Thomas Umstattd Jr.'s Blog

I joined the Writing Off Social Podcast as a guest for Episode 73 AI Tools for Authors.

We explored AI tools’ good sides. We covered bad and ugly sides too. I shared how these technologies democratize writing. They are like the typewriter or word processor. They boost productivity.

We discussed Grammarly, ProWritingAid, Scrivener, ChatGPT, and the Patron Toolbox.

Of course, we didn’t shy away from the downsides: the risks of over-reliance on AI for generating entire books, potential ethical issues in authorship.

Overall, it was a fantastic experience being on the show and I came away energized by the discussion on how authors can adapt to this productivity boosting tech without losing their voice. If you’re an author curious about AI, I highly recommend checking out the episode. It’s packed with actionable tips and resources to get you started

Joanna Penn, host of the Creative Penn Podcast had me on to talk about:

How authors can benefit from AI optimizationPrinciples authors need to keep in mind as search is changingDifferent AI models and their capabilitiesMaking your author website LLM-friendlyHow to utilize Goodreads to improve your GEOThe future of AI agents in book buyingStaying positive and curious in the ever-changing AI landscape

Join author Ryan Gutierrez as he sits down with Thomas Umstattd Jr., for an insightful conversation about storytelling, publishing trends, and literary traditions.

In this episode, we explore:

The fascinating parallels between Solomon Kane and modern heroic charactersHow biblical archetypes influence fantasy and western storytellingThe historical foundations of King Arthur legends and their cultural impactStrategies for finding your target audience as an authorThe importance of moral clarity in storytelling

Key takeaway: “Having the courage to say ‘I’m not for everyone, but I am for this group of people’ and making something they absolutely love—if you have that creative courage, commercial success is a lot easier to find.”

Whether you’re a writer looking to improve your marketing strategy, a reader interested in literary traditions, or simply love great storytelling, this conversation offers something for everyone!

Follow Ryan Gutierrez here.

YouTube Version

The Arbiter of Worlds YouTube Channel had me on yesterday to talk about marketing for their new podcast ACKS to Grind. The host, Alexander Macris and I talk for over an hour about marketing Sci-Fi, Fantasy books and boardgames.

We explored the similarities between marketing novels and creative projects like board games. We talked about Kickstarter strategies, email lists, engaging newsletters, and more.

I asked ChatGPT to write a summary of the episode and here is what it said:

In a recent episode of the Axe to Grind podcast, Alexander McCreese hosted Thomas Umstead, a marketing expert and founder of Author Media, to discuss the secrets of marketing for indie creators. The conversation bridged the world of indie novelists and creators in gaming, board games, and Kickstarter campaigns. Here’s a comprehensive recap of the insights they shared.

Marketing Across Industries: Lessons from Novels and Games

Thomas Umstead began by highlighting the parallels between marketing indie novels and other creative products. He explained that Kickstarter has been a transformative platform for creators, starting with its roots in the board game community. Stretch goals, a common feature of crowdfunding, originated in board game campaigns and have become a standard across industries. However, the most successful Kickstarter projects today are often books, thanks to innovative approaches adopted by authors.

For creators launching their first Kickstarter, Umstead suggested leveraging their personal networks—the same people who would attend a wedding or baby shower. These early supporters create momentum and establish credibility. The second Kickstarter, however, relies on fans rather than friends. At this stage, creators must build a dedicated email list, a strategy long perfected by authors.

The Power of Email Lists

Umstead emphasized that an email list is one of the most powerful tools for indie creators. Authors meticulously cultivate these lists, keeping fans engaged through newsletters. A good email list converts superfans into backers who eagerly preorder new products. He encouraged creators to incentivize sign-ups by integrating invitations and QR codes into their existing content, like board game rulebooks.

When asked about the ideal size for an email list, Umstead noted that 500 engaged subscribers could make a significant impact for indie authors or creators. He also stressed the importance of sending regular updates, at least quarterly, to keep lists active and avoid spam filters. The key, he said, is balancing quality and quantity—an engaged list of superfans is far more valuable than a large, disinterested audience.

