in a book before Christmas, we will start our next cohort in September. Get on the waitlist, and I will email you more information.  Today, on the podcast, I have an interview with Ben Tish. Ben Tish is the Chef Director of Cubitt House, a hospitality group in London, England where he oversees the food offerings across a number of London's best pubs and eateries. With an undying love of Mediterranean food and history, Ben is passionate about recreating the flavors and dishes of his travels to the Mediterranean in his own home, cookbooks,  and restaurants. He is the author of five cookbooks, and today we're here to talk about his newest book Mediterra: Recipes from the islands and shores of the Mediterranean. Enjoy this episode as Ben and I take a deep dive into the Mediterranean basin, which includes 18 distinctive countries and a discussion of some ingredients and cooking techniques you might not expect in Mediterranean cooking. Ben shares his philosophy for recipe development and ingredient procurement for his cookbooks, his writing routine when he's actively working on a cookbook project, as well as a discussion of Ben's unique and favorite recipes from each section of the book based on the Northern, Eastern, and Southern Shores, and Islands in the Mediterranean.  Things We Mention In This Episode Do you have Recipes Ready to Publish? Join the waitlist for Cookbooks on KDP Chef Ben Tish Mediterra: Recipes from the Islands and Shores of the Mediterranean Crazy Water and Pickled Lemon Diana Henry Moro The Cookbook Samuel and Samantha Clark  

In this episode, we welcome the Kindlepreneur himself, Dave Chesson for a chat about selling books on Amazon and Kindle Direct Publishing. Dave has devoted huge amounts of time and effort into helping authors sell books and reach readers. We chat about the latest changes Amazon has made to its book category system, how selling books on Amazon works, how you can use Amazon ads to great effect, and what best practices authors can follow (like using keywords) to find more success. The book marketing advice you'll find here will help you sell both fantasy fiction books, non-fiction books, and books of all genres. Dave reveals all about how Amazon works for selling books here. As always, if you have any questions, comments or requests, please email us at thefantasywriterstoolshed@gmail.com JOIN THE COMMUNITY ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mailchi.mp/395aa89d6ec0/join-richie-billings-community-of-writers⁠⁠ GET FANTASY WRITING CLASSES AND BOOKS https://www.patreon.com/TheFantasyWritersToolshed ABOUT OUR GUEST Learn more about Dave Chesson: https://kindlepreneur.com/ Get Dave's free Amazon Ads course: www.amscourse.com ABOUT RICHIE BILLING www.richiebilling.com

Welcome to the SaaS Fuel podcast, where we dive deep into the world of online business and investing. In this episode, Kyle Kuderewski shares insights into key trends and risks in online business models, including content sites, FBA, Kindle Direct Publishing, and agencies.Kyle and Jeff, explore the increasing competition and risks associated with artificial intelligence and SEO updates. They discuss the surge of FBA during COVID-19 and the challenges it now faces. You'll also learn about Kyle's journey from engineering to entrepreneurship and his favorite travel destinations and dive sites.Stay tuned for valuable insights on online business and investing.Key Takeaways00:00 Awkward leader conversations in past workplaces.05:16 Upgraded wardrobe, taught laundry care, made progress.09:00 Entrepreneurial spirit leads to vacation rental venture.13:37 Facilitating investment in online businesses, scaling portfolios.16:32 Option to sell businesses after working with us.19:13 Acquisition search continues, cautious about AI impact.23:40 Challenges of AI and ranking in content.25:29 Kindle Direct Publishing offers diverse, creative opportunities.29:16 Seeking private companies with good fundamentals and profit.32:30 Creating a platform for investing and legal considerations.34:36 Attractive remote work culture with strong connections.40:58 Share the episode, get a fearless filter and meet amazing founders.42:03 SaaS Fuel: Listen, follow, subscribe, rate, review.Tweetable QuotesMonetization Strategies in Business Acquisitions: "The investors continue to get, you know, the exit is a big part of the profit plan." — Kyle Kuderewski 00:16:32The Future of Content Marketing: "I don't think that model is going away anytime soon, but it's something that we're being more cautious with." — Kyle Kuderewski 00:24:05Viral Topic: The Future of FBA Businesses“So if you're gonna be an FBA operator in general or with us, I you know, you need to be really an expert at it. It's not nearly as easy as it used to be." — Kyle Kuderewski 00:25:20Viral Topic: Self-Publishing and AI Writing"So we do have, some operators with, onboard with WebStreet that have been very successful with KDP, and that doesn't even necessarily have to be fiction, nonfiction type books." — Kyle Kuderewski 00:25:38Elevating Leadership Through Difficult Conversations: "Embrace the discomfort, wield empathy and honesty, and watch as your leadership reaches new heights." — Jeff Mains 00:06:55Viral Topic: Augmented Reality Visor for Leadership Challenges"It's an augmented reality visor that overlays your daily challenges with visual cues of success, boosting your resolve to tackle those leadership challenges head on." — Jeff Mains 00:41:07SaaS Leadership Lessons1. Emphasize Scalability and Profitability: The episode emphasizes the importance of focusing on scalable and profitable SaaS businesses. This lesson highlights the significance of building a business that can grow sustainably while maintaining profitability, a crucial aspect for SaaS leadership. 2. Skillful Operators and Competitive Advantage: Successful SaaS leadership requires skillful operators and the creation of a strong competitive advantage to stay ahead in a crowded market. Recognizing and nurturing skilled operators within the organization and building a defensible moat around the product are essential components for success in the SaaS industry.3. Handling Difficult Conversations: Jeff Mains shares a 3-step framework for handling tough talks, which includes preparing with empathy and clarity,...

The Kindlepreneur rolled out updated details for Kindle Direct Publishing keywords. PublishDrive announces huge new feature where artificial intelligence produces your metadata. And, Amazon is testing out a new Book Trends Data feature on the sales pages; could this equal more sales? All that and more in the self-publishing news! Subscribe to my email newsletter - https://DaleLinks.com/Signup Subscribe to The Self-Publishing Hub - https://TheSelfPublishingHub.com Join Channel Memberships - https://DaleLinks.com/Memberships Join Me on Discord - https://DaleLinks.com/Discord Check out my main YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@DaleLRoberts Sources: How to Fill in Your 7 Kindle Keywords: 2024 UPDATE! - https://youtu.be/vinXgGNxEzk?si=nXWNVGv2n1z3P4pc Book Trends Data - https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G3WC49TM63DUM4VW?mc_cid=1c5f63597e&mc_eid=433332c881 PublishDrive: Mastering Metadata - Unveiling Our AI-Publishing Assistant - https://streamyard.com/watch/PjVM9ebWhxj7 BookBaby: 9 Writing Roadblocks and How to Overcome Them - https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_5TZKcqCvQOuSbwlskPOt0A#/registration  Getpremades: Premade Cover Party on May 30th - https://www.facebook.com/groups/getpremades/ ALLi: Email Marketing Tips for Indie Authors - https://selfpublishingadvice.org/podcast-email-marketing/ Dibbly Create - https://DaleLinks.com/DibblyCreate (affiliate link) Credit: The Hot Sheet - https://hotsheetpub.com Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts

Ep 78 Self-Publishers: No Book Sales? I Have a Solution! The KDP 4 B2B method is a game-changer for self-publishers looking to collaborate with businesses. Learn how to earn setup fees for each booklet and enjoy continuous royalties, all without relying on ads or keywords! //Show Notes & Links Free eBook: https://bit.ly/4c8VJDN Step-By-Step Guide: Partner with Businesses using the KDP 4 B2B Method! Self-publish low-medium content books using the business's own content to create the booklets for them. KDP 4 B2B: Short for Kindle Direct Publishing for Business to Business. Earn setup fees and recurring revenue for each book without ads or keywords! Discover a lucrative business model: Start your KDP 4 B2B venture today! Learn how to charge a setup fee, publish on Amazon, and earn royalties from every sale. Don't miss out on this opportunity to elevate your income. Who's ready to begin their KDP 4 B2B Method journey?

How can selling your book on Amazon both elevate and challenge your author experience?In this week's episode, podcast host Susan Friedmann discusses the pros and cons of publishing and selling books on Amazon. She goes into detail about the many benefits of using Amazon's platform and some of the challenges that can come with it. Key Takeaways:Ease and Speed of Publishing: Discover how Amazon makes it easy for authors to publish their work with tools like eBooks and print-on-demand so they can get their books out there quickly and easily.Visibility Challenges: Learn about the challenges authors face in getting their books noticed among millions on Amazon and strategies to boost discoverability.Alternative Sales Platforms: Understand the advantages of selling books through your website, which can give you direct customer interaction and valuable data that Amazon doesn't offer.Leverage Print-on-Demand Services: Learn about Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing and other services like BookBaby, which handle printing and distribution, making it easy for authors to publish their work.Using Local Resources and Events: Find out how connecting with local bookstores, events, and media can help you reach a wider audience.Tune in to learn the pros and cons of selling books on Amazon and develop a strategy for maximizing your success in this competitive marketplace.*************************************************************************Sponsored by Aviva Publishing. For over 30 years, we've dedicated ourselves to support nonfiction authors on their journey to publish and sell their books in bulk. Our mission is to empower you to establish yourself as a leading authority in a niche market. Learn my Top 5 Book Marketing Tips! Sign up for the “Book Marketing Kickstarter 5-Day Challenge”—it's free!*************************************************************************

In today's episode, Patrick Donley (@JPatrickDonley) sits down with Nick Di Fabio who, prior to discovering Amazon KDP, had 30 jobs before the age of 30. He has since gone on to make over $1 million in Amazon KDP royalties, had a successful exit, and is now helping others clone his self-publishing strategies. You'll learn how to get started in Kindle Direct Publishing , how to select profitable niches, how AI is changing the publishing landscape, how to 80/20 your marketing efforts and so much more! Nick discovered Amazon KDP while working a 6 pm to 6 am job and has since gone on to publish over 250 books that continue to make him royalties. He also runs Publishing Profits Academy where he teaches others how to build a self-publishing business. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 02:12 - What Amazon KDP is. 06:56 - How Nick found his niche in self-publishing. 07:58 - What are the demographics of people who pursue Amazon KDP. 10:02 - How publishing has changed in the past decade. 13:09 - How Nick selects niches to write about. 21:56 - How AI will continue to change the publishing landscape. 29:10 - What to do to 80/20 your marketing efforts. 35:47 - How to create an exit strategy in publishing. 42:46 - Why do people create a book as a business card. 49:26 - How Publishing Profits Academy was born and what people learn in it. *Disclaimer: Slight timestamp discrepancies may occur due to podcast platform differences. BOOKS AND RESOURCES Join the exclusive TIP Mastermind Community to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Kyle and the other community members. Checkout: 1000 True Fans by Kevin Kelly. Books mentioned: The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch. Books mentioned: Deep Work by Cal Newport. Books mentioned: 50th Law by Robert Greene. Books mentioned: 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene. Books mentioned: On the Shortness of Life by Seneca. Books mentioned: Slow Productivity by Cal Newport. Books mentioned: Outwitting the Devil by Napoleon Hill. Check out the books mentioned in the podcast here. Enjoy ad-free episodes when you subscribe to our Premium Feed. NEW TO THE SHOW? Follow our official social media accounts: X (Twitter) | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok. Check out our Millennial Investing Starter Packs. Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) here. Try Kyle's favorite tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: TIP Finance. Enjoy exclusive perks from our favorite Apps and Services. Stay up-to-date on financial markets and investing strategies through our daily newsletter, We Study Markets. Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the best business podcasts. SPONSORS Support our free podcast by supporting our sponsors: Toyota Monarch Money Airbnb Meyka NerdWallet Fundrise Yahoo! Finance NetSuite Range Rover Connect with Patrick: Twitter Connect with Nick: LinkedIn |  Twitter  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm

What's going on in the planner industry? Are people still buying planners? Is it still a good time to self-publish and create your own journal or planner?Tune in to hear my thoughts on:What's changed in the planner industry and marketWhat trends I'm seeing in purchasing and consumerism Self-publishing alternative options and why I still recommend using Kindle Direct PublishingWhy creating a Pocket Planner can be the best option for new creators!22 Pocket Planner ideas to inspire you!An invitation to our Pocket Planner Creation Round that kicks off May 13thJoin us inside Publish with Purpose: https://www.publishaplanner.com/enroll/Take a look inside my Pocket List Planner --->Questions about the program? Hit me up on Instagram @sarahsteckler xoxoSarahFind more resources over at SarahSteckler.comCome say hi on Instagram @sarahsteckler

50 People Get Killed by Dogs in US Alone. Any Bozo Can Bribe, Beat or Buzz Your Dog into Listening. Dogs Are More Spoiled and Dangerous than Ever. Why do you think that is?Zeddicus King's book,  DOGS DECODED - Your Dog's Mindset vs Your Attitude & Beliefs is finally here! https://www.amazon.com/DOGS-DECODED-Mindset-Attitude-Beliefs/dp/B0CW1SBBLTPrepare to have your perceptions of dog psychology radically shifted as I share the insights from my new book, "Dogs Decoded." It's been a rollercoaster of a decade, writing and re-writing, to bring you this comprehensive guide that's already wagging its tail on the bestseller list. The shocking truth behind dog-related fatalities and the rise of pampered pooches sets a bold backdrop for a conversation that might just help you see the world through your dog's eyes.This episode isn't your ordinary run-of-the-mill dog talk; it's an exploration that challenges the heart and habits of every dog owner. Discover if you're guilty of overindulgence with our "spoiled dog test," and learn why emotional responses in training often overcome logic. Plus, I walk you through the '10 biggest lies in dog training,' and how grasping the real truths can earn you a 'black belt in dog psychology.' From the 'biggest scam' to the '99% sweet, 1% psycho' dog, our discussion is packed with anecdotes and advice that will leave you pondering and possibly chuckling about the dynamics of your pet relationship.As our time together draws to a close, my heart overflows with gratitude for the tidal wave of support and engagement from listeners and readers like you. With a nod to Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing, I share how it provides a nimble platform for content updates, ensuring our materials stay as fresh as a puppy's breath. I'm sending out a virtual pat and a scratch behind the ears to all our furry friends and their humans, with the promise of more revealing discussions to come. Keep your leashes at the ready, and your minds open for what's to come! https://www.amazon.com/DOGS-DECODED-Mindset-Attitude-Beliefs/dp/B0CVVKZWJ4/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3IUWIVC2EBZA6&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Xdh5m2q-8rgWSDc0t4TggWKrXQUyOlqHl8EYQhkeYtVYfHhvzo7QVuZC-0flY-eyn5-eyX1lDabMai7PdgEjq5utk1cpFaNt3LStiVs87GHRGJ9WNXBFVX8YBIy0OlVLLiXRtTL9MZJcb-sPW6ROe0faqbJrrBPpbq65RroJqBsWaodTTSk9yCBaPAPRV0x14JghaW3jHEFuE_HKUT0HEZmLQD0BegqPpEhrcrTFLSo.x9YLHr3eWXE7lCa6L6Df5IuHP0pR0A7tJxw-AyKgMkE&dib_tag=se&keywords=dogs+decoded&qid=1709613410&sprefix=dogs+decoded%2Caps%2C250&sr=8-5To Hire Zeddicus for Phone/Zoom Consultation, In-Home Lessons or His Doggie Boot Camp in Los Angeles, Paw at: https://DogSecrets.com

TusCon 50 Panel Formatting for Kindle Direct Publishing Recorded live at TusCon 50 Sunday – Ballroom 11:00 am 12:00 pm  https://tusconscificon.com/timetable/event/formatting-for-kindle-direct-publishing/ Publishing isn't just books anymore. But each format is different. How do you keep everything looking right no matter what? Bruce Wiley, Cameron D Blackwell, Jessica Feinberg Bruce Wiley, Cameron D Blackwell, http://Cameron Blackwell books.square.site http://blackwellserials.wordpress.com Jessica Feinberg RareDragons.Shop And a huge Thank you to the TusCon Board, Panelists, Volunteers, and fantastic Con Suite hosts! Chek out more about TusCon at https://tusconscificon.com/ Please support our shows at www.patreon.com/cppn and even join us in some games! Also keep an eye at the new things on our now affiliated Twitch channel: https://www.twitch.tv/creativeplayandpodcast Also follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CreativePlayandPodcastNetwork Would you be interested if we hosted D&D and Edge of Empire games on Roll20 for you to join? Email us at Creativeplaypodcastnet@Gmail.com #TusCon50    

Join us as your host, David, dives deep into the extraordinary journey of Ty Cohen, a figure whose life story is a testament to turning adversity into triumph. Ty, a former morning talk show personality turned publishing maven, internet marketer, and personal development guru, shares his incredible path from facing life's toughest challenges to achieving unparalleled success.In this intimate and inspiring series, Ty opens up about his early years in one of the northeast's most notorious housing projects and his battle with sickle cell anemia. Discover how a life-altering prognosis at the age of 12 became the catalyst for his unbreakable spirit and relentless pursuit of greatness.With wisdom gleaned over decades, Ty takes us through his evolution from quitting a secure corporate job to embarking on a risky entrepreneurial venture that would eventually generate millions in sales and transform not just his life but those of countless others. Learn the ins and outs of his simple yet powerful formula for leveraging life's obstacles into financial opportunities, enabling you to reach your fullest potential.This podcast is more than just a dialogue; it's a masterclass in resilience, innovation, and the power of self-belief. Ty shares the secrets behind his success in the digital publishing world, making upwards of 50K a month through Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing and beyond. Whether discussing his first venture into the world of comic book selling, navigating the complexities of the music industry, or his groundbreaking strategies in digital marketing, Ty's story is a testament to what's possible when you dare to dream big."Unveiling Brilliance: The Ty Cohen Story" is not just an exploration of one man's journey to the top; it's a beacon of hope and a roadmap for anyone looking to discover, develop, and distribute their unique gifts to the world. Tune in to be educated, inspired, and empowered to take action towards your dreams, with Ty Cohen guiding you every step of the way.

