50 Ways To Reach Your Reader. # 2: Optimise Your Amazon Author Page
Amazon, the biggest book retailer in the world, was the first company to see the potential in retailing self-published work.…
Pop-Up Books: The Production Reality Behind Books That Move, Fold, and Function, with Anna Featherstone and Kelli Anderson
Most indie authors know print-on-demand. Pop-up and movable books inhabit a very different world — one of hand-assembly, specialist printers, and minimum print runs that make the economics unlike anything in standard publishing. In this episode, Anna Featherstone talks with Kelli Anderson, paper engineer and author of Alphabet in Motion, about what it actually takes to bring a movable book to life. They cover the manufacturing process, working with printers, using Kickstarter to fund a 25,000-copy print run, and where a curious author might begin if this form is calling to them.
Writing Interactive Fiction
First published: Feb 13, 2014 Back in 2014, self-published science fiction and fantasy author, Michael La Ronn, wrote a short…
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.”
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.
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!