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Self-Publishing with ALLi

Alliance of Independent Authors

The Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast from the Alliance of Independent Authors provides a comprehensive guide for indie authors.

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#837
Yesterday · 28 min
Inspirational Indie Author Interview #218: Sheila M. Averbuch Helps Writers Master the Art of Pitching Their Books
My guest this episode is Sheila M. Averbuch, a former journalist and technology publisher who spent years pursuing her dream of writing for children. More recently, she embraced independent publishing as a way to share what she learned from her own long and sometimes difficult path to publication and to help other writers along the way. 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 is an author, developmental editor, and writing coach with a long career in journalism and publishing. He works with writers at many stages of their careers, with a focus on helping them develop their ideas and strengthen their work while preserving their unique voices. He lives in Northern Michigan. About the Guest Sheila M. Averbuch is the author of middle-grade thriller Friend Me (Scholastic Press New York) and Pitch Your Book (ENNclick Editions) and is the UK's first pitching champion for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI.) She holds degrees from Harvard and Stanford universities and a New Writers Award from the Scottish Book Trust, and she co-founded the SCBWI network in Scotland. Sheila lives with her family near Edinburgh, Scotland. You can find her on her website and Instagram.
#836
Friday · 13 min
News: New Study Ties Library E-Lending to Falling Print Sales; CDs Stage a Comeback
On this week's Self-Publishing News podcast, ALLi News Editor Dan Holloway looks at the retro tech boom driving an unexpected CD revival — and what Gen Z's love of physical media means for print books. He then digs into a contested new study, cited by the AAP and Authors Guild, that links rising library e-lending to falling print sales, and reminds indie authors they set their own library pricing through OverDrive. He closes with an invitation to take Gotham Ghostwriters' second AI and Writing survey. Show Notes AI Writing Survey 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.
#835
Wednesday · 26 min
Interview: What Should Authors Pay for Professional Editing? With Howard Lovy and Roz Morris.
On the Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast, host Howard Lovy talks to editor and author Roz Morris about what professional editing really costs and what authors get for their money. They discuss how editors set their rates, hourly versus fixed pricing, why some manuscripts require more work than others, choosing the right editor for your book, and why using AI before hiring an editor can sometimes prove to be a false economy. 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 is an author, developmental editor, and writing coach with a long career in journalism and publishing. He works with writers at many stages of their careers, with a focus on helping them develop their ideas and strengthen their work while preserving their unique voices. He lives in Northern Michigan. About the Guest Roz Morris is ALLi's editor in chief. She is also a novelist, memoirist, and professional story whisperer. She is the author of acclaimed literary novels with big emotional canvases and memoirs that find meaning in unadventures. She is also a developmental editor and writing coach and has helped shape books that have sold more than four million copies, some of them from behind the scenes as a ghostwriter. She is the creator of the Nail Your Novel series for writers and the blog of the same name. She has judged literary prizes, including the Amazon Kindle Storyteller Award and the Vine Leaves Press New Voices Competition, and has taught master classes for The Guardian in London and Jane Friedman's online academy. Find her at her website.
#834
September 4 · 9 min
News: Lawyers' Appeal Could Delay Anthropic Payouts; Publishers Fail to Register Copyrights
On this week's Self-Publishing News podcast, ALLi News Editor Dan Holloway brings two updates on the Anthropic settlement: an appeal by the class lawyers over their reduced fees that could considerably delay the $3,000-per-title payouts, and an Authors Guild survey finding that 93 percent of publishers contractually required to register copyrights failed to do so — a problem that reaches well beyond indie authors. He closes with Google Play Books' new Expert Intelligence feature, an AI tool trained only on books readers have purchased. Sponsor Self-Publishing News is proudly sponsored by PublishMe—helping indie authors succeed globally with expert translation, tailored marketing, and publishing support. From first draft to international launch, PublishMe ensures your book reaches readers everywhere. Visit publishme.me. 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. 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.