Dive into the world of Barnes & Noble Press and explore how it compares to KDP. Learn about the options for printing hardcover books, the self-publishing process, and whether Barnes & Noble Press is a valuable alternative to Kindle Direct Publishing. Discover if you should self publish on Barnes & Noble Press and if it's worth considering for your book. Barnes & Noble Press - https://press.barnesandnoble.com/ Subscribe to The Self-Publishing Hub - https://TheSelfPublishingHub.com Join Channel Memberships - https://DaleLinks.com/Memberships Join Me on Discord - https://DaleLinks.com/Discord  Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts

I wrote a ‘little' book and just recently got it up for sale on Amazon. I even recorded it myself as an audio book for Audible which syncs the book on Amazon. It's called:  "How To Talk To Strangers Advice from a Professional Stranger Talker"  (And I'm a roll with 5 star reviews! Good reviews mean everything to an author)  I could not have done it without the help of Donna Kozik, a book coach gal pal out in San Diego,CA  who I've been featuring for years on my radio show because I love her style and how she shows people how to get a book done.  Meanwhile even though it sounded doable, and even though I do know how to write - Donna knows that I tried for a few years but kept not getting it done. I kept backing off. Why? I don't know. I didn't think what I wrote was good enough. I didn't think it was compelling enough. I had imposter syndrome. Then came the pandemic and the totally wrong timing for the topic. And of course, then there were the never ending barrage of life distractions. Finally, with Donna's help and unwavering encouragement, I did it! Whew! Feels Good!   I knew nothing about the process of publishing an ebook or soft cover book, but Donna helped me get it into the right format, helped me with the proofreading, helped me get the cover art done, educated me about Kindle and how to upload it on Amazon and was always available for my zillion email questions.  I had no idea how to set the right price (learned an eBook sweet spot price is $2.99), or the importance of getting reviews, or how to navigate Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing system for the first time.   I'm just deciding how I am going to market the book now that the audio I recorded separately with fabulous Al Hemberger at The Loft Recording Studios in Bronxville, N.Y., was approved by Audible. (Who knew they reserve the right to set the price based on the length of the audio?) That was another thing that took way longer than I had anticipated but, finally got that done too! Whew! Personal accomplishment!   I'm hoping my new ‘little' book will be as Donna calls it "My Big Business Card".  Utilizing a Book as a Business Tool  Donna Kozik book coach extraordinaire, says, a book IS a "Big Business Card" and there are various ways to leverage it for building credibility, obtaining speaking engagements, and promoting one's expertise.  'Short books' she says are the way to go, especially in today's information-saturated world. A short book can be easily read and can still carry a powerful message, making it a good option for authors and readers alike.  My book, "How To Talk To Strangers Advice from a Professional Stranger Talker" is 62 pages, and the audio book is 47 minutes. It's a little book with a big message. You'll get my point, get some laughs and get some tips in under an hour.  I'd love my book to lead to some speaking engagements about teaching people how to connect and communicate better in person. I really do think I have some sage knowledge to share in a fun way. I will now be looking to share it with some event planners, etc. who might be looking for someone like me to speak about this.  Encouragement for Aspiring Authors  I invited Donna Kozik back to join me on my radio show so we could discuss the self-publishing process now that I've been through it, so we could share information with those of you who might have a book in you too!  Donna says many potential authors face the same challenges as I mentioned I had above, and that procrastination or life events should not discourage them. She said, once a book is published, people do not focus on how long it took. (Did I mention I started this book idea 5 years ago? LOL)  Besides her great advice for listeners who may want to write a book, Donna offers a step-by-step approach to getting started, including making the decision, taking action, creating a structure. Her program "Write a Book in a Weekend," her group coaching, and her Business Authors Association, offer support and promotion for new authors. She suggests aspiring writers start with her FreeBookPlanner.com. Oh and she made a big point about avoiding talking about the book you haven't finished writing yet too much, to prevent creating an emotional payoff for yourself without making any progress. (Oh boy, I did this 1000X.) Enjoy this podcast of our live conversation about how to really get a book done on The Debbie Nigro Show.  Tune in to The Debbie Nigro Show 11-12 EST weekdays in the NY/CT area on 1490 WGCH or Listen from Anywhere on WGCH.com Just hit the 'listen live' button.

Has it really been 100 episodes?! Yes!!In this episode of the Writing Momentum podcast, Chris and Gena celebrate their podcast's third year and 100th episode by taking a look back at their top five most listened to episodes. They discuss the importance of avoiding cliches in writing, explore the wide range of materials that can be written for children, highlight the benefits of using an email newsletter for marketing, delve into the different types of editing needed for a manuscript, and provide a step-by-step guide on self-publishing on Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing. They also give an honorable mention to an episode on making time to write based on listener feedback. Listeners are encouraged to subscribe, review, and share the podcast, and are provided with a goal-setting planner and information on an upcoming membership site.Episodes we talk about:62: https://www.writingmomentum.com/writing/avoid-this-writing-trap-like-the-plague/80: https://www.writingmomentum.com/podcast/all-you-can-write-for-children/60: https://www.writingmomentum.com/marketing/our-best-kept-email-marketing-secret-2/75: https://www.writingmomentum.com/podcast/why-your-manuscript-needs-editing-four-times/4: https://www.writingmomentum.com/publishing/what-you-need-to-self-publish-on-amazons-kindle-direct-publishing-kdp/9: https://www.writingmomentum.com/writing/how-to-make-time-to-write-your-answers/Links: Join Liz Wilcox's Email Marketing Membership at https://wmdeal.com/lizGet your FREE Move the Needle goal-setting for authors ebook at https://www.writingmomentum.comWrite with us! Join Chris, Gena, and Rene each Wednesday at noon Central and let's get our writing DONE! https://www.writingmoments.comPrefer to watch it on YouTube? Visit https://www.youtube.com/@writingmomentum

