Michael Michel spent over 20 years building a fantasy world before publishing his first novel. When he finally did, it wasn't ads or algorithms that moved the needle. It was people.
In this conversation, Michael breaks down how authentic relationships got him invited on writing retreats with some of the biggest names in indie fantasy, landed him spots in anthologies alongside Robin Hobb and Christopher Paolini, and helped him execute a relaunch that outperformed two years of grinding in just a few months.
We also dig into whether newsletter swaps and giveaways are losing their punch, why Amazon's algorithm shift means organic social media matters more than ever, and how Michael is approaching his upcoming Kickstarter special edition featuring cover art by Jeff Brown.
This one's packed with actionable perspective, especially if you're the kind of person who'd rather build real friendships than run Facebook ads.
Michael's final piece of advice has nothing to do with marketing. It's about acceptance and it might be the most important thing you hear all week.
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⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 – The one strategy that will never change 00:43 – Meet Michael Michel 02:27 – From Warhammer tournaments at age 7 to building a fantasy world 06:25 – First launch: what worked and what stalled 09:38 – Why no one really has the answers (and what IS in your control) 20:31 – Instagram research strategy for finding your exact readers 28:27 – Beating the indie echo chamber with multiple product formats 40:20 – The Kickstarter special edition breakdown (Jeff Brown, interior art, the works) 49:13 – Michael's final advice: the power of acceptance
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