Are Cost Cap Ads Key to Direct Sales Success?
By: Ginger | Posted on April 18, 2025
While direct sales can be a game-changer for authors with a solid series or bundle to offer, the cost of running standard Facebook ads can make turning a profit a real challenge. Even for marketing-savvy writers, the learning phase, where Facebook figures out who’s most likely to buy, can set your ad budget on fire before you see a single sale. But there’s a rarely used strategy that might just change the game for authors selling direct. In today’s blog, Ginger breaks down Facebook’s Cost Cap setting, a powerful but underused tool that lets you control how much you’re willing to spend per sale. When used correctly, it can help you start running profitable ads from day one, and find your ideal readers before your budget runs dry. So, if you’ve read any of my previous articles on the topic, you should know by now that I’m an evangelical when… Read More >
What Wicked Can Teach Authors About Adaptation
By: Ginger | Posted on April 11, 2025
Many authors dream of seeing their books transformed into Broadway sensations or blockbuster films—but the journey from novel to script isn’t always smooth, or even successful. Even with industry interest, the adaptation process can be full of creative compromises, unexpected detours, and reinventions that risk losing the heart of the original story. That’s what makes Wicked such a fascinating case. Originally a novel, then a record-breaking musical, and now a critically acclaimed film, Wicked has thrived across a variety of adaptations. In today’s blog, Ginger digs into Wicked’s wildly successful evolution to uncover what it got so right, and what authors can learn from its journey. From story structure and thematic depth to the art of staying flexible while preserving your story’s core, Wicked offers authors a blueprint for crafting work that can leap off the page and come alive on stage or screen. I recently watched the Wicked movie… Read More >
Should Your Redeemed Villain Live or Die?
By: Ginger | Posted on April 4, 2025
There’s something irresistible about watching a character we once hated fight their way back to redemption. But not all former villains get to ride off into the sunset. Often, they’re still sacrificed for the good of the story. But whether they live or die is not determined by flipping a coin. As an author, it’s your job to weigh several key factors when deciding the ultimate ending for your reformed antagonist. In today’s blog, Ginger walks us through how to evaluate your villain’s past sins and redemption arc to strike the right balance between satisfying storytelling and reader expectations. From the severity of their actions to the motivations behind their transformation, he breaks down the essential elements that should guide the fate of your redeemed villain. Whether it’s Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Negan from The Walking Dead, I’m a sucker for a bad guy who eventually sides… Read More >
You’re Not Just a Writer—You’re a Business Owner
By: Ginger | Posted on March 28, 2025
Most authors just want to tell stories, not crunch numbers. But in the world of self-publishing, writing a great book is only half the equation. The other, less glamorous (but equally vital) part is knowing how to track what’s working and what isn’t. That means thinking like a business owner. And every successful business runs on data. That’s why today, Ginger is going through the steps needed to turn your sporadic writing side hustle into a more sustainable, full-time income. By tracking key metrics like word count, book performance and marketing results, you’ll gain the insight needed to make smarter decisions. Once you start acting on those knowledge, you’ll find it easier to grow your audience, boost your sales, and ultimately stop leaving your publishing success up to chance. I’ve mentioned before how I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was 9-years-old—but even back then, I had more of… Read More >
The One AI Use Writers Won’t Hate
By: Ginger | Posted on March 21, 2025
The soul of being an author is writing books—and no machine, no matter how advanced, will ever truly replicate that. But just because we don’t want AI handling our plot twists doesn’t mean it can’t serve us in other ways. In fact, when it comes to one of the biggest bottlenecks self-published authors face in selling more books, AI might actually be the perfect secret weapon. As Ginger points out in today’s blog, writing may be our passion, but publishing is a business. And buried in that business is a mountain of data—ad results, sales numbers, conversion rates—that most authors don’t have the time (or desire) to sift through. But AI was built to make sense of messy data, and in Ginger’s case, it helped diagnose the issues with his ads and pull him out of a recent slump. So if you’d like to stop crunching numbers and get back… Read More >
The Key to Selling Books: Find Your Hook