David was the chief software architect and director of engineering at Stitch Fix. He's also the author of a number of books including Sustainable Web Development with Ruby on Rails and most recently Ruby on Rails Background Jobs with Sidekiq. He talks about how he made decisions while working with a medium sized team (~200 developers) at Stitch Fix. The audio quality for the first 19 minutes is not great but the correct microphones turn on right after that. Recorded at RubyConf 2023 in San Diego. A few topics covered: Ruby's origins at Stitch Fix Thoughts on Go Choosing technology and cloud services Moving off heroku Building a platform team Where Ruby and Rails fit in today The role of books and how different people learn Large Language Model's effects on technical content Related Links David's Blog Mastodon Transcript You can help correct transcripts on GitHub. Intro [00:00:00] Jeremy: Today. I want to share another conversation from RubyConf San Diego. This time it's with David Copeland. He was a chief software architect and director of engineering at stitch fix. And at the start of the conversation, you're going to hear about why he decided to write the book, sustainable web development with Ruby on rails. Unfortunately, you're also going to notice the sound quality isn't too good. We had some technical difficulties. But once you hit the 20 minute mark of the recording, the mics are going to kick in. It's going to sound way better. So I hope you stick with it. Enjoy. Ruby at Stitch Fix [00:00:35] David: Stitch Fix was a Rails shop. I had done a lot of Rails and learned a lot of things that worked and didn't work, at least in that situation. And so I started writing them down and I was like, I should probably make this more than just a document that I keep, you know, privately on my computer. Uh, so that's, you know, kind of, kind of where the genesis of that came from and just tried to, write everything down that I thought what worked, what didn't work. Uh, if you're in a situation like me. Working on a product, with a medium sized, uh, team, then I think the lessons in there will be useful, at least some of them. Um, and I've been trying to keep it up over, over the years. I think the first version came out a couple years ago, so I've been trying to make sure it's always up to date with the latest stuff and, and Rails and based on my experience and all that. [00:01:20] Jeremy: So it's interesting that you mention, medium sized team because, during the, the keynote, just a few moments ago, Matz the creator of Ruby was talking about how like, Oh, Rails is really suitable for this, this one person team, right? Small, small team. And, uh, he was like, you're not Google. So like, don't worry about, right. Can you scale to that level? Yeah. Um, and, and I wonder like when you talk about medium size or medium scale, like what are, what are we talking? [00:01:49] David: I think probably under 200 developers, I would say. because when I left Stitch Fix, it was closing in on that number of developers. And so it becomes, you know, hard to... You can kind of know who everybody is, or at least the names sound familiar of everybody. But beyond that, it's just, it's just really hard. But a lot of it was like, I don't have experience at like a thousand developer company. I have no idea what that's like, but I definitely know that Rails can work for like... 200 ish people how you can make it work basically. yeah. [00:02:21] Jeremy: The decision to use Rails, I'm assuming that was made before you joined? [00:02:26] David: Yeah, the, um, the CTO of Stitch Fix, he had come in to clean up a mess made by contractors, as often happens. They had used Django, which is like the Python version of Rails. And he, the CTO, he was more familiar with Rails. So the first two developers he hired, also familiar with Rails. There wasn't a lot to maintain with the Django app, so they were like, let's just start fresh, fresh with Rails. yeah, but it's funny because a lot of the code in that Rails app was, like, transliterated from Python. So you could, it would, it looked like the strangest Ruby code in the world because it was basically, there was no test. So they were like, let's just write the Ruby version of this Python just so we know it works. but obviously that didn't, didn't last forever, so. [00:03:07] Jeremy: So, so what's an example of a, of a tell? Where you're looking at the code and you're like, oh, this is clearly, it came from Python. [00:03:15] David: You'd see like, very, very explicit, right? Like Python, there's a lot of like single line things. very like, this sounds like a dig, but it's very simple looking code. Like, like I don't know Python, but I was able to change this Django app. And I had to, I could look at it and you can figure out immediately how it works. Cause there's. Not much to it. There's nothing fancy. So, like, this, this Ruby code, there was nothing fancy. You'd be like, well, maybe they should have memoized that, or maybe they should have taken that into another class, or you could have done this with a hash or something like that. So there was, like, none of that. It was just, like, really basic, plain code like you would see in any beginning programming language kind of thing. Which is at least nice. You can understand it. but you probably wouldn't have written it that way at first in Ruby. Thoughts on Go [00:04:05] Jeremy: Yeah, that's, that's interesting because, uh, people sometimes talk about the Go programming language and how it looks, I don't know if simple is the right word, but it's something where you look at the code and even if you don't necessarily understand Go, it's relatively straightforward. Yeah. I wonder what your thoughts are on that being a strength versus that being, like, [00:04:25] David: Yeah, so at Stitch Fix at one point we had a pro, we were moving off of Heroku and we were going to, basically build a deployment platform using ECS on AWS. And so the deployment platform was a Rails app and we built a command line tool using Ruby. And it was fine, but it was a very complicated command line tool and it was very slow. And so one of the developers was like, I'm going to rewrite it in Go. I was like, ugh, you know, because I just was not a big fan. So he rewrote it in Go. It was a bazillion times faster. And then I was like, okay, I'm going to add, I'll add a feature to it. It was extremely easy. Like, it's just like what you said. I looked at it, like, I don't know anything about Go. I know what is happening here. I can copy and paste this and change things and make it work for what I want to do. And it did work. And it was, it was pretty easy. so there's that, I mean, aesthetically it's pretty ugly and it's, I, I. I can't really defend that as a real reason to not use it, but it is kind of gross. I did do Go, I did a small project in Go after Stitch Fix, and there's this vibe in Go about like, don't create abstractions. I don't know where I got that from, but every Go I look at, I'm like we should make an abstraction for this, but it's just not the vibe. They just don't like doing that. They like it all written out. And I see the value because you can look at the code and know what it does and you don't have to chase abstractions anywhere. But. I felt like I was copying and pasting a lot of, a lot of things. Um, so I don't know. I mean, the, the team at Stitch Fix that did this like command line app in go, they're the platform team. And so their job isn't to write like web apps all day, every day. There's kind of in and out of all kinds of things. They have to try to figure out something that they don't understand quickly to debug a problem. And so I can see the value of something like go if that's your job, right? You want to go in and see what the issue is. Figure it out and be done and you're not going to necessarily develop deep expertise and whatever that thing is that you're kind of jumping into. Day to day though, I don't know. I think it would make me kind of sad. (laughs) [00:06:18] Jeremy: So, so when you say it would make you kind of sad, I mean, what, what about it? Is it, I mean, you mentioned that there's a lot of copy and pasting, so maybe there's code duplication, but are there specific things where you're like, oh, I just don't? [00:06:31] David: Yeah, so I had done a lot of Java in my past life and it felt very much like that. Where like, like the Go library for making an HTTP call for like, I want to call some web service. It's got every feature you could ever want. Everything is tweakable. You can really, you can see why it's designed that way. To dial in some performance issue or solve some really esoteric thing. It's there. But the problem is if you just want to get an JSON, it's just like huge production. And I felt like that's all I really want to do and it's just not making it very easy. And it just felt very, very cumbersome. I think that having to declare types also is a little bit of a weird mindset because, I mean, I like to make types in Ruby, I like to make classes, but I also like to just use hashes and stuff to figure it out. And then maybe I'll make a class if I figure it out, but Go, you can't. You have to have a class, you have to have a type, you have to think all that ahead of time, and it just, I'm not used to working that way, so it felt, I mean, I guess I could get used to it, but I just didn't warm up to that sort of style of working, so it just felt like I was just kind of fighting with the vibe of the language, kind of. Yeah, [00:07:40] Jeremy: so it's more of the vibe or the feel where you're writing it and you're like this seems a little too... Explicit. I feel like I have to be too verbose. It just doesn't feel natural for me to write this. [00:07:53] David: Right, it's not optimized for what in my mind is the obvious case. And maybe that's not the obvious case for the people that write Go programs. But for me, like, I just want to like get this endpoint and get the JSON back as a map. Not any easier than any other case, right? Whereas like in Ruby, right? And you can, I think if you include net HTTP, you can just type get. And it will just return whatever that is. Like, that's amazing. It's optimized for what I think is a very common use case. So it makes me feel really productive. It makes me feel pretty good. And if that doesn't work out long term, I can always use something more complicated. But I'm not required to dig into the NetHttp library just to do what in my mind is something very simple. [00:08:37] Jeremy: Yeah, I think that's something I've noticed myself in working with Ruby. I mean, you have the standard library that's very... Comprehensive and the API surface is such that, like you said there, when you're trying to do common tasks, a lot of times they have a call you make and it kind of does the thing you expected or hoped for. [00:08:56] David: Yeah, yeah. It's kind of, I mean, it's that whole optimized for programmer happiness thing. Like it does. That is the vibe of Ruby and it seems like that is still the way things are. And, you know, I, I suppose if I had a different mindset, I mean, because I work with developers who did not like using Ruby or Rails. They loved using Go or Java. And I, I guess there's probably some psychological analysis we could do about their background and history and mindset that makes that make sense. But, to me, I don't know. It's, it's nice when it's pleasant. And Ruby seems pleasant. (laughs) Choosing Technology [00:09:27] Jeremy: as a... Software Architect, or as a CTO, when, when you're choosing technology, what are some of the things you look at in terms of, you know? [00:09:38] David: Yeah, I mean, I think, like, it's a weird criteria, but I think what is something that the team is capable of executing with? Because, like, most, right, most programming languages all kind of do the same thing. Like, you can kind of get most stuff done in most common popular programming languages. So, it's probably not... It's not true that if you pick the wrong language, you can't build the app. Like, that's probably not really the case. At least for like a web app or something. so it's more like, what is the team that's here to do it? What are they comfortable and capable of doing? I worked on a project with... It was a mix of like junior engineers who knew JavaScript, and then some senior engineers from Google. And for whatever reason someone had chosen a Rails app and none of them were comfortable or really yet competent with doing Ruby on Rails and they just all hated it and like it didn't work very well. Um, and so even though, yes, Rails is a good choice for doing stuff for that team at that moment. Not a good choice. Right. So I think you have to go in and like, what, what are we going to be able to execute on so that when the business wants us to do something, we just do it. And we don't complain and we don't say, Oh, well we can't because this technology that we chose, blah, blah, blah. Like you don't ever want to say that if possible. So I think that's. That's kind of the, the top thing. I think second would be how widely supported is it? Like you don't want to be the cutting edge user that's finding all the bugs in something really. Like you want to use something that's stable. Postgres, MySQL, like those work, those are fine. The bugs have been sorted out for most common use cases. Some super fancy edge database, I don't know if I'd want to be doing, doing that you know? Choosing cloud services [00:11:15] Jeremy: How do you feel about the cloud specific services and databases? Like are you comfortable saying like, oh, I'm going to use... Google Cloud, BigQuery. Yeah. [00:11:27] David: That sort of thing. I think it would kind of fall under the same criteria that I was just, just saying like, so with AWS it's interesting 'cause when we moved from Heroku to AWS by EC2 RDS, their database thing, uh, S3, those have been around for years, probably those are gonna work, but they always introduce new things. Like we, we use RabbitMQ and AWS came out with. Some, I forget what it was, it was a queuing service similar to Rabbit. We were like, Oh, maybe we should switch to that. But it was clear that they weren't really ready to support it. So. Yeah, so we didn't, we didn't switch to that. So I, you gotta try to read the tea leaves of the provider to see are they committed to, to supporting this thing or is this there to get some enterprise client to move into the cloud. And then the idea is to move off of that transitional thing into what they do support. And it's hard to get a clear answer from them too. So it takes a little bit of research to figure out, Are they going to support this or not? Because that's what you don't want. To move everything into some very proprietary cloud system and have them sunset it and say, Oh yeah, now you've got to switch again. Uh, that kind of sucks. So, it's a little trickier. [00:12:41] Jeremy: And what kind of questions or research do you do? Is it purely a function of this thing has existed for X number of years so I feel okay? [00:12:52] David: I mean, it's kind of similar to looking at like some gem you're going to add to your project, right? So you'll, you'll look at how often does it change? Is it being updated? Uh, what is the documentation? Does it look like someone really cared about the documentation? Does the documentation look updated? Are there issues with it that are being addressed or, or not? Um, so those are good signals. I think, talking to other practitioners too can be good. Like if you've got someone who's experienced. You can say, hey, do you know anybody back channeling through, like, everybody knows somebody that works at AWS, you can probably try to get something there. at Stitch Fix, we had an enterprise support contract, and so your account manager will sometimes give you good information if you ask. Again, it's a, they're not going to come out and say, don't use this product that we have, but they might communicate that in a subtle way. So you have to triangulate from all these sources to try to. to try to figure out what, what you want to do. [00:13:50] Jeremy: Yeah, it kind of makes me wish that there was a, a site like, maybe not quite like, can I use, right? Can I use, you can see like, oh, can I use this in my browser? Is there, uh, like an AWS or a Google Cloud? Can I trust this? Can I trust this? Yeah. Is this, is this solid or not? [00:14:04] David: Right, totally. It's like, there's that, that site where you, it has all the Apple products and it says whether or not you should buy it because one may or may not be coming out or they may be getting rid of it. Like, yeah, that would... For cloud services, that would be, that would be nice. [00:14:16] Jeremy: Yeah, yeah. That's like the Mac Buyer's Guide. And then we, we need the, uh, the technology. Yeah. Maybe not buyers. Cloud Provider Buyer's Guide, yeah. I guess we are buyers. [00:14:25] David: Yeah, yeah, totally, totally. [00:14:27] Jeremy: it's interesting that you, you mentioned how you want to see that, okay, this thing is mature. I think it's going to stick around because, I, interviewed, someone who worked on, I believe it was the CloudWatch team. Okay. Daniel Vassalo, yeah. so he left AWS, uh, after I think about 10 years, and then he wrote a book called, uh, The Good Parts of AWS. Oh! And, if you read his book, most of the services he says to use are the ones that are, like, old. Yeah. He's, he's basically saying, like, S3, you know you're good. Yeah. Right? but then all these, if you look at the AWS webpage, they have who knows, I don't know how many hundreds of services. Yeah. He's, he's kind of like I worked there and I would not use, you know, all these new services. 'cause I myself, I don't trust [00:15:14] David: it yet. Right. And so, and they're working there? Yeah, they're working there. Yeah. No. One of the VPs at Stitch Fix had worked on Google Cloud and so when we were doing this transition from Heroku, he was like, we are not using Google Cloud. I was like, really? He's like AWS is far ahead of the game. Do not use Google Cloud. I was like, all right, I don't need any more info. You work there. You said don't. I'm gonna believe you. So [00:15:36] Jeremy: what, what was his did he have like a core point? [00:15:39] David: Um, so he never really had anything bad to say about Google per se. Like I think he enjoyed his time there and I think he thought highly of who he worked with and what he worked on and that sort of thing. But his, where he was coming from was like AWS was so far ahead. of Google on anything that we would use, he was like, there's, there's really no advantage to, to doing it. AWS is a known quantity, right? it's probably still the case. It's like, you know, you've heard the nobody ever got fired for using IBM or using Microsoft or whatever the thing is. Like, I think that's, that was kind of the vibe. And he was like, moving all of our infrastructure right before we're going to go public. This is a serious business. We should just use something that we know will work. And he was like, I know this will work. I'm not confident about. Google, uh, for our use case. So we shouldn't, we shouldn't risk it. So I was like, okay, I trust you because I didn't know anything about any of that stuff at the time. I knew Heroku and that was it. So, yeah. [00:16:34] Jeremy: I don't know if it's good or bad, but like you said, AWS seems to be the default choice. Yeah. And I mean, there's people who use Azure. I assume it's mostly primarily Microsoft. Yeah. And then there's Google Cloud. It's not really clear why you would pick it, unless there was a specific service or something that only they had. [00:16:55] David: Yeah, yeah. Or you're invested in Google, you know, you want to keep everything there. I mean, I don't know. I haven't really been at that level to make that kind of decision, and I would probably choose AWS for the reasons discussed, but, yeah. Moving off Heroku [00:17:10] Jeremy: And then, so at Stitch Fix, you said you moved off of Heroku [00:17:16] David: yeah. Yeah, so we were heavy into Heroku. I think that we were told that at one point we had the biggest Heroku Postgres database on their platform. Not a good place to be, right? You never want to be the biggest customer person, usually. but the problem we were facing was essentially we were going to go public. And to do that, you're under all the scrutiny. about many things, including the IT systems and the security around there. So, like, by default, a Postgres, a Heroku Postgres database is, like, on the internet. It's only secured by the password. all their services are on the internet. So, not, not ideal. they were developing their private cloud service at that time. And so that would have given us, in theory, on paper, it would have solved all of our problems. And we liked Heroku and we liked the developer experience. It was great. but... Heroku private spaces, it was still early. There's a lot of limitations that when they explained why those limitations, they were reasonable. And if we had. started from scratch on Heroku Private Spaces. It probably would have worked great, but we hadn't. So we just couldn't make it work. So we were like, okay, we're going to have to move to AWS so that everything can be basically off the internet. Like our public website needs to be on the internet and that's kind of it. So we need to, so that's basically was the, was the impetus for that. but it's too bad because I love Heroku. It was great. I mean, they were, they were a great partner. They were great. I think if Stitch Fix had started life a year later, Private Spaces. Now it's, it's, it's way different than it was then. Cause it's been, it's a mature product now, so we could have easily done that, but you know, the timing didn't work out, unfortunately. [00:18:50] Jeremy: And that was a compliance thing to, [00:18:53] David: Yeah. And compliance is weird cause they don't tell you what to do, but they give you some parameters that you need to meet. And so one of them is like how you control access. So, so going public, the compliance is around the financial data and. Ensuring that the financial data is accurate. So a lot of the systems at Stichfix were storing the financial data. We, you know, the warehouse management system was custom made. Uh, all the credit card processing was all done, like it was all in some databases that we had running in Heroku. And so those needed to be subject to stricter security than we could achieve with just a single password that we just had to remember to rotate when someone like left the team. So that was, you know, the kind of, the kind of impetus for, for all of that. [00:19:35] Jeremy: when you were using Heroku, Salesforce would have already owned it then. Did you, did you get any sense that you weren't really sure about the future of the platform while you're on it or, [00:19:45] David: At that time, no, it seemed like they were still innovating. So like, Heroku has a Redis product now. They didn't at the time we wish that they did. They told us they're working on it, but it wasn't ready. We didn't like using the third parties. Kafka was not a thing. We very much were interested in that. We would have totally used it if it was there. So they were still. Like doing bigger innovations then, then it seems like they are now. I don't know. It's weird. Like they're still there. They still make money, I assume for Salesforce. So it doesn't feel like they're going away, but they're not innovating at the pace that they were kind of back in the day. [00:20:20] Jeremy: it used to feel like when somebody's asking, I want to host a Rails app. Then you would say like, well, use Heroku because it's basically the easiest to get started. It's a known quantity and it's, it's expensive, but, it seemed for, for most people, it was worth it. and then now if I talk to people, it's like. Not what people suggest anymore. [00:20:40] David: Yeah, because there's, there's actual competitors. It's crazy to me that there was no competitors for years, and now there's like, Render and Fly. io seem to be the two popular alternatives. Um, I doubt they're any cheaper, honestly, but... You get a sense, right, that they're still innovating, still building those platforms, and they can build with, you know, all of the knowledge of what has come before them, and do things differently that might, that might help. So, I still use Heroku for personal things just because I know it, and I, you know, sometimes you don't feel like learning a new thing when you just want to get something done, but, yeah, I, I don't know if we were starting again, I don't know, maybe I'd look into those things. They, they seem like they're getting pretty mature and. Heroku's resting on its laurels, still. [00:21:26] Jeremy: I guess I never quite the mindset, right? Where you You have a platform that's doing really well and people really like it and you acquire it and then it just It seems like you would want to keep it rolling, right? (laughs) [00:21:38] David: Yeah, it's, it is wild, I mean, I guess... Why did you, what was Salesforce thinking they were going to get? Uh, who knows maybe the person at Salesforce that really wanted to purchase it isn't there. And so no one at Salesforce cares about it. I mean, there's all these weird company politics that like, who knows what's going on and you could speculate. all day. What's interesting is like, there's definitely some people in the Ruby community who work there and still are working there. And that's like a little bit of a canary for me. I'm like, all right, well, if that person's still working there, that person seems like they're on the level and, and, and, and seems pretty good. They're still working there. It, it's gotta be still a cool place to be or still doing something, something good. But, yeah, I don't know. I would, I would love to know what was going on in all the Salesforce meetings about acquiring that, how to manage it. What are their plans for it? I would love to know that stuff. [00:22:29] Jeremy: maybe you had some experience with this at Stitch Fix But I've heard with Heroku some of their support staff at least in the past they would, to some extent, actually help you troubleshoot, like, what's going on with your app. Like, if your app is, like, using a whole bunch of memory, and you're out of memory, um, they would actually kind of look into that, for you, which is interesting, because it's like, that's almost like a services thing than it is just a platform. [00:22:50] David: Yeah. I mean, they, their support, you would get, you would get escalated to like an engineer sometimes, like who worked on that stuff and they would help figure out what the problem was. Like you got the sense that everybody there really wanted the platform to be good and that they were all sort of motivated to make sure that everybody. You know, did well and used the platform. And they also were good at, like a thing that trips everybody up about Heroku is that your app restarts every day. And if you don't know anything about anything, you might think that is stupid. Why, why would I want that? That's annoying. And I definitely went through that and I complained to them a lot. And I'm like, if you only could not restart. And they very patiently and politely explained to me why that it needed to do that, they weren't going to remove that, and how to think about my app given that reality, right? Which is great because like, what company does that, right? From the engineers that are working on it, like No, nobody does that. So, yeah, no, I haven't escalated anything to support at Heroku in quite some time, so I don't know if it's still like that. I hope it is, but I'm not really, not really sure. Building a platform team [00:23:55] Jeremy: Yeah, that, uh, that reminds me a little bit of, I think it's Rackspace? There's, there's, like, another hosting provider that was pretty popular before, and they... Used to be famous for that type of support, where like your, your app's having issues and somebody's actually, uh, SSHing into your box and trying to figure out like, okay, what's going on? which if, if that's happening, then I, I can totally see where the, the price is justified. But if the support is kind of like dropping off to where it's just, they don't do that kind of thing, then yeah, I can see why it's not so much of a, yeah, [00:24:27] David: We used to think of Heroku as like they were the platform team before we had our own platform team and they, they acted like it, which was great. [00:24:35] Jeremy: Yeah, I don't have, um, experience with, render, but I, I, I did, talk to someone from there, and it does seem like they're, they're trying to fill that role, um, so, yeah, hopefully, they and, and other companies, I guess like Vercel and things like that, um, they're, they're all trying to fill that space, [00:24:55] David: Yeah, cause, cause building our own internal platform, I mean it was the right thing to do, but it's, it's a, you can't just, you have to have a team on it, it's complicated, getting all the stuff in AWS to work the way you want it to work, to have it be kind of like Heroku, like it's not trivial. if I'm a one person company, I don't want to be messing around with that particularly. I want to just have it, you know, push it up and have it go and I'm willing to pay for that. So it seems logical that there would be competitors in that space. I'm glad there are. Hopefully that'll light a fire under, under everybody. [00:25:26] Jeremy: so in your case, it sounds like you moved to having your own platform team and stuff like that, uh, partly because of the compliance thing where you're like, we need our, we need to be isolated from the internet. We're going to go to AWS. If you didn't have that requirement, do you still think like that would have been the time to, to have your own platform team and manage that all yourself? [00:25:46] David: I don't know. We, we were thinking an issue that we were running into when we got bigger, um, was that, I mean, Heroku, it, It's obviously not as flexible as AWS, but it is still very flexible. And so we had a lot of internal documentation about this is how you use Heroku to do X, Y, and Z. This is how you set up a Stitch Fix app for Heroku. Like there was just the way that we wanted it to be used to sort of. Just make it all manageable. And so we were considering having a team spun up to sort of add some tooling around that to sort of make that a little bit easier for everybody. So I think there may have been something around there. I don't know if it would have been called a platform team. Maybe we call, we thought about calling it like developer happiness or because you got developer experience or something. We, we probably would have had something there, but. I do wonder how easy it would have been to fund that team with developers if we hadn't had these sort of business constraints around there. yeah, um, I don't know. You get to a certain size, you need some kind of manageability and consistency no matter what you're using underneath. So you've got to have, somebody has to own it to make sure that it's, that it's happening. [00:26:50] Jeremy: So even at your, your architect level, you still think it would have been a challenge to, to. Come to the executive team and go like, I need funding to build this team. [00:27:00] David: You know, certainly it's a challenge because everybody, you know, right? Nobody wants to put developers in anything, right? There are, there are a commodity and I mean, that is kind of the job of like, you know, the staff engineer or the architect at a company is you don't have, you don't have the power to put anybody on anything you, you have the power to Schedule a meeting with a VP or the CTO and they will listen to you. And that's basically, you've got to use that power to convince them of what you want done. And they're all reasonable people, but they're balancing 20 other priorities. So it would, I would have had to, it would have been a harder case to make that, Hey, I want to take three engineers. And have them write tooling to make Heroku easier to use. What? Heroku is not easy to use. Why aren't, you know, so you really, I would, it would be a little bit more of a stretch to walk them through it. I think a case could be made, but, definitely would take some more, more convincing than, than what was needed in our case. [00:27:53] Jeremy: Yeah. And I guess if you're able to contrast that with, you were saying, Oh, I need three people to help me make Heroku easier. Your actual platform team on AWS, I imagine was much larger, right? [00:28:03] David: Initially it was, there was, it was three people did the initial move over. And so by the time we went public, we'd been on this new system for, I don't know, six to nine months. I can't remember exactly. And so at that time the platform team was four or five people, and I, I mean, so percentage wise, right, the engineering team was maybe almost 200, 150, 200. So percentage wise, maybe a little small, I don't know. but it kind of gets back to the power of like the rails and the one person framework. Like everything we did was very much the same And so the Rails app that managed the deployment was very simple. The, the command line app, even the Go one with all of its verbosity was very, very simple. so it was pretty easy for that small team to manage. but, Yeah, so it was sort of like for redundancy, we probably needed more than three or four people because you know, somebody goes out sick or takes a vacation. That's a significant part of the team. But in terms of like just managing the complexity and building it and maintaining it, like it worked pretty well with, you know, four or five people. Where Rails fits in vs other technology [00:29:09] Jeremy: So during the Keynote today, they were talking about how companies like GitHub and Shopify and so on, they're, they're using Rails and they're, they're successful and they're fairly large. but I think the thing that was sort of unsaid was the fact that. These companies, while they use Rails, they use a lot of other, technology as well. And, and, and kind of increasing amounts as well. So, I wonder from your perspective, either from your experience at StitchFix or maybe going forward, what is the role that, that Ruby and Rails plays? Like, where does it make sense for that to be used versus like, Okay, we need to go and build something in Java or, you know, or Go, that sort of thing? [00:29:51] David: right. I mean, I think for like your standard database backed web app, it's obviously great. especially if your sort of mindset bought into server side rendering, it's going to be great at that. so like internal tools, like the customer service dashboard or... You know, something for like somebody who works at a company to use. Like, it's really great because you can go super fast. You're not going to be under a lot of performance constraints. So you kind of don't even have to think about it. Don't even have to solve it. You can, but you don't have to, where it wouldn't work, I guess, you know, if you have really strict performance. Requirements, you know, like a, a Go version of some API server is going to use like percentages of what, of what Rails would use. If that's meaningful, if what you're spending on memory or compute is, is meaningful, then, then yeah. That, that becomes worthy of consideration. I guess if you're, you know, if you're making a mobile app, you probably need to make a mobile app and use those platforms. I mean, I guess you can wrap a Rails app sort of, but you're still making, you still need to make a mobile app, that does something. yeah. And then, you know, interestingly, the data science part of Stitch Fix was not part of the engineering team. They were kind of a separate org. I think Ruby and Rails was probably the only thing they didn't use over there. Like all the ML stuff, everything is either Java or Scala or Python. They use all that stuff. And so, yeah, if you want to do AI and ML with Ruby, you, it's, it's hard cause there's just not a lot there. You really probably should use Python. It'll make your life easier. so yeah, those would be some of the considerations, I guess. [00:31:31] Jeremy: Yeah, so I guess in the case of, ML, Python, certainly, just because of the, the ecosystem, for maybe making a command line application, maybe Go, um, Go or Rust, perhaps, [00:31:44] David: Right. Cause you just get a single binary. Like the problem, I mean, I wrote this book on Ruby command line apps and the biggest problem is like, how do I get the Ruby VM to be anywhere so that it can then run my like awesome scripts? Like that's kind of a huge pain. (laughs) So [00:31:59] Jeremy: and then you said, like, if it's Very performance sensitive, which I am kind of curious in, in your experience with the companies you've worked at, when you're taking on a project like that, do you know up front where you're like, Oh, the CPU and memory usage is going to be a problem, or is it's like you build it and you're like, Oh, this isn't working. So now I know. [00:32:18] David: yeah, I mean, I, I don't have a ton of great experience there at Stitch Fix. The biggest expense the company had was the inventory. So like the, the cost of AWS was just de minimis compared to all that. So nobody ever came and said, Hey, you've got to like really save costs on, on that stuff. Cause it just didn't really matter. at the, the mental health startup I was at, it was too early. But again, the labor costs were just far, far exceeded the amount of money I was spending on, on, um, you know, compute and infrastructure and stuff like that. So, Not knowing anything, I would probably just sort of wait and see if it's a problem. But I suppose you always take into account, like, what am I actually building? And like, what does this business have to scale to, to make it worthwhile? And therefore you can kind of do a little bit of planning ahead there. But, I dunno, I think it would kind of have to depend. [00:33:07] Jeremy: There's a sort of, I guess you could call it a meme, where people say like, Oh, it's, it's not, it's not Rails that's slow, it's the, the database that's slow. And, uh, I wonder, is that, is that accurate in your experience, or, [00:33:20] David: I mean, most of the stuff that we had that was slow was the database, because like, it's really easy to write a crappy query in Rails if you're not, if you're not careful, and then it's really easy to design a database that doesn't have any indexes if you're not careful. Like, you, you kind of need to know that, But of course, those are easy to fix too, because you just add the index, especially if it's before the database gets too big where we're adding indexes is problematic. But, I think those are just easy performance mistakes to make. Uh, especially with Rails because you're not, I mean, a lot of the Rails developers at Citrix did not know SQL at all. I mean, they had to learn it eventually, but they didn't know it at all. So they're not even knowing that what they're writing could possibly be problematic. It's just, you're writing it the Rails way and it just kind of works. And at a small scale, it does. And it doesn't matter until, until one day it does. [00:34:06] Jeremy: And then in, in the context of, let's say, using ActiveRecord and instantiating the objects, or, uh, the time it takes to render templates, that kinds of things, to, at least in your experience, that wasn't such of an issue. [00:34:20] David: No, and it was always, I mean, whenever we looked at why something was slow, it was always the database and like, you know, you're iterating over some active records and then, and then, you know, you're going into there and you're just following this object graph. I've got a lot of the, a lot of the software at Stitch Fix was like internal stuff and it was visualizing complicated data out of the database. And so if you didn't think about it, you would just start dereferencing and following those relationships and you have this just massive view and like the HTML is fine. It's just that to render this div, you're. Digging into some active record super deep. and so, you know, that was usually the, the, the problems that we would see and they're usually easy enough to fix by making an index or. Sometimes you do some caching or something like that. and that solved most of the, most of the issues [00:35:09] Jeremy: The different ways people learn [00:35:09] Jeremy: so you're also the author of the book, Sustainable Web Development with Ruby on Rails. And when you talk to people about like how they learn things, a lot of them are going on YouTube, they're going on, uh, you know, looking for blogs and things like that. And so as an author, what do you think the role is of, of books now? Yeah, [00:35:29] David: I have thought about this a lot, because I, when I first got started, I'm pretty old, so books were all you had, really. Um, so they seem very normal and natural to me, but... does someone want to sit down and read a 400 page technical book? I don't know. so Dave Thomas who runs Pragmatic Bookshelf, he was on a podcast and was asked the same question and basically his answer, which is my answer, is like a long form book is where you can really lay out your thinking, really clarify what you mean, really take the time to develop sometimes nuanced, examples or nuanced takes on something that are Pretty hard to do in a short form video or in a blog post. Because the expectation is, you know, someone sends you an hour long YouTube video, you're probably not going to watch that. Two minute YouTube video is sure, but you can't, you can't get into so much, kind of nuanced detail. And so I thought that was, was right. And that was kind of my motivation for writing. I've got some thoughts. They're too detailed. It's, it's too much set up for a blog post. There's too much of a nuanced element to like, really get across. So I need to like, write more. And that means that someone's going to have to read more to kind of get to it. But hopefully it'll be, it'll be valuable. one of the sessions that we're doing later today is Ruby content creators, where it's going to be me and Noel Rappin and Dave Thomas representing the old school dudes that write books and probably a bunch of other people that do, you know, podcasts videos. It'd be interesting to see, I really want to know how do people learn stuff? Because if no one reads books to learn things, then there's not a lot of point in doing it. But if there is value, then, you know. It should be good and should be accessible to people. So, that's why I do it. But I definitely recognize maybe I'm too old and, uh, I'm not hip with the kids or, or whatever, whatever the case is. I don't know. [00:37:20] Jeremy: it's tricky because, I think it depends on where you are in the process of learning that thing. Because, let's say, you know a fair amount about the technology already. And you look at a book, in a lot of cases it's, it's sort of like taking you from nothing to something. And so you're like, well, maybe half of this isn't relevant to me, but then if I don't read it, then I'm probably missing a lot still. And so you're in this weird in be in between zone. Another thing is that a lot of times when people are trying to learn something, they have a specific problem. And, um, I guess with, with books, it's, you kind of don't know for sure if the thing you're looking for is going to be in the book. [00:38:13] David: I mean, so my, so my book, I would not say as a beginner, it's not a book to learn how to do Rails. It's like you already kind of know Rails and you want to like learn some comprehensive practices. That's what my book is for. And so sometimes people will ask me, I don't know Rails, should I get your book? And I'm like, no, you should not. but then you have the opposite thing where like the agile web development with Rails is like the beginner version. And some people are like, Oh, it's being updated for Rails 7. Should I get it? I'm like, probably not because How to go from zero to rails hasn't changed a lot in years. There's not that much that's going to be new. but, how do you know that, right? Hopefully the Table of Contents tells you. I mean, the first book I wrote with Pragmatic, they basically were like, The Table of Contents is the only thing the reader, potential reader is going to have to have any idea what's in the book. So, You need to write the table of contents with that in mind, which may not be how you'd write the subsections of a book, but since you know that it's going to serve these dual purposes of organizing the book, but also being promotional material that people can read, you've got to keep that in mind, because otherwise, how does anybody, like you said, how does anybody know what's, what's going to be in there? And they're not cheap, I mean, these books are 50 bucks sometimes, and That's a lot of money for people in the U. S. People outside the U. S. That's a ton of money. So you want to make sure that they know what they're getting and don't feel ripped off. [00:39:33] Jeremy: Yeah, I think the other challenge is, at least what I've heard, is that... When people see a video course, for whatever reason, they, they set, like, a higher value to it. They go, like, oh, this video course is, 200 dollars and it's, like, seems like a lot of money, but for some people it's, like, okay, I can do that. But then if you say, like, oh, this, this book I've been researching for five years, uh, I want to sell it for a hundred bucks, people are going to be, like no. No way., [00:40:00] David: Yeah. Right. A hundred bucks for a book. There's no way. That's a, that's a lot. Yeah. I mean, producing video, I've thought about doing video content, but it seems so labor intensive. Um, and it's kind of like, It's sort of like a performance. Like I was mentioning before we started that I used to play in bands and like, there's a lot to go into making an even mediocre performance. And so I feel like, you know, video content is the same way. So I get that it like, it does cost more to produce, but, are you getting more information out of it? I, that, I don't know, like maybe not, but who knows? I mean, people learn things in different ways. So, [00:40:35] Jeremy: It's just like this perception thing, I think. And, uh, I'm not sure why that is. Um, [00:40:40] David: Yeah, maybe it's newer, right? Maybe books feel older so they're easier to make and video seems newer. I mean, I don't know. I would love to talk to engineers who are like... young out of college, a few years into their career to see what their perception of this stuff is. Cause I mean, there was no, I mean, like I said, I read books cause that's all there was. There was no, no videos. You, you go to a conference and you read a book and that was, that was all you had. so I get it. It seems a whole video. It's fancier. It's newer. yeah, I don't know. I would love to hear a wide variety of takes on it to see what's actually the, the future, you know? [00:41:15] Jeremy: sure, yeah. I mean, I think it probably can't just be one or the other, right? Like, I think there are... Benefits of each way. Like, if you have the book, you can read it at your own pace without having to, like, scroll through the video, and you can easily copy and paste the, the code segments, [00:41:35] David: Search it. Go back and forth. [00:41:36] Jeremy: yeah, search it. So, I think there's a place for it, but yeah, I think it would be very interesting, like you said, to, to see, like, how are people learning, [00:41:45] David: Right. Right. Yeah. Well, it's the same with blogs and podcasts. Like I, a lot of podcasters I think used to be bloggers and they realized that like they can get out what they need by doing a podcast. And it's way easier because it's more conversational. You don't have to do a bunch of research. You don't have to do a bunch of editing. As long as you're semi coherent, you can just have a conversation with somebody and sort of get at some sort of thing that you want to talk about or have an opinion about. And. So you, you, you see a lot more podcasts and a lot less blogs out there because of that. So it's, that's kind of like the creators I think are kind of driving that a little bit. yeah. So I don't know. [00:42:22] Jeremy: Yeah, I mean, I can, I can say for myself, the thing about podcasts is that it's something that I can listen to while I'm doing something else. And so you sort of passively can hopefully pick something up out of that conversation, but... Like, I think it's maybe not so good at the details, right? Like, if you're talking code, you can talk about it over voice, but can you really visualize it? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think if you sit down and you try to implement something somebody talked about, you're gonna be like, I don't know what's happening. [00:42:51] David: Yeah. [00:42:52] Jeremy: So, uh, so, so I think there's like these, these different roles I think almost for so like maybe you know the podcast is for you to Maybe get some ideas or get some familiarity with a thing and then when you're ready to go deeper You can go look at a blog post or read a book I think video kind of straddles those two where sometimes video is good if you want to just see, the general concept of a thing, and have somebody explain it to you, maybe do some visuals. that's really good. but then it can also be kind of detailed, where, especially like the people who stream their process, right, you can see them, Oh, let's, let's build this thing together. You can ask me questions, you can see how I think. I think that can be really powerful. at the same time, like you said, it can be hard to say, like, you know, I look at some of the streams and it's like, oh, this is a three hour stream and like, well, I mean, I'm interested. I'm interested, but yeah, it's hard enough for me to sit through a, uh, a three hour movie, [00:43:52] David: Well, then that, and that gets into like, I mean, we're, you know, we're at a conference and they, they're doing something a little, like, there are conference talks at this conference, but there's also like. sort of less defined activities that aren't a conference talk. And I think that could be a reaction to some of this too. It's like I could watch a conference talk on, on video. How different is that going to be than being there in person? maybe it's not that different. Maybe, maybe I don't need to like travel across the country to go. Do something that I could see on video. So there's gotta be something here that, that, that meets that need that I can't meet any other way. So it's all these different, like, I would like to think that's how it is, right? All this media all is a part to play and it's all going to kind of continue and thrive and it's not going to be like, Oh, remember books? Like maybe, but hopefully not. Hopefully it's like, like what you're saying. Like it's all kind of serving different purposes that all kind of work together. Yeah. [00:44:43] Jeremy: I hope that's the case, because, um, I don't want to have to scroll through too many videos. [00:44:48] David: Yeah. The video's not for me. Large Language Models [00:44:50] Jeremy: I, I like, I actually do find it helpful, like, like I said, for the high level thing, or just to see someone's thought process, but it's like, if you want to know a thing, and you have a short amount of time, maybe not the best, um, of course, now you have all the large language model stuff where you like, you feed the video in like, Hey, tell, tell, tell me, uh, what this video is about and give me the code snippets and all that stuff. I don't know how well it works, but it seems [00:45:14] David: It's gotta get better. Cause you go to a support site and they're like, here's how to fix your problem, and it's a video. And I'm like, can you just tell me? But I'd never thought about asking the AI to just look at the video and tell me. So yeah, it's not bad. [00:45:25] Jeremy: I think, that's probably where we're going. So it's, uh, it's a little weird to think about, but, [00:45:29] David: yeah, yeah. I was just updating, uh, you know, like I said, I try to keep the book updated when new versions of Rails come out, so I'm getting ready to update it for Rails 7. 1 and in Amazon's, Kindle Direct Publishing as their sort of backend for where you, you know, publish like a Kindle book and stuff, and so they added a new question, was AI used in the production of this thing or not? And if you answer yes, they want you to say how much, And I don't know what they're gonna do with that exactly, but I thought it was pretty interesting, cause I would be very disappointed to pay 50 for a book that the AI wrote, right? So it's good that they're asking that? Yeah. [00:46:02] Jeremy: I think the problem Amazon is facing is where people wholesale have the AI write the book, and the person either doesn't review it at all, or maybe looks at a little, a little bit. And, I mean, the, the large language model stuff is very impressive, but If you have it generate a technical book for you, it's not going to be good. [00:46:22] David: yeah. And I guess, cause cause like Amazon, I mean, think about like Amazon scale, like they're not looking at the book at all. Like I, I can go click a button and have my book available and no person's going to look at it. they might scan it or something maybe with looking for bad words. I don't know, but there's no curation process there. So I could, yeah. I could see where they could have that, that kind of problem. And like you as the, as the buyer, you don't necessarily, if you want to book on something really esoteric, there are a lot of topics I wish there was a book on that there isn't. And as someone generally want to put it on Amazon, I could see a lot of people buying it, not realizing what they're getting and feeling ripped off when it was not good. [00:47:00] Jeremy: Yeah, I mean, I, I don't know, if it's an issue with the, the technical stuff. It probably is. But I, I know they've definitely had problems where, fiction, they have people just generating hundreds, thousands of books, submitting them all, just flooding it. [00:47:13] David: Seeing what happens. [00:47:14] Jeremy: And, um, I think that's probably... That's probably the main reason why they ask you, cause they want you to say like, uh, yeah, you said it wasn't. And so now we can remove your book. [00:47:24] David: right. Right. Yeah. Yeah. [00:47:26] Jeremy: I mean, it's, it's not quite the same, but it's similar to, I don't know what Stack Overflow's policy is now, but, when the large language model stuff started getting big, they had a lot of people answering the questions that were just. Pasting the question into the model [00:47:41] David: Which because they got it from [00:47:42] Jeremy: and then [00:47:43] David: The Got model got it from Stack Overflow. [00:47:45] Jeremy: and then pasting the answer into Stack Overflow and the person is not checking it. Right. So it's like, could be right, could not be right. Um, cause, cause to me, it's like, if, if you generate it, if you generate the answer and the answer is right, and you checked it, I'm okay with that. [00:48:00] David: Yeah. Yeah. [00:48:01] Jeremy: but if you're just like, I, I need some karma, so I'm gonna, I'm gonna answer these questions with, with this bot, I mean, then maybe [00:48:08] David: I could have done that. You're not adding anything. Yeah, yeah. [00:48:11] Jeremy: it's gonna be a weird, weird world, I think. [00:48:12] David: Yeah, no kidding. No kidding. [00:48:15] Jeremy: that's a, a good place to end it on, but is there anything else you want to mention, [00:48:19] David: No, I think we covered it all just yeah, you could find me online. I'm Davetron5000 on Ruby. social Mastodon, I occasionally post on Twitter, but not that much anymore. So Mastodon's a place to go. [00:48:31] Jeremy: David, thank you so much [00:48:32] David: All right. Well, thanks for having me.

