Publish & Prosper
Where publishing, technology, and marketing collide. Brought to you by Lulu.com.
Episodes
120 episodes
Marketing Your Book to Humans by Optimizing for Robots
In this episode, Matt & Lauren examine the ways book marketing has changed in an AI and algorithm-driven world. We identify a few of the biggest shifts we’ve seen, like prioritizing trust signals over keywords, and share our insights into:<...
How to Get Your Readers to Sell Your Book for You
In this episode, Lauren & Matt share strategies for how to get your readers and fans to help sell your books for you! We break down the importance of building a dedicated audience around your brand, review the different ways authors and ent...
The Anatomy of a Good Print Book
In this episode, Matt & Lauren break down the elements of a print book. We review exterior and interior design choices, explain how different elements fit together, examine variance in print copies, and share tips for how to avoid confusion...
Alchemising Traditional Publishing with Fanfiction
In this episode, Lauren successfully cons Matt into talking about fanfiction again. This time we explore the recent shift in the way traditional publishing approaches fanfiction, and the new trend of openly acquiring popular fanfiction...
Hiring the Best Freelancers for Your Book
In this episode, Matt & Lauren share strategies for how to find, research, and hire the best possible freelancers to help you bring your book to life. Whether you need help with editing, formatting, designing, or marketing, these guidelines...
How Book Distribution Works
Whether you’re traditionally published or self-published, the mechanics behind distributing your book to online and brick-and-mortar bookstores are the same. But for indie authors doing it on their own, it’s imperative that you get the details ...
What Authors and Creators Can Learn From Each Other
In this episode, Matt & Lauren reflect on their recent trips to two dramatically different events: London Book Fair and Sponsor Games.One is an international event attended by over 33,000 publishing industry professionals from around...
Rethinking Print and Fulfillment with Emily Bair
In this episode, Matt sits down with Emily Bair, Lulu’s VP of Business Development to explore how brands, publishers, and creators are using print products. Emily shares her insights on topics like: Why more businesses are revi...
Plot Twist: Indie Authors are Landing More Traditional Publishing Deals than Ever
In this episode, Matt & Lauren explore the rapidly rising trend in indie authors signing major traditional publishing deals. The real plot twist? These days the authors are the ones with the negotiating power and leverage. We talk ...
Why Print is the Missing Piece in Your Creator Ecosystem
In this episode, Lauren & Matt have a conversation exploring why print needs to be part of your creator strategy. We consider the current state of digital content, influenced by algorithms and AI, and how content entrepreneurs can use print...
Choosing Your Direct Sales Strategy
In this episode, Matt & Lauren explore three different ways creators can get started selling direct, and the tools you’ll need along the way! Learn about:💡 Using direct assisted platforms like Books.by to build a website for y...
Developing Publishing Technology with Lulu’s CTO Christoph Kepper
In this episode, Lauren sits down with Lulu’s Chief Technology Officer Christoph Kepper! Christoph shares his insights into what makes Lulu a publishing technology powerhouse, and his vision of an accessible, sustainable future for publishing.<...
Scaling for Success with Automated Book Fulfillment Solutions
Manual fulfillment works…until it doesn’t. In this episode, Matt & Lauren break down the risks and realities of manually packing and shipping orders, signs it’s time to update your existing solutions, and the backend automations that can he...
Building Your Book Business Using Lulu’s Print APIs
In this episode, Lauren & Matt discuss how entrepreneurs are using Lulu’s suite of APIs to build brand-first book businesses. We break down how savvy creators can use API integrations to automate, personalize, and scale their printing and f...
Are You Selling Books or Selling with Books?
Books can be the product or the tool that helps sell the product…and sometimes even both. In this episode, Matt & Lauren explore how print-on-demand empowers creators and businesses to use books to build their business, earn revenu...
Using Paid Ads to Drive More Book Sales
In this episode, Lauren & Matt cover five different types of paid ads that can help you sell more books. We review the pros, cons, and best practices for:🔍 Paid Search🗣️ Paid Social Media Campaigns 📧 Email & Ne...
How to Effectively Use Social Media to Sell More Books in 2026
In this episode, Matt & Lauren debate the merits of using social media as a book marketing tool in 2026. Short answer? Yes, social still plays an important role! Long answer? Listen to learn about: Why social platforms shou...
What the Publishing Industry Should Learn from Heated Rivalry
In December 2025, a sports romance series off Harlequin’s backlist, with modest sales and a niche fanbase, exploded into an overnight international sensation when the first two episodes of Heated Rivalry aired on Crave and HBO Max. New...
Where Does AI Belong in Publishing?
In this episode, Matt & Lauren explore four different ways publishers integrate AI tools to better support and streamline internal workflows. While we never advocate for using AI as a substitute for human creativity or editorial judgment, t...
Looking Ahead at Publishing Trends for 2026
In this episode, Lauren & Matt peer into their crystal balls for a look into the future (or make some very sound projections grounded in knowledge and experience). We take turns sharing our insights and expectations for what’s to come in th...
2025 Plot Twists in Publishing (That Everyone Saw Coming)
In this episode, Matt & Lauren look back on this year in publishing. We review some of our predictions from 2024 and how those trends impacted the industry in 2025, including: How AI continued to dominate the conversation&n...
Profit On-Demand: From Podcaster to Published Author
In this episode, Lauren interviews everyone’s new favorite author…Matt Briel! Lauren & Matt talk through the experience of writing, editing, and publishing a book. Hear firsthand how Matt developed a writing practice that worked for him, wh...
How Print-On-Demand is Fueling the Resurgence of Magazines
In this episode, Matt & Lauren explore one of our current favorite industry trends: the resurgence of print magazines! We talk through the many ways creators, entrepreneurs, and businesses are using print-on-demand, and:
Building a Landing Page for Your Book
In this episode, Lauren & Matt simplify your website down to a single landing page with one goal in mind: selling your book. We talk through reasons why you may choose to build a landing page instead of a full website, what you need to c...
How Podcasting Changed Our Game (and How it Can Change Yours Too)
Celebrate two years of Publishing & Prospering with us! In this episode, Matt & Lauren reflect on two years of podcasting, sharing what we’ve learned since the beginning, how podcasting has changed the way we create, share, and under...