Turn Your Editing Scraps into Marketing Magic

by RJ Redden

I have a confession to make: every night, I'm that person reading under the covers.

You know the one—phone glowing in the dark, blankets pulled up to create my own little reading cave, scrolling through another Star Trek fan fiction while my wife sleeps peacefully beside me. 

Some nights it's a brilliant exploration of Data's emotional journey. Other nights, it's... well, let's just say not every writer understands what makes Spock compelling.

But here's the thing: I read them all. The good, the bad, and the "did someone actually publish this?" Because every single story—no matter how questionable the grammar or how wildly it diverges from canon—offers me another chance to live in that universe I love.

That nightly ritual got me thinking about something most writers never consider: the world of unconventional marketing. (Yes, I know—from fan fiction to marketing strategy. My brain works in mysterious ways.)

The Secret Every Fan Already Knows

Marketing has changed dramatically and will continue evolving. The fan fiction keeping me up past my bedtime relies on the established Star Trek brand to find readers—something most of us don't have the luxury of. 

But here's the question that kept me scrolling until 2 AM one night: How can we, as writers and storytellers, create our own magnetic universes that readers can't resist entering?

Look around my desk right now, and you'll see the answer everywhere. Six toy replicas of different Star Trek ships (the Enterprise-D has a place of honor). Eight representations of Yoda in various poses. Three popcorn buckets based on Marvel Avengers characters, including one shaped like an old red limousine—you get the popcorn through the sunroof, which is both ridiculous and brilliant.

The point isn't my questionable spending habits. It's this: I want to step into these worlds I love, inhabit them, and bring pieces home from the visit. I'm not limited to movies, TV, or books to appreciate these universes. I use every tool available to keep the magic alive throughout my ordinary days.

This is what your readers want too—they want to live in your world, not just visit it for a few hours and never return.

The Worldbuilding Revolution

I have a world I've been building. It’s a medieval interdimensional fantasy tavern called The Come Wright Inn. I tell stories about that world, create characters and coffee drink recipes and merch. What I've discovered is that there are countless tools available to draw people into my universe and make them active participants in the story rather than passive readers.

Some of these tools are AI-powered, some aren't. About the question of AI use, I often refer to the famous line from Hamlet: "This above all: to thine own self be true". I do my best to use AI ethically, being transparent about where and when it's used. (Yes, I used AI to help me shape and edit this post.) I research the companies I work with to help create my world. I spend my money with companies I believe in and that I feel are ethical and fair to creators.

But here's the truth: worldbuilding is done every day with and without AI tools. Worldbuilding and storytelling have been going on since humans first gathered around fires to share tales. Choose whatever tools resonate with you—just choose something.

Let’s spark ideas about what you can do with all those elements that ended up on your editing room floor. 

Those character backstories you loved but couldn't fit? 

That detailed history of your fictional town? 

The playlist your protagonist would actually listen to?

Stop letting those treasures gather dust. 

Start using them to create an entire universe that readers can't resist exploring. 

And let that be your marketing strategy. 

Your Worldbuilding Toolkit (No Magic Required)

Ready for the possibilities? Here's your arsenal:

Visual Storytelling:

• Image creation (character portraits, scene illustrations, mood boards)
• Video creation (book trailers, character interviews, behind-the-scenes content)
• Map creation (bring your fictional geography to life—your readers will study every detail)

Interactive Elements:

• Chatbot creation for your characters (imagine readers having actual conversations with your protagonist)
• Augmented reality experiences (platforms like GoBrunch can create immersive spaces)
• 3D model creation from images (make your fictional objects tangible)

Atmospheric Building:

• Music/song creation (your world's soundtrack—trust me, this is powerful)
• Timeline development (the history your readers never saw but desperately want)
• World Anvil (comprehensive worldbuilding platform that's awesome for fantasy writers)

Community Connection:

• Printify for merchandise (let readers literally wear your world)
• Email lists or Substack (ongoing connection with your universe)
• Social platforms tailored to your world's aesthetic

Marketing Beyond the Obvious

Think about what Suzanne Collins did with The Hunger Games. Yes, she had the trilogy, but she also created an entire mythology around Panem, complete with fashion inspired by the Capitol, recipes from District 12, and two prequels that expanded the world's history. 

She understood that fans don't just want to read about the Games—they want to understand the world that created them.

You don't need a massive budget or a publishing empire to create this kind of immersive experience. You need creativity, consistency, and a deep understanding of what makes your story irresistible.

Your Next Steps (Start Small, Think Big)

Pick one element from your story that makes you genuinely excited—maybe it's a character, a location, or even an object. Then ask yourself: "How can I bring this into the real world?"

Could you create a playlist that your antagonist would listen to? How about the restaurant menu from that crucial scene in chapter twelve? Could you build a simple website that looks like it exists in your fictional world?

Every piece of content you create outside your main story is another doorway into your universe. 

Every image, every song, every interactive element is an invitation for readers to step deeper into the world you've created.

The Truth About Modern Readers

The bottom line: readers aren't just consuming stories anymore—they're participating in them. 

