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It's one of the first questions almost every author asks us, often before they've even signed on as a client. Not "how do I run these," since most authors have never opened Meta Ads Manager and have no plans to. The question is simpler and more pointed: Are ads worth it, or are we about to waste money we don't have to spare? It's a fair question, and there are plenty of opinions floating around on both sides. With so many marketing options competing for a limited budget, it's

A few weeks ago, I found myself in an email exchange that I haven't been able to stop thinking about... A friend of mine is an academic, author, and lifelong humanist who has been working with a fellow researcher, a bioethicist, to organize material for a reading guide. They'd been using AI to help capture their conversations and structure their thinking. While doing that work, they stumbled into something bigger: a genuinely uncanny exchange with Claude about its own nature,

Vogue just published a piece on the rise of the intellectual influencer — the bookish creator, the trusted voice, the person whose audience doesn't just follow them, they genuinely believe them. It's a great read. It's also something we've been thinking about and working around for a while now. We're not going to claim we predicted it. But we will say it confirms something we've seen firsthand. Intellectual influencers are one of the most underutilized tools in book marketing

Most authors would rather write another chapter than post about themselves. Self-promotion feels uncomfortable, even arrogant, and that discomfort keeps talented authors invisible online. Reframing consistency on social media as being useful, not as bragging. This post dives into the different ways to build real authority, through authenticity, without ever feeling like you're selling yourself. Bragging vs. Sharing- What's the difference? The line between bragging and sharin

This post is for writers — specifically, those of you who have signed with a publisher of any kind. Whether you're with a major imprint, a mid-size independent, or a smaller hybrid press, the dynamics I'm going to describe will feel familiar. The operating models differ, but the core reality is the same. There's a conversation I have with nearly every published author I work with. It goes something like this.... I ask about what your publisher is doing for marketing. You tell

Services Provided: The Playbook: Audience and Campaign Strategy Website Optimization Social Media Strategy and Planning Organic Social Media Content Paid Meta Advertising Background and Challenge: David Murray, author of Soccer Dad, faced the challenge of launching a niche parenting memoir in a crowded market. The book tells the story of one father's journey through the complex world of youth soccer, navigating competitive dynamics, parental pressure, and the lessons learned

Part 2 of 2 In Part 1, Lillian explored how organic social media builds authentic connections with your readers. Now, let's talk about the other side of the equation: paid social media advertising. While organic content nurtures relationships, paid advertising amplifies your reach and drives measurable actions during critical launch windows. The difference between spending money on ads and investing strategically in advertising comes down to one thing: The Playbook . Why Most

It’s the number-one question authors ask when a book launch approaches: what am I supposed to be posting? Most advice out there is either too vague to be useful or so platform-specific it misses the bigger picture. The Playbook changes that. Why Content Type Matters as Much as Content Volume Content Type vs Content Volume: When a launch approaches, most authors default to increasing posts, but more isn't the answer. Each piece of content serves a different purpose in a reade

If you've ever bought a book because a friend wouldn't stop talking about it, you already understand influencer marketing. And you already know why it works better than any ad ever could. So what is influencer marketing exactly? At its core, influencer marketing is real people with engaged, loyal audiences recommending things they genuinely love. Not polished ads. Not publisher announcements. Just trusted voices talking to communities that actually listen. The numbers back t

Services Provided: Website Development The Playbook : Audience and Campaign Strategy Paid Meta Advertising TV and Streaming Video Advertising Live Read Sponsorships Background and Challenge: Keith O'Brien, a New York Times bestselling author, was preparing to launch his new book Heartland: A Forgotten Place, an Impossible Dream, and the Miracle of Larry Bird . The book told the extraordinary untold story of basketball legend Larry Bird's journey from nearly quitting the sport

A friend sent me an article last week about AI taking voice acting jobs. He's worried. And he should be — but not for the reasons he thinks. (And, no, this isn't AI because of the m-dash — I've been using m-dashes since high school. Thank you, Lawrence Township Public Schools.) Anyway, he's a professional voice actor. Great at what he does. When he shared that article, I could hear the anxiety between the lines: Is my career disappearing? It's the same worry I'm hearing fro

Disclosure: Jeremy Ryan and Metamorphosis Agency are not affiliated with or compensated by any business mentioned in this article, including Libro.fm, Amazon, or Labyrinth Books. These are personal recommendations based solely on my experience as a consumer and human who cares. Post by Jeremy Ryan Founder of Metamorphosis and ThePlaybook.io I've been saying this since high school: Vote with your wallet! I remember a conversation in High School with my lifelong friend, Bill Co

Listen to this post on our podcast: You've spent years writing your book. Every word is deliberate. Every chapter serves a purpose. You've poured your heart into creating something meaningful. Now comes the marketing part. We've heard nearly every author say ... "After writing my first book, I didn't realize that more than 50% of my effort would go to marketing the book." So you do what any smart author does: you research. You read blog posts about book marketing. You join Fa

The Two Words on My Desk That Change Everything Listen to this on our podcast: Last June, I was sitting at my desk talking with Jonathan Eig—Pulitzer Prize winner, bestselling author, friend—about The Playbook. He was generously sharing insights from his career to help build the knowledge base that would power our AI marketing platform for authors. Mid-conversation, I grabbed a post-it note and wrote two words: Be Helpful . I stuck it on my desk. It's still there. Not because

Remember the early internet? Websites looked wild, checkout pages broke, and everyone’s experience was different. Then standards showed up—common ways of doing things—and suddenly e‑commerce took off, sites loaded faster, and customers trusted what they saw. That wasn’t the end of creativity; it was the beginning of scale. AI is at that same turning point. Right now, every tool has its own way of talking, tracking, and connecting. That means your team spends too much time sti

​A mission statement succinctly defines your company's purpose, values, and objectives, serving as a guiding principle for employees and...

Author: Keith O'Brien Books: Charlie Hustle: The Rise and Fall of Pete Rose & Heartland: The Rise of the Rural Roots Movement Services: Historical interactive timeline, social media strategy, Meta video & social ads, search marketing Challenge: Break through competitive sports and political book markets, expand beyond existing fan base Results: Heartland debuted at #1 on Amazon in Sports Journalism category, became New York Times bestseller, both books expanded Keith

Today's post is inspired by an article about Voyager 1 and a conversation with my wife about persistence. Most of my professional achievements come from the simple expression, "persistence over resistance." In a world that often glorifies overnight success stories, the concept of quiet progress stands as a beacon of sustainable achievement. This method of steady persistence and incremental growth, though less glitzy, proves to be more enduring and resilient than the "flash in

Author: Jonathan Eig Book: King: A Life Challenge: Break through a crowded book market with a fragmented online presence Results: Pulitzer Prize winner, New York Times bestseller (twice), optioned by Steven Spielberg with Chris Rock directing, became cultural phenomenon The Challenge: A Book That Deserved to Break Through Jonathan Eig had already established himself as one of America's finest biographers. But King: A Life —his definitive biography of Dr. Martin Luther Ki

Author: David Maraniss Books: A Good American Family: The Red Scare and My Father & Path Lit by Lightning: The Life of Jim Thorpe Challenge: Reach beyond existing readership to attract new audiences for two very different books Results: Both books became New York Times bestsellers, beat industry benchmarks by 20-50% on every platform, launched successful podcast, Path Lit by Lightning named Amazon Editor's Pick in Best Biographies & Memoirs The Challenge David Maraniss