This is our first joint live broadcast since the end of Writer MBA, and we’re kicking it off with a bang. Joining Russell Nohelty are two powerhouse guests:
Monica Leonelle, author, strategist, and creator of The World Needs Your Passion—and longtime advocate for author empowerment.
Greg Keogh, Head of Creator Partnerships of Curios, a direct sales platform helping authors regain control of their digital revenue, reader data, and distribution.
This wide-ranging, tactical conversation dives deep into the changing landscape of indie publishing—and what comes next. We talk about how authors are being squeezed out of the digital economy by big tech platforms, and how Curios is stepping in to provide a viable alternative.
If you’ve ever felt like Amazon, Audible, Spotify, or KU were siphoning off too much of your work for too little return, this episode is for you.
🔍 What We Talk About
Why the ebook and audiobook markets are starting to resemble the streaming music industry (and why that’s a huge problem)
How platforms like Kindle Unlimited and Findaway Voices are quietly leading authors down a path of diminished profits and control
The origins of Curios, a tech-forward platform that gives authors:
100% of their sales revenue
full ownership of reader data
a clean, discoverable storefront
and cash incentives to try it out (seriously, you get paid to test it)
Monica’s take on why this moment mirrors what happened in the music industry 15 years ago—and what authors need to do now to avoid the same fate
Russell’s case for “going wide with everything” and treating author visibility like musicians treat gigging and guest spots: be everywhere, own your data, and diversify your attention
Why owning the chain of custody of your reader relationships is the most important move an author can make in 2025
💡 Key Takeaways
✅ Digital direct sales are not just viable—they’re essential. Platforms like Curios remove the middlemen and give authors the data, money, and flexibility they need to build sustainable careers.
✅ The streaming model is dangerous for authors. Kindle Unlimited and audiobook streaming pay micro-cents per interaction—authors are trading control and profit for scale, and the math doesn’t work out.
✅ Being early matters. Just like early adopters won Substack Notes and built empires on Kickstarter, authors who join platforms like Curios now will be best positioned as discoverability grows.
✅ Author success is increasingly collaborative. The era of solo career-building is over. Sharing tools, knowledge, and platforms is how we survive and thrive.
✅ Test everything, invest wisely. Even if you’re already on Amazon or Substack or WooCommerce, trying a new platform with zero downside (and a $50 upside) is a strategic play.
🎧 Listen now if you’re ready to rethink your digital strategy, reclaim your reader relationships, and explore what the post-Writer MBA era of authorship really looks like.
🛠️ Want to check out Curios? Visit Curios (and get paid for setting up your store).
📬 Subscribe to The World Needs Your Passion by Monica Leonelle for deep dives on writing and direct sales.
✍️ And of course, subscribe to The Author Stack to stay on the bleeding edge of indie publishing strategy.
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