Self Publishing Insiders

Autumn A. Arnett joins us to talk about the EFA and what you should keep in mind when looking for the right editor for your book. The Editorial Freelancers Association is a nonprofit organization that advances excellence among a dynamic community of freelance editorial professionals by providing opportunities for business development, learning, and networking. EFA members are editors, writers, ind...

Thomas Dean Donnelly has been a professional screenwriter for over 30 years. In that time he has written on major projects, from Voltron to Uncharted, and from Marvel’s Doctor Strange to The Walking Dead. During the Hollywood writers strike he wrote his first novel: YEAR OF THE RABBIT and just release its sequel YEAR OF THE HORSE, both spy thrillers.  T.D. Donnelly joins us to share practices he h...

This special Christmas Day 2025 episode is a pre-recorded one with Mark Leslie Lefebvre who introduces a series of clips that highlight just 14 of the amazing episodes that have been brought to you every week in this past year. //Draft2Digital is where you start your Indie Author Career//   Looking for your path to self-publishing success? Draft2Digital is the leading ebook publisher and distribut...

The way readers search for their next book is changing dramatically. With Google's generative search and Amazon’s upcoming AI-driven recommendation engine, authors face a completely new landscape for book discovery. But how exactly will these changes affect your books' visibility?  Reedsy’s Ricardo Fayet joins us to share practical steps to make sure your books remain discoverable and compelling t...

Cameron Sutter is a sci-fi/fantasy author and the inventor of Plottr – the popular visual story planning software. As a friend of the show, he joins us again to talk about new Plottr features, their Virtual Beta Readers, and the charity work they are supporting with their Plot for Good campaign.  //Draft2Digital is where you start your Indie Author Career//   Looking for your path to self-publishi...

Becca Syme, founder of the Better-Faster Academy and Host of The Quitcast, joins us to talk about what habits and practices we need to focus on in this brand new day of publishing, and which don't serve us anymore.  //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...

Bekah Brinkmeier is a USA Today bestselling author and ghostwriter of more than 90 novels. She works with AutoCrit as an instructor and author coach, leading Team Plantser in the Novel 90 Writing Challenge.  //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...

Hannah Jacobson is the founder of Book Award Pro, the industry-trusted platform for getting reviews and awards. The company operates the world's largest database of legitimate book accolades, serving thousands of authors globally.  Hannah is the recognized authority on literary accolades and prestigious book recognition. She joins us to talk about book awards and how authors can benefit from them....

Nicole Bross is a certified book coach, editor, and the author of A Novel Approach: Strategies for ADHD Writers, a writing guide for neurodiverse authors whose ADHD is getting in the way of finishing their books. As a neurodiverse writer herself, Nicole is excited to share the strategies and tools she's developed with others.  //Draft2Digital is where you start your Indie Author Career//   Looking...

Award-winning Detroit Author & Founder of Motown Writers, Sylvia Hubbard has independently published over 65 romance suspense books over 25 years. Sylvia joins us to talk about the opportunities authors could be missing out on if they aren't making the most of library distribution.  //Draft2Digital is where you start your Indie Author Career//   Looking for your path to self-publishing success? Dr...

Banned Books Week spotlights stories that some try to erase—but indie publishing ensures your voice is never silenced. In this episode we’ll explore how the freedom to publish empowers marginalized voices to bypass gatekeepers and reach readers worldwide.  Lee Wind is the Chief Content Officer of the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), and an author of frequently challenged books. He h...

Phil Marshall is a technologist, entrepreneur, and storyteller who thrives at the intersection of imagination and execution. He is the founder and CEO of Spoken, a platform that empowers authors to create immersive single, dual, and multi-voice audiobooks.  //Draft2Digital is where you start your Indie Author Career//   Looking for your path to self-publishing success? Draft2Digital is the leading...

