Episode Details

Pre-order Jay Schwedelson's new book, Stupider People Have Done It (out June 9, 2026).

All net proceeds are donated to The V Foundation for Cancer Research. Let's kick cancer's butt: https://www.amazon.com/Stupider-People-Have-Done-Marketing/dp/1637635206

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Connect with Laura Morton on LinkedIn and explore Lasega Books at lasegabooks.com to learn about her hybrid publishing imprint.

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Imagine writing your first book, hitting a wall, and then learning the person guiding you through it has 23 New York Times bestsellers on her shelf and 60-plus titles with names like Justin Bieber, the Jonas Brothers, and Al Roker.

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That's the call Jay Schwedelson made when he started writing Stupider People Have Done It, and the person he kept hearing about was Laura Morton.

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She's the publisher behind his book, the founder of Lasega Books, and she joins to pull back the curtain on what really sells, what AI can't fake, and why pre-orders quietly decide everything.

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Best Moments:

(02:45) Four million books were published last year, and the average one sells just 300 copies

(06:00) The three boxes a book has to check before Laura agrees to publish it

(07:05) Why even billionaire founders walk in feeling like total impostors

(09:38) How Laura spots an AI-written manuscript in under a minute

(14:30) The word "intimacy" broken down into "into me you see," and why that's what readers really come for

(17:00) The real reason pre-orders matter more than the launch week itself

(22:15) Writing the book is only ten percent of the work, the other ninety is what most authors miss

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Partner with Jay: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/contact

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Subscribe to Jay's newsletter for weekly marketing tips and tactics: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/newsletter

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Register for Eventastic (FREE + VIRTUAL!) https://www.eventastic.com

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Register for GuruConference (FREE + VIRTUAL!) https://www.guruconference.com

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Connect with Jay on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schwedelson/

Check out Jay's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@schwedelson

Check out Jay's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayschwedelson/

Ask Jay anything: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/ask

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