Every indie author eventually needs help: a cover designer, an editor, a website builder, a marketing assistant. But hiring the wrong freelancer (or being a difficult client yourself) can cost you time, money, and a cover you hate. In this episode, Ricci Wolman sits down with Maari Casey, CEO of Uncompany, to break down exactly how to find, hire, brief, and manage freelancers, from the first Google search to the signed contract to navigating a missed deadline.

What you’ll learn:

• How to write a scope of work tight enough to find the right freelancer, and the one "start at the end" trick that cuts the guesswork
• Where to find freelancers: Reedsy (built for authors), Fiverr, Upwork, and curated agencies, and when each makes sense
• How to set your budget and why you should always go in a little lower than your real number
• What the standard revision rounds look like for design vs. editing, and why two to three is the magic number
• The three questions to ask in every freelancer interview (and the red flags that should end the conversation)
• What should be in every contract: payment terms, revision rounds, timeline, and the ownership clause that authors always forget
• How to give feedback when the first draft is nothing like what you wanted (without blowing up the relationship)
• Why telling your designer what you hate is more useful than showing them what you love
• The one thing clients do that makes good freelancers not want to work with them again
• How to handle a missed deadline or a freelancer who goes silent

Maari also shares the Uncompany blog's free templates for scopes, briefs, and conflict management, built specifically for people navigating freelance relationships.

Want to learn more ways to reach readers? Visit writtenwordmedia.com for author resources, book promotion tools, and more.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

© 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

Is the indie author market actually as tough as the forums make it sound? Written Word Media surveyed nearly 600 authors at the midpoint of 2026, and the data tells a more nuanced story than the doom-and-gloom. In this episode, Ricci and Ferol break down the survey findings and identify the five things that optimistic, growing authors are doing differently.

What you’ll learn:

• The headline sentiment data: how many authors report growing vs. declining businesses halfway through 2026
• Why the authors whose businesses are thriving are writing more (not less) and the psychological reason that strategy works
• Why author newsletters are still the top owned-channel investment among the optimistic group (and how Written Word Media's Subscriber Surge Giveaways can help you build yours)
• Which paid ad platforms are still delivering (Amazon ads and Meta), and why the optimistic authors haven't abandoned them
• The catalog monetization plays winning authors are making: box sets, translations (AI-assisted), and human-narrated audiobooks
• How growing authors are using AI as a workflow tool, and how that attitude differs sharply from authors who are struggling
• Why KDP Select vs. wide turns out to be statistically irrelevant to business optimism (46% vs. 47%)
• What changed between the end-of-year survey and the mid-year survey: algorithm anxiety is way up, and AI went from background noise to center stage

Also covered: Ricci's quote-on-the-wall take on optimism vs. pessimism, and why data says there's a real reason for both.

Want to learn more ways to reach readers? Visit writtenwordmedia.com for author resources, book promotion tools, and more.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

© 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

What does a CEO who's run social media campaigns for Nike, IKEA, Samsung, and Crocs think authors should be doing on social right now? In this episode, Ferol sits down with Jim Tobin, CEO of Ignite Social Media, founder of influencer marketing agency Carusele, and a two-time published author, for a frank, tactical conversation about what's actually working in social media today and how indie authors can apply it.

What you’ll learn:

• Why social discovery has overtaken Google search, and what that means for how readers find books in 2026
• The three-second hook rule: how to stop the scroll before the algorithm even decides to show your content
• Why negative hooks outperform positive hooks (and how to use this without being clickbait)
• The Organish® strategy: how to put $5–$25 behind your content to reach 5–20x more people, and why this beats influencer outreach on a small budget
• The carousel comeback: why image carousels are now outperforming Reels on Instagram and LinkedIn
• How to approach BookTok influencers with zero budget, and what to say (and not say) when you do have a few hundred dollars
• Why lo-fi, behind-the-scenes content is beating polished production right now
• How to think about pre-launch vs. post-launch content, and why "mystery posts" are a waste of your audience's attention
• The 30-minutes-a-week social strategy: where to spend your time if that's all you have
• •Stampede Social: the tool that lets you DM a link to anyone who comments a keyword on your post
• The biggest mistake Jim sees on social, and it's not what you think

Jim also covers TikTok Shops, cross-platform content strategy, using trending audio, and how to connect your social presence to your email list.

Want to learn more ways to reach readers? Visit writtenwordmedia.com for author resources, book promotion tools, and more.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

© 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

Podcasts build the kind of trust with listeners that almost no other marketing channel can match, and authors are uniquely positioned to leverage that. In this episode, Ricci Wolman and Ferol Vernon draw on nearly a year of hosting the Written Word Media Podcast to break down how authors can use podcasting as a genuine reader-building tool, whether that means guesting on other shows or launching their own.

What you’ll learn:

• The psychology behind why podcast listeners trust hosts so deeply, and why that trust transfers directly to book sales (parasocial relationships explained)
• Why an imperfect, stumbling podcast appearance is often more powerful than a polished blog post
• How to find the right shows to pitch as a guest, and the filter every author needs to apply before reaching out
• Exactly what to include in your guest pitch email to get a "yes" from a host (hint: it's not "I'd love to talk about my book")
• How to prep for a guest appearance: questions in advance, bio tips, gear basics, and the sign-off strategy that turns listeners into readers
• How to decide whether to start your own podcast, and the commitment level that separates the 5% who stick with it from everyone else
• The frequency mistake Ricci and Ferol almost made (and what their launch producer talked them out of)
• Why podcasting, like publishing a book, is a long game, and what realistic traction timelines actually look like

Also in this episode: Ricci's woodland owl update. 🦉 She's seen it three times now (a photo may or may not appear in the show notes).

