Hello Storytelling Heroes!
I’m back with another episode of the Beyond the Book Podcast.
What if you didn’t need a traditional publishing deal or a huge audience to get your book into real stores?
I’m talking indie bookstores. Gift shops. Even Target.
Retail isn’t just still alive, it’s thriving. And for indie authors, it’s one of the most underused and misunderstood growth levers today.
That’s why this week on the podcast, I sat down with Roberta Townes, the retail buyer who wrote Shelf Talk, the book on how to break into retail.
👉 We cover:
How shelf space is actually a moat for indie books
Why retailers want new voices and exclusives
What makes a pitch irresistible to a buyer
How to land your book in local shops, big boxes, and everywhere in between
Creative ideas like special editions, bundles, and book + product pairings
If you want to future-proof your author career and tap into new readers without fighting algorithms or drowning in Amazon’s infinite scroll… this episode is for you.
And grab Shelf Talk, while you’re at it. The book is in Kindle Unlimited and very affordable and is the best guide to breaking into retail I’ve ever read.
Sneak Peek at Creatorwood
We are very close to rolling out the Beta of Creatorwood 🥳.
Creatorwood helps writers turn your stories into movies + shows with AI. It’s a groundbreaking platform that allows you to create incredible films just by uploading your books. We also help you sell your films (either movies or episodic shows) directly to viewers.
We’ll be releasing the first demo of the platform in the coming days. It’s unclear exactly when we will be doing a public launch, but we plan to roll out beta to folks in order of when you joined the waitlist.
So joining the waitlist now is a good idea to secure your spot 😊.
You can join the Creatorwood waitlist here (and learn a ton more about the platform).
I’ll see you all next week with more news about Creatorwood, plus a really cool project we are launching to help you make trailers to advertise your books (and even movies!) on social media.
In the meantime, don’t forget…
Together we are boundless,
Michael Evans
The Author Sidekick
P.S. Want to see my top 30 recommended reads for storytellers? Check out Michael’s List here
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