If you're publishing your ebooks and print books through Amazon KDP, then you can't overlook the importance of keywords in the discoverability of your content. Whether you're using free or premium tools, keyword research requires a better strategy than what you find in a cursory search. Finding the right keywords for Kindle Direct Publishing - whether fiction, nonfiction, or low content - is half the battle, and you'll find out how it's so much different in 2023 regardless of what tool you use to get the job done. Tune in for more details. Publisher Rocket - https://DaleLinks.com/Rocket  (affiliate link) Amazon Keywords for Books - https://DaleLinks.com/KeywordsBook Kindlepreneur article on the 7 backend keywords - https://DaleLinks.com/7KindleKeywords  Dibbly Create - https://DaleLinks.com/DibblyCreate (affiliate link) Join Channel Memberships - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl9CjdZQtzufqgYx0CidSbA/join Join my community at: Discord - http://dalelinks.com/discord Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts

Between KDP, IngramSpark, Lulu, and many other print on demand companies, authors and self-publishers have a lot of choices. Even still, the companies still have limited printing options and show no signs of exploring print on demand products like spiral bound notebooks, a customized game card deck, or flash drives. Enter Vervante, a place you can get your books self published and build a business on or off Amazon through ecommerce stores like Shopify. If you're tired of what Kindle Direct Publishing has to offer and are playing around with the idea of selling more than just a book, then Vervante might be your solution. Listen into this interview with founder of Vervante, Cindy Tyler, as she shares more about how the company works and why it's a great solution for more ambitious author projects. Vervante - https://www.vervante.com/ Vervante on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@vervante9243 Join Channel Memberships - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl9CjdZQtzufqgYx0CidSbA/join Join my community at: Discord - http://dalelinks.com/discord  Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts

USA Today Bestselling Author Nick Thacker has published over forty fiction books and is sharing his insights into how he launches his books. Find out what Nick does to prepare each book launch, what secrets he has that sets him apart, and how he manages sales after launching a bestselling books on Amazon KDP, USA Today, and beyond. You'll love Nick's refreshing honesty and blunt approach to leveraging platforms like Kindle Direct Publishing and beyond to reach more readers. The 200th Episode Broadcast - https://youtube.com/live/KWArp8ZcKsk  Nick Thacker - https://www.nickthacker.com/  Book Career in a Year - http://bookcareerinayear.com/ Nick Thacker on YouTube - https://YouTube.com/@AuthorNickThacker  Join Channel Memberships - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl9CjdZQtzufqgYx0CidSbA/join Join my community at: Discord - http://dalelinks.com/discord  Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts

Our guest today is Darren Hardy, manager of the UK Author and Editorial Programmes at Amazon. Before that Darren was UK Manager for Kindle Direct Publishing. With nearly 20 years working at Amazon, Darren is the perfect person to answer all our questions about what goes on behind the scenes at KDP and what new and exciting plans Amazon has for the future. Join us today as we chat about things like: The Kindle Storyteller Award - how to enter, and what you can win (20 grand!) The "magic formula" for understanding Amazon's algorithms (there isn't one!) Amazon's new book categories and how to use them best Amazon's charts Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how it might affect KDP in future be it for "writing" nonsensical books, or affecting the charts Paperback printing And a load more! If you have a question that we didn't ask Darren please post it here, or on our social media pages and we'll pass them on! https://www.facebook.com/RockPaperSwordsPodcast and Twitter @rock_swords

Looking for new ways to build your business? Join hosts Kim Thompson Pinder and Juanita Wootton Radko on the Author to Authority podcast. With guests who are thought leaders in sales, marketing, and social media, the show teaches listeners to use authority and influencer marketing to up their game. In this latest episode, the dynamic duo provides crucial tips for publishing on Amazon, sharing their personal experience with entrepreneurs, professionals, and coaches. They talk about the common mistakes aspiring writers make and offer advice on setting up a Kindle Direct Publishing account, tax forms, book formatting, and more. They also explore the KDP Select program, print on demand, and the ins and outs of pricing a book. It's a jam-packed, valuable discussion that aspiring authors and business owners can't afford to miss!

