Being a writer has never been more exciting — or more confusing.
A decade ago, you could focus on writing great books and trust your agent, editor, and publishing house to take care of the rest. But if you want to succeed today, you need to be a self-starter, an entrepreneur — you need to be MacGyver. That means building an email list, engaging with fans on social media, making the rounds on influential podcasts, and developing a distinctive personal brand.
And those are just table stakes.
The questions multiply: Should you break into the lecture circuit? Launch a podcast of your own? Sell e-courses? Fiddle with Amazon keywords and metadata optimization? Create a premium subscriber community on Substack or Patreon? Get on #BookTok? What even is #BookTok?
And how about the book writing process itself? Should you use Scrivener or Google Docs? Are there AI tools that could make your job easier? Do you need to hire a researcher, story consultant, or fact-checker — and where do you find those people? And what do you do when your pub date rolls around? Should you shell out for an independent publicist? Are first serials still a thing? Do blurbs really matter, and if they do, how do you secure a few that’ll make a difference?
These questions are overwhelming, which is why we started Author Insider.
What is Author Insider?
Author Insider is a weekly newsletter and community for nonfiction writers who want to level up their careers. Each week, we host candid, live interviews with bestselling authors and publishing pros, plus deliver practical resources designed to help you thrive in today’s book industry.
We invite top authors and industry experts to share their hard-won wisdom and lead in-depth workshops on everything from planning a successful book tour to crafting an effective social media strategy. As a member, you’ll gain access to exclusive live Q&As, case studies, advance copies of upcoming releases, networking opportunities with fellow authors, and direct access to the Next Big Idea Club editorial team.
If you’re ready to move from midlist to bestseller, we’ve got the playbook—and the people—to help you make the leap.
Who’s behind this?
Author Insider is powered by the Next Big Idea Club, a nonfiction book subscription service curated by renowned authors Malcolm Gladwell, Susan Cain, Adam Grant, and Daniel Pink. The editorial team is led by publishing veteran and Next Big Idea Club editorial director,
.In addition to our book club, we also have two podcasts, The Next Big Idea and The Next Big Idea Daily; a daily newsletter, Book of the Day; and an app that features more than 1,000 book summaries written and read by the authors themselves.
Is this only for experienced authors?
Author Insider serves writers at every stage of their journey. Whether you're working on your first book proposal or you’re a seasoned bestseller, our insights will help you navigate publishing’s ever-changing landscape.
Who are some of Author Insider’s past guests?
Daniel Pink, bestselling author of Drive
Gretchen Rubin, bestselling author of The Happiness Project and host of the chart-topping Happier podcast
Strategies for developing a powerful multi-channel content strategy.
Steven Johnson, bestselling author and editorial director of Google’s NotebookLM
A step-by-step workshop on how to use AI to write more efficiently.
Morgan Housel, bestselling author of The Psychology of Money
Susan Cain, bestselling author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking
How to write deeply fulfilling work that also succeeds commercially
Christy Fletcher, co-head of publishing at United Talent Agency (UTA)
Seth Godin, bestselling author and marketing visionary
Powerful, practical advice for nonfiction writers on how to navigate a noisy, AI-disrupted world.
Jacob Weisberg, ex-editor of Slate and co-founder of Pushkin Industries
Invaluable insights on podcasting's sustainable, author-driven future.
Sarah Fay, creator of Substack Writers at Work
Her battle-tested playbook for growth, engagement, and monetization.
What are some upcoming events?
Thursday, June 26 at 5 pm ET: Q&A with Cal Newport
Georgetown professor, New Yorker contributor, podcast host, and author of game-changing bestsellers like Deep Work and Slow Productivity. How does he do it all? This is your opportunity to ask him directly. Cal is eager to share tips on building an audience without burning out.
Tuesday, July 8 at 12 pm ET: How to Market Your Book on Substack
Sarah Fay, creator of Substack Writers at Work and author of Pathological, will walk you through a step-by-step process you can use to convert your Substack subscribers into book buyers.
Pricing
Free
Occasional posts with curated insights and resources
Stay in the loop on public events and featured guest highlights
Paid
$30/month or $295/year
Everything in the free plan, plus:
Live, members-only Q&As with bestselling authors and publishing insiders
Deep-dive workshops on topics like AI tools, Substack growth, book marketing, and more
Case studies from successful authors, with behind-the-scenes strategies you can apply
Full access to event replays — revisit your favorite sessions anytime
Curated networking opportunities through virtual meetups and member-only events
Founding Member
$995/year
Everything in the paid plan, plus:
Complimentary advance copies of forthcoming books by fellow Author Insider members
Priority RSVPs and VIP invites to live, in-person gatherings
1:1 access to the editorial team at The Next Big Idea Club to discuss your book, platform, or publishing strategy
First dibs on limited-attendance workshops, hot-seat coaching, and author intensives
Guest spot eligibility — potential to be featured in Author Insider events, newsletters, or interviews
Sponsorship opportunities
Ready to reach 90,000+ curious readers? Promote your brand, book, or product to an audience passionate about big ideas. Our subscribers: 65% executives and senior managers | $150K+ avg. household income. Align your brand with forward-thinking ideas and gain visibility with a highly receptive demographic. We offer several promotional packages to align with your budget with special discounts for our Author Insider members.
