The Indy Author Podcast

Bestselling novelist Steven James discusses the difference between action and tension, how twists do (and don't) work, the reader's desire to be both surprised and satisfied, and the importance of being alert to the messages your story is trying to send you. Steven James is a national bestselling novelist whose award-winning thrillers continue to gain wide critical acclaim and a growing fan base....

Joshua Tallent, acclaimed expert on the role of data in publishing, discusses changes Amazon has made to how it uses keywords, and how authors can capitalize on those changes; the value of the long tail search; and when authors need to focus on producing more content rather than on tweaking metadata. Joshua Tallent is a vocal advocate for high quality book metadata. He serves as the Director of Sa...

Bestselling author Jenna Moreci discusses creating a compelling villain. She talks about how cartoon villainy doesn't work outside of cartoons, the importance of knowing your villain as well as you know your protagonist, and how Greek mythology provides lessons in portraying a villain that are still applicable today. Jenna Moreci is a half-human, half-weaponized robot hellbent on overthrowing mank...

Hank Phillippi Ryan, multi-award-winning and USA Today bestselling author of 12 mystery novels, talks about how her "day job" as an investigative reporter for Boston's WHDH-TV has influenced her work at a crime novelist. She discusses the essence of conflict (a secret someone doesn't want you to know), how the endings of her novels surprise her as well as her readers, and how anything can work if...

Author and Sisters in Crime New England president Connie Johnson Hambley discusses how important it is for writers to engage in communities that can provide craft, business, and emotional support, and how to go about finding them. She talks about the idea of paying it forward, and how to shift the me-focus of networking into the you-focus of community building. Connie Johnson Hambley has written f...

Science fiction author Joshua Howell discusses the graphic novel he created based on the first novel in his Fierce Saga, The Fierce are Fading, including his collaboration with illustrator Ilaria Apostoli, the technical challenges that graphic novels pose, and how preparing his story for this visual medium gave him the inspiration he needed to complete the prose version.

Diane Vallere, author of over twenty-five traditionally and indy-published cozy mysteries, discusses reader expectations for different genres and when and how authors can push those boundaries. We also talk about ways to engage fans, including the promise of a story that extends beyond a single book, an email newsletter that connects on a personal level, and a holiday surprise!

Elizabeth Sims, author and contributing editor to "Writer's Digest" magazine, discusses tips on where the frugal writer can save money, and where money-saving should not be the highest priority. We talk about the benefits of writers' groups and conferences; how you can access premium-level resources without paying premium-level fees; and the importance of considering not only financial cost, but k...

Bruce Robert Coffin, the award-winning author of the bestselling Detective Byron mystery series and a former detective sergeant with more than twenty-seven years in law enforcement, talks about how to avoid the inaccuracies regarding the portrayal of police procedures that can take the reader out of your story. We talk about whether an author must have their story comply in every detail with actua...

Video content creator Dale L. Roberts shares tips on how to reach readers and followers, and how to monetize your efforts, through video. He discusses how to maintain your content over time to ensure your viewers continue to get value from it, how to ensure engagement through discussion, and ideas for how fiction as well as non-fiction authors can use video to establish a brand and an online prese...

Rachael Herron, the internationally bestselling author of more than two dozen books, including thriller (under R.H. Herron), mainstream fiction, feminist romance, memoir, and nonfiction about writing, discusses the barriers that can block our creativity and strategies and tactics we can use to overcome them. We discuss the idea of trusting that you'll land softly, the role that scaring yourself pl...

Julie Mulhern, USA Today bestselling author of the (traditionally published) Country Club Murders and the (indy published) Poppy Fields Adventures, discusses her career as a hybrid author and how she went the traditional route first in order to build a platform and traction for later self-publishing. We talk about the tangible and intangible benefits of working with a team, and how book price can...

Tara Cremin discusses the factors to be considered for ebook pricing: the length and genre of the book; whether it is part of a series and, if it is, the length of the series; reader expectations regarding boxset pricing; the pros and cons of permafree; and the research needed for pricing in global markets.

Becca Syme discusses common advice writers receive--like "you can't edit a blank page"--and shares advice on how to decide if it's right for you. She explores the importance of questioning the premise, and provides guidance on how you can best match your abilities and preferences to the approach you take to your creative work.

Zach Bohannon shares the personal and creative benefits he gained by living a life of digital minimalism. He asks us to question our assumptions about whether online interactions are really necessary to create community with our fans and to reach new readers. We also discuss what fodder for our work we miss if we're focused on our devices rather than on the world around us.

Kelly Simmons reviews the three core rules of writing a successful query--keep it short, don't sound like an a**hole, and don't become an automatic no--and shares guidance on how to make your query stand out in a busy agent's inbox (including emojis!).

Pauline Wiles discusses why authors intent on reaching new readers should not be investing their time writing blog posts for their own website, and shares ideas for alternatives that will offer better returns in terms of building your reader community.

Common wisdom is to write what you know, and incorporating your day job into your books is an obvious method. But how do you do that and maintain confidentiality and professionalism when your job is as sensitive as a funeral director and undertaker? Todd Harra describes how he has walked that fine line in this episode.

Brian Meeks talks through his revision of one of Matty's book descriptions to illustrate the copywriting methods that have enabled him to turn browsers into buyers on the online retail platforms.

J.J. Hensley discusses the Three Hard Truths he has discovered since his first book, the support he found in the writing community, and the importance of assessing your goals for becoming a writer.

Emma Prince shares her process and learnings from translating her historical romances into German--reader outreach that, with some upfront preparation, can earn an author another stream of income from an existing piece of content with minimal ongoing effort.

Liz Jostes of Eli Rose Social Media describes the data that drives search engine optimization, identifies outdated approaches to avoid, and provides tactics that authors can apply to ensure readers can find you and your books online.

Author and podcaster J. Thorn shares some great advice for anyone thinking of starting a podcast, great recommendations for writers looking for a podcast to listen to, and valuable insights into building relationships with others in the writing and publishing worlds by approaching them with an offer rather than an ask.

Mark Leslie Lefebvre brings over a quarter century of experience in the writing, publishing, and bookselling worlds to provide insights and strategies for how authors can benefit from developing relationships with libraries and bookstores and can in turn bring benefit to those organizations.

Jane Gorman, author of the Adam Kaminski mystery series, and I discuss two primary components of a successful book cover--the cover image and the title--and provide best practices and advice on avoiding common pitfalls.