News Summary: Bookshop.org Sales Surge 55% to $70 Million; E-books Now 5% of Total Sales

We start the week with some good news that segues interestingly out of the news that many indie authors have found alarming at the end of last week. The indie corner of the internet has been filled with little other than discussion (much heated) of Draft2Digital's decision to introduce fees for new and low-activity accounts in the face (it claims) of a vast increase in artificially generated content.

April 21, 2026
Dan Holloway
News
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Your Audiobook Deserves Its Own Awards Strategy

In this Alliance of Independent Authors post, Book Award Adviser Hannah Jacobson explains why audiobooks should be treated as distinct creative works and how authors can develop a separate awards strategy for their audio editions.

Book Awards for Co-Authors: How Partnerships Work in Competitions

In this Alliance of Independent Authors post, Book Award Adviser Hannah Jacobson explains how co-authored books are handled in award competitions, from submissions and fees to prizes and promotion.

Audio Interview: Producing Affordable Audiobooks with AI Assistance — Anna Featherstone and Phil Marshall

In this episode of the ALLi Self-Publishing Advice Podcast, Anna Featherstone speaks with Phil Marshall, co-founder of Spoken, about the fast-changing world of audiobook production and how authors can now record audiobooks more affordably with AI assistance. They discuss using AI versions of an author’s own voice, as well as creating multi-voice audiobooks. Spoken is a newer ALLi partner member whose platform is designed specifically for authors, offering natural-sounding narration through custom-generated voices and licensed voice clones from human narrators. The conversation explores practical ways authors can bring both new titles and backlist books to life in audio without prohibitive costs.

December 24, 2025
ALLi Editorial
Podcast
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Poetry Collection Awards: More Opportunities Than You Think

In this Alliance of Independent Authors post, Book Award Adviser Hannah Jacobson explains why poetry collections have more award opportunities than many poets realize and how to find competitions that align with their work.

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.

Never Miss Your Chance: Why Great Books Win Awards Any Month of the Year

In this Alliance of Independent Authors post, Book Award Adviser Hannah Jacobson explains why there’s no single “award season” for books and how authors can take advantage of year-round opportunities to gain recognition.

Alliance Of Independent Authors | The Untold Truth: Award Recognition For Children's Books, Picture Books, And Low Content…

The Untold Truth: Award Recognition for Children’s Books, Picture Books, and Low Content Books

In this Alliance of Independent Authors post, Book Award Adviser Hannah Jacobson explains how children’s books, picture books, and low content books are eligible for a wide range of awards, despite common myths to the contrary.

Are Book Awards Only for Fiction? Dispelling Award Myths for Indie Authors

In this Alliance of Independent Authors post, Book Award Adviser Hannah Jacobson dispels the myth that book awards are only for fiction and explains how independent authors can find recognition for both fiction and nonfiction works.

The Alliance of Independent Authors is Ten Years Old

Happy Birthday to us! The Alliance of Independent Authors is ten years old this year. Ten whole years! Over in the AskALLi team, we're delighted to be reaching this monumental birthday, so today, and over the next couple of weeks we'll be taking a moment to celebrate the last ten years of work, publishing and community.

March 21, 2022
AskALLi Team
Process 3 & 4: Production & Distribution
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Why Self-Publishers Should Join the Alliance of Independent Authors

The Alliance of Independent Authors is a long standing organisation for "indie" independent authors. It's mission is to uphold ethics and foster excellence in self-publishing. ALLi has a global team who, together with ambassadors and advisors worldwide, provide trusted, best-practice information and advice to the author community and provide our members with an extensive suite of benefits. If you're not a member of the organization this post explains the benefits of being part of it and why you should join the Alliance of Independent Authors.

September 20, 2021
ALLi Editorial
Process 3 & 4: Production & Distribution
2 Comments

How to Get Editorial Reviews for Your Self-Published Book

Who says it's impossible to get editorial reviews for your self-published book? Granted, it may not seem easy, and as indie authors we may not have the established relationships with endorsers that traditional publishers have. But as Boni Wagner-Stafford explains, that's no reason not to try.