Going into 2023, I'm armed with a new strategy for publishing on KDP and beyond. Find out how I plan to leverage Kindle Direct Publishing and IngramSpark and what marketing strategies I'll be using. We'll discuss my ideas for self publishing a novel series on Amazon, and when I plan to release my first fiction publication via e book, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook. Get all that and more tips for indie authors looking to publish on Amazon KDP in 2023. Mentioned sites: Miblart Giveaway - https://DaleLinks.com/Giveaway Book Promo Sites List - https://DaleLinks.com/BookPromos Victory Editing's NetGalley Co-Op - https://victoryediting.com/services/netgalley-co-op/  StoryOrigin - https://DaleLinks.com/StoryOrigin eBookFairs - https://DaleLinks.com/eBookFairs Join Channel Memberships - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl9CjdZQtzufqgYx0CidSbA/join Join my community at: Discord - http://dalelinks.com/discord Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts

Are you looking for ways for book marketing on Amazon KDP with no money? Are you one of many struggling authors looking for ways to self publish and promote a book for free? Then, find out how to market and promote your books through Kindle Direct Publishing. You'll find out it's possible to sell more books with these tips and strategies for book promotion. Book Promo Sites: https://DaleLinks.com/BookPromos  Join Channel Memberships - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl9CjdZQtzufqgYx0CidSbA/join Join my community at: Discord - http://dalelinks.com/discord   GetCovers Giveaway - https://DaleLinks.com/GetCoversGiveaway 

Hello Network Automation Nerds! Today on the show, we will continue discussing self-publishing with my fellow authors, Nick Russo, and Tim McConnaughy. In today's world, it is important for everybody to find their voice, create their brand, and be an advocate for themselves. In part 2 of the talk, we will talk about lessons learned from self-publishing, the tools we used, and looking forward to the next steps. I know each of us has some hard-earned badges in that arena, and we are happy to share them with you. I am super excited to continue the conversation with Tim and Nick. Let's dive right in! [Sponsor] Opengear: https://opengear.com/ciscolive2023/ (Visit Opengear's booth 7712 at Cisco Live 2023!). Part 1: https://podcast.networkautomationnerds.com/1864201/12819513-039-content-creation-and-self-publishing-with-tim-mcconnaughy-and-nick-russo-part-1 Connect with Tim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tmcconnaughy/Follow Tim on Twitter: https://twitter.com/juangolbezThe Hybrid Cloud Handbook: https://www.amazon.com/Hybrid-Cloud-Handbook-AWS-Traditional/dp/B0BW2ZKNB6/Tim's Blog: https://carpe-dmvpn.com/Connect with Nick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/njrusmc/ Follow Nick on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nickrusso42518Nicke's Blog: http://njrusmc.net/Leanpub: https://leanpub.com/PublishDrive: https://publishdrive.com/Kindle Direct Publishing: https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/Ingram Content Group: https://www.ingramcontent.com/--- Stay in Touch with Us —Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/EricChouNetworkAutomationNerdsFollow Eric on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ericchouNetwork Automation Learning Community: https://members.networkautomation.community/Subscribe on Apple Podcast for Bonus Episodes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/network-automation-nerds-podcast/Patreon of the show: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=62594522

Host of the popular YouTube channel Think Media, Sean Cannell launched his book YouTube Secrets over four years ago and it's been consistently selling ever since. I interview Sean about what went into publishing his bestselling book, how he was able to sell thousands of books since, and what advice he gives to a new author looking to publish and sell 1000s of books on Kindle Direct Publishing and many other online retailers. YouTube Secrets (book) - https://geni.us/yeLUHW (Amazon) Subscribe to Think Media on YouTube - https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCGxjDWAN1KwrkXYVi8CXtjQ  Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts ​

Hello and welcome to the Network Automation Nerds podcast! Today on the show, we will discuss a topic near and dear to my heart, something I have been doing for the last 6 years and probably my primary side project during that time frame. I am talking about content publishing. In today's episode, I am joined by my fellow authors, Tim McConnaughy and Nick Russo. In part 1 of the talk, we will discuss why to become a creator, create your own brand, extend your audience, and much more. I am super excited to have Tim and Nick on the show today, and I know we will have a great time chatting. Let's dive right in! [Sponsor] Network to Code University: https://go.networktocode.com/ntcuConnect with Tim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tmcconnaughy/ Follow Tim on Twitter: https://twitter.com/juangolbez The Hybrid Cloud Handbook: https://www.amazon.com/Hybrid-Cloud-Handbook-AWS-Traditional/dp/B0BW2ZKNB6/Tim's Blog: https://carpe-dmvpn.com/Connect with Nick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/njrusmc/  Follow Nick on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nickrusso42518 Nicke's Blog: http://njrusmc.net/Leanpub: https://leanpub.com/ PublishDrive: https://publishdrive.com/Kindle Direct Publishing: https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/Ingram Content Group: https://www.ingramcontent.com/--- Stay in Touch with Us —Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/EricChouNetworkAutomationNerdsFollow Eric on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ericchouNetwork Automation Learning Community: https://members.networkautomation.community/Subscribe on Apple Podcast for Bonus Episodes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/network-automation-nerds-podcast/Patreon of the show: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=62594522

