Self-Publishing with ALLi

ALLi Campaigns Manager Matty Dalrymple talks with Karen Williams of Librotas about how authors can build business authority through their books. Karen discusses her path into writing and mentoring nonfiction authors, stressing structure, clarity, and preparation. She explains how authority-building books enhance credibility and business growth, explores different formats, and offers advice on aligning books with business goals, engaging readers, and repurposing content. About the Host Matty Dalrymple podcasts, writes, speaks, and consults on the writing craft and the publishing voyage as The Indy Author. She has written books on the business of short fiction and podcasting for authors, and her articles have appeared in Writer’s Digest magazine. She serves as the campaigns manager for the Alliance of Independent Authors. Matty is also the author of the Lizzy Ballard Thrillers, beginning with Rock Paper Scissors; the Ann Kinnear Suspense Novels, beginning with The Sense of Death; and the Ann Kinnear Suspense Shorts, including Close These Eyes. She is a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. About the Guest Karen Williams is the Book Mentor at Librotas. She helps business owners, experts, and thought leaders write authority-building books that elevate their credibility and grow both their business and brand. The author of ten books, including Your Book Is the Hook and Book Marketing Made Simple, Williams guides her clients from messy first idea to final manuscript and successful launch, with a focus on strategy, structure, and ensuring their book truly works for them. She’s a TEDx speaker and host of the Business Book Bites podcast. Williams can be found on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

In this Self-Publishing Advice Conference highlight, discover how reviews, contests, and awards can boost your reputation and drive engagement in the session, “Proof is Profitable.” Hannah Jacobson of Book Award Pro and Edward Trayer of The Wishing Shelf Book Awards share case studies and practical strategies alongside a panel of award-winning indie authors. Together, they explore how to use customer reviews to build trust, enter and win contests to gain recognition, and leverage awards to enhance your brand’s prestige and attract a wider audience. This is a post from SelfPubCon (The Self-Publishing Advice Conference), an online author event run free twice yearly in association with the Alliance of Independent Authors. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven’t already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. You can do that at http://allianceindependentauthors.org.

A court has approved the Anthropic settlement, affecting over 482,000 titles, with authors and publishers splitting payments. Spotify reassures creators that new terms won't alter their rights. L. J. Ross earns a shortlisted nomination for the Speakeys audiobook awards, celebrating indie talent. Meanwhile, TikTok is set to transition to a US-run consortium, ensuring the future of BookTok. This episode highlights crucial shifts in the publishing landscape and the ongoing support for independent authors.

In this engaging discussion, Kayleigh Brindley, the conference manager for SelfPubCon25 and veteran virtual assistant, shares insights into the emerging trends of self-publishing. She highlights the conference's focus on AI-driven discoverability and shifts in reader behavior. Kayleigh elaborates on the unique two-day format and the wealth of practical takeaways for indie authors. Additionally, she discusses exciting competitions, networking opportunities, and guidance for attendees eager to enhance their publishing journey.

My guest this episode is Stephen Oram, a London-based author of near-future science fiction who explores the intersection of humanity with imperfect technology. His journey has taken him from squatter and countercultural outsider to civil servant, and now to full-time writer. As a practitioner of applied science fiction, he works with scientists and technologists to imagine possible futures. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of 2,000+ blog posts, and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. We invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. About the Host Howard Lovy has been a journalist for 40 years and now amplifies the voices of independent author-publishers and works with authors as a developmental editor. Find Howard at howardlovy.com, LinkedIn, and X. About the Guest Stephen Oram writes social science fiction novels and short stories, exploring the intersection of messy humans and imperfect technology. He is also a leading proponent of applied science fiction, working with scientists and technologists to explore possible outcomes of their research through short stories. Linux User & Developer Magazine described him as “A soothsayer for this century’s relationship with technology,” while the Financial Times said his work “should set the rest of us thinking about science and its possible repercussions.” Connect with him on social media.

On this episode of the Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast, Dan Holloway reports on the Anthropic class action hearing, where the judge will decide if the database of pirated titles is clear enough for authors to check their inclusion. He also highlights a new “Really Sensible Licensing” system for AI use of creative works, audiobook revenues overtaking e-books in monthly reports, and Disney Plus joining with Webtoon as graphic novels gain ground both online and in bookstores. Sponsor Self-Publishing News is proudly sponsored by PublishMe—helping indie authors succeed globally with expert translation, tailored marketing, and publishing support. From first draft to international launch, PublishMe ensures your book reaches readers everywhere. Visit publishme.me. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven’t already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. About the Host Dan Holloway is a novelist, poet, and spoken word artist. He is the MC of the performance arts show The New Libertines, He competed at the National Poetry Slam final at the Royal Albert Hall. His latest collection, The Transparency of Sutures, is available on Kindle.

