Plus AI news, the secret behind the 4 million books uploaded to Amazon last year, and a deep dive into K-lytics' recent Mystery, Thriller and Suspense report. 

Plus, Cloudflare news, Amazon book clubs ending and a spicy zeitgeist segment. Welcome to Author Update. 

Come hear Thomas and Jonathan make their predictions for how the book business will change in the coming year. 

Plus more AI news, Author Arsenal updates and Jonathan and Thomas's thoughts on the romance genre! 

We hit it all. AI, sexism, hiring practices at publishing industries: we are making no money from THIS episode.

We show off our new channel's digs, talking about rising costs and the impact of AI on publishing throughout longer trends. It's a good time. 

Listen to Author Update for all the news on Amazon's new video advertising capabilities, their reiteration of bans on the Amazon Associate program, and all the Black Friday deals authors need!

Google's dark pattern, plus new AI tools, upgrades to existing systems and a deep dive into the cozy mystery genre.

Updates on how the publishing and music worlds are adapting to AI, as well as exciting developments from the industry. 

Find out how to plan for this year's holiday season, as well as how changes to the X algorithm change your marketing strategy.

This week we're covering Spotify's game-changing Audiobook Selects program for indie authors, the collapse of traditional publishing sales with trade books down 9.4%, and major industry closures including Mango Publishing and Knights Of children's books. 

Plus, we analyze groundbreaking research showing readers prefer AI writing to MFA graduate writing, discuss the rise of three-tier audiobook pricing, and explore massive layoffs hitting traditional publishing. 

Whether you're an indie author, traditionally published, or just starting your writing journey, get the publishing news that matters for your author career. Don't miss our insights on Novel November replacing NaNoWriMo and the shifting landscape between AI and human creativity in publishing.

Get the latest on scams affecting the author world, a detailed data report on the state of Mysteries, Thrillers and Suspense, and why Americans are reading less than ever.

Plus AI news, Medieval English language and how glory is the new market for selling to young men. Welcome to Author Update.

Welcome to the Grid. We're covering the Amazon algorithm, the sales reports, the Yoast SEO Update and the advent of Tron: Ares. 

Welcome to a special episode of Author Update! Thomas is sick, so Jonathan takes the reins and does a solo episode on library news, X drama and ZEITGEIST!

Join Thomas and Jonathan on Author Update as we tackle the government shutdown, the surge in online book piracy sentiments and how the military's pivot toward more lethality and less DEI impacts your writing. 

Payouts approved in the Anthropic case, Novel November comes to authors and Jonathan and Thomas talk about how to write first aid properly in your content.

Join us on Author Update to learn more about using libraries with KU books, the TikTok deal between US and China, and how cancel culture has changed. 

A somber reflection upon Charlie Kirk's life and ministry and how authors can emulate his success in their own careers, as well as industry news regarding email services.

We uncover shocking news about publishers failing to register copyrights, potentially leaving authors vulnerable in the Anthropic class-action lawsuit. We also explore the arrest of Irish author Graham Linehan for tweets posted from America. 

Plus, discover exciting developments in AI audiobook publishing with ElevenLabs' new 60% royalty marketplace, learn about AuthorCraft.ai's manuscript analysis tools, and dive deep into the zeitgeist of Mary Poppins. 

Patron Toolbox: https://www.PatronToolbox.com/
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/novelmarketing
Conference: https://www.NovelMarketingConference.com/

Join us on Author Update as we talk the latest news in publishing!

Check out our commentary on the past week's events with news on Spotify, Harper Collins and WorldCon.

This one was a doozy. We covered AI's shortcomings, how authors can maximize their output potential and how cowboy romances relate to bread making. Yes, sir, you can only get that kind of content here, on Author Update.

Trad publishing news, AI causing job losses and the K-lytics romance report!

Come listen to Jonathan and Thomas discuss the latest advancements from OpenAI and what they mean for writers, as well as the cultural war between Texas and Australia.

Listen to this week's episode of Author Update as Jonathan and Thomas dive into Audible's royalty shenanigans, the woes of the trad pub world vs. the success of the indie scene.

Solo episode with Jonathan as Thomas is on vacation. We're going into changes with Substack, GoodReads, Kindlepreneur's look into Amazon keywords, and much more. 

Feast your ears as Jonathan and Thomas discuss the direction fiction is taking, and how societies deal with major turns.

Donate to disaster survivors at ADRN.org.

Several court cases impacting authors, the NYT wonders if men read literary novels, and Jonathan starts a lawsuit against Thomas. All on this week's Author Update.

The Israel-Iran War, more AI impact on the workforce, zeitgeist discussion and more Patron Tools in the toolbox. All here with Author Update. 

Watch us on YouTube live!

A new version of Vellum, Publisher Rocket ends its lifetime deal, and is the AI bubble going to burst?

🎙️ Author Update – Episode: The End of Google (for Authors?)
Hosts: Jonathan Shuerger & Thomas Umstattd Jr.
🕒 Runtime: \~57 minutes
📚 Topics: AI Search, SEO, Voice Cloning, Book Marketing, Author Tools

---

🔍 Episode Summary:
Is this the beginning of the end for Google? In this episode, Jonathan and Thomas explore how AI is disrupting traditional search and discovery—and what that means for authors. From SEO and Pinterest to AI audiobooks and “Not a Literary Agent,” this is your update on everything changing in the publishing world.