Linda Hunt did not start out knowing about or in any way dealing with disabilities or accessibility. She grew up primarily in Canada. While getting her college degree she began a 15-year career with the Superior Court in her town. Along the way she married a man who worked for a screening company that silkscreened t-shirts and other products.   Eventually, Linda's husband started his own screening company and after 15 years Linda began doing work for the new company. In 1999, because Linda began feeling tingling in her extremities, she consulted a physician and was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. As it turned out, after ten years she became one of the 50% whose disease progressed until Linda began using a wheelchair. Of course, Linda then became much more interested in the whole concept of accessibility and she began doing more work with organizations and companies in the field.   I asked her about how she remained so positive and how she was able to deal with the unexpected changes in her life. Her answer will show you why I regard her and her actions as unstoppable. Linda's story will show you that no matter what befalls us we can move forward.     About the Guest:   Linda Hunt Is an Award-Winning Accessibility Consultant, Speaker, Podcaster and Author.   She is the CEO of Accessibility Solutions an accessibility consulting firm that aids businesses and organizations to remedy barriers for people with disabilities. Their mission is Making the World Accessible.   Linda is the Treasurer of Citizens with Disabilities – Ontario. A member of The Rick Hansen Foundation – Accessibility Professional Network. A Certified Community Champion on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and it's Optional Protocol.   Linda was elected to Brantford City Council in 2022. She is the first person with a physical disability to be elected as a Brantford City Councillor.   Linda first became a person with a disability in 2004 since then she has become an advocate for all things related to accessibility.    Linda has more than 30 years of experience in senior management roles in the public, private and not-for profit sectors.   Based in Brantford, ON Linda and her husband Greg have operated their own business Grelin Apparel Graphics for over 30 years.     Free Gift– 1:1 meeting with Linda https://calendly.com/accessibilitysolutions/meeting-with-linda-hunt     Accessibility Solutions – Social media links https://www.facebook.com/solutions4accessibility   https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibility-solutions   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRBqblsq_vxrKbdvEp2IOWQ   Accessibility Solutions – Podcast site https://accessibility-solutions.captivate.fm/listen   Website www.solutions4accessibility.com   Email linda@solutions4accessibility.com   Phone 519-753-1233           About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.   Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards.   https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/   accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/       Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!   Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.   Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.     Transcription Notes Michael Hingson  00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i  capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson  01:29 Today we have Linda Hunt as our guest, Linda is an award winning accessibility consultant. She's a podcaster. She's an author, and she now is a politician. She's a member of a city council. We're going to have to learn more about that. And she also happens to be a person with a physical disability. So we have lots that we can talk about. And we hope that this will inspire and educate. And I'm certainly looking forward to it. I hope all of you are as well. So Linda, welcome to unstoppable mindset.   Linda Hunt  02:00 Oh, thank you, Michael. And thank you so much for having me.   Michael Hingson  02:03 Well, it's really a pleasure. Let's start, as I love to do tell me a little bit about you growing up and just where you came from, and kind of what got you to what you do as an adult?   Linda Hunt  02:16 Yes. So I'm, I'm a Scottish loss. Actually. I was born in Scotland and I emigrated to Canada when I was about two with my parents. And they came to Canada with me as a two year old had two other children. And then my, my mum was homesick. So we moved back to Scotland and I actually started school here. I started kindergarten here. But when I went back to Scotland, I went to school for a few years and came back when I was in grade three. So I've I've been here ever since I was about eight years old. And as far as you know, growing up, did the traditional school, I graduated high school in the depression of the early 80s. And my parents couldn't afford to send me to post secondary education. So I got a job. Well, I had a job in high school that became a full time job. And and then I started working actually for superior court when I was only 19 years old. So following that, I decided to pursue post secondary education. So I have a degree in business administration, which took me 10 years to get before the days of online learning. I had to commute almost an hour each way to actually attend university. So that's, you know, that's kind of what got me as far as my post secondary education. I have two children, they are grown. They're 25 and 30. Now and wow, that was a that was a forget my own birthdays. My son turning 30 was was a milestone for me, which was just at the end of November. But so and professionally, I mentioned I spent 15 years working in superior court. My husband and I had opened our own business in 1990, which we've had for just coming up on 33 years. I myself spent a significant amount of time working as a business consultant for the federal government, and then went on to be executive director of a national health charity here in Canada until 2009 When I gave up what I called the commute down the highway for the commute down my office or sorry, down the hallway to my office. which is how I ended up starting accessibility solutions, which is an accessibility consulting firm that AIDS businesses and organizations to remedy barriers for persons with disabilities. So that kind of got me to where I am now, from a professional perspective, you've mentioned that I have a physical disability, and yes, I do, I am in a power wheelchair. I was diagnosed in 1999, with multiple sclerosis. For the first five years, I could still jog and high heels. And then we eventually started to see some disability progression. To the point between early 2006 and late 2007, I went from one cane to two canes to a walker to a scooter to a wheelchair in the span of about 18 months. So adapting, adapting adapting to disability progression as we moved along. So that's my history in a nutshell, as we will say,   Michael Hingson  06:07 Well, I like the idea of going down the hall to the office. And so do I very much enjoy it, I think it's a great thing, I think there's a lot of value in being able to work at home, as long as you are able to do it and keep up with what it is that you need to do. It's it takes a lot of discipline to work at home and some cases, more than even working in an office of the when you're in an office, there's a lot of gossip and talking and interaction that takes place and some of that's valuable. But working at home is a lot more of a discipline. And it it has its own challenges.   Linda Hunt  06:46 It does. I know when I first started working from home I that was in as I said in 2009, which I mean, since the pandemic remote working is become a norm for a lot of people. But in 2009, a lot of people thought if you worked from home, what did that mean? You you went on your computer, and then you went and watched, you know, TV or did something along those lines. But I did miss the as you said the watercooler the gossip, I miss the interacting with other adults. And so I've really embraced, especially since the pandemic zoom, and being able to connect with people like yourself, who we would never be able to connect in person just because of geography. But it's certainly become the norm for a lot of people to be working from home. And you're right. I do tend to take a little bit of a break around 430. But I quite often am back in my office at about six o'clock till maybe eight o'clock. So one of the things that I find about working from home is is almost like you live at work, because for me the temptation to go into your office and maybe do something or catch up on something that you didn't finish earlier in the day is just right there.   Michael Hingson  08:21 And that can be a good thing. And it could also be a thing that you have to watch, of course, but I've in my career had several jobs where I have done a lot of things remotely as it were. I remember starting out working well my first job was actually involved with a device called the Kurzweil Reading Machine for the blind. And literally, I traveled all over the country for 18 months, where we in the National Federation of the Blind place machines in various places. So right from the outset, I did everything kind of remotely. So I would interact with people where we put machines, but the other people within the organization, and within the process of my job responsibilities within the organization was all remote. So I got used to that. And then I went to work for Kerswell in an office. And that was great until I was asked to relocate to California to help Kerswell integrate with Xerox on the West Coast. And there I was, again in a situation where pretty much for three years my office was really an room in my home. So I got used to that pretty early. But I do like both settings. I think there's value for both. So I'm I'm glad that you're you're able to succeed at doing it. You seem to be pretty comfortable working down the hall as it were.   Linda Hunt  09:55 Yes. Yes, I really I really am and it and I do a lot of work with companies around inclusive hiring and it makes a big difference from an inclusive hiring perspective. To have to have your workforce be able to work remotely.   Michael Hingson  10:17 Yeah. So when you worked for the Superior Court, what did you do?   Linda Hunt  10:22 I was a, I started out as the Deputy Clerk of small claims court, which is basically, I think at the time when I first started, it was small claims under $1,000. And I think it went to $3,000. In today's, you know, realm, it's somewhere in the neighborhood of $25,000. But it was basically civil litigation. So I was a court services, representatives. So basically, in a, in an environment where no one was happy to be there. But the other thing that Superior Court in Ontario, Canada, at least does is trials that get basically bumped from Provincial Court. So things like murders and that kind of thing. So Superior Court. While we do a lot of civil litigation, there, also has a very high end criminal components. So I would do a lot of the work around juries. And basically, it's paperwork that has anything to do with the court system, or anything to do with law or legal work has, has lots and lots and lots of paperwork.   Michael Hingson  11:48 I have too busy.   Linda Hunt  11:50 Yeah, yeah. And I mean, I, as I said, I started there when I was 19. I mean, I left. When I left there, my daughter was only two. So you know, I really grew up in that role. And as I said, the that was the timeframe that I was also commuting to get my degree. So when my you know, I would be working, you know, nine to five at the courthouse and then leaving to drive to university for a lecture two nights a week. So yeah, it certainly kept me busy back then.   Michael Hingson  12:30 What made you decide to leave that and start your own business?   Linda Hunt  12:34 Well, my so my husband was the production manager for a screen printing company for 12 years. And it was the decision to start our business was more a result of his business expertise. And he was working in a family business, he was fairly young. He wasn't quite 30 yet, but he was working in a family business where at the age of 30, he realized that he was never going to go any higher than he was because it was all family members above. So we talked about it and, and then we had a good friend of ours that worked for a company that was looking for a new screen printer, so it was kind of a it was good timing. It was you know, maybe I can do this. And then almost like a ready made customer base, if you want to call it that. That presented the opportunity. So we did so we decided that he would start that now keeping in mind at the time I worked at Superior Court, so I always had the backup full time job will say so it wasn't it wasn't the total leap of faith. I mean, I had the job with the benefits and but anyway, we did our business has been very, very successful. So other than when I left Superior Court and my daughter, as I said was, well she wasn't quite too. There was a maybe a five year span in there that I worked full time in the business but at that point, we had two locations. 16 employees and things were you know, very, very busy. And then I decided to when when my daughter went to school is when I decided to to go and work elsewhere, which is when I went to as I said I went to work for the federal government as a business consultant.   Michael Hingson  15:00 So, now when you talk about the business being a screen printer, what exactly is that? Well,   Linda Hunt  15:05 if you can imagine you've probably got a t shirt with a logo on the front of it. Ah, that would have been printed in a screen printing facility. Got it?   Michael Hingson  15:14 Okay. Yeah. So then you went to work for the federal government? What did you do for them,   Linda Hunt  15:21 I was a business consultant, I ran a program called the self employment benefits program. And I basically took people that wanted to be entrepreneurs, all the way through the business planning, market research, marketing plan, getting their business started, and then mentored them through their first year of business. And I can pleased to say in the, in the, my, probably about the four years that I did that I probably had a hand in launching 200 to 230 small businesses. And I found that I found that very rewarding. So that was really for me, it was, first of all, my experience of starting my own business, or, in my case, my, the business that my husband was, was running full time. But it was also my, my education. So I have a degree in business administration. So but but really, that that lived experience of being that entrepreneur that had to write the business plan, and, you know, go through all of the steps of becoming a business. And I'm pleased to say, I did that in the early 2000. And there I know, because I've used them, I know of quite a few of the businesses that I helped launch during that timeframe that they're still in business today. And we're talking 15 to 20 years later. So I like to think that I had a hand in giving them a great start.   Michael Hingson  17:12 So how long did you do that?   Linda Hunt  17:15 I did that for four years in the early 2000s. And at the time, I was sitting on the provincial board of directors for, as I said that the national health charity that I that so what ended up happening is that they approached me because they were recruiting for an executive director. So I have a degree in business administration basically was sitting on the provincial board of directors and had the was given the opportunity then at that point to be considered for the executive director position. So I was successful, applied and was the successful candidate and left that left that position with the federal government to go and work as executive director for for that, that organization, which anybody that's worked in the not for profit world knows that that executive director level, it's a lot like running a business. So you've got customers or clients to keep happy and you've got funders to to keep happy and you've got payroll to make and marketing to do and you know, all of that kind of stuff. So it is a lot like running the business.   Michael Hingson  18:35 So you did that until when,   Linda Hunt  18:39 until 2009 which is as I said when I gave up the commute down the highway to the commute down the hallway. And so in 2009 was when I saw I started accessibility solutions in 2010 2009 was a tough year. Health wise. We had my dad my father died and then my father in law died a month apart. And we had health wise I was I was struggling so 2009 was a tough, tough year.   Michael Hingson  19:21 Now were you in a chair by that time.   Linda Hunt  19:25 In 2009, I was still shuffling in the house with a walker Okay, or what I call a furniture surfing. So shuffling for one piece of furniture to another but no couldn't couldn't walk independently at that time. At that time I was using a wheelchair outside so I would leave the house get in my wheelchair leave the house go down the ramp and the garage get into my 2009 was when I bought my wheelchair accessible man so I still to this They drive from a wheelchair accessible van that has a side ramp. But yes, so I was still living we were still living in, you know the two story, four bedroom house at that point we installed. So we talked about adapt, adapt, adapt, right. So you adapt to your circumstances can't do that anymore. So what do I need to do so that we can do that so that at some point in 2006, I believe I decided that I could no longer climb this flight of 13 stairs to go from the main level of our house all the way up to the bedrooms. So we installed a stair lift at that point. So when I say I was shuffling with a walker, I was shuffling with a walker on the main level, and then I'd get on the stair lift and go upstairs and shuffle with another Walker. Around the the upstairs the bedroom, my office was upstairs at that time. We Yeah, so in 2010, was when I started accessibility solutions, which at the time was primarily related to compliance with the EO da, which is provincial legislation, somewhat similar to your ADA in the United States. So we were helping businesses comply with new legislation that was that was coming on stream for businesses in Ontario. And while we still do that, we you know, we've we've really grown into quite a few other areas of helping businesses embrace the will say, embrace the culture of, of inclusion and realize that persons with disabilities are is really a market that no business can afford to ignore. And so we have a series of webinars now that we run called Accessibility is good for business. We have some partners with the local Chamber of Commerce and you know, that kind of things. So that's that's really my my passion now is I'm I'm a very strong advocate for accessibility. In no kind of every, every aspect of, of life, I guess is, you know, well,   Michael Hingson  22:36 tell me tell me more about your your concepts of accessibility or inclusion really ought to be part of the cost of doing business?   Linda Hunt  22:46 Well, it's it well, we actually frame it as that accessibility is good for business. So you can enhance your bottom line by being accessible. Why? Well, 22% of the population has a disability. So and then we talk about the sphere of influence of those people. So I, I'm in a wheelchair, so I'm one of the 22%. But if we're going out for dinner, or we're going shopping, then that sphere of influence might be me and a couple of girlfriends or in the case of my family, my husband's family is fairly large. So I think our Christmas dinner was 34 people. So when we set out to decide where we're going to go for dinner for 34 people, the number one concern is is that business accessible, because if it's not accessible, me and the 33 other people in my husband's family are not going there for dinner. So that's, that's real dollars. Right? That's, that's, you know, that's, like I said, that's real dollars and cents. But the other, the other thing that we that we really talk about is the fact that 22% of the population has a disability, but that percentage over the age of 65 is obviously 40% of the population. So everybody, whether you're in Canada or United States is well aware of what we call the silver tsunami. And and as the population ages there are more and more people that have a disability and if you're not accessible, and then you're then you're you're you know those people are not coming to your business or in the you know, they're not coming to your website if it's not accessible to someone like yourself that is blind or For us, as vision loss, we the other thing that that we do a lot of work around right now is inclusive hiring strategies because the world is short staffed, and the most underutilized labor market out there are people with disabilities who want to work, but need need to work in organizations that have embraced a culture of inclusion. And so out of necessity, believe it or not, a lot of businesses are recognizing the fact that accessibility and inclusion needs to be part of their business strategy.   Michael Hingson  25:49 So one of the conundrums I think, that we face, although we don't necessarily talk about it, is that while we have a significant number of people who happen to have a disability, you said, 22%, I've actually heard higher numbers doesn't matter, though. The problem is, we have a lot of different disabilities. And so yes, you have issues where you can't gain access to buildings, and I may have issues where we can't access the menu at a restaurant or read material, but they're different. How do we get people within the minority to work together? Or do they?   Linda Hunt  26:36 Well, I think they do. Recognizing, and, you know, when we talk about universal accessibility, we're talking accessible for everyone. So not just a person with the physical disability, or as you said, not someone that's able to, to read, read a menu, or hear the waitress, for example, you know, giving you the specials of the evening at, at a restaurant, it's, it's really all about how, how a business can accommodate different types of disabilities, and how they, how they can do it, but the culture, that culture of inclusion really starts at the top. So that there has to be a will, for them to want to be able to be inclusive to people of all disability, you know, of all types of disabilities. So, you know, I always start with the, you know, how can I help? It's as simple as that, how can I help? What do you need, and, and then we, and then we go from there, but we, you know, I work with a lot of businesses that that are, they're just, they don't know what they don't know, right. And so, a lot of times what we think are, you know, fairly simple fixes, until there, if you, if you don't have a disability, or until somebody points something out to you, then then you're not even aware. So that awareness for one is definitely, you know, just being aware that you need to be accessible, or you want your business to be accessible. But then also being able to recognize that in order to be inclusive for everyone, that there are different ways that you that you need to make your business successful.   Michael Hingson  28:59 Well, I, I like what you say about it is good for doing business. But I also do think that we need to have more of a discussion about the reality that accessibility and inclusion issue is and should be part of the cost of doing business as well, because we do so many things in business. We do so many things for one group or another, or for most employees, for example, we have lights so that people can see where they're going, and so on. Although some of us don't need it. We have coffee machines to make employees happy and so on. And we regard that typically in a business environment as part of the cost of doing business. But if and we hit when we provide computer monitors, but if somebody comes along and says I need a screen reader to hear what's on the screen. First of all, they may not even get hired because oh that's we don't have budgets for that rather than in reality. It's no different than needing a computer monitor, or it is an issue of what's your priority. And so we at some point have to decide that inclusion really is part of the cost of doing business. And that's a good thing.   Linda Hunt  30:19 Yeah, I agree. And that, I mean, a lot of times I feel like I'm preaching to the converted, right? Because once once they've decided to seek out the services of an accessibility consulting firm, and I'm sure you deal with this, as well, that, you know, once they've decided that they're going to make their website accessible, and they've come to, to see or talk to you about, about your services. You know, they've made that conscious decision that they want to build accessibility and inclusion into their business, which is great. There are though, at least in the province of Ontario, Canada, where we are, there are laws that require businesses to be accessible. And unfortunately, that legislation is probably one of the most non compliant pieces of legislation out there. Because it's what I call the carrot and the stick, right, like people, first of all, they don't know, I've had so many businesses say to me, why don't think that legislation applies to me? And I say, well, actually, it applies to every business in the province of Ontario that has at least one employee. Or they'll say, Well, we don't have customers, well, that doesn't really matter. I mean, you're Purolator delivery guy could have a hearing impairment, and that qualifies as, or your website's not accessible, or, you know, whatever, whatever it is. So it's not about the legislation was, was actually passed in 2005, to make the province of Ontario fully accessible by 2025. Well, we've got under two years to go. And we are nowhere near where where we were supposed to be. And a lot of that you're right has to do with businesses who don't realize that building in accessibility and inclusion is is the cost of doing business.   Michael Hingson  32:34 How do we get speaking of the whole issue in Canada? How do we get that to be more of a national initiative? Why is it a provincial one? I know that I've had discussions with people in various provinces about guide dog access, and some provinces do better at that than others. But why is it that we are not able to get this to be more of a national movement?   Linda Hunt  33:00 Yeah, we, we just in 2019, actually passed the accessible Canada Act. Unfortunately, though, the accessible Canada Act, which was, which was also a very welcomed piece of legislation, but it's only it only regulates federally regulated industries, such as banking for airline trance, transportation, or, you know, those kinds of federally regulated industries. So they're provincially regulated industries. And I'm lucky that we're in Ontario, because we were actually the first that that brought out legislation, and ours is called the Accessibility for Ontarians. With Disabilities Act, which is initially was comprised of five standards. We have two other ones that are working their way through being being adopted now, but the, you know, to answer your question, how do we, you know, I sit on, I sit on the board of citizens with disabilities, Ontario, we do a lot of work around advocating for, first of all, just compliance with the legislation that we do have in the province of Ontario. But then, yeah, you cross the border, and you go into another province, and in some cases, there are some provinces in Canada that don't have accessibility legislation. Yeah. But then there's then there's the whole question is why do we need legislation like for those of us in that who work in the disability space? It should just be you know, Nobody should be allowed to put up barriers. I mean, you know, you've got our on our disability legislation is actually companion legislation with the Ontario Human Rights Code. So the complaint mechanism is is kind of tied with being able to file an Ontario Human Rights Complaint. If someone's not complying with, with the legislation, so you know, which is, which is a long drawn out process for something that should just never happen. And that's where we get into disability rights. And you know, people have a right to, to housing, they have a right to, you know, the same services that are available to, to persons who don't have the same disability as them, you know, that that type of thing. But you know, that, you know, I think you and I are probably going to be long gone for this work from this world before. Everybody gets on the same page and realizes that accessibility and inclusion should just be built into everything from the start. Yeah.   Michael Hingson  36:18 It certainly would be less expensive, if it were, which is I know, something that you think about that you talk about building inaccessibility, as opposed to having to deal with a later and certainly   Linda Hunt  36:32 why one of my comments, or one of my quotes that I its accessibility is cheaper to build it in than it is to bolt it on.   Michael Hingson  36:42 Well, absolutely. And it is an issue where, if you, for example, especially for physical disabilities, where mobility is involved, if you have to modify a building or a structure after the fact, it's extremely expensive, and my wife, what I and I built houses to avoid a lot of those costs. So our most expensive home from a standpoint of adding an accessibility that is to a home we built was when we moved to New Jersey, we had to spend an additional $15,000 to put an elevator in because all the homes in the area where two story homes. But even that became a selling point when we sold the house and moved back to California. But in reality, like the home we're in now that I'm in now, my wife actually passed away in November. So we were going to be married for two years on the 27th of November, we missed it by 15 days. But when we built this, when we built this house up, there were no real extra costs because of the fact that you design it in. And that's in general, true. I work for excessive be a company that makes products that help make websites more accessible. And accessible, I will tell you that if people would design in the inclusion to make websites accessible from the outset, if the basic manufacturers of those tools would design in accessibility and inclusion, it would be less expensive. But that isn't the way we work today. And so we do have to have solutions that work like accessibility to make sure that websites are usable, and include all people.   Linda Hunt  38:39 Exactly. And I and you know, I'm totally in agreement with you in terms of housing. I mean, we've I've done some work with the accessible housing network here in Ontario. And there is a there's a there's a true crisis in accessible housing. And then while there's a crisis in affordable housing, yeah, the crisis and accessible affordable housing is just you know, that's, that's a whole other whole other thing. And the thing is that the accessible housing network will tell you the exact same thing that you just referred to as building a single family home is that it doesn't cost any more to build it with 36 inch doors and you know, whatever accessibility features you need at the outset, well, it's the same if you're building an apartment building. It doesn't cost any more when you're building an apartment building to build it with 36 inch doors and you know, those types of accessibility features. But what people always seem to think accessibility is is like a little add on or something we have to do and that's something that needs to change. So I've just been elected to municipal council, but I'm one of the ones that will push that challenge as to We're building a 45 unit, affordable housing complex and four of the units are going to be barrier free. So I will ask the question, why don't we make all 45? You know that that was going to be my question? Yeah. Because it's not going to cost any more when you're building it. And I don't know anybody that doesn't need a 36 inch door that has a problem walking through one. So, you know, accessibility doesn't offend people. And from that perspective, you know, why aren't we building? As I said, all 45 units with that accessibility feature?   Michael Hingson  40:42 How do we change the basic conversation? I mean, we hear all about diversity. And diversity is always about sexual orientation, gender, race, and so on. disabilities are not included in that, traditionally, while the minority group of persons with disabilities is much larger than any of those except for gender. When you're dealing with male and female, but like LGBTQ and so on, certainly from a percentage standpoint, that population is incredibly, significantly less than the population of persons with disabilities. But we never get that included into the discussion. Why is that? And what do we do about it?   Linda Hunt  41:35 Yeah, it's, it's funny, because he asked you, you'll talk to, well, large businesses that have, you know, the diversity, you know, inclusion and equity. Some of them have entire departments built into their business. But, you know, when you talk about diversity and inclusion, you're right, we we are not just talking about, you know, gender, race, you know, if you're, if you have a inherent bias within your, within your culture against persons with disabilities, then you know, that that's, that's going to get forget any diversity, inclusion or equity department or policies or procedures that you have, there's, there's still the inherent bias. No, I have actually seen the word are the words diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. Those are those are ones that are more forward thinking,   Michael Hingson  42:45 well, a little bit, but I'm not sure it helps a lot. Because what do we mean by accessibility? And we're not still not dealing with the issue? And I think you're absolutely right. If we look at it, at its most basic level, the answer to my question about why we're not included in the conversation is bias and fear. For many years, in this country, the Gallup polling organization, doing surveys of people's fears found that one of the top five fears people said they had in this country was blindness wasn't even disabilities. Now, that's many years ago. But still, the biases are there, and whether it's just blindness or all disabilities. We haven't gotten beyond that fear and that bias, and that's the reason that I think we have this issue of not being included in the conversation. Yeah, and if we are, it's just all for the motivation, the inspiration of one person, one one time, one group one time, but the bias, the basic prejudice hasn't changed.   Linda Hunt  43:55 Yeah, and that's, you know, you're right, like the the culture of inclusion. And whether it be any marginalized group needs to needs to be, you know, built, it's like anything else that needs to be built into the, the, the, you know, whether it be the business, their corporate culture, from the leadership level, and then it flows all the way down throughout a business. But if you if you can't get that that bias addressed at the leadership level, then unfortunately, that that kind of toxic type of type of thinking pre mediates the entire business culture. So, I mean, I'll use an example you mentioned that I was that I was a elected to Brantford City Council in in October, but I actually I faced what I'll call, you know, bias at the door with a very nice gentleman he was he was elderly, but he didn't understand how I could possibly be a city councilor because I was in a wheelchair. So the fact that my legs don't work had him somewhat out somehow thinking, the rest of me had deficits that would not allow me to position.   Michael Hingson  45:36 And what did you do about that? How did you address that?   Linda Hunt  45:40 Yes, I had a very nice discussion with them. And I basically said that my legs don't work. But that I, that I'm in a, that I'm in a, you know, I, my educational background, my, you know, my, you know, the fact that I run to businesses, the fact that even as he was speaking to me, I was in as, as you can well imagine, being in a wheelchair, made door to door canvassing, which is knocking on individual doors challenge challenging, but here I was knocking on his door. And, you know, so we, we, we basically had the discussion. And it it was it was just an inherent, I mean, I don't think he was doing he wasn't, in fact, I know, he wasn't doing it to be rude or disrespectful, even though it came across that way. But it's it, I almost felt like I needed to educate them. Yeah. As as we were having the conversation that, you know, assuming that just because I'm in a wheelchair, I'm not capable of making decision making processes at the municipal council level is wrong.   Michael Hingson  46:58 How did the conversation end up?   Linda Hunt  47:00 I think I got his vote.   Michael Hingson  47:03 Well, there you go. What can you ask for?   Linda Hunt  47:05 Because and you know, what I tell people we've got, you know, I do a signature talk on overcoming barriers to leadership, but but sometimes when you're faced with, you know, that kind of thing head on it, it is a lot of times, you know, as you said, like, people don't know what they don't know. And you need to address the, you know, the, whether it be the stigma or the, you know, the incorrect assumption that, you know, that you are somehow inferior, because you have a disability,   Michael Hingson  47:45 right. And that's why education is so important. And that's why among other things, we used to hear terms like mobility impaired, and I still hear visually impaired, which is wrong on so many levels. And we have to get beyond that, rather than equating how much of one thing someone has, as opposed to someone else, recognizing that what we have are characteristics. And certainly low vision makes a lot more sense to say than visually impaired, first of all, visually doesn't make sense. And as far as I'm concerned, you're, you're blind, impaired or your light dependent. Yeah, that's just probably a more polite way to put it. But the the reality is, I think, in answering my question, it is about education. And we have to do it, but we also have to get so many others across the board to become more advocates for this as much as they are for other kinds of things. Yes. And that's where the real challenge begins.   Linda Hunt  48:55 At I and I and the other thing is, is is educating, educating our younger population, so I absolutely love it. When because I always say all the little boys love me because I'm in a wheelchair and they love wheels. So they'll they'll, you know, they'll tell me, you know, how come you're in a wheelchair? I had a little boy, actually, when I was out a couple of weeks ago that said, Does that have a horn? And it does have a horn does the horn forum and he was just totally enthralled. But I welcome that kind of curious initiative of, of children like that. And I think that you know, that, like so many other thing was in schools, that, that learning that not everyone is the same and people are different. Is you know should apply to persons with disabilities as well. Not just not just whether it be race or, or gender or any of that kind of stuff that yeah, it because that's, that's really the, versus trying to change the way of thinking of older people that, you know, as they become adults, if children grew up thinking that disability was just a normal part of life, there are people that have disabilities in our, in our society. And there's, you know, there's nothing wrong with with them or with with that, and that we need to just be inclusive for everybody.   Michael Hingson  50:57 Of course, you probably didn't tell that little boy that the horn wasn't the greatest thing in the world. It's not all that loud.   Linda Hunt  51:06 I got a new wheelchair about two years ago, and this one is actually not bad. But the ones that I had before that my, in fact, my husband, one day was like, I don't even know if the person in front of you at the grocery store can even hear that one. Yeah. fireless, you know, trying to get, you know, a group of people in a crowd to move out of your way. But, but anyway, I don't use it all that often. Yeah, I like the Escort in front of me. That's kind of saying, Excuse me, excuse me. She's coming through.   Michael Hingson  51:39 My wife's last chair was the pride mobility line of sight share. So it's three years old. And the horns still wasn't all that great, as you said, as far as being able to be heard in a crowded area. On the other hand, you really can't put an air horn on on a chair either. So it's a compromise. Yeah. You know, for for you. You have a very positive attitude, you've undergone a lot of changes over the years. How, how do you? Or how did you end? Do you keep up a positive mental attitude about everything? Well,   Linda Hunt  52:16 you know what, Michael, I tell people all the time, if I didn't have a positive attitude, I'd be sitting in the corner crying somewhere. Yeah, I was I was diagnosed on March the ninth and 1999, which was all the internet was fairly new at the time. So I went back to my office after being diagnosed, and at the time I did work. My husband and I was I did have an office in our, in our facility. And my husband came into my office and said, you know, well, what did he say? And I said, Oh, he said, I have that in us. And at the time, my symptoms were tingling in my feet and my fingers. So I was convinced that I had some kind of a tumor pressing on my spine, because he kept talking about peripheral nerve damage, and that there was something causing, you know, this peripheral nerve damage. So honestly, a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis was kind of like, oh, I don't think I can die from that. So I literally drove back to my office and was I was sitting in my office when my husband came in, and I said, Oh, he said, I have MS. But you know what, I really don't know what that means. And I will tell you though, after now 25 years of having Ms. This is a disease that does not have a roadmap. So there's there's no way of knowing from onset to 25 years later. All he did say to me was that 50% of the people need some assistance walking within 10 years. And that could be a cane to a wheelchair. And as I said earlier, in our discussion, I went from one cane to two canes to a walker to a scooter to a wheelchair in the span of about 18 months. But my positive attitude. I think, honestly, it's it's out of necessity. I mean, I you know, I was diagnosed with with children that were like two and seven, like I didn't have time to wallow in any kind of self pity. And the other thing is, is when I was first diagnosed, other than an exacerbation that that would, you know, kind of get me down for maybe about six weeks, which you know, they give me some steroids and I'd be up and going again, but, you know, like I said, I you know, just, you know, I was working full time we had you know, we had a business I had two children you know, so my, you know, I say the the positive attitude really is what has kept me going like to this day, here we are 25 years later,   Michael Hingson  55:05 you made the choice. Yeah, you that's the important part that you, you could have gone the other way.   Linda Hunt  55:12 Well, there and there, unfortunately, there are a lot of people that do go there. And it doesn't matter what kind of diagnosis or not, I'm sure you're an exactly. I mean, you're a very positive person. You know, with that has dealt with a disability, yourself for you know, so it's, to me, it's, it's a part of life. And as I said, you know, unfortunately, having a very good support system. So my husband knows men, I mean, we were married 10 years when I was diagnosed. So we're coming up on 35 years, but you know, it very much is a, you know, a family disease. My, my daughter, I don't think she remembers much. Before I was actually, you know, using starting to use mobility devices, whether it be, you know, a cane or whatever, my son I think remembers more. But having that positive attitude is what's enabled me to, you know, to continue to do the work that I do. I've just never, I've never let my, my, well, we'll call it disability, but I've never liked flat the fact that I can't walk like everyone else. And that's really what it is. Impact, you know, my decision to do whatever I want. So I still drive I still, I still travel a fair bit. I mean, I do a lot of research before I go places to make sure that they're, you know, I'm going to be able to use my left and my wheelchair is going to get where it needs to go. And that kind of thing. Air travel can always be a little bit of a challenge. But you know, yeah, you just, like I said, you just carry on. And it's I think I've always had that attitude, though. It's like, if something gets you down, you just pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and you carry on. So   Michael Hingson  57:30 it's, it's as unstoppable as it gets.   Linda Hunt  57:32 Yeah, there you go.   Michael Hingson  57:36 I understand you're an author. I am love to hear about that.   Linda Hunt  57:40 Yeah, so I have the, it's funny, I never thought of myself as an author. Because the first couple of the first couple of published documents that I had, were more what I would consider to be documents, they were policy pieces or so I developed a developed the leadership code for the organization that I was executive director of, so I, you know, writing that kind of stuff, but I had the opportunity to, to be part of a collaborative book a couple of years ago, which my, my chapter was actually on overcoming barriers to leadership, which is one of my signature talks, and, you know, we've had that which kind of feeds into that poll, positive attitude, and you know, that that type of thing. And so, yeah, you know, and that book is on Amazon, I use it, use it in my business as a, as a, you know, a gift, give it away at networking events, that kind of thing. I'm actually working on another book now, which will be which is around the concepts of accessibility is good for business and why. So we've, you know, we've got a couple of kind of chapters that are that are being flushed out on that. And I had somebody you know, that said to me once when I was starting out my podcast was to think of your podcast episodes as chapters of a book, which was an interesting concept, because, you know, my, my podcast accessibility solutions, making the world accessible is is really aimed at that business, that business target market and understanding that that accessibility is good for business. So, you know, we're, hopefully, by later on this year, then we'll have a, I'll have another published book out specifically about how accessibility is good for business.   Michael Hingson  1:00:15 Are you self publishing or going through a publisher? No,   Linda Hunt  1:00:19 I'm using the the Kindle Direct Publishing, through Amazon works.   Michael Hingson  1:00:24 Yeah. Running with Roselle. My second book is as published through Kindle Direct Publishing, so you understand it? And that's, that's great. Is your husband still doing the screen printing business?   Linda Hunt  1:00:37 He is. Although I was after him to retire, but then when I got elected, he's like, oh, yeah, you're after me to retire. And you have four years of city council? Yeah, I would like to Yeah, it is a very much a going concern. He, as I said, he works from the, we have a full production facility, which is off off site about five minutes from our home, which is where him and all of our production staff work. And I'm actually in the process now of bringing on some, I'm trying to replace myself, I'm trying to work myself out of a job, Michael?   Michael Hingson  1:01:18 Well, if you can do that successfully Good on you, as they say, down under it, and it's good to be forward thinking enough to know when it's time to do that.   Linda Hunt  1:01:30 Yes, yes. And I think that's also a key, the key milestone to achieve in order for us to really be able to successfully sell the business, because anybody buying a business that is then operated, you know, by sole proprietor or in our case, you know, a husband and wife team for as long as we have is likely going to want to keep somebody along for the transition. Whereas I tell I tell everybody, when the when the deals done, I am no longer growing girl. So if I've handed off the majority of the work that I do for the day to day operations of the business and have staff in place, then that's, that's part of succession planning and   Michael Hingson  1:02:20 transitions. Well, Linda, this has been absolutely fun. And it's been everything. I hoped that it that it would be and I really appreciate your time, if people want to reach out to you. Talk with you, perhaps or maybe even if you have them available here speeches and so on, how do they do that. And I think you also said that you have a free gift.   Linda Hunt  1:02:43 I do have a free gift. So my free gift is and I'm sure you'll put it in the show notes. We shall, yeah, you can book a time to just talk with me. And I invite anyone to talk with me that it whether it's accessibility, you want to talk about accessibility. If I'm I'm very open to being guests on other people's podcasts or other people's stages, I've done a fair bit of that kind of that kind of talking over the years, conferences, that type of thing. Or if a if you just want to reach out and find out more about what it is that we do, then that link to be able to book that free consultation. Can you   Michael Hingson  1:03:30 say the link?   Linda Hunt  1:03:32 The link is? It's a Calendly link? It's   Michael Hingson  1:03:36 where can people get to through your website?   Linda Hunt  1:03:39 People can get to it through my website there. And you're going to embed it in your show notes.   Michael Hingson  1:03:44 Yeah. What's your website?   Linda Hunt  1:03:46 They can see it there it is. Solutions, the number 4 accessibility.com. And they can also always reach me via email, which is Linda at solutions for accessibility.com.   Michael Hingson  1:04:01 Well, cool. Well, I again, very much appreciate you being willing to come on and have a good in depth and I think good substantive discussion about all of this. And I hope that we're making a difference. I think we are and the more we talk about the conversation, and the more we converse about the conversation, the more conversation we have, which is what we really need to do.   Linda Hunt  1:04:26 I agree and I so very much appreciate you having me on. I'm a big fan of your show.   Michael Hingson  1:04:33 Well, thank you. Well, I hope that everyone listening feels the same way and we'd love to hear from you. So if you would, we'd appreciate you letting us know you can reach me at Michaelhi at accessibe A C C E S S I B E.com. Or you can go to my podcast page which is www dot Michael hingson h i n g s o n.com/podcast. And we'd love to hear from You please give us a five star rating. When you're listening to this, we appreciate your ratings and your views very much. And we hope that this has been educational and gives you some things to think about and Linda once more. I want to thank you for being with us today and we'd love to have you come back and visit some more. Thank you.   Michael Hingson  1:05:24 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an initiative of accessiBe and is sponsored by accessiBe. Please visit www.accessibe.com. accessiBe is spelled a c c e s s i b e. There you can learn all about how you can make your website inclusive for all persons with disabilities and how you can help make the internet fully inclusive by 2025. Thanks again for listening. Please come back and visit us again next week.

