August is Back to School Season!

My daughter started Kindergarten today! We live in a suburban neighborhood, and are lucky to walk a footpath to her new elementary school. She was excited and a little nervous, but all smiles as I walked her up to the doors of the “big kid school.”

I feel a change in the air. Maybe because I see my daughter growing up before my eyes. My toddler talking away from her stroller in front of us reminds me she’s not far behind her big sister’s footsteps. Maybe it was the fresh crisp morning air - a nice respite from the summer’s sticky humidity. No gnats in our faces.

I think the point I’m trying to make, is that life is always changing. Things are always moving. I’m personally looking forward to Fall and all the CHANGES it may bring.

Projects I’m currently working on:

• Author Gold, of course.

• A Special Kind of Magic picture book, releasing in October. Follow the magic here!

• My first Kickstarter campaign, for the above. Coming soon!

• Journey to Motherhood: Stories of hope along the way memoir anthology. OPEN CALL for submissions here!

• A new picture book contract in the works for my new micro press, Evora Press, with a first-time author.

• Author coaching ongoing.

• Wrapping up the Author Gold Short Story Award finalists and winner!

Here’s what’s inside August

• Worth Noting:

  • Bookshelf and Artist Gallery features

  • Editors and Interviewers for indie authors

  • Beta and ARC reader sign up

• Indie Book of the Month

• Readers’ Favorites: “Best of” Author Gold

• What’s Coming Next

• Promotions: Back-to-School Awesome Gold Member Discount!

Worth Noting

Bookshelf features!

I’d love for you all to check out ’s newsletter “e-Jane.” She writes from the Netherlands about her e-biking adventures. You’ll get beautiful photos and narratives that make you want to hop on a bike and join her. She pours feeling into her writing and you’ll more learn more about life than just what to pack. Beautiful layers to it.

Also, help me congratulate C.C. Hammond at , who’s just launched her debut book! This cross-country cozy romance is the perfect read for heading into autumn - click the article to find out why it’s such a great book!

Artist Gallery

Holly @ , Caroline @ , and Harvey Walls @HarveyWallsArt are three artists to check out on the Gallery to see if their skills are a good match for you!

Editors

Two editors I recommend for those of you looking for one.

is an editor with 15 years under her belt. We’ve collaborated together on the dangers of comparison and how to keep your voice during the writing process - a challenge for many of us during the writing process.

is an editor with 16 years experience, specializing in developmental editing. I’ve interviewed her all about it so you can understand the exact process and how it benefits your book.

Interviewers:

Getting visibility and being able to promote yourself is tough. Here are two individuals who interview authors, creators, and writers. You should check them out, whether you wish to be considered for an interview or not. They ask interesting and valuable questions, and you’ll learn a lot by tuning in!

@StandoutCreatives has great insights plus our LIVE collaboration on email lists for authors has some great advice for you.

The Standout Creatives

Email Lists for Authors: Why You Should Build One and How to Use it

What if your email list wasn’t a marketing tool… but a community…

Listen now

5 months ago · 8 likes · 4 comments · Kevin Chung and Author Gold

@theUndiscovered interviews writers with a work in progress, to showcase their work and connect with others in the industry.

The Undiscovered™

The Undiscovered interviews unknown authors—also known as authors without publication of a traditional long-form manuscript—and puts them in front of potential fans, beta readers, editors, indie publishing houses, and other publishing professionals.

By Evelyn Griffith

WANTED! Beta and ARC Readers

I’m looking for readers to read my books for free! I have a new picture book launching this Fall, A Special Kind of Magic, illustrated by Harvey Walls, and an early grade chapter book that will need beta readers soon. My books blend adventure stories with fantasy lore. Lessons tackle important childhood experiences through emotionally relatable characters.

All Beta and ARC readers get a free e-book, yours to keep. Three of you will win a free signed hardcover.

Sign up Here

Author Gold’s Foundational Pillars:

Publish With Confidence

Provide research-backed guidance to help authors make informed publishing decisions and avoid costly mistakes.

Elevate Independent Authors

Create opportunities for discovery, visibility, and connection.

Grow as an Author

Provide knowledge and systems needed to develop your craft, confidence, and career over the long term.

Indie Book of the Month

Featured books are written by indie/self published authors. The only way to get a book promoted here, is for me and my daughter to truly love it!

Pam and Sunny’s School Dragon Adventures

By Mr. Paul

Illustrated by Harvey Walls

My daughter and I have been enjoying this book these past two weeks in particular. While she does not ride the bus to her new school, her excitement about starting Kindergarten has her rather interested in other children’s experiences getting to school. I should mention, too, that “Sunny” is also our labradoodle’s name, and she thinks it’s hilarious that the dragon in this story has the same name. Me, I adore the illustrations. Pam and Sunny take children on a wild ride to school! There’s lots of fun to be had - just mind the rules!

Available at Amazon.

Readers’ Favorites: the “Best of” Author Gold

I’ve written 74 posts so far this year. Here’s the BEST OF them, according to you!

Most-Read Article:

Three practical steps to define your niche with real examples from fellow writers.

Brought the Most New Subscribers:

Most first-time authors think book marketing starts when the book is finished... they’re wrong.

Most Email Opens:

Turn your book’s features into messages readers will care about.

What’s Coming Next Month

• Short story winner of the Author Gold Short Story Contest, and selected honorable mentions.

• A collaboration article with

• Querying directly without an agent and how to stand out among the many.

AUGUST BACK-TO-SCHOOL SPECIAL

*** SPECIAL *** Discount on Gold Tier Membership (limited time!)

My daughter is starting Kindergarten and turning 5 years old!

So I’m in a special celebratory mood!

In her honor, the next 5 to sign up for Gold Tier get 50% off.

The next 4 to sign up get 30% off.

The next 3 after that get 20% off

Then back to full price.

Subscribe now

My Substack is reader supported, but you don’t need to subscribe to support and help me keep going. Contribute to my Tip Jar - even a tiny amount helps a LOT!

Or purchase Premium Content directly, no subscription needed.

Comments or Ideas for Author Gold? I’d love to hear from you.

Leave a comment

I wish you a great month of happy reading, writing, and publishing!

Jen

PS: How do you like my new “Author Gold” emblem?

When you post about your book, are you describing features, or communicating why a reader should experience your book?

Let’s explore how to improve your marketing messages so that more readers will see your book’s value and be more interested to read it.

Introduction

“How do I talk about my book so that someone wants to read it?”

In my last article, Failure to Launch, I wrote about the biggest mistakes self-published authors make when launching their book. The failure to drive demand, especially with your messaging, was #1.

Many authors struggle with effective messaging but it is so important! In this article, I’ll give you some research-backed advice on how to craft more effective messages that help drive demand.

But first…

“Why is it so dang hard to talk effectively about my book?”

As authors, we experience our book as its creator, and that’s very different from how our readers will experience it. So different, that crafting marketing messages is really, really hard. We have to understand how our readers will experience our book in order to create messages that will effectively reach them.

When you think about your own book, what comes into your mind first? (Any of this sound familiar?)

• I spent [insert your number] years writing this…

• My main character is...

• My book explores...

• The story takes place...

• I’m so excited to announce...

• My book is about...

Your readers are coming from a completely different place. They are trying to decide what your book is going to do for them.

They are thinking will it

• make me laugh or cry?

• keep me up until 2 a.m.?

• have me fall in love with the characters?

• help me understand something I struggled with?

• give my child the language to express a new experience?

• solve a problem that is driving me crazy?

This is the Messaging Gap

This messaging gap is the distance between what the author made and what the reader gets. Closing this gap is the challenge we need to address.

What the Research Says

Customer Orientation

Narver and Slater (1990) conceptualized customer orientation as one of the core components of market orientation. Kohli & Jaworski (1990) similarly emphasized the importance of knowledge about your customer’s needs.

In summary, the idea is pretty simple: effective marketing requires you to understand your target reader’s needs and the value your book provides to that customer.

Putting the idea into practice is where this gets harder. Luckily, there is another body of consumer research that will help us.

Reader Value

Foundational research (Gutman 1982) has shown that the features your book offers will create experiences when the person reads it, which then connects with something that person also values.

BOOK FEATURE → READING EXPERIENCE → READER VALUE

Things like your book’s genre, style, length, and pacing describe its features. For example, a cozy romance is describing features. A sweeping fantasy saga with imaginative characters and a richly developed magic system is also describing a book’s features.

Many authors focus their marketing messages around their book’s features, and stop there.

Effective messages translate the book’s features into a specific reading experience that readers want, and then go another step further and show the value of that experience to them.

Here’s an example what this looks like in practice for a hypothetical thriller novel.

• “An exciting thriller that takes place in a single night!”

This initial messaging focuses on the book’s features, and while it may be interesting… why should anyone care?

Translate that feature into a reading experience and give the reader something more compelling to care about.

• “Relentless pacing with no opportunity to catch your breath!”

This is better, but the key is translating that experience into something the reader values.

• “The delicious experience of telling yourself, “just one more chapter,” until it’s 2:00 in the morning!”

