The Written Word Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Email marketing isn’t dead - in fact, it might just be your most valuable tool as an indie author. In this episode, Ricci and Ferol break down why building and nurturing your email list is still one of the smartest and most effective ways to connect with readers and sell more books.

You’ll Learn:

• Why email offers a stronger ROI than social or paid ads
• The difference between “owned” and “rented” marketing channels
• What makes email more personal and reliable than other platforms
• How to get started with email marketing (and what to say in your emails)
• Tips for building a list of readers who actually want to hear from you

For more tips, tools, and strategies to grow your author career, visit writtenwordmedia.com.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, share it with a fellow author and leave us a review. It helps more writers find the show.
The Written Word Podcast is produced by Walk West.
© 2025 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

Want to sell more books without breaking the bank? Curious which promos actually work and how to tell?

Ricci Wolman, Ferol Vernon, and Emma Boyer answer the most common (and important) questions we get from authors every day.

• How to promote with a small budget.
• How to revive a backlist that’s gone quiet.
• What to do when Amazon throws you a curveball.

You’ll walk away with clear, practical strategies for getting more eyes on your books. Whether you're just starting out or managing a full catalog, this conversation will help you take the next step.

Let’s get into it.

For more tips, tools, and strategies to grow your author career, visit writtenwordmedia.com.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, share it with a fellow author and leave us a review. It helps more writers find the show.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Walk West.
© 2025 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

If you want to sell more books, reach more readers, and spend less time guessing what works, start here.

In this episode, Ricci Wolman and Ferol Vernon break down the strategy that helped launch the careers of countless successful indie authors - email promos. They’ll explain what email promos are, when to run them, and why they’re still one of the most effective tools in your book marketing toolkit.

You’ll learn:

• Why email still outperforms social media when it comes to book marketing
• How promo sites connect your book to the right readers
• What a promo stack is and how to use it to your advantage

This is the foundation of modern book promotion.

Let’s get into it.

For more tips, tools, and strategies to grow your author career, visit writtenwordmedia.com.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, share it with a fellow author and leave us a review. It helps more writers find the show.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Walk West.
© 2025 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

Emma Boyer is back from London and joins Ferol and Ricci to share her key takeaways from the Self Publishing Show (SPS)—Europe’s biggest indie author conference. In this episode, the team breaks down what they saw, heard, and felt at SPS and what it means for indie authors in 2025.

You’ll Learn:

• Emerging trends in streaming vs. subscription audiobook platforms
• How Written Word Media supports authors exploring direct sales and new revenue streams
• How Subscriber Surge Giveaways (SSG) can grow your email list fast
• Tips on budgeting for book promotions that actually move the needle

Featured Guest:
Emma Boyer, VP of Digital Operations and Author Relations at Written Word Media

For more tips, tools, and strategies to grow your author career, visit writtenwordmedia.com.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, share it with a fellow author and leave us a review. It helps more writers find the show.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Walk West.
© 2025 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

Welcome to the very first episode of The Written Word Podcast.

This show is for people who write stories—and want them to be read. 
Authors. Indie or traditional. Aspiring or ten books deep.

Each week, we dive into the business of being an author—marketing strategies, growing your audience, and selling more books. What’s working, what’s not, and what’s coming next.

In this episode, we’re diving into one of the most controversial strategies out there: Giving your book away for free.

Sounds risky? It might be. But it might also be the smartest move you make as an author.

Hosts Ricci Wolman and Ferol Vernon unpack the emotional baggage behind “free.”
They break down the math and share what top-earning authors are doing right now.

Whether you're new to publishing or looking to level up, this episode will make you think twice about the power of zero dollars.

For more tips, tools, and strategies to grow your author career, visit writtenwordmedia.com.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, share it with a fellow author and leave us a review. It helps more writers find the show.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Walk West.
© 2025 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

In this special live-recorded episode from Walk West’s Podcast Marathon, Ricci Wolman and Ferol Vernon sit down with author, speaker, and executive coach Erica Rooney to talk about her journey to publishing Glass Ceilings & Sticky Floors. Erica shares why she chose the hybrid publishing route, how she secured endorsements from big names like Mel Robbins, and what it really takes to market a book once it’s out in the world.

