Interview: Jason Chen on 14 Years of StoryBundle
Jason Chen launched StoryBundle back in 2012, when bundles were essentially nonexistent in the book world. Fourteen years and over 2,000 authors later, he’s seen the publishing landscape transform. In this interview he talks about what he’s learned from running a curated book platform for more than a decade, what’s surprised him, and what he’s still figuring out.
The Interview
StoryBundle has worked with over 2,000 authors over more than a decade. What’s the thing that has surprised you most about how the publishing landscape has changed since you started?
There are so many things that’s changed since 2012, but one of the biggest ones are how self-publishing went from a niche, startup thing, to something that the vast majority of authors do! Owning your own work, putting it out without interference, or distractions, or (and this could be a detriment) help from the “industry” means so many more different voices are getting heard.
It’s also crazy how fragmented reading has become, and how it’s really easier than ever to get lost in the noise of all different types of genres, and authors and titles. One thing I could never have predicted is how you’re now expected to market your book, which doesn’t involve video or audio, through short form video! To me it’s like a band trying to sell a new album by baking cookies.
When you look across all those authors and bundles, do you see patterns or characteristics that consistently separate the authors who get a lot out of StoryBundle from those who don’t?
I think being in a bundle is like a lot of other activities, in that you get out what you put into it. If you see it as an opportunity to reach new audiences, then you’re more likely to be excited about making the most of the limited bundle run. There are (usually) a dozen other authors in the bundle, with similar, but not exactly the same audience, which means you have a great opportunity to reach a BUNCH of new people that would otherwise never have heard of your books! If the curator did their job correctly, there’s a good reason why you’re in a bundle with these fellow authors, and that means it’s more than likely their fans would potentially be fans of yours.
The ones who don’t get much out of StoryBundle, I feel like don’t get much out of a lot of their opportunities. But I have a little more to say on that later.
What are the most important things a curator should do to ensure their bundle is successful?
As far as curating goes, the most important part of the process comes before the bundle even starts. Our curators need to make sure that not only do the books make sense together thematically, but that the authors are ones that are engaged and willing to promote. We could have a bundle of tremendous titles, but if the authors aren’t getting the word out, then nobody’s going to know about it!
Has reader behavior around the pay-what-you-want model shifted over the years? Are people more or less generous than they used to be?
I’m surprised how little StoryBundle readers have changed as far as the PWYW model is concerned. They’ve been extremely supportive of both our authors and StoryBundle, as well as the various charities we’ve supported over the years. We wouldn’t be able to keep doing what we’re doing without them!
If you could go back in time to when StoryBundle first launched in 2012, what would you do differently?
You know, not actually a whole lot. There are some things we do now that are different from what we did when we started, but that’s not because what we did then was wrong so much as how the whole book market has changed since then. But if I had to name one specific thing that I didn’t know when I launched is that there are some famous authors that don’t pay their taxes! Also if I could go back in time, I would hope I’d be too busy trying to prevent a pandemic and gestures around wildly all of what’s going on now rather than worrying about a book store.
What genres do best on StoryBundle, and which ones don’t do as well—and why do you think this is?
StoryBundle’s best genres have always been sci-fi and fantasy, and I think that’s due to the self-selecting sample of folks who want to get their books not from major book stores, but through what’s essentially word-of-mouth from our curators. For myself personally, a lot of what I read is discovery in a “oh so you like this, then I think you’ll like that” format, whether from actual friends, or social media, or the internet. I’m never just walking into a book store trying to find interesting covers that jump out at me. The core idea of curators is that we’ve got folks who are already picking out books that lead somewhat into another book, and another one, and they’re conveniently in one place!
What I hear now about the marketplace in general is that romantasy, or just plain romance, sells phenomenally. But we’ve tried so many variations of romance bundles and none of them do well on StoryBundle. Whether that’s StoryBundle’s audience, or the romance readers’ preference of getting books, I can’t say.
What’s something you’ve learned from working with so many authors that has nothing to do with books?
I hinted at this a little bit, but the one thing almost all successful authors I’ve found have in common is professionalism and discipline. They do stuff with intention, whether it’s writing (the supposedly fun part of the job), or marketing, or communicating, or anything else (the un-fun part of the job). And to do all those things well, you need discipline. To have discipline means you’ll do what you may not want to do, and you’ll do it well, and you’ll do it on time. I’m not saying I have this, or have it all the time, but I’m inspired by the discipline that a lot of authors have. To be a successful author (or successful anything), it might just be the most important thing.
What keeps you excited about running StoryBundle after 14 years?
I couldn’t have known this when I started StoryBundle, but one of the most enjoyable things about the job is getting to know all these authors over the years at least a little bit. Y’all are some very nice people! One of my goals for the next 14 years is to have some sort of StoryBundle meetup SOMEWHERE, SOMETIME, so we can all hang out. Maybe with the readers as well?
About Jason
StoryBundle was created to give a platform for independent authors to showcase their work, and a source of quality titles for thirsty readers. StoryBundle works with authors to create bundles of ebooks that can be purchased by readers at their desired price. Before starting StoryBundle, founder Jason Chen covered technology and software as an editor for Gizmodo.com and Lifehacker.com.
Find StoryBundle
The Write Stuff StoryBundle, curated by Kristine Kathryn Rusch, is available now. 15 exclusive books on writing and publishing—pay what you want, starting at $5. Customers can choose to direct a portion of their payment to World Central Kitchen. The bundle runs through May 14, 2026.