
The Indy Author Podcast
Matty Dalrymple (DAL-rim-ple) 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 is a member of 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.
Latest episodes

Jul 18, 2023 • 48min
The Anatomy of a Bestseller with Sacha Black - #195
Matty Dalrymple talks with Sacha Black about THE ANATOMY OF A BESTSELLER, including the three-step process of reading, deconstructing, and implementing; the importance of reading like a writer; the power of constructive comparison; the fact that bad examples can be as instructive as good examples; the need to factor in genre expectations; being purposeful, focused, and intentional; and advice not to let analysis stand in the way of your writing. Show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP195 Did you find the information in this video useful? Please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple Sacha Black is a best-selling and competition-winning author, rebel podcaster, and professional speaker. She writes educational nonfiction books for writers and sapphic books for Young Adults. She also writes under a super-secret pen name. She has five obsessions: words, expensive shoes, conspiracy theories, self-improvement, and breaking the rules. She lives in Cambridgeshire, England, with her wife and genius, giant of a son. Matty Dalrymple is 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. She is a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. Matty also writes, speaks, and consults on the writing craft and the publishing voyage, and shares what she’s learned on THE INDY AUTHOR PODCAST. She has written books on the business of short fiction and podcasting for authors; her articles have appeared in "Writer’s Digest" magazine. She is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Jul 11, 2023 • 39min
Tips for Attending Writers' Conferences with Jim Azevedo - #194
Matty Dalrymple talks with Jim Azevedo about TIPS FOR ATTENDING WRITERS' CONFERENCES, including doing your pre-work, such as downloading the conference app and studying the schedule; promoting your attendance on social media; building your writing and publishing community; the importance of understanding your goals before you get to the conference; and the one-drink rule (it’s probably not what you think). Show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP194 Did you find the information in this video useful? Please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple Jim Azevedo is the Corporate Communications Manager at Draft2Digital. Prior to Draft2Digital, Jim was previously the marketing director at Smashwords. Matty Dalrymple is 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. She is a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. Matty also writes, speaks, and consults on the writing craft and the publishing voyage, and shares what she’s learned on THE INDY AUTHOR PODCAST. She has written books on the business of short fiction and podcasting for authors; her articles have appeared in "Writer’s Digest" magazine. She is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Jul 4, 2023 • 50min
The Path to Short Story Publication with Michael Bracken - #193
Matty Dalrymple talks with Michael Bracken about THE PATH TO SHORT STORY PUBLICATION, including getting a feel for what editors like and studying the guidelines; making yourself known to editors ... in a good way; finding the opportunities; knowing when to say no ... and when to try something new; best practices for submissions, including the importance of understanding MS Word; the value of connections, not competition; changes to short fiction as a money-maker; and the pros of indy and traditional publishing. Show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP193 Did you find the information in this video useful? Please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple Michael Bracken is the Edgar- and Shamus-nominated, Derringer-winning author of 1,200 short stories, including crime fiction published in The Best American Mystery Stories and The Best Mystery Stories of the Year. Jack Bludis, author of The Big Switch, called Michael the “Mickey Spillane for the new century.” Michael is also an Anthony-nominated editor of 20 published and forthcoming anthologies, the editor of Black Cat Mystery Magazine, and an associate editor of Black Cat Weekly. He lives, writes, and edits in Texas. Matty Dalrymple is 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. She is a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. Matty also writes, speaks, and consults on the writing craft and the publishing voyage, and shares what she’s learned on THE INDY AUTHOR PODCAST. She has written books on the business of short fiction and podcasting for authors; her articles have appeared in "Writer’s Digest" magazine. She is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Jun 27, 2023 • 44min
Stretching Your Writing Muscles with Short Fiction with Richie Narvaez - #192
