# Author Media Training Courses

> Thomas Umstattd Jr.'s suite of author platform and marketing courses, including a comprehensive book launch blueprint, podcast guesting training, and the Obscure No More bundle — from the host of the Novel Marketing Podcast.

Source: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/courses/author-media-training
Website: https://training.authormedia.com
Category: Courses & Education (https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/courses)
Pricing: paid — $0–$1500/one-time
AI-powered: no
Tags: author-platform, social-media, book-launch, podcast, blog, book-marketing, platform-building
Last verified: 2026-06-18
Best For: Nonfiction and Christian authors who want organic platform growth through media and relationships rather than paid ad spend
Commitment: self-paced, live-sessions
Course Focus: marketing-ads
Format: Video Course, Live Workshop
Instructor: Thomas Umstattd Jr.
Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate
Topics: Author Platform, Book Launch, Social Media, Podcast Guesting, Blog Writing, Book Marketing

Author Media Training Courses is the education arm of Author Media — the platform behind the long-running Novel Marketing Podcast, hosted by Thomas Umstattd Jr. Where most author marketing courses focus on paid advertising, Author Media's curriculum centers on organic platform building: developing an audience, building authority, and selling books through media relationships, blog content, and word-of-mouth rather than ad spend.

Umstattd has worked with hundreds of authors on platform strategy and brings a podcast host's breadth of knowledge — having interviewed virtually every major figure in the author marketing space — to his teaching.

**Available courses and bundles:**

**Obscure No More** ($1,500 one-time for lifetime access, or $49/month) — Author Media's flagship platform-building curriculum. The core program runs 14 modules covering platform fundamentals, branding, websites, SEO, email, blogging, podcasting, public speaking, advertising, and copywriting. The bundle also folds in several standalone courses (advertised as ~$1,445 in savings):
- Author Email Academy ($499 standalone)
- Author Podcast Academy ($499 standalone)
- The Art of Persuasion ($199 standalone)
- How to Craft Excellent Blog Posts ($99 standalone)
- How to Get Booked as a Podcast Guest ($249 standalone)
- How to Make Your Author Website Amazing (free standalone)

Members also get "AI Thomas," a GPT-4-powered chatbot trained on Author Media's publishing content, plus monthly live Q&A office hours and a community forum.

**Book Launch Blueprint** ($299, or $249 for Novel Marketing patrons) — A 28-day interactive cohort course co-taught by Thomas Umstattd Jr. and Christy Award Hall of Fame novelist James L. Rubart. Each day pairs a pre-recorded video and homework assignment with live office hours; by the end, participants leave with a customized, ready-to-execute launch plan.

**Individual courses** ($99–$499 each) — Most components of the Obscure No More bundle can be bought separately, alongside standalone courses such as Marketing Psychology for Authors ($299), The 5-Year Plan to Become a Bestselling Author ($199), How to Get Published, The Ultimate Crowdfunding Course for Authors, and a Tax & Business Guide for Authors.

**Free content:** Author Media also offers the long-running Novel Marketing Podcast (500+ episodes, the longest-running book marketing podcast) and a substantial blog archive as free educational resources, plus a free "How to Make Your Author Website Amazing" course.

**Best for:** Nonfiction authors, Christian authors, and authors who want to build a long-term, organic platform rather than relying on paid advertising. Particularly strong for authors interested in podcast guesting as a marketing strategy and those who value relationship-based audience building.