09Dec 24
Self-Publishing Business and Planning Advice: Best Blogs 2024
This year has flown by once again! As December unfolds, we’ll take a look back at the top posts from the Alliance of Independent Authors blog over the past year. If you missed any of our weekly insights, advice, or case studies, don’t worry—we’ll be rounding up the highlights throughout the month. To start things off, here’s a selection of the best self-publishing business and planning advice featured on the blog in 2024.
08Dec 24
Inspirational Indie Author Interview: Sylvia Bourgeois. Former Heavy Equipment Operator Brings Pacific Northwest History to Life with Strong Female Characters
My ALLi author guest this episode is Sylvia Bourgeois, who writes stories featuring strong, unconventional women set against the natural beauty and industry of the Pacific Northwest. A former heavy equipment operator and project manager, Sylvia uses her unique life experiences to craft compelling historical fiction. Her latest novel, Here, Now, takes readers on a journey from 1920s Seattle to a remote logging camp in British Columbia. I spoke to Sylvia about how her childhood, career, and creative process have shaped her work—and how she juggles a demanding day job with her passion for writing.
07Dec 24
Report Finds Half of Writers Support AI Licensing Deals: Self-Publishing News with Dan Holloway
This summer, The Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS) surveyed more than 13,500 writers asking for their opinions and worries about AI. This week, the organization, which is best known for collecting fees on behalf of authors for books lent out by libraries, published the findings in a forty-page report.
06Dec 24
AI Self-Publishing Service Spines Raises Questions, and Audiobooks Boom Beyond Expectations: The Self-Publishing News Podcast with Dan Holloway
On this episode of the Self-Publishing News Podcast, Dan Holloway examines Spines, a new AI-powered self-publishing service claiming to revolutionize the industry with faster and cheaper book production. He also discusses the growing dominance of AI startups in publishing, OpenAI’s latest legal troubles, and revelations about the true size of the audiobook market, which may be far larger than official figures suggest.
05Dec 24
The UK Audiobook Market Could Be Worth £1 Billion, Says New Analysis: Self-Publishing News with Dan Holloway
I’m often grateful to Mark Williams for his reporting, and this week especially so for pointing the way to a piece I originally missed. Alongside his usual insightful commentary, it elaborates on one of his most longstanding and emphatic themes: markets that get misrepresented by official figures—especially official figures that ignore indie and streaming or subscription titles.
04Dec 24
How to Save Money when Outsourcing Publishing Tasks: The Self-Publishing with ALLi Podcast Featuring Anna Featherstone
In this episode of the Self-Publishing with ALLi Podcast, ALLi's nonfiction adviser Anna Featherstone talks with Michael Hanrahan, founder of Publish Central, about ways authors can save money when outsourcing publishing tasks. They cover topics such as reducing editing costs by improving your manuscript, making cost-effective printing decisions, managing contracts, and understanding what’s truly necessary for distribution.
03Dec 24
Canadian Publishers Sue OpenAI; ChatGPT Accuracy Criticized in New Study: Self-Publishing News with Dan Holloway
Last week’s flurry of AI-based publishing stories—from Microsoft to Spines—left many of us somewhat breathless. Maybe it’s a sign of a quieter week ahead that I can start with a round-up of stories.
02Dec 24
Self-Publishing Marketing and Promotion Advice: Best Blogs 2024
Another year has zipped by, and December is here! Over the course of the month, we’ll be revisiting the standout posts from the Alliance of Independent Authors blog. If you’ve missed any of our weekly insights, advice, or case studies, no need to worry—we’ll be wrapping them all up for you. This week, we’re starting with a roundup of 2024’s top self-publishing marketing and promotion tips featured on the blog.
30Nov 24
Horror Writers Association President, Awards Finalists, and More: ALLi Member Milestones December 2024
This regular post from the Alliance of Independent Authors celebrates ALLi member successes to inspire our indie author community. Our ALLi Member Milestones for December 2024 celebrates the successes of author members Amy Safford, Jenny Heselden, LoLo Paige, Kevin G. Chapman, Angela Yuriko Smith, X. Ho Yen, SJ Banham, and Carran Waterfield.. Congratulations to all those featured in this month’s roundup and to everyone in our community who has hit a milestone!
30Nov 24
Spotify for Authors Debuts with Tools for Audiobook Creators: Self-Publishing News with Dan Holloway
I said a few days ago that Spotify was doubling down on audiobooks. Now we have even more evidence of that. They have released a whole set of tools for authors. They call it Spotify for Authors.
29Nov 24
Amazon Music Enters Audiobooks, Spotify Expands, and Tech Giants Launch Imprints: The Self-Publishing News Podcast with Dan Holloway
On this episode of the Self-Publishing News Podcast, Dan Holloway explores major developments in audiobooks, including Amazon Music's move into the market and Spotify's new deal with Bloomsbury. He also discusses ByteDance and Microsoft's ventures into publishing, with ByteDance focusing on BookTok-friendly genres and Microsoft aiming to speed up the publishing process. With tech companies increasingly disrupting the industry, Dan examines what these changes mean for authors.
28Nov 24
Microsoft and TikTok Owner Launch Publishing Imprints: Self-Publishing News with Dan Holloway
Some platforms, such as Wattpad, feel like a transition to publishing in waiting. But this week saw the launch of two publishing enterprises from tech firms that ranged from “interesting” to “really?” on my eyebrow-raising scale.
