The Publishing Performance Show

Teddy Smith
  • 5.0 (13)
  • BOOKS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to The Publishing Performance Show, the quintessential podcast for both budding and veteran self-published authors! Join your host, Teddy, as he sits down with with successful indie authors and top experts in the publishing world, who generously share their unique journeys, creative inspirations, and future aspirations in their writing careers and the wider industry. Immerse yourself in a trove of valuable insights and actionable advice on writing, essential tools, and practical tips to elevate your self-publishing prowess. Whether you’re just beginning your literary voyage or seeking to refine your craft, this show brims with wisdom and inspiration to help you thrive in the self-publishing realm. Each episode promises listeners at least one actionable tip for their self-published books and a must-read recommendation from our esteemed guests. Tune in for an inspiring, informative, and thoroughly enjoyable exploration of the indie author experience!

  1. 6D AGO

    Kevin Anderson – The Truth About Ghost Writing: What It Costs, Who Does It, and How It Actually Works

    Kevin Anderson is the CEO, founder, and editor-in-chief of Kevin Anderson & Associates, one of the publishing industry's most respected ghost writing and editorial firms. With a team of former Big Five acquisitions editors, publishing executives, literary agents, and bestselling authors, his company has helped bring more than 7,000 books to life — producing around 500 titles per year. Their clients range from celebrities and Fortune 500 CEOs to first-time memoir writers with extraordinary stories to tell. In this episode: How ghost writing actually works — and why it's a deeply collaborative process, not just writing from a promptWhy skilled ghost writers are nothing like AI: the role of empathy, intuition, and journalistic interview skillThe types of clients who hire ghost writers: celebrity memoirs, business books, IP-based novels, and personal legacy piecesHow Kevin Anderson & Associates structures every project, including kick-off meetings, ongoing Zoom interviews, beta testing, and cultural accuracy reviewsWhy defining your publishing goal before you write a single word is the most important first stepThe First Chapter Rule: why getting sign-off on one complete chapter before writing the rest saves enormous time and prevents costly mistakesTypical project timelines — from 6-week rush projects to the more standard 8–12 month engagementHow ghost writing fiction differs from nonfiction, and why novels are actually harder to structure than business booksWhat ghost writing costs — from entry-level ($20K+) to high-end ($500K+) — and what drives the priceHow to vet a ghost writer: what credentials to look for and red flags to avoidWhen ghost writing is NOT the right fit — and why a book coach or developmental editor might serve you betterThe inside story on some of Kevin's most fascinating projects, including the Five Nights at Freddy's novels and the Oz Perlman mentalism bestseller Resources mentioned: Kevin Anderson & Associates website: https://kawriting.comReedsy: https://reedsy.com Connect with Kevin Anderson: Website: kawriting.com Connect with Teddy Smith: @teddyagsmith Website: https://publishingperformance.com/?ref=ywm3mtc Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/publishingperformance/ Pinterest - https://nz.pinterest.com/publishingperformance/ Instagram - https://instagram.com/publishingperformanceinsta Youtube -https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHV6ltaUB4SULkU6JEMhFSw Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com Support the show Discover More with Our Curated Starter Packs: https://teddyagsmith.com/starter-packs/

