News Summary: BookCon Returns after Six-Year Hiatus with Dedicated Indie Alley for Self-Published Authors
I remember around the time of the start of the pandemic reporting on the closure of many of the highest-profile…
Inspirational Indie Author Interview: Biba Pearce. Crime and Romance Author Builds Six-Figure Career Across Multiple Pen Names
My ALLi author guest this episode is Biba Pearce, an award-winning author with more than fifty novels across crime, romance, and cozy mystery. She’s built a six-figure career as an author and now mentors writers who want to build sustainable careers of their own.
Writing Beyond Borders: Awards for Translated and Non-English Books
In this Alliance of Independent Authors post, Book Award Adviser Hannah Jacobson explains how translated and non-English books can access a wide range of award opportunities across global markets.
News Summary: Authors Guild Issues AI Contract Clause; Character.AI Launches Interactive Book Platform
We end the week with two AI stories at very different ends of the news spectrum. First up is a statement from Authors Guild on AI in publishing and, as they put it, a "new model contract clause." The statement is an explicit response to the reports I noted previously that publishing professionals are uploading manuscripts to AI models to assist with editing tasks.
News Podcast: Draft2Digital Introduces Fees; Bookshop.org Reports Record Sales
On this episode of Self-Publishing with ALLi, Dan Holloway examines Draft2Digital's decision to introduce fees for the first time — a $20 account activation charge for new accounts and a $12 annual maintenance fee for low-activity accounts — and considers both the rationale and the concerns. He also reports on Bookshop.org's record $70 million in sales last year, a 55 percent increase, and explains why the two stories are closely connected.
News Summary: Frankfurt Book Fair to Feature Comics Business Center; Print Still Leads Digital Reading
I am not a huge comics and graphic novel reader (too many books already on the TBR pile, but the fact we have a huge graphic novel bookshop in Oxford that I walk past every day means I am sure it will happen), but it's part of the market I am always interested to follow because it's one where there's so much potential for indies to do something new and exciting (and successful), especially online with the growth of platforms like Naver Webtoon.
Audio Interview: How Authors Can Work Effectively with Book Designers with Howard Lovy and Allyson Longueira
On the Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast, host Howard Lovy talks to Allyson Longueira, associate director of publishing at the graduate program in creative writing at Western Colorado University, about what authors need to understand about book design, from typography and interior layout to covers and branding. They discuss how design choices signal genre, how authors can better communicate with designers, and where to draw the line between creative control and trusting the experts. Longueira also explains how thoughtful design supports readability and market positioning, giving authors practical ways to approach the visual side of publishing with more confidence.
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.
News Summary: Scam Emails Impersonating Editors and Authors on the Rise; Writers Urged to Stay Vigilant
Today's story is something I've covered before. But it's so important for all indie writers, I want to report on it again. And I am delighted to see a piece in the Bookseller this week to act as a touchpoint for such a post.
News Podcast: Amazon Retires Early Kindles; Publishing Scam Emails on the Rise
On this episode of Self-Publishing with ALLi, Dan Holloway reports on Amazon's decision to withdraw online support from Kindle devices released in 2012 and earlier, and what that means for readers who still use them—including a silver lining for indie authors distributing DRM-free books. He also sounds the alarm on a surge in sophisticated scam emails targeting authors, and reminds us of the enduring wisdom of Yog's Law: money flows to the author, not from the author.
News Summary: Draft2Digital Introduces New Fees for Account Activation and Low-Earning Accounts
Draft2Digital is one of the most widely known and used platforms for many, if not most, indie authors. So when they announce something, it is automatically big news. And when what is announced is new fees, that is a potentially huge cause for anxiety. This week, Draft2Digital has announced two such fees, the first time they have introduced fees directly to authors. To minimize anxiety, I will take a look at what the fees are and what they mean. You can have a look for yourself on the Draft2Digital website.
Marketing Your Books Using Video, with Dale L. Roberts and Matty Dalrymple
In this member-first Q&A on the Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast, ALLi video content adviser Dale L. Roberts answers questions on how authors can use video to market their books, connect with readers, and build visibility for their author brand. Topics include the best tools for creating video content, when to start using video in the publishing process, and how to measure the impact of video on book sales and reader engagement. Roberts also addresses how to drive traffic to videos, whether book trailers still matter, how Amazon A+ Content works, and practical ways to get comfortable on camera.