The Indie Author SELF-PUBLISHING MAGAZINE

INSIDE

Launching a book: a complete guide

Top tools for writing, publishing and author business

Why creativity is your business superpower

Beyond the book: use your IP to Susan May create spin-off & Colleen Cross products and Leading the equitable reward your fans rights movement for authors #Audiblegate April 2021 The Indie Author The Indie Author

Hello ALLi members!

I hope lockdowns are easing for you wherever can help you to write and edit efficiently, make you are, and that your writing and publishing are smarter choices for marketing and advertising, and prospering in 2021, so far. streamline your communications with readers. See pages 19-26. Welcome to your first member magazine of the year. As Indie authors, we are all are eager and All this alongside our regular features—the news grateful users of self-publishing services and roundup from ALLi news editor Dan Holloway platforms. As such, we rely on them to be transpar- (pages 5-6), a taster of the fact-packed features we ent and fair in their dealings. So we were shocked ran on the ALLi Self-Publishing advice blog (pages in recent months to hear of worrying accounting 9-10), and last but not least, our member interviews. practices at ACX/Audible, the self-publishing arm We know it all starts with you, the creative person of Amazon audiobooks. who took this path to publish your work, and nobody knows this better than our multimedia A dedicated group of author investigators uncov- manager Howard Lovy, who every fortnight cel- ered hidden deductions from author payments, ebrates our members’ originality and talent in his and a campaign called #Audiblegate was born. Inspirational Indie Authors podcast (pages 41-43). ALLi is working closely with the authors involved, and narrators and author organizations worldwide If we’re missing something you'd love us to have in have joined forces to fight back. Read our report on your member magazine, we’re eager to know. As pages 27-34. always, suggestions or comments are welcome at [email protected]. Fortunately, while Amazon has a large share of the market in the US and UK, Audible isn’t the only Thank you for reading and for being an ALLi route for publishing audiobooks. ALLi watchdog member. John Doppler has compared terms and conditions Till next time, happy writing and publishing! at six other viable platforms. See pages 35-39.

ALLi keeps a keen eye on all providers of author services. Our watchdog desk is always keen to hear Orna of your experiences, good and bad. Contact them with recommendations and warnings at allianceindependentauthors.org/contact/

Audiobooks are just one of the products we can create as indies. In this issue we’re going beyond the book to look at the entire product ecosystem available to us, with a scale of price and profit points. To find out what’s possible for you, read the feature on page 48.

And if the thought of that sounds too over- Orna Ross whelming, we’ve got you covered with a section ALLi director on creative business planning on page 44, and a grassroots guide to launching a book on page 11. We've also rounded up the tools and tech that

2 | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | 3 The Indie Author The Indie Author

Hello ALLi members!

I hope lockdowns are easing for you wherever can help you to write and edit efficiently, make you are, and that your writing and publishing are smarter choices for marketing and advertising, and prospering in 2021, so far. streamline your communications with readers. See pages 19-26. Welcome to your first member magazine of the year. As Indie authors, we are all are eager and All this alongside our regular features—the news grateful users of self-publishing services and roundup from ALLi news editor Dan Holloway platforms. As such, we rely on them to be transpar- (pages 5-6), a taster of the fact-packed features we ent and fair in their dealings. So we were shocked ran on the ALLi Self-Publishing advice blog (pages in recent months to hear of worrying accounting 9-10), and last but not least, our member interviews. practices at ACX/Audible, the self-publishing arm We know it all starts with you, the creative person of Amazon audiobooks. who took this path to publish your work, and nobody knows this better than our multimedia A dedicated group of author investigators uncov- manager Howard Lovy, who every fortnight cel- ered hidden deductions from author payments, ebrates our members’ originality and talent in his and a campaign called #Audiblegate was born. Inspirational Indie Authors podcast (pages 41-43). ALLi is working closely with the authors involved, and narrators and author organizations worldwide If we’re missing something you'd love us to have in have joined forces to fight back. Read our report on your member magazine, we’re eager to know. As pages 27-34. always, suggestions or comments are welcome at [email protected]. Fortunately, while Amazon has a large share of the market in the US and UK, Audible isn’t the only Thank you for reading and for being an ALLi route for publishing audiobooks. ALLi watchdog member. John Doppler has compared terms and conditions Till next time, happy writing and publishing! at six other viable platforms. See pages 35-39.

ALLi keeps a keen eye on all providers of author services. Our watchdog desk is always keen to hear Orna of your experiences, good and bad. Contact them with recommendations and warnings at allianceindependentauthors.org/contact/

Audiobooks are just one of the products we can create as indies. In this issue we’re going beyond the book to look at the entire product ecosystem available to us, with a scale of price and profit points. To find out what’s possible for you, read the feature on page 48.

And if the thought of that sounds too over- Orna Ross whelming, we’ve got you covered with a section ALLi director on creative business planning on page 44, and a grassroots guide to launching a book on page 11. We've also rounded up the tools and tech that

2 | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | 3 The Indie Author John-Mark Smith | Unsplash May 2021

Photo credit: Self-publishing news

Each week on the ALLi blog, our news- Beginnings, in Evanston, Illinois, is pursuing hound Dan Holloway brings us the Amazon. And that gives the story a personal latest trends and stories of interest to You’ve Got Mail kind of twist that is much more likely to capture the imagination. indie authors. Here’s his roundup of the In this issue ... most significant recent stories over the The basic story remains the same–smaller Publisher: past quarter players allege Amazon and the Big Five Hello ALLi members! 3 Alliance of Independent Authors publishers have a deal that’s not fair. The This time last year we were all trying to get our May 2021 Self-publishing news 5 [email protected] difference is in nuance. Whereas the current heads around a new reality. So much has hap- antitrust cases allege that the deal keeps Direct to your ears: the full list of AskALLi podcasts 7 Editorial director: Orna Ross pened since then. The printed book has proved prices high for consumers, this case essentially Helping you do your thing: [email protected] remarkably resilient. Events have moved online, claims the deal means other retailers can the Self-Publishing Advice blog 9 though there is still confusion about whether the never compete on price. In the former case, Chief sub-editor: Roz Morris London Book Fair will have an in-person com- the allegation effectively amounts to the claim Launching a book-the ALLi ultimate guide 11 ponent. Elsewhere, the uneasy relations between Layout and design: Jane Dixon-Smith that this is a kind of cartel that suits the in- Hits and misses: ALLi members share libraries and publishers remain a common volved parties and not consumers. In the latter book launch stories 17 News editor: Dan Holloway theme. case, it’s about the effects on other businesses. [email protected] Amazon is being attacked from both sides. What tools do ALLi members use? 19 But for this past quarter, one story stands above everything else. After more than 25 years at 14 top tools from ALLi's partner members 24 Multimedia manager: Howard Lovy It will be interesting to see how each pans [email protected] the helm of Amazon, Jeff Bezos has decided to out, but my guess is the antitrust suit will keep Game-changer tools... members step aside. In February’s news podcast with ALLi Amazon awake because of what’s likely to nominate personal favorites 25 Conference and blog manager: multimedia manager Howard Lovy (selfpub- happen if it’s successful–a potential break-up Sacha Black Audiblegate campaign special: an issue for lishingadvice.org/findaway-voices/) I took of parts of the business as opposed to a rap [email protected] all authors (even if you don't publish audiobooks) 27 a retrospective look at Bezos’s extraordinary on the knuckles. It might mean Jeff Bezos gets journey with Amazon. It was a journey that many Watchdog desk: John Doppler one fewer space flight. Audible response: still cause for concern 30 of us as indie authors took with him. [email protected] It’s not just price-fixing that has put Amazon in The #Audiblegate campaign is about to step up 32 What happens next for Bezos is clear. He will do Publishing assistant: Sarah Begley the news. In the same month that the US state of What you can do 33 what billionaires do: spend a lot of time being [email protected] Maryland began legislation to ensure its libraries philanthropic. And build rockets. The longer-term Dashboard updates conceal information 33 were entitled to a licence for any e-book they Social media assistant: future for Amazon in the book world is less clear. wanted, Amazon doubled down on its policy of Why Audible's figures don't add up 34 Kayleigh Brindley But Amazon’s short-term woes have also not letting libraries lend books it publishes. At the Alternatives to Audible 35 [email protected] dominated the news this quarter. There have heart of the issue for Amazon is the question of whether library lending eats into more profitable Tell us your backstory: been price-fixing lawsuits in the US—first, a single Sales, sponsorship and advertising direct sales. This debate rages all the time. It Inspirational Indie Authors podcast 41 [email protected] case in Seattle, then another in Connecticut. Now there are four cases, and there is a move to was at the heart of the disagreement between Creative business planning for indie authors 44 Alliance of Independent Authors pool them into a consolidated class action. publishers and libraries a couple of years Exploit your IP: going beyond the book 48 Freeword Centre, ago. But no concrete figures have ever been These actions were from state authorities, and 60 Farringdon Rd produced. Maybe at some point, with Amazon 10 facts about self-publishing 51 alleged Amazon’s over-cozy relations with London EC1G 2RA in the middle of the fray, we will find out whether 21 benefits of ALLi membership 54 publishers were harming consumers. But now a there’s an effect or not. © Copyright 2021 small independent bookstore has entered the fray. Nina Barrett of the store Bookends and Finally, it wouldn’t be fitting to leave without Cover images: Susan May & Colleen Cross

4 | www.allianceindependentauthors.org www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | 5 The Indie Author John-Mark Smith | Unsplash May 2021

Photo credit: Self-publishing news

Each week on the ALLi blog, our news- Beginnings, in Evanston, Illinois, is pursuing hound Dan Holloway brings us the Amazon. And that gives the story a personal latest trends and stories of interest to You’ve Got Mail kind of twist that is much more likely to capture the imagination. indie authors. Here’s his roundup of the In this issue ... most significant recent stories over the The basic story remains the same–smaller Publisher: past quarter players allege Amazon and the Big Five Hello ALLi members! 3 Alliance of Independent Authors publishers have a deal that’s not fair. The This time last year we were all trying to get our May 2021 Self-publishing news 5 [email protected] difference is in nuance. Whereas the current heads around a new reality. So much has hap- antitrust cases allege that the deal keeps Direct to your ears: the full list of AskALLi podcasts 7 Editorial director: Orna Ross pened since then. The printed book has proved prices high for consumers, this case essentially Helping you do your thing: [email protected] remarkably resilient. Events have moved online, claims the deal means other retailers can the Self-Publishing Advice blog 9 though there is still confusion about whether the never compete on price. In the former case, Chief sub-editor: Roz Morris London Book Fair will have an in-person com- the allegation effectively amounts to the claim Launching a book-the ALLi ultimate guide 11 ponent. Elsewhere, the uneasy relations between Layout and design: Jane Dixon-Smith that this is a kind of cartel that suits the in- Hits and misses: ALLi members share libraries and publishers remain a common volved parties and not consumers. In the latter book launch stories 17 News editor: Dan Holloway theme. case, it’s about the effects on other businesses. [email protected] Amazon is being attacked from both sides. What tools do ALLi members use? 19 But for this past quarter, one story stands above everything else. After more than 25 years at 14 top tools from ALLi's partner members 24 Multimedia manager: Howard Lovy It will be interesting to see how each pans [email protected] the helm of Amazon, Jeff Bezos has decided to out, but my guess is the antitrust suit will keep Game-changer tools... members step aside. In February’s news podcast with ALLi Amazon awake because of what’s likely to nominate personal favorites 25 Conference and blog manager: multimedia manager Howard Lovy (selfpub- happen if it’s successful–a potential break-up Sacha Black Audiblegate campaign special: an issue for lishingadvice.org/findaway-voices/) I took of parts of the business as opposed to a rap [email protected] all authors (even if you don't publish audiobooks) 27 a retrospective look at Bezos’s extraordinary on the knuckles. It might mean Jeff Bezos gets journey with Amazon. It was a journey that many Watchdog desk: John Doppler one fewer space flight. Audible response: still cause for concern 30 of us as indie authors took with him. [email protected] It’s not just price-fixing that has put Amazon in The #Audiblegate campaign is about to step up 32 What happens next for Bezos is clear. He will do Publishing assistant: Sarah Begley the news. In the same month that the US state of What you can do 33 what billionaires do: spend a lot of time being [email protected] Maryland began legislation to ensure its libraries philanthropic. And build rockets. The longer-term Dashboard updates conceal information 33 were entitled to a licence for any e-book they Social media assistant: future for Amazon in the book world is less clear. wanted, Amazon doubled down on its policy of Why Audible's figures don't add up 34 Kayleigh Brindley But Amazon’s short-term woes have also not letting libraries lend books it publishes. At the Alternatives to Audible 35 [email protected] dominated the news this quarter. There have heart of the issue for Amazon is the question of whether library lending eats into more profitable Tell us your backstory: been price-fixing lawsuits in the US—first, a single Sales, sponsorship and advertising direct sales. This debate rages all the time. It Inspirational Indie Authors podcast 41 [email protected] case in Seattle, then another in Connecticut. Now there are four cases, and there is a move to was at the heart of the disagreement between Creative business planning for indie authors 44 Alliance of Independent Authors pool them into a consolidated class action. publishers and libraries a couple of years Exploit your IP: going beyond the book 48 Freeword Centre, ago. But no concrete figures have ever been These actions were from state authorities, and 60 Farringdon Rd produced. Maybe at some point, with Amazon 10 facts about self-publishing 51 alleged Amazon’s over-cozy relations with London EC1G 2RA in the middle of the fray, we will find out whether 21 benefits of ALLi membership 54 publishers were harming consumers. But now a there’s an effect or not. © Copyright 2021 small independent bookstore has entered the fray. Nina Barrett of the store Bookends and Finally, it wouldn’t be fitting to leave without Cover images: Susan May & Colleen Cross

4 | www.allianceindependentauthors.org www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | 5 The Indie Author The Indie Author Direct to your ears: the full list of AskALLi podcasts Change is all around in the world of indie set to become the next big thing in publishing. publishing, so it’s nice to know that one Subscriptions allow publishers to build direct thing remains the same: you can always relationships with readers, create new offerings based on consumption data, and build a count on the AskALLi Self-Publishing steady, recurring revenue stream. But what Advice podcasts to keep you up to date. do subscriptions mean for indie authors? You may be socially distant from your How do we join the action and how will we be neighbor, but we’re here, available for paid? And can we build our own subscription your enjoyment at home, in your car, or models? anywhere you take your device. Here are selfpublishingadvice.org/ some recent episodes book-publishing-subscriptions/

Advanced Self-Publishing Members’ Q&A with Orna Ross Podcast with Orna Ross and and Michael La Ronn Joanna Penn

noting the latest fad, er, big story. Non-fungible emissions than many countries, NFTs are not tokens (NFTs) have been talked about every- going down well with many of the young and the where for the past month or so, culminating in wealthy who would be their most likely clients. the sale of a token by the digital artist Beeple for Dan Holloway writes poetry, non-fiction, thrillers $69m. NFTs use blockchain technology—remem- and literary fiction. Find out more at rogueinter- ber that? In essence they allow a person to say robang.com and tweet him at they “own the original” of a digital file, even where @agnieszkasshoes that file may be in the public domain. Examples of NFTs are the first tweet by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, which sold for more than $2m. Answers to members’ current self-publishing NFTs clearly present opportunities for writers, Top tips, tools and trends for running a queries, with ALLi director Orna Ross and ALLi such as a means to create special editions—a successful author business, plus analysis of the partner liaison and US ambassador Michael La bit like Wu-Tang Clan’s album Once Upon a latest self-publishing news with ALLi director Ronn. All are welcome to listen and learn but Time In Shaolin, which was sold as a single copy Orna Ross and ALLi business adviser Joanna only ALLi members can submit questions. to the disgraced Martin Shkreli for $2m and Penn. This salon is for those who know how to Find all the Members’ Q&A podcasts here subsequently seized by courts. Only they're also self-publish and want to expand their income allianceindependentauthors.org/ not like that, because the work itself could be and influence. If you have a story you think membersqa/ available for all the world—just without the unique Find all the Advanced Self-Publishing podcasts token. would suit our news column, Recent highlight: write to Dan directly: here: allianceindependentauthors.org/ advanced-salon/ There has been a large amount of scepticism news@allianceindependent Surefire book launch tips and how to super- over the real value of NFTs for content creators. Recent highlight: charge your sales The platforms that run the blockchain behind the authors.org selfpublishingadvice.org/book-launch/ tokens demand sometimes substantial payment Indie authors and book publishing to create the token. And with blockchain subscriptions: despite scepticism in some technology already producing more carbon quarters, book publishing subscriptions look

