Beyond the Book

About Beyond the Book

I help authors make money beyond selling books and turn their stories into empires. I have a big dream. The first billionaire indie author will rise this decade. And there will be 100+ making 8-figures a year and more. But it won't come from selling books alone... it's going to come from building a "mini-Disney" for your readers. Now, I have to be honest with you. Not every author who listens is going to build a media empire Beyond the Book. BUT my promise to every one of you listening is that you will grow your readership & income as an author by learning the power of Readers First Publishing. This means... 1. Readers First Growth: Treating your marketing as a "product" and approaching all reader discovery from a creator-first mindset so that you can leverage social platforms to grow faster than ever 2. Readers First Storytelling: Immersing fans into your stories across media formats (including but not limited to story letters, interactive stories, ebooks, audiobooks, serial podcasts, web movies, and more) 3. Readers First Products: Creating physical and digital products connected to your stories that serve your readers (merch, games, drinks, food, candles, community, and more) Each episode, I'll be sharing with you how you can grow, create stories, and make products that rewrite the rules of publishing using the principles of Readers First. I'll feature guests that range from academic experts on specific topics to multi-seven-figure authors who have innovated and gone beyond the book in unique ways. This podcast is perfect for both fiction and nonfiction authors, but it has a bent toward fiction authors. After writing and publishing 12 science fiction novels, helping thousands of authors make millions beyond the books by creating a community of their superfans, and then working for the largest creator in the world, I'm ready to help YOU go beyond the book and build the storytelling empire of your dreams. dispatch.authorsidekick.com (https://dispatch.authorsidekick.com?utm_medium=podcast)

Publisher

Michael Evans

Category

arts · business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

5 Feb 2025

Latest episode

29 Oct 2025

Latest episodes

29 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   29 Oct 2025

   How to Turn Your Book into Epic Art

   A conversation with artist-author Therena about her decade-long creative journey from photographer to illustrator and novelist, launching 14 crowdfunding campaigns, building community through interactive Derpy Dragons pins and storytelling-driven merch, navigating printing/fulfillment and AI concerns, and practical advice for authors commissioning artists and turning artwork into sustainable products. Join Author Sidekick, the newsletter to help you grow your readership and revenue as an author: https://authorsidekick.com/subscribe (https://authorsidekick.com/subscribe) Read Creatorwood, the free book helping writers turn their stories into movies using AI: https://www.blog.creatorwood.tv/subscribe (https://www.blog.creatorwood.tv/subscribe) Join Reader Meter, the platform that helps you see where readers stop turning the page on your stories so you can write better books: https://readermeter.io/ (https://readermeter.io/) RESOURCES MENTIONED: Therena's website: https://therena.ca/ (https://therena.ca/) Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/therena_carlin (http://www.instagram.com/therena_carlin) EPISODE CHAPTERS: The Journey of a Creative Artist 00:00:00 - 00:01:33 From Photography to Writing 00:01:33 - 00:04:49 Kickstarter Sucess and Art Integration 00:04:49 - 00:06:43 Building a Community Through Crowdfunding 00:06:43 - 00:10:12 The Power of Communication in Collaborations 00:10:12 - 00:12:50 Creating Engaging Campaigns and Stories 00:12:50 - 00:15:41 The Art of Balancing Multiple Projects 00:15:41 - 00:18:28 Navigating the Challenges of In-Person Events 00:18:28 - 00:21:25 Effective Communication with Artists 00:21:25 - 00:29:13 Understanding Artist Portfolio and Budgeting 00:29:13 - 00:32:02 Finding and Selecting the Right Artist 00:32:02 - 00:36:33 Protecting Your Art in a Digital Age 00:36:33 - 00:37:45 Expanding Your Brand with Merchandise 00:37:45 - 00:46:20 Integrating Different Artistic Styles and Products 00:46:20 - 00:48:40 Thank you so much for listening! You can always reach out to hello@authorsidekick.com (mailto:hello@authorsidekick.com) if you have any guest/episode recommendations or questions about going Beyond the Book! I’d also super appreciate it if you rated Beyond the Book wherever you listen to podcasts. It helps us grow and get bigger & better guests to share their insights with you in going Beyond the Book 💙. I’m on a mission to bring Power to Storytellers. Here’s my story 👇 ABOUT THE HOST: MICHAEL EVANS I’m the co-founder of Creatorwood (helping writers turn their stories into movies with AI) and Author Sidekick (media company helping authors succeed in the future of publishing). In high school, I wrote and self-published 12 sci-fi novels (aka I didn’t have many friends). I then attended college at Harvard, where I road-tripped the country filming YouTube videos during COVID (school was online🫣), live-streamed myself playing scavenger hunt with my roommate for ~1,000 hours, and eventually co-founded a software company that was named Publishing’s Start-up of the Year in 2023 by Jane Friedman. After graduation, I worked on the data & analytics team at MrBeast and am now back in publishing, dedicating my life to bringing power to authors. I’m really grateful to be living my dream, and am hopeful I can help you get one (or a few!) steps closer to doing the same for yourself 😊. ABOUT BEYOND THE BOOK: Beyond the Book exists to help authors expand their revenue and readership beyond books. We are rewriting the rules of publishing by helping authors build “mini-Disneys” from their stories through physical products, community experiences, games, other media formats, and more. ABOUT READER METER: Reader Meter is the reader intelligence platform that shows you exactly where readers stop turning the page, so you can fix weak spots, double down on what works, and turn your story into a true page-turner. With lifetime access for $199, you’ll get the engagement data, feedback, and insights you need to write better books and sell more copies. Join today at: https://readermeter.io/ (https://readermeter.io/) ABOUT CREATORWOOD: Creatorwood is the home for storytellers to turn their writing into films, discover new viewers, and run a film business. The Movie Machine by Creatorwood integrates with the top AI video, image, audio, and storytelling models to help transform your writing into immersive worlds, incredible characters, and gripping films with significantly less time and cost. Creatorwood also makes it easy to make money from your films inside our Streaming Platform. Specifically, Creatorwood allows you to upload your episodes, set them as free or paid (any price you’d like). Creators keep 80% of the revenue they earn on Creatorwood, and we pay out to creators in 130+ countries and accept payments from viewers globally. You can join Creatorwood here: https://creatorwood.tv/ (https://creatorwood.tv/) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dispatch.authorsidekick.com (https://dispatch.authorsidekick.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