Ah, now we’re getting somewhere.

The most effective messages persuade someone to read your book by showing them the value they get from the experience.

How to Make Effective Marketing Messages

Ok, ok, you want the recipe. So let’s get into how to actually craft a marketing message that shows the reader the value they get from the experience.

Step 1: Make a list of your book’s important features.

You still need to know the features that make your book special. So make a list of 3-5 things that are genuinely distinctive about your book.

These should be things that will shape the reading experience and are fairly specific to your book.

Step 2: Ask “So what?” until you arrive at the reader’s experience.

You need to identify what the features do for the person reading it. You have to put yourself into the reader’s shoes. This is difficult, as the book’s creator.

Take each feature and ask yourself, “So what?” and keep going.

Ask, “So what” until you arrive at what the reader actually experiences because of your creative choices.

Step 3: Turn that reader experience into your marketing message

Once you’ve arrived at the reader experience, you can craft some compelling marketing messages that sell the value of that experience.

You don’t need to put your entire “So what?” chain into your marketing. The chain is just to help you identify the reader experience and perceive its value.

Then communicate that value as simply and compellingly as you can.

Let’s do some examples together.

It easiest to follow with some real book examples and their blurbs. After doing these examples together with me, you should feel ready to try some on your own with your book.

Let’s do a thriller, a historical fiction, and an epic fantasy.

Read more

Summer is HOT! And so are these books and serials!

Support indie authors and find your next read here. Some are thrilling, some are fantastical, some are playful… all deserve to be read!

Scroll to the end to learn more about these talented writers!

I highlight work from writers across genres, especially voices you won’t see everywhere else. If you enjoy discovering books early, connecting with authors directly, and getting insights into the publishing world, subscribing to Author Gold means you won’t miss what’s coming next.

Subscribe now

Explore More Reads on the Bookshelf and Find Talented Artists on the Gallery

Serials

Get lost in new adventures and worlds - for free.

• In Search of Jimmy by John Clayton Hale

  Contemporary Fiction - Serial

  Sports writer and Parrothead from Cincinnati, John Rutherford, is going through a midlife crisis. So he decides to escape and visit some of the places Jimmy Buffett lived and sang about. While on his adventures, he starts to get into mischief along the way…

  👉 Start Reading Here

  

• Roots of Time by Jessica Huckabay

  Eco-Fantasy - Fractal

  In which you, the reader, become a character in the eco-fantasy world of Elteria and explore where your interest and curiosity take you. Similar to a choose-your-own-adventure story, but with many readers reading simultaneously and choosing the direction they want the story to go. Since the ecological ethos of Elteria includes all beings having equal value, all directions of the story that get reader votes are published, creating a non-linear, fractal structure.

  👉 Start Reading Here

  

• What the Shadows Know by T.H. Meyer

  Supernatural Thriller - Serial

  A traumatized Beth is hunted by a serial killer and discovers that the darkness stalking her from the shadows may be far more ancient—and far more personal—than any human predator. In an epic showdown to escape the entities seeking to destroy her, Beth must not only survive, but move from fringe to faith, terrorized to triumphant, and haunted to healed.

  👉 Start Reading Here

  

• A Child, Nameless by Tilting at Windmills

  Fantasy - Serial, Chronicles of D’oril

  Step into an ancient world of high fantasy, deep lore, and sweeping narratives centered around the wilds and civilizations of D'oril…

  A prickle at the back of his neck—he was not alone. The youth halted at the glade’s edge, fingers tightening around the ash haft of his spear. Not another one. Would this clearing, finally, hold his name?

  👉 Start Reading Here

  

• Mystimon Saga: Grave Secrets by Seth R. Mitchell

  Fantasy - Serial

  Kairine’s life was thrown upside down when in one day she learned that her beloved father was gone and that she had a sister she never knew existed. As she adjusts to her new status quo, she decides to use her psionic powers to investigate her father’s disappearance. To uncover the truth, she’ll have to face a darkness that has been waiting far longer than she ever imagined.

  👉 Start Reading Here

• Escape to Star Valley by David Backett

  Sci-Fi Post-apocolyptic - Serial

  In the world of Star Valley, civilization was brought to its knees by virus. This is a post-collapse saga of survival, rebellion, and rebirth in the wilds of the mountain west. Complete with maps and science behind the fall.

  👉 Start Reading Here

  

Books

Indie gems for every reader, in print or ebook

Fantasy

• The Glimmerstone Enigma by Bryn Norel

  Fantasy - Book 1 of the Unexpected Vanguard Trilogy

  When demonic forces turn an isolated monastery in the Glimmerstone Mountains into a killing ground, the world beyond remains blissfully oblivious to the coming darkness. Two survivors align with a quirky mix of amateur spies, treasure-hunting thieves, and an elven ranger. To unravel the enigma behind the slaughter, their plan escalates into a high-stakes grift: steal a mysterious prize right from under the nose of their unseen adversary.

• 👉 Buy Now

  

Poetry

• Notes from Within by Missy Hartwell

  Poetry

  A sweeping collection of thoughtful poems across nature, political, personal reflections.

• 👉 Buy Now

Romance

• A Love Left Behind by Bill Posner

  Romance

  When a homeowner discovers a weathered journal during a renovation, what unfolds is a love story that spans thirty-three years, two coasts, and the impossible distance between who we are and who we become.

  In 1973, two wondering souls collide in Northern California, forming an electric, immediate connection. Then she vanished without a word. In 2008, a single Facebook message reignites a reconnection. Told through journal entries, emails, and late-night confessions, this love story burns so bright it threatens to consume everything… and leaving one question behind: Is any of this real?

  👉 Buy Now

  

  Self Help

• Where Calm Takes Root: A Practical, Neuroscience-Based Guide for Anxiety, Stress, Grief, Relationships & Emotional Regulation by Ralu Maxim PhD

  Self-Help

  A neuroscientist and mental health expert explains why calming advice fails so many people, and offers practical, science-backed exercises to help you find what actually works for your own nervous system.

  👉 Buy Now

  

  ---

  Quick question for readers:
  Which genres do you want more of? More serials? More books? Thrillers, romance, fantasy, nonfiction, or children’s?

  Leave a comment

Children’s & Middle Grade Books

• Eva and the Best Day Ever by Jen Simpson
  Children’s Picture Book Ages 2-5
  Imaginative little Eva has BIG plans to make her upcoming birthday the best ever, but her mom keeps saying no to everything she suggests! Can she trust her mom to come through for her, or will she suffer the biggest disappointment ever?
  👉 Buy Now

• Fred the Coconut written and illustrated by Mark Armstrong
  Children’s Picture Book Ages 2-5
  Fred is rescued by a whale, gets a ride from a seahorse, goes up in a hot air balloon, and zooms off a ski jump! He meets some girls who send him into space on a rocketship, and winds up in Penguinville at the South Pole.

  Can he make it back home??
  👉 Buy Now

  

• Frankie vs Growing Up (Book 1) by Missy Hartwell

  Middle Grade Fiction Ages 8-13

  Follows Frankie in fifth grade facing challenges of growing up, and finding solutions for those challenges. Also includes Frankie's Survival Guide for Growing Up.

  👉 Buy Now

• Mouse in a Bottle by Dr. Smita Bharti

  Middle Grade Adventure Ages 8-12

  Coco is a little mouse who lives a blissful life with her owner, twelve-year old Maya. Her world is suddenly turned upside down when Coco finds herself trapped inside a ship in a bottle, drifting alone in the Gulf of Mexico. To survive, and find her way back home, Coco must rely on her courage, determination, and the bond she shares with Maya.

  👉 Buy Now

• Flowers Can Bloom Through Ashes by Dawn Montri

  Teen Fiction Ages 13-18

  A story of hope and redemption, Juliet is at that age where she feels awkward. Being raised by a single mom who sends her off to her aunts every summer, she struggles with making friends. At fourteen she’s starting high school and determined to come out from under her over protective, workaholic mom.
  But after a tragic accident reveals family secrets, will she find peace?

  👉 Buy Now

  

Upcoming New Releases to Look Out For!

• Lesson (Un)Planned by Michelle Ray

  Fiction - Releases September 2026
  When the Bahraini police officer asked Michelle Ray to get out of the car, she stumbled, trying not to sway. This was worse than giving someone a middle finger… much worse.

  Tender, funny, and unflinching, this is for anyone who has ever set their plans ablaze and picked through the ashes for what was worth keeping.
  👉 Learn More Here

  👉 For Updates Subscribe

• A Special Kind of Magic written by Jen Simpson, illustrated by Harvey Walls

  Children’s Picture Book - Releases October 2026

  One extraordinary act of kindness brings real magic into our world. Now, a lonely unicorn must find belonging in the wilderness of the American West.

  👉 For Updates Subscribe

  

If You’re New Here

Meet the Authors

Many of these indie authors share their stories through their newsletters. Select their publications to read more from them.

• John Clayton Hale serial novelist and Parrothead.

• T.H. Meyer: On life, faith, & writing & a serialized clean supernatural thriller.