6 | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | 7 The Indie Author The Indie Author Direct to your ears: the full list of AskALLi podcasts Change is all around in the world of indie set to become the next big thing in publishing. publishing, so it’s nice to know that one Subscriptions allow publishers to build direct thing remains the same: you can always relationships with readers, create new offerings based on consumption data, and build a count on the AskALLi Self-Publishing steady, recurring revenue stream. But what Advice podcasts to keep you up to date. do subscriptions mean for indie authors? You may be socially distant from your How do we join the action and how will we be neighbor, but we’re here, available for paid? And can we build our own subscription your enjoyment at home, in your car, or models? anywhere you take your device. Here are selfpublishingadvice.org/ some recent episodes book-publishing-subscriptions/

Advanced Self-Publishing Members’ Q&A with Orna Ross Podcast with Orna Ross and and Michael La Ronn Joanna Penn

noting the latest fad, er, big story. Non-fungible emissions than many countries, NFTs are not tokens (NFTs) have been talked about every- going down well with many of the young and the where for the past month or so, culminating in wealthy who would be their most likely clients. the sale of a token by the digital artist Beeple for Dan Holloway writes poetry, non-fiction, thrillers $69m. NFTs use blockchain technology—remem- and literary fiction. Find out more at rogueinter- ber that? In essence they allow a person to say robang.com and tweet him at they “own the original” of a digital file, even where @agnieszkasshoes that file may be in the public domain. Examples of NFTs are the first tweet by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, which sold for more than $2m. Answers to members’ current self-publishing NFTs clearly present opportunities for writers, Top tips, tools and trends for running a queries, with ALLi director Orna Ross and ALLi such as a means to create special editions—a successful author business, plus analysis of the partner liaison and US ambassador Michael La bit like Wu-Tang Clan’s album Once Upon a latest self-publishing news with ALLi director Ronn. All are welcome to listen and learn but Time In Shaolin, which was sold as a single copy Orna Ross and ALLi business adviser Joanna only ALLi members can submit questions. to the disgraced Martin Shkreli for $2m and Penn. This salon is for those who know how to Find all the Members’ Q&A podcasts here subsequently seized by courts. Only they're also self-publish and want to expand their income allianceindependentauthors.org/ not like that, because the work itself could be and influence. If you have a story you think membersqa/ available for all the world—just without the unique Find all the Advanced Self-Publishing podcasts token. would suit our news column, Recent highlight: write to Dan directly: here: allianceindependentauthors.org/ advanced-salon/ There has been a large amount of scepticism news@allianceindependent Surefire book launch tips and how to super- over the real value of NFTs for content creators. Recent highlight: charge your sales The platforms that run the blockchain behind the authors.org selfpublishingadvice.org/book-launch/ tokens demand sometimes substantial payment Indie authors and book publishing to create the token. And with blockchain subscriptions: despite scepticism in some technology already producing more carbon quarters, book publishing subscriptions look

6 | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | 7 The Indie Author 9 - - . here

. here How to publish an e-book publish to How the back been always have books While print the case not that’s publishing, traditional bone of the e-book indie authors for Typically, indies. for you do So how then audio and print. first, comes Sacha publish an e-book? Blog manager actually Thoi Linh specialist production and e-book Black guide an ultimate present The ultimate guide to leveling leveling to guide ultimate The business author your up might you while a been publishing for you’ve If be a full- and possibly be making some money Orna Ross ALLi director this post, In time author. and strategies self-publishing advanced explores and develop business growth create to how it Read ment. - - - www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | | @indieauthorall www.allianceindependentauthors.org . here

dives into the whats, whys whys dives whats, the into . here gives a taster a gives on everyone’s lips in the UK for years. years. for the UK lips in on everyone’s Mark Lefebvre, Mark Now it’s happened, there are widespread impli widespread are there happened, it’s Now explains Dan Holloway editor ALLi news cations. . here indie authors, for these are what The ultimate guide to selling to guide ultimate The books children’s your if what But enough. is hard books Marketing That’s them? who buy the people aren’t readers this In authors. children’s by faced the problem up teamed Sacha Black blog manager post, Inglis Karen adviser book children’s ALLi’s with discuss to Woodard Kate member and author how and selling strategies tactics, marketing in a books language children’s sell English to it Read speaking country. non-English Helping you you Helping do the thing: your Self-Publishing blog Advice been we’ve year, this ALLi blog the On guides ultimate series of our continuing case stud life and real strategies tips, of for Brexit to guide ultimate The indie authors was Brexit to guide ultimate The wide publishing the in debates long-running many are There indie, or trad pantsing, or plotting world: writing exclu distribute to whether them is and one of widely publish as to or Amazon through sively with post, This the latter. ALLi advises as possible. thriller and consultant author from guidance author ies to help you navigate every level of of level every navigate you help to ies ALLi blog manager business. author your Black Sacha and hows—read it and hows—read - - - allianceindependentauthors. answering ALLi members’ most press most ALLi members’ answering Our #AskALLi advice sessions are sessions are advice #AskALLi Our each video livestreams as first broadcast and in YouTube on Facebook, Monday, is The podcast forum. ALLi member the at ALLi blog each Friday the on released and shownotes. transcript with full 1pm, Self episodes at: the latest Catch PublishingAdvice.org/category/ podcast-video/ they episodes as soon as the new Want favorite your out? Subscribe in come new download to player podcast up here sign Or episodes automatically. episodes go new whenever an email for allianceindependentauthors.org/ live askalli-podcast/ author’s journey, but it can also be confusing. be confusing. also but it can journey, author’s which but seem endless options The strategy advance in far How you? for right ones are it all cost? will much how And plan? you should selfpublishingadvice.org/ launch-a-self-published-book/ org/self-publish-poetry-podcast/ highlight: Recent poetry self-publishing of art and craft The books: ing questions. selfpublishingadvice.org/poetry-books/ on Insta reposts for work can submit Poets tag #indiepoetryplease. the out Check gram. Poetry with Orna Ross and Orna Ross with Poetry poet guest a to talks Orna Ross ALLi director Each month, through prosper to discussing how poet, guest of and build a community self-publishing lovers. poetry them Find here

- Howard and Dan dis and Howard allianceindependentauthors. | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org 8 | How to launch a self-published book: book: launch a self-published to How in an moment exciting the most is Launching Recent highlight: Recent org/fiction-nonfiction-podcast/ Find them here them Find here ALLi director Orna Ross and ALLi blog editor ALLi blog editor and Orna Ross ALLi director sessions advice grassroots present Sacha Black indie authors to important are that themes on all levels. at selfpublishingadvice.org/ amazon-and-libraries/ Self-Publishing Foundational Black and Sacha with Orna Ross cuss Amazon’s attack on libraries, pay homage pay on libraries, attack Amazon’s cuss and answer Ferlinghetti, Lawrence the late to non-fungible are the heck “What the question, tokens?” Amazon attacks libraries, and what are are what and libraries, attacks Amazon tokens? non-fungible Recent highlight: Recent Alli news editor Dan Holloway and multimedia Dan Holloway editor Alli news in the latest discuss Lovy Howard manager Find commentary. and indie publishing news allianceindependentauthors. them here org/self-publishing-news/ Howard Lovy and Dan Holloway and Dan Lovy Howard Self-Publishing News Podcast: News Self-Publishing

The Indie Author The Indie Author 9 - - . here

. here How to publish an e-book publish to How the back been always have books While print the case not that’s publishing, traditional bone of the e-book indie authors for Typically, indies. for you do So how then audio and print. first, comes Sacha publish an e-book? Blog manager actually Thoi Linh specialist production and e-book Black guide an ultimate present The ultimate guide to leveling leveling to guide ultimate The business author your up might you while a been publishing for you’ve If be a full- and possibly be making some money Orna Ross ALLi director this post, In time author. and strategies self-publishing advanced explores and develop business growth create to how it Read ment. - - - www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | | @indieauthorall www.allianceindependentauthors.org . here

dives into the whats, whys whys dives whats, the into . here gives a taster a gives on everyone’s lips in the UK for years. years. for the UK lips in on everyone’s Mark Lefebvre, Mark Now it’s happened, there are widespread impli widespread are there happened, it’s Now explains Dan Holloway editor ALLi news cations. . here indie authors, for these are what The ultimate guide to selling to guide ultimate The books children’s your if what But enough. is hard books Marketing That’s them? who buy the people aren’t readers this In authors. children’s by faced the problem up teamed Sacha Black blog manager post, Inglis Karen adviser book children’s ALLi’s with discuss to Woodard Kate member and author how and selling strategies tactics, marketing in a books language children’s sell English to it Read speaking country. non-English Helping you you Helping do the thing: your Self-Publishing blog Advice been we’ve year, this ALLi blog the On guides ultimate series of our continuing case stud life and real strategies tips, of for Brexit to guide ultimate The indie authors was Brexit to guide ultimate The wide publishing the in debates long-running many are There indie, or trad pantsing, or plotting world: writing exclu distribute to whether them is and one of widely publish as to or Amazon through sively with post, This the latter. ALLi advises as possible. thriller and consultant author from guidance author ies to help you navigate every level of of level every navigate you help to ies ALLi blog manager business. author your Black Sacha and hows—read it and hows—read - - - allianceindependentauthors. answering ALLi members’ most press most ALLi members’ answering Our #AskALLi advice sessions are sessions are advice #AskALLi Our each video livestreams as first broadcast and in YouTube on Facebook, Monday, is The podcast forum. ALLi member the at ALLi blog each Friday the on released and shownotes. transcript with full 1pm, Self episodes at: the latest Catch PublishingAdvice.org/category/ podcast-video/ they episodes as soon as the new Want favorite your out? Subscribe in come new download to player podcast up here sign Or episodes automatically. episodes go new whenever an email for allianceindependentauthors.org/ live askalli-podcast/ author’s journey, but it can also be confusing. be confusing. also but it can journey, author’s which but seem endless options The strategy advance in far How you? for right ones are it all cost? will much how And plan? you should selfpublishingadvice.org/ launch-a-self-published-book/ org/self-publish-poetry-podcast/ highlight: Recent poetry self-publishing of art and craft The books: ing questions. selfpublishingadvice.org/poetry-books/ on Insta reposts for work can submit Poets tag #indiepoetryplease. the out Check gram. Poetry with Orna Ross and Orna Ross with Poetry poet guest a to talks Orna Ross ALLi director Each month, through prosper to discussing how poet, guest of and build a community self-publishing lovers. poetry them Find here

- Howard and Dan dis and Howard allianceindependentauthors. | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org 8 | How to launch a self-published book: book: launch a self-published to How in an moment exciting the most is Launching Recent highlight: Recent org/fiction-nonfiction-podcast/ Find them here them Find here ALLi director Orna Ross and ALLi blog editor ALLi blog editor and Orna Ross ALLi director sessions advice grassroots present Sacha Black indie authors to important are that themes on all levels. at selfpublishingadvice.org/ amazon-and-libraries/ Self-Publishing Foundational Black and Sacha with Orna Ross cuss Amazon’s attack on libraries, pay homage pay on libraries, attack Amazon’s cuss and answer Ferlinghetti, Lawrence the late to non-fungible are the heck “What the question, tokens?” Amazon attacks libraries, and what are are what and libraries, attacks Amazon tokens? non-fungible Recent highlight: Recent Alli news editor Dan Holloway and multimedia Dan Holloway editor Alli news in the latest discuss Lovy Howard manager Find commentary. and indie publishing news allianceindependentauthors. them here org/self-publishing-news/ Howard Lovy and Dan Holloway and Dan Lovy Howard Self-Publishing News Podcast: News Self-Publishing

The Indie Author TheThe IndieIndie AuthorAuthor

- 11 -

literati toast the author who’s busy signing signing busy who’s the author toast literati with a long pictures and posing for hardbacks adoring fans. queue of of one element a launch is just that truth is The long in a book’s strategy marketing the overall a book of one element is just And a party life. be necessary. even not may launch–and trade-pub crucial for more launches are Book book sell in physical to aiming lished authors an indie for so necessary not They're stores. The online. books will sell most who author the shelves will be on book trade-published can the launch so time, of amount a finite for - concen to the need break—hence or be make This is also the launch period. sales into trate lists. bestseller drives what A ecosystem. a different have Indie authors influencer marketing, direct of combination yield will and algorithm marketing marketing book than any time over success more far launch can. launches can be a brilliant while book So to have do not indie authors tool, marketing can We and end-all. the be-all them make We’ll time and energies. creative our conserve the and after before books our be marketing launch period. www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | | @indieauthorall www.allianceindependentauthors.org Media coverage and PR. coverage Media and to, Social media campaigns leading up the launch. during, marketing. Email launch party. A as part or standalone either signing(s), Book a tour. of • • • • • The well established ways of drawing attention attention drawing of ways established well The are: book a new to launch is a book think indie authors Often the most not if important, the most one of campaign. marketing their part of important, well-known public and the most certainly It’s shows TV In process. the marketing part of be presented to tend launches and movies, the of members where affairs as glamorous Launching a book- Launching moment is an exciting a book Launching so there’s life–but in an indie author’s do it you should order What do. to much do you do it? Must you When should in? the to Welcome this list? on everything launching a book to guide ALLi ultimate the in launch books indie authors two no First, to a long launch period Some allow way. same out quietly. Some bring a book build publicity. what of but a suggestion guide, a strict This is not time to how do and could you launch activities advice this Use needs. your to according them, own your bringing launch, perfect your create to for optimal what’s sense of your and creativity writing demands current your for now, right you, conditions. and creative launch? is a book What the planned marketing launch is all book A in its first book, a new surrounding activities the market. in months or weeks the ALLi ultimate guide ultimate ALLi the - as possible. If there’s a topic you’d like us to to us like you’d topic a there’s If as possible. blog ALLi’s email guide, in an ultimate cover Black Sacha manager . [email protected] and books writing-craft writes Sacha Black the She edits novels. adult fantasy young man blog and Center Advice Self-Publishing conference. Advice the Self-Publishing ages and on sachablack.co.uk website her at Find her @sacha_black Twitter

—you . here | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org 10 | To the dozens of members who have given given who have members of the dozens To and examples case studies us quotes, Thank you Thank Writing a book is quite an endeavor, but once but once an endeavor, is quite Writing a book it into release you do how it edited, got you’ve range a huge have today Authors world? the and books print e-books, selling for options of them explains This post audiobooks. The indie author’s ultimate ultimate indie author’s The distribution book to guide help us make these guides as comprehensive these guides as comprehensive help us make

The Indie Author TheThe IndieIndie AuthorAuthor

- 11 -

literati toast the author who’s busy signing signing busy who’s the author toast literati with a long pictures and posing for hardbacks adoring fans. queue of of one element a launch is just that truth is The long in a book’s strategy marketing the overall a book of one element is just And a party life. be necessary. even not may launch–and trade-pub crucial for more launches are Book book sell in physical to aiming lished authors an indie for so necessary not They're stores. The online. books will sell most who author the shelves will be on book trade-published can the launch so time, of amount a finite for - concen to the need break—hence or be make This is also the launch period. sales into trate lists. bestseller drives what A ecosystem. a different have Indie authors influencer marketing, direct of combination yield will and algorithm marketing marketing book than any time over success more far launch can. launches can be a brilliant while book So to have do not indie authors tool, marketing can We and end-all. the be-all them make We’ll time and energies. creative our conserve the and after before books our be marketing launch period. www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | | @indieauthorall www.allianceindependentauthors.org Media coverage and PR. coverage Media and to, Social media campaigns leading up the launch. during, marketing. Email launch party. A as part or standalone either signing(s), Book a tour. of • • • • • The well established ways of drawing attention attention drawing of ways established well The are: book a new to launch is a book think indie authors Often the most not if important, the most one of campaign. marketing their part of important, well-known public and the most certainly It’s shows TV In process. the marketing part of be presented to tend launches and movies, the of members where affairs as glamorous Launching a book- Launching moment is an exciting a book Launching so there’s life–but in an indie author’s do it you should order What do. to much do you do it? Must you When should in? the to Welcome this list? on everything launching a book to guide ALLi ultimate the in launch books indie authors two no First, to a long launch period Some allow way. same out quietly. Some bring a book build publicity. what of but a suggestion guide, a strict This is not time to how do and could you launch activities advice this Use needs. your to according them, own your bringing launch, perfect your create to for optimal what’s sense of your and creativity writing demands current your for now, right you, conditions. and creative launch? is a book What the planned marketing launch is all book A in its first book, a new surrounding activities the market. in months or weeks the ALLi ultimate guide ultimate ALLi the - as possible. If there’s a topic you’d like us to to us like you’d topic a there’s If as possible. blog ALLi’s email guide, in an ultimate cover Black Sacha manager . [email protected] and books writing-craft writes Sacha Black the She edits novels. adult fantasy young man blog and Center Advice Self-Publishing conference. Advice the Self-Publishing ages and on sachablack.co.uk website her at Find her @sacha_black Twitter

