Self-Publishing with ALLi

Alliance of Independent Authors

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

  1. 2 days ago

    Inside Draft2Digital's New Author Fees, with Orna Ross and Kris Austin

    In this member-first partner webinar at the Alliance of Independent Authors, ALLi Director Orna Ross presses Draft2Digital CEO Kris Austin on the $20 activation fee and $12 annual maintenance fee that landed on indie authors in April with no advance warning. Austin explains what the fees are meant to stop, why authors weren't consulted first, and whether the era of free, open access to publishing platforms is drawing to a close. 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 Irish author and poet Orna Ross is cofounder and director of the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) and a passionate advocate for self-publishing and author empowerment. Her books are international bestsellers and have won many awards, including the Goethe Grand Prize for Historical Fiction and a Gold Literary Titan Award for poetry. Her work for ALLi has seen her named one of the top 100 people in publishing by The Bookseller. Born and raised in Wexford, in the southeast of Ireland, she now lives in St Leonards-on-Sea, in the southeast of England, within working reach of London. Her motto: "When in doubt, be braver." About the Guest Kris Austin is cofounder and CEO of Draft2Digital, one of the world's largest digital publishing and distribution platforms for self-published authors and independent publishers. Since its founding in 2012, Draft2Digital has grown to support more than 300,000 authors around the globe, who have collectively released more than 1 million titles. More information can be found at https://draft2digital.com.

    Inside Draft2Digital's New Author Fees, with Orna Ross and Kris Austin
  2. 5 days ago

    Inspirational Indie Author Interview #215: Julie Day Turns a Late Autism Diagnosis Into Inspiration for Young Readers

    My guest this episode is Julie Day, an autistic author and advocate from London who writes children's books featuring autistic characters finding confidence — the kind of books she never had growing up undiagnosed. Her path to indie publishing began with a recurring dream she had to write down, and it carried her through a late Asperger's diagnosis and a life-threatening heart illness she turned into a book to help others. 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 is an author, developmental editor, and writing coach with a long career in journalism and publishing. He works with writers at many stages of their careers, with a focus on helping them develop their ideas and strengthen their work while preserving their unique voices. He lives in Northern Michigan. About the Guest Julie Day is an autistic author and advocate who mainly writes children's books featuring autistic characters finding confidence, as well as articles about autism, and creates videos about autism and being autistic. She also writes memoir-style guides about a heart condition and autism, and adult mysteries featuring a character with a heart condition. You can find her on her website, Instagram, and YouTube.

    Inspirational Indie Author Interview #215: Julie Day Turns a Late Autism Diagnosis Into Inspiration for Young Readers
  3. 31 Jul

    News: Anthropic Settlement Gets Final Approval; Simon & Schuster Launches Two Indie Imprints; Canadian Ebook Prices Back KDP's Rate Rise

    On this episode of Self-Publishing with ALLi, Dan Holloway reports that the Anthropic settlement has received its final legal approval, with nearly half a million titles eligible for a payout of around $3,000 — and legal fees cut to just over $100 million. He covers Simon and Schuster's second new imprint for indie authors, Simon Stream, offering 50 percent net ebook royalties, alongside the previously reported Pocket Books relaunch. And he closes with Canadian survey data showing readers are already paying an average of US$8.74 for ebooks — neatly vindicating KDP's recent royalty cap rise to $12.99. 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. 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.

    News: Anthropic Settlement Gets Final Approval; Simon & Schuster Launches Two Indie Imprints; Canadian Ebook Prices Back KDP's Rate Rise
  4. 26 Jul

    Can You Use a Real Band's Name in Your Book Title? Member Q&A with Michael La Ronn and Sacha Black

    In this episode of the Self-Publishing with ALLi Member Q&A podcast, hosts Michael La Ronn and Sacha Black discuss whether an author can safely use a real band's name in a novel title, including how to check for trademarks, why disclaimers won't shield you from lawsuits, and when it's worth consulting an intellectual property attorney. Other questions include: What is the best platform for publishing a professionally recorded, author-narrated audiobook, and should you go exclusive with Audible or distribute wide? What should you do if your KDP account has been terminated? Is it a sound strategy to sell direct through your website first and go wide only after those sales dry up? How do you find and evaluate printing companies for your book? From a marketing perspective, how should you approach a series that can be read in any order versus one that must be read sequentially? Should you use a copyrighted quote without permission and hope it qualifies as fair use if the licensing fee is too expensive? 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.