    47 min

  2. MAR 17

    Michael Stewart of Sudowrite – How to Write your Book with Sudowrite

    Michael Stewart is the Community Lead at Sudowrite, an AI creative writing partner designed primarily for fiction writers. His background is in journalism and nonfiction writing, but he discovered his struggle with fiction perfectionism early on—unable to finish first chapters because everything needed to be perfect from the start. Sudowrite helped him accelerate past the "s****y first draft" phase to get to the editing work he loves. Michael works with a community of 16,000+ authors on Sudowrite's Discord server, leads 12 teachers rotating through daily live classes, and helps writers find their unique workflows with AI tools. He's passionate about ensuring authors remain essential to their creative process while using AI to eliminate tedium. In this episode: AI democratizes writing access like personal computers didRomance authors accelerating from 6 to 200 books yearlyImport Novel reads work nine times, builds Story BibleStory Bible catalogs characters, settings, synopsis, outlineWrite button generates 150-1,500 words as smart autocompleteStuck locally vs structurally: two types of writing blocksPlugins ecosystem for niche workflow needsChat feature more powerful than ChatGPT with full contextPedal assist metaphor: eliminate tedium, focus on what you loveCharacter cards with Enneagram types and custom traitsCharacters Prompt the Author: role-play scenes through character eyesNew editing tool in beta highlights passages with custom feedbackMinimal involvement creates soulless, clichéd fictionAuthors must remain essential to avoid generic AI writing Resources mentioned: SudoWriteJoin the SudoWrite DiscordBook: "Steering the Craft" by Ursula K. Le Guin — for deepening craft skillsClaude AIChatGPT Connect with Michael Stewart: TwitterLinkedIn Connect with Teddy Smith: @teddyagsmith Website: https://publishingperformance.com/?ref=ywm3mtc Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/publishingperformance/ Pinterest - https://nz.pinterest.com/publishingperformance/ Instagram - https://instagram.com/publishingperformanceinsta Youtube -https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHV6ltaUB4SULkU6JEMhFSw Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com Support the show Discover More with Our Curated Starter Packs: https://teddyagsmith.com/starter-packs/

    45 min

  3. MAR 6

    Madeline Shue ElevenLabs - Create Professional Audiobooks for $100-200 Using ElevenLabs AI (plus how to get Michael Caine to be your narrator)

    Madeline Shue is the Publishing Lead at ElevenLabs, an AI audio platform founded in 2022 and based in London with approximately 400 employees worldwide. ElevenLabs builds AI audio models including text-to-speech, speech-to-text, music, and sound effects, bringing these innovations to consumers, creators, and enterprises globally. Madeline works specifically on everything related to authors, publishers, and audiobooks, helping creators who previously lacked resources or ability to reach global audiences share their stories in audio form. She manages the journey from manuscript to production, post-production, and distribution through ElevenLabs' audiobook products and their consumer app, Eleven Reader. In this episode: ElevenLabs history: from 250-word text boxes to full audiobook productionThe first beta tester uploaded entire manuscripts 250 words at a timeAI audio quality now indistinguishable from human narrators for many books90% of published books don't have audiobook counterpartsElevenLabs Creative: new consolidated audiobook hubTwo production options: Dynamic Narration (free) vs Original AudiobookDynamic Narration: listeners choose from 500+ voices including Michael CaineOriginal Audiobook: full creative control, voice selection, editing capabilityVoice cloning: narrate your book in your own voiceAudio drama creation: Zephyrus One sci-fi example with music and sound effectsJudy Garland's voice clone narrating The Wizard of Oz6,000+ voices in the library from real people who earn when voices are usedDesign custom voices with prompts for specific charactersVoice library filters: trending voices, usage stats, genre collectionsIconic voices: Albert Einstein, Michael Caine, Robert ReynoldsDual POV narration easy for romance with alternating voicesPronunciation dictionary for fantasy names, spells, unusual termsDirect speech feature: record how you want words pronouncedEditing typically takes equivalent time to audiobook durationFree Dynamic Narration option takes 5-10 minutes to publishQuality requirements: proper formatting, no table of contents in audioCopyright ownership: you own everything you create with ElevenLabsEleven Reader royalties: 25 cents per hour streamed, 60% on direct salesNo exclusivity requirements on any platformDistribution integrations: Spotify, Findaway, direct MP3 downloadProduction costs: $100-200 for full-length books ($10-20 per finished hour)Multicast auto-assignment or manual voice selection by highlighting text Resources mentioned: ElevenLabs: elevenlabs.ioElevenCreative: https://elevenlabs.io/creativeContact: reader@elevenlabs.io Connect with Madeline Shue and ElevenLabs: Email: reader@elevenlabs.ioFacebook Group: Authors of Eleven LabsWebsite: elevenlabs.ioTwitter: https://x.com/elevenlabsio Connect with Teddy Smith: @teddyagsmith Website: https://publishingperformance.com/?ref=ywm3mtc Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/publishingperformance/ Pinterest - https://nz.pinterest.com/publishingperformance/ Instagram - https://instagram.com/publishingperformanceinsta Youtube -https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHV6ltaUB4SULkU6JEMhFSw Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com Support the show Discover More with Our Curated Starter Packs: https://teddyagsmith.com/starter-packs/

