Key Takeaways from Future of Publishing / Writer MBA 2025

At Written Word Media, there’s nothing we love more than connecting with authors—whether they’re just starting out, scaling up, or reinventing their publishing strategy. That’s why we were thrilled to attend Future of Publishing / Writer MBA 2025 in New Orleans this year.

Events like this give us the chance to listen, learn, and share—to hear firsthand what’s working (and what’s not) in the ever-evolving world of publishing. Whether it’s a seasoned pro launching their next bestseller or a debut author diving into book marketing for the first time, these conversations remind us why we do what we do: helping authors reach readers.

If you’re new to Future of Publishing and Writer MBA, think of it as part conference, part intensive training—100% focused on building sustainable author careers. In their keynotes, founders Russell Nohelty and Monica Leonelle reflected on how their niche—direct sales, Kickstarter campaigns, special editions, and other non-traditional strategies—once operated on the fringes of publishing. Now? There’s an entire conference dedicated to these approaches, packed with authors successfully leveraging them.

Let’s be honest—being an author today is both exhilarating and overwhelming. AI is shaking up the industry, direct sales are booming, and marketing strategies are shifting constantly. It’s a lot to navigate. That’s why this conference exists: to cut through the noise and focus on what actually works.

But the real magic? The conversations. The conference was intentionally designed to provide what authors need—other authors sharing real experiences and learnings.

Here are our five biggest takeaways from Future of Publishing / Writer MBA 2025.

1. Special Editions: The Fandom Factor
2. Direct Sales Are Exciting—But Not Straightforward
3. AI: A Tool, Not a Takeover
4. Translations Are an Opportunity—But Not a Shortcut
5. Authors Need Community—Now More Than Ever

1. Special Editions: The Fandom Factor

One of our favorite conversations was about special edition books—because wow, do readers love them! It’s no surprise, the books are beautiful with covers made from luxury materials like velvet or vegan leather. Shiny foil pages, sprayed edges, and full-color illustrations are placed throughout these special books. The books work well as trophies for your Zoom background, conversation starters, and even (gasp) reading! 

From foil stamping and velvet covers to full-page illustrations and leather-bound editions, premium books are more than just a trend—they’re a way to deepen reader loyalty.

There’s a variety of vendors to get these books created. At Future of Publishing, there were a variety of vendors who displayed their ability to make special editions. Specifically Bookvault, The Inkfluence, and IngramSpark all showcased special edition products. Bookvault and IngramSpark help with fulfillment in addition to printing. Better pricing can be gained by using vendors like The Inkfluence, who outsource the production overseas, but the tradeoff is lead time (expect 75+ days from start to finish), and you’ll need to handle fulfillment yourself.

The margins can be higher on these special editions due to the quality of the product and the increase in reader demand. This presents an opportunity for indie authors who are used to razor-thin margins on Print-On-Demand books. 

If you need money to get one of these books printed, Kickstarter is a popular funding option, but results vary, and bringing your own audience is key to making this option work. For authors with a strong fanbase, these special editions can be a fantastic way to increase revenue, but they work best when paired with a strong marketing plan.

2. Direct Sales Are Exciting—But Not Straightforward

There’s no doubt that authors are taking control of their sales like never before. More and more are setting up Shopify stores, running Kickstarters, and building email lists to sell directly to readers. Authors are excited about the benefits of selling directly—they get to keep their customer data and a greater percentage of each sale.

The energy is there, but so are the challenges:

• Many authors struggle with services WooCommerce, Shopify, and Klaviyo—they’re learning as they go and that learning curve can slow down speed-to-market and add monthly costs.
• Reviews on direct sales pages are tricky (Amazon reviews can’t legally be copied to a Shopify store, for example), so authors are sometimes ‘starting over’ with respect to reviews on their direct stores.
• More platforms like Bookvault, Curios, and IngramSpark are stepping up to help authors with the challenges involved in direct sales.