Creating Content Fans Want

McCreese shared his struggle to consistently generate newsletter content. Umstead advised against weekly newsletters unless inspiration strikes regularly. Monthly updates often suffice, with more frequent emails before and after a launch. Content ideas include reviews and recommendations of books, games, or media that align with the creator’s niche. These insights demonstrate shared tastes and build trust.

For example, a writer of military science fiction could review similar books from a unique perspective, such as a former military member’s take on authenticity. This approach resonates with fans and cements the creator’s authority in their genre. Reviews don’t need to be groundbreaking—honest opinions can be enough to spark engagement.

Building a Brand: Personality vs. Product

A recurring theme in the conversation was the balance between marketing the creator and marketing the product. Umstead explained that human connection drives loyalty. Fans are more likely to follow and support a person than a faceless brand. This doesn’t mean overexposing oneself on social media. Instead, creators should strategically reveal aspects of their personality that align with their audience’s values and interests.

McCreese reflected on his experiences managing multiple brands under his name. Umstead recommended creating a central hub, like a personal website, that links to all projects. This simplifies the discovery process for new fans and strengthens the creator’s overall brand.

Advertising and Platform Strategies

The conversation also touched on paid advertising. Umstead noted that ads can be highly effective when executed well. However, advertising amplifies existing strengths and weaknesses. A great product with poor advertising will underperform, and vice versa. He suggested creators focus on three key elements before investing in ads: an appealing product, a clear pitch, and professional presentation.

While platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and BoardGameGeek offer ad opportunities, Umstead cautioned against relying solely on them. Creators must own their audience through email lists and personal websites to mitigate the risks of algorithmic changes or deplatforming.

Understanding Your Audience

Knowing the target audience is fundamental to any successful campaign. Umstead advised creators to focus on specific individuals rather than broad demographics. By identifying and engaging with one real-life “Timothy,” creators can gain valuable insights into preferences and motivations. This approach ensures that products resonate deeply with a niche audience, which is often the key to success in indie spaces.

Marketing to Men vs. Women

The discussion also explored differences in marketing to men versus women. Umstead observed that content designed for men often attracts women as well, while the reverse is less common. He encouraged creators to focus on thrilling their core audience rather than diluting their message to appeal to everyone. Authenticity and specificity, he said, are inherently inviting.

Navigating Political Divides

In today’s polarized environment, creators must also navigate political divides. Umstead acknowledged that marketing efforts might resonate more with one side of the political spectrum than the other. He advised creators to embrace this reality and focus on building a loyal audience rather than attempting to appease everyone.

Direct Selling and Cancel-Proof Strategies

The podcast concluded with a discussion on direct selling and cancel-proofing one’s platform. Umstead championed direct sales as a viable option for creators with an engaged audience. By owning email lists, websites, and other platforms, creators can safeguard their businesses against deplatforming and algorithm changes. He warned against relying on social media as the sole means of reaching fans, likening it to being a chicken in a coop controlled by others.

Final Thoughts

The episode offered a wealth of actionable advice for indie creators. Whether you’re an author, board game designer, or content creator, the principles of knowing your audience, building an email list, and presenting a clear, engaging brand are universal. As Umstead succinctly put it, “Great marketing can’t save a bad product, but it can help a good one reach its potential.”

In this episode of Writing of Social Sandy, Mary K. and I talk about what kind of marketing actually works for authors.

About Writing off Social

Sandy and Mary believe that creativity flourishes when writers are free to choose their own path. They spent years feeling trapped by social media, believing it was the only way to grow their audience and share their work. But not anymore. They have discovered countless ways to connect to and nurture their audience—ways that offer a better return on their investment of time, and that don’t drain their energy.

As they have become more vocal about their decision to leave social media, writers like you are emerging from behind your computer screens to say, “Hey there! Social media isn’t working for me either.”

They see you and are glad you’re here.

If they call you Hitler, explaining how you can make the trains run on time won’t win you the election. 

The 1990s Were 30 Years Ago

In 1992, Bill Clinton won the election with a single line: “It’s About the Economy, Stupid.” Back then, the American people didn’t care about Clinton’s affairs, alleged rapes, or sordid morality. They cared about the economy, and Bill Clinton promised a good economy. He won in 1992. Clinton wouldn’t win today.

People change. Culture changes. Even you change. The commercials that made us cry back in the day now make us cringe.