    43 min

  4. 12/23/2025

    Walt Hampton – The 6 Paths to Finishing Your Book (Even When You’re Busy)

    Walt Hampton is the Acquisitions Editor and Director of Marketing at Summit Press Publishing, where he reviews incoming manuscripts and helps authors do more than simply publish—he helps them get the book out into the world in a big way. Walt works with entrepreneurs and high-performing professionals to turn their books into keynotes, programs, coaching and consulting offers, and long-term marketing assets—because, as he puts it, it’s not about the book, it’s what you do with the book. In this conversation, Walt breaks down practical strategies for busy writers, including time blocking, reducing interruptions, reverse-engineering your writing sessions, and his six paths to finishing your book (from one-page-a-day all the way to ghostwriting). In this episode: Walt’s dual role: acquisitions (reviewing manuscripts) + marketing (helping authors leverage the book)What makes Summit Press different: publishing + continued support long after launchReal examples of book leverage: building keynotes and high-ticket programs around the bookWhy publishing success requires long-term momentum (it’s a marathon, not a sprint)Time mastery for busy professionals: clarity of “why” + small consistent stepsTime blocking: scheduling writing like client work (starting with just 1 hour/week)Reverse-engineering the process: define thesis/TOC/conclusion so each session has a purpose“Write the closing argument first”: drafting the conclusion early to create a destinationCommon time-wasters: phone proximity, alerts, and constant interruptionInterruption science + attentional residue: why refocusing takes longer than you thinkSimple boundary systems: turning everything off + enrolling assistants/teams to protect focus timeThe “sticky note on the glass door” tactic for open-office interruptionsWhere AI helps (and where it hurts): great for brainstorming/themes + proofreading, bad for “soulless” manuscriptsFinal takeaway: begin imperfectly—editing comes later, but you can’t edit a blank page Resources mentioned: Summit Press Publishers: https://summitpresspublishers.com/Brick by BrickJourneys on the Edge: Living a Life That Matters The Power Principles of Time Mastery: Do Less, Make More, Have Fun Connect with Walt Hampton / Summit Press: Summit Press Publishers: https://summitpresspublishers.com/ Connect with Teddy Smith: @teddyagsmithWebsite: https://publishingperformance.com/?ref=ywm3mtcFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/publishingperformance/Pinterest - https://nz.pinterest.com/publishingperformance/Instagram - https://instagram.com/publishingperformanceinstaYoutube -https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHV6ltaUB4SULkU6JEMhFSwLinkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/publishing-performance/ Support the show Discover More with Our Curated Starter Packs: https://teddyagsmith.com/starter-packs/

    43 min

  5. 12/17/2025

    Nicholas Keating-Casbarro – Creating Factions, Religion, and Government for Your Fictional World