—you . here | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org 10 | To the dozens of members who have given given who have members of the dozens To and examples case studies us quotes, Thank you Thank Writing a book is quite an endeavor, but once but once an endeavor, is quite Writing a book it into release you do how it edited, got you’ve range a huge have today Authors world? the and books print e-books, selling for options of them explains This post audiobooks. The indie author’s ultimate ultimate indie author’s The distribution book to guide help us make these guides as comprehensive these guides as comprehensive help us make

The Indie Author The Indie Author The Indie Author

13 - time. However, many authors use their blogs blogs their use authors many However, time. books, their in interest garner to strategically, attract to do, to writing them regular give to that content create to list, their to sign-ups perhaps in ways, other in repurpose they’ll but options of lots are There newsletter. their be must topic blog rule—your one important You ideal reader. your on focused narrowly followers 1,000 not true followers, 100 want of pictures cute or freebies for there who are puppy. your page 100% your Make page. author Facebook and any blog website, your with consistent add content to need You social media. other be posted this must Again, weekly. least at your If in mind. readers right your with only take can You small. it’s is small, audience it properly. grow to action the Repeat page. Central Author Amazon Think website. on that’s your information on browsing reader the average about what them tells the page sure Make Amazon. them. is for book your whether and expect to most are authors Many account. Instagram is most that the social platform on successful by Owned figure). (go wordy visual and least reach has an incredible Instagram Facebook, all Like well. done when and can sell books need a clear you the social media platforms, presence. and a consistent strategy if strategy need a clear you Again, Twitter. The books. your sell to Twitter using you’re resist the most is probably audience Twitter ant to hard-sell tactics. hard-sell to ant profile. Goodreads and bookplates postcards, flyers, Printed business cards. releases. Press • • • • • • • Should you make a book trailer? Experience trailer? Experience a book make you Should you unless much point, is not there suggests similar. or audience, YouTube a significant have swag? and giveaways organise you Should For work. these might some genres for Again, resources. of waste be a might they others, While the launch party? about what And they the day, fun on great launches are For books. of sell a small amount will only need a long- you sales success long-term it’s one book, only have you If strategy. term publishing your on a return get to hard very - www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | | @indieauthorall www.allianceindependentauthors.org Blog. The most important element of your your of element important The most Blog. The second sales page. your is website blog is A system. email collection your is be not blog may A essential. but is not third, takes as it especially all, at you suitable for an exclusive epilogue. If you write non-fiction, non-fiction, write you If epilogue. an exclusive sheet. cheat a it’s perhaps magnet. reader your deliver to method A will need website the author your Either third-party a need you’ll or technology, BookFunnel) the ever-excellent (like service the and deliver the email address collect to book. best very the to finished manuscript Your then re-revised, read, beta ability, your of edit, (developmental edited professionally this. on skimp Don’t edit and proofread). copy this process through you put book The first time of terms in expensive, the most will be about wiser get you’ll that, After and money. weaknesses. and strengths your and on brand. on genre cover, book quality A you cover first the Also, skimp. don’t Again, With expensive. the most will be commission needs. your about wiser be you’ll books, later - Re this. time on Spend description. Book genre your in authors bestselling the search use and approach. word their and mimic your Research and keywords. Categories on work two’s or An hour titles. comparison come. to years dividends for will pay this book your the portion of This is matter. Front early Your the sample. see on readers that into a curious browser can convert chapters the hit they sure Make reader. a brand-new marks. right important the most This is one of matter. End you where platform, author your in bricks newslet website, your to readers your guide them want you wherever page, Patreon ter, a nice Offer a review. leave to them Ask go. to - appro if newsletter, your joining for freebie where to links give editions, In e-book priate. edition, print your In go. to them want you readable. easily the links make • • • • • • • • Pre-launch nice-to-haves Pre-launch these tick self-publishers experienced Most you might book, first your it’s But if too. boxes one. Choose just them all. time for have not - Website. Get an author website as soon as website an author Get Website. book. your finish you before even possible, the start. from website transactional it a Make newsletter. your for provider service list Email Your and ConvertKit. Mailchimp are Examples addresses will collect provider email service in an and fans readers potential your of some correspond automate way, organized and newsletters, send announcements ence, will become email list That and much else. time. over asset important most your This work. your this suits if magnet, Reader give to readers potential entice to is a gift It details. contact other or an email address included poems not of be a collection might or a prequel maybe the published book, in • • • If you’re a multi-book author, you’ll find yourself yourself find you’ll author, a multi-book you’re If Not book. to book from approach your varying the warrant will launch big treatment. every is (which release using rapid are who Authors already and have genre) every for suitable not their will find a series for following built a strong the next is getting mid-series, marketing, best launch will choose low-level they out—so book activities. time more have less often who publish Authors more make to want will launches and between book. with each new a splash of the also influence publish in can you The genre adult, young In expect. launch readers type of with lead-in launch longer a expect readers Romance and giveaways. events outreach, more with a teams street active have often authors is an Urban fantasy social media activity. of lot successful of a lot where a genre of example thus lean and in Kindle Unlimited are authors authors Literary model. release the rapid towards influencer do more to need generally and poets marketing. a create to job is your publish, you Whatever well, you serves that launch model repeatable you time of the amount consideration taking into the audience, existing your budget, your have, previously, you for worked have that methods may goals—which your importantly, and most as a publisher. develop you as evolve Pre-launch essentials Pre-launch without book publish a indie authors day, Every them. be one of Don’t these basics. It can garner a lot of exposure for your book. your for exposure of a lot It can garner with possible start best the book your It gives sales. early lists. bestseller into book your It can get of achievement your celebrate you It lets world! the into bringing a book | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | • • • • 12 Types of launches of Types on falls launching a book in life, everything Like the big launch: big one end is At a continuum. pre-order giveaways, times, long lead-in events, roadshows, podcast livestreams, incentives, the quieter end is the other On big ad spend. do some easy email list, your launch: notify soft and perhaps run some ads. promo Many authors’ expectations for their launch are launch are their for expectations authors’ Many for the budgets us have of but few sky-high on buses. advertisements or tours international which can be done online, a huge amount Also, cost-effective. more also is and reach wider a has to like you’d the elements know you So once cost will much it how exactly out figure include, business model. overall your fits that and how work we self-publishers as creative Remember, don’t promotion—so long-term continuous by on one year whole the for budget your blow launch. book 3 Budget Got some ideas? Great! But also, have a look at at a look have But also, Great! some ideas? Got clues for look Especially, done. have others what even might You it. achieved they about how advice. for them and ask to out reach 2 Research Take time to think through how you’d like to to like you’d how through think time to Take to it like you’d what launch and book your run would What big. to dream yourself Allow involve. get (We’ll you? to like launch look the perfect Maybe in a minute.) and achievability reality to viral a or a big signing the idea of to drawn you’re down write to moments a few Take campaign. thoughts. your 1 Brainstorm Where to to begin Where Having said that, there are many good reasons good reasons many are there that, said Having launch: on a book embark to Why have a book launch? a book have Why

The Indie Author The Indie Author The Indie Author

13 - time. However, many authors use their blogs blogs their use authors many However, time. books, their in interest garner to strategically, attract to do, to writing them regular give to that content create to list, their to sign-ups perhaps in ways, other in repurpose they’ll but options of lots are There newsletter. their be must topic blog rule—your one important You ideal reader. your on focused narrowly followers 1,000 not true followers, 100 want of pictures cute or freebies for there who are puppy. your page 100% your Make page. author Facebook and any blog website, your with consistent add content to need You social media. other be posted this must Again, weekly. least at your If in mind. readers right your with only take can You small. it’s is small, audience it properly. grow to action the Repeat page. Central Author Amazon Think website. on that’s your information on browsing reader the average about what them tells the page sure Make Amazon. them. is for book your whether and expect to most are authors Many account. Instagram is most that the social platform on successful by Owned figure). (go wordy visual and least reach has an incredible Instagram Facebook, all Like well. done when and can sell books need a clear you the social media platforms, presence. and a consistent strategy if strategy need a clear you Again, Twitter. The books. your sell to Twitter using you’re resist the most is probably audience Twitter ant to hard-sell tactics. hard-sell to ant profile. Goodreads and bookplates postcards, flyers, Printed business cards. releases. Press • • • • • • • Should you make a book trailer? Experience trailer? Experience a book make you Should you unless much point, is not there suggests similar. or audience, YouTube a significant have swag? and giveaways organise you Should For work. these might some genres for Again, resources. of waste be a might they others, While the launch party? about what And they the day, fun on great launches are For books. of sell a small amount will only need a long- you sales success long-term it’s one book, only have you If strategy. term publishing your on a return get to hard very - www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | | @indieauthorall www.allianceindependentauthors.org Blog. The most important element of your your of element important The most Blog. The second sales page. your is website blog is A system. email collection your is be not blog may A essential. but is not third, takes as it especially all, at you suitable for an exclusive epilogue. If you write non-fiction, non-fiction, write you If epilogue. an exclusive sheet. cheat a it’s perhaps magnet. reader your deliver to method A will need website the author your Either third-party a need you’ll or technology, BookFunnel) the ever-excellent (like service the and deliver the email address collect to book. best very the to finished manuscript Your then re-revised, read, beta ability, your of edit, (developmental edited professionally this. on skimp Don’t edit and proofread). copy this process through you put book The first time of terms in expensive, the most will be about wiser get you’ll that, After and money. weaknesses. and strengths your and on brand. on genre cover, book quality A you cover first the Also, skimp. don’t Again, With expensive. the most will be commission needs. your about wiser be you’ll books, later - Re this. time on Spend description. Book genre your in authors bestselling the search use and approach. word their and mimic your Research and keywords. Categories on work two’s or An hour titles. comparison come. to years dividends for will pay this book your the portion of This is matter. Front early Your the sample. see on readers that into a curious browser can convert chapters the hit they sure Make reader. a brand-new marks. right important the most This is one of matter. End you where platform, author your in bricks newslet website, your to readers your guide them want you wherever page, Patreon ter, a nice Offer a review. leave to them Ask go. to - appro if newsletter, your joining for freebie where to links give editions, In e-book priate. edition, print your In go. to them want you readable. easily the links make • • • • • • • • Pre-launch nice-to-haves Pre-launch these tick self-publishers experienced Most you might book, first your it’s But if too. boxes one. Choose just them all. time for have not - Website. Get an author website as soon as website an author Get Website. book. your finish you before even possible, the start. from website transactional it a Make newsletter. your for provider service list Email Your and ConvertKit. Mailchimp are Examples addresses will collect provider email service in an and fans readers potential your of some correspond automate way, organized and newsletters, send announcements ence, will become email list That and much else. time. over asset important most your This work. your this suits if magnet, Reader give to readers potential entice to is a gift It details. contact other or an email address included poems not of be a collection might or a prequel maybe the published book, in • • • If you’re a multi-book author, you’ll find yourself yourself find you’ll author, a multi-book you’re If Not book. to book from approach your varying the warrant will launch big treatment. every is (which release using rapid are who Authors already and have genre) every for suitable not their will find a series for following built a strong the next is getting mid-series, marketing, best launch will choose low-level they out—so book activities. time more have less often who publish Authors more make to want will launches and between book. with each new a splash of the also influence publish in can you The genre adult, young In expect. launch readers type of with lead-in launch longer a expect readers Romance and giveaways. events outreach, more with a teams street active have often authors is an Urban fantasy social media activity. of lot successful of a lot where a genre of example thus lean and in Kindle Unlimited are authors authors Literary model. release the rapid towards influencer do more to need generally and poets marketing. a create to job is your publish, you Whatever well, you serves that launch model repeatable you time of the amount consideration taking into the audience, existing your budget, your have, previously, you for worked have that methods may goals—which your importantly, and most as a publisher. develop you as evolve Pre-launch essentials Pre-launch without book publish a indie authors day, Every them. be one of Don’t these basics. It can garner a lot of exposure for your book. your for exposure of a lot It can garner with possible start best the book your It gives sales. early lists. bestseller into book your It can get of achievement your celebrate you It lets world! the into bringing a book | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | • • • • 12 Types of launches of Types on falls launching a book in life, everything Like the big launch: big one end is At a continuum. pre-order giveaways, times, long lead-in events, roadshows, podcast livestreams, incentives, the quieter end is the other On big ad spend. do some easy email list, your launch: notify soft and perhaps run some ads. promo Many authors’ expectations for their launch are launch are their for expectations authors’ Many for the budgets us have of but few sky-high on buses. advertisements or tours international which can be done online, a huge amount Also, cost-effective. more also is and reach wider a has to like you’d the elements know you So once cost will much it how exactly out figure include, business model. overall your fits that and how work we self-publishers as creative Remember, don’t promotion—so long-term continuous by on one year whole the for budget your blow launch. book 3 Budget Got some ideas? Great! But also, have a look at at a look have But also, Great! some ideas? Got clues for look Especially, done. have others what even might You it. achieved they about how advice. for them and ask to out reach 2 Research Take time to think through how you’d like to to like you’d how through think time to Take to it like you’d what launch and book your run would What big. to dream yourself Allow involve. get (We’ll you? to like launch look the perfect Maybe in a minute.) and achievability reality to viral a or a big signing the idea of to drawn you’re down write to moments a few Take campaign. thoughts. your 1 Brainstorm Where to to begin Where Having said that, there are many good reasons good reasons many are there that, said Having launch: on a book embark to Why have a book launch? a book have Why

The Indie Author The Indie Author

15 . - s h . r d t i r k K 1 a . w U 1

u

2 w o s i 2 d a r l

n l 0 e o 5 a t o 2

a i 1

, r . S y h 0 n b

U t W o

3

r s e g r e n h o n n i t h d

u n n o o g n J / i J n

e i f - y d

d m W b u

r

l h l o y a i c b 0 a c n w

s i .

o d m ,

i s e e H y 0 l

r r l b b o n i

e s y r g l t i 0 n b o l i o

o , e r r e

p a n s s u i 5

C l e w ,

i n r r d g o t a p $ n

e n n t a

i i

y u -

y o m n h c b f b t n

n a u t n l i i s B e S k o v w e o e M o S s B W provide two extra opportunities to talk the about talk to opportunities extra two provide when and the giveaway promoting book—while announcing winners. the promos 4 Newsletter you price, a discounted launching at you’re If in a news booking a promotion consider might letter like BookBub or Written Word Media. Indie Media. Word Written BookBub or like letter list has a great Gaughran David expert marketing this should do You . here of newsletters reliable launch because many before weeks four least at weeks several booked fully are the newsletters of ahead. copies 5 Send review now already, copies review sent haven’t you If at require readers most Remember, time. the is book. your through get to notice a month’s least www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | | @indieauthorall www.allianceindependentauthors.org 4 Growth tasks 4 Growth to try to idea a good it’s launch, every Before to media reach and social mailing list your boost launch to audience an as large have you ensure to try launch, first your isn’t this If as possible. to books. existing your on reviews more garner team and review team a street 5 Create who people of is a collection team street A tasks: the following all of with some or you help their telling day; on launch reviews posting your social media; sharing on friends; posting If information. and other details book cover, practice best it’s team, a review creating you’re the book. read to a month them around give to to when know time they so them Alert ahead of full plates. very have often it—reviewers expect and order print organize, appropriate, 6 If merchandise but now’s merchandise, creates everyone Not for bookplates or bookmarks order to time the it’s these in advance, order you If signed copies. launch. to about closer worry to one less job ahead weeks Four matter and back front Tweak 1 should you out, a book got already you’ve If and back the front to book upcoming your add and include a pre-order there’s if Mention matter. stores. the distribution to then re-upload the link, reveal 2 Cover reveal? the cover of an event make you Should Some authors this. over much debate There’s a huge find it’s Others response. is little there find of The effectiveness pre-orders. for encourager genre, your with vary to is likely reveal a cover You you. for works what see to so experiment you’re video—where “unboxing” might try an for book your of copy see a print you filmed as with 14 article BookBub has a great time. the first videos . here unboxing and giveaways Teasers 3 a social media or a mailing list have you Whether These teasers. share can always you presence, poems or of book a novel, from be quotes could book. nonfiction a how-to tips from or memoir and always teasers your out spread to Be sure the buy or can pre-order readers where to link launch a giveaway. to time This is a great book. and book your around hype will generate It