One shift among voters is they’ve become more morally motivated, which surprisingly has hurt Republicans. Culture’s ethical code has shifting away from traditional values.

Republicans celebrate that the American people think Biden is terrible with the economy. They revel in the failure of Bidenomics. They think voters will vote their pocketbooks. Don’t bet the future of the country on that.

Why?

Because most Americans stopped going to church.

And, since most Americans don’t go to church, they can’t draw a sense of moral superiority from feeling like they go to the right kind of church. There are few feelings in the world as intoxicating as moral superiority. So if they can’t find moral superiority from church, where will they get it? The ballot box.

In 1991, 44% of Americans went to church every Sunday. In 2023, that number dropped to 31%. That is around 35 million Americans who used to attend church and have since stopped. 35m extra voters is all you need to win an election.

The Democrats say if you vote for them, you will be a virtuous and inclusive person. And many voters, longing for moral validation, accept this line. Voters have traded the confession booth for the ballot box as the path to virtue. 

You are suspicious of this idea, and I understand. Let me flip things around to make my point.

Flip #1: Brexit

Voters in the UK wanted to live under their own laws. The media and their leaders (from all three parties!) told them it would be bad for their economy if they left the EU. Voting “leave” would mean Brits would lose jobs, and everyone would be poorer. The voters said, “We don’t care about the economy. Our sovereignty is more important than our economy. We want our country back.” This moral argument is the reason there is no push to rejoin the EU despite economic turbulence in the UK. 

Flip #2: Argentina

In 2023, Javier Milei won presidential election in Argentina as a libertarian. How? He was willing to call his socialist opponent evil, decadent, and stupid. Decadence is a powerful concept because it conveys a moral judgement on economic behavior. “Decadent democrats feasting while the people starve” is a more persuasive image than pointing out how Marxist economic theory is flawed.  

Pointing out how the opponent is stupid is not enough to win in 2024. Remember, people need a moral reason to vote. Milei’s moral arguments for his economic positions resulted in a landslide in a country historically run by socialists. Libertarians typically lose because they get lost in the numbers.

Why do people vote? I think for most people, they vote to feel good about themselves, to feel virtuous. In the ballot box for this kind of voter, moral arguments beat economic arguments.

Moral Victories in Elections

So, let’s take the last few presidential races and look at them through a moral lens.

2008 Election: Obama: Vote for me & prove you’re not racist.

The pitch for Obama was an invitation to prove to yourself and others that you were not racist. Oh, and the other guy is Hitler. Sure, John McCain and Mitt Romney were pretty milquetoast and not very Hitlerish, but according to the media, they were Hitler!

2016 Election Trump: Vote for me and drain the swamp. Also, I’m not a corrupt murderer. 

2016 was an interesting year. Trump would have lost the moral authority to just about anyone. Anyone, that is, except for Hillary Clinton. Hilary suiciding her close confidants is a meme that is hard to shake. Of the two, Trump looked like the more moral choice. Hillary failed to make voters feel virtuous voting for her. 

2020 Election Biden: Vote for me. I’m not Hitler.

In the 2020 election, the Democrats painted Trump as a science-denying, grandma-murdering Neo-Nazi. Biden was a kindly old grandpa who felt your pain. When given the choice between Hitler and Grandpa, the American people chose Grandpa. 

Making it Make Sense

Now that we understand this moral approach to politics, it explains a few things.

Why does The Left fear QAnon?

What motivated the incredible media backlash to the QAnon conspiracy? Seriously, why all the attention and censorship for a fringe theory most voters have never heard of? QAnon was an existential threat to Democrats because it threatened the left’s moral superiority. The QAnon conspiracy claims that Democrat elites were raping, murdering, child trafficking pedophiles. Voting for a murdering pedophile does not give voters a feeling of moral superiority. 

Why is Biden’s approval falling?

The economy has been bad for a while. But Biden’s popularity is not tracking with the economy. Biden’s numbers are the lowest they have ever been, even though the economy is better than last year.

So, what is hurting Biden’s numbers?

The bribery scandal and the Israel conflict. 

The more Biden looks like a liar, a rapist, and Hamas terrorist loving, crime lord, the more his support among Americans drops. For the Democrats to win, their candidate must be the virtuous choice. Especially with a bad economy. This is why the left fights so hard to define what virtue is. 