    Nicholas Keating-Casbarro is the author and creator of the Vitilarium Universe, a far-future sci-fi series following humanity after becoming multi-planetary. With seven books planned, Nicholas crafts character-focused stories exploring themes of power, corruption, government structure, and humanity's potential futures. A former medical professional turned author, Nicholas writes in an omniscient perspective similar to Frank Herbert's style, focusing on meaningful dialogue and immersive action scenes. He's expanded the Vitilarium world beyond books into comic book adaptations for Comic-Con audiences, working with illustrators Francisco Nilo, colorist Chandran Panusamy, and graphic designer Ahmed Gitar. Published through hybrid publisher Atmosphere Press, Nicholas maintains a massive Excel story guide tracking everything from character backstories to planetary exports across seven colonized worlds. In this episode: The Vitilarium Universe: humanity's future as a multi-planetary civilizationThe Alcubierre drive: using exotic material for faster-than-light travelDiscovering ancient alien ruins on Diorum, the seventh colonized planetUsing conspiracy theories and "what if" questions for world-buildingStarting world-building with themes, not plot detailsCreating factions before characters (government, gangs, militias, religion)The Coalition for Prosperity: naming totalitarian governments ironicallyWriting the tenets of a future religion (with a no-cult disclaimer)The question-based method: every answer creates new questions to defineThe massive Excel story guide with unlimited tabsBuilding a survivalist protagonist who survives deadly fauna outside megacitiesSelf-editing with story Bible and Book One PDF open for continuitySix rounds of proofreading to catch spelling and comma errorsWorking with editor John Smith to fix character motivation issuesMaps of megacity Kairos and faction sigils for reader immersionWeaving world-building through character dialogue, not exposition dumpsTreating plot holes as opportunities to add new technology or detailsTools: Excel, Word, coffee, and nicotine (manual approach)Google Notebook LM: AI tool for querying your own manuscriptAdapting books into comic series for Comic-Con crossover audienceWorking with Atmosphere Press hybrid publisher model Resources mentioned: Vitilarium Series website: https://vitaleriumseries.com/Inside Vitilarium Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/InsideVitalerium/giftAtmosphere Press: https://atmospherepress.com/Google Notebook LM: https://notebooklm.google/ Connect with Nicholas Keating-Casbarro: Website: https://vitaleriumseries.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vitariumstudio/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/vitarium.fb/reels/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/discover/vitalerium-series-official-website Connect with Teddy Smith: @teddyagsmithWebsite: https://publishingperformance.com/?ref=ywm3mtcFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/publishingperformance/Pinterest - https://nz.pinterest.com/publishingperformance/Instagram - https://instagram.com/publishingperformanceinstaYoutube -https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHV6ltaUB4SULkU6JEMhFSwLinkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/publishing-performance/ Support the show Discover More with Our Curated Starter Packs: https://teddyagsmith.com/starter-packs/

    48 min

  6. 12/09/2025

    Becca Puglisi – Why Your Characters Keep Shrugging (And How to Fix It with The Emotion Thesaurus)

    Becca Puglisi is an international speaker and bestselling author who has sold over one million copies of her Thesaurus series, with The Emotion Thesaurus being her flagship book. Starting as critique partners on Critique Circle, Becca and co-author Angela Ackerman discovered they both struggled with showing character emotions—Becca's characters were always shrugging and shuffling their feet. This led them to create lists of emotional cues that eventually became blog posts on Writers Helping Writers, then transformed into The Emotion Thesaurus when readers demanded a book version. A former first-grade teacher, Becca brings educational expertise to her workshops and tools, now available through One Stop for Writers, a subscription-based service with character-building tools based on the Thesaurus series content. In this episode: How The Emotion Thesaurus solved the "shrugging and shuffling" problemWhy every character responds to emotions differently based on personalityMining movies, books, and real-life observations for authentic emotionsStephen King's skill at creating compelling, realistic antagonistsThe importance of wounding events from backstory shaping current behaviorReserved vs demonstrative: the emotional spectrum for your characterPhysical cues, internal thoughts, and visceral sensations in showing emotionHidden emotions: what characters show others vs what readers seeEmotion escalation and de-escalation to avoid jarring jumpsMelodrama vs not enough emotion: finding the right balanceThe Emotional Wound Thesaurus for character change arcsThe Conflict Thesaurus for plotting and creating choice opportunitiesBuilding characters as mixed bags of positive and negative traitsThe Fear Thesaurus (Spring 2025): how fear drives character behavior and arcOne Stop for Writers: subscription tools based on Thesaurus content Resources mentioned: Writers Helping Writers blog: writershelpingwriters.orgOne Stop for Writers (subscription service): onestopforwriters.comCritique CircleThe Emotion Thesaurus by Becca Puglisi and Angela Ackerman: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1475004958?&linkCode=ll1&tag=pubperf-20&linkId=400c65572fa1761b41f901ed6233057c&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tlThe Negative Trait ThesaurusThe Positive Trait ThesaurusThe Emotional Wound ThesaurusThe Setting Thesaurus (multiple books)The Conflict Thesaurus (two books)The Fear Thesaurus (coming Spring 2025) Connect with Becca Puglisi: Writers Helping Writers blog: writershelpingwriters.orgOne Stop for Writers: onestopforwriters.com Connect with Teddy Smith: @teddyagsmithWebsite: https://publishingperformance.com/?ref=ywm3mtcFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/publishingperformance/Pinterest - https://nz.pinterest.com/publishingperformance/Instagram - https://instagram.com/publishingperformanceinstaYoutube -https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHV6ltaUB4SULkU6JEMhFSwLinkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/publishing-performance/ Support the show Discover More with Our Curated Starter Packs: https://teddyagsmith.com/starter-packs/

