He Built a Bookstore for the Internet Age And It Pays Authors Fast - Django Degree II | 06

Are you an author tired of tiny royalty checks and zero reader connection? We're sitting down with Django, the visionary behind Wrote By Me, who's blowing up the old model and putting power (and profit!) back in authors' hands.

Discover

🟢 Inefficiencies of traditional publishing

🟢 Reasons authors struggle to make money

🟢 How selling direct-to-reader isn't just smarter but it's the future

From leveraging AI to truly understand your audience to building a community that buys before your book even hits shelves, Django shares how to actually succeed as an author today. This isn't about selling books; it's about owning your story, your readers, and your success.

Connect with Django

https://www.wroteby.me/djangodegree

The Searchlight is a weekly briefing on leadership, venture, and building in the age of AI. Every Friday.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro

01:26 - The DAY I Knew Publishing Was BROKEN

01:44 - Follow the MONEY: Where It REALLY Goes

02:14 - Why Authors Are SCREWED by the System

03:24 - Get 90%?! How We Pay Authors FAST

04:30 - The REAL Reason Authors Fail

05:10 - “If You Build It... You'll Fail" (Unless You Do This)

07:07 - AI: Your Secret Book Sales Weapon

08:57 - Build Your TRIBE, Sell More Books

10:28 - They LIED About Marketing

11:47 - The Problem That Almost Killed My Business

12:09 - The "Bestseller" Trap EXPOSED

13:12 - How We're Replacing Old Status Symbols

14:38 - My MILLION DOLLAR Lesson from Big Tech

16:18 - Proof: Authors Making HUGE Money FAST

17:47 - The CRAZY Model That Still Exists

18:18 - Taking On the GIANTS

20:41 - The #1 Thing You MUST Do NOW

21:11 - STOP Buying Ads! (Try This Instead)

21:47 - How to Find Your PERFECT Reader

22:40 - Is Tech Killing Creativity?

23:57 - The Photography Secret You Need

25:56 - The Hidden Barrier for ALL Creators

27:13 - Why EVERYONE Can Create Now

28:12 - The Two Types of Creation (Which is Yours?)

29:25 - Storytelling for EVERYONE?

30:18 - Community over Everything Else

31:36 - The 3 Rules of Book Success

33:26 - Rapid Fire: Book Hacks & More!

33:42 - Connect & Get My Books!