You’ll Learn:

• What “sticky floors” are and how they hold us back
• How Erica turned her podcast themes into book chapters
• The realities of hybrid publishing - costs, timelines, and trade-offs
• Why networking and self-promotion are essential to book marketing
• The importance of “doing the thing that can’t be undone” when pursuing big goals

For more strategies to grow your author career, visit writtenwordmedia.com.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, share it with a fellow author and leave us a review. It helps more writers find the show.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Walk West.
© 2025 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

Staying productive as an author isn’t just about writing more - it’s about creating systems that help you focus, avoid burnout, and actually enjoy the process. In this episode of The Written Word Podcast, Ricci Wolman and Ferol Vernon share their favorite productivity hacks, from planning your week with intention to using the Pomodoro technique and batching tasks.

We’ll cover:

• How to set up an environment that keeps you focused
• Why planning your day (or someone else will) is a game-changer
• Tricks for avoiding distraction and managing your energy
• The Pomodoro technique and why short breaks boost creativity
• Why celebrating your “done list” is just as important as making a to-do list

Whether you’re balancing writing with a day job, juggling deadlines, or just trying to stay consistent, this episode will give you practical, proven strategies to get more done - and feel good doing it.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, share it with a fellow author and leave us a review. It helps more writers find the show.

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Walk West.
© 2025 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

Your email list is one of the most powerful marketing tools you’ll ever build as an author. However, getting from zero to thousands of subscribers can feel overwhelming. In this episode of The Written Word Podcast, Ricci Wolman and Ferol Vernon break down practical, proven strategies to grow your list. From adding your first 15 “friendlies” to using lead magnets, giveaways, and back-of-book signups, you’ll learn step-by-step how to start small and build momentum.

We’ll cover:

• The best places to promote your signup link
• Why the back of your book is prime real estate for growing your list
• What list sizes correlate with real author income

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to scale, this episode will show you how to turn your email list into a long-term asset that keeps readers coming back.

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

Copyright:
© 2025 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

In this inspiring episode, Ferol sits down with Jonathan Graham, founder of Daily Courage, to explore how creatives can turn fear into fuel. Jonathan shares his journey from Silicon Valley to launching a mission-driven business dedicated to helping people remove fear as a barrier to their potential.

Together, they unpack practical tools like the “fear log,” the F.A.C.T.S. framework for fact-checking fear, and the “soup list” for building confidence. Jonathan’s message is clear and empowering: courage isn’t the absence of fear - it’s the willingness to act in spite of it.

You'll Learn:

• How to identify and label your fears so they lose their power
• The F.A.C.T.S. framework - a simple tool for checking what’s true vs. what’s fear
• Why consistency builds courage faster than confidence
• How to turn fear into a creative ally instead of an obstacle
• Ways to strengthen your “courage muscle” through small, daily actions

Whether you’re battling writer’s doubt, creative paralysis, or fear of publishing, this episode will help you reframe your relationship with fear and take your next bold step - scared, but moving forward.

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

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Walk West.
© 2025 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

The indie publishing world is moving fast - and the authors who stay curious are the ones who thrive. In this live-recorded episode from the Novelist Inc. (NINC) Conference, Ferol Vernon sits down with James Blatch, co-founder of Self Publishing Formula, to talk about what's working right now for independent authors.

From AI translation tools that help you reach global readers to the surprising comeback of Facebook ads, James shares what he's seeing on the front lines. You'll also hear his take on the ethics of AI narration, voice licensing, and why the authors who embrace new tools (without losing their creative edge) are the ones who'll come out ahead.

You'll Learn:

• How AI translation tools like ScribeShadow are helping authors go global
• Why Facebook ads are making a comeback - and how to use them smarter
• The ethics of AI voice licensing and what it means for audiobook creators
• What separates authors who experiment successfully from those who get left behind
• Why AI won't replace creativity, but it will reward the authors who adapt

Whether you're scaling your author business or just trying to stay ahead of the curve, this episode is full of practical insights and real talk about the future of indie publishing.

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

The Written Word Podcast is produced by Walk West.
© 2025 Written Word Media, Inc. All rights reserved.