Askalli: Self-publishing Advice Podcast

This week, ALLi Director Orna Ross and Campaigns Manager Melissa Addey discuss ALLi's advocacy work, starting with the Open Up to Indie Authors campaign. This campaign encourages and aids (and occasionally calls out!) the publishing and literary industries to include self-publishing authors in their programs, events, festivals, prizes, listings, and reviews and educates indie authors on what we can do to help ourselves in approaching these opportunities. It's not all about what ALLi does: all indie authors can help with this campaign, find out what a difference three of ALLi's author members recently made by opening up a prestigious author-in-residence opportunity.  Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our self-publishing advice center. And, if you haven’t already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. Now, go write and publish! About the Hosts Orna Ross launched the Alliance of Independent Authors at the London Book Fair in 2012. Her work for ALLi has seen her named

Frankfurt Book Fair prompts European writers' groups to call for the EU's AI Act to be tough on transparency. Welcome to Self-Publishing News with ALLi News editor Dan Holloway, bringing you the latest in indie publishing news and commentary. Find more author advice, tips and tools at our Self-publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts, and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven’t already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. About the Host Dan Holloway is a novelist, poet, and spoken word artist. He is the MC of the performance arts show The New Libertines, He competed at the National Poetry Slam final at the Royal Albert Hall. His latest collection, The Transparency of Sutures, is available on Kindle.

Today on the Reaching More Readers podcast: There is no marketing magic bullet. With the overwhelming options for marketing and promoting a book, what can indie authors do to get their books into more readers' hands? There might not be one magic bullet, but there are proven strategies and techniques indie authors can use to build a plan that works for you. Dale L. Roberts and Holly Greenland explore the many facets of book marketing. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our self-publishing advice center. And, if you haven’t already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. Now, go write and publish! About the Hosts Dale L. Roberts is a self-publishing advocate, award-winning author, and video content creator. Dale’s inherent passion for life fuels his self-publishing advocacy both in print and online. After publishing over 50 titles and becoming an international bestselling author on Amazon, Dale started his YouTube channel, Self-Publishing with Dale. Selected by Feedsp

My guest this episode is Mary Ladd, who began her career as a food writer and editor before she was hit with both cancer and long COVID, which changed the trajectory of her life. Now, she successfully crowdfunds books written by and for others who are facing severe health crises. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of 2,000+ blog posts, and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. We invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. About the Host Howard Lovy has been a journalist for more than 35 years and now amplifies the voices of independent author-publishers and works with authors as a developmental editor. Find Howard at howardlovy.com, LinkedIn, and X.

Spotify’s deal with publishers and the resolution to the screenwriters’ strike illustrate how quickly our landscape is changing. Welcome to Self-Publishing News with ALLi News editor Dan Holloway, bringing you the latest in indie publishing news and commentary. Find more author advice, tips and tools at our Self-publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts, and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven’t already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. You can do that at allianceindependentauthors.org. About the Host Dan Holloway is a novelist, poet and spoken word artist. He is the MC of the performance arts show The New Libertines Earlier this year he competed at the National Poetry Slam final at the Royal Albert Hall. His latest collection, The Transparency of Sutures, is available on Kindle.

On today's podcast: How a publishing services company can help indie authors. Every month, I'll feature an interview with an ALLi partner member who will help you at various stages in the self-publishing process, from getting the manuscript ready to ensuring it reaches your potential readers. My first guest is Michele DeFilippo of 1106 Design, which provides end-to-end book design, production, and publishing services for independent authors. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of 2,000+ blog posts, and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. We invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally, if you haven’t already. You can do that at allianceindependentauthors.org. About the Host Howard Lovy has been a journalist for more than 35 years, and now amplifies the voices of independent author-publishers and works with authors as a developmental editor. Find Howard at howardlovy.com, LinkedIn, and X.