• Jessica Huckabay: Eco-fantasy, poetry, an non-fiction books and writings.

• Tilting at Windmills Crafting soft-magic epic fantasy. Deeply emotional.

• Seth Mitchell: Fantasy Serials in a steampunk universe.

• David Brackett: explores how power, fear, technology, and human choice collide.

• Bryn Norel: Fantasy fiction blending 90s with modern grit, punk with a D&D soul.

• Missy Hartwell: Stories on chronic illness, poems on triumph, loss, and family,

• Bill Posner: Visionary photographer-storyteller. I want you to feel… what I see.

• Dr. Ralu Maxim: Clinical psychology and writing on the science of feeling better.

• Jen Simpson: Adventure and fantasy children’s books.

• Mark Armstrong: Illustrator and humorous children’s book author

• Michelle Ray: Transformation, belonging, and life’s turning points.

• Smita Bharti: Indie children’s books with weekly activity sheets - no screens.

• Dawn Montri: Christian, wife, mom, & Greema on a 3rd generation farm.

Explore the Bookshelf for More Great Reads!

Bookshelf

To get your book or newsletter featured on the Bookshelf, please message me!

- Jen
Author Gold

If you enjoyed this list, I’d love to know: what book would you add?
Please share a recommendation and why you love it.

Leave a comment

As a professional children’s illustrator, I love to visualize wholesome and whimsical stories. Children’s books are my main passion because they spark imagination and their messages help shape little ones. These messages are simple but important reminders for adults, too. My work is inspired from and cherishes little joyful moments, such as a bee sleeping on a flower or the giggles of a baby. By painting in watercolor, I aim to preserve authentic craftsmanship and capture a natural artistic touch and childlike expression.

Whenever I’m not making art, you may find me reading, hiking, or baking.

Artistic Style

• Joyful

• Whimsical

• Heart-felt

Perfect For

• Children’s books and activities

• Nature lovers

• Character Art

Portfolio Highlights

Why I Chose This Artist

By Jen Simpson

I first discovered Caroline Harpring’s art when I read Possibilities with my older daughter. We both love this book, and the illustrations really caught my attention. Harpring uses watercolor which provides a soft color palette and evokes feelings of calm, sweetness, and joy. Her style works wonderfully for bedtime stories and other stories needing a softer feel.

Three Questions

What inspires your work?

My work is inspired from and cherishes little joyful moments, such as a bee sleeping on a flower or the giggles of a baby. Moments in nature are my favorite as there is so much inherent beauty and creativity. They stir up wonder because I can imagine whole other worlds, such as a tree hollow where a fairy may live or stone ruins that could have been a castle.

What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on?

This was imagining and designing my own garden-world of whimsical bug and flower characters. I’ve worked at a garden center for quite a few years where I discovered so many flowers I hadn’t seen before. I see unique personalities through their natural characteristics, and turned these into my very own coloring book, “Wildflower Friends.” I can definitely imagine them existing in children’s stories as well.

What kind of projects are you hoping to create next?

I hope to illustrate more family and faith centered stories, and also expand into illustrating more children’s activities, chapter books, and nursery room art.

Connect with Caroline Harpring!

Website

Instagram

Portfolio Site

Availability: Open

Location: United States

Interested in working with this artist?

Commission Information & Questions

Back to the Artist Gallery

Explore the Bookshelf for More Great Reads!

Bookshelf

To get yourself featured on the Bookshelf or the Gallery, please message me!

Imagine with me for a moment, if medicine worked like this:

One doctor says to take one pill, another says to take two pills, and yet another says all you really need is rest. And they all insist, “this worked for me, so it will work for you, too.”

Would you trust their advice?

Yet that's pretty close to how many first-time self-published authors receive advice about launching their book.

Here’s my countdown of the top five mistakes many first-time authors make with their book launches, and what the research says about why they happen.

5…

Reliance on Unproven Launch Tactics

If you’re publishing your first book, you may have already looked into what you can do to improve your book launch campaign. Maybe you have watched YouTube videos, read blog posts, asked Facebook groups, or listened to podcasts?

There is endless debate online about which tactics work best and comparing ARC team sizes, Kindle Select, Amazon keywords, preorders, BookTok, newsletter swaps, or forming a launch team… I could go on, but you get the idea.

Rigorous research has not identified strong evidence favoring specific launch tactics.

While there is research showing that things like pre-release buzz, word of mouth, reviews, and social influence can affect sales, what’s missing from the research is rigorous evidence that specific indie publishing tactics (e.g., "get 100 ARC readers," "use Kindle Select," "launch on Tuesday," etc.) consistently outperform alternatives.

Given the amount of effort and energy (and oftentimes money) these tactics require, focusing on them derails many first-time authors from building a clear strategy for their book launch.

4…

Missing a Clear Launch Strategy

The strongest research evidence shows that authors need a clear launch strategy. A launch strategy explains how you’ll help the right readers discover your book and quickly understand why it’s worth reading. It boils down to two foundational questions:

• Can readers find your book? and

• Can they quickly see why it’s worth reading?

First-time authors can spend hours and hours online trying to determine which specific tactic they should adopt. Meanwhile, they’ve overlooked these critical questions, so the tactics they choose are basically shots in the dark.

3…

Treating Launch as the Finish Line Instead of the Starting Line

Many first-time authors pour all of their time, money, and emotional energy into release week. They assume that if launch goes well, the book will succeed. If launch goes poorly, the book is dead in the water forever.

But the research disproves this. Books are long-lived products, and readers discover them over a long time. Books can even gain momentum months or years after publication. A successful launch is valuable, but it’s only the beginning of your book’s commercial life.

When authors believe that launch week will define their book’s success, that leads to exhausting their marketing energy early rather than building a sustainable system that continues bringing in new readers.

2…

Launching Before You’ve Built Discoverability

First-time authors are surprised when they publish their book, market it, and still find their sales lacking.

Research consistently shows that discoverability is the limiting factor in today’s crowded publishing ecosystem.

Discoverability means the right reader encounters your book when they are looking for something to read.

Many authors market their books for visibility, but this is not the same thing. Visibility is simply that readers see the book. When you have discoverability, the right readers find your book.

1…

Failure to Create Demand

Readers won’t buy a book simply because the author announces the book exists.

So what does make them buy?

Research on consumer decision-making and uncertainty reduction suggests that buyers make quick judgements and are most likely to respond to messages that communicate value from the customer’s perspective.

Not product features or the author’s enthusiasm.

(This is why reviews are so powerful)

In other words:

Visibility creates awareness.

Messaging creates demand.

Authors often mistake these as the same thing. But they are not the same thing.

Liftoff!

Before adding another task to your launch plan, ask yourself which of these mistakes you may be making. Each one pulls your attention away from what the research supports works best, and worse, you optimize aspects that should come later.

If this article left you wondering what you should focus on instead, the answer lies in understanding the reader journey. Every sale moves through the stages of Discovery, Connection, Trust, and Purchase. Understanding these stages will do more for your book sales than memorizing another launch checklist:

You might also find my guide, 5 Amazon Visibility Mistakes Keeping Good Books Invisible, helpful. It’s free for new subscribers.

I hope you found this useful!

With care,

Jen | Author Gold

July: Beating the Heat & Balancing Priorities

I don’t know about you, but this month my biggest battle has been about not melting. My goodness, it’s a hot summer!

Some of you may know that I run Author Gold alongside client work, managing a micro press, and now, about to launch my own next book! All while solo parenting two energetic little girls. It’s a lot to balance!

How do I manage it all? I use a number of techniques, but I too get overwhelmed. This month, I reached out to my audience for advice on how to balance multiple pressing priorities. Here’s some great advice my fellow writers shared (Thank you)!

• Organize by week and give permission to let some things drop. I love a 4 week rhythm - Kate Tremills

• Checklists, checklists, and… checklists. Even the smartest doctors on the planet found their outcomes improved with them. - Every Root, Every Thorn

• Set deadlines and break up into small goals; prioritize by timeline, then impact. - Bill Posner

• Phone reminders and alarms! - Lilitu Rodac

• Use the cycles of the moon, really helps. And mind maps. - Marion Gibbon

I’m sure many of you can relate, and maybe you use one or more of these techniques?

I have a lot of updates and announcements for you all this month, so let’s get to it!

Here’s what’s inside July!

• Worth Noting:

  • Bookshelf features are here! Increase your discoverability and visibility

  • A new Artist Gallery features non-AI artists who you may want to work with

  • Open Call! Stories about your journey to motherhood for a paid anthology!

  • Beta and ARC readers wanted

  • Author Gold Writing Contest Update

• Indie Book of the Month

• Readers’ Favorites

• What’s Coming Next

• Promotions (new deals and opportunities)

Worth Noting

New! Bookshelf features are here!

Looking for your next great read? The Author Gold Bookshelf features handpicked books and newsletters by independent authors across fiction, fantasy, mystery, romance, memoir, children's literature, science fiction, and beyond. Every recommendation includes a listing on the Bookshelf landing page and an evergreen article about the book, an exclusive author interview, and why I believe the book deserves a place on everyone’s reading list.

