Episodes

  • The Action Paradox: Why Your Best Ideas Require Less Seeing and More Doing

    The Action Paradox: Why Your Best Ideas Require Less Seeing and More Doing
    Mar 22 2026
    The following article and above video are based on a song I wrote several months ago. You listen to the song, Move with What You Love, here: https://bookmarketingbestsellers.com/move-with-what-you-love-with-derek-hunter-music-video.The Creative Stagnation TrapInspiration is a byproduct of movement, not a prerequisite for it. Most creators have it backward: they wait for a visceral emotional shift or a sign from the universe before they dare to put pen to paper or brush to canvas. This passive waiting isn’t just a delay; it’s a slow-motion execution of your potential. The hard truth of the creative life is that the stuck feeling you’re nursing is actually a symptom of your own stillness. To change your perspective, you have to change your position. Movement is the only reliable driver of change.The Action Paradox — Why Seeing Isn’t EnoughWe are often told that art is about observation, but John Kremer’s I Tell You Poetry collection presents a more aggressive reality: perception without participation is a dead end. Many creators stall because they are waiting to feel moved by an external spark. This is the great Action Paradox — we wait to be moved so we can act, yet the source proves we must act so that we, and eventually our audience, can be moved.You cannot watch your way to a breakthrough. Momentum is not something you find; it is something you manufacture by becoming the catalyst of your own work.“No one is moved by what they see, People are moved by what they do.”Bravery as a Rep — The Power of Small WinsIf the thought of a grand opening or a magnum opus paralyzes you, then stop thinking big. The transition from stagnation to success begins with the baby steps Hunter describes in his lyrics. These aren’t just minor movements; they are the fundamental building blocks of a professional practice.Treat every act of creation as just another rep in a lifelong workout. By viewing bravery as a repetitive exercise rather than a singular, terrifying event, you normalize the stakes. You do the thing you fear not to conquer it once and for all, but to turn courage into a habit. Success isn’t found in the giant leap; it’s found in the cumulative weight of daily repetitions.The Limits of Language — When Words Aren’t EnoughEven for the most skilled wordsmith, the reality is that sometimes words just can’t describe how you feel. Plain text has its boundaries, and in a modern creative landscape, ignoring the multi-sensory experience is a strategic error.Graphics add a touch that says so much more, bridging the emotional gap where vocabulary fails. Whether it is a tip-o-graphic or a carefully selected image, visual elements are not mere decorations — they are essential tools that communicate the gifts from above and the whispers of inspiration that words alone cannot carry. To move an audience, you must engage more than just their inner monologue.The Walcott Blueprint — Self-Publishing Your Way to the Nobel PrizeWaiting for permission is the hallmark of the amateur. If you need proof that doing beats waiting, look at Derek Walcott. He didn’t wait for a legacy publisher to validate his voice; he wrote his first poem at 14. By the time he was 20 — an age when most are still finding themselves — he had already self-published his first collection and produced his first play.Walcott’s early commitment to moving with what he loved created the foundation for a career that culminated in a Nobel Prize for Literature for his masterpiece, Omeros. His trajectory shames the creator who is waiting for the right time. The right time was years ago; the second best time is today.The High Cost of a Bad Name — Strategy Over AestheticsMotion is essential, but blind motion is expensive. In the marketplace of ideas, moving with what you love requires the cold, hard discipline of strategy. There is a specific, quantifiable risk to ignoring the business side of creativity: creators regularly risk spending up to $4,000 on a cover for a book with a bad title.This is where the strategist overrules the artist. Investing $150 in a professional book title critique is a small but vital rep of bravery. It ensures that your financial and creative energy is built on a foundation that resonates with an audience. True success isn’t just about the art; it’s about ensuring the art has a name that allows it to be found.From Observation to MotionCreative success is never a spectator sport. It is a result of moving with what you love rather than watching it from the sidelines. Whether you are self-publishing your first collection like a young Walcott, using graphics to amplify your message, or simply showing up for your daily rep of bravery, the message is clear: action generates the electricity that observation never will.If you stopped watching and started doing today, what rep of bravery would you perform first?Book Marketing Success is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my ...
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    6 mins
  • How to Get Your Book Published

