Creativity is a struggle between time and resources. A publisher's explicit goal should be making authors millionaires, not for luxury, but for sustainability. Financial independence allows talented writers to dedicate their time to their craft, creating a virtuous cycle for both author and publisher.

Entrepreneurs often obsess over perfecting their product while neglecting the system to reach customers. Building a consistent distribution engine, like a social media channel or email list, is more critical than creation because it ensures your high-value offer is actually seen by the market.

Legacy publishers focus marketing on a short 2-3 week launch window. This model is flawed, as external events can kill momentum. A better approach is continuous, automated marketing that treats books as long-term assets, ensuring they find their audience over time regardless of launch timing.

The "build it and they will come" mindset is a trap. Founders should treat marketing and brand-building not as a later-stage activity to be "turned on," but as a core muscle to be developed in parallel with the product from day one.

The label "problem author" was once negative, but now it's a strategic necessity. With authors often commanding larger audiences than their publishers, they must leverage this power to challenge outdated, opaque processes and force necessary industry-wide improvements for their book's success.

Publishers and agents now prioritize an author's social media following over most other factors. The size of an author's advance and their book's sales potential are seen as directly correlated to their online footprint. Aspiring authors must build a following before they even start writing.

For his second book, author Ramli John drove 77% of sales directly, bypassing Amazon. While Amazon offers volume, direct sales provide higher margins and, more importantly, invaluable customer data (like emails) that enables direct communication, feedback loops, and long-term community building.

The nature of marketing has shifted from promoting a faceless corporation to showcasing an authentic founder personality. Companies without an interesting character at the helm are at a disadvantage. This requires leaders to be public figures, as their personal brand, story, and voice are now integral to the company's identity and success.

In the creator economy, success isn't always defined by venture-backed growth. Many top creators intentionally cap their audience size and reject outside investment to maintain full control over their business and content, defining success as a sustainable, manageable enterprise rather than a unicorn.