• Features are open to Gold Tier Members and listings are regularly promoted across my ecosphere including Substack, Facebook, LinkedIn, websites, etc.

Subscribe now

New! Artist Gallery!

As a picture book author, I know how important art is in telling a good story. I also felt that Substack needs a curated place where artists can be found, especially by authors and other readers who may want to work with them on a project. Whether you want an illustrator, cover artist, or a other commission, these are artists whose work I adore.

Similar to the Bookshelf, featured artists get an evergreen listing on the Artist Gallery landing page, with an exclusive interview and why I love their work.

• Right now, features are open to free subscribers! If you’d like to have your art featured, please contact me directly to submit a sample for consideration.

OPEN CALL!

I am seeking personal short stories about your journey to motherhood for a new, paid anthology. My goal for this book is that we bring hope to others by sharing our honest memoirs about infertility, IVF, adoption, loss, hope, and every path to motherhood. I will be including my own story in this book.

This is a brand new endeavor, so I’m just getting started! The first step is finding you and your incredible stories. So I’ve set up a sister newsletter with more information, the link to upload your story for consideration, and subscribe to keep updated as we move forward.

Key points: this book will have professional editing, cover, formatting, and print and e-book publication, and most importantly, selected co-authors will be paid.

If you’d like to be part of this initiative, or just want to follow along in support, join us here at Journey to Motherhood Anthology!

Journey to Motherhood Anthology

Everyone’s journey to motherhood is different.

Welcome to Journey to Motherhood…

Read more

a month ago · 1 like · Author Gold

WANTED! Beta and ARC Readers

I’m looking for ARC readers who are interested in reading my books! I have a new picture book launching this Fall, A Special Kind of Magic, and an early grade chapter book that will need beta readers soon. My books are multi-layered and blend adventure stories with fantasy lore. Lessons are embedded, tackling important childhood experiences through emotionally relatable characters.

Beta and ARC readers get a complimentary e-book, and three of you will win a free signed copy upon publication. Please send me a message!

Update on the Author Gold Short Story Award

Round Two Submissions have closed!

Thank you to everyone who entered Round 2! The quality of these stories is really something. Entries are currently being judged, and I plan to announce the winner before the end of August.

If you haven’t read it yet, read our 1st Round Winner, Goodbye, Dad. This one is emotional and hard-hitting. The tension builds with incredible control up until the final exchange. Congratulations Patrick Geraghty!

And congratulations to our Honorable Mention, Bill Posner for his story, The Tide’s Secret. It is a delightful mystery for youths with an understated emotional payoff!

The next round of submissions will open in September! Click here for more information about the contest.

Author Gold’s Foundational Pillars:

Publish With Confidence

Provide research-backed guidance to help authors make informed publishing decisions and avoid costly mistakes.

Elevate Independent Authors

Create opportunities for discovery, visibility, and connection.

Grow as an Author

Provide knowledge and systems needed to develop your craft, confidence, and career over the long term.

If this is your jam,

Subscribe now

Got an Idea for Author Gold?

I’d love to hear from you!

Indie Book of the Month

Featured books are written by indie/self published authors. The only way to get a book promoted here, is for me and my daughter to truly love it!

The empty and still beautiful but a bit broken shell

(Lets go Backer and Backer Book 6)

By Maureen Devlin

Illustrated by Nancy D. Conde

A grandfather and his young grandson find a shell while they walk on the beach and consider its origins from beneath the waves. What follows is an adventure backward through time. The beautiful illustrations give us so much to look at and talk about on each page. I personally adore the grandfather/grandson relationship and the sweet lesson about where the things we discover in our world actually come from. My daughter is always collecting shells and other “treasures” and was fascinated to learn who once called them home!

Available at Amazon.

Readers’ Favorites in July

When you’ve been working hard at writing and editing for months, and now you’re finally getting to plan that BIG DAY… and then all the advice comes in from everywhere and starts to overwhelm you. In this article I present a strategy to keep you focused during your book launch.

What’s Coming Next Month

• Bookshelf features, Artist Gallery features, and book promo opportunities.

• Judging short story entries for the Author Gold Short Story Contest, and selecting stories for the Journey to Motherhood anthology

• More on book launches. I’m not done yet!

JULY SPECIALS

Become a Smarter Independent Author by Becoming a Gold Tier Member today.

You avoid the publishing mistakes, I help with visibility.

Subscribe now

Bring a Friend Annual Discount: It’s BOGO when you bring a friend. That’s just $45 for an annual subscription.

Don’t want the commitment of a subscription, but want to show support? Contribute to my Tip Jar - even a tiny amount is very meaningful.

Or purchase Premium Content directly, no subscription needed.

Comments or Ideas for Author Gold? I’d love to hear from you.

Leave a comment

I wish you a great month of happy reading, writing, and publishing!

Jen

* Bookshelf and Gallery features are subject to Author Gold's editorial standards. I reserve the right to decline works that promote hate speech, discrimination, plagiarism, unlawful content, or any material that is otherwise inconsistent with the values and mission of Author Gold.

Hi Friends,

Before I dive in, I need to be clear that I am not a Facebook Ads expert and this is also a learning experience for me.

Still, I wanted to share some of what I’m doing behind the scenes at Author Gold.

This is your chance to see a Facebook Ad campaign in action -

• if you’ve wondered what it looks like to set up an ad campaign for Facebook,

• what the Meta Ads Manager interface looks like,

• what steps are involved, and

• what decision-points or rationale you have to make while designing your ads.

The purpose of this FB Ad campaign is two-fold: first, to bring short story writers to the Author Gold Writing Contest landing page, and second to test two possible psychological drivers motivating my audience to submit their story to the writing contest.

And, like the good researcher I am, I logged every step and produced a detailed report.

You will get to see my thought process around how to use paid ads strategically to learn what messaging works to reach your ideal target audience.

• With a budget of $10/day for only 2 days, this is a lightning-fast, tiny campaign.

• When you’re learning a system like FB ads, starting with a low-risk test — like this one — is a great way to do it. I only need to generate four contest entries to break even.

Most importantly I’ll learn a lot about how to set up FB ad campaigns for the future, and I’ll figure out which emotional messaging may work better for promoting future contests.

You all get to follow along with me for the ride, if you wish!

Read more

Meet the Artist

Harvey Walls discovered he was an artist in kindergarten. With his love for drawing, he added to his skills by graduating with a B.A. in graphic design at Kutzown University of Pennsylvania. He currently resides in the northeastern United States.

Recognized as a thinker and a perfectionist, he primes and moils a clean, atmospheric style with blooming environments and moods of color.

His character design process portrays a purposeful pinch of comic flair with a kinship of realism, producing charming renderings that delight from page to page.

Artistic Style

• Whimsical watercolor

• Playful

• Editorial illustration

• Cartoon

• Feel-good

Perfect For

• Children’s books

• Book covers

• Character art

Portfolio Highlights

Why I Chose This Artist

By Jen Simpson, Author

I am inspired how Harvey Walls brings together whimsy with realism in his art. He also has an eye for facial expression and body language, which brings characters to life within each scene. I chose him to be my illustrator for my upcoming book, A Special Kind of Magic, where he is blending elements of fantasy with the real-world splendor of the American west.

Three Questions

What inspires your work?

I love to look at artist illustrations and I get that same feeling when I've finished a project. I want to invoke that feeling in others and it motivates me to draw again and again.

What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on?

Thus far, it's my first children's book I ever completed, "How Digby Earned His Wolfpack Name" by the wonderful, Rebecca Fraser. The overwhelming joy I felt as the illustrations developed to the final day that proved to me that I could do it!

What kind of projects are you hoping to create next?

I will continue to create the most wonderful children’s books that I can make. Eventually my goal is to win the Caldecott medal someday.

Connect with Harvey Walls!

Website

Instagram

Availability: Limited

Interested in working with this artist?

Commission Information & Questions

Back to the Artist Gallery

Explore the Bookshelf for More Great Reads!

Bookshelf

To get yourself featured on the Bookshelf or the Gallery, please message me!

Meet the Artist

I always referred to myself as a Pennsylvania farm girl... I grew up on a 100-acre sheep farm in rural Pennsylvania. I’ve always loved animals and feel that we overlook an incredible source of creature knowledge and spiritual companionship by seeing non-human life as merely planetary decoration.

As a result, I like to tell the stories of animals from their perspective, with the human audience watching from a distance. I especially love the projects where I create an actual animal language that has to be learned, and its meaning interpreted as you go along.

I am currently finalizing Mother Star Bear Moon, about a bear cub who loses her mother in a blizzard and has to learn how to face life without her. It is dedicated to my mother, who was my best friend for over 50 years.

-Holly

Artistic Style

• Expressive

• Whimsical

• Unique

Perfect For

• Children’s picture books

Portfolio Highlights

Why I Chose This Artist

I first discovered Holly’s expressive cat illustrations that she shares on Substack. She can really capture their personalities, quirks, and subtle expressions! As a mother of two young girls and a fellow children’s book author, I really appreciate how her artistic style works to develop empathy for animals and an appreciation for the natural world.

