Author Media is relevant to the AI agent ecosystem as a vertical integrator for the publishing industry. They do not build core LLMs, but they develop and curate AI-driven tools through their Patron Toolbox that act as specialized agents for authors. These tools handle tasks like drafting back-cover copy, generating reader magnets, and performing SEO audits of author websites.
They are active in the agent stack at the application and instruction layer, providing the specific domain expertise required to make general AI useful for writers. By teaching authors how to use AI for platform building, they are driving adoption of agentic workflows in a creative industry that has historically been resistant to automation. Their focus on using AI for marketing execution makes them a key bridge between general-purpose AI technology and the specific needs of the independent creator economy.
Author Media began as Umstattd Media in 2007, a web design firm focused on authors and small businesses. Founder Thomas Umstattd Jr. built his first website at 13, and his technical background informs the company's trajectory from a service agency to a product-led education platform. In 2015, the company shifted toward building specialized tools for the publishing industry, releasing WordPress plugins such as MyBookProgress and MyBookTable. These tools addressed a specific technical gap for writers: the need to display and sell books directly from their own web properties without complex e-commerce setups.
Today, the company is primarily known for the Novel Marketing podcast, which claims to be the longest-running book marketing podcast. The business operates a multi-pronged revenue model involving high-ticket courses like the "Book Launch Blueprint" and "Obscure No More," alongside a subscription-based Patreon community. This community provides the funding for their ongoing tool development, including their recent pivot into AI-assisted utilities.
The core of the Author Media offering is its integration of software with strategy. Unlike many literary agencies or marketing firms that rely on general advice, Author Media builds the infrastructure it recommends. Their WordPress plugins are designed to automate the social proof and cataloging aspects of an author's website. This includes progress trackers for writing and structured data for book listings, which are essential for SEO in a competitive retail environment.
In addition to software, they maintain a Podcast Host Directory. This database provides contact information for over 100,000 hosts, enabling authors to execute podcast tours — a marketing strategy the company heavily champions. By providing the data layer for outreach, Author Media positions itself as an essential utility for authors who are bypassing traditional media to find audiences directly.
Author Media has increasingly focused on the role of artificial intelligence in the creative process. They maintain a "Patron Toolbox" that includes over 36 tools, many of which are specifically geared toward using Large Language Models for marketing tasks. This includes prompts and interfaces for crafting back-cover copy, generating marketing emails, and auditing website clarity.
Their approach to AI is pragmatic rather than theoretical. They treat AI as a labor-saving agent for the administrative and promotional tasks that writers often find burdensome. This focus on the "boring" parts of publishing — news tracking, metadata optimization, and promotional drafting — is where they find the most utility for their user base. Based in Austin, Texas, the company remains a family-operated boutique firm that exerts influence through a high-volume content strategy and a deeply integrated tech stack for the independent publishing market.
A collection of AI and marketing tools for authors.
Author Media is hiring.