Self-Publishing with ALLi

My guest this episode is Karen A. Chase, who began her career in advertising and marketing before she had an epiphany one day and decided she wanted to contribute something more lasting to society as an author. But she also uses her background to help other authors navigate their way through the many roads to marketing their work. ALLi's Inspirational Indie Author Podcast stream is sponsored by Ko...

Unlimited marketing is one of the topics covered in this month's AskALLi Member Q&A with Michael La Ronn and Orna Ross.  Other questions include: If you had $10,000 to spend on marketing, how would you spend it? What are your tips for publishing a 900-page book? Can you give a refresher on the benefits, pros/cons of using IngramSpark? Where can I find an illustrator? And more! Our Members Q&A Podc...

On the Creative Self-Publishing Podcast, ALLi Director Orna Ross and News and Podcast Producer Howard Lovy talk about where to spend your time, energy, and money. Indie publishers juggle many roles as they write, publish, and market their work, plus hold down other jobs to pay the bills. Sometimes, it can seem overwhelming. In this episode, Orna answers questions on how to prioritize and focus on...

In today's Beginners Self-Publishing Podcast: book formats and distribution. When average readers discuss the book trade, many tend to have a one-track mind focused on print books and physical bookstores. The truth, though, is that books have much more potential in terms of formats and distribution. In this episode, ALLi Product Marketing Manager Dan Parsons and Campaigns Manager Melissa Addey lea...

My guest this episode is Maryann Reid, who writes women's fiction aimed at an African American audience, and she found success with that formula at St. Martin's Press for a decade. Then the economic downturn happened in 2008, and she had to rethink everything. She came out the other side with a new voice as an indie author. ALLi's Inspirational Indie Author Podcast stream is sponsored by Kobo Writ...

In this month's Advanced Self-Publishing Podcast ALLi Director Orna Ross and Enterprise Adviser Joanna Penn discuss opportunities for indie authors in 2023. The rise of AI tools, the growth of the creator economy, and the emergence of previously underrepresented writers and genres mean 2023 looks set to be an exciting year to be writing and publishing books. In this AskALLi Podcast, Orna and Joann...

In this Self-Publishing Conference Highlight, Penny Sansevieri discusses the seven ways to build direct connections with readers. You've probably heard the term "super fans" thrown around a lot. But how do you go from having casual readers to activating the super fan connection? By the end of this session, you will learn how to build more connections with readers, drive more word-of-mouth recommen...

My guest this episode is Millicent Eidson, a retired public health veterinarian and epidemiologist who worked for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention along with state health departments. Now she's the author of the Maya Maguire microbial mystery series, which seeks to make public health and climate change understandable and even entertaining to a general audience, something that is nece...

Today on the Self-Publishing News podcast: Experiments with Midjourney and ChatGPT. ALLi News Editor Dan Holloway and News and Podcast Producer Howard Lovy discuss the latest developments in artificial intelligence. Apple turns to AI for audiobook narration, and many authors are up in arms over a children's book written and illustrated by AI. Howard talks about his experiments with AI in fiction a...

Cover plagiarism is one of the topics covered in this month's AskALLi Member Q&A with Michael La Ronn and Sacha Black. Other questions include: In the United States, should I register my copyright to send ARCs to readers? Does ALLi offer access to scriptwriters? My contract with my literary agent is scheduled to close in forty-five days. Can I self-publish my book on pre-order? What's the best way...

My guest this episode is Stacey Aaronson. She is a ghostwriter, editor, cover designer, layout artist, and publishing partner for indie authors, but perhaps what gave her the most personal satisfaction was writing a book about her mother, who was a teenager when Stacy was born. Together, they formed a unique spiritual bond.  ALLi's Inspirational Indie Author Podcast stream is sponsored by Kobo Wri...

In today's Beginners Self-Publishing Podcast: creating an author imprint. Author stereotypes skew heavily in favor of "starving artists," disregarding that those who succeed are often savvy entrepreneurs. If you want to emulate the winners then you will also need to learn business skills, starting with creating an imprint. In this episode, ALLi's Product Marketing Manager Dan Parsons and Campaigns...