Three Questions with Holly Valero

What inspires your work?

My love of animals and the incredible beauty of this planet that is all around us.

What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on?

Wander was the first project with a glyph language and that was so fun that I have another glyph project in the works.

What kind of projects are you hoping to create next?

The iPad version of Wander includes a little animation in the form of tappable glyphs with short definitions. I have always wanted to do animated children's books so that is always on my back burner as the technology improves.

Connect with Holly Valero

Website

Substack

Instagram

Portfolio Site

Availability: Please contact

Location: USA

Find Holly’s books at Amazon and Apple Books

Subscribe to Holly’s Substack!

the willywacks of Maine

If AI is coming for anything, I hope it's my laundry...

By Holly | illustrator & author

Back to the Artist Gallery

Explore the Bookshelf for More Great Reads!

Bookshelf

To get yourself featured o the Bookshelf, please message me!

The Question To Ask Before Launching

After spending months (or maybe it’s been years) writing your first book, you’re finally, finally getting to the BIG DAY! You’ve rewritten this thing more times than you can count and agonized over every component, from the cover to the title to the blurb.

And now there’s just one more hurdle: the launch.

We all know this is an important step. I understand you don’t want to get it wrong.

The Rabbit Hole

So you start Googling, watch YouTube videos, ask for advice in Facebook groups, and maybe even ask ChatGPT for help (I forgive you).

And now you’ve read about about preorders, ARC teams, launch teams, BookTok, Facebook ads, Goodreads giveaways, newsletter sequences, review sites, and Amazon keywords. Everyone seems to have a recipe for successfully launching a book. ChatGPT even made you a launch checklist.

Some of that advice will be excellent. Some of it is outdated. Some contradicts itself.

Some is really just trying to sell you a course or marketing package based on what worked for them without explaining why it worked.

And almost all of it has the potential to make you feel like you’re already behind.

I’ve written before about the comparison trap. Launch advice can become another form of comparison. Instead of feeling more prepared, you’re worried you’ve already missed something essential or second-guessing your decisions.

So before I give you another checklist, let me ask you one question:

What is actually going to help readers discover your book?

Here’s what I mean by this.

Imagine two authors:

• The first one has published ten books and built an email list of 10,000 readers.

• The other is publishing their very first book.

Should they have the same launch strategy?

Definitely not.

While the first author already has readers waiting for their next book, the second author has a very different challenge. Their readers don’t know the book exists yet, and no one can buy a book they never discover.

Preorders are a tool. ARC teams, a tool. Launch teams? Tool. Facebook Ads? Also a tool (I think you get the idea).

Tools are not good or bad. But they solve different problems and you need to know the problem you are solving in order to select the right tool. And you need to learn which tools will help you solve your own biggest bottleneck.

• If readers haven’t discovered your book, then discoverability is your bottleneck.

• If readers are visiting your Amazon page but not buying, your cover or blurb may be the bottleneck.

• If readers enjoy your books but never hear about your next release, your email list may be the bottleneck.

Every book has a bottleneck. The mistake is assuming yours is the same as everyone else’s.

Thinking Beyond Launch Week

I encourage new authors to think beyond launch week. Your book will be on sale for years, most likely.

If discovery is your bottleneck, then that’s where your attention should begin. A beautiful launch for you may actually be focused on improving your book’s discoverability.

Your successful publishing career won’t come from executing one perfect launch. It will be built by repeatedly identifying the next obstacle standing between your book and its readers, then solving it.

That’s why I ask: What is the biggest thing preventing readers from finding and buying this book?

So yes, plan your launch. Celebrate it! Be excited about it!

We are going to talk more about launch strategies over the next few weeks.

Just don’t let launch week become so important that you lose sight of your real goal. You want readers to discover your book for as long as it is for sale.

Continue Reading

These articles build on the ideas we explored here.

It’s hard to decide where to focus your time and energy. That’s what I help authors do as an author coach. Work one-on-one with me or upgrade to the Annual Gold Tier Membership and get serious about launching with confidence.

With care,

Jen | Author Gold

• But how do you know if it’s working for a reader?

What if the pacing drags in the middle? What if readers say they “just couldn’t connect with the characters,” even though they feel real to you? What if the ending doesn’t deliver the emotional payoff you intended?

These issues aren’t obvious to you, so close to your own manuscript. They’re also exactly the kinds of problems a developmental editor is trained to identify.

I sat down with developmental editor, Marissa Frosch, and founder of Raven’s Quill Publishing, to talk about what goes into developmental editing.

We talked about what developmental editors actually do, when writers should bring one into the process, the story problems she sees most often, and how thoughtful editing can strengthen a manuscript without changing the author's voice.

Connect with Marissa directly or subscribe to her newsletter at Raven’s Quill

Welcome to Author Gold, Marissa! Here we go…

What does a developmental editor do?

Developmental editors focus on craft and structure to improve the reader experience and keep them coming back to you for more.

My focus is first, “does this story work and will the reader be satisfied?” Then I help the author draft the best version of their story so that readers will not only enjoy this book, but keep returning to that author for more stories.

When is the ideal time to bring in a developmental editor?

I work with authors at different stages depending on their needs, wants, and budget.

Some authors are looking for someone to help them plan their draft so it’s as close to structurally sound as possible after the first run through.

Some want me to help them after the first draft is complete.

While others have published a few books but haven’t gotten the response they expected or are looking for. When this is the case, it’s good to look at the product (book) itself first to make sure it’s the best it can be. After that, authors should look at covers and descriptions.

What does the developmental editing process actually look like?

The first step in my process is to make sure we’re a good fit for each other. Over a zoom call, I ask about your story and let you tell me where you think it could benefit from my expertise or where you think its strengths lie. Ask me questions and we can even spitball ideas about your story so you can get an idea of my style and I can sort out the vision you have for this particular piece.

Then I send a proposal. If the author agrees to that, then we work together.

If they need help drafting, we work weekly to build a blueprint so they know their story works before they even put one word on the page.

If they already have a draft, they send it to me, and I spend a month reading and analyzing it before sending over a document outlining any issues I’ve found with potential solutions. I also break the work to be done into steps so the author can take it one piece at time and avoid overwhelm. At that point, they can hire me to work through the draft with them if they wish.

Is your process different with authors who already have several books out?

For those authors, I use my expertise in marketing and editing. I look at their back list before our zoom call, including reviews and samples and tell them how I would proceed if I were them. If they choose to work with me, we will either go through their back list, or we start with something new so they can learn as they go and go through past works as they see fit once they have the tools to do so. These authors can walk through the drafting process with me or have me go through an existing draft depending on their time constraints and budgets.

How do you tell the difference between a manuscript that has a few scene-level issues, and one that has a deeper structural problem?

When the structure is nearly sound, they may be missing a key scene or reader expectations, but overall, we can start to focus on bigger and better things.

One that needs major work will likely have multiple scenes that don’t move the story or character development forward, and might not even have the basics of story.

It’s hard to write a book, and even if your draft is a mess, you should be proud of it. However, the one that’s a mess will need multiple drafts before it’s ready for publication. First, the author needs to focus on making the story work and cutting unnecessary scenes. Then you can go through for reader expectations and then focus on leveling up your craft.

What common story issues do you encounter when reading manuscripts?

I see it all. From unsatisfying endings, to poorly thought-out characters (especially villains), saggy middles, and bobbing boats.

Unsatisfying endings will ruin the reader’s experience, though sometimes they will try the author again in the hopes they can get it right, it just depends on how good your story or idea was before the ending. This is where knowing and understanding the basics of your genre’s story structure is crucial.

Saggy middles can cause readers to not finish your book faster than a poorly crafted protagonist. Middles are a common issue for writers because they’re twice as long as the endings and beginnings. It’s easy to get lost in trying to get the words in and forget each one still needs to count.

Bobbing boat is another common issue for new writers. The complication is riding the waves of your story like a boat, but the issue never really gets better or worse, it keeps showing up, like an annoying younger sibling to plague your reading experience. The same problem rising and then falling in the story makes it boring. Make sure each complication is unique and drives the story forward. An example from an indie author I read, was the reason the couple couldn’t be together, even though I, as the reader (pre editing certification) I had figured it out the first time it came up, the author kept having the female and male main characters think about this one issue over and over. It was a shifter romance, they had other things to worry about and the author could have created so many obstacles, but she didn’t.

Poorly thought-out characters. When you write a character, especially your protagonist and antagonists, you need to make sure they are not morally black and white. No person is perfectly good or evil and adding those redeeming qualities to your villain or bad habits/traits to your hero, makes all the difference in how they’re perceived. Remember, the villain should always believe he’s the hero. Personally, in my work, I have to write out scenes that explain why they are the way they are (both hero and villain) before I start writing, these aren’t scenes I intend to keep usually, but they help me get a better understanding of my characters and build their voices in my head. Each author needs to figure out what works for them when character building.

Many writers worry about losing their own voice. How do you help authors strengthen their story while preserving their unique style and voice?

