ALLi Blog

Inspirational Indie Author Interview: Roxanne Bland. Mixed-Genre Author Defies Tropes in Far-Out Stories About Real-World Issues

My ALLi author guest this episode is Roxanne Bland, a mixed-genre author who admits that her books are not for everyone. But if you're interested in stories that throw away all the old tropes and surprise you with elements of fantasy, science fiction, and romance, then you might want to check out her work. Not only that, but Roxanne writes with one eye on real-world problems such as bigotry.

Self-Publishing News: Facebook’s AI Policy Sparks Controversy Among Creatives

If a week is a long time in politics, then in the world of technology, Facebook's AI policy sparking controversy among creatives might as well be “living memory.” This means we’re going back to the times of the sagas since we last ran a story on AI. I didn’t even run a story when the whole furore following the launch of ChatGPT-4o (which I did cover) broke as Scarlett Johansson spotted that the voice of the demo sounded a heck of a lot like her, despite her having said she didn’t want to work with OpenAI.

How Would a TikTok Ban Affect Buoyant Print Sales? The Self-Publishing News Podcast with Dan Holloway

In this episode of Self-Publishing News, Dan Holloway explores the potential impacts of a TikTok ban on print book sales, particularly in the romance and fantasy genres. He also highlights the recent sale of a first edition of Tolkien’s "The Hobbit" for £31,000, discusses the latest print and eBook sales figures, and addresses the controversy surrounding OpenAI’s use of a voice resembling Scarlett Johansson.

Self-Publishing News: Romantasy Popularity Steadies Print Sales

Last week, we looked at the figures for electronic book sales and the ways in which they are notoriously misleading in their official format. This week, there’s an interesting glimpse into print sales, particularly the genres driving the healthy levels of those sales. Thanks to Porter Anderson over at Publishing Perspectives for outlining the details of an analysis of print sales by the entertainment analysis group Circana.

The Marketing Forever Mindset: Self-Publishing Conference Highlight

One of the most interesting insights from the Big Indie Author Data Drop is that even highly successful indie authors maintain a "marketing forever mindset," recognizing that marketing remains their responsibility. Despite using various tools and assistance, marketing is a constant task. Many emerging or struggling indie authors expressed that they least enjoy marketing, highlighting the need for a mindset shift from reluctant to proactive marketing.

Self-Publishing News: Sustainability Back in the Literary Spotlight

It has recently been impossible to ignore the fact that the literary and political worlds are intertwined in complex ways. While the geopolitical events at the heart of the most recent entanglements, from Ukraine to Gaza, are new and of our time, the nature of the entanglement remains timeless. Authors are fiercely independent and opinionated beings. We have to be. Yet the publishing industry is reliant on large corporations whose financial dealings are often at odds with many of those opinions. Sustainability back in publishing.

How to Market a Memoir as an Independent Author

In this Alliance of Independent Authors post we'll share the nine questions you can ask yourself to build a successful marketing plan for your memoir. Scroll straight down for tips and case studies from two top indie memoir writers who share what’s worked for them: Rachael Herron and Roz Morris.

Values and Stories Should Drive Your Email Marketing: The Creative Self-Publishing Podcast with Orna Ross

In this Creative Self-Publishing episode, Orna Ross talks about the transformative power of values-based, story-driven email marketing. Discover why aligning your email campaigns with your core values can foster deeper connections with your audience and boost engagement with your emails. Orna walks you through the essentials of crafting compelling stories that resonate with readers, build trust, and drive action. Revolutionize your email marketing approach by putting values and storytelling at its heart.

Self-Publishing News: Spotify Expands Audiobook Catalog, Dissecting E-Book Figures, and OverDrive Hits 4 Billion Downloads

We end this week with a round-up of some very interesting news and figures from the world of electronic books (e- and audio-). As we have already been talking about them this week, let’s start with the big news about Spotify. Their audiobook premium subscription now includes titles from the catalog of Bonnier UK. This is the UK division, but Bonnier, of course, is one of the Nordic giants of publishing. Interestingly, they seem to be joined on the Spotify list by Blackstone Publishing.

Alice Munro’s Legacy, British Book Awards, and Tech Legal Battles: The Self-Publishing News Podcast with Dan Holloway

On the Self-Publishing News Podcast, Dan Holloway pays tribute to the late Nobel Prize-winning author Alice Munro and highlights recent British Book Awards winners, including Rebecca Yarros's Fourth Wing. He covers major tech and legal news: OpenAI’s disbanded risk project, the EU's fine on Microsoft, and ByteDance’s legal battle over TikTok. Dan also discusses Sony Music’s legal stance on AI and the ongoing mysteries in the blockchain world.

Self-Publishing News: Buyers Jostle to Bid for TikTok and X Finally Marks the Spot

It has been an interesting week for the social media platforms so many of us rely on for both creative communities and connecting with readers. As buyers jostle to bid for TikTok and X finally marks the spot, these developments are making waves in the book community and beyond.

Email Marketing Tips for Indie Authors: Reaching More Readers Podcast with Dale L. Roberts and Holly Greenland

In the Reaching More Readers podcast, Dale L. Roberts and Holly Greenland discuss effective email marketing strategies for indie authors. They cover topics like choosing an email service, welcome emails, metrics to track, and engaging subscribers on a regular basis. The hosts aim to provide practical tips and best practices to help authors connect with readers and promote their books through email newsletters.