20Books to 50K.
The first thing to know about 20Books is that its many things rolled into one. Its a group, a mindset, a plan, and a benchmark. To break that all down what better way to do it than in book format?
Chapter One: The Birth of a Bold Indie Ambition
In the mid‑2010s, prolific self‑published author and entrepreneur Michael Anderle, joined forces with productivity coach and fellow author Craig Martelle to start a bold new movement. Their concept was deceptively simple yet powerful: if an indie author could consistently publish twenty books that earned $7.50 per day in royalties, they would generate $50,000 per year in revenue—a sustainable, author‑run business. With that vision, the 20Books to 50K community was born in early 2015, and it didn't take long for it to resonate across the indie publishing world.
One of the first formats was a low-profile Facebook group where Anderle and Martelle shared their own dashboards and success stories, setting a tone of transparency and rapid productivity. As word spread, membership snowballed—one blogger later would call it "a celebration of the 20‑book retirement plan". By late 2018, the group had over 50,000 members, and the inaugural 20Books Vegas conference emerged as the physical meetup of this digital community.
Chapter Two: Founding Leadership and Community Culture
At the helm stood Michael Anderle, the prolific author behind the success story, and Craig Martelle, the 'productivity engine'. As co-founders and main moderators, they shaped and maintained the group’s tone: data-driven but rooted in writer solidarity. Anderle shared revenue snapshots and published advice across hundreds of books, while Martelle offered frameworks to consistently produce content and guided many through pacing, goal-setting, and mindset.
The moderators—many of whom are published authors—helped manage the group’s explosive growth. They introduced guidelines that ensured conversation stayed on topic, research stayed grounded, and overt marketing stayed at bay unless used to legitimize shared case studies.
Chapter Three: Membership Growth and Global Reach
By 2025, the group had over 60,000 members from around the world: from genre-focused teams of romance and thriller authors to nonfiction and children’s storytellers. In total, this is a melting pot of beginner, part‑time, and full-time authors armed with passion and page counts. The accompanying conference evolved similarly: 20Books Vegas attracted thousands each November until a major leadership shift in 2023 led to a rebranding of the event.
Chapter Four: Rules That Shape the Dialogue
Authors join expecting transparency, but they also find structure. Members must engage respectfully—attacks, trolling, or harmful behavior are not tolerated. Sharing ad screenshots and KDP numbers to support strategies is encouraged. Bragging about gross revenue without ad costs analysis often comes under scrutiny, pushing peers to ask deeper questions—ensuring conversations stay rooted in real profitability, not purely vanity metrics. Since early 2024, misinformation about AI‑driven rapid production has required extra moderation to stabilize chatter and elevate craft.
Chapter Five: What the Group Talks About
At the center is the 20Books Goal—but dialogue is far more layered. Members dissect launch strategies weekly: cover design A/B testing, metadata optimization, Facebook Ads campaign breakdowns, and audiobook distribution via Findaway and ACX. Tools and platforms like IngramSpark and BookFunnel get regular spotlight, as do bundling tactics and foreign rights approaches.
In the discussion forums, authors post entire launch timelines, sharing creative steps—from cover drafts to blog tour recaps. When someone posts a 20K sales month or a 10,000-book annual sales milestone, peers dig into ad spend, unit economics, and margin insight—pushing beyond hype into sustainable strategy.
Chapter Six: The Vegas Conference and Transition to Author Nation
From 2017 through 2023, the 20Books Vegas conference served as the groups centerpiece providing three days of networking, workshops, and keynotes, drawing over 2,000 attending authors per year. However, in mid‑2023, Craig Martelle announced he would step back from group leadership due to personal health and family priorities. Michael Anderle continued as co-founder, while a planning committee coordinated the last editions of 20Books Vegas.
In late 2023, management of the Vegas event switched gears. A new brand—Author Nation—emerged under leadership from Joe Solari, Chelle Honiker, and others, adopting the 20Books DNA but expanding to new tracks and greater reader engagement. The Facebook group (Now moderated by Kevin McLaughlin) retained its original name and membership, while the public conference event launched as Author Nation, scheduling again for Vegas in November 2025 is lead by Joe Solari..
Chapter Seven: The Relationship with Author Nation
Today, 20Books to 50K functions as a robust online community while Author Nation has taken over the physical-facing side. The event focuses on a wider array of publishing models—traditional, hybrid, self, wide, audiobook, AI ethics, direct‑to‑reader sales, and more. Meanwhile, 20Books to 50K continues to fuel peer synergy, and Anderle keeps appearing in conversation panels—and still publishes under his brand.
Community members benefit: the Facebook group remains the dynamic, fast-paced heartbeat, offering real-time feedback and challenges. Author Nation, by contrast, functions as a deeper dive learning experience: tailored tracks, reader events (RAVE), and specialized workshops that build on the group’s weekly inputs.
Chapter Eight: Popular Topics and Member Highlights in 2025
The group's ongoing topics of interest include:
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Profit-focused launch calendars (degree of ad spend vs net sales)
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AI policy transparency in self‑pub—for example, what tools glorify cover design or assist with first drafts
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Rapid-release burnout awareness, with some veteran voices stressing quality over quantity
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Direct sales strategies, email funnels, and audience building outside big platforms
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Audiobook pipeline sharing, including narrator auditions and podcast crossover
Success stories abound: authors who hit $70,000 years on nostalgic cozy mysteries; romance teams that branched wide into multiple languages; nonfiction authors turning webinars into evergreen list growth—publishing two books per year with six-figure income trajectories.
Chapter Nine: Performance Metrics That Matter
Group polls have shown over 60% of active authors publish at least one rapid-release title within eight weeks of joining, and nearly half report year-over-year sales increases of 40–50% after adopting community-backed ad strategies. Since 2020, 70% of long-term members credit the group for their first five-figure month, affirming the community’s business-driven ethos.
Chapter Ten: What Makes It Succeed
20Books to 50K thrives because it combines audacious publishing goals with hard-nosed business discipline, anchored in transparent case studies. Unlike elitist forums, it doesn’t gatekeep: newcomers can observe dashboards, ask questions, and replicate successes. Veteran authors share mistakes openly, cultivating shared learning. Unlike groups siloed in single formats, 20Books embraces cross-format, cross-platform experimentation—while encouraging craft improvement above pure output.
Chapter Eleven: Where to Join the Movement
Aspiring members can request to join the public Facebook group, open to writers worldwide. They're encouraged to approach thoughtfully, post evidence-backed questions, and engage respectfully. Meanwhile, Author Nation sells conference tickets online—joining the group can help members land early-bird rates.
Author Nation FaceBook Page
20Books to 50K Facebook page
Final Verdict: Why It Still Matters
After nearly a decade, 20Books to 50K remains a leading indie-author incubator—one that has grown responsibly, shifted gracefully, and embraced a next-level event format through Author Nation. For authors ready to treat writing like a scalable business—to produce, optimize, and iterate—the group offers real strategy, community accountability, and access to proven frameworks. It's not hype—it’s hard-won experience, shared openly. Anyone serious about independent publishing owes it to themselves to join, learn, and build.