In a year that was full of change, it's nice to know that one thing remained the same in 2020: The AskALLi Self-Publishing Advice podcasts. In fact, we were all unexpected homebodies, but our podcasts were always available for your enjoyment at home, or your car, or anywhere you take your portable device. You may be socially distant from your neighbor, but we're here in your ear.
It has been a long year, and many great shows to choose from, but here are a few samples of what you listened to in 2020. And, of course, no matter what's happening in the world, you can count on us to come back with more self-publishing advice podcasts in 2021.
AskALLi Podcast 2020: Advanced Self-Publishing Podcast With Orna Ross and Joanna Penn
Top tips, tools and trends for running a successful author business, plus analysis of the latest self-publishing news. This salon is for those who know how to self-publish and want to expand their income and influence.
10 Premium Products That Authors Can Create and Sell to True Fans
Premium products or services are high-value items that an author sells alongside their books to expand influence and income. A well-selected premium product can more than double the profit in your author business. But what premium products work for authors? Drawing on ALLi’s ten possible business plans for authors, Joanna Penn and Orna Ross suggest premium products across fiction, nonfiction and poetry from the obvious to the unusual.
How to Ensure a Creative Flow of Ideas
Orna Ross and Joanna Penn discuss the topic of creative flow — from the necessity for creative rest and play, to the value of deep research and immersion, to using social media as a stimulator for ideas and words.
Lessons Learned from Author Mistakes, Setbacks, and Failures
To close this year when so many people suffered so many setbacks through COVID-19 and its consequences, Orna Ross and Joanna Penn examines the role of author mistakes, setbacks, and failures in an author business. They look back on the lessons learned from their own mistakes and failures in 2020, and across their years of self-publishing.
AskALLi Podcast 2020: Members’ Q&A with Orna Ross and Michael La Ronn
Answers to members’ current self-publishing queries, co-hosted with Partner Liaison and US Ambassador Michael La Ronn. All are welcome to listen and learn but only ALLi Members can submit questions.
Time Management Tips for Authors
What are the best time management tips for authors? Other questions this month include:
- What are resources to help publish a children’s book?
- Will KDP ever distribute books to libraries?
- What’s the best way to market a translation?
- How do I find the right literary agent?
How Do I Manage My Privacy as an Author?
How do I manage my privacy as an author? Other questions include:
- What kind of contracts should I consider for crowdfunding my book?
- Where can I find free images to use on my book cover?
- What is the best way to advertise my book on Barnes & Noble?
- What is ALLi’s stance on licensing and collecting societies?
Should I Consider Republishing My Book After Making a Mistake
Should I consider republishing my first book? Our questions this month include:
- If I realized I made a mistake with my first book, should I consider going back and redoing it and republishing it?
- Which self-publishing service is best for literary fiction?
- What’s the best way to sell print books direct from my website?
- What’s the best way to offer a prize drawing for one of my books?
- How much does a good editor cost?
AskALLi Podcast 2020: Fiction and Nonfiction with Orna Ross and Sacha Black
This podcast explores a different theme each month from the often differing perspectives of writing fiction or nonfiction.
Advice from SelfPubCon and Amazon UK’s Storyteller Award
In this session, ALLi Director Orna Ross and author Sacha Black talk about lessons learned about current trends in self-publishing fiction and nonfiction from taking part in two key indie author events: the Self-Publishing Advice Conference (SelfPubCon) and Amazon UK’s Storyteller Award.
Getting Help With Your Author Business
Orna Ross and Sacha Black talk about the value of getting help with your author business when you’re feeling overworked, overwhelmed, or stuck. Where do you find good help? Do novelists need the same kinds of assistance as nonfiction authors?
AskALLi Podcast 2020: Self-Publishing Advice Podcast: Poetry with Orna Ross and Guest Poet
Orna discusses a new theme with a different poet each month, focusing on developing prosperity for poets through self-publishing poetry books and building a community of poetry lovers.
How to Work with a Poetry Editor
Joining Orna Ross is Jon Davis, Bookfox’s Poetry Editor and author of five chapbooks and six full-length poetry collections. Jon received the Lavan Prize from the Academy of American Poets, a GE Younger Writers Award, the Off the Grid Poetry Prize, and two National Endowment for the Arts Fellowships. He also served as the City of Santa Fe’s fourth Poet Laureate from 2013-2015.
Launching a First Poetry Book, with Orna Ross and Lauren Lott
Joining Orna Ross is indie poet Lauren Lott, who will outline the steps she took to launch her first poetry book, The Remains of Burning. “Choosing between wounds and scars” is how she describes sorting out which poems would go into her collection.
