Author Nation Live 25 B2-23 Plan, Prevent, Recover: Business Continuity for Authors
Business continuity planning enables authors to maintain functional, profitable publishing businesses despite unexpected disruptions ranging from hardware failures to legal challenges. This Author Nation session, presented by IT professional and romance author Jordan Cross, establishes a four-pillar framework covering data protection, publication risks, reputation management, and real-life contingencies. The session distinguishes between everyday computer problems and business-critical failures where manuscripts, copyright protections, and author brands face existential threats. Cross emphasizes that authors are CEOs of their own businesses, requiring systematic approaches to backup protocols, contract review, platform diversification, sales tax compliance (nexus), and newsletter deliverability. The presentation addresses both prevention strategies and recovery pathways for scenarios including hard drive crashes, Amazon de-platforming, piracy incidents, trademark complaints, and health emergencies. Cross positions copyright registration with the U.S. Copyright Office as essential legal protection, citing the Anthropic AI settlement as evidence that only registered works qualified for compensation. The session frames success itself as a continuity challenge requiring advance planning for scaling operations.
Tools/Software
- Mailer Lite: Email newsletter service recommended for professional delivery and CAN-SPAM compliance
- MailChimp: Newsletter delivery platform alternative
- Kit (formerly ConvertKit): Email marketing service for authors
- Flodesk: Newsletter platform option for author businesses
- Backup Plus: Software for continuous local hard drive backups
- Apple iCloud: Cloud backup service; approximately $3/month for off-site data protection
- Mail Tester: Free online tool for scoring newsletter deliverability before sending
- Google Incognito Search: Browser feature for viewing unbiased search results to monitor piracy
- Copyright.gov: U.S. Copyright Office website for filing copyright registrations
- Draft2Digital: Aggregator service for distributing ebooks to multiple platforms
- Amazon KDP: Direct publishing platform with exclusive (KU) and wide options
- Barnes & Noble Press: Direct distribution platform for ebooks and print
- BookBub: Mentioned as vendor with website solutions
- Story Origin: File delivery and author website service
- Direct2Readers: Website solution provider for authors
- WordPress: Website platform (noted as optional—simpler alternatives exist)
- Canva: Implied for image creation in newsletters
- VPN Software: Recommended for Mac security protection
Key Concepts
- Business Continuity: Ability to remain functional and thrive despite disruptions
- Nexus: Tax relationship establishing sales tax obligations in specific states
- Merchant of Record: Entity responsible for collecting and remitting sales tax
- CAN-SPAM Law: Federal regulation requiring physical addresses and unsubscribe options in commercial emails
- Copyright Registration: Legal filing providing enhanced protection and litigation rights
- Reversion Clause: Contract provision specifying when author rights return
- Wide Distribution: Publishing across multiple platforms simultaneously
- Exclusive Distribution: Amazon-only ebook availability through Kindle Unlimited
- Aggregator: Service distributing content to multiple retailers from single upload
- Alt Tags: Image descriptions improving email deliverability
- Rich Text Format (RTF): Neutral file format compatible across applications
- CSV (Comma Separated Values): Neutral spreadsheet format for data portability
- Continuous Backup: Automatic file saving as changes occur
- Redundant Backup: Multiple backup copies in different locations
- On-site Backup: Local storage under author's physical control
- Off-site Backup: Cloud or remote storage protecting against local disasters
- Statement of Work: Detailed contract specifying website deliverables
- Multi-Factor Authentication: Security requiring second verification method
- Blacklist: Email sender reputation block preventing delivery
Legal/Compliance Items
- Copyright Claims Board: New mechanism for filing copyright violation cases
- CAN-SPAM Compliance: Physical address requirement in commercial emails
- Anthropic Settlement: AI case where only copyright-registered works qualified for payment
- Terms of Service Awareness: Understanding platform rules to prevent de-platforming
- Sales Tax Filing: State-by-state requirements for direct sales and events
- ISBN Registration: Identifier linked to Anthropic settlement eligibility
đź”’ Unlock the Full Replay
In the full video, Jordan Cross demonstrates her exact 3-layer backup system—the continuous local drive, cloud subscription, and fireproof-safe archive strategy she built while starting her author business with negative $5,000 in credit card debt. She walks through the specific software settings and shows the Google Drive direct-download hack that costs nothing to implement.
Q: Q: What are the four pillars of an author business continuity plan?
A: Data, Publication, Reputation, and Real Life. Jordan Cross structures continuity planning around these four categories, with data covering hardware, software, websites, and credentials; publication addressing distribution, piracy, contracts, and taxes; reputation encompassing social media, newsletters, and professionalism; and real life accounting for health, family, and success scaling.
Q:Why should authors file copyright registration if they already own their work?
A: Registration provides enhanced legal protection and litigation cost recovery that automatic copyright does not. Cross explains that while creators have copyright upon creation, defending those rights without registration is significantly more difficult. She cites the Anthropic AI settlement as proof: only authors with registered copyrights and ISBNs qualified for the payment pool, while some traditionally published authors whose publishers failed to file were excluded.
Q:Do I need to collect sales tax if people buy books from my website from different states?
A: Most states require $100,000 or more in annual sales before triggering nexus for online transactions—a threshold few indie authors reach with direct sales alone. However, thresholds vary significantly: Washington State triggers at $10,000 and Arkansas at just 200 transactions. If you're selling through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or other major retailers, they handle sales tax as the merchant of record. The obligation applies when you are the merchant—direct store sales, non-merchant preorder services, or in-person event sales where you physically accept payment.
Q:Is it worth paying $50 per book to register copyright if I have 16 books?
A: Copyright registration provides legal protections that automatic copyright upon creation does not—specifically, the ability to recover legal fees and statutory damages in infringement cases. The Anthropic AI settlement demonstrated real-world consequences: only registered works qualified for compensation. You can reduce costs by filing multiple works together as a collection, which several audience members confirmed doing for trilogies and series. File before publication when possible, but retroactive filing still provides additional protections even years later.