They're writing their own stories in your world, creating fan art, building communities around your characters, and yes, even buying ridiculous popcorn buckets shaped like limousines.

The question isn't whether they want to go deeper into your world. The question is: Will you give them the tools to do it?

Your story doesn't end when you type "The End." It's just the beginning of a universe waiting to be explored.

What world will you build today?

About RJ

If your audience engagement feels like you’ve been screaming into a black hole, then RJ is your digital fairy godmother. Her wand wields AI, chatbots, and augmented reality to create engagement so addictive, your audience will forget Netflix exists. She also speaks fluent human in a world obsessed with algorithms.

Find her online at blackbeltbots.com.

Top Image by Deleyna via Midjourney.

Why I Stopped Chasing Algorithms and Started Creating Experiences

By Alicia McCalla

I didn’t set out to be a creative entrepreneur. I set out to tell stories that mattered.

But somewhere between navigating traditional publishing and trying to fit into the fast-paced indie world, I realized neither path was built for someone like me. After the devastating loss of my son, I found myself not only grieving—but completely disoriented in my creative life. The speed, the noise, the hustle… it all clashed with the quiet, philosophical, soul-deep way I needed to rebuild.

So I did something radical:

• I stopped trying to fit in.
• And I started building something that fit me.

The Moment I Reframed Everything

Most writers know the terms “trad author” and “indie author.” Some have heard of “direct-sell” author too—those who offer their books via Gumroad or Squarespace or newsletter checkout links. But none of those labels fully captured what I was building.

I wasn’t just offering an added retailer option. I was creating an ecosystem.

One where readers could experience immersive, collectible fiction. One where serialized stories lived beside premium-edition lore books, journals, guided meditations, soundtracks—even merch inspired by superheroes, vigilantes, goddesses and monster hunters. One where the world didn’t just end with “The End.”

This wasn’t about sales funnels—it was about story funnels. Not just buy buttons—but experiences my readers could return to again and again.

That’s when I realized:

• I’m not made to be a hybrid or direct-sell author.
• I’m an eCommerce Author in the "Bookish" Retailer category. 
• A creative entrepreneur of stories and spaces.

What Makes an eCommerce Author Different?

Here’s how I define it:

• Profit-first, marketing-first model. I design with revenue in mind—not as an afterthought, but from the very beginning. I believe in creating reliable income that honors my work.
• Deep product funnels. I don’t just sell a single book. I invite my readers into an unfolding storyworld with layered products, merch, and content that increases Average Order Value (AOV).
• Branded experience. My Shopify store isn’t just a shop. It’s a destination—a curated environment that reflects the vibe of my stories, from visuals to voice to checkout flow.
• Reader transformation versus transactions. My goal isn’t just to sell. It’s to shift something inside my reader. To offer empowerment, reflection, courage, and connection.

This mindset has been a godsend during my slow-build comeback. No rush. No “rapid-release pressure.” Just sustainable growth, aligned creativity, and space to breathe.

The Reality Check

The other day, I made a $48 sale on my Shopify store. A reader bought my print book, a companion workbook, and a sticker—all part of a bundle my site suggested through “frequently bought together” automation. That one transaction brought in more revenue than several retailer sales combined and I was paid in 2-days. In comparison on the same day, Amazon deposited $3.28—my delayed royalty from three books sold 60 days earlier. 

Both were legitimate sales. But the impact? Wildly different. The store sale was full margin. The buyer got a curated experience. I got to own the customer relationship—not rent it from a platform. And most importantly—it moved me one step closer to sustainable/reliable income. The Amazon royalty? It didn’t. That’s the power most authors haven’t tapped into yet. Because the mindset isn’t just about selling. It’s about owning your value.

Not One Path—But Many Quadrants

I’ve worn all the labels. I’ve been traditionally published. I’ve self-published. I guess some would say I’m a hybrid author. But none of those models made sense for me long-term. I’m not fast-drafting for whale readers. I do write to market but I add my branded spin on my books and products with my unique voice. I’m not chasing trends or the Amazon algorithm. 

I’m here to build something lasting. A world. A rhythm. A brand. A legacy business rooted in emotion, empowerment, and beautifully bold women.

And that’s why I believe authors don’t just need “more exposure”—We need ownership. Of our work, our platforms, and our pathways.

A Final Note on Connection

I don’t approach this work like a marketer. I’m a storyteller at heart—and I’ve found that the best way to “sell” is to serve through story. That’s why I focus on story-selling instead of shouting. My emails, flows, and content are built around emotional resonance and authenticity, not pressure or gimmicks. I show up as myself. I let the stories carry the invitation. And I trust that the right readers will feel it. That shift—from pushing to connecting—has made all the difference.

So if you’re a creative who wants to build something real, something lasting, something true to you… I hope this gives you permission to do just that. Maybe you’re not just an author following the lead of everyone else. Maybe you’re an eCommerce Author too.

What kind of author are you?

