Beyond the Margins

Build a profitable author business

March 16, 2026

Hello author friends,

In the last newsletter I shared some articles regarding benefits and how-tos of volume sales and ensuring you get paid. This time, I want to fous on something just as essential to a sustainable author business: relationships and communication.

Meaningful relationships don't happen by accident. They grow out of authentic, thoughtful, and generous interactions. That often means re-orienting how we perceive everyday exchanges in our author businesses. Read about it in detail in the articles below:

• Relationships come by building, not waiting and hoping: Stop Fanning Your Bosom: A Relationship Myth That Authors Cling To​
• Think "pay it forward," not quid pro quo: Authors, Join the Favors Economy​
• Resolving conflict is complicated — but manageable: The Surprising Riches for Your Author Business of Learning How to Manage Conflict​
• "No" doesn't have to be the end of the story: 10 Reasons Why Collecting No's Matters for Your Author Outreach and Business​

3 Experts, 3 Hours, Zero Cost—Here's What’s Coming

THIS WEEK! March 18, 1pm CT: DIY PR for Authors with Tristra Newyear Yeager You don’t need a publicist to get press—but you do need strategy. Join PR veteran Tristra Newyear Yeager (20+ years helping creative people get media attention AND a published author herself) for practical DIY PR tactics that work. Learn how to find your story angle, pitch journalists, time your campaign, and build media relationships that matter. Free 60-minute Zoom—bring your PR questions, leave with a plan. [Register here.]

April 16, 1pm CT: Experience-Driven Marketing with David Jay Collins Tired of the same old book marketing tactics? Indie author David Jay Collins has mastered creative events, partnerships, and experiential marketing that get his work (and characters) visibility on and off the page. Learn his proven strategies for creating experiences that bring your books to life and actually get noticed. Free 60-minute Zoom—bring your visibility challenges, leave with actionable strategies. [Register here.]

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.]

Creating a Profitable Author Life You Love

• FREE in-person workshop
• Saturday, Apr 11, 2026, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM CDT
• Des Plaines Public Library, 1501 Ellinwood St, Des Plaines, IL 60016

Are you an author who wants to turn your book into a sustainable, profitable business—without burning out or sacrificing your creative life? Join me for this practical, energizing, free one-hour program that will transform how you think about being an author.

With over 25 years of experience running an indie publishing company and 15 years as a coach and business strategist for authors, I will share seven essential pillars for building an income-generating, sustainable author life you love, including how to build your business savvy from exactly where you are right now, why doing 5 daily promotional activities changes everything, and how to align your book marketing with your actual life goals. This isn't generic advice—it's about creating an author life that works for you.

The first 20 attendees will receive a complimentary copy of my award-winning book, The Profitable Author: 1,001 Ways to Build a Business You Love Around Your Books. All attendees will receive a free 3-month subscription to my Substack, giving you full access to over 400 articles on author businesses and book marketing strategies. Plenty of time will be reserved for Q&A, so bring your questions about publishing, marketing, platform-building, and creating an author career that's both profitable and joyful.

All the best,

Sharon

Sharon Woodhouse, owner, Conspire Creative

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