Publish & Prosper

Matt Briel & Lauren Vassallo
  • 4.6 (21)
  • BOOKS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Where publishing, technology, and marketing collide. Brought to you by Lulu.com. 

  1. 6D AGO ·  VIDEO

    Print Books Still Aren’t Dead

    In this episode, Lauren & Matt gleefully share data from a recent Pew Research Center report confirming what we already knew: print books are alive and well. We unpack the survey results and what they mean for us, indie authors, and the publishing industry as a whole. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch the video episode on YouTube! Dive Deeper 💡 Pew Research Center | Americans still opt for print books over digital or audio versions 💡 Print Still Owns the Room and Pew Research Agrees With [Matt] 💡 Listen to These Episodes Ep #109 | Choosing Your Direct Sales StrategyEp #110 | Why Print is the Missing Piece in Your Creator EcosystemEp #118 | How to Get Your Readers to Sell Your Book for You Sound Bites From This Episode 🎙️ [4:17] – “For all those that are continually beating that drum, or find it weird that I'm anti-ebook, in your face.” 🎙️ [16:32] – “I would hope by now anybody that's listened to more than a couple of  these episodes, that you've understood that whether or not Lauren and I worked for Lulu, we would still be talking about books, print books, how authors can sell more books. Our whole existence at times, especially from a professional level, revolves around helping authors sell more books.” 🎙️ [35:16] – “You should be tapping into this market of print book readers and buyers. 100% if you're not already, you should. But more importantly, if you're not selling direct yet, that's really where all of this comes together. That's the four way stop, the convergence of where all of these things will meet in the middle and form, like the ultimate sort of book sales experience for you and your readers.” 💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog, our YouTube channel, and more. 💀 Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom! 💀 Email us at podcast@lulu.com 💀 Sign up for our mailing list.

    55 min

  2. MAY 13

    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: 😱 Common mistakes we see authors & creators making 🤩 Proactive moves we see authors & creators making 🤔 Things you can do right now to better position your strategy Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch the video episode on YouTube! Dive Deeper 💡 Explore These Resources Lulu Blog | Discoverability in the Age of AI Search 💡 Listen to These Episodes Ep #68 | Maximizing Your Chances of Discoverability in Generative AI SearchEp #78 | How to Use Generative AI to Sell More BooksEp #86 | Maximizing Your First Impression in the Attention Economy Sound Bites From This Episode 🎙️ [18:39] “The more evergreen content that you have out there, the more content that you put out there that will stand the test of time and again prove that you are human, that you write for humans, that your content speaks and relates to humans, the better off you're going to be.” 🎙️ [51:45] “We are not saying write content that is targeted towards the robots. We're saying write content that is targeted towards humans, because that's what the robots are looking for.” 💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog, our YouTube channel, and more. 💀 Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom! 💀 Email us at podcast@lulu.com 💀 Sign up for our mailing list.

    58 min

  3. MAY 6

    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 entrepreneurs mobilize their fans, and offer up tips for putting these ideas into action.  Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch the video episode on YouTube! Dive Deeper 💡 Explore These Resources Cosmopolitan | Bring Back Men Who YearnLulu Blog | How to Turn Casual Followers into Dedicated Super FansLulu U | How to Build a Community of True Fans 💡 Listen to These Episodes Ep #15 | Can You Really Support Your Business With Just 1,000 True Fans?Ep #24 | How to Turn Your Casual Fans into Super FansEp #86 | Maximizing Your First Impression in the Attention Economy Sound Bites From This Episode 🎙️ [11:45] “But I think that all of that advice and all that strategy and all that how to, really actually just boils down to: you have to give your audience a reason to care about you and a reason to want to talk about you.” 🎙️ [31:20] “And that's where I think micro-influencers are really useful. Not in the traditional way that we think of influencer marketing, but that building relationships through relationships kind of marketing.” 🎙️ [55:32] “Building that ecosystem is extremely important. Nobody wants to do this on their own. It's not easy. And so when you can build yourself a little army, I think that just exponentially increases your success rate.” 💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog, our YouTube channel, and more. 💀 Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom! 💀 Email us at podcast@lulu.com 💀 Sign up for our mailing list.

    59 min

  4. APR 29

    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 between your digital designs and print book.  Dive in from the beginning for a complete crash course in print book design, or skip ahead to learn about: [7:00] – Exterior Book Design (Trim Size, Binding Type, Cover Finish)[18:11] – Interior Book Design (Paper Types, Ink Types)[26:01] – Print Variants  [33:08] – Fitting Design Elements Together[37:49] – Designing for Print vs. Digital[43:43] – Understanding Print Variance[53:55] – Being Proactive with Your Book Design[1:03:58] – Episode Wrap UpTo maximize your print book mastery, we recommend watching this episode on YouTube! Dive Deeper 💡 Explore These Resources Lulu’s Pricing CalculatorCheck Out Matt’s Book! 💡 Listen to These Episodes Ep #72 | Build Your Own Book: Design Choices for Print BooksEp #93 | Tales from the Scrypt: Self-Publishing Horror Stories (and How to Survive Them)💡 Read These Blog Posts The Anatomy of a BookHow Books Are Made: From PDF to Printed & Bound5 Visual Indicators Your Book Is Self-Published💡 Watch The Life of a Book 💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog, our YouTube channel, and more. 💀 Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom! 💀 Email us at podcast@lulu.com 💀 Sign up for our mailing list.