Photo credit: Marten Bjork | Unsplash - -

do something with them. Some authors put them put Some authors them. with something pages. matter in additional front or on covers, them. with social media posts create Others in advance. These can all be prepped ers. Influencers are known names in your indus your names in known are Influencers ers. your designer who will send you the final cover. the final you will send who designer your and magnet reader your create appropriate, 2 If it deliver you’ll choose how influencers with connections 3 Seek influenc to out reaching start to time the This is and more. podcasters websites, try—bloggers, nail to about how post an in-depth have We seeking a you’re If . here marketing influencer promotion, influencer kind of other or testimonial be busy. to bound they’re time as of plenty allow Three months ahead months Three and social media bloggers podcasts, 1 Pitch to ship books time enough you have so influencers interviews and arrange articles and other posts pillar 2 Create pitching you’re slots, post guest secured you’ve If write to wanting you’re media mainstream or write to a good idea it’s site, own your for content as one less pressure Then it’s these in advance. approaches. launch date and social media graphics testimonial 3 Create posts testimonials, secure to managed you’ve If to forget don’t on, early blurbs and reviews | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | 14 Last, it’s time to get your cover designed. Lots of of Lots designed. cover your get to time it’s Last, designed first. cover the e-book have authors and proofed the completed, have you Once cover the can finalise you manuscript formatted template the cover the paperback—generate for to and send it IngramSpark or Amazon through Then you’ll want to create your book blurb, blurb, book your create to want you’ll Then your for and categories keywords your choose metadata. You’ll also want to assign ISBNs, according to to according assign ISBNs, to want also You’ll more Learn publishing. you’re formats many how . here ISBNs about Some authors do this much closer to their launch their to this much closer do Some authors finished drafting have to need you’ll But date. You’ll launch. you before book your and editing it and ordered formatted have to also need right. is just everything check to copies proof 1 Finish key publishing tasks publishing 1 Finish key Six months ahead months Six Timeline for a book launch a book for Timeline organised launch, a book for timetable a Here’s priority. of order in rough investment, so your priority should be writing a should be priority your so investment, can attract you the meantime, In book. second perhaps , mailing list your to subscribers new You magnet. reader your blog or your using using magnet reader your can advertise and StoryOrigin. such as BookSweeps services

The Indie Author The Indie Author

15 . - s h . r d t i r k K 1 a . w U 1

u

2 w o s i 2 d a r l

n l 0 e o 5 a t o 2

a i 1

, r . S y h 0 n b

U t W o

3

r s e g r e n h o n n i t h d

u n n o o g n J / i J n

e i f - y d

d m W b u

r

l h l o y a i c b 0 a c n w

s i .

o d m ,

i s e e H y 0 l

r r l b b o n i

e s y r g l t i 0 n b o l i o

o , e r r e

p a n s s u i 5

C l e w ,

i n r r d g o t a p $ n

e n n t a

i i

y u -

y o m n h c b f b t n

n a u t n l i i s B e S k o v w e o e M o S s B W provide two extra opportunities to talk the about talk to opportunities extra two provide when and the giveaway promoting book—while announcing winners. the promos 4 Newsletter you price, a discounted launching at you’re If in a news booking a promotion consider might letter like BookBub or Written Word Media. Indie Media. Word Written BookBub or like letter list has a great Gaughran David expert marketing this should do You . here of newsletters reliable launch because many before weeks four least at weeks several booked fully are the newsletters of ahead. copies 5 Send review now already, copies review sent haven’t you If at require readers most Remember, time. the is book. your through get to notice a month’s least www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | | @indieauthorall www.allianceindependentauthors.org 4 Growth tasks 4 Growth to try to idea a good it’s launch, every Before to media reach and social mailing list your boost launch to audience an as large have you ensure to try launch, first your isn’t this If as possible. to books. existing your on reviews more garner team and review team a street 5 Create who people of is a collection team street A tasks: the following all of with some or you help their telling day; on launch reviews posting your social media; sharing on friends; posting If information. and other details book cover, practice best it’s team, a review creating you’re the book. read to a month them around give to to when know time they so them Alert ahead of full plates. very have often it—reviewers expect and order print organize, appropriate, 6 If merchandise but now’s merchandise, creates everyone Not for bookplates or bookmarks order to time the it’s these in advance, order you If signed copies. launch. to about closer worry to one less job ahead weeks Four matter and back front Tweak 1 should you out, a book got already you’ve If and back the front to book upcoming your add and include a pre-order there’s if Mention matter. stores. the distribution to then re-upload the link, reveal 2 Cover reveal? the cover of an event make you Should Some authors this. over much debate There’s a huge find it’s Others response. is little there find of The effectiveness pre-orders. for encourager genre, your with vary to is likely reveal a cover You you. for works what see to so experiment you’re video—where “unboxing” might try an for book your of copy see a print you filmed as with 14 article BookBub has a great time. the first videos . here unboxing and giveaways Teasers 3 a social media or a mailing list have you Whether These teasers. share can always you presence, poems or of book a novel, from be quotes could book. nonfiction a how-to tips from or memoir and always teasers your out spread to Be sure the buy or can pre-order readers where to link launch a giveaway. to time This is a great book. and book your around hype will generate It

Photo credit: Marten Bjork | Unsplash - -

do something with them. Some authors put them put Some authors them. with something pages. matter in additional front or on covers, them. with social media posts create Others in advance. These can all be prepped ers. Influencers are known names in your indus your names in known are Influencers ers. your designer who will send you the final cover. the final you will send who designer your and magnet reader your create appropriate, 2 If it deliver you’ll choose how influencers with connections 3 Seek influenc to out reaching start to time the This is and more. podcasters websites, try—bloggers, nail to about how post an in-depth have We seeking a you’re If . here marketing influencer promotion, influencer kind of other or testimonial be busy. to bound they’re time as of plenty allow Three months ahead months Three and social media bloggers podcasts, 1 Pitch to ship books time enough you have so influencers interviews and arrange articles and other posts pillar 2 Create pitching you’re slots, post guest secured you’ve If write to wanting you’re media mainstream or write to a good idea it’s site, own your for content as one less pressure Then it’s these in advance. approaches. launch date and social media graphics testimonial 3 Create posts testimonials, secure to managed you’ve If to forget don’t on, early blurbs and reviews | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | 14 Last, it’s time to get your cover designed. Lots of of Lots designed. cover your get to time it’s Last, designed first. cover the e-book have authors and proofed the completed, have you Once cover the can finalise you manuscript formatted template the cover the paperback—generate for to and send it IngramSpark or Amazon through Then you’ll want to create your book blurb, blurb, book your create to want you’ll Then your for and categories keywords your choose metadata. You’ll also want to assign ISBNs, according to to according assign ISBNs, to want also You’ll more Learn publishing. you’re formats many how . here ISBNs about Some authors do this much closer to their launch their to this much closer do Some authors finished drafting have to need you’ll But date. You’ll launch. you before book your and editing it and ordered formatted have to also need right. is just everything check to copies proof 1 Finish key publishing tasks publishing 1 Finish key Six months ahead months Six Timeline for a book launch a book for Timeline organised launch, a book for timetable a Here’s priority. of order in rough investment, so your priority should be writing a should be priority your so investment, can attract you the meantime, In book. second perhaps , mailing list your to subscribers new You magnet. reader your blog or your using using magnet reader your can advertise and StoryOrigin. such as BookSweeps services

The Indie Author The Indie Author

- 17

—they were —they enrolling a book a book enrolling — even the KDP team can’t can’t team the KDP even

, author of women’s fiction, fiction, women’s of author , — , author of historical fiction, fiction, historical of author , launch, the book hit Amazon’s #1 Bestseller in #1 Bestseller Amazon’s hit the book launch, categories. several about doing a a little nervous was I “Although well.” out so worked it event, live Adams Kristina books writing craft and romance “I made a big mistake into Kindle Unlimited (KU) while it was up for up for was while it (KU) Kindle Unlimited into the above icon an gets The book pre-order. it out take can’t You it’ll be in KU. saying price it goes live until take it out. It’s then publicized as in KU which as in KU then publicized It’s it out. take figures.” pre-order your murders inspirational of author , B Mann Lynn non-fiction online my with so organized was I thought “I the and dotted Ts all crossed and had launch, e-book my only why understand I couldn’t Is. thinking I kept Amazon. up on showing was the book print that the day throughout when I I realized; day The next appear. would over paperback my for the metadata checked and resubmitted saved I hadn’t weekend, the I sold quite ‘in review’. left was paperback My it. event a Facebook after copies a few e-books, but think I could’ve sold some paper I could’ve think but e-books, backs too. Never mind, we live and learn.” live we mind, Never too. backs Brady Ann for books and picture romance Regency children what matter it doesn’t the day the end of “At can You promotion. of way the do in you it at everything throw and best very the do buy, to the readers on the mood is not but if do a you when is worst The buy. won’t they promotions, offer advertise, You launch. live www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | | @indieauthorall www.allianceindependentauthors.org , , mysticism memoirist mysticism , Hits and misses: and Hits share members ALLi Puglisi and Becca Ackerman Angela writers for books of authors targeting by work launch first made our “We to all would appeal that a specific emotion We gratitude genre: what no matter writers, Kindness for of Acts the Random created show to writers allowed which Blitz, Writers who have others for deep appreciation their This allowed writing path. the them on helped a need satisfy the book, tie the to launch to us gave we tool writing a from value and offer away.” M Sanderson Candice launch. book last my hosted daughter “My the was launch in were lockdown, we Because believe not I could event. Live via a Facebook was. it successful how events people during live seen so many “I’ve those from the comments up in wrapped get I So the audience. lose they that watching, of care take someone else having recommend you with posts them share let traffic; the online interviewed daughter My when appropriate. of the status husband checked while her me would He pipe responding. were who those questions or with comments then and in now answer. would I that I made a before. days a few advertised “We would we that and added post, the Date Save the event, into 15 minutes at attendance take be included in would present were who and all son-in-law With my book. a free for a drawing was so that traffic, the online of taking care do. to easy to people go friends suggested author “Also, They the book. and buy immediately Amazon the book’s boost would it how mentioned one-hour that During worked. It visibility. book launch stories launch book - - specifically, but if you’re a wide a you’re but if specifically, Goodreads BookBub Central Author Amazon On On On easy link to send readers to the Amazon Amazon the to send readers to link easy • • • Post launch Post Many the back. on a pat yourself give all, of First the into dive we before celebrate to us forget of a moment take So project. the next or book next achieved you the fact the launch and savor to books, more write to time Then it’s goal. your advertis continue magnet, a reader have you If - contin to sign-ups, newsletter generate to ing it book. next your for audience your grow to ue Launch day Launch book your 1 Claim have already may you had a pre-order, you If these sites. on some of book your claimed author the you’re ensures book your Claiming page. the sales with associated launch your Announce 2 the announce to decided you’ve However socials, your on Post time. the is now launch, It’s running. adverts set newsletter, your email the rooftops. shout from to time team review your 3 Remind them it’s tell team, a review gathered you’ve If sales pages. your on a review leave to time Chesson has Dave expert Digital marketing an location review author you should also ask reviewers to post on post to reviewers should also ask you author as possible. stores as many and autoresponders website your 4 Update your website, your update is live, book your Once one. have you if store your pages, listings book your on bio—both your in mentions any Check bio your such as places, and in other website you If platforms. on social media info graphical platform, mailing list your on use autoresponders new your show to updated they’re sure make email add a new appropriate, If with links. book, sequence. in your | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | 16 Send out your final emails to any reviewers or or reviewers to any emails final your Send out as job as easy their Make members. team street with share to them images for Create possible. your and images of reviews or quotes snappy title series and title, the them blurb, Give books. An efficient Amazon. just not all places, to links accessible it in an easily store to this is do to way can access they where Google Drive like location to repeatedly have won’t you way, That will. at Also include information. the same send out and links website yourself—bio, about information headshot. 6 Organize your street team street your 6 Organize Shareables are images with your cover, quotes, quotes, cover, your with images are Shareables you that book your about information or reviews Each social media social media. to can share this so requirements, size has different platform you the sizes has all but Canva a pain, is a bit of free. need and it’s 5 Create shareables 5 Create If you mentioned your pre-order in your other other your in pre-order your mentioned you If your add Otherwise, it now. update books, your of matter and back the front to book new live. it’s once books existing 4 If you have other books, update front and back and back front update books, other have you 4 If as appropriate matter - announce run newsletter to intending you’re If them and schedule write can you ments, systems email management Most beforehand. You’ll in advance. schedule posts to you will allow posts, schedule announcements, to want also social your on and countdowns teasers memes, do it to having not you’re so media platforms daily. 3 Schedule your newsletter announcements newsletter your 3 Schedule If you haven’t done this already, it’s time to load to time it’s this already, done haven’t you If sites—Kobo, chosen distributor your to book your etc. Amazon Apple, 2 Upload your book your 2 Upload It’s always worth doing one more final proof proof final more doing one worth always It’s before the e-book and the paperback both of blurb and sales your check Also, hit publish. you and structure the formatting sure make to pages and keywords categories the Check correct. look editorial have you If metadata. book your in the sales on included they’re sure make reviews, page. 1 Check, check and check again check and check 1 Check, Launch week Launch

The Indie Author The Indie Author

- 17

—they were —they enrolling a book a book enrolling — even the KDP team can’t can’t team the KDP even