Find out if you’re an eCommerce author or even a hybrid. Take the author model quiz on my Substack: 

About Alicia McCalla

Alicia writes Sistas with Skills, Swords & Superpowers. She blends speculative fiction, serialized storytelling, and entrepreneurial creativity into immersive experiences for readers. Her brand features exclusive lore books, vigilante heroines, and soundtracks that pulse with story. Follow Alicia on her Substack for quiet writer rebels: https://substack.com/@aliciamccalla

by Sarah Sally Hamer

The word “sovereignty” has been floating around a lot lately, even in a writer’s symposium I attended recently. Why? Doesn’t it mean something about governments and borders? Why does it have anything to do with writing?

What Is it anyway?

Sovereignty is absolutely a legal term about political boundaries and who has control over areas of property. But it has a definition that is much more personal to each of us: We each have ultimate authority and power over our voice, our stories, our process, and how we choose to share them with the world.

Sovereignty is about calling the creative shots and making the decisions. YOU make the choice about what you write, when you write it, what it says, who it’s for, where it goes from there, and a myriad of other decisions, all of which you’re in charge of.

So, let’s talk about some of them:

1. What do you want to write? A 100,000-word novel? A memoir of an ancestor who fought in the American Revolution, an article for your favorite magazine, a journal entry? You get to decide. Of course, you’ll have specific reasons, no matter what the choice, but no one else has the power to make that choice for you.
2. When do you want to write? This one may have more factors involved, since you probably have other holds on your time, but you still can decide the day and time. And, you can even rearrange your schedule if you want to.
3. What words will you put on the paper? Happy ones? Sad ones? Big ones? Little ones? Part of the answer to this question will link with the next one…
4. Who are you writing for?

A good friend of mine is writing two different books for his eight-year-old granddaughter, one a cute talking-animal story, and the other a deeply-felt memoir she’ll probably not read until she is much older. So, of course, he will pick his words to be in line with her age and understanding for each of them. Recognizing and targeting your audience is a huge – and very necessary -- decision to make.

So, why is this important?

It’s really pretty simple. We live in a world where other people are willing to take our sovereignty away from us. Writing, and then publishing, a book fits right into that dynamic.

There are so many rules!

To fit into today’s paradigm (not that there hasn’t always been some sort of paradigm), a story has to be X-number of words long, with everything spelled right. We have to follow certain structures and plots. We even are required to fit into a box of what other people think is what we should be reading.

Is that why we’re actually writing? To fit into that box? I do realize that I’m lucky in that I have an income outside of writing, so I’m not living on what I can make. But that is still a choice.

I believe that writers are magic.

We each write for our own reasons. We tell stories about characters that don’t exist, creating situations that dance in our heads, finding great joy in the words that flow through our fingers onto a page. We can see the story unfolding in front of us with brilliant clarity and cathartic tears. We LOVE the magic.

Then, we show it to someone else and the reality of reviews and rejections and remorse fall on our heads. And we think something is wrong with us.

So. Why does sovereignty matter? It comes back to choices.

There are parts of the writing experience we have control over, and parts we don’t.

Things we do not have control over are what a publisher thinks, or a reader who had a bad hair day and gave you a one-star review. You don’t have control over Amazon or any of the other conglomerates who are the giant book-killers. Oh, I mean book-sellers.

You simply can’t change them.

But you also don’t have to give them your sovereignty. So, what do you have control over?

We have control over what we write.

We have control over what we don’t write.

We have control over what we do with our words.

We have control over how many words we write a day or a week or a month.

We have control over who we show our words to.

We have control over how we learn our craft.

We have control over classes we take, craft books we read, critique groups we’re in.

And, we have control over how we feel about writing. We’re not forced to write, unless we’ve made a decision to be.

How do you feel about writing?

Does it make you happy? Or do you write a book wondering if it will sell and you’ll make money?

I believe that a reader can tell the difference.

So. I suggest you sit down with yourself and answer the biggest, most important question of all: “Why do you write?”

Once you have that firmly in your mind, you’ll find that your decisions will change. Maybe you’ll stop forcing yourself to try to be creative. I can almost guarantee you that your writer’s block will disappear. Maybe you’ll stop trying to write to whatever the “plot of the day” is. I think you’ll find your voice and write something that may even change the writing industry. Maybe you’ll even sit down in front of your computer and find joy in your words. I think you might even find exactly what’s important in your life.

Will you make a lot of money? Maybe. Maybe not. But, unless money is the main reason you’re writing (and part of that soul-sucking publishing business), you may find that listening to your inner self, that creative, magical, imaginative human, is worth more than gold.

Why do YOU write?

About Sarah

Sarah (Sally) Hamer, B.S., MLA, is a lover of books, a teacher of writers, and a believer in a good story. Most of all, she is eternally fascinated by people and how they 'tick'. She’s passionate about helping people tell their own stories and has won awards at both local and national levels, including two Golden Heart finals.

A teacher of memoir, beginning and advanced creative fiction writing, and screenwriting at Louisiana State University in Shreveport for over twenty years, she also teaches online for Margie Lawson at www.margielawson.com and for the No Stress Writing Academy at https://nostresswriting.com.  Sally is a free-lance editor and book coach, with many of her students and clients becoming successful, award-winning authors.

You can find her at info@mindpotential.org

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