Beyond the Margins

Build a profitable author business

April 17, 2026

Hello authors,

As authors, you know how to write. You like writing, talking about it, imagining what's down the line…On the other hand, there's selling and marketing. It can feel unnatural, forced, and transactional—exactly the opposite of the care and passion you bring to your craft.

But sales and self-promotion don't have to feel crass or inauthentic.

Instead, approach both as extensions of who you already are: share what you do in a way that others genuinely want to engage with, and do it in a way you enjoy.

Your job as an author, really, is figuring out how to align who you are and your work with what others are interested in or care about—"sales for those who hate sales."

In the real world, this can look like…

• Telling people what you're working on isn't ill-mannered self-promotion, it's inviting conversation: Authors, Tell People What You’re Working On​
• Help your audience help you: Ahead of the Curve, Week of May 19, 2025​
• Own what you do—there's no need to reduce yourself to fit a label: Marketing Tips for Authors Who Don’t Want to Niche​
• Don't "sell"; give others a taste of your world and let them experience what you do: Creating Customers: What That Looks Like for Authors and Author Businesses​

Here's What's Coming to Our Power Hour World

May 14, 1pm CT: You’re an Author—Not an Accountant with Tax Pro Michael Haupt. Business taxes don’t have to take over your life. Join author and tax pro Michael Haupt for his best tax advice for authors, writers, and creatives—from big-picture thinking to nitty-gritty write-offs. Get better prepared for next year’s taxes (yes, now is the time!) with practical strategies that work for creative businesses. Free 60-minute Zoom—bring your tax questions, leave with clarity. [Register here.]

June 4, 1pm CT: Audiobooks as Business Strategy: How to decide: Yes, no, or not yet? with MaryCatherine Jones of The Audiobook Experience. Audiobooks are one of the fastest-growing areas in publishing, yet many authors aren’t sure how, when, or even if they should produce one. In this short power session, audiobook producer Mary Catherine Jones, owner of The Audiobook Experience, will share how audiobooks can fit into an author’s overall business and marketing strategy. She’ll highlight when it makes sense to create an audiobook, key decisions authors should consider, and how audio can expand an author’s reach and impact. Free 60-minute Zoom—bring your audiobook questions, leave with a path forward. [Register here.]

Gift for Those on This List Attending the Berwyn Public Library's Local Author Fair (and Disclaimer!)

• Saturday, May 16, 10am-2pm
• 2701 S. Harlem, Berwyn, IL

If you plan on attending the Berwyn Public Library's Local Author Fair, drop me a line. I will bring a free copy of my book, The Profitable Author: 1,001 Ways to Build a Business You Love Around Your Books, to hand you in person.

Disclaimer: Free is not a business model and I advise all authors not to give things of value away for free (books, time, etc.). But, there's a but. For certain business models, giving away books for free is part of the business model and that is true for me. The more books I give away as a "Thought Leader Author," the more coaching, consulting, author management, and project management business comes to my agency, Conspire Creative.

Ready to Build an Author Business That Feels Custom Made for You (Cause It Is)?

If this newsletter hits home for you—if you're tired of marketing advice that feels forced and business strategies that ignore who you actually are—the Author's Business Accelerator might be exactly what you need.

This is an 8-session 1:1 intensive for published authors who want to build a solid foundation for a sustainable, income-generating author business you love without sacrificing your creative integrity. It isn’t theory. It’s not motivational hype. It’s crafting the practical business infrastructure that separates hobbyists from professionals, customized for you by you with my full support.​

By the end of this program, you’ll have:

​✅ A complete business plan with multiple revenue streams to pursue beyond book sales
✅ The Profit First budgeting system implemented
✅ Strategic pricing that reflects your actual value
✅ Partnership opportunities identified and activation plans in place
✅ Marketing and outreach systems that generate income (not just visibility)
✅ A clear 90-day implementation roadmap
✅ In short, a sustainable business model you can execute as you go

Sign up by Tuesday, April 21 and save $200. Payment plans available.

This isn't for authors exploring whether they want a business. It's for authors ready to build one. Learn more and apply here. I have room for 2–3 authors to begin in May.

All the best,

Sharon

Sharon Woodhouse, owner, Conspire Creative

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