Voice is less of a factor with developmental edits as it’s structure based. However, when I help new authors just starting out, sometimes there needs to be a focus on discovering their voice.

I got a crash course in this recently. I took a job as an English Teacher at my son’s school and we’ve been working on short stories to create an anthology for the students. While some had really strong natural voices, others needed help find their voice. And as we go through line edits, this is where we need to focus on making that voice stronger while keeping the story clear for the reader. It was a fun experience and I’ve found it was easier than I anticipated to keep my own voice out of their stories as I edit them.

If you know you wrote something how you want the character to sound, you can reject the editor’s suggestions without a second thought. But it’s still the editor’s job to point it out and let you make the final decision.

Can you share an example of how developmental editing transformed a manuscript?

I can tell you what learning this process did for my writing. When I started out, I was publishing serials partly because I like the episodic style, but also because when I tried to write longer fiction, I’d get lost in it and end up wasting six months writing 80k words that went absolutely nowhere. A whole book’s worth of nothing.

After my certification, I worked with a fellow editor. He walked me through creating a blueprint in six months, I wrote 74k words (that worked!) in 17 days, and then (after a brief pause) I edited it in three months. The speed with which I was able to get through the process was great, but the quality of my first novel was much better than it would have been without the help of my new found knowledge of story but also his. Working with an editor makes a huge difference in process and quality.

What’s one myth about developmental editing that you wish more writers understood?

A lot of authors seem to think beta and alpha readers do the same thing as developmental editors, and while they may focus on the same things, whether or not you find one who is actually trained and has studied reader satisfaction in your genre, is difficult. It can also be more difficult to get them to follow through. This is why I prefer to hire an editor, and why I became one.

Final Thoughts

Have you ever worked with a developmental editor? Or, if you haven’t, what’s your biggest hesitation?

How do you know when your manuscript is ready for developmental editing?

Developmental editing is an investment.

In “Is Your Manuscript Ready for a Developmental Edit?” you'll learn how to tell whether it’s ready for professional feedback, or whether another round of revision could save you time, money, and frustration before you make the investment.

Cheering for you,

Jen | Author Gold

Learn more and subscribe to Marissa’s Newsletter, Raven’s Quill.

Raven's Quill Publishing

Raven's Quill Publishing is dedicated to helping romance authors build swoon worthy heroes, kick ass heroines, and plots that not only keep the pages turning into the wee hours of the night, but will stick with a reader long after "The End"

By Marissa Frosch

What’s in this Guide

Developmental editing can be a valuable investment. But hiring an editor before your manuscript is ready may mean paying for feedback on problems you could have identified through another round of revision.

This guide will help you decide whether:

• your manuscript is ready for a developmental edit,

• you would benefit from revising it again yourself, or

• outside reader feedback should come next.

The recommendations are informed by research into writing, revision, narrative comprehension, and cognitive psychology, along with professional standards for developmental editing.

This guide focuses specifically on developmental editing for a completed fiction manuscript. Some developmental editors also help authors plan or develop books before the first draft is finished. That is a different service and may be appropriate at an earlier stage.

Read more

Introduction

We came to Substack to write.

Each of us has a different publication with different goals. When we started, we expected to improve our writing, find readers, and build something meaningful over time.

We did not expect that publishing consistently on Substack would begin to change us.

Recently, after writing 6-9 months consistently on Substack, we’ve compared notes and discovered that although our experience appears different on the surface, we’ve all come to a common realization.

Publishing reshapes how we think.

Left to Right: Jen @Author Gold, Chinedu @Business,The Wrong Way, and Allison @Allison Ink

The Promise

What we hoped to create

Jen (Author Gold)

When I launched in December 2025, my goal was straightforward. I wanted to create a place where authors could find practical, research-backed guidance to navigate publishing with more confidence and avoid costly mistakes.

Like many new publications, I began with a fairly clear picture of what I thought I would contribute. I’d managed newsletters and publications before, on behalf of other organizations. What I didn’t yet understand was how much the people reading my own work would eventually shape it in return.

Chinedu (Business, The Wrong Way)

Lao Tzu famously said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” That quote is one that has shaped many areas of my life, even my Substack journey began with one small step too.

After spending three years away from social media, I returned last August and started fresh on X. I joined because I’d heard it was “where business people and entrepreneurs gathered.” I wanted to learn from them, share perspectives, and curate a different kind of circle... But it didn’t take long to realize something was missing.

I found out the algorithm mostly rewarded established creators, buried smaller accounts, and constantly demanded more of my time. The more time I spent chasing reach, the less I enjoyed writing. I came across a tweet by @Dr. Julie Gurner where she mentioned her Substack newsletter. I subscribed, and weeks later, I thought, Why not start one myself?

I knew almost nothing about newsletters, but I loved one thing immediately: I could finally write without squeezing my thoughts into a handful of characters. So I started Business, The Wrong Way; a place where I question conventional business wisdom and think more deeply about the ideas we may accept without challenge.

Allison (Allison Ink)

Like Jen, I started my Substack in December 2025. As a self-employed editor, I hoped to meet writers, share industry knowledge, and dip my toes into the social media world. Other than my website, I didn’t have much experience building a brand or reaching clients beyond word-of-mouth.

Although we each arrived here for different reasons, we all started with some idea of what we hoped to build.

The Surprise

What we didn’t anticipate

Jen

I expected to spend my time thinking about ideas and how to best communicate them for my audience.

I didn’t think I would get so emotionally invested in my subscribers. The writers I’ve met here have challenged my assumptions, shared their struggles, celebrated one another’s successes, and have trusted me with their publishing journeys.

It started as a place to share my ideas, but I did not expect the relationships formed around those ideas would become part of my own creative process.

Chinedu

Finally settling into writing on Substack, the first thing that blew my mind was how posts and Notes resurfaced, sometimes after months. Very few platforms do that.

It gave me the reassurance that my words weren’t just fading into nothingness after I hit publish. Months later, something I’d written could still find someone who needed to read it, long after I’d forgotten I ever wrote it.

Another thing I loved was the caliber of people I found here.

I didn’t see many creators trying to farm engagement, chase clout, or impress everyone with their numbers. Instead, I found more original thinking. People writing honestly about their frustrations, what they were learning, and what they were still trying to figure out. I found people contributing like they were community.

There was something refreshing about that. It felt… human. Like every social platform, Substack has its flaws. Even so, this is what has kept me here for the past nine months, and what I think will keep me here for many more.

Allison

Wow, I never expected to connect with such a talented, kind, witty, and wickedly smart group of writers. I initially showed up somewhat “plain,” not knowing what to expect. As I began to let my personality shine through, my audience grew. People want to see the real human behind the screen. I had no idea I would become so emotionally invested in my new friends’ creative journeys and lives.

We all encountered the same thing: the work became more human than we expected. And this surprise changed how we thought about our work.

The Shift

How our thinking has changed

Jen

The core of Author Gold hasn’t changed. I still want to help authors make informed publishing decisions. But because of conversations with writers, I’m thinking more critically about widely-accepted frameworks and where conventional advice falls short. I’m thinking more about how to adapt them into practical strategies that our community can actually use.

I’ve also become increasingly interested in the emotional experience that comes with writing and publishing. Emotions like fear, motivation, and confidence will influence decision-making as much as information does.

Chinedu

Substack didn’t really change my writing. It changed what I thought writing was for.

I came to the platform with little idea what it was. If anything, I expected another place obsessed with followers, algorithms, and everyone trying to build a personal brand. And I pretty much started that way too: trying to decode Substack, always on the hunt for “how to grow” posts, and treating every new subscriber like a scoreboard.

But somewhere along the way, my newsletter stopped feeling like a content strategy. I started to think of it as a place to think out loud with people who genuinely enjoy thinking too. Looking back, that may be the biggest thing Substack gave me.

Allison

I used to think every post needed to accomplish something, that my audience expected me to teach a lesson or prove I had something valuable to say.

Over time, I’ve become much more interested in simply engaging with others, sharing jokes or thoughtfully replying to their work. The posts that have resonated most are ones where I add a human element to the publishing world, such as lessons learned from my debut novel or marketing tips that help writers feel less cringey about self-promotion.

I’ve also become more comfortable letting readers know me beyond my work. I share my horse, the barn animals, our dirt bikes, and funny, odd thoughts that pop in my mind. This has made writing feel far more sustainable. I no longer think of Substack as an audience to grow but as a community to participate in, learn from, and laugh with.

The Next Chapter

Where our Publications are Heading

Jen

I’m focusing on my community. I’m looking for ways to create opportunities for authors to connect with new readers and share their work. This has led me to some experimentation, from featuring more books to launching the Author Gold Short Story Award. I want a space where authors are recognized for their work as well as getting high-quality guidance on writing, publishing, and marketing.

Now that I’ve realized visibility involves connection as much as it does marketing, the direction of Author Gold has become much clearer.

Chinedu

For this next phase, I want to deepen my understanding of my field and be more intentional about the people I surround myself with.

