Yawwwn, the Algorithm Changed. Again.

WTAF? But also... who cares?

The algorithm changed again! The algorithm changed again! The algorithm changed again!

Aaaaaahahhhhhhhhhh!

OMG!

Run! Save your book babies!

Protect your savings! Your retirement is going to die! DIE, I said!

I know. I saw the posts. I saw the panic. I saw everyone scrambling to figure out what Amazon did this time and how to fix their ads and their keywords and their launch strategy.

And I yawned. Like, literally yawned. I’m doing it again right now. It could be because I do that every time anyone says yaaaawww— Ah, fuck it. I did it again.

Stop. Pause. Think. Is the sky REALLY falling?

Look, I’m not yawning because I don’t care or because I have this great plan that’s currently saving me and I’m making a million bucks and finally taking vacations around this amazing world and meeting amazing people. I’m not. It’s because this is not the first time. This has happened so many times. Every single time indie authors find a way to get ahead, the algorithm shifts. And every single time, we chase.

We find some guy who knows people who knows other people or who’s really deep into the analytics, and he gives us the scope of how things changed. And we all jump on board. New keywords. New ad strategy. New launch plan.

It was exhausting. It IS exhausting. I am done being exhausted.

This happens because we come up with a strategy that meets the algorithm and then all of a sudden, it changes and it’s like your entire house that you just built got kicked out from underneath you. That’s the reason we feel the panic. That’s why we feel like it doesn’t matter, like there’s no hope.

When you build a career using something outside of your control, when things shift — and they will because they always do — you fail to build more because now you’re clearing out the rubble, digging for new foundations, pouring a different foundation, and then building up again.

And we do this every single time there’s a major shift.

I chased every single one of these changes in my career until I couldn’t. Across way more than 24 books. I learned the new rules each time. And I burned out. Because chasing the algorithm is chasing something you can’t even see. If you can’t see the rules, how do you understand them? How do you figure out what those rules are?

You don’t. That’s the point. You’re building on someone else’s land and acting surprised when the landlord changes the rules.

So. What do you do?

Stop chasing so hard. Build a foundation that you have control over.

Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean go all-in with direct sales. Because direct sales has its own set of challenges. But you cannot control Amazon even when you’re doing Amazon ads. And now we can’t control our sales anyway because even BookBub doesn’t work the way it used to.

What they’re doing — from what I can see — is they’re making it easier for those who succeed through BookTok and organic engagement and sustained readership and traditional publishing.

But even BookTok has its issues because you don’t control that either. Some teenager decides your book is the vibe this week and you sell 10,000 copies. (Okay, but could someone think my book is the bees knees so I could sell 10,000 copies? Come on!) Next week? Invisible. That’s not a foundation you can build a career on. That’s a lottery ticket.

What is your foundation?

So you have to build your foundation with your readers. That’s through your email list. You have to create that connection and build that family of readers.

But just letting you know, there are lines you have to draw there because you have to remember that they are on your newsletter subscription because they want to hear about your books. Not necessarily because they want to hear about your private life.

Unless you have a cat. If you have a cat, then they want to hear about your cat.

That’s just the interesting and difficult part of discovering how to build that base.

Now, “build your email list” means something different to every archetype, and most of you are doing it wrong.

Mythmakers

Mythmakers suck at this. At least this one does. I throw so many things at my newsletter subscribers that they have no idea what they’re going to open. New series. New pen name. New branding. A completely different genre. Broken schedule promises?

I honestly have no idea why my readers stay with me. OMG.

Staying focused on a brand is very difficult for my Mythmakers. Your analytical baby is acting out and won’t stop crying no matter how many times you take it to the doctor.

But, sweetie! Even you have a brand. It’s buried under seventeen strategies and four pen names, but it’s there. Dig it out.

Heartweavers

Heartweavers do a fairly decent job because they’re connecting on a character and reader level. And I really thought I would do a better job at it because I’m half Heartweaver, but when it comes to marketing, my Mythmaker mostly takes over.

Connection counts and matters and I think it’s just going to matter even more. BMy dear Heartweavers, your natural instinct is connection. The market is literally rewarding the thing you’re already good at. Lean into it.

Figure out your brand promise because that’s the reason your ideal reader keeps coming back to you. Whether you’re making her feel seen, or you’re helping her grow into a truly strong woman, or you’re helping her transition into her next shining era, or… whatever your promise is, give it to her and build with her.

Lorekeepers

My LoreKeepers do a fantastic job because they follow what other people have told them to do. And they’re just like, “Okay, well, here are the boundaries, here are the steps, here’s what I’m gonna do.”

And then they do it. Consistently. Reliably. Every time.

But — and you knew there was a but — the steps you’re following were probably built for the old algorithm. Pop your head up. Look around. One audit. That’s all I’m asking.

Dear Writing Gods, why couldn’t I have just a little Lorekeeper DNA?

Wildscribes

Did you even know this happened? LOL! Do you even care?

The Wildscribes I have either don’t have newsletters or don’t do much with their newsletters.

You have a reason why you write. Figure it out and then use clear and finite goals or directions to use your newsletter. You still need to build this. Even if you don’t care about it. At all.

Get to know some of your subscribers. That’s a great way to care about it because… you also connect naturally.

Here’s what I want you to walk away with. Just one thing.

Go back to your brand.

Why do you write? Why is it that your stories matter? What is the one thing that you do better than everyone else — or at least differently? What is the one thing that you enjoy about writing?

And it’s not writing. Don’t give me that. That’s bullshit. What is your real why?

And then what is it about THIS particular story that means it needs to be read?

My Wildscribes are gonna struggle with this because they just tell good stories and they don’t understand themes even though I can call out their theme a mile away! But whatever. That’s okay. Your brand lives in the experience, not the theme.

My LoreKeepers are writing these stories because it’s part of their engine. They’re making money. And they’ve built the foundation to keep going. But even they have a REASON for that book and it’s a good one. They want their readers to experience something. They want their readers to feel something. They just want to make sure the ROI on that experience is good. That is so smart. And again, I wish I had some Lorekeeper DNA.

My Heartweavers have a very specific reason they’re writing these stories and it usually has to do with the fact that they’re saving someone. Someone who needs to feel seen. That’s your brand promise and it’s the most powerful one out there.

My Mythmakers built their strategy on the algorithm and now they don’t know what to do. But even we have a brand under all those systems. Under all that rubble? There’s a reason we started writing in the first place. Find it.

Note From Franks

The algorithm changed. It will change again. And again. And again.

Your brand doesn’t change. Your reader relationship doesn’t change. Your reason for writing doesn’t change.

Focus on your brand. Focus on your book. And focus on writing something that touches readers while building your newsletter.

That’s it. That’s the whole strategy. Everything else is someone else’s land.

Burn the bookmill. Build your author engine.

If you don’t know your brand promise or your archetype yet, start here. It takes 2 minutes.

#BurnTheBookmill