How AI Is Changing Book Sales in 2026 | Thomas Umstattd Jr. of Novel Marketing

We're excited to welcome back Thomas Umstattd Jr., founder of Author Media, host of the Novel Marketing Podcast, and creator of the Novel Marketing Conference. With more than a decade of experience helping authors market their books, Thomas joins us to talk about how AI is changing publishing, what’s happening with book sales, and what authors need to understand about reaching readers in 2026. We explore how AI is reshaping nonfiction, why certain fiction genres are growing while others are struggling, and what these changes reveal about reader preferences. Thomas also shares how authors can turn their expertise into AI-powered experiences, why even a great book can struggle to find an audience, and what the latest trends mean for book marketing. Through it all, we come back to something that hasn't changed: the importance of knowing exactly who you're writing for. If you're wondering how to adapt your writing and book marketing strategy as the publishing industry changes, listen to the full conversation for Thomas's perspective on what matters now and what authors should be paying attention to next. Check out his podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/novel-marketing/id721122555  Visit Thomas Umstattd Jr.'s website for book marketing advice, podcast episodes, helpful articles, courses, and AI tools designed to help authors reach more readers and sell more books here: https://authormedia.com — Subscribe and leave a review. Your support helps more people discover the show, the author and their books.  — Subscribe to our popular weekly 3-2-1 newsletter and get 3 book marketing secrets, 2 useful links, and 1 book recommendation delivered straight to your inbox every week. Sign up here:https://getshelflife.com/category/newsletter/ Head to our new website for more content and updates.: www.getshelflife.com If you're interested in connecting further or have any questions, feel free to email me at [email protected]