
Self-Publishing with ALLi
The Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast from the Alliance of Independent Authors provides a comprehensive guide for indie authors.
Latest episodes

Feb 7, 2024 • 42min
Unraveling the Mysteries of ISBNs and Book Distribution: More Questions Answered by Michael La Ronn and Sacha Black in Our Member Q&A Podcast
In this episode of the AskALLi Member Q&A podcast, hosts Michael La Ronn and Sacha Black delve into the often-confusing world of ISBNs and book distribution. Other questions include: How do I navigate using both Amazon KDP and Ingram Spark for wider distribution of my book? What are the best practices for selecting a font for print and eBooks? How can authors effectively use images in their books without risking copyright infringement? What should authors consider before translating their books into foreign languages? Exploring the feasibility of adapting a novel into a TV series or movie. Understanding the complexities of working with distributors like Follette for library access. Dealing with unexpected account termination on KDP. 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. Now, go write and publish! 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.

Feb 4, 2024 • 13min
Inspirational Indie Author Interview #152: Sue Rovens. Suspense, Horror Novelist Connects with Readers Through Local Events
My guest this episode is Sue Rovens, an author of suspense and horror who is all about making connections with her readers. Sometimes, that connection comes through events in her local community, and other times, it's through her stories, where she tries to entertain and surprise her audience. Sue worked at a library for thirty years before she decided to write tales of her own. 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 more than 35 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.

Feb 2, 2024 • 12min
AI-Generated Text Wins Major Award With Implications for Copyright and Creativity: Self-Publishing News Podcast with Dan Holloway
On the Self-Publishing News podcast with Dan Holloway: As a novel whose text is 5 percent AI-generated wins a major award, where does that leave copyright and creativity? 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.

Jan 31, 2024 • 38min
Direct Sales Mindset — The Advantages of Personal Sales, with Joe Solari: Self-Publishing Conference Highlight
Throughout this presentation, Joe Solari unravels the myriad advantages of a direct sales mindset for authors, in which you gain unprecedented control over your book's pricing and promotions, and enjoy an uptick in profits and personal connection. Discover the tools and strategies that can guide you in carving out your unique path in direct sales, where your bond with your reader becomes the foundation of your success. 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. About the Host Joe Solari assists authors in developing successful businesses as the managing partner of Author Ventures LLC. In his role as a business manager, he supports his private clients, who collectively achieved gross royalties of twenty-two million in 2023, with an average pre-tax profit of 44%. This remarkable success results from implementing disciplined business strategies and maintaining an unwavering dedication to enhancing the customer experience.

Jan 28, 2024 • 17min
Campaigns and Collaboration: ALLi Campaigns Podcast with Orna Ross and Melissa Addey
Today on the ALLi Campaigns Podcast: Collaboration. The Alliance of Independent Authors runs certain core campaigns on an ongoing basis, as well as supporting other campaigns that reach out to us. A campaign doesn’t always have to be "yours" to be able to help. Collaboration is everything in campaign work, so here are some recent examples of how we are collaborating. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our self-publishing advice center. And, if you haven’t already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. Now, go write and publish! About the Hosts Orna Ross launched the Alliance of Independent Authors at the London Book Fair in 2012. Her work for ALLi has seen her named as one of The Bookseller’s “100 top people in publishing”. She also publishes poetry, fiction, and nonfiction and is greatly excited by the democratizing, empowering potential of author-publishing. For more information about Orna, visit her website. Melissa Addey has a PhD in creative writing and writes historical fiction set in first-century Rome, eleventh-century Morocco and eighteenth-century China. She runs writing workshops covering both craft and entrepreneurship, most frequently for the British Library. She's also ALLi's campaigns manager, a role in which she loves observing and supporting the vast diversity of self-published authors. Visit her at her website and pick up a free novella.

Jan 26, 2024 • 16min
Special Editions and Direct Engagement May Be the Answer to Stagnating Book Prices: Self-Publishing News Podcast with Dan Holloway
On the Self-Publishing News podcast with Dan Holloway: New research says special editions and direct engagement may be the answer to stagnating book prices. 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.

Jan 24, 2024 • 26min
How to Get Started with Amazon Ads: Reaching More Readers Podcast, With Dale L. Roberts and Holly Greenland
This month on the Reaching More Readers podcast, Dale and Holly introduce Amazon Ads, including the jargon you need to know, the free accredited courses you can take to build your knowledge, key steps for quick and easy setup, and how to try out an Amazon Ad campaign even if you have a small budget to play with. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our self-publishing advice center. And, if you haven’t already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. Now, go write and publish! About the Hosts 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 Holly Greenland is a self-published author, content writer and strategic communications consultant. She has worked in marketing and communications for nearly twenty years, including at the BBC, UK Parliament, and award-winning agency Social & Local. Holly is currently completing a Publishing PhD with Kingston University in London, investigating the factors that increase the likelihood of indie author success. Find out more about Holly's writing on her website or connect on LinkedIn.

Jan 21, 2024 • 18min
Inspirational Indie Author Interview #151: C. Ruth Taylor. Jamaican Authorpreneur Wants to Put Caribbean on the Map for Self-Publishingn
My guest this episode is C. Ruth Taylor, an authorpreneur from Jamaica who is trying to create conditions to put the Caribbean on the map for self-publishing. The trick is to convince authors that the book itself is only the beginning of their storyteller journey. 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 more than 35 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.

Jan 19, 2024 • 13min
Writers Guild is Ready to Discuss Blanket License for AI: Self-Publishing News Podcast with Dan Holloway
Topics include discussions on a blanket license for AI, challenges with AI-generated content, success of indie authors, challenges faced by translators, impact of AI translation on indie authors.

Jan 17, 2024 • 34min
Stuart Grant Designs Compelling Websites for Authors: Creating Better Books, with Howard Lovy
On today's podcast, Howard Lovy features Stuart Grant, who creates compelling websites for authors. He has some advice on what to do or not do when staking out your real estate on the web. 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 more than 35 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.