    34 min

  7. 12/02/2025

    Michael Drew – Why Self-Published Authors Can't Hit Major Bestseller Lists (And What to Do Instead)

    Michael Drew is the founder of PromoteABook.com (established 25 years ago) and BookRetreat.com, with a track record of helping 132 consecutive books hit major bestseller lists including The New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Success Magazine. Starting his career at age 18 as the #3 salesperson at Executive Excellence (a division of Covey Leadership Center), Michael impressed industry leaders and landed at Bard Press by age 19, where he was tasked with understanding how bestseller lists actually work. His first campaign launched "Secret Formulas of the Wizard of Ads" by Roy H. Williams to #3 on The New York Times and #1 on Wall Street Journal. Today, 85% of his work focuses on building thought leadership platforms, with 110 clients permanently increasing their gross revenue by $1 million+ per year, 10 clients increasing revenue by $50 million+ per year, and 7 clients increasing revenue by $100 million+ per year through strategic book campaigns. In this episode: Bestseller lists as sophisticated polls, not real sales rankingsOnly 7 of 132 bestselling clients made money from book sales110 clients permanently increased revenue by $1M+ per year using their book strategicallyBrick-and-mortar stores represent 75% of book salesThe three major lists: New York Times, USA Today, Success MagazineSelf-publishers cannot hit major bestseller lists (distribution requirements)IngramSpark distribution won't work for bestseller campaignsCo-op fees: $1-5 per unit for retail shelf placementNew York Times requirements: 20K print, 10K ebook, 10K through AmazonOnline media: 350 blogs, 90 podcasts, 90 vlogs, 50K+ social engagement per platformTraditional media: 100 TV markets, 100 radio markets, 100 print marketsAmazon bestseller lists have no real valueThe uncovering: two-day meeting defining outcome, measurement, strategy, tacticsBook Retreat in Guatemala: write your book in 30 days using 64 blog posts methodContent repurposing system: blog posts become videos, podcasts, social media, and book Resources mentioned: Promote A Book: https://promoteabook.com/Book Retreat in Guatemala: https://bookretreat.com/"Secrets of the Millionaire Mind" by T. Harv Eker"Secret Formulas of the Wizard of Ads" by Roy H. Williams (Michael's first campaign)"Pendulum: How Past Generations Shape Our Present and Predict Our Future" (co-authored with Roy Williams)"Nuts: Southwest Airlines Crazy Recipe for Success" published by Bard PressKDP (Kindle Direct Publishing)IngramSpark Connect with Michael Drew: Email: michael@promotabook.com Connect with Teddy Smith: @teddyagsmithWebsite: https://publishingperformance.com/?ref=ywm3mtcFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/publishingperformance/Pinterest - https://nz.pinterest.com/publishingperformance/Instagram - https://instagram.com/publishingperformanceinstaYoutube -https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHV6ltaUB4SULkU6JEMhFSwLinkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/publishing-performance/ Support the show Discover More with Our Curated Starter Packs: https://teddyagsmith.com/starter-packs/

