
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

Nov 28, 2023 • 49min
Your Persona is Your Brand with Jami Albright - #214
If you get value from this resource, please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple Matty Dalrymple talks with Jami Albright about YOUR PERSONA IS YOUR BRAND, including the power of surrounding yourself with reminders of your brand; the role of genre conventions in branding; the importance of repelling the right readers; how to find out what your reader's "butter" is; positioning a rebranding effort and whether it requires a new pen name; whether rebranding cover design is the first or last option (and an inexpensive option to pursue); the importance of tweaking the dials delicately; the fact that authenticity doesn't require over-sharing; and how (like it or not) every public-facing action, including the community you build, is part of your brand. Links, summary, and transcript at https://bit.ly/TIAP214 Jami Albright is a born-and-raised Texas girl and is the Amazon top 100 author of the sexy, swoony, and pee-your-pants funny Brides on the Run and the Small-Town Royalty series. She is also the co-host, along with Sara Rosett, of the WISH I’D KNOWN THEN podcast. 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.

Nov 21, 2023 • 48min
Melding Words and Animation - Exploring Storia with Todd Gallet - #213
If you find this information useful, please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple Matty Dalrymple talks with Todd Gallet about MELDING WORDS AND ANIMATION - EXPLORING STORIA, including the growing interest in multimedia and bingeable content; accommodating different preferences in consuming content; the opportunity for introducing new readers and viewers to our work; the kinds of stories Storia is looking for and the downside of basing Storia work on an established series; IP considerations; tapping into cross-promotional opportunities with your co-creators; involving the reader / viewer in the creative process; and the opportunity to interact with those who are enjoying your content. Show notes and transcript at https://bit.ly/TIAP213 Todd Gallet has spent the past eight years helping independent content creators monetize their work across video, audio, and now short fiction. This is the third venture of the founding team, leveraging their expertise in scaling content marketplaces and advertising to build engaged audiences. 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.

Nov 14, 2023 • 48min
What Writers Can Learn from The First Two Pages with Art Taylor - #212
Matty Dalrymple talks with Art Taylor about WHAT WRITERS CAN LEARN FROM THE FIRST TWO PAGES, including the backstory of why "two pages"; the power of being a percolator (in addition to a plotter or pantser); how research can engender a story; waiting as a mechanism of conflict and suspense; short fiction as an experimental platform; the importance of thinking consciously about the craft issues and studying what gets scrapped; considering advise from veteran and first-time writers; and the power of starting with a bang ... or not. Show notes and transcript at https://bit.ly/TIAP212 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 Art Taylor is the Edgar Award-winning author of two collections: THE ADVENTURE OF THE CASTLE THIEF AND OTHER EXPEDITIONS AND INDISCRETIONS and THE BOY DETECTIVE & THE SUMMER OF ’74 AND OTHER TALES OF SUSPENSE. His debut book, ON THE ROAD WITH DEL & LOUISE: A NOVEL IN STORIES, won the Agatha Award for Best First Novel. His short fiction has also won the Agatha, Anthony, Derringer, and Macavity Awards. He is an associate professor of English at George Mason University. 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.

Nov 7, 2023 • 1h 1min
Creating a Refuge: Creative Planning for Authors and Poets with Orna Ross - #211
Matty Dalrymple talks with Orna Ross about CREATING A REFUGE: CREATIVE PLANNING FOR AUTHORS AND POETS, including what Orna saw that convinced her that writers needed a more holistic approach to planning; the power of linking between your values as an author and the value you offer your readers; drawing deeply on your creative passion and mission as an author and as a publisher; recognize that self-publishing authors must wear three very different hats: that of maker, manager, and marketeer; the importance of incorporating creative rest and play into your weekly plans; encouraging a growth mindset and instituting a pay-yourself-first policy; and the Kickstarter where she pulls all this together for her fellow indie authors. Show notes and transcript at https://bit.ly/TIAP211 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 Orna Ross is a novelist, poet and founder of The Alliance of Independent authors, also known as ALLi. She was also my guest for one of the foundational set of episodes of the podcast—The Seven Processes of Publishing—which, conveniently enough, are episodes 101-107. 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.

Oct 31, 2023 • 48min
Constructing a Compelling Series with Sara Rosett - #210
Matty Dalrymple talks with Sara Rosett about Constructing a Compelling Series, includingthe three types of series; how to extend your series beyond your original plan; preparing your readers for changes in your series; what happens when the flat arc protagonist is overshadowed by the antagonist; using a spin-off to extend a series; supplementing a series with short stories, or using a short story to experiment with a series concept; dealing with the challenges of being locked into your story world; and bringing a series to an end. Show notes and transcript at https://bit.ly/TIAP210 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 Sara Rosett is the USA Today bestselling author of 30 mysteries for readers who enjoy atmospheric settings and puzzling whodunits. She hosts two podcasts: MYSTERY BOOKS PODCAST for readers and, for writers, the WISH I’D KNOWN THEN PODCAST with Jami Albright. Sara also writes nonfiction for authors, including HOW TO OUTLINE A COZY MYSTERY and HOW TO WRITE A SERIES. 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.