#833
August 30 · 25 min
Inspirational Indie Author Interview #217: David Barbur Turns Wilderness Skills into Mystery Fiction
My guest this episode is David Barbur, a former law enforcement officer who now writes wilderness mysteries inspired by his interests in hiking, tracking, survival skills, and the natural world. Since 2017, he has published a novel every year while balancing writing with a full-time job and family. 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 is an author, developmental editor, and writing coach with a long career in journalism and publishing. He works with writers at many stages of their careers, with a focus on helping them develop their ideas and strengthen their work while preserving their unique voices. He lives in Northern Michigan. About the Guest David Barbur lives in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. He can often be found wandering the forest with a longbow in his hand, tracking animals and trying to figure out what happens next in his latest story. His latest release, Time of Ashes, is the seventh Tye Caine Wilderness Mystery. You can find him on his website.
#832
August 28 · 10 min
News: Amazon Rips Up Rare Books to Train AI; Kobo Returns to Best Buy Blurb
On this week's Self-Publishing News podcast, ALLi News Editor Dan Holloway — battling a summer sore throat — rounds up a busy week for indie authors: the rise of "Summerween," BookTok's new blend of sunny settings and Gothic dread; Kobo's return to big box retail through Best Buy; and the report that Amazon has been ripping up and shredding books, including rare out-of-print titles, to train its AI. He also digs into KDP trend data showing dystopian fiction bouncing back and self-published titles claiming 38 percent of the US top 100, and closes with Ingram's new Covered platform, which puts digital advance copies in front of 50,000 booksellers and librarians. Sponsor Self-Publishing News is proudly sponsored by PublishMe—helping indie authors succeed globally with expert translation, tailored marketing, and publishing support. From first draft to international launch, PublishMe ensures your book reaches readers everywhere. Visit publishme.me. 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. 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.
#831
August 26 · 34 min
Producing an Illustrated Narrative Nonfiction Book, Retaining IP, and Getting It into Bookstores, with Anna Featherstone and Bee Lim
Clinical psychologist Bee Lim knew her illustrated book on trauma, Welcome Home: Healing Trauma and Reclaiming Wholeness, couldn't be a standard paperback—and that she wasn't willing to give up her IP, therapeutic arc, or choice of illustrator, her husband, concept artist Joel Timpson. In this episode, Bee shares why she chose the custom publishing route, hired her own publicist, and planned a multicountry launch. She also discusses the constraints of marketing a book as a regulated health professional. Sponsor This podcast is proudly sponsored by Gatekeeper Press — your partner in premium independent publishing. Empowering authors with expert guidance, 100% rights, 100% royalties, and global distribution. From editing to marketing, their all-inclusive services help you publish professionally and confidently. Gatekeeper Press — Where Authors Are Family. About the Host Anna Featherstone is ALLi's nonfiction adviser and an author advocate and mentor. A judge of The Australian Business Book Awards and Australian Society of Travel Writers awards, she's also the founder of Bold Authors and presents author marketing and self-publishing workshops for organizations, including Byron Writers Festival. Anna has authored books including how-to books and memoirs, and her book Look-It's Your Book! about writing, publishing, marketing, and leveraging nonfiction is on the Australian Society of Authors recommended reading list. When she's not being bookish, Anna's into bees, beings, and the big issues of our time. About the Guest Dr. Bee Teng Lim is a clinical psychologist whose work explores the subtle wounds of trauma: the fracture of identity, the inheritance of silence, and the ways we adapt to survive. Born in Malaysia, trained in New Zealand, and now based in Australia, she is fluent in Mandarin and several Asian dialects and is known for her commitment to inclusive, trauma-informed care. She is the author of Welcome Home: Healing Trauma and Reclaiming Wholeness. She is the cofounder of Mind Health Collective, a Sydney-based psychology practice that serves clients internationally, and BeTuned, a game-based therapeutic and performance platform.