We love seeing this shift, but it’s clear that direct sales require serious organization. Authors are becoming small e-commerce companies and it takes work to get that right. The authors who are thriving here are treating their books like a business—planning ahead, tracking data, and staying laser-focused on what works.

3. AI: A Tool, Not a Takeover

Of course, we had plenty of AI conversations—and the consensus was consistent:

• AI-enabled services for narration and translation should unlock those markets for authors by bringing costs down substantially. Expect more authors to be able to enter foreign markets and release audio in the near future.
• Some authors are experimenting with custom AI assistants (think “Ads Expert GPT” or “Creative GPT” to give multiple perspectives).
• Skepticism is still strong. Most authors aren’t using AI for actual writing, but they are testing it for admin tasks, productivity, and marketing.

Our take? AI can save time—but it won’t replace the human touch that makes books special. The authors who use it best are the ones who know when (and when not) to lean on it.

4. Translations Are an Opportunity—But Not a Shortcut

We had some great discussions about bringing books to international markets, and Melissa Storm gave us the intel on what that actually looks like:

• Germany is the second-largest book market after the U.S. representing a big opportunity—but it is also a competitive market, so make sure to plan marketing in addition to translating your book.
• Spanish translations should target Spain, not Latin America (the dialect differences matter!).
• AI translation tools like ScribeShadow and DeepL are getting better, but human translators are still the gold standard.
• Expect to pay about $.01 to $.05 per word for translation depending on the market.

Our takeaway? Translations can open up new revenue streams—but only if done strategically.  If you want to enter a new market, do so with a plan and intention. Set a budget for the translation, the cover redesign, and the marketing so you set yourself up for success. It’s not a “set it and forget it” process.

5. Authors Need Community—Now More Than Ever

This was, hands down, one of the biggest themes of the event:

• Authors need support. Publishing is overwhelming and often lonely. Sometimes, authors don’t need a new tool—they just need support from their fellow creatives. The conference was a great way for authors to meet each other and find support. There were exercises to help the historically introverted writers find each other and share notes.
• One of the themes of the conference was that each of us has ‘locks’ or problems and that other people have ‘keys’ that can help us. By finding each other, the keys unlock the locks and enable success. 
• The most successful authors we met have accountability groups—just 2-3 trusted peers who can trade notes, share solutions, and help keep themselves on track.
• Writing cohorts and mentorship programs are in demand—authors want structure and support.

This hit home for us. At Written Word Media, we always aim to be more than just a service—we want to be a partner for authors. These conversations reinforced just how important that is.

Spotlight on Free Promos 

At the conference, Ferol Vernon, our COO, delivered an insightful and data-driven talk on “Free Promotions: The Secret Psychological Impact of Zero Cost and Why It Works.” With his signature blend of expertise and approachability, Ferol broke down why the word “free” is far more than just a pricing strategy—it’s a powerful psychological trigger that influences reader behavior in profound ways.

 

He shared compelling data and real-world case studies from some of the world’s biggest companies, showing how “free” drives profitability for them and relaying how the indie author community can use these same techniques. He spoke about how free book promotions can drive massive downloads, boost an author’s visibility, and create a ripple effect of reviews and long-term sales. Whether you’re launching on Amazon, selling direct, or experimenting with Kickstarter, the psychology behind “free” remains the same—it’s a secret driver for massive attention, drives downloads, and builds long-term reader loyalty.

Final Thoughts

What makes events like this one so special isn’t just the panels or the insights—it’s the conversations.

It’s sitting down with an author who’s feeling stuck and helping them find clarity.

It’s hearing from a writer who used one of our email promotions and finally hit their sales goal.

It’s a reminder that, no matter where you are in your career, you’re not alone in this journey.

The publishing world is changing fast—but with the right knowledge, tools, and community, authors can stay ahead.

Whether you’re:

• Experimenting with AI
• Selling direct to readers
• Scaling your marketing strategy
• Building long-term success

…staying plugged into events like this is key.

And as always, Written Word Media is here to support you.

Our email promotions and ads help authors reach more readers—without the stress. Because in an ocean of books, we want to shine a light on yours.