Matty Dalrymple talks with Richie Narvaez about STRETCHING YOUR WRITING MUSCLES WITH SHORT FICTION, including using a short whodunit as a way of learning story structure and the basics of character conflict; the importance of being a reader in your genre to be aware of trends and tropes; the value of sketching out your story idea in advance; how a short story is like a cocktail party; using short fiction and free writing as a way to get out of your own way and unleash your creativity; and the importance of just writing the damn thing. Show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP192 Did you find the information in this video useful? Please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple Richie Narvaez has had more than 70 short stories published in magazines and anthologies such as Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Mystery Tribune, Shotgun Honey, Tiny Crimes, and the Mississippi Review. He is the author of two novels, the urban thriller HIPSTER DEATH RATTLE and the YA whodunnit HOLLY HERNANDEZ AND THE DEATH OF DISCO, which won an Agatha Award and an Anthony Award. He has two collections of short stories out, ROACHKILLER AND OTHER STORIES and NOIRYORICAN. Matty Dalrymple is 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. She is a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. Matty also writes, speaks, and consults on the writing craft and the publishing voyage, and shares what she’s learned on THE INDY AUTHOR PODCAST. She has written books on the business of short fiction and podcasting for authors; her articles have appeared in "Writer’s Digest" magazine. She is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Jun 20, 2023 • 56min
Running at the Creative Risk with Doug Dorst - #191
Matty Dalrymple talks with Doug Dorst about RUNNING AT THE CREATIVE RISK, using the book he co-authored with J.J. Abrams, S., as an example. We discuss the power of thinking you have no chance, sacrificing verisimilitude for the reading experience, how having a creative safety net lets you run straight at the risk, the joy of creating a tactile experience, the importance of not turning away from what's strange or complicated, lo-fi options for creating your own outside-the-box book, and the freedom of creating without expectations. Show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP191 Did you find the information in this video useful? Please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple Doug Dorst is the author of the best-selling novel S., a collaboration with filmmaker JJ Abrams, which was published by Mulholland Books in 2013. His other works include the novel ALIVE IN NECROPOLIS, the story collection THE SURF GURU, and the play MONSTER IN THE DARK, created in collaboration with foolsFURY Theater of San Francisco. He was also a staff writer on the Amazon show Z: THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING. He directs the MFA Program in Creative Writing at Texas State University in San Marcos. Matty Dalrymple is 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. She is a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. Matty also writes, speaks, and consults on the writing craft and the publishing voyage, and shares what she’s learned on THE INDY AUTHOR PODCAST. She has written books on the business of short fiction and podcasting for authors; her articles have appeared in "Writer’s Digest" magazine. She is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Jun 13, 2023 • 45min
What Writers Can Learn from the Music World with Cliff Beach - #190
Matty Dalrymple talks with Cliff Beach about WHAT WRITERS CAN LEARN FROM THE MUSIC WORLD, including achieving a transference of feeling with our readers, maintaining a creative hunger, deciding whether you want to be hot or achieve a slow boil, balancing creativity and a business mindset, not waiting for someone to greenlight your idea, and the power of being interested, not just interesting. Show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP190 Did you find the information in this video useful? Please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple Author and musician Cliff Beach is the host of the Deeper Grooves Podcast and Deeper Grooves on 885 FM. He is the winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest Grand Prize, two World Songwriting Awards, four Global Music Awards, and a California Music Video & Film Award, and has been nominated for many more. His music has been featured on The CW, HBO MAX, and in a BMW spot, and his single “Confident” was featured on Spotify All Funked Up and Funk Drive playlists. Matty Dalrymple is 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. She is a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. Matty also writes, speaks, and consults on the writing craft and the publishing voyage, and shares what she’s learned on THE INDY AUTHOR PODCAST. She has written books on the business of short fiction and podcasting for authors; her articles have appeared in "Writer’s Digest" magazine. She is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Jun 6, 2023 • 40min
Using "Glimmers and Whispers" to Care for Your Writer Body with Amy Peele - #189
Matty Dalrymple talks with Amy Peele about USING “GLIMMERS AND WHISPERS” TO CARE FOR YOUR WRITER BODY, including the meaning behind "glimmers and whispers," using pleasure bundling as an incentive to move, the value of an accountability partner, hand care for writers, the physical and creative benefits of music, baking movement into different phases of the writing process, and believing that “the creative juice will still be there" if you take break from your desk. Show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP189 Did you find the information in this video useful? Please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple Amy S. Peele, RN, is the award-winning author of CUT, MATCH, AND HOLD, medical mysteries with a mission and a side of humor, and received the NYC Big Book Award, Chanticleer International Book Awards, IPPY, Independent Press Awards, and more. Before becoming a writer, Amy spent 35 years in the organ transplant field which provides an authentic backdrop to her books. Amy loves to speak, swim, teach chair yoga, meditate, and kill the people she didn’t like from work in her mysteries and use their organs—why waste the kill?

