26Jul 24
AI Licensing Platform ‘Created by Humans' Launches, Plus Amazon Literary Partnership Expands to Ireland: The Self-Publishing News Podcast with Dan Holloway
On this episode of the Self-Publishing News Podcast, Dan Holloway covers the launch of Created by Humans, an AI rights licensing platform, and the Copyright Clearance Centre's new initiative to include AI permissions in their annual copyright licenses. Dan also discusses the expansion of the Amazon Literary Partnership into Ireland, highlighting its support for a range of literary organizations and the opportunities for authors to apply for the 2025 grants.
25Jul 24
Self-Publishing News: Universal Basic Income for Creatives and Amazon Literary Partnerships Expand to Ireland
Universal Basic Income is at the center of one of the two stories I want to highlight this week, both of which revolve around supporting creative work. While this story isn’t directly about AI, it uses an AI angle in its original reporting because that is zeitgeisty. AI is currently seen as an existential threat by many, taking over jobs they rely on for their survival.
24Jul 24
Reader Magnets and Growing Your Email List for Indie Author Success: The Reaching More Readers Podcast with Dale L. Roberts and Holly Greenland
This month in the Reaching More Readers podcast, Dale L. Roberts and Holly Greenland wrap up their journey around the tips and tricks for email marketing for indie authors. This time, they'll take a closer look at offering “reader magnets,” the importance of testing your mailer systems, and further tips on growing your list. Look back at previous Reaching More Readers episodes for information about why an email list is so important for indie authors and to find out how you can establish your newsletter process.
23Jul 24
Self-Publishing News: New AI Platforms Aim to Balance Copyright Rights for Creators
This week’s selection of AI-related stories has an interesting common theme centered around new AI platforms. As we’re increasingly seeing, it’s a theme that reflects the fact that this technology is now settling into becoming a part of the landscape, and everyone concerned is finding ways to navigate that landscape. For some, these developments will be a welcome pragmatism and seriousness after endless hype. For others, they will be a worrying normalization of the until-recently unthinkable.
22Jul 24
From Studio Recordings to Digital Voice Replicas: Audiobook Narration Explained with Jason Kelly
From traditional studio recordings to “synthetic narration” or “digital replicas” authors looking to produce an audiobook today will find lots of new terms being used in the industry. But what does it all mean? In this post, Jason Kelly from new ALLi partner Sounded.com shares his insight into the options available and the new terminology you may discover if you are exploring audiobook production today.
21Jul 24
Inspirational Indie Author Interview: Dawn Brookes. British Author Calls Upon Decades as a Nurse to Populate Her Cozy Mysteries
My guest this episode is Dawn Brookes, a British writer of Cozy Mysteries and a former nurse who worked in healthcare for nearly 40 years. After retiring from nursing, Dawn began writing full-time, drawing on her extensive experience to create rich characters and engaging stories. Dawn uses her life experiences to fuel her writing and is indie because it allows her to connect with readers and build a fan base.
20Jul 24
Self-Publishing News: Audible Has a New Royalty Model
“More opportunities for authors and publishers.” That’s how Audible describes its new royalty model in the headline of its press release. I have seen authors variously offer a cautious welcome for a model that claims to have arisen from discussions with ours and be part of a “creator-centric ethos” and scratch their heads to try and figure out what it actually means in practice. Before I get to that detail, I will say that the emphasis placed in the release on transparency is welcome.
19Jul 24
The COPIED Act Seeks to Provide Copyright Protection for Creators in AI Age: The Self-Publishing News Podcast with Dan Holloway
On this episode of the Self-Publishing News Podcast, Dan Holloway discusses the new COPIED Act, which aims to provide copyright protection for creators in the AI age. This bipartisan bill, introduced in the United States, seeks to ensure that creators can tag their work with metadata to prevent unauthorized use by AI for training purposes. Dan also touches on the implications of AI on creativity, referencing a recent study that highlights the balance between individual originality and collective diversity.
18Jul 24
Self-Publishing News: AI Research Reveals Impact on Creativity and New US Bill to Protect Copyright
AI has been quiet in the news of late. But this week, there is a suitably chunky round-up of stories related to a technology that is increasingly ubiquitous. There has been a lot of debate about whether generative AI is good or bad for creatives, and whether creatives should, and increasingly do, use generative AI in their practice. But there hasn’t been much discussion (as opposed to opining) about whether or not it actually makes you more creative. This is, of course, not surprising, as the technology is so new that there hasn’t been much time yet for accurate academic studies on the matter.
17Jul 24
Kathryn Goldman of the Creative Law Center on Protecting Author Rights: The Creating Better Books Podcast with Howard Lovy
In the latest episode of the Creating Better Books podcast, ALLi Content and Communications Manager Howard Lovy interviews Kathryn Goldman of the Creative Law Center, a seasoned intellectual property attorney dedicated to supporting independent creatives. Kathryn shares her expertise on how authors can protect themselves legally, from handling defamation risks in memoirs to understanding the rights around using real people in fiction. Kathryn also tackles the nuances of copyright issues in the age of AI and the essential legal knowledge every self-publisher needs to safeguard their work.
16Jul 24
Self-Publishing News: 2024 Kindle Storyteller UK Launches and RBMedia Expands Audiobook Offering for Indies
It’s clearly Amazon competition time. Last week (reminder to enter!) they launched the first-ever Vellys, with $62,000 in prizes for US-based serialized fiction authors. Now in the UK, we have the flagship Kindle Storyteller Award. This has a £20,000 first prize and is open to books published through KDP between the start of May and the end of August. Books must be available as an e-book and a paperback, and must be enrolled in KDP Select until the closing date at the end of August.
15Jul 24
How to Get Your Indie Book into Schools: Tips for Self-Published Authors
In this #AskALLi blog post, guest blogger David H. Hendrickson, award winning author and writer of How to Get Your Book into Schools and Double Your Income with Volume Sales, shares his top tips for placing your books in schools. This post covers a wide range of advice, from making contact with schools to promotional options, timings and discounts.
