I have been hearing from a few of you that you've been having struggles figuring out how to generate images using AI and difficulties with character generation. (Disclaimer - I have never done a children's book, and I am not a prompt master, but here's a short video I put together to generate some solid images.) Let me know if you think this helps you!! @Nicole Lesley @Lisa Z

If you plan to coach around your book, starting a YouTube channel is a really smart move. I want to share a real example that stuck with me. A friend I met here on Skool last year, recently pivoted and went all in on YouTube. His entire strategy is simple: he posts daily videos in his niche talking about real pain points people already have and how he helps solve them. No fluff, no viral chasing. 👉Every video points directly to a booking page. No free calls. No sales calls. People book paid 1:1 coaching straight from his funnel. He’s now consistently making over $10k 🤑 a month from coaching while still working his day job. The content does the pre-selling for him, so by the time someone books, they already know why they’re there. That’s the part I think most people miss. Almost all of us here are entrepreneurs. Many of you already have a book, a method, or lived experience people would gladly pay for help with. YouTube works so well for coaching because it builds trust before someone ever talks to you. You’re not convincing — you’re attracting. I’m still very much a student when it comes to YouTube myself, but even in my short experience, I’m already seeing why this platform matters. With a micro channel of around 1,000 subscribers, I’ve had companies reach out to pay me for software video showcases that are directly related to books and publishing. That happened way earlier than I expected, and it completely shifted how I see YouTube — not as a “social platform,” but as a long-term business asset. If you want to be more strategic about this, there are some really solid YouTube-focused Skool communities out there that teach positioning, content strategy, and monetization. I’m part of a few that are completely free and genuinely helpful. 👇I’ll drop the ones I recommend below. The YouTube Blueprint - Big group lots of great free content here. The Content Revenue Lab - More specifically, YouTube for people over 40

I got this question in from @Lisa Z and it inspired me to write this out... ✍️ When people ask me about self-publishing vs hiring a publisher vs traditional publishing, I always say there’s no single “right” path — but there are very real trade-offs people need to understand before committing. Self-publishing, in my opinion, has the biggest long-term upside if you plan to write more than one book. Once you learn the process, you’re not starting from scratch every time. You understand how book topics work, how listings work, how covers impact clicks, and how Amazon behaves. That knowledge compounds. It really is the teach a person to fish situation — the upfront learning curve can feel heavy, but after that, you can rinse and repeat. You can self-publish for free if you DIY everything, but let’s be honest: free usually means you’re paying with your time. You see your royalties in real time, you can update your book whenever you want, test new covers, change pricing, run ads, or hand things off to freelancers without asking permission.That control becomes incredibly valuable once you realize a book isn’t just a book — it’s an asset 👉 THINKING TO HIRE A PUBLISHER? Hiring a publisher or a done-for-you service can make sense in very specific situations. If your manuscript is already written and you truly don’t want to learn the backend, paying someone to get it online might feel like a relief.....But this is where people need to slow down and ask better questions. Most packages start around $3k and go up, and in many cases: - Marketing and advertising are not included - You often get direct access to your publishing accounts - Royalties are reported to you instead of being visible inside Amazon - Future updates, cover changes, or revisions may cost extra The biggest issue for me is control. If a publisher uploads your book into their systems and later you want to optimize your listing, run ads, or update the cover, you’re stuck going through them — and some will say no outright. Others will charge you again. That’s where self-publishing really shines: you can DIY or delegate without giving up ownership.

Big welcome to all the new future authors here. If you are brand new to publishing, have some ideas you are kicking around, but are not sure yet. 👉 START WITH FUTURE AUTHOR ENERGY If you are already on your publishing journey and want some more support, need to know how to get your content formatted, uploaded to Amazon, book launch, and marketing advice. 🔥 Then, leveling up to premium is where you get more support. 🚀 UPDATES - CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2/18 - Book Review Workshop (This workshop is live for premium members but if you want to learn how to get book reviews, this is a MUST to attend) 2/23 - Idea to Impact - Shannon will be hosting this masterclass on course creation it is open for everyone to attend. 2/25 - A+ Content Workshop (This workshop is live for premium members, but if you want to make you're book listing standout, please do not miss this valuable workshop) Let's all take a moment to welcome our newest members. @Amy Monroe @Lorry Reyes @Gina Taylor @Jesse Paulsen @Ilyas Idhsaine @Robert Pacheco @Katinna Smith @Jill Netzel @Madelyn Deshield @Nicole Schauerte @Franck Webnet @Malinda Blanchon @Annie L @Jessica Rodriguez @Marcus Phelps @Meike Hawlik @Taelo Obusitse @Bobbie Butricks @Samantha Moore @Anot Shobaloju @Kayla C @Al Anderson