    How to Get Your Book Published
    Mar 22 2026
    This video and post repurpose an article I wrote a number of years ago: Self-Publishing Tips: How Do I Get My Books Published?https://bookmarketingbestsellers.com/how-do-i-get-my-books-published.Thanks for reading Book Marketing Success! This post is public so feel free to share it.Stop Seeking Permission: The Surprising Truth About Getting Published TodayI am bombarded weekly with the same anxious inquiry from aspiring creators: “How do I get my books published?” It is a question born of a legacy mindset, where authors imagine themselves standing outside a locked gate, hoping a benevolent gatekeeper will finally turn the key.The uncomfortable truth is that the gatekeepers haven’t just moved; they have fundamentally changed their business model. For the modern writer, the traditional path of seeking an agent first is no longer the most effective — or even the most profitable — route to market.To succeed in this digital era, you must stop being a supplicant and start being a strategist. This guide outlines a sophisticated and transformative approach to taking full control of your literary career.1. Traditional Publishers Aren’t Looking for New TalentThe reality of the current market is that traditional literary agents and publishers are no longer in the business of discovery in the romanticized sense. They are risk-averse corporations looking for guaranteed returns on their investment.Today, the burden of proof has shifted entirely onto the shoulders of the author. Publishers are searching for individuals who bring a ready-made platform to the table — a pre-existing tribe that ensures a book will sell before the first copy is even printed.“In today’s world, you shouldn’t wait for a book publisher or literary agent. Both agents and publishers are currently looking primarily for books by celebrities or well-known people or authors with ready-made platforms.”2. Your Best Move Is the Reverse-Engineering ApproachFor approximately 97% of authors, the most logical and pragmatic path is to self-publish immediately. This isn’t a fallback plan; it is a high-level strategy to de-risk your project for future partners.By taking your work directly to the marketplace, you provide the data that big publishers crave. If you can prove your market and build independent sales momentum, you transition from a risky bet to a proven asset.Once you have established this success, you can explore selling reprint rights to the Big Five. At that stage, you aren’t begging for a deal; you are negotiating from a position of power while agents and publishers compete for your established brand.3. You Are the Only Publishing Company You NeedThere is a pervasive myth that you must hire an expensive self-publishing company or a full-service firm to enter the market. These services often charge thousands for tasks you can — and should — manage yourself as the CEO of your own brand.True self-publishing is about radical autonomy and maintaining a lean operation. You don’t need a middleman to validate your work or manage your files; you simply need the right tools and a professional mindset.“The answer is simple: YOU. Yup, the only good self-publishing company is yourSELF. That’s what self-publishing is all about.”4. The No-Cost (and Low-Cost) Entry PointsThe modern author’s minimalist tech stack allows for professional global distribution with almost zero overhead. By utilizing two specific platforms, you can reach every corner of the digital and physical book market.* Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP): This is your essential starting point for the Amazon ecosystem. If you have a well-formatted Word document, you can publish a Kindle ebook and a print edition for free, capturing the world’s largest book-buying audience.* Ingram Spark: This is your bridge to global distribution beyond Amazon. For a flat fee of $49, you can set up your title as both an ebook and a print-on-demand book. Note: Ingram Spark no longer charges a fee for uploading to their service.5. Promotion Isn’t a Chore — It’s the Fun PartMany authors view marketing as a heavy burden that distracts from their real work. In reality, building an audience is an inevitable part of authorship, regardless of whether you are self-published or signed to a major house.Reframing marketing as human connection changes the entire experience. It is about building meaningful relationships with website owners, magazine editors, TV producers, and social media leaders who serve your specific niche.Instead of shouting into the void, you are simply finding and interacting with the people who are already looking for exactly what you have written. This engagement is the heartbeat of a successful long-term literary career.“That’s the fun part: Finding and interacting with your audience, the people who will love your book.”Conclusion: The Author as EntrepreneurThe transition from aspiring writer to published author requires a fundamental identity shift....
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    5 mins
  • Happy St. Patrick's Day - A Song of Irish Blessings

    Happy St. Patrick's Day - A Song of Irish Blessings
    Mar 16 2026

    Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with this song full of Irish blessings. Enjoy and pass it on.