, author of women’s fiction, fiction, women’s of author , — , author of historical fiction, fiction, historical of author , launch, the book hit Amazon’s #1 Bestseller in #1 Bestseller Amazon’s hit the book launch, categories. several about doing a a little nervous was I “Although well.” out so worked it event, live Adams Kristina books writing craft and romance “I made a big mistake into Kindle Unlimited (KU) while it was up for up for was while it (KU) Kindle Unlimited into the above icon an gets The book pre-order. it out take can’t You it’ll be in KU. saying price it goes live until take it out. It’s then publicized as in KU which as in KU then publicized It’s it out. take figures.” pre-order your murders inspirational of author , B Mann Lynn non-fiction online my with so organized was I thought “I the and dotted Ts all crossed and had launch, e-book my only why understand I couldn’t Is. thinking I kept Amazon. up on showing was the book print that the day throughout when I I realized; day The next appear. would over paperback my for the metadata checked and resubmitted saved I hadn’t weekend, the I sold quite ‘in review’. left was paperback My it. event a Facebook after copies a few e-books, but think I could’ve sold some paper I could’ve think but e-books, backs too. Never mind, we live and learn.” live we mind, Never too. backs Brady Ann for books and picture romance Regency children what matter it doesn’t the day the end of “At can You promotion. of way the do in you it at everything throw and best very the do buy, to the readers on the mood is not but if do a you when is worst The buy. won’t they promotions, offer advertise, You launch. live www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | | @indieauthorall www.allianceindependentauthors.org , , mysticism memoirist mysticism , Hits and misses: and Hits share members ALLi Puglisi and Becca Ackerman Angela writers for books of authors targeting by work launch first made our “We to all would appeal that a specific emotion We gratitude genre: what no matter writers, Kindness for of Acts the Random created show to writers allowed which Blitz, Writers who have others for deep appreciation their This allowed writing path. the them on helped a need satisfy the book, tie the to launch to us gave we tool writing a from value and offer away.” M Sanderson Candice launch. book last my hosted daughter “My the was launch in were lockdown, we Because believe not I could event. Live via a Facebook was. it successful how events people during live seen so many “I’ve those from the comments up in wrapped get I So the audience. lose they that watching, of care take someone else having recommend you with posts them share let traffic; the online interviewed daughter My when appropriate. of the status husband checked while her me would He pipe responding. were who those questions or with comments then and in now answer. would I that I made a before. days a few advertised “We would we that and added post, the Date Save the event, into 15 minutes at attendance take be included in would present were who and all son-in-law With my book. a free for a drawing was so that traffic, the online of taking care do. to easy to people go friends suggested author “Also, They the book. and buy immediately Amazon the book’s boost would it how mentioned one-hour that During worked. It visibility. book launch stories launch book - - specifically, but if you’re a wide a you’re but if specifically, Goodreads BookBub Central Author Amazon On On On easy link to send readers to the Amazon Amazon the to send readers to link easy • • • Post launch Post Many the back. on a pat yourself give all, of First the into dive we before celebrate to us forget of a moment take So project. the next or book next achieved you the fact the launch and savor to books, more write to time Then it’s goal. your advertis continue magnet, a reader have you If - contin to sign-ups, newsletter generate to ing it book. next your for audience your grow to ue Launch day Launch book your 1 Claim have already may you had a pre-order, you If these sites. on some of book your claimed author the you’re ensures book your Claiming page. the sales with associated launch your Announce 2 the announce to decided you’ve However socials, your on Post time. the is now launch, It’s running. adverts set newsletter, your email the rooftops. shout from to time team review your 3 Remind them it’s tell team, a review gathered you’ve If sales pages. your on a review leave to time Chesson has Dave expert Digital marketing an location review author you should also ask reviewers to post on post to reviewers should also ask you author as possible. stores as many and autoresponders website your 4 Update your website, your update is live, book your Once one. have you if store your pages, listings book your on bio—both your in mentions any Check bio your such as places, and in other website you If platforms. on social media info graphical platform, mailing list your on use autoresponders new your show to updated they’re sure make email add a new appropriate, If with links. book, sequence. in your | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | 16 Send out your final emails to any reviewers or or reviewers to any emails final your Send out as job as easy their Make members. team street with share to them images for Create possible. your and images of reviews or quotes snappy title series and title, the them blurb, Give books. An efficient Amazon. just not all places, to links accessible it in an easily store to this is do to way can access they where Google Drive like location to repeatedly have won’t you way, That will. at Also include information. the same send out and links website yourself—bio, about information headshot. 6 Organize your street team street your 6 Organize Shareables are images with your cover, quotes, quotes, cover, your with images are Shareables you that book your about information or reviews Each social media social media. to can share this so requirements, size has different platform you the sizes has all but Canva a pain, is a bit of free. need and it’s 5 Create shareables 5 Create If you mentioned your pre-order in your other other your in pre-order your mentioned you If your add Otherwise, it now. update books, your of matter and back the front to book new live. it’s once books existing 4 If you have other books, update front and back and back front update books, other have you 4 If as appropriate matter - announce run newsletter to intending you’re If them and schedule write can you ments, systems email management Most beforehand. You’ll in advance. schedule posts to you will allow posts, schedule announcements, to want also social your on and countdowns teasers memes, do it to having not you’re so media platforms daily. 3 Schedule your newsletter announcements newsletter your 3 Schedule If you haven’t done this already, it’s time to load to time it’s this already, done haven’t you If sites—Kobo, chosen distributor your to book your etc. Amazon Apple, 2 Upload your book your 2 Upload It’s always worth doing one more final proof proof final more doing one worth always It’s before the e-book and the paperback both of blurb and sales your check Also, hit publish. you and structure the formatting sure make to pages and keywords categories the Check correct. look editorial have you If metadata. book your in the sales on included they’re sure make reviews, page. 1 Check, check and check again check and check 1 Check, Launch week Launch

The Indie Author The Indie Author

- 19 - -

Writemonkey.com ”If you’re a visual planner, Trello is a Trello visual planner, a you’re ”If organise to wiki ”I use it as a private hand posi natural much more “A and formatting writing “Great a DIY to novelists “Enables “Although I’m a fast touch-typist, touch-typist, I’m a fast “Although RSI pain in hands and ”Eliminates your fit to adjustable “Totally you your with alone “Leaves Trello.com

software listmaking Trello you said What with different writing, your to organise way great writing projects. or books your each of for boards organise you help to and cards It also has lists tasks.” your software organization note DokuWiki you said What DocuWi writing and marketing.” on notes all my you said What 3M.co.uk mouse.” than a conventional tion tool editing and formatting Reedsy’s you said What Reedsy.com/write-a-book/ authors.” for tool book-writing-software-faq soft eliminating distraction Writemonkey editing software creative Fictionary you said What time and money.” saving edit, developmental Fictionary.co/ ki.org pen fountain Lady Parker Vintage you said What as brain my part of the creative taps into nothing ParkerPen.com hand.” writing by as readily keyboard ergonomic Sculpt Microsoft you said What Microsoft.com wrists.” split hinged keyboard ergonomic Goldtouch you said What a for life-saver A preferences. particular body’s Goldtouch.com RSI sufferer.” lifelong mouse ergonomic 3M joystick ware you said What thoughts words.” and

- www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | | @indieauthorall www.allianceindependentauthors.org

, author, social media social author, , “So visual and it works on Windows Windows on works visual and it “So

“Love the drag-and-drop function function the drag-and-drop “Love The tools “Power wordsmiths. for into text of “Expands a short piece non-fiction organising for tool “Top literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/

Tim Lewis Tim members use? members What tools tools What ALLi do day in, day all use, we do tech What out? and editing Writing organis and book processing word Scrivener ing app you said What for the inspector I use in order. write as I never each project, for folder the research notes, plot manuscript my keep targets project the and track.” on overview outlining planning and story book Plottr software you said What creation.” novel Turbo-charges and Mac. getplottr.com/ search dictionary OneLook you said What thesaurus puts Roget its conceptual of versatility OneLook.com shame.” to and expander text keyword Express Phrase tool autotext you said What writing difficult useful for Especially text. a longer as names and placenames and long character in non-fiction sections text repetitive as for well PhraseExpress.com. books.” software management research Zotero you said What Zotero.org/ research.” specialist and host of ALLi’s weekly weekly ALLi’s of and host specialist this threw Twitter, on #indieAuthorChat members ALLi Facebook the to question the and in, poured Nominations forum. for tools 100 must-have of a list is result and production design, editing, writing, distribution , author of epic fantasy of author , investment. I believe the best time to publish publish to time the best I believe investment. me explain. Let yesterday. is an e-book very very, is releases new for “The marketplace If so much. not buyers with sellers; crowded have certainly will you book, first your this is your let to need You travel. to a long road you that, Beyond out. it’s know social circle garnering reviews for strategy plan a to need and slowly done is best That and marketing. a put into you effort The more systematically. to is likely the comedown the bigger launch, and it spectacularly, succeed it doesn’t be if you way the in not or won’t, certainly almost Save energy. your Save time. your Take hope. long haul.” the for ready Get money. your Julius C K the schedule to was near-mistake recent “A epic my of version the omnibus launch of run a to set was I before week a books fantasy the on before) months for (paid big promotion Countdown with Kindle the series, of book first promotion the then realized I the rest. deals on the the same as be almost would price because I’m Fortunately, full price. omnibus at as plus among many the publisher—another the omnibus push back to able was an indie—I month. the following launch until expect to learned is lesson I’ve “The biggest yourself give to glitches, will be a few there if (even right everything get to time of plenty a previously from means pushing back that can you everything read to date), determined beforehand, Gaughran David by hold of get the day.” fun on have to then and , author of urban fantasy and urban fantasy of author , pre-orders, advertising pushes and so advertising pre-orders, — | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org 18 | “I have tried all sorts of launch tactics over the over tactics launch tried all sorts of “I have years Hayden Mark crime have everything in place and then it rains or or then it rains and in place everything have a major or match, a rugby there’s or snows, out are efforts your whole of the and disaster when it that’s work does However, window. the run and over bowled are you because great ” off your feet. “I’d still say that expending a lot of time, time, of a lot expending that say still “I’d a good *not* on a launch is and money effort “I am conscious that people could say “It’s all “It’s say people could that “I am conscious genuinely Amazon because you…” for right - pre who’ve people to book does push my the spike I can see work. my bought viously of a couple comes normally that in sales have you if works This only launch. after weeks and a followers Facebook readers, established that? have don’t you if What mailing list. on. The only thing I bother with now is to notify notify to is with now thing I bother The only on. on Facebook. a post and stick mailing list my

The Indie Author The Indie Author

- 19 - -

Writemonkey.com ”If you’re a visual planner, Trello is a Trello visual planner, a you’re ”If organise to wiki ”I use it as a private hand posi natural much more “A and formatting writing “Great a DIY to novelists “Enables “Although I’m a fast touch-typist, touch-typist, I’m a fast “Although RSI pain in hands and ”Eliminates your fit to adjustable “Totally you your with alone “Leaves Trello.com

software listmaking Trello you said What with different writing, your to organise way great writing projects. or books your each of for boards organise you help to and cards It also has lists tasks.” your software organization note DokuWiki you said What DocuWi writing and marketing.” on notes all my you said What 3M.co.uk mouse.” than a conventional tion tool editing and formatting Reedsy’s you said What Reedsy.com/write-a-book/ authors.” for tool book-writing-software-faq soft eliminating distraction Writemonkey editing software creative Fictionary you said What time and money.” saving edit, developmental Fictionary.co/ ki.org pen fountain Lady Parker Vintage you said What as brain my part of the creative taps into nothing ParkerPen.com hand.” writing by as readily keyboard ergonomic Sculpt Microsoft you said What Microsoft.com wrists.” split hinged keyboard ergonomic Goldtouch you said What a for life-saver A preferences. particular body’s Goldtouch.com RSI sufferer.” lifelong mouse ergonomic 3M joystick ware you said What thoughts words.” and

- www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | | @indieauthorall www.allianceindependentauthors.org

, author, social media social author, , “So visual and it works on Windows Windows on works visual and it “So

“Love the drag-and-drop function function the drag-and-drop “Love The tools “Power wordsmiths. for into text of “Expands a short piece non-fiction organising for tool “Top literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/

Tim Lewis Tim members use? members What tools tools What ALLi do day in, day all use, we do tech What out? and editing Writing organis and book processing word Scrivener ing app you said What for the inspector I use in order. write as I never each project, for folder the research notes, plot manuscript my keep targets project the and track.” on overview outlining planning and story book Plottr software you said What creation.” novel Turbo-charges and Mac. getplottr.com/ search dictionary OneLook you said What thesaurus puts Roget its conceptual of versatility OneLook.com shame.” to and expander text keyword Express Phrase tool autotext you said What writing difficult useful for Especially text. a longer as names and placenames and long character in non-fiction sections text repetitive as for well PhraseExpress.com. books.” software management research Zotero you said What Zotero.org/ research.” specialist and host of ALLi’s weekly weekly ALLi’s of and host specialist this threw Twitter, on #indieAuthorChat members ALLi Facebook the to question the and in, poured Nominations forum. for tools 100 must-have of a list is result and production design, editing, writing, distribution , author of epic fantasy of author , investment. I believe the best time to publish publish to time the best I believe investment. me explain. Let yesterday. is an e-book very very, is releases new for “The marketplace If so much. not buyers with sellers; crowded have certainly will you book, first your this is your let to need You travel. to a long road you that, Beyond out. it’s know social circle garnering reviews for strategy plan a to need and slowly done is best That and marketing. a put into you effort The more systematically. to is likely the comedown the bigger launch, and it spectacularly, succeed it doesn’t be if you way the in not or won’t, certainly almost Save energy. your Save time. your Take hope. long haul.” the for ready Get money. your Julius C K the schedule to was near-mistake recent “A epic my of version the omnibus launch of run a to set was I before week a books fantasy the on before) months for (paid big promotion Countdown with Kindle the series, of book first promotion the then realized I the rest. deals on the the same as be almost would price because I’m Fortunately, full price. omnibus at as plus among many the publisher—another the omnibus push back to able was an indie—I month. the following launch until expect to learned is lesson I’ve “The biggest yourself give to glitches, will be a few there if (even right everything get to time of plenty a previously from means pushing back that can you everything read to date), determined beforehand, Gaughran David by hold of get the day.” fun on have to then and , author of urban fantasy and urban fantasy of author , pre-orders, advertising pushes and so advertising pre-orders, — | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org 18 | “I have tried all sorts of launch tactics over the over tactics launch tried all sorts of “I have years Hayden Mark crime have everything in place and then it rains or or then it rains and in place everything have a major or match, a rugby there’s or snows, out are efforts your whole of the and disaster when it that’s work does However, window. the run and over bowled are you because great ” off your feet. “I’d still say that expending a lot of time, time, of a lot expending that say still “I’d a good *not* on a launch is and money effort “I am conscious that people could say “It’s all “It’s say people could that “I am conscious genuinely Amazon because you…” for right - pre who’ve people to book does push my the spike I can see work. my bought viously of a couple comes normally that in sales have you if works This only launch. after weeks and a followers Facebook readers, established that? have don’t you if What mailing list. on. The only thing I bother with now is to notify notify to is with now thing I bother The only on. on Facebook. a post and stick mailing list my

The Indie Author The Indie Author

- - 21

“More than 2 billion readers in billion readers than 2 “More production.” book ”Streamlines and distributing selecting ”For high-end short-run, for ”Great servic high-end reprographic ”For ”For quality formatting at reasona at formatting quality ”For “Supports authors in creating in creating “Supports authors authors for software “The best noise removes and easily “Quickly where marketplace “Audible’s great create to authors “Enables listeners.” to sell directly to way “A

Google Play author partner center center partner author Play Google you said What the raised recently than 75 countries—and more authors.” to paid rate commission Play.Google.com Bookalope you said What Bookalope.net DartFrogBooks you said What booksellers independent to books self-published DartFrogBooks.com world.” the around Digital FCI you said What FCIDigital.com print.” digital color PH media you said What authors.” for author an ble prices—by BBeBooksThailand.com es.” PHMedia.com es.” BBeBooks you said What What you you said What ListenUpAudio.com audiobooks.” high-quality Audio audio editing software Audition Adobe you said What and and edit audiobooks record to want who Adobe.com podcasts.” software audio post-production Auphonic you said What with a and Open source volume. and auto-levels Auphonic.com/ level.” free Exchange Audiobook Creation ACX Amazon you said What with narrators connect and publishers authors ACX.com audiobooks.” create to and producers platform creation audiobook FindawayVoices you said What around listeners reach and directly audiobooks basis.” on a non-exclusive world the Findawayvoices.com/ sell to authors for marketplace AuthorsDirect audiobooks you said What Authors-Direct.com production ListenUpAudio - - - www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | | @indieauthorall www.allianceindependentauthors.org

“Pioneer in the field and still the field and in “Pioneer for place and best “The biggest indie for global reach “Unrivalled and beautiful books, “Creates self-publish innovative “The most and pho indie authors “Enables book design, cover the lot: “Does “Allows you - to you with wide go pro “Allows indie authors for “Game-changer book with global links “Unrivaled and stores e-book of “Wide range publishing creating, for “Great

Apple.com/uk/apple-books What you you said What publishing.” e-book and easy free fast, providing Smashwords.com Wattpad you said What to and poets authors aspiring and experienced Wattpad.com/ stories.” and share discover write, StreetLib you said What Streetlib.com authors.” Books Apple and ApplePages you said What Apple.com/uk/ and fun.” it effortless makes pages KDP Amazon you said What retail the largest and indieauthors for ing service store.” KDP.Amazon.com Books Blurb you said What and custom beautiful books create to tographers Blurb.co.uk art.” wall BookBaby you said What and creation web distribution, e-books, printing, BookBaby.com more.” Production and distribution and Production Draft2Digital you said What - e-books formatted elegantly fessional-looking, KDP—all to upload can you that including MOBIs Draft2Digital.com cost.” upfront no at IngramSpark you said What IngramSpark.com and micro-publishers.” Writing Life Kobo you said What the famous and tool… promotions great sellers, sales map.” world Kobo Kobo.com/us/en/p/writinglife PublishDrive you said What PublishDrive.com programs.” unique author Leanpub you said What online courses.” Also for and selling e-books. Leanpub.com Smashwords - -

-

“Make it so much easier to do your your do to easier it so much “Make - responsive flexibility, clarity, “For and track send, to way “The best can, Adobe “Does everything and fea wizards “User-friendly beau create to it so easy “Makes “Simplifies the process of book book of the process “Simplifies iconography of “Superb collection Adobe.com What you you said What and formatting.” layout book own BookDesignTemplates.com design software Vellum you said What with beautiful books can produce you ... ness Vellum.pub/ minimum effort.” software management PDF Pro Acrobat you said What PDFs of editing makes It documents. signed store too.” easy design Photo Affinity and Publisher Affinity software you said What cheaply.” much more results, with professional Affinity.serif.com and creator convertor e-book Jutoh you said What tinker to users expert allow tools editing ture-rich format.” the final e-book of aspect with any Jutoh.com tools design online graphic Canva you said What Design templates design book Friedlander’s Joel tiful, eye-catching graphics for online marketing.” online marketing.” for graphics eye-catching tiful, Canva.com tools design online graphic BookBrush you said What level.” new whole a to it takes design and graphic BookBrush.com image library NounProject you said What news communication—email, type of any for and inclusion visual diversity a book—and letter, TheNounProject.com Fab!” mission. -