#830
August 23 · 45 min
Can AI Replace Your Editor? Member Q&A with Michael La Ronn and Sacha Black
In this episode of the Self-Publishing with ALLi Member Q&A podcast, hosts Michael La Ronn and Sacha Black discuss whether it's acceptable and safe for an author to use AI in place of a $2,000 line edit, and where to draw the line between supplementing a human editor and replacing one. Other questions include: What platforms are available for book reviews, and should you submit a digital or hard copy? Should you allow returns on IngramSpark, and how costly are they really? Is it sensible to price the same book a dollar higher on Ingram than on Kindle? What marketing steps should an author take to promote a general fiction novel before launch? What can you do when your audiobooks aren't selling but your e-books and paperbacks are? Do books in a linked series need consistent covers, and what happens when you have to switch designers? And more! Show Notes Alliance of Independent Authors AI Policy 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 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 law school classes in the evenings (now graduated!). You can find his fiction at www.michaellaronn.com and his videos and books for writers at www.authorlevelup.com. Sacha Black is a bestselling and competition winning author, rebel podcaster, speaker and casual rule breaker. She writes fiction under a secret pen name and other books about the art of writing. When Sacha isn't writing, she runs ALLi's blog. She lives in England, with her wife and genius, giant of a son. You can find her on her website, her podcast, and on Instagram.
#829
August 21 · 11 min
News: Self-Publishing Partnership Stops Trading; Anthropic Watermarks Claude's AI Text
On this week's Self-Publishing News podcast, ALLi News Editor Dan Holloway reports on the collapse of Self-Publishing Partnership, a UK-based service provider that ceased trading at the end of June, leaving authors waiting on royalties and raising questions about why no administrators were brought in. The Society of Authors has launched a campaign to help affected members recover what they're owed. Then Dan turns to Anthropic's announcement that it will watermark all text generated by Claude — a move driven in part by the EU's AI Act, and one that could eventually help platforms like Amazon identify AI-generated books. Show Notes How Claude's text watermark works Sponsor Self-Publishing News is proudly sponsored by PublishMe—helping indie authors succeed globally with expert translation, tailored marketing, and publishing support. From first draft to international launch, PublishMe ensures your book reaches readers everywhere. Visit publishme.me. 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. 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.
#828
August 19 · 13 min
Dodge the Three Cash Traps That Kill Author Businesses with Joe Solari
On the Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast, Joe Solari warns authors that a big crowdfunding win isn't the same as a payday. He breaks down the three cash traps that sink successful author businesses — the lag trap, frozen cash, and the shrinking slice — and shows how to dodge them with a few practical habits: tracking committed versus paid money, knowing your inventory value, and setting margin floors before you launch. Sponsor The Publishing for Profit podcast is proudly sponsored by Tertulia for Authors. Build a beautiful author storefront in minutes, showcase your books, send newsletters, and sell direct. Get started at tertulia.com/alli. 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 Joe Solari assists authors in developing successful businesses as the managing partner of Author Ventures LLC. In his role as a business manager, he supports his private clients, who collectively achieved gross royalties of twenty-two million in 2023, with an average pre-tax profit of 44%. This remarkable success results from implementing disciplined business strategies and maintaining an unwavering dedication to enhancing the customer experience.
