Self Publishing Insiders

It's been a while since we've provided an update and walked you through how to use D2D Print. Having a physical, print copy of your book is as important as ever! Now, more than a year out of beta, D2D Print just keeps getting better. In this special, pre-recorded episode, Mark Leslie Lefebvre will show how easy--and fun--it is to set up a print-on-demand version of your book. //Draft2Digital is wh...

We've been jetting all over the author conference scene recently, so now it's time to wind down, share experiences, and talk about the current trends of the publishing industry.  //Draft2Digital is where you start your Indie Author Career//   Looking for your path to self-publishing success? Draft2Digital is the leading ebook publisher and distributor worldwide. We’ll convert your manuscript, dist...

At D2D, we're huge proponents of writers clubs. They offer a safe place to learn, grow your career, share your ideas, and gain constructive feedback with no fear of judgement from your peers. Sisters in Crime (SinC) is the perfect embodiment of these ideals, which is why we're delighted to welcome Kelly Oliver, bestselling, award-winning author and current SinC president. Join us!  //Draft2Digital...

The path to Big 5 publishing dreams is paved with rejection letters. What is it about traditional publishing that so intrigues us? Is it the validation? The prestige? Fame and fortune? Our guest, Denise Massar, was intoxicated by those possibilities too, only to receive multiple rejections. Why then, is she so ecstatic to be an indie author? Join us to find out.  //Draft2Digital is where you start...

Why do some authors seem to take off instantly, while others flail about endlessly? Is it experience? Talent? Time? Yes, but more often than not, it’s the incorporation of best practices that separates the amateurs from the pros. In today’s episode, we'll speak with internationally bestselling author and indie author coach Keith Wheeler. We'll discuss what works, what doesn’t, and strategies for i...

In this episode, we dive into the essentials of structuring a successful book series with Kristina Stanley of Fictionary. We'll discuss key elements like plot arcs, character development, and thematic consistency, and we'll go deep on how to plan your story across multiple books to ensure each installment builds anticipation for the next. If that's not enough, we'll cover Kristina's new book, Secr...

If there's one lesson indie authors have learned, it's that perseverance and fortitude matter. Yet sometimes life can throw us curve balls, knock us down and leave us gasping for breath. Internationally bestselling author Elicia Hyder, with nearly a million books sold, has been on that ride and lived to tell the tale. Strap in, because this is going to be a good one!  //Draft2Digital is where you...

If you've ever asked yourself, "How do successful indie authors do it?" -- this is the episode for you. Joining us is none other than Dale Roberts, the charismatic host of the wildly popular Self Publishing with Dale Podcast and YouTube Channel (@dalelroberts and @selfpubwithdale). An accomplished indie author himself, Dale has made an art form out of teaching other authors how to self-publish suc...

No one ever said indie publishing is easy! There's the writing, the publishing, the distribution. If that wasn't hard enough, there's the marketing. Indie authors have to worry about their websites, newsletter subscriptions, beta readers, book reviews, and more. Wouldn't it be cool if there was one site to help ease the marketing burden? That's the idea behind StoryOrigin, and Evan Gow, who create...

Among the myriad things that indie authors have to grapple with is how to fund a successful book launch without going in the red. To help us tackle this subject, we're joined by Jamie Davis, a prolific author of sci-fi and fantasy. As a nurse, retired paramedic and nationally recognized medical educator, Jamie knows a thing or two about service and giving back. Today Jamie is here to teach us how...

Once a month we host an "Ask Us Anything" episode. Usually these episode are tied to a specific topic, like the Smashwords to D2D merger, or D2D Print, or how to work with our promotions team. This time we'd like to keep free flowing, so if you've got a burning question you're dying to asks, now's the time!  //Draft2Digital is where you start your Indie Author Career//   Looking for your path to s...

Indie authors are told that in order to be successful, "you've got to find your tribe" and "build your community." But how exactly do you do that? Where do you start? And once you gain some traction, how do you nurture your community to help it grow and thrive?  Enter Amanda Traylor (also writing under June Patrick), an award-winning author of more than twenty novels ranging from domestic suspense...