2. 

   22 Oct 2025

   Sudowrite’s CEO on the Future of AI Writing

   A candid conversation with Sudowrite's co-founder about why they built a fiction-first AI writing tool, how it eases loneliness and writer’s block, the platform’s writer-focused features (story bibles, plugins, My Voice), unexpected uses across nonfiction and scripts, and how AI can partner with authors for drafting, editing, and marketing without replacing their voice. Join Author Sidekick, the newsletter to help you grow your readership and revenue as an author: https://authorsidekick.com/subscribe (https://authorsidekick.com/subscribe) Read Creatorwood, the free book helping writers turn their stories into movies using AI: https://www.blog.creatorwood.tv/subscribe (https://www.blog.creatorwood.tv/subscribe) Join Reader Meter, the platform that helps you see where readers stop turning the page on your stories so you can write better books: https://readermeter.io/ (https://readermeter.io/) RESOURCES MENTIONED: Sudowrite website: https://sudowrite.com/ (https://sudowrite.com/) EPISODE CHAPTERS: The Genesis of Sudowrite 00:00:00 - 00:02:23 Defining AI Writing 00:02:23 - 00:04:42 The Unique Features of Sudowrite 00:04:42 - 00:08:33 The Plugin Ecosystem 00:08:33 - 00:11:12 Adapting to AI in Writing 00:11:12 - 00:12:27 Unexpected Uses of AI 00:12:27 - 00:14:06 The Future of AI in Writing 00:14:06 - 00:16:19 AI as a Marketing Partner 00:16:19 - 00:20:10 Finding Your Voice with AI 00:20:10 - 00:23:14 Encouragement for Skeptics 00:23:14 - 00:26:44 Resources and Classes for Writers 00:26:44 - 00:30:55 Thank you so much for listening! You can always reach out to hello@authorsidekick.com (mailto:hello@authorsidekick.com) if you have any guest/episode recommendations or questions about going Beyond the Book! I’d also super appreciate it if you rated Beyond the Book wherever you listen to podcasts. It helps us grow and get bigger & better guests to share their insights with you in going Beyond the Book 💙. I’m on a mission to bring Power to Storytellers. Here’s my story 👇 ABOUT THE HOST: MICHAEL EVANS I’m the co-founder of Creatorwood (helping writers turn their stories into movies with AI) and Author Sidekick (media company helping authors succeed in the future of publishing). In high school, I wrote and self-published 12 sci-fi novels (aka I didn’t have many friends). I then attended college at Harvard, where I road-tripped the country filming YouTube videos during COVID (school was online🫣), live-streamed myself playing scavenger hunt with my roommate for ~1,000 hours, and eventually co-founded a software company that was named Publishing’s Start-up of the Year in 2023 by Jane Friedman. After graduation, I worked on the data & analytics team at MrBeast and am now back in publishing, dedicating my life to bringing power to authors. I’m really grateful to be living my dream, and am hopeful I can help you get one (or a few!) steps closer to doing the same for yourself 😊. ABOUT BEYOND THE BOOK: Beyond the Book exists to help authors expand their revenue and readership beyond books. We are rewriting the rules of publishing by helping authors build “mini-Disneys” from their stories through physical products, community experiences, games, other media formats, and more. ABOUT READER METER: Reader Meter is the reader intelligence platform that shows you exactly where readers stop turning the page, so you can fix weak spots, double down on what works, and turn your story into a true page-turner. With lifetime access for $199, you’ll get the engagement data, feedback, and insights you need to write better books and sell more copies. Join today at: https://readermeter.io/ (https://readermeter.io/) ABOUT CREATORWOOD: Creatorwood is the home for storytellers to turn their writing into films, discover new viewers, and run a film business. The Movie Machine by Creatorwood integrates with the top AI video, image, audio, and storytelling models to help transform your writing into immersive worlds, incredible characters, and gripping films with significantly less time and cost. Creatorwood also makes it easy to make money from your films inside our Streaming Platform. Specifically, Creatorwood allows you to upload your episodes, set them as free or paid (any price you’d like). Creators keep 80% of the revenue they earn on Creatorwood, and we pay out to creators in 130+ countries and accept payments from viewers globally. You can join Creatorwood here: https://creatorwood.tv/ (https://creatorwood.tv/) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dispatch.authorsidekick.com/subscribe (https://dispatch.authorsidekick.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2)