Lauren Lacey is a Southern storyteller who crafts heartfelt romances filled with the complexities of love and resilience. Her writing, often set in small towns, explores the depths of commitment and second chances. Her goal is to create stories that make readers laugh, cry, and believe in the beauty of happily ever afters.  Lauren joins us to talk about the success of Black Romance Book Fest, as w...

What fuels indie author success beyond the page? In this conversation with Joe Solari of Author Nation, we explore how connection, insight and inspiration shape the heart of indie author culture. From building authentic community to sharing hard-won knowledge, discover why gathering together—online and in person—empowers authors to thrive. //Draft2Digital is where you start your Indie Author Caree...

M.K. Williams is the author of multiple science fiction books, short stories, and self-publishing guides. A truly all-American author, she has lived and worked across the country and now finds herself beneath the sunny, and often rainy, skies of Tampa.  Because she has found so much joy in helping others realize their dreams of becoming an author, M.K. Williams has launched Author Your Ambition. T...

In this episode, Jim and Mark sit down with Dale L. Roberts, the voice behind the hugely popular Self Publishing with Dale YouTube channel. Dale has helped countless indie authors navigate the world of self-publishing with practical, no-nonsense advice.  We talk about his brand-new book, Email Marketing for Authors, why building a mailing list is a game-changer, and how he’s bringing his next big...

Debut romantasy author Ang T. Dalton joins us to share the inspiring story behind The Scars Within—a novel born from resilience, mental health struggles, and the highs and lows of social media culture. After 80 rejections, Ang landed an audiobook deal with Simon Maverick, Simon & Schuster’s newest imprint. In this episode, she opens up about what worked, what didn’t, and what she’d do differently...

The D2D Team is back again, answering author questions! Jim, Nick, and Tara talk about publishing and the questions your fellow authors have about Draft2Digital. //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, distribute it online,...

Adrienne Giordano is a certified life coach and USA Today bestselling author of over forty novels. Adrienne’s experience from over 30 years in writing, marketing and client service helps her empower clients with personalized coaching that fosters growth and accountability.  //Draft2Digital is where you start your Indie Author Career//   Looking for your path to self-publishing success? Draft2Digit...

Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer is an author, writing instructor, and host of The Confident Fiction Author podcast. She’s published nineteen books–eleven of which were written solely by dictation.  She hosts two author courses, Fiction Writing: American Indians, which equips authors to write authentic stories that honor Native American history and culture, and Fictation™ Digital Course, which takes authors...

Jason Jones is the founder of Jones Literary, a longtime Nashville publicity firm, working with authors, experts, publishers and media around the world. With over twenty five years of experience in public relations, Jason joins us to talk about how authors should be using public relations, as well as his Local PR Toolkit.  //Draft2Digital is where you start your Indie Author Career//   Looking for...

Walt Mussell is an award-winning historical fiction author who has used his love of history to build his author career, his social media presence, and his Substack, The Chrysanthemum and The Cross. He joins us to talk about the ways authors can use social media to their advantage, even if they haven't gone mega-viral.  //Draft2Digital is where you start your Indie Author Career//   Looking for you...

Johnny B. Truant is one of indie publishing’s early authorities, having created and co-hosted the original Self Publishing Podcast with Sean Platt and David Wright. He is also the author of the indie cornerstone guide Write. Publish. Repeat, and hosted the Smarter Artist Summit author conference in Austin, Texas from 2015-2018 with the same two partners.  Johnny joins us to talk about his upcoming...

James Blatch is a founder of The Self Publishing Show live as well as the course platform Learn Self Publishing, the podcast Indie Writers Club and the book discount mailing list, Hello Books. Somehow, between wearing all those hats, he manages to author cold war military thrillers! He's joining us to talk about The Self Publishing Show Live's annual conference that took place in London and what a...

BookCovers.com is the premiere marketplace for professionally designed premade book covers. In today's episode, we'll cover everything from how to choose the right cover for your book, to how to work with a professional cover artist, to how much you should expect to pay for your cover art. And if you happen to be a cover artist, or know one, we'll explore how to set up your very own storefront at...