On the Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast, Joe Solari explores why publishing success formulas so often fail. Drawing on a landmark study of cultural markets, he explains how randomness and social feedback loops mean that even books of similar quality can have wildly different outcomes. The good news? The market isn't locked—new winners emerge constantly. Rather than chasing guaranteed recipes, Solari argues authors should focus on building durable advantages and staying in the game long enough for luck to find them.

While the focus for ALLi's news is the Anglophone marketplace, it is often the case that stories from other territories are of direct interest. And that's the case with this week's first story, looking at a recent report from Italy. Thanks to Publishing Perspectives for highlighting this.

My ALLi author guest this episode is Mike Carden. He’s an author from England who came to writing in midlife. He has independently published six books. Many of them are humorous cycling travelogues. They mix history, conversation, and self-deprecating humor. Readers connect with his warmth and honesty.