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Visually Crafting Your Story: Using Plottr to Plan, Structure, and Finish Your Book, with Howard Lovy and Cameron Sutter

On the Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast, Howard Lovy speaks with Cameron Sutter, founder of Plottr, about how visual planning tools can help authors organize ideas, structure their books, and move more confidently from concept to finished manuscript. Sutter explains how Plottr’s timeline, scene cards, templates, and series planning features allow writers to see their stories at a glance, spot gaps in plot or character development, and rearrange scenes as their ideas evolve. The conversation also covers tools for capturing ideas on the go, integrating with writing software like Scrivener and Word, and maintaining consistency across multi-book series.

News Summary: New Study Shows Poetry Can Bypass AI Guardrails; Character AI Shifts Its Teen Strategy

Authoritarian governments—and commentators on Lord Byron alike—have long suspected poets might be the most dangerous people in society. Indeed, one of my favorite novels, Bolaño’s doorstop The Savage Detectives, has this fear at its heart. A new study has discovered there might be something in that after all. The paper, catchily titled “Adversarial Poetry as a Universal Single-Turn Jailbreak in Large Language Models (LLMs),” can essentially be summed up by saying, “AI will teach you how to do naughty things if you ask it in poetry.”

December 4, 2025
Dan Holloway
News
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Inside the Judges’ Minds: What Award Panels Really Look For

In this Alliance of Independent Authors post, Book Award Adviser Hannah Jacobson explains what judging panels prioritize and how authors can position their books for the best chance at award success.

Alliance Of Independent Authors | Library Of Congress Invite, | Award-Winning Cover, | Editor’s Pick, And More: | ALLi Team.

Kickstarter Success, Comic-Con Debut, a 15-Year Novel Journey, and More: ALLi Member Milestones August 2025

This regular post from the Alliance of Independent Authors celebrates ALLi member successes to inspire our indie author community. Our ALLi Member Milestones, August 2025, celebrate the successes of author members Jeff Probst, Whitney Cubbison, Michael Maloof, Simona Rinfreschi, Helen Parker-Drabble, Laura Drake, and Amber Hathaway. Congratulations to all those featured in this month’s roundup and to everyone in our community who has hit a milestone!

Romantic Comedy Award, Interactive Middle Grade Bestseller, and More: ALLi Member Milestones June 2025

This regular post from the Alliance of Independent Authors celebrates ALLi member successes to inspire our indie author community. Our ALLi Member Milestones, June 2025, celebrate the successes of author members Cliff Lovette, Suzanne Lissaman, Linda Browne, Matty Dalrymple, Michael La Ronn, Kathryn Holme, Mark Leslie Lefebvre, Judy L. Mohr, Brock Stephen Henning, and Debbie Carroll. Congratulations to all those featured in this month’s roundup and to everyone in our community who has hit a milestone!

Debuts, Awards, TV Buzz, and More: ALLi Member Milestones April 2025

This regular post from the Alliance of Independent Authors celebrates ALLi member successes to inspire our indie author community. Our ALLi Member Milestones, April 2025, celebrate the successes of author members Kelle Lima, S. G. Baker, Amy M. Le, Gary Corbin, Marcha Fox, Barbara Mostella-Oliver, Catherine Matthews, Anna Lucia, L. S. Westhoff, and Mark David Gerson. Congratulations to all those featured in this month’s roundup and to everyone in our community who has hit a milestone!

Profiting from Print — Thinking Outside the Box: Self-Publishing Conference Highlight

Join historical fiction author Margaret Skea, children's historical fiction author Kate Cunningham, and crossover author Matt Beighton—who writes both chapter books for children and gaming books for all ages—as they explore innovative strategies for selling print beyond traditional outlets like bookshops and online platforms. This panel offers creative, genre-specific approaches to reaching new audiences, providing actionable ideas for minimizing competition and maximizing profits.

January 15, 2025
ALLi Editorial
Podcast
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The Role of Developmental Editing in Writing a Breakout Book: The Self-Publishing with ALLi Podcast Featuring Matty Dalrymple

ALLi Campaigns Manager Matty Dalrymple speaks with author and editor Valerie Francis about the role of developmental editing in crafting a breakout book. Valerie highlights the importance of a strong premise, compelling protagonist, intriguing plot, and engaging world. She explains how to capture reader interest in the first five to ten pages and use story theory to elevate book quality. They also discuss common pitfalls, such as overemphasizing world-building, and offer tips for focusing on the elements that make a story successful.

January 8, 2025
ALLi Editorial
Podcast
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