Following James Cameron's lead, Art waited almost 10 years to create a sequel to his mildly successful first Jack Quasar comic book. In this episode, Robbie and Art discuss the character's history, the process of creating a comic book on an iPad, and the ongoing trials and tribulations of self-publishing through Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing system.  Geeks of the Week include the latest role Nick Cage is sinking his teeth into and a discussion of Silo, an upcoming Apple TV+ series that may keep us subscribed to that streaming long after Ted Lasso is over.

Hello, and welcome to another episode of the podcast. Today on the podcast, I have an interview with Gesine Bullock-Prado, but before we get started, I want to talk to those of you listening who have written recipes that you want to turn into a book to share with your family, friends, or customers. I know that so often we cook and cook, or we're the keeper of the family recipes, and we want to share our recipes in a tangible way, not just with the food but also in a book. I've been doing a lot of cool things behind the scenes with Canva and Amazon Kindle Direct publishing. As a result, I see the potential for you (fellow home cooks and recipe collectors) to create and self-publish a recipe book for your family, friends, or clients on the free publishing platform Kindle Direct Publishing. I am creating a PILOT PROGRAM to teach a small group of interested cooks and bakers how to create and self-publish recipe books. My goal is that you will finish the program with two self-published recipe books to share family recipes, give away as holiday gifts, or attract clients/customers to your business. If you'd like to learn more about this offer, head over to www.cookbookwritersacademy.com/pilot-program-cookbooks, and I'll send you details about how you can access one of the limited spots in this pilot program. So what does it mean to be a pilot program? I've done this work but never taught it - so first time taught it so:  You get to learn as I learn Lots of interaction with me and others in the group A smaller group of students Time to ask questions and help me shape the future program Because the program is a pilot - the price will be a no-brainer You will learn a repeatable process Available outside of the GPGP program Now onto the show: Today, I have an interview with Gesine Bullock-Prado. Gesine is a pastry chef, instructor, and author of six books and lives in White River Junction, VT. In her 18-year career, Gesine has run her own pastry shop and become a baking instructor at King Arthur Flour's Baking Education Center. She is the owner and baking instructor at Sugar Glider Kitchen and is working towards getting her Vermont Master Gardener Certification in 2023. Today we talk about her move to Vermont, where she fell in love with the Green Mountain State's flavors, we go in-depth about Vermont's six unique seasons, and we discuss some recipes unique to Vermont, such as Salt rising bread, Marlborough pie, and Sugar on Snow.  Things We Mention In This Episode: Learn more about the Pilot Program for self-publishing cookbooks Visit Gesine's Sugar Glider Kitchen online   

Replacing Her Corporate Salary With Content Creation With Alex From Mallorca Under the Sun This week we are joined by Alex from the Mallorca Under the Sun YouTube channel. We talk about how she has grown her channel quickly, tips and tricks of being a creator, replacing her corporate salary with content creation, and SO much more! About Alex: After losing her job during the global pandemic, British-born Alex is an expert and authority on one of Europe's favorite holiday destinations, Mallorca in Spain. She creates vlogs, travel guides, news, travel tips, and live streams for anyone wanting to holiday or move to the island. Her greatest achievement, though, is creating a fantastic community. Before setting up the Youtube channel in 2020, Alex was a travel and tourism professional with 20+ years of experience in Marketing and Public Relations. As well as her Youtube channel, Alex has gone on to build a website and has replaced her corporate salary through a mixture of freelancing, Youtube Adsense, website income (Ezoic Adsense and affiliate income), and has just secured her first video sponsor. She has launched her first digital product - an ebook on Kindle Direct Publishing called "Living in Mallorca Under the Sun." TubeBuddy – A tool that makes your YouTube Life EASIER and Helps grow your channel. CLICK HERE for a FREE 30-DAY TRIAL. Go here if you want to submit your YouTube Channel to be a potential guest on the podcast.  Support the show on Patreon here for day-to-day interaction with myself and the community on discord. Connect With Alex Here: YouTube /// Website /// Facebook Group Links Discussed In This Episode Fiverr – Hire the right people for the jobs you need to make your YouTube life and workflow easier! Bluehost – If you need a website use this link to get a Free Domain Name and a great deal on hosting

168 : What I learned on my KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) Journey | Createspace Amazon Birthday Wishlist : https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2VDG04M79TM2W?ref_=wl_share Paypal : paypal.me/DesignsBySmiley _______________________________________________ Holiday Reunion Ebook : https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0BNGN3V7D?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_KDAKE8NQDFZPZVRZDX36 Lulu Paperback : https://www.lulu.com/shop/cinquanta-cox-smith/holiday-reunion/paperback/product-kedgnk.html?q=Cinquanta+cox-smith&page=1&pageSize=4 Audiobook : https://www.audible.com/pd/B0BQ9MGFGH/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-333429&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_333429_rh_us Smile For Me YouTube Merch : https:///www.etsy.com/your/shops/CoinsandConnections/tools/listings/query:smile%20for%20me Coins And Connections | Books, Business and Bullshit. Learn, Listen and take away Lessons from an ultimate Side Hustler and Business Motivator. Cinquanta is an Author and Entrepreneur that takes you on a journey of discovery, real life situations, interviews, educational content and the most important part is She teaches you how to snatch some coins right from your home and in your spare time. Subscribe & Share ‼️ Love You More Than I Love This Podcast! Sign Up With Printful : bit.ly/PrintfulCC ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Podcast & Video Editing Software Descript : descript.com?lmref=vhoeNA IG: instagram.com/cinquantacoxsmith Twitter : twitter.com/smileyquanta_ Snapchat : smileyquanta Facebook : Cinquanta Cox-Smith www.facebook.com/cinquantacoxsmith Pinterest : Smileyquanta www.cinquantacoxsmith.com www.coinsandconnections.com Email : hello@coinsandconnections.com Courses: www.gumroad.com/cinquantacoxsmith Check out my YouTube Channel Here: www.youtube.com/smileyquanta Want to learn how to self-publish your own book? Order my new Book How To Self-Publish Under $100 Here: http://amzn.to/2cgLu62 Audio Program ©2022 – Coins And Connections, LLC. – All Rights Reserved – No reproduction or use of this content is permitted without the express written consent of Coins And Connections, LLC. Sponsorships: on for this episode // Affiliate Links Creative Fabrica : https://www.creativefabrica.com/ref/413424/ Sale Samauri : https://salesamurai.io/268.html Use Code CAC20 for 20% off Book Bolt : https://bookbolt.io/209.html Alura : https://www.alura.io/?via=cinquanta Sticker Mule: https://www.stickermule.com/unlock?ref_id=5407280701&utm_medium=link&utm_source=invite Start selling on Gumroad: https://gumroad.com/invite/cinquantacoxsmith Creative Market : https://creativemarket.com/?u=cinquanta.smith Canva : https://www.canva.com/join/wnm-drp-j --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coinsandconnections/message

The Kindle Vella platform is already over a year old and many authors struggle to hit success through this unique Kindle Direct Publishing option. Find out how Top Faved Kindle Vella author, Callie Chase, releases her stories. Also, discover how she's building her brand away from the platform and other insights.  Callie Chase - https://calliechase.com Jeanne De Vita - https://book-genie.com