PenFactor.com PenFactor.com ”Round-the-clock writing compe ”Round-the-clock “Because it’s designed with authors authors with designed it’s “Because “Helps authors on their journey journey their on authors “Helps errors obvious highlighting “For and critique service great ”A coaches book to authors ”Matches “Shows authors how to simplify simplify to how authors “Shows keeping authors, for timesaver “Key “Multitasking app extraordinaire app extraordinaire “Multitasking to wants who expand anyone “For

| www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | 20 What you you said What feedback and friendly fast you will give that tition story.” your on community and readers writers Bookboro ThePenFactor What you you said What Prowritingaid.com/ in mind.” writing assistant online Grammarly you said What and style checker grammar ProWritingAid editor matching coach book Accelerator Author service you said What What you you said What to publishable novel.” draft first from Autocrit.com a better become you help to and giving advice Grammarly.com/ writer.” you said What in progress.” works for sharing space Bookboro.com what understand to coaches book trains and AuthorAccelerator.com need.” really authors BetaBooks beta-reader management management beta-reader BetaBooks tool editing online manuscript AutoCrit What you you said What hemingwayapp.com/ prose.” their and clarify software you said What directed organized, feedback beta-reader your BetaBooks.co/ and searchable.” Hemingway Editor Hemingway Feedback Mycelium creativity game creativity Mycelium What you you said What with Integrates all platforms. across available Evernote.com everything.” you said What capacity.” creative their Rogueinterrobang.com/ Evernote note-taking app note-taking Evernote Photo credit: E Petar Petkovski | Unsplash The Indie Author The Indie Author

- - 21

“More than 2 billion readers in billion readers than 2 “More production.” book ”Streamlines and distributing selecting ”For high-end short-run, for ”Great servic high-end reprographic ”For ”For quality formatting at reasona at formatting quality ”For “Supports authors in creating in creating “Supports authors authors for software “The best noise removes and easily “Quickly where marketplace “Audible’s great create to authors “Enables listeners.” to sell directly to way “A

Google Play author partner center center partner author Play Google you said What the raised recently than 75 countries—and more authors.” to paid rate commission Play.Google.com Bookalope you said What Bookalope.net DartFrogBooks you said What booksellers independent to books self-published DartFrogBooks.com world.” the around Digital FCI you said What FCIDigital.com print.” digital color PH media you said What authors.” for author an ble prices—by BBeBooksThailand.com es.” PHMedia.com es.” BBeBooks you said What What you you said What ListenUpAudio.com audiobooks.” high-quality Audio audio editing software Audition Adobe you said What and and edit audiobooks record to want who Adobe.com podcasts.” software audio post-production Auphonic you said What with a and Open source volume. and auto-levels Auphonic.com/ level.” free Exchange Audiobook Creation ACX Amazon you said What with narrators connect and publishers authors ACX.com audiobooks.” create to and producers platform creation audiobook FindawayVoices you said What around listeners reach and directly audiobooks basis.” on a non-exclusive world the Findawayvoices.com/ sell to authors for marketplace AuthorsDirect audiobooks you said What Authors-Direct.com production ListenUpAudio - - - www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | | @indieauthorall www.allianceindependentauthors.org

“Pioneer in the field and still the field and in “Pioneer for place and best “The biggest indie for global reach “Unrivalled and beautiful books, “Creates self-publish innovative “The most and pho indie authors “Enables book design, cover the lot: “Does “Allows you - to you with wide go pro “Allows indie authors for “Game-changer book with global links “Unrivaled and stores e-book of “Wide range publishing creating, for “Great

Apple.com/uk/apple-books What you you said What publishing.” e-book and easy free fast, providing Smashwords.com Wattpad you said What to and poets authors aspiring and experienced Wattpad.com/ stories.” and share discover write, StreetLib you said What Streetlib.com authors.” Books Apple and ApplePages you said What Apple.com/uk/ and fun.” it effortless makes pages KDP Amazon you said What retail the largest and indieauthors for ing service store.” KDP.Amazon.com Books Blurb you said What and custom beautiful books create to tographers Blurb.co.uk art.” wall BookBaby you said What and creation web distribution, e-books, printing, BookBaby.com more.” Production and distribution and Production Draft2Digital you said What - e-books formatted elegantly fessional-looking, KDP—all to upload can you that including MOBIs Draft2Digital.com cost.” upfront no at IngramSpark you said What IngramSpark.com and micro-publishers.” Writing Life Kobo you said What the famous and tool… promotions great sellers, sales map.” world Kobo Kobo.com/us/en/p/writinglife PublishDrive you said What PublishDrive.com programs.” unique author Leanpub you said What online courses.” Also for and selling e-books. Leanpub.com Smashwords - -

-

“Make it so much easier to do your your do to easier it so much “Make - responsive flexibility, clarity, “For and track send, to way “The best can, Adobe “Does everything and fea wizards “User-friendly beau create to it so easy “Makes “Simplifies the process of book book of the process “Simplifies iconography of “Superb collection Adobe.com What you you said What and formatting.” layout book own BookDesignTemplates.com design software Vellum you said What with beautiful books can produce you ... ness Vellum.pub/ minimum effort.” software management PDF Pro Acrobat you said What PDFs of editing makes It documents. signed store too.” easy design Photo Affinity and Publisher Affinity software you said What cheaply.” much more results, with professional Affinity.serif.com and creator convertor e-book Jutoh you said What tinker to users expert allow tools editing ture-rich format.” the final e-book of aspect with any Jutoh.com tools design online graphic Canva you said What Design templates design book Friedlander’s Joel tiful, eye-catching graphics for online marketing.” online marketing.” for graphics eye-catching tiful, Canva.com tools design online graphic BookBrush you said What level.” new whole a to it takes design and graphic BookBrush.com image library NounProject you said What news communication—email, type of any for and inclusion visual diversity a book—and letter, TheNounProject.com Fab!” mission. -

PenFactor.com PenFactor.com ”Round-the-clock writing compe ”Round-the-clock “Because it’s designed with authors authors with designed it’s “Because “Helps authors on their journey journey their on authors “Helps errors obvious highlighting “For and critique service great ”A coaches book to authors ”Matches “Shows authors how to simplify simplify to how authors “Shows keeping authors, for timesaver “Key “Multitasking app extraordinaire app extraordinaire “Multitasking to wants who expand anyone “For

| www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | 20 What you you said What feedback and friendly fast you will give that tition story.” your on community and readers writers Bookboro ThePenFactor What you you said What Prowritingaid.com/ in mind.” writing assistant online Grammarly you said What and style checker grammar ProWritingAid editor matching coach book Accelerator Author service you said What What you you said What to publishable novel.” draft first from Autocrit.com a better become you help to and giving advice Grammarly.com/ writer.” you said What in progress.” works for sharing space Bookboro.com what understand to coaches book trains and AuthorAccelerator.com need.” really authors BetaBooks beta-reader management management beta-reader BetaBooks tool editing online manuscript AutoCrit What you you said What hemingwayapp.com/ prose.” their and clarify software you said What directed organized, feedback beta-reader your BetaBooks.co/ and searchable.” Hemingway Editor Hemingway Feedback Mycelium creativity game creativity Mycelium What you you said What with Integrates all platforms. across available Evernote.com everything.” you said What capacity.” creative their Rogueinterrobang.com/ Evernote note-taking app note-taking Evernote Photo credit: E Petar Petkovski | Unsplash The Indie Author The Indie Author Photo credit: Stephen Philips | Unsplash

23 -

PayHip.com

- pro language natural ”Uses

“Ask your readers what they think.” think.” they what readers your “Ask “Send them an order from any any from them an order “Send fans your to you ”Enables direct me a gives use, to ”Super-easy than a spreadsheet.” better ”Much spread than a “So much more ”Allows indie authors to present present to indie authors ”Allows notes, ideas, app for notes ”Clean for tool organizational ”Unbeatable and other authors for ”Brilliant SurveyMonkey free online survey tool survey online free SurveyMonkey you said What SurveyMonkey.co.uk AI analytics Booxby What you you said What markets.” target book’s your find to cessing Booxby.com What you you said What your to and ship print they’ll and shopping cart, and DVDs but also CDs, books just Not readers. Vervante.com more.” tool link one-stop Linktree you said What site, sales your to social media platforms from other any or websites, retailer sign-up forms, Linktr.ee one link.” with just online platform software accounting Xero you said What track so I can income each month’s of rundown the barbers while in phone, my from and invoice Xero.com ” a haircut… having software accounting QuickBooks you said What QuickBooks.intuit.com software spreadsheet Excel Microsoft you said What Rights licensing Rights network rights book PubMatch you said What PubMatch.com buyers.” rights to books and organization Business miscellaneous sales direct for fulfilment order Vervante Microsoft.com package.” sheet Code Cultured app from notes Things you said What reminders.” and other to-dos planning schedules, CulturedCode.com/things software management team Asana you said What Such as events. and complex teams managing Asana.com SelfPubCon!” ALLi's tool payment PayHip you said What to want who sell direct.” creatives - www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | | @indieauthorall www.allianceindependentauthors.org

”Helps you use Twitter on full Twitter use you ”Helps Facebook, across stream ”Live land forms, shop for one-stop ”A setting for tool and simple ”Clean to it one image and set ”Create book and best ”The biggest and functionality extra of “Lots ”Allows authors to earn continuous earn continuous to authors ”Allows

TubeBuddy.com

What you you said What and phrases.” users hashtags, Track power. Tweetdeck.Twitter.com tool livestream Streamyard you said What with a platforms, and other LinkedIn YouTube, Streamyard.com interface.” powerful simple, platform email marketing ConvertKit you said What automations.” ing pages and email marketing ConvertKit.com scheduler Instagram Planoly you said What posts.” planning and scheduling Instagram up, Planoly.com social media scheduler Later you said What media platforms, multiple social schedule across and more.” hashtags with people-tagging, Later.com service discovery book BookBub you said What blog a great Also, readers. engine for discovery tips and publishing insights.” with bookmarketing BookBub.com YouTube for extension browser TubeBuddy creators you said What use.” to easy Patreon crowdfunding platform crowdfunding Patreon you said What can segment You readers. from directly funding easily.” very readers of tiers different Patreon.com tool social media TweetDeck

Photo credit: Elice Moore | Unsplash

”If you want to leverage media media leverage to want you ”If marketing of source ”Invaluable Amazon your managing ”Makes and authors readers ”Connects into insights unparalleled ”Gives great produces consistently ”Dave the e-book indie authors ”Gives and build email lists authors ”Helps great create to it so easy ”Makes reviews paid-for credible ”Honest, with engage to ways great Offers ” contests author organizing ”For

Chris Well’s Build Your Brand Academy media media Academy Brand Your Build Well’s Chris training you said What your he’s book, your and yourself for coverage BuildYourBrandAcademy.com man.” and also-boughts suggestions, Amazon rankings bestseller you said What Amazon.com data.” Amazon ads tool Prestozon you said What Prestozon.com ads easier.” tool giveaways author TheLitRing you said What giveaways.” through books with great LitRing.com agency online marketing PubVendo you said What and small authors for social media marketing Pubvendo.com publishers.” tool keyword Publisherrocket Chesson’s Dave Publisherrocket.com indie authors.” for tools tools marketing K-lytics you said What succeed.” to need they intelligence market K-lytics.com marketing AuthorsXP Vansant’s Amy resources you said What AuthorsXP.com reviews.” get and blogging platform website WordPress you said What but use to Simple on a budget. websites author Wordpress.org so powerful.” service reviewing Blueinkreview you said What Blueinkreview.com book.” your for tools engagement reader Works Prolific Instafreebie) (formerly you said What ones.” new and reach readers current ProlificWorks.com platform app marketing Gleam you said What Gleam.io and giveaways.” What you you said What

- - -

”The largest site for readers and readers for site ”The largest sends magnets, reader ”Delivers ”Its social media tools and adver and tools ”Its social media “Exciting ways to use artificial use artificial to ways “Exciting “Versatile, easy to use, easy file easy use, to easy “Versatile, noise all background “Eradicates feature, its overdub for “Especially

| www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | 22 Goodreads tools engagement reader BookFunnel tising platform make it easy for authors to reach reach to authors for it easy make tising platform and niche.” genre their in readers Facebook.com you said What Goodreads.com recommendations.” book you said What and giveaways.” sales and fulfils books ARCs out Bookfunnel.com Facebook you said What Marketing and promotion Marketing What you you said What technolo speech emotive and new Intelligence DeepZen text-to-speech technology text-to-speech DeepZen AudioHiJack recording app recording AudioHiJack technology noise cancelling Krisp.ai technology video editing audio and Descript gy in publishing.” DeepZen.io/ in publishing.” gy you said What RogueAmoeba.com.audiohijack organization.” you said What Krisp.ai in peace.” meet or can podcast you so you said What the accom edits the audio also editing where reader Also has powerful text. transcript panying Descript.com analytics.”

The Indie Author The Indie Author Photo credit: Stephen Philips | Unsplash

23 -

PayHip.com

- pro language natural ”Uses

“Ask your readers what they think.” think.” they what readers your “Ask “Send them an order from any any from them an order “Send fans your to you ”Enables direct me a gives use, to ”Super-easy than a spreadsheet.” better ”Much spread than a “So much more ”Allows indie authors to present present to indie authors ”Allows notes, ideas, app for notes ”Clean for tool organizational ”Unbeatable and other authors for ”Brilliant SurveyMonkey free online survey tool survey online free SurveyMonkey you said What SurveyMonkey.co.uk AI analytics Booxby What you you said What markets.” target book’s your find to cessing Booxby.com What you you said What your to and ship print they’ll and shopping cart, and DVDs but also CDs, books just Not readers. Vervante.com more.” tool link one-stop Linktree you said What site, sales your to social media platforms from other any or websites, retailer sign-up forms, Linktr.ee one link.” with just online platform software accounting Xero you said What track so I can income each month’s of rundown the barbers while in phone, my from and invoice Xero.com ” a haircut… having software accounting QuickBooks you said What QuickBooks.intuit.com software spreadsheet Excel Microsoft you said What Rights licensing Rights network rights book PubMatch you said What PubMatch.com buyers.” rights to books and organization Business miscellaneous sales direct for fulfilment order Vervante Microsoft.com package.” sheet Code Cultured app from notes Things you said What reminders.” and other to-dos planning schedules, CulturedCode.com/things software management team Asana you said What Such as events. and complex teams managing Asana.com SelfPubCon!” ALLi's tool payment PayHip you said What to want who sell direct.” creatives - www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | | @indieauthorall www.allianceindependentauthors.org

”Helps you use Twitter on full Twitter use you ”Helps Facebook, across stream ”Live land forms, shop for one-stop ”A setting for tool and simple ”Clean to it one image and set ”Create book and best ”The biggest and functionality extra of “Lots ”Allows authors to earn continuous earn continuous to authors ”Allows

TubeBuddy.com

What you you said What and phrases.” users hashtags, Track power. Tweetdeck.Twitter.com tool livestream Streamyard you said What with a platforms, and other LinkedIn YouTube, Streamyard.com interface.” powerful simple, platform email marketing ConvertKit you said What automations.” ing pages and email marketing ConvertKit.com scheduler Instagram Planoly you said What posts.” planning and scheduling Instagram up, Planoly.com social media scheduler Later you said What media platforms, multiple social schedule across and more.” hashtags with people-tagging, Later.com service discovery book BookBub you said What blog a great Also, readers. engine for discovery tips and publishing insights.” with bookmarketing BookBub.com YouTube for extension browser TubeBuddy creators you said What use.” to easy Patreon crowdfunding platform crowdfunding Patreon you said What can segment You readers. from directly funding easily.” very readers of tiers different Patreon.com tool social media TweetDeck

Photo credit: Elice Moore | Unsplash

”If you want to leverage media media leverage to want you ”If marketing of source ”Invaluable Amazon your managing ”Makes and authors readers ”Connects into insights unparalleled ”Gives great produces consistently ”Dave the e-book indie authors ”Gives and build email lists authors ”Helps great create to it so easy ”Makes reviews paid-for credible ”Honest, with engage to ways great Offers ” contests author organizing ”For

Chris Well’s Build Your Brand Academy media media Academy Brand Your Build Well’s Chris training you said What your he’s book, your and yourself for coverage BuildYourBrandAcademy.com man.” and also-boughts suggestions, Amazon rankings bestseller you said What Amazon.com data.” Amazon ads tool Prestozon you said What Prestozon.com ads easier.” tool giveaways author TheLitRing you said What giveaways.” through books with great LitRing.com agency online marketing PubVendo you said What and small authors for social media marketing Pubvendo.com publishers.” tool keyword Publisherrocket Chesson’s Dave Publisherrocket.com indie authors.” for tools tools marketing K-lytics you said What succeed.” to need they intelligence market K-lytics.com marketing AuthorsXP Vansant’s Amy resources you said What AuthorsXP.com reviews.” get and blogging platform website WordPress you said What but use to Simple on a budget. websites author Wordpress.org so powerful.” service reviewing Blueinkreview you said What Blueinkreview.com book.” your for tools engagement reader Works Prolific Instafreebie) (formerly you said What ones.” new and reach readers current ProlificWorks.com platform app marketing Gleam you said What Gleam.io and giveaways.” What you you said What

- - -

”The largest site for readers and readers for site ”The largest sends magnets, reader ”Delivers ”Its social media tools and adver and tools ”Its social media “Exciting ways to use artificial use artificial to ways “Exciting “Versatile, easy to use, easy file easy use, to easy “Versatile, noise all background “Eradicates feature, its overdub for “Especially

| www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | 22 Goodreads tools engagement reader BookFunnel tising platform make it easy for authors to reach reach to authors for it easy make tising platform and niche.” genre their in readers Facebook.com you said What Goodreads.com recommendations.” book you said What and giveaways.” sales and fulfils books ARCs out Bookfunnel.com Facebook you said What Marketing and promotion Marketing What you you said What technolo speech emotive and new Intelligence DeepZen text-to-speech technology text-to-speech DeepZen AudioHiJack recording app recording AudioHiJack technology noise cancelling Krisp.ai technology video editing audio and Descript gy in publishing.” DeepZen.io/ in publishing.” gy you said What RogueAmoeba.com.audiohijack organization.” you said What Krisp.ai in peace.” meet or can podcast you so you said What the accom edits the audio also editing where reader Also has powerful text. transcript panying Descript.com analytics.”