In today’s episode of the Creative Self-Publishing podcast: Metrics of Mastery. Orna Ross delves deep into the nuanced world of measuring creative progress in both writing and publishing. With insights drawn from her own experiences and ALLi members, Orna offers four metrics that reflect genuine growth for an indie author–productivity, platform, profits, and personal satisfaction. Learn how to set meaningful measures and celebrate every milestone. Plus, find out about the third edition of Orna’s book Creative Self-Publishing, out now, and her associated planning program. The Creative Self-Publishing stream of the ALLi Podcast is sponsored by Orna Ross's Creative Planning Program for Authors & Poets. If you’re feeling daunted by the enormity of your writing and publishing goals, or overwhelmed by your to-do list, or you’re just not sure what way forward is best, Orna can help with a proven planning process devised specially for writers. Check it out at Patreon.com/OrnaRoss. About the Host Orna Ross launche

An Authors Guild of America income survey finds indie authors earn more from books than their traditionally published peers but little from other activities. Welcome to Self-Publishing News with ALLi News editor Dan Holloway, bringing you the latest in indie publishing news and commentary. Find more author advice, tips and tools at our Self-publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts, and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven’t already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. You can do that at allianceindependentauthors.org. About the Host Dan Holloway is a novelist, poet and spoken word artist. He is the MC of the performance arts show The New Libertines Earlier this year he competed at the National Poetry Slam final at the Royal Albert Hall. His latest collection, The Transparency of Sutures, is available on Kindle.  

Your first book is often a book of the heart—a book you must write—but once your publishing business is more developed, how do you know when to submit to the muse, when to "write to market," or at least consider business outcomes? In this Publishing for Profit podcast, Orna Ross and Joanna Penn talk about passion projects and why they are even more important for authors in an age of generative AI, plus tips for writing, publishing, and marketing these truly personal books. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our self-publishing advice center. And, if you haven’t already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. Now, go write and publish! About the Hosts Joanna Penn writes nonfiction for authors and is an award-nominated, New York Times and USA Today bestselling thriller author as J.F.Penn. She’s also an award-winning podcaster, creative entrepreneur, and international professional speaker. Orna Ross launched the Alliance of Independent Authors at the London Book Fair i

My guest this episode is Carolyn Armstrong, who enjoys writing books about and for middle-grade kids because they're just beginning to seek independence while still relying on adults. Carolyn writes earth-friendly fiction and discovered that teachers and parents find her books valuable as educational tools. And some of them discover her books via Pinterest. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of 2,000+ blog posts, and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. We invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally, if you haven’t already. You can do that at allianceindependentauthors.org. About the Host Howard Lovy has been a journalist for more than 35 years, and now amplifies the voices of independent author-publishers and works with authors as a developmental editor. Find Howard at howardlovy.com, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

What have we learned from the Hollywood writers' strike? Welcome to Self-Publishing News with ALLi News editor Dan Holloway, bringing you the latest in indie publishing news and commentary. Find more author advice, tips and tools at our Self-publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts, and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven’t already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. You can do that at allianceindependentauthors.org. About the Host Dan Holloway is a novelist, poet and spoken word artist. He is the MC of the performance arts show The New Libertines Earlier this year he competed at the National Poetry Slam final at the Royal Albert Hall. His latest collection, The Transparency of Sutures, is available on Kindle.  

In this month's AskALLi Member Q&A with Michael La Ronn and Sacha Black: How do I protect myself when writing about real people? Other questions include: What exactly does Young Adult mean? Help! I can't update an edition of my book on Amazon! How do I find the best freelancer for my book? What is the best free website hosting provider? And more! Find more author advice, tips and tools at our Self-Publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts, and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven’t already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. You can do that at allianceindependentauthors.org. Now, go write and publish! About the Hosts Michael La Ronn is ALLi’s Outreach Manager. He is the author of over 80 science fiction & fantasy books and self-help books for writers. He writes from the great plains of Iowa and has managed to write while raising a family, working a full-time job, and even attending la

My guest this episode is Paula L. Estrela, who was born in Brazil and now lives in the UK. She initially came to London as an architect to help set up venues for the Olympics. Now, she's an author who constructs tales for children that also contain important messages. ALLi's Inspirational Indie Author Podcast stream is sponsored by Kobo Writing Life, a global, independent ebook and audiobook publishing platform that empowers authors with a quick and easy publishing process and unique promotional opportunities. To reach a wide readership, create your account today! Thank you, Kobo, for your support of this podcast. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of 2,000+ blog posts, and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. We invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally, if you haven’t already. You can do that at allianceindependentauthors.org. About the Host Howard Lovy has been a journalist for more than

KDP limits titles, and we learn how tricky it can be to legislate technology. Welcome to Self-Publishing News with ALLi News editor Dan Holloway, bringing you the latest in indie publishing news and commentary. Find more author advice, tips and tools at our Self-publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts, and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven’t already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. You can do that at allianceindependentauthors.org. About the Host Dan Holloway is a novelist, poet and spoken word artist. He is the MC of the performance arts show The New Libertines Earlier this year he competed at the National Poetry Slam final at the Royal Albert Hall. His latest collection, The Transparency of Sutures, is available on Kindle.  