Today, we're going to talk about a free piece of software that could literally change the course of your life and your business. I'm talking about Kindle Create software. This will allow you to turn tons of things you may have already written, easily into the Kindle format so you can put them on sale on Amazon and take advantage of their hundreds of millions of customers. Amazon Kindle is one of the best small business opportunities available where you can leverage the power of Amazon for free to bring in money and expose you to those hundreds of millions of Amazon customers. Screw The Commute Podcast Show Notes Episode 682 How To Automate Your Business - https://screwthecommute.com/automatefree/ Internet Marketing Training Center - https://imtcva.org/ Higher Education Webinar – https://screwthecommute.com/webinars See Tom's Stuff – https://linktr.ee/antionandassociates 03:41 Tom's introduction to Kindle Create 05:19 Reflowable and Print Replica formats 07:20 Much easier to put graphics in the Kindle software 09:13 Software will generate a Table of Contents for you 10:35 Kindle Direct Publishing and affiliate links Entrepreneurial Resources Mentioned in This Podcast Higher Education Webinar - https://screwthecommute.com/webinars Screw The Commute - https://screwthecommute.com/ Screw The Commute Podcast App - https://screwthecommute.com/app/ College Ripoff Quiz - https://imtcva.org/quiz Know a young person for our Youth Episode Series? Send an email to Tom! - orders@antion.com Have a Roku box? Find Tom's Public Speaking Channel there! - https://channelstore.roku.com/details/267358/the-public-speaking-channel How To Automate Your Business - https://screwthecommute.com/automatefree/ Internet Marketing Retreat and Joint Venture Program - https://greatinternetmarketingtraining.com/ KickStartCart - http://www.kickstartcart.com/ Copywriting901 - https://copywriting901.com/ Training - https://screwthecommute.com/training Disabilities Page - https://imtcva.org/disabilities/ Tom's Patreon Page - https://screwthecommute.com/patreon/ Tom on TikTok - https://tiktok.com/@digitalmultimillionaire/ Kindle Masterclass - https://screwthecommute.com/kindlemasterclass/ Getting Started with Kindle - https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/GUGQ4WDZ92F733GC Pretty Links - https://prettylinks.com/ Email Tom: Tom@ScrewTheCommute.com Internet Marketing Training Center - https://imtcva.org/ Related Episodes Hashtags - https://screwthecommute.com/681/ More Entrepreneurial Resources for Home Based Business, Lifestyle Business, Passive Income, Professional Speaking and Online Business I discovered a great new headline / subject line / subheading generator that will actually analyze which headlines and subject lines are best for your market. I negotiated a deal with the developer of this revolutionary and inexpensive software. Oh, and it's good on Mac and PC. Go here: http://jvz1.com/c/41743/183906 The Wordpress Ecourse. Learn how to Make World Class Websites for $20 or less. https://screwthecommute.com/wordpressecourse/ Join our Private Facebook Group! One week trial for only a buck and then $37 a month, or save a ton with one payment of $297 for a year. Click the image to see all the details and sign up or go to https://www.greatinternetmarketing.com/screwthecommute/ After you sign up, check your email for instructions on getting in the group.

What would change for you if you could see a passive 6 figure income from unsold art you have on hand right now? Generating passive income with your art skills is a game changer and one you don't want to miss. You can start generating over $5000 a month online with art you've already created. Rachel Harrison-Sund is an award winning art director from a multinational advertising agency that pivoted her wildly successful career into a wildly passionate online business that she's grown into a multiple 6 figures passive income. She now teaches others how to use their unique talent and skills to do Low Content Publishing through the Kindle Direct publishing platform “If you know how to create a beautiful book cover and a beautiful interior you have such a leg up.” -Rachel Harrison-Sund Turn your unsold prints into full-time income Leverage your artistic skills to create planners at scale Monetize your skills and talents in new creative ways Being able to travel more, live in flow with your creativity and in abundance is possible. Sometimes it takes looking at how we're doing things from a totally different angle, and oftentimes you'll find that the residual of what you're already creating has more value than you think. “I'm really passionate about helping people discover what their unique skills are and monetize them.” -Rachel Harrison-Sund Connect with Rachel Harrison-Sund Website: https://www.rachelharrisonsund.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachel_harrisonsund/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/RachelHarrisonSund  3 Steps to Publishing Freeby: https://rachel-harrison-sund.mykajabi.com/opt-in-c9f26513-e5e5-4365-bcac-8fef82e57bf2 Pre-Order your copy of my new book, Artpreneur and get several bonuses Follow us on Instagram for tips and value you can't get anywhere else. For full show notes go to show link schulmanart.com/226 ++++++++++++++++++++

Heading into the holidays, authors often wonder what the best marketing strategies are to sell more books on Amazon KDP. Discover how Kindle Direct Publishing offers you unique ways to self-publish and market your books. Also, find out how you can further monetize your book and content with a few tips for your strategy in affiliate marketing.   Level-Up Your Self-Publishing Business TODAY: Uscreen - https://DaleLinks.com/Uscreen Substack - https://DaleLinks.com/Substack  The Amazon Self Publisher – https://DaleLinks.com/SelfPubBook Subscribe to Self-Publishing with Dale on YouTube at https://DaleLinks.com/YT and https://DaleLinks.com/YouTubePodcast. Join other like-minded and motivated self-publishers in the Self-Publishing Books Group. Learn, grow, and network with authors, freelancers, and industry experts at https://DaleLinks.com/SPB. Remember to answer the 3 questions to gain entry. Get access to my go-to resource, Publisher Rocket. Confidently research profitable keywords & categories. Easily select effective keywords for Amazon Advertising campaigns. For more details, visit https://dalelinks.com/PR.   FULL DISCLOSURE: Most outbound links financially compensate the podcast through affiliate programs or sponsorship deals. We only recommend products and services we've used and confidently stand behind. Using the links do not adversely affect your purchase price and greatly helps support the channel. Thank you for your understanding.

Bruce Tallman has been in private practice as a full-time spiritual director for the past twenty years (since 2002). He works mainly with clergy from every Christian denomination. He also works with laity and with people who are agnostic, atheist or “spiritual but not religious.” He has published two books for professional spiritual directors: Archetypes for Spiritual Direction: Discovering the Heroes Within (Paulist Press, 2005) and Finding Seekers: How to Develop a spiritual Direction Practice from Beginning to Full-Time Employment which is a bestseller in the field of spiritual direction. He has also published two books for the general public: A Thousand Spiritual Lessons: Wisdom and Peace for the Over-Busy, Over-Informed, Over-Worked and Over-Whelmed (an ebook from Kindle Direct Publishing 2021) and God's Ecstatic Love: Transform Your Life with a Spiritual Masterpiece (Apocryphile Press, 2021). God's Ecstatic Love is a 21st century commentary on St. Francis de Sales' 1616 spiritual classic Treatise on the Love of God. The goal of the book is to teach people the most important life-skill of all: how to love God/be a contemplative mystic. From 1988 to 2002 Bruce was the director of two adult religious education centers for the Roman Catholic Diocese of London, Ontario, Canada. As part of that ministry, he helped couples prepare for marriage and continues to do so. Since 1988 to the present, he has facilitated marriage preparation courses with almost 4000 couples. Bruce has a Doctor of Ministry degree in Spiritual Direction from the Graduate Theological Foundation and hundreds of his articles on spirituality, theology, ethics and religion have been published. He is also an adjunct faculty member of the Haden Institute for Spiritual Directors Training and is on the board of “Christian Spiritual Directors” (formerly known as the “Canadian Fellowship of Christian Spiritual Directors”). He and his wife Grace, a crisis mental health counselor, live in London, Ontario, Canada and have three adult children: Hailey (art therapist), Brandon (landscaper) and Alana (lab scientist).  www.brucetallman.com/books www.brucetallman.blog ++++++++ MarisaRadha.com Guidance Meditation Album IG @marisaradhaweppner *****Please rate Love Service Wisdom on iTunes.  It helps me to get the guests you want to hear.   

Are you self-publishing your book on Kindle Direct Publishing? Would you like to know the best pricing strategies for Amazon KDP in 2022? Then, let's discuss how to price your ebook, paperback, and hardcover books that makes the most of the royalty structure while delivering value to the reader. And, you might just learn new ways you haven't used and could make a huge difference in your author business.   Level-Up Your Self-Publishing Business TODAY: Miblart Cover Design Services - https://DaleLinks.com/Miblart The Amazon Self Publisher – https://DaleLinks.com/SelfPubBook Subscribe to Self-Publishing with Dale on YouTube at https://DaleLinks.com/YT and https://DaleLinks.com/YouTubePodcast. Join other like-minded and motivated self-publishers in the Self-Publishing Books Group. Learn, grow, and network with authors, freelancers, and industry experts at https://DaleLinks.com/SPB. Remember to answer the 3 questions to gain entry. Get access to my go-to resource, Publisher Rocket. Confidently research profitable keywords & categories. Easily select effective keywords for Amazon Advertising campaigns. For more details, visit https://dalelinks.com/PR.   FULL DISCLOSURE: Most outbound links financially compensate the podcast through affiliate programs or sponsorship deals. We only recommend products and services we've used and confidently stand behind. Using the links do not adversely affect your purchase price and greatly helps support the channel. Thank you for your understanding.

Amazon's New Kindle 11th Generation Links Click here to buy the new Kindle for $99.99 - ships October 12, 2022 Kevin Keith on TKC 533 October 19, 2018 - New Kindle Paperwhite! Steven King at launch of Kindle 2 - February 10, 2009 (YouTube) Full Press Release: Introducing Kindle and Kindle Kids: Now with 300 ppi High-Resolution Display, USB-C Charging, and 2X Storage The lightest and most compact Kindle provides a glare-free, 6-inch, high-resolution display, up to six weeks of battery life and USB-C charging, adjustable front light, dark mode, and 16 GB of storage—all for only $99.99 Kindle Kids comes with a kid-friendly cover, one year of Amazon Kids+ providing unlimited access to thousands of age-appropriate books, and a two-year worry-free guarantee—for only $119.99 A free, four-month Kindle Unlimited membership is included with Kindle for a limited time, offering access to over 2 million titles, thousands of audiobooks, and more SEATTLE—September 13, 2022—Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) today announced the next generation of Kindle—the lightest and smallest Kindle. Starting at just $99.99, the new Kindle combines premium features with an affordable price, including a 300 ppi high-resolution 6-inch display, USB-C charging, longer battery life of up to six weeks, and room for thousands of books with twice the storage. The same features also come with Kindle Kids, which includes a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+ that provides kids with unlimited access to thousands of books. Kindle and Kindle Kids pre-orders start today and will begin shipping October 12. Learn more at http://www.amazon.com/kindle. “With a high-resolution display that delivers three-times more pixels than our previous base Kindle, USB-C charging, 16GB of storage, and built-in adjustable front light, the new ultralight Kindle is the latest example of how we continue to bring premium features to our entry-level devices for even more customers to enjoy,” said Kevin Keith, vice president of Amazon Devices and Services. “And since we launched Kindle Kids three years ago, kids have logged nearly 3 billion minutes reading on Kindle devices. The new Kindle Kids provides an even better reading experience to help kids become lifelong readers.” All-New High-Resolution Display Kindle and Kindle Kids feature an all-new 6-inch, glare-free, 300 ppi high-resolution display with three-times more pixels for laser-quality text and sharp images that read like paper. Dark mode and adjustable front light provide a comfortable reading experience in all conditions, including bright sunlight or no light at all. The device comes packed with customer favorites like X-Ray, which provides important details about people or places mentioned in a book, and a built-in dictionary to quickly look up any word. Simplified setup on the Kindle app for iOS and Android offers an option to register your device in fewer steps and to jump into a book even faster. Lightest and Most Compact Kindle Kindle and Kindle Kids are the lightest and most compact Kindle models available—carry them in your pocket and comfortably read one-handed for even longer. The device's longer battery life of up to six weeks maximizes the time you can spend reading, and the USB-C port makes charging more effortless than ever. The all-new Kindle comes with 16GB of storage—twice the storage of the previous generation—enough to hold thousands of titles, so you can take your library with you. More for Young Readers Since the first Kindle Kids device debuted three years ago, kids have logged nearly 3 billion minutes of reading time on their Kindle devices, with no distractions on their devices from games, videos, social media, or apps. In fact, when the average kid reader sits down with their Kindle, they read more than an hour a day, making Kindle Kids the perfect reading companion for kids between 7-13 years old. Every Kindle Kids comes with a one-year subscription of Amazon Kids+, providing unlimited access to thousands of books, from timeless classics to newer, popular page-turners. Kids can explore and discover their favorite titles from a large selection of content, opening new opportunities to fall in love with reading. The Amazon Kids+ experience on Kindle Kids includes: · Latest hits and award-winners: Explore popular titles like Divergent, Artemis Fowl, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid; books from series like Big Nate, Percy Jackson, Enchanted Forest Chronicles, and Harry Potter; and titles that have won the Newbery Medal, Coretta Scott King Award, Children's Choice Award, and other awards, all in the Amazon Kids+ library. · Add from your library: Get instant access to new releases and bestsellers, plus over a million titles, each $2.99 or less to add even more stories to your child's Kindle Kids library. · Switch between reading and listening: When kids want to listen to a book instead of reading one, they can use Bluetooth-enabled speakers or headphones with Audible. With Amazon Kids+, hundreds of Audible books are available, including gaming and tween books like Escape from the Overworld, classics like The Secret Garden and Peter Pan, and Audible Originals like Interview with the Robot and The Mystwick School of Musicraft. The Amazon Parent Dashboard for Kindle Kids also provides complete control for parents to set reading and bedtime schedules. Kids can request books for parents and guardians to add to their library, while literacy tools like Word Wise and Vocabulary Builder assist with showing definitions of unfamiliar words and enriching vocabulary through flashcards. With the lightweight design, kid-friendly features, and longer battery life, Kindle Kids makes reading fun, easy, and convenient. The World's Best eBook Store All Kindle devices come with instant access to the world's best eBook store, which includes: Massive selection—Discover millions of books, including the latest best sellers on Amazon Charts and reading recommendations from the Amazon Book Review. Kindle Unlimited—Get unlimited access to an ever-growing selection of over 2 million eBooks, thousands of audiobooks, and more. For a limited time, Kindle will come with a free four-month Kindle Unlimited membership. Amazon Original Stories—Read or listen to binge-worthy short fiction and nonfiction from best-selling authors, acclaimed storytellers, and new voices including Dean Koontz, Mindy Kaling, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Margaret Atwood, Taylor Jenkins Reid, and Andy Weir, all included at no additional cost for Prime and Kindle Unlimited members. A diverse set of voices: Access a variety of stories from millions of self-published authors around the world with Kindle Direct Publishing. Additionally, Prime members can read from a rotating selection of thousands of books, magazines, and more—at no additional cost to their Prime membership. Designed with Sustainability in Mind The all-new Kindle and Kindle Kids were designed with sustainability in mind and carry the Climate Pledge Friendly badge, acknowledging further reduction in carbon emissions from previous product generations. Both devices were thoughtfully sourced and built with 90% recycled magnesium. Plus, following our goal to make Amazon device packaging 100% recyclable by 2023, for the first time ever, Kindle device packaging is 100% recyclable in the U.S. and is also made of 100% wood fiber-based materials from responsibly managed forests or recycled sources. In addition, Kindle accessory covers follow suit with packaging made from 99% wood fiber-based materials. Amazon continues to reduce impact on the planet through decreasing waste and providing more-sustainable options, and our efforts with Kindle and Kindle Kids are no different. Pricing and Availability The all-new Kindle will be available starting at $99.99 in 16GB and in Black or Denim colors. New fabric covers for Kindle will be available in Black, Rose, Denim, and Dark Emerald. Kindle Kids will be available starting at $119.99 in 16GB in Black. Customers can select from three kid-friendly cover designs: Space Whale, Unicorn Valley, and Ocean Explorer. Each Kindle Kids device comes with a two-year, worry-free guarantee and one year of Amazon Kids+, an award-winning, all-in-one kid-friendly content service with thousands of ad-free books, games, videos, apps, and Alexa Skills from brands like Disney, LEGO, and National Geographic. On Kindle Kids, Amazon Kids+ provides access to thousands of age-appropriate books. Amazon Kids+ auto-renews after one year starting at $4.99 a month and can be canceled at any time. Both devices are available today for pre-order http://www.amazon.com/kindle. About Amazon Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Amazon strives to be Earth's Most Customer-Centric Company, Earth's Best Employer, and Earth's Safest Place to Work. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Career Choice, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Just Walk Out technology, Amazon Studios, and The Climate Pledge are some of the things pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews. ### If you'd like brief updates on technology, books, marriage, and puppies, you can follow along with my Morning Journal flash briefing. tFrom your Echo device, just say, “Alexa, enable Morning Journal.” Then each morning say, “Alexa, what's my flash briefing?” I post a five-minute audio journal each weekday except usually by 8 a.m. Eastern Time. Right-click here and then click "Save Link As..." to download the audio to your computer, phone, or MP3 player.   If you'd like brief updates on technology, books, marriage, and puppies, you can follow along with my Morning Journal flash briefing. tFrom your Echo device, just say, “Alexa, enable Morning Journal.” Then each morning say, “Alexa, what's my flash briefing?” I post a five-minute audio journal each weekday except usually by 8 a.m. Eastern Time.  Right-click here and then click "Save Link As..." to download the audio to your computer, phone, or MP3 player.