    Irish Blessings Lyrics

    May love and laughter light your daysAnd warm your heart and homeMay good and faithful friends be yoursWherever you may roamMay peace and plenty bless your worldWith joy that long enduresMay all life’s passing seasonsBring the best to you and yours

    May the dreams you hold dearestBe those which come trueAnd the kindness you spreadKeep returning to youMay your heart be light and happyMay your smile be big and wideAnd may your pockets always haveA coin or two inside

    May you never steal, lie, or cheatBut if you must steal, steal away my sorrowsIf you must lie, lie with meAll the nights of my lifeAnd if you must cheat, cheat deathBecause I could never live a day without you

    For each petal on the shamrockThis brings a wish your wayGood health, good luck, and happinessFor today and every dayLike the warmth of the sunAnd the light of the dayMay the luck of the IrishShine bright on your way

    May your pockets be heavyAnd your heart be lightMay good luck pursue youEach morning and nightMay your troubles be lessAnd your blessings be moreAnd nothing but happinessCome through your door

    May you never steal, lie, or cheatBut if you must steal, steal away my sorrowsIf you must lie, lie with meAll the nights of my lifeAnd if you must cheat, cheat deathBecause I could never live a day without you

    Book Marketing Success is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmarketing.substack.com/subscribe
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    4 mins
  • The AIO Revolution: Feeding the Answer Engines

    The AIO Revolution: Feeding the Answer Engines
    Feb 27 2026

    Check out this post:

    Book Marketing Success is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmarketing.substack.com/subscribe
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    Less than 1 minute
  • John Kremer on Getting Sponsors for Your Book

    John Kremer on Getting Sponsors for Your Book
    Feb 24 2026

    For the current episode of her Sponsorship Talk podcast, Roberta Vigilance interviewed John Kremer on how he went about getting sponsors for his book, 1001 Ways to Market Your Books.

    John Kremer, author of 1001 Ways to Market Your Books, joins Sponsorship Talk to share his experience with book sponsorship and how he secured sponsors for his book.

    In this episode, we explore what book sponsorship looks like, what authors should understand before approaching sponsors, and how positioning plays a key role in success.

    You can listen in via the video above or through the Spotify podcast player below:

    Book Marketing Success is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmarketing.substack.com/subscribe
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    44 mins
  • Getting Sponsors for Book Authors

    Getting Sponsors for Book Authors
    Feb 17 2026

    Every book, every author, deserves sponsors for what they offer to their unique and wonderful audiences.

    In this podcast, John Kremer and Roberta Vigilance, author of How to Secure Sponsors Successfully, talk about how authors should go about getting sponsors for their books and events.

    Check out the transcript on Substack if you’d rather read this podcast than listen in. Thanks for joining us!

    Book Marketing Success is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmarketing.substack.com/subscribe
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    54 mins
  • Live More, a Folk Song

    Live More, a Folk Song
    Feb 15 2026

    This song reminds all of us that we have so much to live for, so much to do if we choose to do it. As writers, we have so much we can share.

    Live More Lyrics

    We are all calledTo grow and evolveTo be moreMore of who we are

    Then share what we learnWith those we loveAnd those we knowAnd those who come after us

    Kindness, like chocolate,Is best when sharedOne dayOne actOne smile at a time

    Fear less, hope moreWhine less, breathe moreTalk less, say moreHate less, love moreAnd all good things are yours

    Are you ready to be more?Are you ready to live more?Are you ready to love more?Are you ready to share more?

    Be moreLive moreLove moreShare more

    We are all calledTo grow and evolveTo be moreMore of who we are

    Are you ready to be more?Are you ready to live more?Are you ready to love more?Are you ready to share more?

    Start todayToday is the day

    Book Marketing Success is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmarketing.substack.com/subscribe
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    4 mins
  • Magic Lever, a poem by Steve O'Keefe

    Magic Lever, a poem by Steve O'Keefe
    Feb 12 2026

    I translated my friend Steve O’Keefe’s recent poem, Magic Lever, into a folk song. I hope you like it. And I especially hope that Steve likes it.

    Poems make great songs. Any poet can write songs like these.

    Magic Lever Poem

    Everyone’s lookin’ for a magic leverLookin’ for a button to pressLookin’ for a phrase to utterTo get us out of this mess

    Everyone wants a silver bulletOr a magical sword that slaysOr else they want a magic potionTo take the mess away.

    I’m lookin’ for a new solutionSomething bigger than ever beforeOne spin that changes the worldA whisper that becomes a roar

    I’m lookin’ for a magic leverSomething no one’s ever seen beforeI’m listenin’ for a secret signalThe whisper that becomes a roar

    I’m lookin’ for a magic leverSomething no one’s ever seen beforeI’m listenin’ for a secret signalThe whisper that becomes a roar

    Book Marketing Success is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

    Thanks for reading Book Marketing Success! This post is public so feel free to share it.



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmarketing.substack.com/subscribe
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    3 mins