Inspirational Indie Author Interview: Cliff Lovette

Inspirational Indie Author Interview: Cliff Lovette Reinvents Himself as a Storyteller After a Career in Entertainment Law

My ALLi author guest this episode is Cliff Lovette, an Atlanta-based author who came to fiction after a long career as an entertainment lawyer, working with major artists during a pivotal time in the music industry. He held onto a remarkable true story about a Soviet circus stranded in the United States for more than thirty years before turning it into his novel. His journey is one of delay, reinvention, and finally taking the leap into storytelling. 
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Jane Friedman Publishes AI Law FAQ

News Summary: Jane Friedman Publishes AI Law FAQ; $3 Million Ruling against Meta Highlights Social Media Risks

Jane Friedman has a long history of publishing incredibly useful information for indie authors. And now she has added an extremely helpful compendium of AI law information. In the form of FAQs, it addresses many of the cases and points of law raised by them that will be of interest to writers. From questions of the disclosure of the use of AI to licensing rights, claims of fair use, and whether you can copyright AI-generated material, this is a handy summary of many of the topics you might want to know about.
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AI Editing

News Podcast: ‘Shy Girl’ Controversy Raises AI Editing Questions; Self-Publishing Surge Sparks Debate

On this episode of the Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast, Dan Holloway examines the fallout from the “Shy Girl” controversy, where allegations of AI-assisted writing led to a withdrawn book deal and raised new questions about author responsibility and editorial use of AI. He also highlights Jane Friedman’s new AI-in-publishing guide, reports on a surge in self-published titles linked to AI tools, and looks at the growing use of Substack as a platform for fiction.
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Substack Founder's Memoir

News Summary: Authors Equity to Publish Substack Founder’s Memoir; Patreon CEO Attacks AI Fair Use Claims

Some interesting news today from two of the largest platforms creatives, including many indie authors, use. The first of the three items features Substack, the newsletter platform. An interesting piece in Publishers Weekly highlights that Authors Equity is going to publish the memoir of Substack's founder, Hamish McKenzie. The pairing throws us, per the article, some interesting questions about the potential future relationship between traditional publishing companies and formats and subscription-based platforms more obviously targeted at creators looking to take things into their own hands. Among other things, the article looks at the use of Substack by some high-profile authors like Ottessa Moshfegh to self-publish fiction in serial form.
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Self-Editing

Audio Interview: Why Self-Editing Matters and How to Strengthen Your Manuscript Before Hiring an Editor, with Howard Lovy and Katie Chambers

On the Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast, host Howard Lovy talks to Katie Chambers of Beacon Point, an editing and writing services company, about what self-editing really means and why it’s a critical step before hiring a professional editor. Chambers explains her structured, multi-pass approach, showing how authors can strengthen their manuscripts, reduce editing costs, and make better use of professional feedback. They discuss common self-editing mistakes, practical techniques authors can apply right away, the careful use of AI as a tool rather than a shortcut, and how developing these skills helps writers improve with each book.
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Hachette Pulls Horror Novel

News Summary: Hachette Pulls Horror Novel over AI Allegations; Author Sues Publisher

Literary scandals have been with us since Christopher Marlowe got sassy in a sketchy pub, and no doubt for centuries before. And this week, one almighty scandal erupted into the mainstream media (I confess that before this week, I hadn't noticed it bubbling away). At the same time as another literary brouhaha released its latest chapter (in which it turns out the author of the allegedly less-than-accurate memoir "The Salt Path" had actually published beforehand under a different name and was therefore not entitled to the debut prize that launched the book), publishing giant Hachette pulled one of its books from shelves after AI claims.
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New Pathways To Readers With IngramSpark

Beyond the Book — New Pathways to Readers with IngramSpark: Self-Publishing Advice Conference Highlight

In this Self-Publishing Advice Conference highlight, Ben Hughes, senior manager for UK and AU at IngramSpark, leads a panel discussion with bestselling authors Adam Beswick and Samantha Young, along with indie publisher Will Dady, on how independent authors are reaching readers beyond traditional retail channels. While the IngramSpark platform enables distribution to more than 80,000 bookstores worldwide and supports direct sales through author websites, the panel focuses on how authors are building global brands, connecting with reader communities, and driving sales through social media and other strategies. Together, they offer practical insight into expanding visibility and readership through the IngramSpark platform.
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US Book Output

News Summary: US Book Output Tops 4 Million Driven by Self-Publishing; UK Retreats on AI Copyright Exception

How many books are published in a year? Is the number going up or down? How many copies are sold? We know these figures are, and have been for a long time, very controversial. Because there are so many books that do not count in these figures, especially self-published titles on places like Amazon that don't require an ISBN. Which makes calculations about the indie sector particularly tricky. Which is why the latest set of figures is so interesting. Hat tip to Jane Friedman for pointing me to this.
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Don’t Steal This Book

News Podcast: ‘Don’t Steal This Book’ Campaign Targets AI Policy; Grammarly Pulls Controversial Editing Tool

On this episode of the Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast, Dan Holloway reports on the “Don’t Steal This Book” campaign launched at London Book Fair, where thousands of authors call on governments to protect copyright in the age of AI. He also covers the backlash against Grammarly’s “Expert Review” feature, which prompted a lawsuit and its withdrawal, and looks at new BookTok charts and Audible’s expansion into eleven international markets.
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Indie Author Lab Debuts

Indie Author Lab Debuts as London Book Fair Opens Its Doors to Self-Publishers with Orna Ross and Joanna Penn

Orna Ross and Joanna Penn reflect on a landmark year at London Book Fair, where the Alliance of Independent Authors made its biggest mark yet — debuting the Indie Author Lab, a full-day event dedicated to helping indie authors go deep on their own publishing practice, and unveiling the new ALLi Indie Author Bookstore. They discuss why 2026 felt like a genuine turning point for self-publishers at the fair, what indie authors need most in an age of abundance and AI, and why discernment and individualization may matter more now than any single piece of publishing advice.
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