    57 min

  8. 11/25/2025

    Amy Suto – The Three-Pillar System for Making Six Figures as a Self-Published Author

    Amy Suto is a seven-figure freelance writer, memoir ghostwriter, bestselling author, and founder of the top Substack newsletter Make Writing Your Job. Starting as a Hollywood TV writer working for minimum wage as an assistant, Amy discovered that freelancing could outpace traditional entertainment industry earnings. She's flown to countries like Austria to work with clients on their memoirs, ghostwritten for Olympians and NBA players, and built a thriving writing business with three income pillars: self-publishing, paid newsletters, and freelance writing. Her upcoming book Write for Money and Power (launching January 12, 2026) provides the mindset operating system writers need to build six and seven-figure writing careers. In this episode: Rejecting the starving artist myth and rewriting limited beliefs about writer incomeThe three-pillar system: self-publishing, paid newsletters, and freelancingWhy freelancing with multiple clients is more secure than one full-time jobEscaping 10 cents per word work by pricing for outcomes instead of effortHow copywriting jobs paying $8,000/month are dominating Make Writing Your JobWhy memoir ghostwriting is the highest-paying freelance nicheGetting flown to Austria to interview clients and capture their life storiesThe mindset shift that lets you quote rates without fearNegotiating triple client budgets by educating them on writing valueWhy Anthropic hiring writers proves AI can't replace storytellingUsing ChatGPT for research, text-to-speech dictation, and routine workGoogle Notebook LM for querying your own novel contentSubstack's unique organic traffic and onboarding flow advantagesPutting up paywalls early to trigger Substack's promotional algorithmEmailing only free subscribers with upgrade sequences and discountsHow all three pillars dovetail: Substack becomes portfolio and book contentThe 12-month roadmap to earning seven figures with three writing pillarsSystems that let you take six weeks off while your business runsPre-order benefits including founding memberships and Notion templates Resources mentioned: Make Writing Your Job Substack: https://www.makewritingyourjob.com/Amy Suto's personal Substack: https://www.sutoscience.com/Write for Money and Power by Amy Suto (pre-order at amysuto.com/power)ChatGPT Google Notebook LMUpwork for early freelancingSubstack Notes (Twitter-like feature) Book Recommendations: Write for Money and Power by Amy Suto (releasing January 12, 2026) Connect with Amy Suto: Website: https://www.amysuto.com/Make Writing Your Job Substack: https://www.makewritingyourjob.com/Personal Substack: https://www.sutoscience.com/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sutoscienceInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/sutoscienceTwitter: https://twitter.com/sutosciencePre-order book with benefits: amysuto.com/power Connect with Teddy Smith: @teddyagsmithWebsite: https://publishingperformance.com/?ref=ywm3mtcFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/publishingperformance/Pinterest - https://nz.pinterest.com/publishingperformance/Instagram - https://instagram.com/publishingperformanceinstaYoutube -https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHV6ltaUB4SULkU6JEMhFSwLinkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/publishing-performance/ Support the show Discover More with Our Curated Starter Packs: https://teddyagsmith.com/starter-packs/

    43 min
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About

Welcome to The Publishing Performance Show, the quintessential podcast for both budding and veteran self-published authors! Join your host, Teddy, as he sits down with with successful indie authors and top experts in the publishing world, who generously share their unique journeys, creative inspirations, and future aspirations in their writing careers and the wider industry. Immerse yourself in a trove of valuable insights and actionable advice on writing, essential tools, and practical tips to elevate your self-publishing prowess. Whether you’re just beginning your literary voyage or seeking to refine your craft, this show brims with wisdom and inspiration to help you thrive in the self-publishing realm. Each episode promises listeners at least one actionable tip for their self-published books and a must-read recommendation from our esteemed guests. Tune in for an inspiring, informative, and thoroughly enjoyable exploration of the indie author experience!

Information

  • Creator
    Teddy Smith
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    150
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Publishing Performance Show
  • Show Website
    The Publishing Performance Show

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