    1h 6m

  5. APR 22

    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 like Manacled and All the Young Dudes.  Learn more about the legality of publishing fanfiction, how these practices have changed in the last few years, and what we think this says about the future of the publishing industry.  Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch the video episode on YouTube! Dive Deeper 💡 Explore These Resources NPR | 3 Harry Potter fan fiction authors are coming to a bookstore near youWired | Lots of People Make Money on Fanfic. Just Not the AuthorsBustle |  SenLinYu Reveals How 'Alchemised' & Their Fanfic, 'Manacled,' Came To Be 💡 Listen to These Episodes Ep #65 | How to Copyright the Copy That You WroteEp #77 | Lauren Finally Gets to Talk About FanfictionEp #111 | Plot Twist: Indie Authors are Landing More Traditional Publishing Deals than Ever💡 Read These Blog Posts What Is Fanfiction and Why Does It Matter? Sound Bites From This Episode 🎙️ [11:44] “Never have I wanted to jump out of this seat so badly in the two years that we've done this.” – Matt 🎙️ [39:55] “I just think it's all indicative of this bigger sign that, that publishing is moving in this direction of more and more – like, they're looking to indie creators for proven value, for proven audience, for like, we're not taking a risk on unknown, on people that don't have an audience base, people that don't have any kind of proof of concept whatsoever.” – Lauren 💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog, our YouTube channel, and more. 💀 Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom! 💀 Email us at podcast@lulu.com 💀 Sign up for our mailing list.

    48 min

  6. APR 15

    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 can help you assemble your dream team for long-term publishing success!  We talk through steps like:  Understanding different types of freelancers The three best places to start your search (and research)Narrowing your pool of applicants to a shortlist of top candidatesListen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch the video episode on YouTube! Dive Deeper 💡 Explore These Resources Lulu’s Trusted Partners & ProsEditorial Freelancers AssociationFiverr💡 Listen to These Episodes Ep #8 | Self-Publishing is a Team SportEp #20 | Do You Need to Hire Professional Editors for Your Book?Ep #93 | Tales from the Scrypt: Self-Publishing Horror Stories (and How to Survive Them)💡 Read These Blog Posts Build Your Publishing TeamHow to Choose an Editor💡 Watch These Videos Types of Book Editing and How to Get Them DoneHow to Build Your Publishing Dream TeamWebinar | Take Your Story to the Next Level with Experts from Lulu and Fiverr    💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog, our YouTube channel, and more. 💀 Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom! 💀 Email us at podcast@lulu.com 💀 Sign up for our mailing list.

    1 hr

  7. APR 8

    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 just right.  So in this episode, Lauren & Matt embark on an exciting adventure through the retail distribution cycle! We talk through:  🔑  Understanding the key players in the distribution game 📚  The 4 most important stages from book publication to bookstore shelf 🎯  What indie authors need to do to set their book up for success  Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch the video episode on YouTube! Dive Deeper 💡 Listen to These Episodes Ep #37 | How to Get Your Book Into Indie BookstoresEp #59 | Mastering Book Metadata to Maximize Market ReachEp #68 | Maximizing Your Chances of Discoverability in Generative AI SearchEp #90 | How to Get Your Book Into Libraries 💡 Read These Blog Posts What the Hell Is Metadata?Genres, BISAC Subject Codes, and YouHow Retail Book Distribution Actually Works 💡 Explore These Resources from the Lulu Knowledge Base Global Distribution: The BasicsMandatory Print Book Distribution RequirementsCommon Retail Distribution Rejection Reasons 💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog, our YouTube channel, and more. 💀 Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom! 💀 Email us at podcast@lulu.com 💀 Sign up for our mailing list.

    57 min

  8. APR 1

    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 the world; the other is an intimate, interactive gathering of content entrepreneurs dedicated to learning how to secure brand deals and sponsorships. Attending these two events back-to-back highlighted the overlap and discrepancies between two types of creative audiences, so we’re asking the questions: 🤔 What can authors learn from content creators/entrepreneurs? 💡 What can content creators learn from authors?  🫱🏻‍🫲🏽 What does it look like when someone is taking the best from both worlds?  Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch the video episode on YouTube! Dive Deeper 💡 Learn More About These Events Publishers Weekly’s LBF Recap | A ‘Buzzy and Busy’ Fair Sponsor GamesMomentumIBPA Publishing UniversityLulu’s 2026 Event Schedule💡 Learn More About These Creators The Maker’s Table with Jeff Sieh and Katie FawkesKatie CrossAustin L. Church💡 Listen to These Episodes Ep #63 | Beyond the Algorithm: Relationship Marketing for Authors & Publishers [Video: Live from London Book Fair 2025]Ep #86 | Maximizing Your First Impression in the Attention EconomyEp #111 | Plot Twist: Indie Authors are Landing More Traditional Publishing Deals than Ever 💀 Can’t wait for our next episode? Check out our Resources page for links to our blog, our YouTube channel, and more. 💀 Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn at luludotcom! 💀 Email us at podcast@lulu.com 💀 Sign up for our mailing list.

    57 min
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4.6
out of 5
21 Ratings

About

Where publishing, technology, and marketing collide. Brought to you by Lulu.com. 

Information

  • Creator
    Matt Briel & Lauren Vassallo
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    121
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Publish & Prosper
  • Show Website
    Publish & Prosper

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