Want to learn more ways to reach readers? Visit writtenwordmedia.com for author resources, book promotion tools, and more.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

© 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

YouTube isn't just for cooking tutorials and gaming walkthroughs; it might be one of the most powerful book marketing tools authors aren't using. In this episode, Ferol sits down with Dale Roberts, host of Self-Publishing with Dale and one of the most-watched voices in the indie author space, to break down exactly how authors can build a YouTube presence that actually connects with readers and sells books.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The separate-profile research hack that lets YouTube train its own algorithm to show you exactly what your ideal readers are watching
• The three types of YouTube content (long form, Shorts, and live video), and why you should try all three before committing to one
• Why fiction authors don't have to talk about writing craft, and the smarter content angle most are missing
• The "seeding" strategy: how many videos to have ready before you ever go public
• The single biggest mistake Dale sees authors make on YouTube (hint: it's not gear or lighting)
• What gear actually matters, and the one purchase to prioritize if you have a limited budget
• A surprising new YouTube feature that's showing up in the Shorts shelf without recording a single video
• How pen name authors can build a YouTube presence without revealing their real identity
• What's changed on YouTube in the last year or two, and why human creators have an edge right now

Dale also shares the story of building four fully monetized YouTube channels over 10 years, starting completely by accident in 2016.

Want to learn more ways to reach readers? Visit writtenwordmedia.com for author resources, book promotion tools, and more.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

© 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

Readers are increasingly using AI to find their next book, and if your title isn't showing up in ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude, you're missing a growing discovery channel. In this episode, Ricci and Ferol break down exactly how the three major AI engines find and recommend books, why most indie authors are invisible to them right now, and what you can do about it.

What you’ll learn:

• The difference between SEO and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), and why it matters for book discoverability
• Why Gemini is the most actionable AI engine for authors, and the one Google Play trick that KDP Select authors can use without violating terms
• The critical 10% preview rule: how to get your KU book into the Google Books ecosystem without losing your Amazon exclusivity
• Why ChatGPT and Claude favor books that look traditionally published, and how indie authors can mimic that signal
• The FAQ strategy: one simple addition to your book page that makes it dramatically easier for AI to recommend your title
• How Reddit and YouTube factor into AI book discovery, and how to approach both without getting banned or ignored
• A difficulty-ranked to-do list: from easy wins you can do today to advanced moves worth investing in

Want to learn more ways to reach readers? Visit writtenwordmedia.com for author resources, book promotion tools, and more.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

© 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

Most authors never consider the speaking stage, but according to Jess Ekstrom, it might be the most powerful income stream they're missing.

In this episode, Ricci sits down with Jess Ekstrom, Forbes Top Motivational Speaker, founder of Headbands of Hope, and creator of Mic Drop Workshop, to break down exactly how authors (yes, even fiction authors!) can turn their stories and expertise into paid keynote speaking careers.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why the "you're either a speaker OR an author" myth is dead wrong, and how doing both makes you better at each
• How fiction authors can build keynote careers even when they're not speaking to other authors
• The "transformation promise" framework, the one question that unlocks your entire speaking pitch
• How to find speaking gigs and build inbound opportunities through LinkedIn and social media
• What speaking actually pays, from beginner rates ($500–$5K) to seasoned speakers ($35K+)
• The halo effect: how speaking can drive book sales (80% of Jess's first book sales came from stages)
• Why community is the secret weapon for building a sustainable speaking career

Jess also shares details on her new book, Making It Without Losing It (out May 2026), and the upcoming Mic Drop Workshop Boot Camp starting April 20th.

Want to learn more ways to reach readers? Visit writtenwordmedia.com for author resources, book promotion tools, and more.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

© 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

Getting local press coverage can feel like shouting into a void, but what if you knew exactly what editors were looking for?

In this episode, Ricci sits down with Rory Gillis, owner of Triangle Media Partners and publisher of several regional magazines including Chapel Hill Magazine, Durham Magazine, Heart of NC Weddings, and The Triangle Weekender. Rory pulls back the curtain on how local publications actually decide what to cover and gives indie authors a clear, actionable roadmap for getting featured.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How local editors source stories and what makes a pitch rise to the top of a very full inbox
• Why editorial themes and calendars are your secret weapon — and how to find them on any publication's website
• What to include in your pitch package to make an editor's job as easy as possible
• Why your book launch isn't the only hook — and how to pitch a book that came out years ago
• The power of the byline: how pitching yourself as a columnist can open the door to book coverage
• Why "polite persistence" is not annoying — it's expected (and sometimes pays off two years later!)
• The no-nos that instantly tank your pitch, straight from the editors themselves
• What one author did to get featured that Rory still remembers years later
• Rory's step-by-step action item checklist for authors ready to pursue local press

Whether you're in a major metro or a small town, your local media landscape is full of opportunities. This episode will help you find them and pitch them the right way.

Want to learn more ways to reach readers? Visit writtenwordmedia.com for author resources, book promotion tools, and more.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.

© 2026 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.