The Indie Author The Indie Author

25 - - tion to promote when I will be selling books at at will be selling books when I promote to tion conventions. Beverley Kane, founder founder Kane, Beverley Hors of and lead mare ensei Equine-Assisted Therapy, and Learning author and self-help equine-imity.com you which allows SnagIt, the on anything capture to and capturing for valuable most It’s screen. It text. will also capture and graphics, pasting and retouching. markup for tools has editing couldn’t years.I 10 probably it for used I’ve without it. book graphics-rich my written have covers. mocking up for terrific it’s Also, historical Addey, Melissa and fiction author speaker melissaaddey.com/ books amazing for it’s Animoto: trailers. book author Fenton, Patrick and fiction science of fantasy is a great Pinterest illustrating for source to ideas and concepts my of the imaginations tease ad func also used Pinterest’s I have readers. - www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | | @indieauthorall www.allianceindependentauthors.org

- John Rodd, author of of author Rodd, John and thriller mystery suspense novels an app, The Notability I and iPad. Apple stylus hand-write to them use with share edits on a PDF, a achieve and partners my on ££ blowing without edit ‘paper’ shops. print author Mellett, Manda romance MC of mandamellett.com Aloud function The Read Word. on Microsoft is mo voice the Sure, are there and notonous, with help It can’t drawbacks. can be amusing. Homophones your’. or ‘you’re can sound like face’ her running down ‘Tears wrong the typed you’ve But if novel. a horror it. hear you’ll word, A punctuation. with Aloud also helps Read a period is a longer is a short pause, comma these hear to you Aloud enables Read gap. sentenc your if can check you so differences, your if can also detect You es run smoothly. long. too is sentence Game-changer tools... tools... Game-changer nominate members favorites personal -

“Visually appealing spreadsheet appealing spreadsheet “Visually Mac for mail client “Lightning-fast Also translations. “Expert in literary that doubles as a database—great for managing for a database—great doubles as that use you everything and relationships reader Airtable.com for.” spreadsheets client email Airmail you said What Apple.com and iOS.” agency translations Bookworm you said What copy.” and other websites translates BookwormTranslations.com service cloud collaboration Airtable you said What tion, editorial reviews and reader reviews reviews and reader reviews editorial tion, BooksGoSocial.com Bublish branding marketing, with built-in tool Marketing features and discoverability Bublish.com Publishwide Publishwide wide who publish authors for tracker Sales data Publishwide.com PaidAuthor.com tool promotion Book PaidAuthor.com BookSweeps platform giveaway and prize Book BookSweeps.com/overview/ Whizbuzz tool promotional Book Whizbuzzbooks.com/submit-your-book/ SelfPubBookCovers marketplace cover book Pre-made SelfPubBookCovers.com BooksGoSocial promo including book tools of a number Offers -

Calendly.com “Subscription newsletter “Subscription with newsletter your sell appointments, “Take podcast let to way easy “Brilliantly

| www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | 24

14 top tools from from tools 14 top members ALLi's partner partner ALLi's BookLikeABoss automated calendar app calendar automated BookLikeABoss software online appointment Calendly you said What What you you said What publishing.” about know to need you everything HotSheetPub.com you said What all in business, author your manage and services BookLikeABoss.com one place.” an appoint book clients and consultancy guests The Hot Sheet from JaneFriedman from Sheet Hot The ment with you.” with you.” ment Pub Site Pub Site builder website author DIY Pub-site.com USound USound and marketplace network narrator Audiobook USound.org/aboutus Book Award Pro Award Book awards to submitting for tool Automation Bookawardpro.com/how-it-works/ Soundwise Soundwise app and podcast Audiobook mySoundwise. com/10-reasons-to-choose-soundwise BookSirens BookSirens tool reviews Reader BookSirens.com Crave Books Books Crave app connection Author-reader Cravebooks.com/about Kindletrends Kindletrends authors for newsletter research Market Kindletrends.com ALLi partner members provide vetted, approved services to our author author our to services approved vetted, provide members ALLi partner Standards of Code ALLi's to sign up and members The Indie Author The Indie Author

25 - - tion to promote when I will be selling books at at will be selling books when I promote to tion conventions. Beverley Kane, founder founder Kane, Beverley Hors of and lead mare ensei Equine-Assisted Therapy, and Learning author and self-help equine-imity.com you which allows SnagIt, the on anything capture to and capturing for valuable most It’s screen. It text. will also capture and graphics, pasting and retouching. markup for tools has editing couldn’t years.I 10 probably it for used I’ve without it. book graphics-rich my written have covers. mocking up for terrific it’s Also, historical Addey, Melissa and fiction author speaker melissaaddey.com/ books amazing for it’s Animoto: trailers. book author Fenton, Patrick and fiction science of fantasy is a great Pinterest illustrating for source to ideas and concepts my of the imaginations tease ad func also used Pinterest’s I have readers. - www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | | @indieauthorall www.allianceindependentauthors.org

- John Rodd, author of of author Rodd, John and thriller mystery suspense novels an app, The Notability I and iPad. Apple stylus hand-write to them use with share edits on a PDF, a achieve and partners my on ££ blowing without edit ‘paper’ shops. print author Mellett, Manda romance MC of mandamellett.com Aloud function The Read Word. on Microsoft is mo voice the Sure, are there and notonous, with help It can’t drawbacks. can be amusing. Homophones your’. or ‘you’re can sound like face’ her running down ‘Tears wrong the typed you’ve But if novel. a horror it. hear you’ll word, A punctuation. with Aloud also helps Read a period is a longer is a short pause, comma these hear to you Aloud enables Read gap. sentenc your if can check you so differences, your if can also detect You es run smoothly. long. too is sentence Game-changer tools... tools... Game-changer nominate members favorites personal -

“Visually appealing spreadsheet appealing spreadsheet “Visually Mac for mail client “Lightning-fast Also translations. “Expert in literary that doubles as a database—great for managing for a database—great doubles as that use you everything and relationships reader Airtable.com for.” spreadsheets client email Airmail you said What Apple.com and iOS.” agency translations Bookworm you said What copy.” and other websites translates BookwormTranslations.com service cloud collaboration Airtable you said What tion, editorial reviews and reader reviews reviews and reader reviews editorial tion, BooksGoSocial.com Bublish branding marketing, with built-in tool Marketing features and discoverability Bublish.com Publishwide Publishwide wide who publish authors for tracker Sales data Publishwide.com PaidAuthor.com tool promotion Book PaidAuthor.com BookSweeps platform giveaway and prize Book BookSweeps.com/overview/ Whizbuzz tool promotional Book Whizbuzzbooks.com/submit-your-book/ SelfPubBookCovers marketplace cover book Pre-made SelfPubBookCovers.com BooksGoSocial promo including book tools of a number Offers -

Calendly.com “Subscription newsletter “Subscription with newsletter your sell appointments, “Take podcast let to way easy “Brilliantly

| www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | 24

14 top tools from from tools 14 top members ALLi's partner partner ALLi's BookLikeABoss automated calendar app calendar automated BookLikeABoss software online appointment Calendly you said What What you you said What publishing.” about know to need you everything HotSheetPub.com you said What all in business, author your manage and services BookLikeABoss.com one place.” an appoint book clients and consultancy guests The Hot Sheet from JaneFriedman from Sheet Hot The ment with you.” with you.” ment Pub Site Pub Site builder website author DIY Pub-site.com USound USound and marketplace network narrator Audiobook USound.org/aboutus Book Award Pro Award Book awards to submitting for tool Automation Bookawardpro.com/how-it-works/ Soundwise Soundwise app and podcast Audiobook mySoundwise. com/10-reasons-to-choose-soundwise BookSirens BookSirens tool reviews Reader BookSirens.com Crave Books Books Crave app connection Author-reader Cravebooks.com/about Kindletrends Kindletrends authors for newsletter research Market Kindletrends.com ALLi partner members provide vetted, approved services to our author author our to services approved vetted, provide members ALLi partner Standards of Code ALLi's to sign up and members The Indie Author The Indie Author

-

27 -

audiobook listeners are encouraged to swap swap to encouraged are listeners audiobook The glitch it. to listened they’ve once a book had been Audible that show to seemed “returns” this of the costs deducting secretly the of share holders’ rights scheme from “returned”, was a book If its own. not revenue, to paid originally money the deducted Audible though narrator—even or publisher the author, and enjoyed consumed had fully the listener the book. opaque account how also revealed The glitch ing practices and lack of transparency made transparency of and lack ing practices to an individual author it all but impossible for calculated Audible/ACX how of a picture get income. their dark of indie author Australian an Susan May, rights of extent the potential realised thrillers, group a Facebook founded She losses. holder and Narrators. Holders Rights for Deal Fair and authors audiobook brought The group gather to began they and together, narrators various the about and evidence information witnessing. were anomalies they from receiving were they the replies In sharing a disturbing saw quickly the members Audible, and practices in accounting both pattern, smaller A holders. with rights communications with a range volunteers, dedicated of group began skills, business and communication of wider the to out reach to and dig deeper, to and producers, narrators community, author parties. and outside interested the campaign #Audible dubbed Susan May joined Cross Colleen author thriller and gate publishing and writing, their put both They her. could they so on hold, commitments personal uncovering time to full themselves dedicate this end To committed. wrongs the - www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | | @indieauthorall www.allianceindependentauthors.org explains and refuse to publish on the publish on to and refuse campaign special: special: campaign far so story The ACX the on error a reporting 2020, In October Audible’s of the implications revealed platform whereby program, and return” exchange “easy Audiblegate Audiblegate all authors for an issue publish audiobooks) don't you if (even hidden deduc of discovery The recent has platform audiobook ACX the tions on - con author for implications widespread providers. service with all kinds of tracts Orna Ross ALLi director run Amazon opinions about Indie authors’ who those have you one end, At the gamut. the creative, for the company love ardently publishing to change it brought disruptive platforms: self-publishing innovative two with and e-books for (KDP) Publishing Kindle Direct for (ACX) Exchange Creation Audio and print who are those are the other At audiobooks. business the company’s about concerned practices with lie authors And in between all. at platform and feeling. opinion shade of every While a middle course. steered ALLi has always never are near-monopolies that recognising our while steering and industry, any good for on business exclusivity from away members for Amazon also praised have we principles, - it has pro tools and excellent the innovative allowed have ACX and KDP authors. to vided books own their produce to authors countless a killing even or a living, a profit, and make self-publishing. from good recommend to remit our of part As from them away and steer authors to services KDP both recommended ALLi has always bad, ACX. and Then Audiblegate. came - - . As a picture book author and author book a picture As . [email protected] Notion note-taking database app. is another is another app. database note-taking Notion platform— on every This synchs must-have The free browsers. web and Android iOS, Mac, It’s users. most than enough for plan is more function database with a powerful wiki a like all for Evernote of use it instead I now ality. internet checklists, each book, for notes my family our and even ideas, book bookmarks, and it’s there in I put everything meal plans. on all devices. synched Word Real3D FlipBook is nomination final My plugin Press reader my share to tricky it found I illustrator, know to get to want didn’t Parents magnets. read. a 10-minute download to BookFunnel but everyone and universal, okay PDFs are might and readers software has different especially awkwardly, scroll to end up having the best gave FlipBooks I found on mobile. WordPress in my I upload a PDF experience. I me. for a FlipBook the plugin creates and can start they and readers my to link the email with one click screen on a responsive reading the page flipping And kids love device. on any effect. we tool self-publishing a favorite got you've If writing by us know let here, mentioned haven't to word the it out and spread test We'll

| www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | 26 The main tools I use tools The main on iOS, Procreate are and Publisher Affinity’s Book Kindle Kids’ Amazon’s a few are But here Creator. tools. known lesser tool image optimization free ImageOptim—a image-heavy useful for It’s Linux. or Mac for I before Just nonfiction. or books picture my EPUB file I run all or MOBI my compile It saved ImageOptim. through image files means a 45% book—which last in my 8.6MB at Looking book. that for in royalties increase time a hard I have Pro, iPad on my books my the optimized between the difference telling my to the difference but and unoptimized, noticeable. very is income of author Adams, Eugene books picture children’s ebadams.com Dabble writing software. writing Dabble software. fiction it for used I have and and non-fiction for helpful very it found though it is much organizing, tool the of focus The current fiction. for better are but features formatting, not writing, is on is stored Everything being added. constantly so it based, and it is browser the cloud on options easy are There device. any on works and formatting backups for exporting for fine). and InDesign just Vellum done (I’ve tools easy with an clean very is interface The user the screen else on everything make to option writing. the on focus you so disappear John Bredesen, author of of author Bredesen, John leaders IT for non-fiction the-it-director.com

