ALLi Blog

Inspirational Indie Author Interview: Shana Frost. Indie Publishing Quest Takes Author from India to Scotland

My ALLi author guest this episode is Shana Frost, who is not only ALLi's publications manager, but she's also an author who enjoys writing about people who feel like outsiders and create new families. It's a subject she knows a great deal about through her own journeys from her birthplace in India to her adopted home in Scotland.

How to Spot and Avoid Phishing Emails: Indie Author Guidance

Following our recent #AskALLi advice post highlighting indie author scams to avoid, we're following up with detailed guidance for spotting and avoiding phishing emails with Outreach Manager and author Michael La Ronn.

Self-Publishing News: Cinema Cancels Screening of AI-Written Film

Cancel culture on the rise or institutions standing up for creatives? That’s the question that came to my mind as I read through the main story for today’s news about an AI-written film. We know many creatives feel an angst bordering on the existential about the use of AI. And nothing is as certain to raise hackles as moves that seem to endorse the artistic merit of entirely AI-generated works, especially when the AI is not really the point but just an everyday tool for production.

Canadian Reading Habits, Meta’s AI Controversy, and Ethically Sourced AI Training: The Self-Publishing News Podcast with Dan Holloway

On this episode of the Self-Publishing News Podcast, Dan Holloway explores a study on Canadian reading habits, revealing a shift toward readers obtaining more printed books for free. Libraries are a major source, while "free internet sites" dominate for audiobooks. Dan also covers Meta's controversial AI training policy, which faces regulatory pushback in the UK and EU. Additionally, there's news on efforts to create an ethically sourced AI training dataset.

Self-Publishing News: Canadians Reading More Free Books Than Paid Across All Formats

More Canadians are now reading free books than paid ones across all formats. Remember what feels like many moons ago in a (just) pre-pandemic world when publishers started to get vociferous about libraries cannibalizing their sales and used it as a pretext to ramp up what they charged libraries for e-books? Today’s story feels like something that might have been leapt on as “evidence” during those fractious times.

Alessandra Torre Unveils Machine-Powered Manuscript Analysis at Authors A.I.: The Creating Better Books Podcast with Howard Lovy

In the latest episode of the Creating Better Books podcast, ALLi News and Podcast Producer Howard Lovy interviews Alessandra Torre, cofounder and president of Authors A.I. They discuss how the company utilizes nongenerative AI to provide detailed analytical feedback on manuscripts, aiding authors in enhancing their writing without replacing the creative human element.

Beyond Major Prizes: The Value of Targeted Book Awards for Indie Authors

In this regular Alliance of Independent Authors post our Book Award Advisor, Hannah Jacobson, considers the value of targeted book awards for indie authors, and how they can validate, motivate and more. Welcome to the Book Award Update June 2024 with Book Award Pro.

Self-Publishing News: Meta Pauses Use of Posts for AI Training in EU and UK

It feels as though this week starts with some little victories, and those are always good things to share. I’ll start with one of the stories I featured very recently: the move by Meta to use people’s posts across its various platforms, including Instagram and Facebook, for AI training. If you recall, users of those platforms had to jump through considerable hoops—from finding the notification in the first place to composing an essay explaining why they didn’t want their creative output to train AI—to withdraw from the scheme.

How to Plan and Release a Second Edition of Your Self-Published Book

In this post from the Alliance of Independent Authors, we are joined by guest blogger Karen Williams, bestselling book mentor, author of 10 books and a TEDx speaker. Karen shares her advice and experience on releasing a second edition of a self-published book; answering key questions and recommending what you should consider. This post focuses on non-fiction books.

Self-Publishing for All: ALLi Campaigns Podcast with Orna Ross and Matty Dalrymple

In this episode of the Campaigns Podcast from the Alliance of Independent Authors, ALLi Director Orna Ross interviews newly appointed Campaigns Manager Matty Dalrymple about the latest initiatives ALLi is taking under its Self-Publishing for All and Ethical Self-Publishing campaigns.

Self-Publishing News: Navigating Ethical AI Platforms and UK Election Promises for Creatives

Okay, “in a gold rush, sell shovels” is a cliché and one I’ve used a few times recently, but it’s a cliché because it’s true. Ethical AI is, of course, the latest gold rush. While the most obvious beneficiary from the shovel-selling philosophy is chip manufacturer Nvidia, other piggybackers are starting to circle. Add the general existential fear among creatives to that principle and what you get is a stream of providers seeking to provide assurance around the ethical origins of AI platforms. Ethical AI is, in essence, the carbon offsetting of the new tech wave.

Survey Shows Slowdown in Audiobook Sales Growth, but Listeners Are More Avid: The Self-Publishing News Podcast with Dan Holloway

In this episode of the Self-Publishing News Podcast, Dan Holloway discusses new surveys showing a slowdown in audiobook sales growth but an increase in listener engagement. He highlights the Independent Book Publishers Association's Innovative Voices program, offering support to publishers from marginalized communities. Dan also covers Google's recent challenges with SEO practices and piracy issues.