ALLi Blog: The Self-Publishing Advice Blog

Are Your E-Books Ready for the European Accessibility Act? The Self-Publishing News Podcast with Dan Holloway

On this episode of The Self-Publishing News Podcast, Dan Holloway breaks down what indie authors need to know about the European Accessibility Act and its 2025 deadline. He also explores Canada’s controversial copyright exemption for educational use and its implications, along with the recent MacArthur “Genius” Awards for writers.

MacArthur Genius Awards Spotlight Writers, Copyright Dispute Over Canada’s Fair Use Law Continues: Self-Publishing News with Dan Holloway

Writers are geniuses. We, of course, would happily assert that. But this year’s MacArthur Genius Awards have firmly placed literary talent at the forefront.

October 10, 2024
Dan Holloway
News
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Hybrid Publishing: Hype, Hope, Harm, or Handy? The Self-Publishing with ALLi Podcast with Anna Featherstone

Some publishers claim to be in the hybrid publishing space when they’re, in fact, service providers or little more than vanity publishers. So, what is hybrid publishing really, and what are the potential upsides and downsides for authors bringing books out under this model? Listen to Anna Featherstone, ALLi’s nonfiction adviser, and Christopher Locke, director of Membership and Member Services for the Independent Book Publishers Association, as they explain what authors need to be aware of when dealing with operators in this space.

AI for Authors: Ethical & Practical Guidelines

When you hear the words "artificial intelligence" it usually evokes one of two responses, either excitement and curiosity at the prospect of new technologies, bringing more books and products to the world, or fear because the only experience of you have of AI are movies like I, Robot, the Matrix and the Terminator. But the Alliance of Independent Authors is here to show you the plethora of opportunities AI brings authors and how to work with AI ethically. This article is brought to you by Orna Ross. With thanks to Joanna Penn, Laurence O'Bryan of BooksGoSocial, Amit Gupta of Sudowrite, JD Lasica of Authors AI.

Publishers Face Urgent Deadlines to Meet EU Accessibility Act: Self-Publishing News with Dan Holloway

Publishers aren’t anywhere near as ready for the European Union’s Accessibility Act as they need to be, and even awareness of the Act is far from ideal. That’s the finding from the latest report of Apace, the group set up to keep on top of the industry’s progress toward producing more accessible books.

October 8, 2024
Dan Holloway
News
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Planning for Retirement: Financial Strategies for Indie Authors

When you're an indie author, planning for retirement isn’t usually top of mind. Between writing, marketing, and managing everything that comes with self-publishing, thinking about long-term security often gets pushed aside. But as self-employed creatives, indie authors face unique challenges. Unlike traditional jobs with pensions and automatic retirement savings, authors have to take control of their financial future.

Are Blog Tours Still Effective, Navigating ISBN Updates, Pre-Orders, and More: The Member Q&A Podcast with Michael La Ronn and Sacha Black

In this episode of the AskALLi Member Q&A podcast, hosts Michael La Ronn and Sacha Black discuss whether blog tours are still an effective marketing tool for authors and how they compare to other promotional strategies.

TV Appearance, Publishing Debuts, Faith-Based Books, and More: ALLi Member Milestones October 2024

This regular post from the Alliance of Independent Authors celebrates ALLi member successes to inspire our indie author community. Our Member Milestones for August 2024 celebrates the successes of author members Russell Phillips, Donna Galanti, Shamim Yusuf Kalarikkal, Fay A. Klingler, L. S. Westhoff, S. G. Fessel, Sara Sartagne, Rose O'Keefe, and J. A. Cox. Congratulations to all those featured in this month’s roundup and to everyone in our community who has hit a milestone this month!

Microsoft Copilot Now Pays Publishers for Content: Self-Publishing News with Dan Holloway

Microsoft’s Copilot AI has been all over the news this week, most notably for authors because they have started paying for the content their everything-assistant shares with users.

October 5, 2024
Dan Holloway
News
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Audible Launches AI Tools, WordPress Battles WP Engine: The Self-Publishing News Podcast with Dan Holloway

On this episode of the Self-Publishing News Podcast, Dan Holloway discusses Audible’s latest AI-powered recommendation tools designed to improve audiobook discovery. He also covers WordPress’s ongoing feud with WP Engine and how it affects authors who rely on the platform. Finally, he dives into Canva’s controversial new pricing structure and its impact on small businesses and creative collectives.

Audible Experiments with AI Recommendations, RevenueCat Acquires Dipsea: Self-Publishing News with Dan Holloway

A couple of developments in the audiobook world caught my eye this week, including one from Audible. Let’s start with the Audible story. Audible is experimenting with AI tools in a bid to enhance what we think of as discovery for readers.

October 3, 2024
Dan Holloway
News
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How to Use Tropes to Sell Your Story Without Losing Creativity: The Self-Publishing with ALLi Podcast

In this episode of the Advice on Editing & Design stream of the Self-Publishing with ALLi Podcast, Campaigns Manager Matty Dalrymple talks with Jennifer Hilt, USA Today bestselling author of the “Trope the Sorrows” series, about how indie authors can effectively use tropes to sell their stories without sacrificing creativity. They explore the difference between tropes and clichés, how to leverage tropes for marketing, and the role they play in meeting reader expectations across genres.