I want to spend more time around people who think differently about business, sales, marketing, and strategy. People who question conventional wisdom instead of repeating it.

I want more of those people in my circle because I know they won’t just challenge my thinking or expand what I know.

They’ll change how I think.

Allison

I recently published my debut novel, and I’m excited to bring the lessons I learned to my clients. In addition to editing services, I now offer self-publishing consulting, covering everything from design choices and platforms to marketing and audience building.

I’m excited to use my knowledge to help other writers succeed and feel confident in their publishing decisions.

What About You?

Your Turn

When we started writing on Substack, we thought we knew where we were heading, but none of us ended up exactly where we expected. The river of creativity bends, and as the scenery changed, so did we.

Perhaps this is one unexpected gift of publishing consistently. We begin by sharing our thoughts with the world, and then, the conversations we have end up reshaping our own.

We’d love to hear from you, whether you’ve been on Substack a while or new to the platform.

How has writing and sharing your work changed the way you think about yourself, your audience, or your craft? Would your prior self recognize future you?

Leave a comment

Subscribe to Us:

Jen at

at Business, The Wrong Way

Allison at

About the Newsletter

A chronicle of reinvention told through e-biking in Europe — essays on family, health, hardships, and love, written by an international development professional following unexpected career disruption.

Perfect for readers who enjoy:

• Wild by Cheryl Strayed, or Tracks by Robyn Davidson.

Reader experience:

• candid

• atmospheric

• restless

• unsentimental

What to Expect: Thoughtful travel stories that explore adventure, resilience, and the courage to keep moving forward. Through cycle tours, memorable places, and personal reflections, this newsletter celebrates our ever-changing life’s journeys.

Why I Chose This Newsletter

by Jen | Author Gold

I had the privilege of working with Jane in international development. I know her to be genuinely kind, thoughtful, and adventurous. I’m navigating a similar career transition, and I love following her cycling journey through Europe (and maybe some day I’ll do this myself). She always brings honest storytelling, beautiful photos, and genuine reflections.

Three Questions with Jane Gindin

Q: What first inspired you to write this Newsletter?

Jane: I was living in Austin, Texas; I had a good job and planned to stay until retirement. But in 2025 my professional world—working for USAID implementers in global health and development—turned upside down. Within a month, we were all laid off. USAID’s good work was abruptly cancelled and I lost my income, my job, my industry, my retirement funds, my colleagues, and my entire professional community.

So I went for a bike ride. I started in the south of France, travelled north up La Vélodyssée, across to the coast of Normandy, and made a small loop in Belgium. In the Netherlands I did a big loop then crossed the channel and cycled across England and Wales to meet some friends near Dublin. A total of 4,200 kilometers, solo.

Q: What do you hope readers remember after they read your Newsletter?

Jane: I learned that while it seemed that I’d taken this journey because my career was tragically disrupted, it soon became clear that I had come seeking love. I found it every day in the greens and blues of the earth and sky, the touching conversations with the kind people I encountered, and the discovery of my self—my strength, determination, and capacity for joy.

Along the way, I wrote. I wrote about the rain, the swans, flowers, and hills. The people who showed me again and again that we are all here seeking love and connection. I wrote about emerging from years of chronic illness and pain and learning to live with limitations, discomfort, and fear. About my continuing health issues and the frustrations finding balance between my visions of adventure and my physical reality.

Q: What are you writing next?

Jane: I'll keep writing my Substack and eventually, my memoirs. I'd also like to establish myself as a memoir writer for others.

Ready to explore?

📰 Subscribe to Jane Gindin’s Newsletter, e-Jane!

Need a writer? Learn more about Jane Gindin’s services at https://engelseschrijver.com/

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About the Book

Armed with a map and guided by their trusty compass, Ping and Zippy navigate a world filled with brain-teasing riddles, intriguing puzzles, and thrilling obstacles. Book 1 of 3.

Perfect for readers who enjoy:

• Adventure stories like Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew, solving clues and riddles, and having interactive fun while reading.

Reader experience:

• interactive

• mystery

• adventure

• puzzles

Synopsis: .

Two adventurous friends follow a mysterious map into an abandoned mine, where hidden treasures, clever puzzles, and long-forgotten secrets await. As the mystery unfolds, Ping and Zippy discover that courage, friendship, and teamwork are the greatest treasures of all.

Why I Chose This Book

by Jen | Author Gold

I read The Lighthouse Legacy (Book 3 in the Ping and Zippy series) with my daughter and we very much enjoyed it. Posner creates a very memorable setting featuring Oregon’s beautiful coastline, history, and small towns. The book was engaging and easy for young readers to fall into. Posner’s short story, also featuring the characters of Ping and Zippy, received an Honorable Mention in the Author Gold Short Story Award.

Three Questions with Bill Posner

Q: What first inspired this story?

Posner: This series started with a conversation, not a plan. A friend and I got to talking about being kids, how we used to wander around convinced we were master detectives on the trail of something big, fueled by a steady diet of Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew books. Neither of us had actually solved anything more mysterious than a missing bike, but that never stopped us.

That idea turned into two 13-year-olds, best friends, solving mysteries up and down the Oregon Coast, which is a lot like giving my own childhood a second draft.

The Adventure of the Abandoned Mine was where it all started, short, a little rough around the edges. With the fourth one coming out this fall, this is the first book and the best place to meet Ping and Zippy for the first time.

Q: Without giving anything away, what moment do you hope readers remember after they finish this book?

Posner: Friendship and respect for others.

Q: What are you writing next?

Posner: The fourth Ping and Zippy book is with my editor. I’ve outlined the fifth book in the series. I continue to practice writing with short stories, scene exercises and my memories growing up, which are shared on my Substack.

Ready to explore?

Learn more about Ping and Zippy, and Posner’s other books and nature photography.

Browse the book on Amazon or Audible

Visit Author’s website

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Subscribe to Bill Posner’s Newsletter, Famous When Dead

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About the Book

A chilling thriller that asks what happens when humanity engineers its own extinction.

Perfect for readers who enjoy:

• Michael Crichton, Blake Crouch, Philip K. Dick, and Brave New World-style speculative fiction with the edginess of a Dean Koontz world.

Reader experience:

• thought-provoking

• emotional

• eerie

• immersive

Synopsis: Combining DYSTOPIAN SUSPENSE, time travel, alien abduction horror, genetic engineering, and philosophical science fiction, Harvested: Fall of Nature is a technothriller that explores the unintended consequences of transhumanism, designer genetics, and technologies powerful enough to redefine what it means to be human.

Why I Chose This Book

by Jen | Author Gold

The most compelling sci-fi stories, to me, ask uncomfortable questions about our future. The book feels timely in its questioning about where technological advances might ultimately lead.

Three Questions with A.L. Smith

Q: What first inspired this story?

A.L. My co-author, Mike Anderson, approached with me a first draft of this story, and we spent a year rewriting it together. The initial idea came from a friend of his who once said, “Hmm… what if aliens are just us from the future?” And the story idea was sparked!

Q: Without giving anything away, what moment do you hope readers remember after they finish this book?

A.L. “Just because we can doesn’t mean we should.” Technology is advancing at a rate that is difficult to comprehend. The long-term consequences, and the ethical implications, of these decisions are unknown. I hope readers think about the ethical premises of this story long after they turn the last page.

Q: What are you writing next?

A.L. Book 2 in the series! It will follow the POV of two characters you meet in Book 1. This next installment will ask even more hard questions and put our characters in interesting predicaments.

Ready to explore?

Learn more about Harvested: Fall of Nature

Browse the book on Amazon

Visit Author’s website

📰 Subscribe to A.L. Smith’s Newsletter, Allison Ink!

Allison Ink

Emotion-based, self-aware editorial thinking for writers, shaped by 15 years in the industry. We’re all seeking connection. What’s your story?

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About the Book

A speculative mystery where solving murders may cost Annie everything she hopes to save.

Perfect for readers who enjoy:

• Adrienne Young's The Unmaking of June Farrow, who love how history and romance can shape an unfolding mystery laced with the fantastical, and Peng Shepherd's The Cartographers, who want a grounded mystery shaped by the impossible.

Reader experience:

• atmospheric

• sexy

• funny

• wild ride

Synopsis: While solving the murders of her friends, Annie learns she has to free herself from a jeweled imprisonment and stop a dynastic evil that threatens Willow Woods. If she fails, an ancient villain wins, and her final chance for freedom and love is lost forever.

Why I Chose This Book

by Jen | Author Gold

The premise: I can’t help but root for FMC in her midlife. I know the challenges of writing (and failing), querying, and building your fanbase. Many can relate to Cheryl Lemus’ journey. Cheryl writes about it with refreshing wit and profound perspective at An Educated Broad. Make sure to subscribe to her, to enjoy all her reads and be ready to bounce on her debut!

Three Questions with Cheryl Lemus

Q: What first inspired this story?

