ALLi Editorial, Author at The Self-Publishing Advice Center

First-Time Author? Submitting Your Debut for Book Awards

In this Alliance of Independent Authors post, Book Award Adviser Hannah Jacobson explains the award opportunities available to debut authors and how early recognition can help build momentum for an author’s career.

Producing an Illustrated Narrative Nonfiction Book, Retaining IP, and Getting It into Bookstores, with Anna Featherstone and Bee Lim

Clinical psychologist Bee Lim knew her illustrated book on trauma, Welcome Home: Healing Trauma and Reclaiming Wholeness, couldn’t be a standard paperback—and that she wasn’t willing to give up her IP, therapeutic arc, or choice of illustrator, her husband, concept artist Joel Timpson. In this episode, Bee shares why she chose the custom publishing route, hired her own publicist, and planned a multicountry launch. She also discusses the constraints of marketing a book as a regulated health professional.

August 26, 2026
ALLi Editorial
Podcast
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Can AI Replace Your Editor? Member Q&A with Michael La Ronn and Sacha Black

In this episode of the Self-Publishing with ALLi Member Q&A podcast, hosts Michael La Ronn and Sacha Black discuss whether it's acceptable and safe for an author to use AI in place of a $2,000 line edit, and where to draw the line between supplementing a human editor and replacing one.

August 23, 2026
ALLi Editorial
Podcast
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Dodge the Three Cash Traps That Kill Author Businesses with Joe Solari

On the Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast, Joe Solari warns authors that a big crowdfunding win isn't the same as a payday. He breaks down the three cash traps that sink successful author businesses — the lag trap, frozen cash, and the shrinking slice — and shows how to dodge them with a few practical habits: tracking committed versus paid money, knowing your inventory value, and setting margin floors before you launch.

August 19, 2026
ALLi Editorial
Podcast
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Anthology or Collection? Yes, You Can Win Book Awards

In this Alliance of Independent Authors post, Book Award Adviser Hannah Jacobson explains how anthologies and collections can compete for book awards and how authors and editors can make the most of the recognition.

Can You Use a Real Band’s Name in Your Book Title? Member Q&A with Michael La Ronn and Sacha Black

In this episode of the Self-Publishing with ALLi Member Q&A podcast, hosts Michael La Ronn and Sacha Black discuss whether an author can safely use a real band's name in a novel title, including how to check for trademarks, why disclaimers won't shield you from lawsuits, and when it's worth consulting an intellectual property attorney.

From First Book to Second: Production and Distribution Choices in Purpose-Led Publishing, with Anna Featherstone and Sarah Martin

Anna Featherstone talks with author Sarah Martin about the production and distribution of her two purpose-led nonfiction books, Dear Psychosis and Dear Carer. Sarah explains how she built a professional publishing team, changed her approach for her second book, secured consignment with a local bookstore, and used speaking engagements—including one that generated a 260-book order—to reach readers.

Update to Indie Author Lab: Orna Ross’s New Program Now Online on Substack

Orna Ross, founder and director of the Alliance of Independent Authors, discusses the development and purpose of Indie Author Lab, explaining how it was created in response to changes in the indie author community—particularly the rise of AI. An ongoing monthly program designed to help serious authors address their specific challenges, it is based on Orna's Alliance of Independent Authors guidebook, Creative Self-Publishing, and focuses on four measures of success: productivity, platform, profit, and pleasure. With live monthly sessions, a community chat room, and access to resources and tools, the program is flexible enough to work for authors at any stage of their development — and will feature at AuthorNation 2026.

Author Business Q&A: Profit, Pricing, and Publishing Strategy with Michael La Ronn and Joe Solari

In this member-first Q&A on the Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast, host Michael La Ronn talks with Alliance of Independent Authors Business Adviser Joe Solari about how indie authors can think more clearly about the business side of writing. Joe explains why authors should focus less on revenue and more on profit, how to approach pricing without undervaluing their work, when going wide makes sense, and why intellectual property and audience are the real foundations of an author business. He also offers practical advice on print distribution, direct sales, and when it may—or may not—make sense to form an LLC.

How to Make Your Books Discoverable by AI, with Orna Ross and Rob Prime

Artificial intelligence is changing how readers discover books, and few people have a broader view of that shift than Rob Prime. An indie author, founder of Publishing.co.uk, co-owner of LoveReading, and head of an Amazon marketing agency, Prime joins Orna Ross on the Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast to explain how AI-powered search is reshaping book discoverability. They discuss Amazon’s evolving search tools, AI-friendly metadata, author websites, direct sales, and the practical steps authors can take to make their books easier for both readers and AI to find.

Using Real People’s Names in Nonfiction, Pricing an Edit, and Making the Most of a BookBub Deal: Member Q&A with Michael La Ronn and Sacha Black

In this episode of the Self-Publishing with ALLi Member Q&A podcast, hosts Michael La Ronn and Sacha Black discuss whether it is legal to use real people's names in nonfiction, including the limits around copyright, defamation, and writing about deceased public figures.

Writing a Series? Here’s How Book Awards Work for You

In this Alliance of Independent Authors post, Book Award Adviser Hannah Jacobson explains how series authors can pursue awards for both individual books and their complete body of work.