In our very first episode, Paul and Barry kick off Becoming Bestsellers by breaking down what every author needs before they ever think about publishing or marketing. From the myth of needing a massive book, to the power of simplicity, to the real reasons writers stall, this opening conversation is part inspiration, part tough love, and packed with decades of experience.

Barry shares stories from co-authoring Chicken Soup for the Soul and writing his first book in just 17 days. Paul breaks down why specific, vivid books sell better, and explains how focusing on one clear problem helps authors actually finish strong.

If you’ve ever said “I don’t know where to start,” this is the episode that gets you moving.

00:00 – Welcome to Becoming Bestsellers

Meet Paul (Jersey tough) and Barry (Canadian nice), and the tone for the entire show is set: honest, helpful, fun, and built for authors who want results.

01:00 – Why Most Authors Never Start the Right Way

The difference between writing by “gut feel” versus writing by guidance, intention, and clarity.

02:30 – Barry’s Lombardi Lesson: “This is a Book”

A simple reminder that a book can be big, small, stapled, photocopied, or published — what matters is that it exists and solves a problem.

05:00 – Paul’s #1 Marketing Tip: Make Your Book Specific and Vivid

The story of transforming a 600-page baseball manuscript into an 80-page bestseller by focusing on one clear promise: How to Hit a Curveball.

09:50 – Why Specific Books Sell Better Than Famous Authors

People buy solutions, not resumes. If your book solves a problem fast, it wins.

12:30 – Barry’s First Big Lesson: “Write a Great Book”

The backstory of Barry showing up in California with a manuscript Jack Canfield said “wasn’t very good”, and how revising it changed everything.

15:45 – The Problem With Trying to Change Millions of Lives

Paul explains why aiming too big makes writing harder, and why solving a small, specific problem makes writing easier and impact deeper.

18:30 – Tip #2: Write for a Specific Audience

Paul talks about books written for conventions, associations, and communities, and why this approach sells books before you even publish them.

21:15 – Barry on “What Do You Want Your Book to Do for You?”

A book can get you speaking gigs, open doors, position you as an expert, or launch a brand. When authors skip this step, they quit too early.

25:30 – Tip #3: Begin With the Last Page in Mind

Paul explains why readers rarely finish books, and why shorter, tighter books build lifelong fans.

29:00 – How to Craft a Bingeable Book

Lessons from Netflix, restaurants, and The Beatles. If every page delivers value, people keep reading.

32:30 – Barry’s Most Vulnerable Lesson: “Why I Almost Didn’t Write This Book”

A powerful segment about imposter syndrome, shame, and why authors sabotage themselves.

37:00 – How Barry’s Honest Confession Sold More Books

The story of Golftown rejecting his book… then inviting him to speak because of the honesty he wrote in the introduction.

42:00 – What Every Reader Really Wants

Barry repackages his entire book around one sentence: “I just shot my best score ever,” and suddenly readers understand exactly what they’re buying.

48:00 – Wrapping Up: One Clear Message

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In this episode of Becoming Bestsellers, Paul Reddick and bestselling author Barry Spilchuk break down one of the most overlooked ways to sell books: earning attention instead of buying it.

Rather than relying on ads, algorithms, or social media luck, this conversation focuses on how authors can position themselves for interviews, features, podcasts, speaking opportunities, and press coverage that naturally drive book sales.

Barry shares behind-the-scenes stories from Chicken Soup for the Soul and how media visibility multiplied book sales without traditional marketing. Paul explains how authors can frame their books so media outlets actually want to talk about them, and why most authors never get invited in the first place.

If you want your book to sell because people are talking about it, not because you’re chasing clicks, this episode shows you how to make that happen.

In this episode of Becoming Bestsellers, Paul Reddick and Barry Spilchuk sit down with bestselling author, voice actor, and communication expert Joel Weldon, author of You Are the Message.

This conversation goes far beyond writing and publishing. It explores the often-ignored truth behind why books sell: the way the author shows up, speaks, and connects.

Joel shares how decades of voice acting, music, and live performance shaped his approach to communication—and why most people are never taught how to actually deliver a message with confidence, authority, and emotional impact. From conquering fear of public speaking to mastering vocal presence, silence, pacing, and authenticity, this episode reveals how your voice, presence, and delivery become the marketing engine behind your book.

If you want your ideas to land, your message to spread, and your book to move people instead of just sitting on a shelf, this episode shows you how to become the message.

1. Why most people fear speaking more than death—and how that fear blocks book sales
2. How You Are the Message was born during COVID from voice acting and teaching
3. The difference between being “talented” and being prepared
4. Why confidence comes from mission, not personality
5. The C1–C4 communication framework (Confidential, Conversational, Coach, Compelling)
6. How silence, pacing, and vocal range create authority and trust
7. Why authenticity is felt, not announced
8. How authors unintentionally lose their audience before they ever start
9. The difference between profiting and profiteering with your message
10. Why great communication turns interviews, talks, podcasts, and presentations into book sales
11. How practicing out loud changes everything
12. Why your book doesn’t sell until you can deliver it