Publish & Prosper
Where publishing, ecommerce, and marketing collide. Brought to you by Lulu.com.
Episodes
In December 2025, a sports romance series off Harlequin’s backlist, with modest sales and a niche fanbase, exploded into an overnight international sensation when the first two episodes of Heated Rivalry aired on Crave and HBO Max. New fans scrambled to get their hands on copies of the six-book series and were quickly disappointed by the realization that the titles were sold out everywhere.
What could Harlequin have done to meet th...
In this episode, Matt & Lauren explore four different ways publishers integrate AI tools to better support and streamline internal workflows. While we never advocate for using AI as a substitute for human creativity or editorial judgment, these tools can be a great way to help:
- Clean up and optimize book metadata
- Route and triage manuscript submissions
- Track version changes and content updates
- Track, plan, and modify producti...
In this episode, Lauren & Matt peer into their crystal balls for a look into the future (or make some very sound projections grounded in knowledge and experience). We take turns sharing our insights and expectations for what’s to come in the publishing industry in 2026, including:
🔮 Print-on-demand will become as important to the publishing supply chain as other tech solutions over the years
🔮 Authors will explore more ways to...
In this episode, Matt & Lauren look back on this year in publishing. We review some of our predictions from 2024 and how those trends impacted the industry in 2025, including:
- How AI continued to dominate the conversation
- Why more and more authors and publishers are exploring direct sales
- How traditional publishers are adopting print-on-demand solutions
- Why building community is more important than ever
In this episode, Lauren interviews everyone’s new favorite author…Matt Briel! Lauren & Matt talk through the experience of writing, editing, and publishing a book. Hear firsthand how Matt developed a writing practice that worked for him, what it was like working with a professional editor and beta readers, and where he found the motivation and inspiration to get his book published.
Check out Matt’s new book Profit On-Demand: Th...
In this episode, Matt & Lauren explore one of our current favorite industry trends: the resurgence of print magazines! We talk through the many ways creators, entrepreneurs, and businesses are using print-on-demand, and:
- Why print magazines are making a comeback
- How creators are publishing, selling, and distributing magazines
- Different types of magazine products
Watch this episode on YouTube!
Dive Deeper
In this episode, Lauren & Matt simplify your website down to a single landing page with one goal in mind: selling your book. We talk through reasons why you may choose to build a landing page instead of a full website, what you need to consider before building out your page, and how to use different tools and platforms to build your custom page.
Tune in now wherever you get your podcasts, or watch the episode on YouTube.
Celebrate two years of Publishing & Prospering with us! In this episode, Matt & Lauren reflect on two years of podcasting, sharing what we’ve learned since the beginning, how podcasting has changed the way we create, share, and understand content, and where we see Publish & Prosper going next.
Whether you’re curious about how a podcast could impact your brand or just want to sneak a behind-the-scenes look at Publish &am...
In this episode, Lauren is joined by Lulu’s Senior Marketing Manager, Paul Hobday, for an inside look at content strategy with two content marketing nerds. We dive into:
🫱🏻🫲🏽 Understanding your different content channels and how they support each other
💡 How to build an effective content strategy (and why it’s essential that you do)
🧰 Making good use of the tools and resources at your disposal to design the best possible plan
In this episode, Matt & Lauren share three chilling scenarios bound to keep you up at night and our tips for surviving your worst book publishing nightmares! Hear the horrifying tales of:
🕸️ The Monstrous Cover Art Mockup
👻 The Proof Possessed by Problems
🔪 The Beta Reader Butcher
Listen now, or watch the full episode on YouTube…if you dare.
Dive Deeper
🕸️ Monstrous Cover Art Mockup
- Ep #21 | Cover to Cover: Get...
In this episode, Lauren & Matt share their strategies for providing top tier support for your customers. Whether you’re taking preventative measures, planning a proactive approach, or providing solutions to unexpected problems, we’re here to help you help your customers.
Watch this episode on YouTube!
Dive Deeper
💡 Explore These Resources
💡 ...
In this episode, Matt & Lauren debate and discuss a variety of writing, publishing, editing, and marketing prompts. Hear their insights, opinions, and ideas on topics like:
- Exclusively Selling Direct vs. Going Wide with Your Book Sales
- Which Social Media Platform Would You Use to Promote a Book?
- What Would You Use to Entice New Email Subscribers?
And, of course, a few tangents too. Listen now, or watch the full episode ...
In this episode, Lauren & Matt want indie authors to see their books on library shelves! Whether you dream of your hardcover on display in your local public library or hope to find your ebook in digital catalogs nationwide, we’re here to help make it happen.
Watch this episode on YouTube!
Dive Deeper
💡 Explore These Resources
- OverDrive | Libraries Break Digital Lending Records in 2024
- Library of Congress | About the CIP P...
Tune in for another episode of The Email Marketing Podcast with Laurie & Lauren! In this episode, Laurie & Lauren walk through the steps to prepare for an important email marketing campaign series like holiday sales or a new book launch. We review:
- Why you should plan ahead for an email campaign
- Your pre-campaign planning timeline
- How to monitor your campaign once it’s live
- Wrapping up your campaign (and setting yourself u...
In this episode, Matt & Lauren sit down with our friend Lynette Greenfield, author and founder of Limelight Publishing. Learn how Lynette turned her prolific writing career and passion for helping aspiring authors into a successful hybrid publishing company.
Watch this episode on YouTube!
Dive Deeper
💡 Meet Lynette & Learn More About Limelight
In this episode, Lauren & Matt chat with old and new friends live from the show floor at Content Entrepreneur Expo! Tune in to hear from five industry experts about content creation and strategy, content entrepreneurship, book publishing, and most importantly, the great niche vs. niche debate.
- 3:42 → Austin L. Church on Writing a Book (and What He’ll Do Differently Next Time)
- 18:15 → Lou Mongello on the Value of Community an...
You only get one shot to make a first impression when inviting new guests into your brand–don’t scare them away before they even make it to the front door!
In this episode, Lauren & Matt share essential tips for capturing attention quickly, maximizing your ‘curb appeal,’ and making your first look count. We talk through nailing your elevator pitch, sprucing up your social media real estate, designing an inviting website, and de...
In this episode, Matt & Lauren share tips for making the most of your post-launch marketing and extending the sales cycle of your book. We talk through how to maintain the momentum of your brand growth, professional growth, and book sales by:
- Exploring new ways to approach earned promo opportunities
- Reinforcing your relationship with your existing readers or new audiences
- Investing in yourself and your expertise as an author ...
Reader personas are a powerful tool for understanding your target audience! In this episode, Lauren & Matt explain the value of niching down into your target audience, how to create your ideal reader personas, and applying those to inform every step of your publishing journey. Whether you’re still drafting your first book or looking to inject new life into the end of a sales cycle, you have to understand who your readers are.
In 2024, Lulu printed almost 57,000 calendars for creators and customers worldwide. In this episode, Matt & Lauren examine why wall calendars are so popular, the ROI on calendars, and different ways calendars can support your brand efforts. We also share calendar ideas for different types of creators, and our tips for making an awesome project.
Watch this episode on YouTube!
Dive Deeper
💡 Create Your Own Calendar Now!
💡 Li...
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