#827
August 16 · 22 min
Inspirational Indie Author Interview #216: Linda L. Garnett Brings Indie Music Experience to Gothic Fiction
My guest this episode is Linda L. Garnett, a gothic supernatural thriller author who came to fiction after seven years in independent music journalism. We talk about how that experience shaped her approach to publishing, marketing, and building an audience, as well as the writing process that helped her turn years of unfinished manuscripts into a professional author career. 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 is an author, developmental editor, and writing coach with a long career in journalism and publishing. He works with writers at many stages of their careers, with a focus on helping them develop their ideas and strengthen their work while preserving their unique voices. He lives in Northern Michigan. About the Guest Linda L. Garnett writes gothic supernatural thrillers for readers who want to be emotionally wrecked at 3 a.m. Her debut novel, Red Falls, reached No. 1 in New Releases in Occult Suspense and climbed to No. 7 on Amazon's Best Sellers list in the category, earning 4.8 stars from early readers. It was named to the 2026 Shelley Book Awards longlist for paranormal fiction. Linda writes dark, atmospheric fiction in which the ordinary unravels and something unspoken takes hold. When she's not writing about small-town secrets, she's probably building playlists for books that don't exist yet or researching obscure vampire folklore. The second book in the Veritate Triumphat trilogy, Red Falls: Bloodlines, is forthcoming. You can find Linda on her website, download her free Red Falls bundle, find her books on Amazon, or visit her links and social media page.
#828
August 14 · 11 min
News: Indie Manga Alliance Launches, Libro.fm Adds E-books, and Readers Fail to Spot AI Stories
On this week's Self-Publishing News podcast, ALLi News Editor Dan Holloway brings two pieces of good news for indie authors: the launch of the Indie Manga Alliance, a new US-based group representing manga creators and publishers outside the mainstream, and Libro.fm's expansion into e-books, giving readers another way to support indie authors and bookstores at the same time. Then he digs into a new Cambridge University Press study, "Bot or Not?", which found that readers not only struggle to tell human-written stories from AI-generated ones — they may actually prefer the AI versions. Sponsor Self-Publishing News is proudly sponsored by PublishMe—helping indie authors succeed globally with expert translation, tailored marketing, and publishing support. From first draft to international launch, PublishMe ensures your book reaches readers everywhere. Visit publishme.me. 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. 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.
#826
August 12 · 23 min
Interview: How Beta Readers Help Authors See Their Books Through Readers' Eyes, with Howard Lovy and Elizabeth Gauffreau
On the Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast, host Howard Lovy talks to novelist, poet, and educator Elizabeth Gauffreau about beta readers — what they actually do, how they differ from developmental editors, and why their real job is reader response, not critique. Drawing on decades of giving and receiving feedback as a writer and teacher, Gauffreau explains how authors can set clear expectations, choose the right readers, sort through conflicting feedback, and know when a reader's gut reaction matters more than being factually right. 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 is an author, developmental editor, and writing coach with a long career in journalism and publishing. He works with writers at many stages of their careers, with a focus on helping them develop their ideas and strengthen their work while preserving their unique voices. He lives in Northern Michigan. About the Guest Liz Gauffreau writes fiction and poetry with a strong connection to family and place. She holds a BA in English/writing from Old Dominion University and an MA in English/fiction writing from the University of New Hampshire. She has been widely published in literary magazines and several themed anthologies. Her short story "Henrietta's Saving Grace" was awarded the 2022 Ben Nyberg Prize for Fiction by Choeofpleirn Press. Liz has published two novels: The Weight of Snow and Regret, based on the closing of the last poor farm in Vermont in 1968, and Telling Sonny: The Story of a Girl Who Loved the Vaudeville Show. She has also published two collections of photopoetry, Grief Songs: Poems of Love & Remembrance and Simple Pleasures: Haiku from the Place Just Right. Liz's professional background is in nontraditional higher education, including academic advising, classroom and online teaching, curriculum development, and program administration. She received the Granite State College Distinguished Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2018. Liz lives in Nottingham, New Hampshire, with her husband. Find her online at linktr.ee/egauff.
#825
August 7 · 11 min
News: Literary Agents Update Ethics Rules; Seven-Figure Deal Shelved Over AI Claims; Study Examines AI Books on Amazon
On this episode of Self-Publishing with ALLi, Dan Holloway covers a turbulent week for AI and publishing: the Association of American Literary Agents updating their Canon of Ethics to allow closer work with indie authors; a seven-figure publishing deal shelved within hours of an AI allegation; and a peer-reviewed study of 14,419 self-published Amazon titles finding that AI-generated books are commercially viable but outsold by human authors — while the number of titles grows twice as fast as revenue. Sponsor Self-Publishing News is proudly sponsored by PublishMe—helping indie authors succeed globally with expert translation, tailored marketing, and publishing support. From first draft to international launch, PublishMe ensures your book reaches readers everywhere. Visit publishme.me. 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. 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.