    Can You Use a Real Band's Name in Your Book Title? Member Q&A with Michael La Ronn and Sacha Black
  5. 24 Jul

    News: Perplexity Launches an Ebook Store; Library of Congress Acquires Indie Books; Spotify Passes 100 Million Audiobook Listeners

    On this episode of Self-Publishing with ALLi, Dan Holloway covers three stories pointing in the same direction: books are everywhere. He reports on AI search engine Perplexity launching an ebook store, adding yet another major platform to the growing list selling books directly to readers. He examines the Library of Congress's initiative to acquire indie and self-published titles — and explains why copyright registration and deposit matter more than ever in the age of AI lawsuits. And he closes with Spotify's announcement that it has passed 100 million audiobook listeners, now dwarfing Audible in audience size. Show Notes Library of Congress self-published books collections policy US Copyright Office mandatory deposit PrePub Book Link (apply for an LCCN) 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. 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.

    News: Perplexity Launches an Ebook Store; Library of Congress Acquires Indie Books; Spotify Passes 100 Million Audiobook Listeners
  6. 22 Jul

    From First Book to Second: Production and Distribution Choices in Purpose-Led Publishing, with Anna Featherstone and Sarah Martin

    Anna Featherstone talks with author Sarah Martin about the production and distribution of her two purpose-led nonfiction books, Dear Psychosis and Dear Carer. Sarah explains how she built a professional publishing team, changed her approach for her second book, secured consignment with a local bookstore, and used speaking engagements—including one that generated a 260-book order—to reach readers. Sponsor This podcast is proudly sponsored by Gatekeeper Press — your partner in premium independent publishing. Empowering authors with expert guidance, 100% rights, 100% royalties, and global distribution. From editing to marketing, their all-inclusive services help you publish professionally and confidently. 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 books 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 Sarah Martin is the author of two books, Dear Psychosis (2023) and Dear Carer (2026). She is a perioperative nurse, carer peer worker, and SANE Australia peer ambassador with lived experience navigating Australia's mental health system as a carer. Sarah is passionate about breaking the silence and stigma surrounding mental illness and ensuring that carers know they are not alone.

    From First Book to Second: Production and Distribution Choices in Purpose-Led Publishing, with Anna Featherstone and Sarah Martin
  7. 19 Jul

    Inspirational Indie Author Interview #214: Michelle M. Pillow Builds a Lasting Career Through Romance and Reader Connection

    My guest this episode is Michelle M. Pillow, a bestselling romance author who has published more than one hundred books during a career spanning more than twenty years. She talks about her early love of reading, the unexpected path that led her to indie publishing, the fictional worlds she has built, and the challenge of managing a large backlist while staying connected to her readers. 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. Bookstore You can find Michelle M. Pillow's books in the Indie Author Bookstore. About the Host Howard Lovy is an author, developmental editor, and writing coach with a long career in journalism and publishing. He works with writers at many stages of their careers, with a focus on helping them develop their ideas and strengthen their work while preserving their unique voices. He lives in Northern Michigan. About the Guest Michelle M. Pillow is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who has published more than one hundred novels over a career spanning more than twenty years. She writes romance, fantasy, science fiction, mystery, and paranormal women's fiction. She is best known for her Qurilixen World and Warlocks MacGregor series. You can find Michelle M. Pillow on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram, visit her website, or view her ALLi author profile.

    Inspirational Indie Author Interview #214: Michelle M. Pillow Builds a Lasting Career Through Romance and Reader Connection

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

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