Eleven months Draft2Digital announced the acquisition of SelfPubBookCovers.com (SPBC), a decade-old pioneering marketplace for premade book covers. We've been hard at work rebuilding a site that's committed to helping authors find the perfect cover, and helping professional cover designers build their businesses. Today our own Nick Thacker will provide a deep dive into what's new and provide a pre...

Smashwords store sales keep getting bigger and better. More authors, more books, more first-time customers and more book sales! In this episode, we'll talk about how authors position their books for success in Smashwords' 16th Annual Summer/Winter Sale. It's a month-long celebration of indie authors and the readers who love them. //Draft2Digital is where you start your Indie Author Career//   Look...

Navigating foreign language rights and finding great translators is tricky business, even for the most experienced indie authors. That's why we're super excited to welcome Lindsay Jones, a co-founder and the CEO of DropCap, a global rights marketplace for indie authors that’s revolutionizing the way agents and editors discover exceptional books.  //Draft2Digital is where you start your Indie Autho...

Draft2Digital is known for its innovative publishing and distribution tools for indie authors. But do you know about all the cool things we're doing to promote your books to retailers and libraries? Or the free tools we offer to help you get more visibility for your titles? We're guessing you may not. Tune in so we can fix that!  //Draft2Digital is where you start your Indie Author Career//   Look...

Indie Author Magazine (IAM) is on a mission to inform, educate, and inspire authors at every stage of their careers. Flip through the pages of any issue and you'll see thoroughly researched, unbiased content dedicated to helping authors build their businesses. But there's more to IAM than the magazine. Join us as publisher Chelle Honiker takes us on a journey exploring all that IAM has to offer, f...

If you're reading this, you already know that best practices are what separates the publishing amateurs from the pros. But did you know there are a multitude of best practices when it comes to getting, and leveraging, book reviews to boost sales? Join us as Booksprout's Virginie Carmichael and Rossana Corniel walk us through an optimized book review campaign and show us how this essential tool can...

Better. Stronger. Faster. It's what many of us strive for in our author careers. But how do we move the needle forward when life has other plans? Enter Becca Syme. Becca is a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and has been coaching success alignment for more than a decade. Join us as we analyze a Strengths test in real time and discuss how success alignment can help us reach the top 1% of our capaci...

When D2D announced the acquisition of Smashwords in March 2022, we knew the integration of the two companies would be a huge, long-haul effort. But totally worth it!! We're now in the final phase of our multi-phase integration project, which now involves moving Smashwords author accounts onto D2D. Join us to learn about progress made, what's coming next, and what's in it for YOU!  //Draft2Digital...

Julie Broad is a four-time author and the Founder of Book Launchers, a professional self-publishing services company that helps non-fiction authors write, publish, and promote non-fiction books. Today we'll talk about how to set your book up for success before you even begin to write. We'll discuss typical author misconceptions, we'll chat about how to build a business around your books, and we'll...

D2D just announced a new retail partnership with Fable, the popular online bookstore and social reading app that powers 25,000+ online book clubs. Joining us today is Kim Marsh Allee, Head of Operations & Community at Fable, as we discuss what this partnership means to you, your books, and your readers!  //Draft2Digital is where you start your Indie Author Career//   Looking for your path to self-...

John Chrastka is the executive director of EveryLibrary, the first nationwide political action committee for libraries, and the EveryLibrary Institute, a nonprofit research and training organization focused on the future of library funding. In this episode we'll discuss book bans and censorship, free speech and the First Amendment, political action for change, and how indie authors and book lovers...

If you know Draft2Digital, you know we're huge fans of writers conferences. Where else can you form lasting author friendships, establish key partnerships, and gain essential knowledge to help guide you along your author career? The Toronto Indie Author Conference (TIAC) is one such event, focused deeply on indie authors and Canadian indie authors in particular. Whether or not you reside in Canada...

DeAnna Hart, also known as D.F. Hart, writes crime thrillers and contemporary romance. She also has an MBA and over two decades of hands-on experience in accounting, and she co-wrote Accounting for Authors with Mark Lefebrve as a means to help indie authors better understand the nuances of running their businesses. If you want to learn general accounting concepts that indie authors can apply to th...