#824
August 5 · 49 min
Inside Draft2Digital's New Author Fees, with Orna Ross and Kris Austin
In this member-first partner webinar at the Alliance of Independent Authors, ALLi Director Orna Ross presses Draft2Digital CEO Kris Austin on the $20 activation fee and $12 annual maintenance fee that landed on indie authors in April with no advance warning. Austin explains what the fees are meant to stop, why authors weren't consulted first, and whether the era of free, open access to publishing platforms is drawing to a close. 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 Irish author and poet Orna Ross is cofounder and director of the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) and a passionate advocate for self-publishing and author empowerment. Her books are international bestsellers and have won many awards, including the Goethe Grand Prize for Historical Fiction and a Gold Literary Titan Award for poetry. Her work for ALLi has seen her named one of the top 100 people in publishing by The Bookseller. Born and raised in Wexford, in the southeast of Ireland, she now lives in St Leonards-on-Sea, in the southeast of England, within working reach of London. Her motto: "When in doubt, be braver." About the Guest Kris Austin is cofounder and CEO of Draft2Digital, one of the world's largest digital publishing and distribution platforms for self-published authors and independent publishers. Since its founding in 2012, Draft2Digital has grown to support more than 300,000 authors around the globe, who have collectively released more than 1 million titles. More information can be found at https://draft2digital.com.
#824
August 2 · 19 min
Inspirational Indie Author Interview #215: Julie Day Turns a Late Autism Diagnosis Into Inspiration for Young Readers
My guest this episode is Julie Day, an autistic author and advocate from London who writes children's books featuring autistic characters finding confidence — the kind of books she never had growing up undiagnosed. Her path to indie publishing began with a recurring dream she had to write down, and it carried her through a late Asperger's diagnosis and a life-threatening heart illness she turned into a book to help others. 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 is an author, developmental editor, and writing coach with a long career in journalism and publishing. He works with writers at many stages of their careers, with a focus on helping them develop their ideas and strengthen their work while preserving their unique voices. He lives in Northern Michigan. About the Guest Julie Day is an autistic author and advocate who mainly writes children's books featuring autistic characters finding confidence, as well as articles about autism, and creates videos about autism and being autistic. She also writes memoir-style guides about a heart condition and autism, and adult mysteries featuring a character with a heart condition. You can find her on her website, Instagram, and YouTube.
#823
July 31 · 9 min
News: Anthropic Settlement Gets Final Approval; Simon & Schuster Launches Two Indie Imprints; Canadian Ebook Prices Back KDP's Rate Rise
On this episode of Self-Publishing with ALLi, Dan Holloway reports that the Anthropic settlement has received its final legal approval, with nearly half a million titles eligible for a payout of around $3,000 — and legal fees cut to just over $100 million. He covers Simon and Schuster's second new imprint for indie authors, Simon Stream, offering 50 percent net ebook royalties, alongside the previously reported Pocket Books relaunch. And he closes with Canadian survey data showing readers are already paying an average of US$8.74 for ebooks — neatly vindicating KDP's recent royalty cap rise to $12.99. Sponsor Self-Publishing News is proudly sponsored by PublishMe—helping indie authors succeed globally with expert translation, tailored marketing, and publishing support. From first draft to international launch, PublishMe ensures your book reaches readers everywhere. Visit publishme.me. 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. 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.