Oct 24, 2023 • 51min
Natural Orders and Author Email with Matt Treacey - #209
Matty Dalrymple talks with Matt Treacey about NATURAL ORDERS AND AUTHOR EMAIL, including the parallels Matt sees between email marketing and systems in the natural world; the importance of using email to educate, inspire, and entertain (not just sell); the challenge of writing effective emails if you're not an enthusiastic email subscriber; dealing with what can seem like a one-way relationship with your email recipients; the power of awareness automation; how constructing an email sequence is both like writing a story and like writing a business plan; and, related to the cover of Matt’s book NATURAL ORDERS, the pros and cons of bucking cover genre conventions. Show notes and transcript at https://bit.ly/TIAP209 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 Matt Treacey is an Author and Email Marketing Strategist. Combining a decade in email marketing automation with a background in ecology, Matt is an expert at building systems designed for growth. His uniquely designed framework currently generates millions of dollars in email revenue for dozens of small online businesses across the US and Oceania. In his best-selling book NATURAL ORDERS, he describes how to develop a healthy, engaged, and profitable email marketing database, mimicking the timeless growth strategies used by the most successful systems of the natural world. 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.

Oct 17, 2023 • 56min
Mistakes Writers Make about Bladed Weapons with Teel James Glenn - #208
Matty Dalrymple talks with Teel James Glenn about how he got his start as a stuntman and how "the will to push through" physical challenges enabled him to follow his dream; the different varieties of swords; the fact that your first service is to the story; how opponents will never be exactly equal; the fact that tough people don't pose; how to achieve a realistic portrayal of bladed weapon wounds and guidelines for realistic recovery times; and examples of well-done current-day knife and sword fight movie scenes. Show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP208 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 Teel James Glenn has killed or been killed hundreds of times—on stage and screen—as he has traveled the world for forty-plus years as a stuntman, swordmaster, storyteller, bodyguard, actor, and haunted house barker. He is proud to have studied sword under Errol Flynn’s last stunt double, and has made hundreds of appearances in Renaissance festivals, soap operas, and feature films, including having been beaten up by Hawk on the Spenser for Hire TV show. He has also published dozens of novels, and his poetry and stories have been printed in over two hundred magazines including Weird Tales, Mystery, Pulp Adventures, and more. His novel A COWBOY IN CARPATHIA: A BOB HOWARD ADVENTURE won best novel 2021 in the Pulp Factory Award. He is also the winner of the 2012 Pulp Ark Award for Best Author. 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.

Oct 10, 2023 • 47min
Six Ways to Collaborate with Your Fellow Writers with Michael Bradley - #207
Matty Dalrymple talks with Michael Bradley about SIX WAYS TO COLLABORATE WITH YOUR FELLOW WRITERS, including sharing your expertise, inviting other writers to writers' groups that match their needs, sharing information about opportunities, organizing a group sales table at a book fair, inviting other authors to participate in your events, and sharing and promoting other authors on social media. We talk about how this is not only a matter of being a supportive member of the author community, but also a vital part of a successful author business. We also discuss the importance of weighing the ways in which you collaborate against your creative and business goals to make sure they're aligned. Show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP207 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 Bradley is a Delaware-based mystery and suspense author. He started life as a radio DJ, spending eight years "on-the-air" before realizing that he needed to get a real job. His broadcasting experience came in handy for his award-winning third book, DEAD AIR. His latest novel, NONE WITHOUT SIN has been called "an intriguing, fast-paced mystery" and "his best novel yet." 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.

Oct 3, 2023 • 47min
Embracing Your Own Kind of Online Peculiar with Sue Ellson - #206
Matty Dalrymple talks with Sue Ellson about EMBRACING YOUR OWN KIND OF ONLINE PECULIAR, including navigating the gig economy; the vital importance of a website as an online home base and how to make it appealing and meaningful to the search engines as well as the visitors; managing your online activity as a standardized sequence; the power of WordPress + add-ons; what it means to go from SERPs to CHERPs; and the power of letting your own kind of peculiar shine through on your website. Show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP206 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 Sue Ellson is the author of five non-fiction books on the topics of LinkedIn, careers, business, hyper-local marketing, and gigsters. She is also the Founder of NewcomersNetwork.com. 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.

Sep 26, 2023 • 35min
The Pros and Cons of Writing Contests with Becky Tuch - #205
Matty Dalrymple talks with Becky Tuch about THE PROS AND CONS OF WRITING CONTESTS, including finding and assessing opportunities, and red flags to watch out for; why contests charge entrance fees; considering what you get for that fee; what should you expect if you win, beyond creative validation; and the vital importance of understanding what you gain and sacrifice in terms of ownership of your IP if your work wins a contest, especially if you’re submitting a book-length work. Show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP205 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 Becky Tuch is a fiction and nonfiction writer, creative writing instructor, consultant, and editor. Her writing has appeared in over a dozen literary magazines and several anthologies, and has been honored with a number of magazine awards as well as fellowships from The Somerville Massachusetts Arts Council and The MacDowell Colony. She is the founder of The Review Review, a website dedicated to reviews of literary magazines and interviews with journal editors, and The Lit Mag News Roundup, a bi-weekly newsletter that aims to demystify the world of lit mag publishing. Becky lives in Philadelphia, PA. 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.