How I Sold 15,000 Books Without Being ‘Big’ on Social Media #140
Wed Dec 31 2025
Most writers are terrified that AI will replace them and convinced they can’t make a living unless they “blow up” on social media, but author and entrepreneur Kern Carter is quietly proving the opposite. In this episode, Kern breaks down how he went from indie beginnings to publishing with giants like Penguin and Scholastic, selling roughly 15,000 books in a year without being popular on any platform by relentlessly building and leveraging a tight, values‑aligned writing community instead of chasing virality.Kern explains what AI still can’t touch in writing, lived experience, emotional nuance, and a unique point of view, and why art is, at its core, human expression. He shares a brutally honest look at the economics of traditional publishing (15% royalties, needing to sell tens of thousands of copies just to hit an average salary) versus self‑publishing (often closer to 50% per book), and why most authors need to think like writers with multiple income streams, not just “authors” hoping one book saves them. He also unpacks how he built his audience through projects like Cry Magazine and writers are superstars, focusing on the emotional reality of being a writer, not just craft tips.The conversation goes deep into career mindset: why progress and milestones matter more than sudden “breakthroughs,” how Kern intentionally wrote a short first book to match his skill level, then leveled up over time, and what it actually feels like to be living the childhood dream of “I want to be an author” after years of rejection, small sales, and near‑quits. If you’re a writer wondering how to stay human in the age of AI, whether to self‑publish or chase a deal, and how to build a real community around your work, this episode gives you both realism and hope.Key Topics- How AI is changing writing jobs, and why storytelling roles (storyteller, content lead, creative strategist) are actually increasing, not disappearing- What keeps writing “human”: lived experience, emotional nuance, unique perspective, and art as human expression rather than mechanical output- Why traditional publishing is so hard to break into and how low royalty rates (around 10–15%) make it difficult to live on book sales alone- How self‑publishing changes the math (much higher royalty share) but demands extreme commitment to marketing, distribution, and treating your book like a business- The trap of writing a book purely for validation today vs using books intentionally for legacy, business, or strategic career leverage- How Kern built and leveraged community through Cry Magazine and writers are superstars by focusing on the emotional reality of being a writer, not just craft- The power of realistic milestones and visible progress in sustaining a long writing career and the mindset of “I always prioritized writing even when no one was reading”Kern Carter – Former indie and now traditionally published author with Penguin and Scholastic; essayist on the intersection of publishing and pop culture; creator of writers are superstars; co‑creator/producer of multiple film projects; has sold ~15,000 books in the past year by strategically nurturing and activating his reader and writer communities.If you’re serious about building a writing career that isn’t dependent on algorithms, watch the full episode, then visit KernCarter.com to explore his work, join his community, and learn how he’s turning writing skill and owned IP into a sustainable, long‑term career.
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Most writers are terrified that AI will replace them and convinced they can’t make a living unless they “blow up” on social media, but author and entrepreneur Kern Carter is quietly proving the opposite. In this episode, Kern breaks down how he went from indie beginnings to publishing with giants like Penguin and Scholastic, selling roughly 15,000 books in a year without being popular on any platform by relentlessly building and leveraging a tight, values‑aligned writing community instead of chasing virality.Kern explains what AI still can’t touch in writing, lived experience, emotional nuance, and a unique point of view, and why art is, at its core, human expression. He shares a brutally honest look at the economics of traditional publishing (15% royalties, needing to sell tens of thousands of copies just to hit an average salary) versus self‑publishing (often closer to 50% per book), and why most authors need to think like writers with multiple income streams, not just “authors” hoping one book saves them. He also unpacks how he built his audience through projects like Cry Magazine and writers are superstars, focusing on the emotional reality of being a writer, not just craft tips.The conversation goes deep into career mindset: why progress and milestones matter more than sudden “breakthroughs,” how Kern intentionally wrote a short first book to match his skill level, then leveled up over time, and what it actually feels like to be living the childhood dream of “I want to be an author” after years of rejection, small sales, and near‑quits. If you’re a writer wondering how to stay human in the age of AI, whether to self‑publish or chase a deal, and how to build a real community around your work, this episode gives you both realism and hope.Key Topics- How AI is changing writing jobs, and why storytelling roles (storyteller, content lead, creative strategist) are actually increasing, not disappearing- What keeps writing “human”: lived experience, emotional nuance, unique perspective, and art as human expression rather than mechanical output- Why traditional publishing is so hard to break into and how low royalty rates (around 10–15%) make it difficult to live on book sales alone- How self‑publishing changes the math (much higher royalty share) but demands extreme commitment to marketing, distribution, and treating your book like a business- The trap of writing a book purely for validation today vs using books intentionally for legacy, business, or strategic career leverage- How Kern built and leveraged community through Cry Magazine and writers are superstars by focusing on the emotional reality of being a writer, not just craft- The power of realistic milestones and visible progress in sustaining a long writing career and the mindset of “I always prioritized writing even when no one was reading”Kern Carter – Former indie and now traditionally published author with Penguin and Scholastic; essayist on the intersection of publishing and pop culture; creator of writers are superstars; co‑creator/producer of multiple film projects; has sold ~15,000 books in the past year by strategically nurturing and activating his reader and writer communities.If you’re serious about building a writing career that isn’t dependent on algorithms, watch the full episode, then visit KernCarter.com to explore his work, join his community, and learn how he’s turning writing skill and owned IP into a sustainable, long‑term career.