Kit Perez joins to discuss the art and science of resistance in the publishing world, why Amazon is not evil but simply a machine designed to extract value, and how independent authors can build a true signal in a noisy marketplace.
Kit applies her unique background in intelligence and trauma counseling to the struggles of the modern creator. She explains why unhealed attachment wounds and “people-pleasing” leave authors vulnerable to industry scams, and breaks down the three non-negotiable rules for escaping the ecosystem: owning your audience, controlling your distribution, and setting the narrative. She also discusses the “Jersey Shore” effect of traditional publishing and why the only valid response to a cancellation mob is indifference.
In This Episode
Why “fighting the system” is a waste of time and how to treat Big Tech as a tool.
The difference between performing resistance online and actually moving the needle.
Kit’s background: applying intelligence analysis and trauma counseling to the author community.
Why you need to stop renting customers from Amazon and start owning your readers.
The danger of “people-pleasing” and how it makes authors prime targets for scams.
The “Sellout” Myth: A nuanced look at creative autonomy and envy.
How to handle online mobs and why being disagreeable is a superpower.
The future of the Big 5 and why they are chasing the “Reality TV” demographic.
How to build a parallel economy based on structural trust.
Guest Links
Kit Perez
shepardscale.substack.com
The Mindset of Resistance - https://a.co/d/eYasFJC
Kristin’s Links
Services & Content
Editing Services: nonsensefreeeditor.com
Newsletter: Fictional Influence on Substack
YouTube: Nonsense-Free Kristin
Sponsors
ClickUp - Stop juggling sticky notes and random docs. Organize your writing projects, deadlines, and clients in one place. Try it free.
https://try.web.clickup.com/nonsensefree
Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction and Guest Overview
02:02 - Kit Perez’s Background and Expertise
02:55 - The Intersection of Trauma and Resistance
04:23 - Challenges in the Publishing Industry
05:23 - Strategies for Independent Authors
13:09 - Building and Owning Your Audience
18:25 - Defining Success and Selling Out
22:26 - The Complexity of Character Identification
23:27 - Alan Moore’s Stand on Movie Adaptations
25:00 - Diverse Perspectives in the Indie Community
25:53 - Facing the System: Resistance and Infiltration
27:50 - Managing Writing and Marketing Tasks with ClickUp
28:45 - Memoirists and the Risk of Scams
30:04 - Protecting Yourself from Publishing Scams
30:42 - The Dangers of People Pleasing
33:41 - Navigating Cancel Culture
35:13 - Balancing Independence and Capitalism
38:56 - Steps Towards Meaningful Independence
41:44 - Predicting the Future of Indie Publishing
44:43 - Final Thoughts and Where to Find More
About This Podcast
Nonsense-Free Kristin is where independent authors and creators learn to build their platforms, master their craft, and create on their own terms—without begging for permission from gatekeepers who hate them.
New episodes weekly.
Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Music.
