Seasons Greetings from the Alliance of Independent Authors

Draft2Digital is one of the most widely known and used platforms for many, if not most, indie authors. So when they announce something, it is automatically big news. And when what is announced is new fees, that is a potentially huge cause for anxiety. This week, Draft2Digital has announced two such fees, the first time they have introduced fees directly to authors. To minimize anxiety, I will take a look at what the fees are and what they mean. You can have a look for yourself on the Draft2Digital website.

In this member-first Q&A on the Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast, ALLi video content adviser Dale L. Roberts answers questions on how authors can use video to market their books, connect with readers, and build visibility for their author brand. Topics include the best tools for creating video content, when to start using video in the publishing process, and how to measure the impact of video on book sales and reader engagement. Roberts also addresses how to drive traffic to videos, whether book trailers still matter, how Amazon A+ Content works, and practical ways to get comfortable on camera.

You know when you see someone's obituary and you think, "I could have sworn they died years ago"? Well this week begins with a story I could have sworn I had reported on some years ago (I think I was actually remembering this story about emergency updates to enable devices to stay connected).