The Path to Electoral Victory is the Moral Path

Stop calling Biden an old man. That makes him look benign. Voters long for benign. And, Biden is not benign. Biden is a tyrant who takes bribes, perverts justice, and backstabs our allies. When Biden is lucid, he is dangerous. When he is not lucid, the people around him turn him into an evil puppet. 

If Republicans want to win in 2024, voters must see them as the more virtuous choice. Democrats must be shown for the corrupt, censoring tyrants that they are. Remember, when you give Democrats power, they use it to kill babies, castrate children, and take voters rights away. 

Make The Left Nazis Again

The Far Left has given Republicans a fantastic opportunity. When the Far Left calls for Jews to be purged “from the river to the sea,” they sound a lot like Nazis. Republicans can’t let them get away with this kind of rhetoric, not only for the sake of the Jews who need a homeland to be safe but for the sake of winning in November. 

The more Republicans call the Far Left “Antisemitic Nazis” the worse the Far Left will look. Plus, when the Far Left inevitably call the Republican nominee a Nazi (which they do every cycle), it will ring hollow. Eventually, voters will start enforcing Godwin’s law, but until they do, the other side must be Hitler. 

Make “Communist” a Meaningful Slur

Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill to turn November 7 into Victims of Communism Day. This is how you achieve moral victory. Few Americans know that communism killed more people in one century than all of the religious wars throughout all of history combined. Communism is not a harmless move toward fairness. It is death, destruction, and evil. Those who call for communism call for evil. Those who vote for communists do evil.  Good virtuous people don’t vote for communists. 

Stand Strong for Life

Moral victory on abortion is critical to long-term success. If Republicans want to win, start calling pro-abortion candidates baby killers. Stop equivocating. Our lack of moral conviction is killing our electability. If Republicans lose, pro-life candidates become rapists telling innocent women what they can do with their bodies. No one wants to vote for a rapist. If Republicans wimp out on abortion, they will sacrifice the moral high ground and any chance for victory long term. Democrats are either baby killers or Republicans are rapists.  There’s no middle ground.

You either win, or you lose. It’s time to start winning.

In this episode of Writing of Social Sandy, Mary K. and I talk about the history of social media an authors. When and why did it work? And more importantly when in why did it stop working?

About Writing off Social

Sandy and Mary believe that creativity flourishes when writers are free to choose their own path. They spent years feeling trapped by social media, believing it was the only way to grow their audience and share their work. But not anymore. They have discovered countless ways to connect to and nurture their audience—ways that offer a better return on their investment of time, and that don’t drain their energy.

As they have become more vocal about their decision to leave social media, writers like you are emerging from behind your computer screens to say, “Hey there! Social media isn’t working for me either.”

They see you and are glad you’re here.

In this episode of Writing of Social Sandy, Mary K. and I talk about the history of social media an authors. When and why did it work? And more importantly when in why did it stop working?

About Writing off Social

Sandy and Mary believe that creativity flourishes when writers are free to choose their own path. They spent years feeling trapped by social media, believing it was the only way to grow their audience and share their work. But not anymore. They have discovered countless ways to connect to and nurture their audience—ways that offer a better return on their investment of time, and that don’t drain their energy.

As they have become more vocal about their decision to leave social media, writers like you are emerging from behind your computer screens to say, “Hey there! Social media isn’t working for me either.”

They see you and are glad you’re here.

The Profitable Writer Podcast is dedicated to helping authors make more money.

In this episode, Kent Sanders and I discuss:

Non-book related ways to monetize your author platform.How to diversify your income stream.The role of Patreon in his business.And more!

Last week, the blog version of an episode of Christian Publishing Show went viral, or at least it sparked a lot of discussion. Mostly here and here. In that episode, I talked about how Morality is key to making a book sell across both culture and time. Muddled morality is why newer superhero movies are failing, where the films of the last decade sold like crazy. I had a lot more to say than that and you can listen to the episode here.

The guys at the Fantastical Truth Podcast wanted to talk to me about the topic. So you can think of this as a sequel episode where we give many more examples or morality in fiction and get deeper into the theology. You can find the blog version of the episode here.