---

🧭 What You'll Learn:

* Why Google is losing market share—and what’s taking its place
* How to optimize for AI-driven search (semantic SEO explained)
* Why Gen Z is using Pinterest instead of Google
* How to structure content for AI overviews
* What voice cloning means for audiobooks
* Tools for analyzing your publishing contracts
* How to stay discoverable as bots change the rules

---

🛠️ Tools & Resources Mentioned:

* Yoast SEO: [https://yoast.com](https://yoast.com)
* Not a Literary Agent: [https://authormedia.com](https://authormedia.com)
* 11 Labs (voice cloning): [https://elevenlabs.io](https://elevenlabs.io)
* Opera’s Neon AI Browser: [https://www.opera.com/neon](https://www.opera.com/neon)
* Pinterest Marketing (for Gen Z outreach)
* ChatGPT, Grok, and AI-powered search tools

---

🔥 Hot Takes:

* “Pinterest is now more useful than Instagram or TikTok for authors.”
* “First-person POV dominates because it’s easier—not better.”
* “AI-generated content is training new AI—welcome to the feedback loop.”
* “You can't have a cyborg baby with an AI girlfriend… yet.”

---

🧠 Author Action Steps:

1. Add rich, structured content to your blog
2. Focus on being *the answer* for AI bots
3. Experiment with voice cloning for budget audiobooks
4. Explore Pinterest as a discovery tool
5. Stay current—these shifts are accelerating

---

**🎁 Bonus for Patrons:**
Thomas hosts a monthly bonus Q\&A episode exclusively for patrons. Get your questions answered live!
👉 Support the show: https://authormedia.com
 

Plus, new AI models, a new method for your website to be discovered, new tools to use to promote your book and how the Battle of Agincourt affects your publishing career. All this and more, on Author Update!

Author Update New Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Author-Update

Blog Version: https://www.authormedia.com/book-bans-copyright-trolls/

Here’s what you can expect from Author Update:

Publishing News: Stay in the loop on what’s happening in the industry.
Advice That Matters: Learn how to make your book irresistible to readers.
Live Q&A: Bring your questions and get answers from Thomas Umstattd and Jonathan Shuerger.

Links: 

 - Novel Marketing Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/novelmarketing
 - First Email Challenge: https://training.authormedia.com/courses/2751846
 - Patron Toolbox: https://www.authormedia.com/patron-toolbox/
 - AI Thomas:  https://www.authormedia.com/patron-toolbox/ai-thomas/
 - Jon’s Substack Link: https://jonathanshuerger.substack.com/p/for-authors-amazon-ad-words?r=2i152j

Affiliate Link: 
 M4 MacBook Air: https://amzn.to/3XAF8TN

# YouTube Chapters for Author Update

00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:43 Amazon Ads Expansion to New Countries
02:25 Technology News: AI Updates in Publishing
03:58 Traditional Publishing Embracing AI
04:17 ChatGPT's New Image Generator
09:51 AI Ethics: Taking Jobs from Artists?
14:13 The Future of Creativity: Authenticity as Currency
17:16 Google's Gemini 2.5 AI Model
20:41 Overcoming Procrastination for Authors
25:04 The Future of the Internet: Smaller Communities?
32:04 IMLS Cuts to Libraries: Impact on Authors
39:22 Canadian Booksellers Fighting US Tariffs
51:04 Amazon Beta Testing Sponsored Ads on Retailer Websites
53:52 Q&A: Budget-Friendly Advertising for Authors
56:23 Using AI for Developmental Editing
58:22 Targeting Your Ideal Readers
1:00:36 Ethics of Using AI-Generated Content
1:06:40 Sponsor Message and Closing

Publishing news and advice from Novel Marketing host Thomas Umstattd Jr. and indie author Jonathan Shuerger. Join live to get *your* questions answered.

Links:
Novel Marketing Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/novelmarketing
How to Make Your Author Website Amazing: https://training.authormedia.com/p/amazing-author-websites
First Email Challenge: https://training.authormedia.com/p/send-your-first-email-challenge 
Patron Toolbox: https://www.authormedia.com/patron-toolbox/
AI Thomas:  https://www.authormedia.com/patron-toolbox/ai-thomas/

00:00 – Introduction & Welcome
01:53 – Breaking News: Meta’s AI Trained on a Pirate Database
06:08 – New AI Writing Tool: Sudowrite’s Muse
10:58 – Tech Spotlight: Apple’s New M4 MacBook Air & Laptop Guide Insights
14:55 – Announcing the Reader Magnet Brainstormer
18:36 – Marketing Insights: ChatGPT, SEO & AI in Publishing
35:02 – Culture Corner: Assassin’s Creed and Video Game Controversies
45:37 – Publishing Trends: Book Talk and Industry Shifts
51:22 – Listener Q&A and Final Thoughts

Plus the Super Bowl halftime show, Harper Collins quarterly report and how the Roman Empire somehow again influences publishing. 

Plus, Spotify goes to war with Amazon over book market shares while Thomas and Jonathan compare cozy fantasy to John Wick. Demon pigs, bacon; it's all here. 

Come listen to the latest episode of Author Update for your latest dish of author news.

Copyright termination rights, Ai ads, and an extra-long zeitgeist segment on fonts and beauty in literature. Also, a spicy segment on America's churches. 

Audible. Iran. Venezuela. What do all of these have to do with your writing? Check out the latest episode of Author Update!

Plus trad publishing numbers, AI news out the whazoo and the zeitgeist on baby names.