Guides

Guides for nonfiction authors

How to start a podcast, write and publish a book, and market it to readers. Practical guides from people who book author interviews for a living.

Featured guide

How to Start a Podcast: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

How to start a podcast step by step: pick a niche and format, record and edit, get on Apple and Spotify, launch and grow, even for free with no audience.

Read the guide · 11 min

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Podcasting

Start a show, find topics and guests, and get booked on other people's podcasts.

10 guides

Start here · Complete guide

How to Start a Podcast: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

How to start a podcast step by step: pick a niche and format, record and edit, get on Apple and Spotify, launch and grow, even for free with no audience.

Read the guide · 11 min

How to Get on Podcasts: A Step-by-Step Guide for Authors

How to get on podcasts as an author or expert: find and vet the right shows, send a pitch hosts answer, follow up, time it to launch and be a great guest.

Chris Davis · October 27, 2026

Podcast Equipment for Beginners: What You Actually Need

Podcast equipment for beginners, explained: the minimum kit, three budget setups, dynamic vs condenser and USB vs XLR mics, room treatment and software.

Chris Davis · October 26, 2026

120 Podcast Topics and Ideas to Talk About (By Category)

120 podcast topics grouped into 12 categories, from business and books to comedy and true stories, plus how to choose a good podcast topic and test it first.

Chris Davis · October 24, 2026

How Much Does It Cost to Start a Podcast? (2026 Breakdown)

How much does it cost to start a podcast? See free, budget, mid-range and pro budgets for equipment, hosting, editing, artwork and music in one clear table.

Chris Davis · October 21, 2026

160 Podcast Name Ideas (Plus Formulas to Create Your Own)

160 podcast name ideas by niche, from business and interview shows to comedy and true crime, plus naming formulas and a checklist to make sure yours is free.

Chris Davis · October 20, 2026

126 Podcast Questions to Ask Any Guest (By Type)

126 podcast questions to ask guests, from icebreakers and funny ones to deep questions for authors and founders, plus how to research guests and order them.

Chris Davis · October 17, 2026

Podcast Intro: 18 Examples, a Script Template and Music Tips

Write a podcast intro listeners don't skip: 18 ready-to-adapt podcast intro examples by format, a fill-in script template, ideal length and music licensing.

Chris Davis · October 15, 2026

Podcast Script Template: 4 Free, Copy-Ready Formats

Free podcast script template for solo, interview, co-hosted and storytelling episodes, plus an intro script, outro, ad read and a podcast outline template.

Chris Davis · October 13, 2026

How to Promote a Podcast: 37 Tactics and a 30-Day Plan

How to promote a podcast without a big budget: 37 tactics for launch week, guest swaps, SEO show notes, video clips and newsletters, plus a 30-day plan.

Chris Davis · October 10, 2026

Writing & publishing

Write, title, edit and publish a book, and know what it really costs and pays.

13 guides

Start here · Complete guide

How to Write a Nonfiction Book: A Step-by-Step Guide

How to write a nonfiction book, step by step: shape your big idea, check the market, outline, research, draft, revise, edit, publish and build readers.

Read the guide · 11 min

How to Publish a Book: Traditional, Self and Hybrid Paths

How to publish a book in 2026: compare traditional, self-publishing and hybrid, then follow clear steps for agents, KDP, IngramSpark, ISBNs and timelines.

Andréia Zakime · October 25, 2026

Book Title Ideas: 120+ Examples and 14 Formulas That Work

Book title ideas for nonfiction and fiction: 120+ original examples by genre, 14 fill-in title formulas, subtitle rules and a simple way to test titles.

Andréia Zakime · October 23, 2026

How to Write a Memoir: A Step-by-Step Guide With Prompts

Learn how to write a memoir about your life: find your theme, choose a structure, write about real people with care, use 30 prompts and publish it well.

Andréia Zakime · October 22, 2026

How Much Does It Cost to Publish a Book? A Line-by-Line Breakdown

How much does it cost to publish a book? See 2026 budget, mid-range and premium costs for editing, cover, formatting, ISBNs and marketing, plus hybrid fees.