On the Creative Self-Publishing Podcast, we'll talk about annual planning for your indie author business. It's the end of the year, so it's time to think about what 2023 is going to look like. But it's not as daunting a task as it may seem. The way to do it is to break the year down into manageable chunks. And here to guide us along are ALLi Director Orna Ross and News and Podcast Producer Howard...

Ad coaches, anonymous ratings, and barcodes are a few of the topics covered in this month's AskALLi Member Q&A with Orna Ross and Sacha Black. Questions include: What do I do if Amazon terminates my account? Should I pay a coach to help me with Amazon Ads? How do I determine if a contest is worth it? Do I need a barcode? And more! Our Members Q&A Podcast is brought to you by specialist sponsor Kob...

My guest this episode is Landis Wade, who was a trial lawyer until he reached his fifties, and then decided he wanted to leave a different kind of legacy than just the cases he's won. So he set out on a different journey as an indie author. Along the way, he launched a podcast to learn from other authors just how to run an indie publishing business. ALLi's Inspirational Indie Author Podcast stream...

In today's Beginners Self-Publishing Podcast: book marketing foundations. Talk to experienced indie authors and most will tell you that writing well is only part of the equation. If you want to succeed commercially then you must also master marketing. In this episode, ALLi's Product Marketing Manager Dan Parsons and Campaigns Manager Melissa Addey outline the foundations of marketing a book for de...

My guest this episode is Debbie Young, who many of you already know from our ALLi member forums on Facebook. She's usually there to answer questions about indie publishing. Well, Debbie, a writer of cozy mysteries, recently signed a deal with a trade publisher. But, as she says in our interview, she approached her negotiations with a traditional publisher with the mindset of an indie author. ALLi'...

In this month's Advanced Self-Publishing Podcast ALLi Director Orna Ross and Enterprise Adviser Joanna Penn discuss when to quit writing and publishing. Should you just keep writing and publishing even if it's not going anywhere? Should you persist with the creative and business choices you have invested in for so long–or could you just walk away? Orna and Joanna talk about the times in our lives...

On the Creative Self-Publishing Podcast, we'll talk about the different kinds of business models for indie authors. As we know, if you're an indie author, you're also a businessperson, whether you want to be or not. But, don't panic, there are many ways to run an indie author business depending on what you want to get out of it. And here to guide us along are ALLi Director Orna Ross and News and P...

In this Self-Publishing Conference Highlight, M. K. Williams discusses the dos and don'ts of starting an AuthorTube channel. What is AuthorTube? Should it be a pillar of your author platform? A fondness for being on camera and some interest in video production is essential, but it's equally important to know you're spending your time and effort in the right place. This session introduces various o...

My guest this episode is Alan Hesse, a conservationist who found his way to indie publishing through his ability to reach kids and adults in his drawings. Alan's graphic novels about climate change entertain readers while also teaching them that there is something each of them can do to help save the earth. ALLi's Inspirational Indie Author interviews are sponsored by Kobo Writing Life, a global,...

Today on Self-Publishing News: Should indie authors exit Twitter in light of all the company turmoil? Also, a judge says no to Simon & Schuster, Penguin Random House merger. What does that mean for authors? These are among the topics discussed on Self-Publishing News with ALLi News Editor Dan Holloway and News and Podcast Producer Howard Lovy. Find more author advice, tips and tools at our  Self-p...

On the Creative Self-Publishing Podcast, we'll talk about creative rest to improve your work. Today's episode is the third of three parts in an integrative approach to creativity. In past episodes, we've discussed creative work and creative fun. Today, we'll discuss creative rest. But this is more than just taking a snooze to recharge. There are many different ways to rest, depending on your own n...

Do I need a developmental editor? How do I launch a Kickstarter? These are among the questions answered in this month's AskALLi Member Q&A with Michael La Ronn and Sacha Black. Other questions include: What is the best tool to research categories for my book? Are Amazon Ads a good place to start marketing my book? How do I get the rights back to my book? And more! Our Members Q&A Podcast is brough...

My guest this episode is Maria Riegger, who has many moving parts to her career, some of which might even seem at odds with one another. For example, she's a lawyer who is also very much into astrology. She also used her own childhood trauma to launch a series of parenting books so other children would not suffer the way she did. And she uses her legal expertise to help other indie publishers navi...