The Self Publishing Show

James and Cissy continue their exploration of how AI is transforming the business side of self-publishing, focusing on practical workflows that help authors save time and make better decisions. They also discuss planning for Self Publishing Show Live, including shaping the agenda and what attendees can expect from this year's event. Alongside this, the conversation highlights how authors can use A...

James and Cissy explore one of the most practical uses of AI for authors: analysing advertising, sales, and marketing data to make better business decisions. James shares how he used Claude to review Facebook ads, KDP income, and reader engagement data, while Cissy explains how she used AI to assess years of BookBub performance and identify the best strategy for future promotions. Alongside the da...

James and Cissy unpack two major controversies affecting authors this week: a traditionally published author dropped over AI writing accusations, and a literary agent's viral TikTok telling writers to stay away from the London Book Fair. Together, these stories highlight growing tensions around AI, gatekeeping, and who the publishing industry is really for. Alongside the debate, the episode blends...

James is recording from the Irish Publishing Show on St Patrick's Day, James and Cissy reflect on the changing state of indie publishing, the growing pressure of AI-driven discoverability, and the realities of building a sustainable author career in a more mature market. They revisit the ongoing debate around low-quality AI-generated books on Amazon, discuss why AI detection tools are unlikely to...

James and Cissy discuss new marketing insights and mindset strategies for indie authors navigating an increasingly complex publishing landscape. From experimenting with BookBub ads and improving AI-assisted translations to analysing breakout success in romance adaptations, the conversation explores how authors can stay competitive in a crowded market. Cissy also shares a creative direct-to-reader...

James and Cissy reflect on conversations from a recent indie author mastermind in Savannah, Georgia, where the biggest topic on everyone's mind was discoverability in the age of AI. With thousands of new titles flooding platforms like Amazon KDP every day, the hosts explore how authors can adapt - from optimising metadata for AI search to expanding audiobook distribution and experimenting with pla...

James and Cissy dive into the evolving AI conversation, reacting to viral commentary about whether artificial intelligence will truly replace white-collar jobs and what that means for writers. They explore the difference between superficial and deep AI usage, the economics behind tech industry messaging, and how authors can adapt rather than resist. They also discuss the irreplaceable value of in-...

Episode Summary James and Cissy welcome Robin Bennett Freebairn back to the show to discuss how he's successfully expanded his nonfiction "birth year" book series into the gifting market via Etsy. Robin shares how selling direct through a marketplace platform has rapidly grown into a major revenue stream, now rivalling Amazon income and explains the practical realities of becoming not just an auth...

Episode Summary The Self-Publishing Show enters a new era as James Blatch officially introduces his new co-host, romance author Cecilia "Cissy" Mecca. In this wide-ranging conversation, they explore Cissy's indie journey, from mediaeval romance to paranormal and contemporary pivots, her decision to consolidate pen names, and the realities of building a sustainable author career. The episode also d...

James Blatch returns after an 18-month hiatus to relaunch the Self Publishing Show and outline its new direction. In this solo episode, he reflects on why the show paused, what changed during that time with the Indie Writers Club, and how the podcast will evolve going forward with a new co-host. James also shares his clear, pragmatic stance on AI in publishing, discusses AI translations for author...

James talks to Joe Solari, the man responsible for the world's largest gathering of indie authors and Darren Hardy, from Amazon KDP, who is the most listened to guest we've ever had on the show.

Nick Thacker VP of Author Success at Draft2Digital joins James to dive into what's new and what D2D can offer the self publishing world.

James talks to Marco Moutinho from Dibbly, a content creation platform, which can help you with freelance services. Dibbly also offers an AI tool 'Kip' that has some fantastic features to offer the indie author.

This week James talks to bestseller Suzy K Quinn and editor Adam Strange from Kevin Anderson & Associates, who brings a wealth of knowledge and experience on editing to the show.

Join James and Carlyn Robertson from BookBub talking about what's new at BookBub and what BookBub can offer.

A fast emerging aspect of indie marketing is direct selling. Bookvault have risen quickly to the top of many authors go-to suppliers for print-on-demand, especially for those special editions that can be extremely good for your bottom line. This week's show features a chat with Bookvault's Alex Smith.

Vellum is the gold standard for editing your book ready for publication. Listen as James Blatch talks to Brad West about tips for preparing your book

Listen as James talks to Mike Hourigan who is the Vice President of Marketing at Written Word Media, where he brings more than 15 years of digital marketing expertise to the table.    

Join James and the numbers man, Alex Newton from K-lytics who digs beneath the Romantasy data and explains current trends

Join James Blatch and Stuart Grant from Digital Authors Toolkit and also the highest rated web designer on Reedsy, as they discuss the future of Author websites, direct selling, and how you can make your website stand out.

Join James and Victoria Gerken from Podium Audio as they discuss how audio is exploding the world of publishing and providing authors with another income stream

Join James Blatch and Chris Banks as James reveals the speakers and sponsors attending the Self Publishing Show Live in London 2024 and Chris talks about what's new at ProWritingAid and AI, but making sure you add the human touch.

Join James Blatch as he takes on a hot topic of the moment, AI, and how it impacts authors and creators. Should you be afraid or accepting of this new wave of technology? 

Tune into this week's episode of the Self Publishing Show to hear more from Michael, including whether selling direct would be preferrable to selling on Amazon, why he chooses to publish his audiobooks exclusively on ACX, and why consistency in magic and worldbuilding rules is key for any kind of Fantasy story.

Marc Reklau went from struggling writer to earning seven-figures, all by applying the same self-help advice he writes about in his books.