Andréia Zakime · October 19, 2026

How Long Does It Take to Write a Book? Realistic Timelines

How long does it take to write a book? See realistic timelines by length and words per day, plus the full path from first draft to editing and launch.

Andréia Zakime · October 18, 2026

How Much Do Authors Make? Royalties, Advances and Real Income

How much do authors make per book and per year? Royalty rates, advances, KDP payouts, survey income data and worked examples for first-time authors.

Andréia Zakime · October 16, 2026

Book Outline Template: 4 Free Templates for Nonfiction

Get a free book outline template for nonfiction, how-to books and memoir, plus a chapter outline template and step-by-step help on writing a book outline.

Andréia Zakime · October 14, 2026

What Is a Ghostwriter? Meaning, Cost and How It Works

What is a ghostwriter? Learn what they do, how the process works, who gets credit, how much a ghostwriter costs, and how to hire or become one.

Andréia Zakime · October 12, 2026

How Much Does a Book Editor Cost? Rates by Type of Edit

How much does a book editor cost in 2026? Per-word rates for developmental, line and copy editing and proofreading, plus how to find and vet a book editor.

Andréia Zakime · October 11, 2026

How to Write a Book Proposal (With a Free Template)

Learn how to write a book proposal for nonfiction: every section agents expect, a free book proposal template, typical length and the mistakes to avoid.

Andréia Zakime · October 9, 2026

Author Bio Examples: 24 Samples for Every Length and Use

Author bio examples for book jackets, Amazon, podcasts, speaking and social media, in four lengths, plus a fill-in template and first vs third person tips.

Andréia Zakime · October 8, 2026

Book Blurb Examples: 14 Samples and a Formula That Works

Book blurb examples for nonfiction and fiction, plus what a book blurb is, a simple formula, back cover and Amazon length guidance and the mistakes to avoid.

Andréia Zakime · October 5, 2026

Book marketing

Plans, launches and promotion ideas that put books in front of readers.

8 guides

Start here · Complete guide

Book Marketing: The Complete Guide for Nonfiction Authors

A complete book marketing guide: positioning, author platform, pre-launch, launch week and ongoing promotion, plus every channel compared by cost and effort.

Read the guide · 11 min

35 Book Signing Ideas That Actually Fill the Room

35 book signing ideas for authors: venues, formats, interactive and virtual events, plus how to pitch a bookstore, a setup checklist and how to fill seats.

Andréia Zakime · October 26, 2026

Book Marketing Plan: A 12-Month Template for Authors

Build a book marketing plan that works: a free 12-month template, a week-by-week launch schedule, sample budget allocation and the KPIs worth tracking.

Andréia Zakime · October 20, 2026

Author Website Examples: 14 Patterns That Work (and Why)

Author website examples worth copying: 14 proven layouts, what each page needs, a platform comparison and a homepage template you can build this weekend.

Andréia Zakime · October 19, 2026

45 Book Promotion Ideas, Sorted by Cost and Launch Stage

45 book promotion ideas sorted by cost and launch stage, with an effort-vs-impact table so you know which free and paid tactics to start with first.

Andréia Zakime · October 15, 2026

How to Get Book Reviews (Without Breaking Amazon's Rules)

How to get book reviews the right way: build an ARC reader team, use book review sites, add editorial reviews and follow Amazon's rules. Free email template.

Andréia Zakime · October 14, 2026

Author Newsletter Examples: 12 Formats With Sample Emails

Author newsletter examples you can copy: 12 formats with sample emails, 30 content ideas, a 4-email welcome sequence and ways to grow your list from zero.

Andréia Zakime · October 10, 2026

Goodreads Giveaway: Costs, Rules and Is It Worth It?

How a Goodreads giveaway works for authors and readers: current cost, Kindle vs print, how to enter, how to set one up and whether it's worth the money.

Andréia Zakime · October 7, 2026

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