
Self Publishing Insiders
Brought to you from the indie author experts at Draft2Digital! Each week, Self Publishing Insiders features an interview with a new guest, covering self-publishing topics from writing and craft to marketing and promoting your books, and anything that can help you build and grow your author career.
Learn about new tools, new software, new markets—and of course, all the inside information that D2D can provide!
This show features interviews taken from our live D2D Spotlight, available on YouTube and Facebook. Join us, and get your questions answered during the live broadcast, when you visit D2DLive.com!
Latest episodes

Jul 17, 2025 • 54min
How to Select the Perfect Cover with Nick Thacker
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 BookCovers.com. //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, and support you the whole way—and we won’t charge you a dime. We take a small percentage of the royalties for each sale you make through us, so we only make money when you make money. That's the best kind of business plan. • Get started now: https://draft2digital.com/• Learn the ins, the outs, and the all-arounds of indie publishing from the industry experts on the D2D Blog: https://Draft2Digital.com/blog • Promote your books with our Universal Book Links from Books2Read: https://books2read.com Make sure you bookmark https://D2DLive.com for links to live events, and to catch back episodes of the Self Publishing Insiders Podcast.

Jul 10, 2025 • 55min
Make the Most of Your Smashwords Summer/Winter Sale!
The 17th annual Smashwords Summer/Winter Sale is upon us! This is a chance for authors to get the most bang for their buck while traffic is increased at Smashwords. The D2D team discusses tips and tricks to get the most out of your advertising efforts and maximize results.//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, and support you the whole way—and we won’t charge you a dime. We take a small percentage of the royalties for each sale you make through us, so we only make money when you make money. That's the best kind of business plan. • Get started now: https://draft2digital.com/• Learn the ins, the outs, and the all-arounds of indie publishing from the industry experts on the D2D Blog: https://Draft2Digital.com/blog • Promote your books with our Universal Book Links from Books2Read: https://books2read.com Make sure you bookmark https://D2DLive.com for links to live events, and to catch back episodes of the Self Publishing Insiders Podcast.

9 snips
Jul 3, 2025 • 56min
Don't Quit Before the Miracle
Steffanie Holmes, also known as Steff Green, is a USA Today best-selling author renowned for her quirky, cozy fantasy and gothic romance tales. In their chat, she shares her inspiring journey from a homemade book cover to six-figure success. The discussion dives into the perseverance required in self-publishing and highlights pivotal moments that defined her career. Steff discusses strategic shifts in book marketing, the transition between digital and print formats, and the vibrant role of social media in driving visibility for indie authors.

Jun 26, 2025 • 48min
Ask Our Promotions Team Anything
This week, Megan Spann, Promotions Coordinator at Draft2Digital, and Mark Leslie, a publishing expert, join the conversation. They dive into maximizing author visibility through strategic partnerships and smart pricing strategies. The duo discusses how effective promotions, like the upcoming Smashwords Summer Winter Super Sale, can boost readership. They share humorous insights from a recent road trip while highlighting new print-on-demand services, making self-publishing exciting and accessible for both seasoned authors and newbies.

Jun 12, 2025 • 50min
5 Things Indie Authors Should Know
Alessandra Torre is a New York Times bestselling author who has sold more than 2M books and publishes romance under the name Alessandra Torre and domestic suspense under the name AR Torre. She is also the co-founder of Inkers Con, a digital conference for indie authors looking to progress their careers. Alessandra joins us to take her experience as a bestselling author and conference organizer to talk about the 5 things she thinks authors need to know. //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, and support you the whole way—and we won’t charge you a dime. We take a small percentage of the royalties for each sale you make through us, so we only make money when you make money. That's the best kind of business plan. • Get started now: https://draft2digital.com/• Learn the ins, the outs, and the all-arounds of indie publishing from the industry experts on the D2D Blog: https://Draft2Digital.com/blog • Promote your books with our Universal Book Links from Books2Read: https://books2read.com Make sure you bookmark https://D2DLive.com for links to live events, and to catch back episodes of the Self Publishing Insiders Podcast.