Are you struggling to reach readers on TikTok? In this episode, Dale Roberts sits down with Marvin Wey of AuthorScale.com to explore how authors can use slideshow content to turn browsers into buyers. Discover why volume matters more than perfection, how storytelling trumps flashy production, and what metrics really define virality. Marvin breaks down the slideshow strategy that’s helping authors drive engagement, build curiosity, and sell more books, all without burning out or breaking the bank. About the Host Dale L. Roberts is a self-publishing advocate, award-winning author, and video content creator. Dale’s inherent passion for life fuels his self-publishing advocacy both in print and online. After publishing over 50 titles and becoming an international bestselling author on Amazon, Dale started his YouTube channel, Self-Publishing with Dale. Selected by Feedspot and LA Weekly as one of the best sources in self-publishing of 2022, Dale cemented his position as the indie-author community's go-to authority. You can find Dale on his website or YouTube. About the Guest Marvin Wey brings over ten years of experience in book publishing and growth marketing. In 2016, he joined one of today's most successful publishing startups and fiction reading apps as one of its earliest employees. Now, with his new company AuthorScale, he and his team are developing cutting-edge tools to help indie authors leverage technology to revolutionize their book marketing.

In this episode of the Self-Publishing with ALLi Member Q&A podcast, hosts Michael La Ronn and Sacha Black discuss how a debut author can promote a first audiobook without an existing platform. Other questions include: How can an urban fantasy with an unrequited-love subplot be marketed without signaling it’s a romance? Can authors obtain a tax exemption when purchasing author copies on KDP? Where should a charity’s endorsement logo go on a children’s book cover, and what permissions are required? What’s the best ebook format and software—and how do ISBNs factor in? Any practical tips for generating usable AI images for author projects? How do ALLi members find the current IngramSpark revision code? And More! Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-Publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven’t already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. About the Hosts Michael La Ronn is ALLi’s Outreach Manager. He is the author of over 80 science fiction & fantasy books and self-help books for writers. He writes from the great plains of Iowa and has managed to write while raising a family, working a full-time job, and even attending law school classes in the evenings (now graduated!). You can find his fiction at www.michaellaronn.com and his videos and books for writers at www.authorlevelup.com. Sacha Black is a bestselling and competition winning author, rebel podcaster, speaker and casual rule breaker. She writes fiction under a secret pen name and other books about the art of writing. When Sacha isn't writing, she runs ALLi's blog. She lives in England, with her wife and genius, giant of a son. You can find her on her website, her podcast, and on Instagram.  

On this episode of the Self-Publishing News Podcast, Dan Holloway previews October’s conferences, including Frankfurt and ALLi’s Self-Publishing Advice Conference, with themes from page-to-screen rights to BookTok trends. He reports that TikTok is set to avoid a U.S. ban, a new class action targets Apple over use of the Books3 dataset, and a study suggests AI is changing language by spreading common buzzwords. Sponsor Self-Publishing News is proudly sponsored by PublishMe—helping indie authors succeed globally with expert translation, tailored marketing, and publishing support. From first draft to international launch, PublishMe ensures your book reaches readers everywhere. Visit publishme.me. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven’t already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. About the Host Dan Holloway is a novelist, poet, and spoken word artist. He is the MC of the performance arts show The New Libertines, He competed at the National Poetry Slam final at the Royal Albert Hall. His latest collection, The Transparency of Sutures, is available on Kindle.

ALLi nonfiction adviser Anna Featherstone interviews Catherine Bilson, who writes in multiple genres across four pen names, about the practicalities of updating and rebranding books. With more than 60 titles published and hundreds of translations under her belt, Catherine explains how indie authors can approach everything from refreshing blurbs and covers to managing keywords, metadata, and back matter. She also shares how to avoid common pitfalls, keep files organized, and treat updates as part of an author’s long-term business strategy. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-Publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven’t already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. Sponsor This podcast is proudly sponsored by Gatekeeper Press—your partner in independent publishing. Empowering authors with expert guidance, 100 percent rights, 100 percent royalties, global distribution, and all-inclusive services—from editing to marketing. Gatekeeper Press: Where Authors Are Family. About the Host Anna Featherstone is ALLi’s nonfiction adviser and an author advocate and mentor. A judge of The Australian Business Book Awards and Australian Society of Travel Writers awards, she’s also the founder of Bold Authors and presents author marketing and self-publishing workshops for organizations, including Byron Writers Festival. Anna has authored books including how-to and memoirs and her book Look-It’s Your Book! about writing, publishing, marketing, and leveraging nonfiction is on the Australian Society of Authors recommended reading list. When she’s not being bookish, Anna’s into bees, beings, and the big issues of our time. About the Guest RUBY-award–winning author Catherine Bilson writes in multiple genres across four pen names and also co-authors books with Ebony Oaten. Born and raised in the UK, she was once a rocket scientist before falling in love with an Australian and moving halfway around the world. Still married to her Aussie husband, she now lives in sunny southeast Queensland with their two teenage romance-heroes-in-training and two rescue cats.