#822
July 26 · 49 min
Can You Use a Real Band's Name in Your Book Title? Member Q&A with Michael La Ronn and Sacha Black
In this episode of the Self-Publishing with ALLi Member Q&A podcast, hosts Michael La Ronn and Sacha Black discuss whether an author can safely use a real band's name in a novel title, including how to check for trademarks, why disclaimers won't shield you from lawsuits, and when it's worth consulting an intellectual property attorney. Other questions include: What is the best platform for publishing a professionally recorded, author-narrated audiobook, and should you go exclusive with Audible or distribute wide? What should you do if your KDP account has been terminated? Is it a sound strategy to sell direct through your website first and go wide only after those sales dry up? How do you find and evaluate printing companies for your book? From a marketing perspective, how should you approach a series that can be read in any order versus one that must be read sequentially? Should you use a copyrighted quote without permission and hope it qualifies as fair use if the licensing fee is too expensive? 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. 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 law school classes in the evenings (now graduated!). You can find his fiction at www.michaellaronn.com and his videos and books for writers at www.authorlevelup.com. Sacha Black is a bestselling and competition winning author, rebel podcaster, speaker and casual rule breaker. She writes fiction under a secret pen name and other books about the art of writing. When Sacha isn't writing, she runs ALLi's blog. She lives in England, with her wife and genius, giant of a son. You can find her on her website, her podcast, and on Instagram.
#821
July 24 · 12 min
News: Perplexity Launches an Ebook Store; Library of Congress Acquires Indie Books; Spotify Passes 100 Million Audiobook Listeners
On this episode of Self-Publishing with ALLi, Dan Holloway covers three stories pointing in the same direction: books are everywhere. He reports on AI search engine Perplexity launching an ebook store, adding yet another major platform to the growing list selling books directly to readers. He examines the Library of Congress's initiative to acquire indie and self-published titles — and explains why copyright registration and deposit matter more than ever in the age of AI lawsuits. And he closes with Spotify's announcement that it has passed 100 million audiobook listeners, now dwarfing Audible in audience size. Show Notes Library of Congress self-published books collections policy US Copyright Office mandatory deposit PrePub Book Link (apply for an LCCN) Sponsor Self-Publishing News is proudly sponsored by PublishMe—helping indie authors succeed globally with expert translation, tailored marketing, and publishing support. From first draft to international launch, PublishMe ensures your book reaches readers everywhere. Visit publishme.me. 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. 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.
#820
July 22 · 36 min
From First Book to Second: Production and Distribution Choices in Purpose-Led Publishing, with Anna Featherstone and Sarah Martin
Anna Featherstone talks with author Sarah Martin about the production and distribution of her two purpose-led nonfiction books, Dear Psychosis and Dear Carer. Sarah explains how she built a professional publishing team, changed her approach for her second book, secured consignment with a local bookstore, and used speaking engagements—including one that generated a 260-book order—to reach readers. Sponsor This podcast is proudly sponsored by Gatekeeper Press — your partner in premium independent publishing. Empowering authors with expert guidance, 100% rights, 100% royalties, and global distribution. From editing to marketing, their all-inclusive services help you publish professionally and confidently. Gatekeeper Press — Where Authors Are Family. About the Host Anna Featherstone is ALLi's nonfiction adviser and an author advocate and mentor. A judge of The Australian Business Book Awards and Australian Society of Travel Writers awards, she's also the founder of Bold Authors and presents author marketing and self-publishing workshops for organizations, including Byron Writers Festival. Anna has authored books including how-to books and memoirs, and her book Look-It's Your Book! about writing, publishing, marketing, and leveraging nonfiction is on the Australian Society of Authors recommended reading list. When she's not being bookish, Anna's into bees, beings, and the big issues of our time. About the Guest Sarah Martin is the author of two books, Dear Psychosis (2023) and Dear Carer (2026). She is a perioperative nurse, carer peer worker, and SANE Australia peer ambassador with lived experience navigating Australia's mental health system as a carer. Sarah is passionate about breaking the silence and stigma surrounding mental illness and ensuring that carers know they are not alone.

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