Cheryl: I work at a consignment store. The owner has been a fierce champion of my writing from the start. One day, she and I were joking, and she said, "You should write a murder mystery, where one of our consigners is found dead, and the killer is one of our employees." We laughed about it, but with each passing day, the idea blossomed. Now, the speculative side was added because I am a sucker for fantasy, anything magical, but I also can be a little dark and complicated and it comes out in my writing. Anyway, it was a joy to write. So much easier, yet it's better than my two prior manuscripts. I think I realized that while I am a fan of fantasy, I really like writing speculative stories grounded in our world.

Q: Without giving anything away, what moment do you hope readers remember after they finish this book?

Cheryl: That older female protagonists can be badass, and capture the heart of a younger man.

Q: What are you writing next?

Cheryl: Ideas come at the oddest times. My next book was inspired by an op-ed in the New York Times and the book The Change, and came to me when I was taking a shower. Let's just say, women in their 50s are sorely underestimated.

Ready to explore?

📰 Subscribe to Cheryl' Lemus’ Newsletter, An Educated Broad!

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I’m so grateful to each of you. Here’s the link to submit your free entry to the second Round of the Author Gold Short Story writing contest.

GOLD TIER ENTRY LINK

If you run into any issues, message me please.

The entries are judged blind, so your standing as Gold Tier will not influence judging.

With my best regards,

Jen

Author Gold

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About The Book

Can the sparks April and Simon share as roundtable writers survive their group’s shaky future?

Perfect for readers who enjoy:

• Cozy, bookish romances or the friends to lovers trope.

Reader experience:

• banter forward

• family drama

• lovable side characters

Synopsis: Simon Evans and April Roundtree steal glances during writing workshops, but their attraction never moves beyond the editing table. When Simon’s screenwriting aspirations lead him to the other side of the country, the pair may be lost to the friend zone. But when Simon returns from L.A., the star-crossed friends navigate grief, class anxiety, and a shaky future for the Hudson City Writers along with their feelings for one another. Bookish, cozy, banter-filled, laced with correspondence and just the right amount of spice!

Why I Chose This Book

by Jen | Author Gold

I met and have gotten to know C.C. virtually during the course of our respective Substack writing journeys, where her genuine thoughtfulness stands out. The same authenticity shines through in her fiction, making this debut novel an easy choice to recommend.

Three Questions with C.C. Hammond

Q: What first inspired this story?

CC: I knew I wanted to write a romance, and I was intrigued by a will-they-won’t-they real-life couple in my writer’s group.

Q: Without giving anything away, what moment do you hope readers remember after they finish this book?

CC: There is a grand gesture moment that I hope they find as special as I do!

Q: What are you writing next?

CC: A romance set on a boat!

Ready to Explore?

Get the Book!

Visit C.C. Hammond’s Author Website

Subscribe to C.C. Hammond’s newsletter, Writing on the Side!

Writing on the Side

Your real-world, non-aspirational guide to novel writing. Learn the tools to cultivate a lifelong writing practice.

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To the Bookshelf

June: Growing Roots

I started Author Gold six months ago because I believe writers deserve practical, research-backed publishing guidance without the hype that dominates social media and online spaces.

In June, contracts and family events required my attention. Focusing on my creative work was significantly more challenging than usual.

I went from inspired to unexpectedly unmotivated… and then found myself again.

On Substack many talk about growth in terms of up. Bigger numbers, more readers, and so on. But for me, June was about growing deeper.

I leaned into finding meaning. I’ve reflected on what Author Gold is becoming, what matters most to me as a writer, and how I can better support this community going forward.

And on that important note, this month’s Digest line-up is a little different from the usual. Here’s what’s happening!

Here’s what’s inside June!

• Worth Noting:

  • Author Gold Writing Contest winners!

  • Contest reopens July 9th

  • NEW! Launching the Bookshelf!

• Creator Reflection: A Personal Note from Jen | Author Gold

• Behind Author Gold (three pillars)

• Readers’ Favorites

• What’s Next

• Promotions (new deals and opportunities)

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Worth Noting

Author Gold Short Story Award

Round Two Submissions Open July 9th! Paid subscribers get free entry and a guaranteed slot (entries are capped at 50!).

Thank you to everyone who entered Round 1! The quality of this inaugural contest exceeded every expectation, and I can’t wait to share these stories with you.

I’m honored to announce our Winner. “Goodbye, Dad” is emotional and hard-hitting. The tension builds with incredible control up until the final exchange. Congratulations Patrick Geraghty!

And congratulations to our Honorable Mention, , for his story, “Ping and Zippy: The Tide’s Secret.” It is a delightful mystery with an understated emotional payoff, and we will be sharing that one soon, too!

If you have a short story (in any genre), consider entering it in the contest!

Click here for more information.

NEW! Introducing the Author Gold Bookshelf!

Discoverability remains one of the biggest challenges for indie authors.

That’s why I’m building the Author Gold Bookshelf.

It’s a curated collection of authors and books I’ve genuinely enjoyed and want more readers to discover.

If you’d like to be considered for a feature, I’d love to hear from you.

Creator Reflection: A Personal Note from Jen | Author Gold

Usually, my ideas pour out effortlessly, and I can’t wait to start writing. But this month that enthusiasm faded.

Looking back, I now realize I was feeling an underlying need to dig deeper into what Author Gold is meant to become. It was a kind of growing pain, and I now see that as both normal and necessary for Author Gold to remain strong, vibrant, and genuinely different from everything else out there.

When my motivation failed me, I relied on my own inner passion, I set smaller goals, and I reached out to you all.

I asked you, “What excites you the most about writing?”

Here’re some of the answers you gave me that boosted me when I was down.

• “I share because when something finally clicks for me, it feels like oxygen.”

• “When it comes to motivation even I have highs and lows, but what keeps me going mostly is my community.”

• “The motivational struggle comes in waves. When someone reaches out and tells me that something in one of my posts helped them... I can ride that wave for weeks.”

• “The biggest motivation have been relationships - the handful of personal connections with people around the globe cheering for me, praying for me, and checking in.”

A special thank you to , , , , , , and many others, who gave me strength when I needed it.

The point I’m making is that community support is key.

And also, that we are all human.

Behind all the crafted articles, frameworks, coaching advice, and positive Notes, there sits me, just another flawed human trying her best to excel at something she loves doing! Some days are hard. Others become the bright memories that keep inspiring me time and again, especially when I hit those hard days.

Ok enough of that! Let’s talk about what Author Gold is becoming!

Behind Author Gold

I looked at every article I’ve written.

No really. I downloaded all my Posts’ data as a .csv and did a full-on analysis. I uncovered a way of re-structuring Author Gold, along with a roadmap for indie authors to navigate effectively and efficiently through all my content.

Foundational Pillars:

• Publish With Confidence

  Provide research-backed guidance to help authors make informed publishing decisions and avoid costly mistakes.

• Elevate Independent Authors
  Create opportunities for discovery, visibility, and connection.

• Grow as an Author
  Provide knowledge and systems needed to develop your craft, confidence, and career over the long term.

What to Read Next:

I’ve completely redesigned Author Gold’s “Start Here” article into a roadmap for indie authors.

Instead of wondering where to begin, you can now follow a guided path through every stage of the publishing journey:

1. Build Your Foundation

2. Build a Better Book

3. Publish Smarter

4. Find Your Readers

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Got an Idea for Author Gold?

I’d love to hear from you!

Readers’ Favorites in June

Also one of my favorites, because it was quite personal. What if waiting to feel motivated is the very thing keeping you from writing? Psychology suggests the relationship between motivation and action works in the opposite direction than most of us assume.

The second article worth reading gets into the root causes bottlenecking your funnel. This one will have you thinking differently about how you can get more readers.

What’s Coming Next Month

• More expert interviews and collaborations. These always get a lot of interest, and bring great, reliable information to Author Gold readers.

• Bookshelf Expansion. I'm especially excited about expanding opportunities to showcase independent authors.

• Contest reopening. I’ll be busy working on the Author Gold Short Story Writing Contest, Round 2! (and continue promoting our winner from Round 1)

• More visibility opportunities for my subscribers.

If you'd like to follow my children's writing journey, I'd love to see you over at @JenSimpsonBooks as well.

JULY SPECIALS

New Gold Tier Benefit!

• Every new Gold Tier subscriber receives priority consideration for an Author Gold Bookshelf Feature!

THIS WEEK ONLY! Every new Annual Gold Tier subscriber receives one guaranteed* Bookshelf review slot (space is limited, ends July 12th).

Bring a Friend Annual Discount: Its BOGO when you bring a friend. That’s $45 per annual subscription and you both get a Bookshelf slot if you sign up this week!

Don’t want the commitment of a subscription, but want to show your support? Contribute to my Tip Jar - even a tiny amount is very meaningful!

Or purchase Premium Content directly, without any subscription.

Grow your own author roots by subscribing today!

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Comments or Ideas for Author Gold? I’d love to hear from you.

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I wish you all happy reading and writing, always,

Jen

*Guaranteed Bookshelf features are subject to Author Gold's editorial standards. I reserve the right to decline works that promote hate speech, discrimination, plagiarism, unlawful content, or any material that is otherwise inconsistent with the values and mission of Author Gold.