What are the benefits of selling direct? Why might using your face to advertise your books be a good idea? What might be the future of selling direct? Steve Pieper talks about these things and more. In the intro, ACX lowering audiobook prices, Chokepoint Capitalism, Audiblegate, Copyright valuation [Dean Wesley Smith]; courses on copyright; Happy Money; Write to Riches; Failing to predict the future [James Altucher]; Pilgrimage Kickstarter (until 5 Feb, 2023), then find it here. Today's show is sponsored by ProWritingAid, writing and editing software that goes way beyond just grammar and typo checking. With its detailed reports on how to improve your writing and integration with Scrivener, ProWritingAid will help you improve your book before you send it to an editor, agent or publisher. Check it out for free or get 25% off the premium edition at www.ProWritingAid.com/joanna Steve Pieper is a USA Today best-selling thriller author under the name Lars Emmerich. He's also an entrepreneur and business consultant, specializing in digital marketing and selling direct. You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below.  Show Notes * Reasons to write under a pen name * Selling wide to create multiple income streams * Potential problems with exclusivity * Benefits of selling direct and accessing customer data * The empowerment of controlling your intellectual property and author business * Humanizing yourself as an author to create a more relatable brand * Author marketing mastery through optimization * NFTs and how they tie into the future of direct sales You can find Steve Pieper at AMMOauthor.com or under his pen name at Lars.buzz Transcript of Interview with Steve Pieper Joanna: Steve Pieper is a USA Today best-selling thriller author under the name Lars Emmerich.