A few years ago, there was a study done where researchers asked a group of people who worry a great deal to write down their worries every day for ten days.

A few weeks later, they asked them to look back and mark which of those worries had actually come true.

91% hadn't.

I think most of us recognize the shape of it. The things we lie awake over rarely turn out the exact way we feared, and a surprising amount of the time they don't happen at all.

I think about this study a lot, because of a worry I hear from authors almost every week. You probably know the voice:

"Put $100 into ads. Sell nothing. Feel stupid. Never try again."

October 10th, 2026   •   4 minute read   •   Issue #175

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Most of us price our books one at a time.

A new book comes out, we look at what similar books are charging, think about what feels fair for the length and the work that went into it, and pick a number. Then we do the same thing next time, and the time after that.

It feels sensible. Each book gets its own careful decision.

The trouble is that readers don't experience your books one at a time.

A reader who enjoys the first one doesn't stop there if there's somewhere to go next. They go looking for the next book, and the one after that.

October 3rd, 2026   •   4 minute read   •   Issue #174

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The most boring thing I'm doing right now is the Facebook Ads I'm running.

They've been live for almost two months.

In that time, I've doubled the budget. And they're still converting at 3.5% to 4%, which is strong for Facebook Ads on a $4.99 Kindle book.

The only change I've made is that budget, and I increased it (gradually, each week) because the numbers asked for it.

No rebuilding the ads to see if they could do a bit better. They've simply been left to get on with their job.

Which, if I'm honest, is harder than it sounds.

September 26th, 2026   •   3 minute read   •   Issue #173

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