In this Self-Publishing Conference Highlight, Jeff Elkins discusses how to emotionally reach your readers. It's not enough to get a reader to pick up our books. We also have to reach them emotionally in order to keep them reading past the first chapter and to inspire them to tell their friends about our stories. The good news is, people are communal in nature. We are hard-wired to connect emotionally with one another, and authors can exploit that wiring with our storytelling by keeping our stories dialogue-centric. By the end of this session, you will learn: how humans connect with one another emotionally and how they can exploit that desire for connection with their writing how to write a dialogue-centric story how to build character partnerships that cause the reader to feel a sense of community This is a post from SelfPubCon (The Self-Publishing Advice Conference), an online author event, run free twice-yearly, in association with the Alliance of Independent Authors. Find more author advice, tips and too

My guest this episode is CJ Archer, an author of historical, mystery, and fantasy books, genres that the traditional publishing industry told her should not mix. So instead, CJ published them herself and hasn't looked back since. She writes about four books a year as her full-time job and has found a formula that works for her and her fans. ALLi's Inspirational Indie Author Podcast stream is sponsored by Kobo Writing Life, a global, independent ebook and audiobook publishing platform that empowers authors with a quick and easy publishing process and unique promotional opportunities. To reach a wide readership, create your account today! Thank you, Kobo, for your support of this podcast. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of 2,000+ blog posts, and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. We invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally, if you haven’t already. You can do that at allianceindependenta

A shadow library lawsuit shows the struggle subscription services face in tackling scammers. Welcome to Self-Publishing News with ALLi News editor Dan Holloway, bringing you the latest in indie publishing news and commentary. Find more author advice, tips and tools at our Self-publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts, and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven’t already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. You can do that at allianceindependentauthors.org. About the Host Dan Holloway is a novelist, poet and spoken word artist. He is the MC of the performance arts show The New Libertines Earlier this year he competed at the National Poetry Slam final at the Royal Albert Hall. His latest collection, The Transparency of Sutures, is available on Kindle.  

In this first episode of the new Publishing for Profit stream: Leveling up your publishing and taking a new turn. Orna Ross introduces Indian author Shanaya Wagh, aka Shana Frost, also an intern at the Alliance of Independent Authors. Both authors, at different stages in their publishing businesses, are leveling up. They discuss what led to their decision, how to know when a change is needed, and how to build a more profitable structure from what you’ve achieved already. Find more author advice, tips and tools at our Self-publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts, and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven’t already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. You can do that at allianceindependentauthors.org. Orna Ross launched the Alliance of Independent Authors at the London Book Fair in 2012. Her work for ALLi has seen her named as one of The Bookseller’s “100 top people in publishing”. She also publi

My guest this episode is Katlyn Duncan, an author who juggles many roles. She's a mother, a full-time worker, a writer of thrillers and nonfiction advice books for other indie authors. She is also both a traditional and self-published author. How does she keep up with her many roles? I'll let Katlyn Duncan tell her story. ALLi's Inspirational Indie Author Podcast stream is sponsored by Kobo Writing Life, a global, independent ebook and audiobook publishing platform that empowers authors with a quick and easy publishing process and unique promotional opportunities. To reach a wide readership, create your account today! Thank you, Kobo, for your support of this podcast. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of 2,000+ blog posts, and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. We invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally, if you haven’t already. You can do that at allianceindependentauthors.org. About t

In this month's AskALLi Member Q&A with Michael La Ronn and Sacha Black: Help! My cowriter isn't pulling their weight. What should I do? Other questions include: Should I buy my own ISBNs or use the free ones given to me by book retailers? What are some pricing ideas for poetry chapbooks? Should I consign my books to a bookstore? How can ALLi members submit for a guest blog feature? And more! Our Members Q&A Podcast is brought to you by specialist sponsor Kobo Writing Life, a global, independent ebook and audiobook publishing platform that empowers authors with a quick and easy publishing process and unique promotional opportunities. To reach a wide audience, create your account today! We'd like to thank Kobo for their support of this podcast.  Find more author advice, tips and tools at our Self-Publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts, and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven’t already, we invite you to join our organiza