3. 

   24 Sept 2025

   The ONE Emotion That Makes Book Marketing Viral

   Michael shares insights from NINC on how writers can stand out without big budgets using awe, props, gifting, and humor to market books creatively and cheaply, inspired by the book Audacious by Mark Schaefer and MrBeast. Join Author Sidekick, the newsletter to help you grow your readership and revenue as an author: https://authorsidekick.com/subscribe (https://authorsidekick.com/subscribe) Read Creatorwood, the free book helping writers turn their stories into movies using AI: https://www.blog.creatorwood.tv/subscribe (https://www.blog.creatorwood.tv/subscribe) Join Reader Meter, the platform that helps you see where readers stop turning the page on your stories so you can write better books: https://readermeter.io/ (https://readermeter.io/) EPISODE CHAPTERS: The Power of Awe in Marketing 00:02:29 Creating Social Objects for Engagement 00:03:56 The Art of Gifting in Marketing 00:11:20 Using Humor and Unexpected Stories 00:16:24 Final Thoughts on Creative Marketing Strategies 00:26:05 RESOURCES MENTIONED: Quan Millz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quanmillzbooks/ (https://www.instagram.com/quanmillzbooks/) Audacious by Mark Schaefer: https://businessesgrow.com/audacious/ (https://businessesgrow.com/audacious/) Thank you so much for listening! You can always reach out to hello@authorsidekick.com (mailto:hello@authorsidekick.com) if you have any guest/episode recommendations or questions about going Beyond the Book! I’d also super appreciate it if you rated Beyond the Book wherever you listen to podcasts. It helps us grow and get bigger & better guests to share their insights with you in going Beyond the Book 💙. I’m on a mission to bring Power to Storytellers. Here’s my story 👇 ABOUT THE HOST: MICHAEL EVANS I’m the co-founder of Creatorwood (helping writers turn their stories into movies with AI) and Author Sidekick (media company helping authors succeed in the future of publishing). In high school, I wrote and self-published 12 sci-fi novels (aka I didn’t have many friends). I then attended college at Harvard, where I road-tripped the country filming YouTube videos during COVID (school was online🫣), live-streamed myself playing scavenger hunt with my roommate for ~1,000 hours, and eventually co-founded a software company that was named Publishing’s Start-up of the Year in 2023 by Jane Friedman. After graduation, I worked on the data & analytics team at MrBeast and am now back in publishing, dedicating my life to bringing power to authors. I’m really grateful to be living my dream, and am hopeful I can help you get one (or a few!) steps closer to doing the same for yourself 😊. ABOUT BEYOND THE BOOK: Beyond the Book exists to help authors expand their revenue and readership beyond books. We are rewriting the rules of publishing by helping authors build “mini-Disneys” from their stories through physical products, community experiences, games, other media formats, and more. ABOUT READER METER: Reader Meter is the reader intelligence platform that shows you exactly where readers stop turning the page, so you can fix weak spots, double down on what works, and turn your story into a true page-turner. With lifetime access for $199, you’ll get the engagement data, feedback, and insights you need to write better books and sell more copies. Join today at: https://readermeter.io/ (https://readermeter.io/) ABOUT CREATORWOOD: Creatorwood is the home for storytellers to turn their writing into films, discover new viewers, and run a film business. The Movie Machine by Creatorwood integrates with the top AI video, image, audio, and storytelling models to help transform your writing into immersive worlds, incredible characters, and gripping films with significantly less time and cost. Creatorwood also makes it easy to make money from your films inside our Streaming Platform. Specifically, Creatorwood allows you to upload your episodes, set them as free or paid (any price you’d like). Creators keep 80% of the revenue they earn on Creatorwood, and we pay out to creators in 130+ countries and accept payments from viewers globally. You can join Creatorwood here: https://creatorwood.tv/ (https://creatorwood.tv/) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dispatch.authorsidekick.com/subscribe (https://dispatch.authorsidekick.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2)

Who has been a guest on Beyond the Book

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• NICK YOUNG
• Chelle Honiker
• Jay Yang

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

10,746

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 56 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

81

Social presence

0

YouTube

76

Engagement

0

Contact Beyond the Book

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.