May 30, 2023 • 42min
Moving Past Self-doubt to Promote Your Work with Shelby Leigh - #188
Matty Dalrymple talks with Shelby Leigh about MOVING PAST SELF-DOUBT TO PROMOTE YOUR WORK, including getting past the stigma of promotion and marketing; identifying the value to the reader of fiction as well as non-fiction; the importance of understanding your genre; the value of social media for both promotion and market research; protecting yourself emotionally from the impact of unfollows or bad reviews; recognizing that the environment you create on social media is part of your brand; determining your boundaries of what you share; and giving yourself grace. If one of those topics piques your interest, you can easily jump to that section of the interview by clicking on the flagged timestamps below. Show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP188 Did you find the information in this video useful? Please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple Shelby Leigh is a poet, mental health advocate, and book marketing strategist who has been writing on the internet for over 7 years, amassing a following of more than 500,000. More than 1,700 authors have used Shelby's book marketing courses and guides to improve their confidence with marketing and get more sales. She is also the author of the bestselling book CHANGING WITH THE TIDES. Matty Dalrymple is 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. She is a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. Matty also writes, speaks, and consults on the writing craft and the publishing voyage, and shares what she’s learned on THE INDY AUTHOR PODCAST. She has written books on the business of short fiction and podcasting for authors; her articles have appeared in Writer’s Digest magazine. She is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

May 23, 2023 • 44min
The Power of Print with Tara Robinett - #187
Matty Dalrymple talks with Tara Robinett of Draft2Digital about THE POWER OF PRINT, including what print on demand is, and changing players in the POD market; D2D functionality for creating print editions from ebooks, including creating a wraparound print cover from an ebook cover; the importance of avoiding ebook language (like "click here") in your print book; why unlimited revisions aren't viable for print; how to switch a book from KDP Print or IngramSpark to D2D print, including changing vendor of record; and how D2D provides a viable centralized option to trade money for efficiency. Show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP187 Did you find the information in this video useful? Please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple Tara Robinett is the Director of Publishing Operations for Draft2Digital. She has worked in publishing realm since 1996 for traditional publishers such as Saxon Publishing, and has also worked as a freelance typesetter, editor, and proofreader before becoming the first official employee hired by Draft2Digital in 2013. She currently oversees the Customer Support and Content Review teams. She lives in Tulsa with a menagerie of cats and dogs and kids.

May 16, 2023 • 49min
The Power of a Book Coach with Emma Dhesi - #186
Matty Dalrymple talks with Emma Dhesi about THE POWER OF A BOOK COACH, including the differences between coaching and consulting, and between coaching and editing; the value a coach can bring in terms of providing accountability, guiding you through your own unique writing process, and helping you rediscover the joy of writing; and tips for choosing a coach, including red flags to look out for. Show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP186 Did you find the information in this video useful? Please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple Emma Dhesi is a book coach and author mentor who specializes in helping beginner authors write their first novel. Through her 1:1 coaching, Emma guides writers through story development and character evolution and provides personalized feedback. For more hands-off help, Emma hosts the podcast Turning Readers into Writers and is the lead author of LAUNCH PAD: THE COUNTDOWN TO WRITING YOUR BOOK. Emma lives in Edinburgh, Scotland with her husband, 3 children and 3 cats.