By: Ginger | Posted on March 14, 2025
If you want to sell more books, you need a hook that stops readers in their tracks. With thousands of new titles flooding the market every day, your book needs a way to stand out. A strong hook is what keeps readers from scrolling past your title and onto the next, as it compels them to stop and find out more! In today’s blog, Ginger breaks down what makes a killer book hook, how to identify yours, and why some of the most successful self-published books of all time owe their rise to a single, unforgettable concept. He’s sharing actionable tips to help you distill your book’s premise into a gripping one-liner that grabs attention, strengthens your marketing, and ensures your story doesn’t disappear into the void. A few months ago I wrote a blog post called “the only four ways to sell books” and I wanted to revisit one… Read More >
What Writers Can Learn From the James Bond Formula
By: Ginger | Posted on March 7, 2025
This past February, Amazon MGM Studios made a billion-dollar deal to take over control of the James Bond franchise. After five years without a Bond film, this seems to signal that the super spy is on the verge of a major comeback. But for many familiar with the studio’s history, there are legitimate concerns about this return. Will the online retailer turned movie studio stay true to the Bond formula that has kept the franchise running successfully for six decades, or will they fumble it like they did with The Rings of Power? Because there’s no doubt, the existing 25 films follow a well-established “Bond formula” that fans have come to know, love, and most importantly, expect. And that’s the lesson Ginger aims to teach us this week. The success of James Bond isn’t just about fast cars and shaken martinis, but about understanding audience expectations and delivering on them…. Read More >
Kindle Download Removal: A Warning Sign for Digital Ownership
By: Ginger | Posted on February 21, 2025
Imagine waking up one day to find that the books you purchased and thought you owned were no longer accessible, or had been altered from the versions you remembered. That’s not just a hypothetical fear, but the unsettling direction Amazon has begun to move toward. As of February 26, 2025, the eBook retailer quietly removed the Kindle download option, eliminating the ability to save purchased books to a computer. It may seem like a minor technical shift, but in reality, it signals a growing trend where readers don’t fully own their digital purchases, and authors are left more vulnerable to the whims of a single platform. What happens if access to a book you bought is later restricted or its content is modified? And what does this mean for self-published authors who have built their careers within these ecosystems? This isn’t just about convenience—it’s about control. As both readers and… Read More >
Is the Book Always Better Than the Movie?
By: Ginger | Posted on February 21, 2025
We’ve all watched a movie adaptation of a book we love, only to walk away shaking our heads, muttering that “the book was better”. It happens so often that it feels like an unshakable truth—and as authors, let’s be honest, there’s a little satisfaction in knowing that a novel’s depth and nuance are hard to replicate on screen. But every now and then, a film or TV show not only gets it right but actually improves on its source material, capturing the essence of a book while also fixing its flaws. Writers spend countless hours crafting intricate worlds, shaping unforgettable characters, and fine-tuning every detail—so why do some stories translate brilliantly to film while others lose some of their magic? And perhaps more importantly, what can authors learn from these successes and failures? With the small screen version of Reacher returning for Season 3 this week, there is no better… Read More >
Social Media Posts Don’t Change Minds: Great Writing Does
By: Ginger | Posted on February 14, 2025
In our increasingly divided world, writers often get drawn into the trap of social media debates, using their words to challenge injustices, argue political points, or simply vent frustration about the overall state of society. But while the instant gratification of likes, shares, and comments can feel validating, is it really the best use of a writer’s voice? Or are we just feeding an algorithm designed to stoke division rather than create real impact? In today’s blog, Ginger argues that writers are far more likely to change minds through compelling, thoughtful storytelling than through fleeting social media posts. History has shown that books, essays, and fiction have the power to shift perspectives, shape ideologies, and even inspire revolutions. Instead of chasing the instantly gratifying yet quickly forgotten validation of social media, writers should instead focus on crafting narratives that stand the test of time and create stories that truly make… Read More >