Jun 5, 2025 • 52min
Why Nutrition Matters for Authors
You might know Roland Denzel as a health coach, nutritionist, and restorative exercise specialist, but the truth is Roland has always been, at heart, an author first. Roland created The Indestructible Author in to help authors just like you be more productive and write more books, all while staying healthy, happy, and sane. Today, he joins us to talk about how nutrition can give authors an edge, break through blocks, and write more words.//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, and support you the whole way—and we won’t charge you a dime. We take a small percentage of the royalties for each sale you make through us, so we only make money when you make money. That's the best kind of business plan. • Get started now: https://draft2digital.com/• Learn the ins, the outs, and the all-arounds of indie publishing from the industry experts on the D2D Blog: https://Draft2Digital.com/blog • Promote your books with our Universal Book Links from Books2Read: https://books2read.com Make sure you bookmark https://D2DLive.com for links to live events, and to catch back episodes of the Self Publishing Insiders Podcast.

May 29, 2025 • 49min
The Importance of Writing with Themes
Robert J. Sawyer, lovingly dubbed Canada's Dean of Science Fiction by the Ottawa Citizen, joins us to talk about how the sci fi industry has changed over the years, and how to use themes to craft a story readers will connect with.//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, and support you the whole way—and we won’t charge you a dime. We take a small percentage of the royalties for each sale you make through us, so we only make money when you make money. That's the best kind of business plan. • Get started now: https://draft2digital.com/• Learn the ins, the outs, and the all-arounds of indie publishing from the industry experts on the D2D Blog: https://Draft2Digital.com/blog • Promote your books with our Universal Book Links from Books2Read: https://books2read.com Make sure you bookmark https://D2DLive.com for links to live events, and to catch back episodes of the Self Publishing Insiders Podcast.

May 22, 2025 • 47min
Book Bibles & Story Structure with Storysnap
Cameron Sutter is a sci-fi/fantasy author and the inventor of Plottr – the popular visual story planning software. Many authors have used Plottr to outline and flesh out their book creation process. Now, Cameron joins us to talk about Storysnap, a tool he designed to help authors create story bibles and streamline their creative process. //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, and support you the whole way—and we won’t charge you a dime. We take a small percentage of the royalties for each sale you make through us, so we only make money when you make money. That's the best kind of business plan. • Get started now: https://draft2digital.com/• Learn the ins, the outs, and the all-arounds of indie publishing from the industry experts on the D2D Blog: https://Draft2Digital.com/blog • Promote your books with our Universal Book Links from Books2Read: https://books2read.com Make sure you bookmark https://D2DLive.com for links to live events, and to catch back episodes of the Self Publishing Insiders Podcast.

May 15, 2025 • 48min
Curating Your Community of Superfans
Rachel Rener isn't just a writer of modern romantasy books featuring powerful-yet-flawed heroines, unforgettable magic systems, and smoldering romance. She also finds the time to voice Tana the tiefling on the DnD podcast, Of Dice and Friends, or building community with fantasy lovers like herself. Join us as Mark chats with Rachel about finding your superfans and creating a community as an author and creator.//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, and support you the whole way—and we won’t charge you a dime. We take a small percentage of the royalties for each sale you make through us, so we only make money when you make money. That's the best kind of business plan. • Get started now: https://draft2digital.com/• Learn the ins, the outs, and the all-arounds of indie publishing from the industry experts on the D2D Blog: https://Draft2Digital.com/blog • Promote your books with our Universal Book Links from Books2Read: https://books2read.com Make sure you bookmark https://D2DLive.com for links to live events, and to catch back episodes of the Self Publishing Insiders Podcast.

May 8, 2025 • 56min
Ask Draft2Digital Anything (April 2025)
The D2D Team is back to answer viewer questions, so tune in to hear the questions on the minds of your fellow authors hosted by Jim and Mark, who always have the answers! //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, and support you the whole way—and we won’t charge you a dime. We take a small percentage of the royalties for each sale you make through us, so we only make money when you make money. That's the best kind of business plan. • Get started now: https://draft2digital.com/• Learn the ins, the outs, and the all-arounds of indie publishing from the industry experts on the D2D Blog: https://Draft2Digital.com/blog • Promote your books with our Universal Book Links from Books2Read: https://books2read.com Make sure you bookmark https://D2DLive.com for links to live events, and to catch back episodes of the Self Publishing Insiders Podcast.