The Indie Author The Indie Author

-

27 -

audiobook listeners are encouraged to swap swap to encouraged are listeners audiobook The glitch it. to listened they’ve once a book had been Audible that show to seemed “returns” this of the costs deducting secretly the of share holders’ rights scheme from “returned”, was a book If its own. not revenue, to paid originally money the deducted Audible though narrator—even or publisher the author, and enjoyed consumed had fully the listener the book. opaque account how also revealed The glitch ing practices and lack of transparency made transparency of and lack ing practices to an individual author it all but impossible for calculated Audible/ACX how of a picture get income. their dark of indie author Australian an Susan May, rights of extent the potential realised thrillers, group a Facebook founded She losses. holder and Narrators. Holders Rights for Deal Fair and authors audiobook brought The group gather to began they and together, narrators various the about and evidence information witnessing. were anomalies they from receiving were they the replies In sharing a disturbing saw quickly the members Audible, and practices in accounting both pattern, smaller A holders. with rights communications with a range volunteers, dedicated of group began skills, business and communication of wider the to out reach to and dig deeper, to and producers, narrators community, author parties. and outside interested the campaign #Audible dubbed Susan May joined Cross Colleen author thriller and gate publishing and writing, their put both They her. could they so on hold, commitments personal uncovering time to full themselves dedicate this end To committed. wrongs the - www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | | @indieauthorall www.allianceindependentauthors.org explains and refuse to publish on the publish on to and refuse campaign special: special: campaign far so story The ACX the on error a reporting 2020, In October Audible’s of the implications revealed platform whereby program, and return” exchange “easy Audiblegate Audiblegate all authors for an issue publish audiobooks) don't you if (even hidden deduc of discovery The recent has platform audiobook ACX the tions on - con author for implications widespread providers. service with all kinds of tracts Orna Ross ALLi director run Amazon opinions about Indie authors’ who those have you one end, At the gamut. the creative, for the company love ardently publishing to change it brought disruptive platforms: self-publishing innovative two with and e-books for (KDP) Publishing Kindle Direct for (ACX) Exchange Creation Audio and print who are those are the other At audiobooks. business the company’s about concerned practices with lie authors And in between all. at platform and feeling. opinion shade of every While a middle course. steered ALLi has always never are near-monopolies that recognising our while steering and industry, any good for on business exclusivity from away members for Amazon also praised have we principles, - it has pro tools and excellent the innovative allowed have ACX and KDP authors. to vided books own their produce to authors countless a killing even or a living, a profit, and make self-publishing. from good recommend to remit our of part As from them away and steer authors to services KDP both recommended ALLi has always bad, ACX. and Then Audiblegate. came - - . As a picture book author and author book a picture As . [email protected] Notion note-taking database app. is another is another app. database note-taking Notion platform— on every This synchs must-have The free browsers. web and Android iOS, Mac, It’s users. most than enough for plan is more function database with a powerful wiki a like all for Evernote of use it instead I now ality. internet checklists, each book, for notes my family our and even ideas, book bookmarks, and it’s there in I put everything meal plans. on all devices. synched Word Real3D FlipBook is nomination final My plugin Press reader my share to tricky it found I illustrator, know to get to want didn’t Parents magnets. read. a 10-minute download to BookFunnel but everyone and universal, okay PDFs are might and readers software has different especially awkwardly, scroll to end up having the best gave FlipBooks I found on mobile. WordPress in my I upload a PDF experience. I me. for a FlipBook the plugin creates and can start they and readers my to link the email with one click screen on a responsive reading the page flipping And kids love device. on any effect. we tool self-publishing a favorite got you've If writing by us know let here, mentioned haven't to word the it out and spread test We'll

| www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | 26 The main tools I use tools The main on iOS, Procreate are and Publisher Affinity’s Book Kindle Kids’ Amazon’s a few are But here Creator. tools. known lesser tool image optimization free ImageOptim—a image-heavy useful for It’s Linux. or Mac for I before Just nonfiction. or books picture my EPUB file I run all or MOBI my compile It saved ImageOptim. through image files means a 45% book—which last in my 8.6MB at Looking book. that for in royalties increase time a hard I have Pro, iPad on my books my the optimized between the difference telling my to the difference but and unoptimized, noticeable. very is income of author Adams, Eugene books picture children’s ebadams.com Dabble writing software. writing Dabble software. fiction it for used I have and and non-fiction for helpful very it found though it is much organizing, tool the of focus The current fiction. for better are but features formatting, not writing, is on is stored Everything being added. constantly so it based, and it is browser the cloud on options easy are There device. any on works and formatting backups for exporting for fine). and InDesign just Vellum done (I’ve tools easy with an clean very is interface The user the screen else on everything make to option writing. the on focus you so disappear John Bredesen, author of of author Bredesen, John leaders IT for non-fiction the-it-director.com

The Indie Author The Indie Author

- 29 - @ornaross. resolution, and shutting down conversations, conversations, down and shutting resolution, appeal. to leave any without others, to matters this campaign why is That individual An authors. audiobook beyond relationship exclusive bound in an author is help service a big-tech or with a publisher less—but a sizeable group of authors and other and other authors of group a sizeable less—but a of rightfulness the by bound holders, rights need have that force A is a force. cause, fair force can that force A out. speaking no fear change. be a to seems what right to collaborate we As the sense from away move we injustice, clear decades by in authors instilled vulnerability of by exploitation publishing contracts, poor of We insouciance. and big-tech presses, vanity changed, has world the see how to begin with each communicate can we that now individual issues these private, and bring other, begin We scrutiny. communal public, into which is power, collective our recognize to considerable. in publishing. moment this is a historic So published traditionally authors, Self-publishing and narrators publishers, and independent and publishing author holders, rights other as a together all joining are organizations fair and see a wrong, a to right force unified holders. and all rights authors deal for services all self-publishing that aim is ALLi's fair, are contracts their ensure to will have All transparent. business practices their and offer to will have services trade-publishing will who authors, attract to benefits worthwhile value the of true understanding gained a have property. intellectual their of brought will have community An empowered the for treatment and fair terms about fair publish time in the first for authors, of majority ing history. and independence is an author this why That’s beyond way goes that issue empowerment platform—and ACX the on authors audiobook in all formats, publishers for is important everywhere. and be part of involved get to you urge We change. this significant on her Follow ALLi. of the director is Orna Ross Twitter www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | | @indieauthorall www.allianceindependentauthors.org how audiobook authors and narrators narrators and authors audiobook how think. We Audible-ACX. paid by are subscription Audible behind truth The authors earnings for • • At best, this floor is a paternalistic attempt attempt a paternalistic is this floor best, At losses secret the for authors compensate to At exchange.” and return “easy by inflicted secret it is a completely that and given worst, and fraud facilitate it could calculation, embezzlement. Cross's see Colleen information, further For reading worth it’s on page 34. analysis detailed her. by posts well-considered two these all to matters Audiblegate Why authors do to has nothing this issue think might You but publish audiobooks, don’t you if you with all for important it as hugely see we ALLi at Self-Publishing our of corner a key authors, to authors which encourages campaign 3.0 eschew to business mindset, a creative adopt the of conscious become to and exclusivity, property. intellectual their of value are indie authors that again saying worth It’s ALLi years, the Over Amazon. to grateful rightly I have ACX. and KDP Amazon with worked has award, Storyteller Amazon the been a judge at Black. Sacha blog, ALLi the of the editor as has a number has sponsored UK KDP Amazon the including events, and ALLi programs of Fair Book the London at party ALLi members’ for Amazon to grateful remain We year. each organization, non-profit our support of that the opportunities for grateful more and even authors. to afforded have tools Amazon’s raise Audible about these revelations But who cares and anyone ALLi, critical issues—for business Amazon’s about publishing—about with indie authors. relationships deducted admits it secretly Audible/ACX yet accounts, holders’ rights monies from any make or much, how say to refuses who asked have Authors compensation. closed accounts their had have questions without evidence. fraud, of accusations under responded have personnel service Customer will be that ways in questions reasonable to noncommittal authors: some KDP to familiar one customer passing queries from replies, or without progress another to representative - - , with authors, publishers and publishers with authors, , de facto 1 January 2021: it would reduce the period the period reduce would it 2021: January 1 bear and narrators authors which during seven. to days 365 from returns of the cost the exclusive lower would it 2021: 1 February days. 90 to years seven from term contract in visible returns make would it 2021: March and on reports. the dashboard • • • lishers and narrators should be liable only for for should be liable only and narrators lishers less consumes the listener where true returns, the audiobook. than 25% of staff improve to made, were promises Other to less easy the system and make training on. been acted yet not These have abuse. good not are “concessions” these feel We mechanism in the returns set they as enough, as place should they that accept to having narrators when scheme, quasi-library Audible’s subsidize for Not days. seven for Not should not. they minute. one for Not one day. As of today, the dashboard has changed, but has changed, the dashboard today, of As (Susan authors to visible yet not are returns on page 33). analysis a detailed gives May pub authors, that feel we importantly, More The earnings enigma The It concerns. other has uncovered The group authors be misleading may Audible appears payment when quoting terms the contract in exclusive holders rights 40% (to of percentages non-ex who are those 25% (to and Audible) to the already are These percentages clusive). ALLi and sector the self-publishing in lowest introduced were they when them to objected to 50% a previous from (reduced in 2014 back units sold). of the number depending on 90%, accountant a forensic was who Cross, Colleen has she became an indie author, before most indicates that done some deep analysis 13% on paid 21% and likely are today authors and 25% stated the 40% than rather price, retail See page 34. the contract. in using even is not Audible that it seems Further, outlined in its contract formula the payment program’s subscription their use when listeners Instead, books. purchase to credits monthly “floor” inserting a to has admitted Audible/ACX income.” of lowering from authors “protect to does ACX with signed authors the contract But “floor”. any mention not - - | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | 28 ing monies from authors and made some and made authors ing monies from By: small concessions. Late last year, the company issued two blog two issued the company year, last Late deduct secretly to admitted tacitly that posts Yet Audible/ACX continues to ignore the ignore to continues Audible/ACX Yet full for the authors of requests reasonable for compensation and fair transparency wrongdoing. Since the #Audiblegate campaign began the #Audiblegate Since than more to it has grown 2020, in October worldwide, and narrators authors 2,000 letter A Facebook. on regularly communicating Guild and Authors the by hosted Audible, to writers’ of ALLi and a number by supported than gained more globally, organizations inundated have And authors signatures. 13,000 issues and questions. their with ACX explanatory blog post blog post John dog explanatory Doppler’s to the ability that worried also are We ). here highly remains ACX with exclusivity out of opt sister Amazon’s with compared restricted, KDP. company Around this time, the group came to ALLi’s ALLi’s to came the group time, this Around the the evidence by Disturbed attention. rating ACX’s changed we had amassed, group while our “Pending” to “Recommended” from and the information surveyed desk watchdog On investigation, research. carried out further to downgraded further was grading ACX’s the support to signed up ALLi and “Caution” and narrators authors dedicated these of work watch (see deal win a fair to campaign their in organization, up a non-profit set have they (TERM)—see Movement The Equitable Rights page 32.

The Indie Author The Indie Author

- 29 - @ornaross. resolution, and shutting down conversations, conversations, down and shutting resolution, appeal. to leave any without others, to matters this campaign why is That individual An authors. audiobook beyond relationship exclusive bound in an author is help service a big-tech or with a publisher less—but a sizeable group of authors and other and other authors of group a sizeable less—but a of rightfulness the by bound holders, rights need have that force A is a force. cause, fair force can that force A out. speaking no fear change. be a to seems what right to collaborate we As the sense from away move we injustice, clear decades by in authors instilled vulnerability of by exploitation publishing contracts, poor of We insouciance. and big-tech presses, vanity changed, has world the see how to begin with each communicate can we that now individual issues these private, and bring other, begin We scrutiny. communal public, into which is power, collective our recognize to considerable. in publishing. moment this is a historic So published traditionally authors, Self-publishing and narrators publishers, and independent and publishing author holders, rights other as a together all joining are organizations fair and see a wrong, a to right force unified holders. and all rights authors deal for services all self-publishing that aim is ALLi's fair, are contracts their ensure to will have All transparent. business practices their and offer to will have services trade-publishing will who authors, attract to benefits worthwhile value the of true understanding gained a have property. intellectual their of brought will have community An empowered the for treatment and fair terms about fair publish time in the first for authors, of majority ing history. and independence is an author this why That’s beyond way goes that issue empowerment platform—and ACX the on authors audiobook in all formats, publishers for is important everywhere. and be part of involved get to you urge We change. this significant on her Follow ALLi. of the director is Orna Ross Twitter www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | | @indieauthorall www.allianceindependentauthors.org how audiobook authors and narrators narrators and authors audiobook how think. We Audible-ACX. paid by are subscription Audible behind truth The authors earnings for • • At best, this floor is a paternalistic attempt attempt a paternalistic is this floor best, At losses secret the for authors compensate to At exchange.” and return “easy by inflicted secret it is a completely that and given worst, and fraud facilitate it could calculation, embezzlement. Cross's see Colleen information, further For reading worth it’s on page 34. analysis detailed her. by posts well-considered two these all to matters Audiblegate Why authors do to has nothing this issue think might You but publish audiobooks, don’t you if you with all for important it as hugely see we ALLi at Self-Publishing our of corner a key authors, to authors which encourages campaign 3.0 eschew to business mindset, a creative adopt the of conscious become to and exclusivity, property. intellectual their of value are indie authors that again saying worth It’s ALLi years, the Over Amazon. to grateful rightly I have ACX. and KDP Amazon with worked has award, Storyteller Amazon the been a judge at Black. Sacha blog, ALLi the of the editor as has a number has sponsored UK KDP Amazon the including events, and ALLi programs of Fair Book the London at party ALLi members’ for Amazon to grateful remain We year. each organization, non-profit our support of that the opportunities for grateful more and even authors. to afforded have tools Amazon’s raise Audible about these revelations But who cares and anyone ALLi, critical issues—for business Amazon’s about publishing—about with indie authors. relationships deducted admits it secretly Audible/ACX yet accounts, holders’ rights monies from any make or much, how say to refuses who asked have Authors compensation. closed accounts their had have questions without evidence. fraud, of accusations under responded have personnel service Customer will be that ways in questions reasonable to noncommittal authors: some KDP to familiar one customer passing queries from replies, or without progress another to representative - - , with authors, publishers and publishers with authors, , de facto 1 January 2021: it would reduce the period the period reduce would it 2021: January 1 bear and narrators authors which during seven. to days 365 from returns of the cost the exclusive lower would it 2021: 1 February days. 90 to years seven from term contract in visible returns make would it 2021: March and on reports. the dashboard • • • lishers and narrators should be liable only for for should be liable only and narrators lishers less consumes the listener where true returns, the audiobook. than 25% of staff improve to made, were promises Other to less easy the system and make training on. been acted yet not These have abuse. good not are “concessions” these feel We mechanism in the returns set they as enough, as place should they that accept to having narrators when scheme, quasi-library Audible’s subsidize for Not days. seven for Not should not. they minute. one for Not one day. As of today, the dashboard has changed, but has changed, the dashboard today, of As (Susan authors to visible yet not are returns on page 33). analysis a detailed gives May pub authors, that feel we importantly, More The earnings enigma The It concerns. other has uncovered The group authors be misleading may Audible appears payment when quoting terms the contract in exclusive holders rights 40% (to of percentages non-ex who are those 25% (to and Audible) to the already are These percentages clusive). ALLi and sector the self-publishing in lowest introduced were they when them to objected to 50% a previous from (reduced in 2014 back units sold). of the number depending on 90%, accountant a forensic was who Cross, Colleen has she became an indie author, before most indicates that done some deep analysis 13% on paid 21% and likely are today authors and 25% stated the 40% than rather price, retail See page 34. the contract. in using even is not Audible that it seems Further, outlined in its contract formula the payment program’s subscription their use when listeners Instead, books. purchase to credits monthly “floor” inserting a to has admitted Audible/ACX income.” of lowering from authors “protect to does ACX with signed authors the contract But “floor”. any mention not - - | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | 28 ing monies from authors and made some and made authors ing monies from By: small concessions. Late last year, the company issued two blog two issued the company year, last Late deduct secretly to admitted tacitly that posts Yet Audible/ACX continues to ignore the ignore to continues Audible/ACX Yet full for the authors of requests reasonable for compensation and fair transparency wrongdoing. Since the #Audiblegate campaign began the #Audiblegate Since than more to it has grown 2020, in October worldwide, and narrators authors 2,000 letter A Facebook. on regularly communicating Guild and Authors the by hosted Audible, to writers’ of ALLi and a number by supported than gained more globally, organizations inundated have And authors signatures. 13,000 issues and questions. their with ACX explanatory blog post blog post John dog explanatory Doppler’s to the ability that worried also are We ). here highly remains ACX with exclusivity out of opt sister Amazon’s with compared restricted, KDP. company Around this time, the group came to ALLi’s ALLi’s to came the group time, this Around the the evidence by Disturbed attention. rating ACX’s changed we had amassed, group while our “Pending” to “Recommended” from and the information surveyed desk watchdog On investigation, research. carried out further to downgraded further was grading ACX’s the support to signed up ALLi and “Caution” and narrators authors dedicated these of work watch (see deal win a fair to campaign their in organization, up a non-profit set have they (TERM)—see Movement The Equitable Rights page 32.

The Indie Author The Indie Author The Indie Author

Audible response: still cause for concern On 30 March, Audible announced that it had 2. Exclusivity ACX locks the audio files, so if the author didn't updated sales dashboards and created FAQs keep an additional copy, they cannot access to “help the ACX community understand their We are receiving many questions about the them without the narrator. Even though the sales insights.” facility to opt out of exclusivity. contract has ended. ALLi The data in the dashboard was also made Authors who have moved their books to Some narrators sign the release at the end available in earnings reports for March 2021, non-exclusive and then want to return to ex- of the seven years without expecting further RECOMMENDS sent in April, and would be included in future clusive are being advised by customer service payment. Others agree if they continue to representatives that moving to non-exclusive ALLi recommends that authors contin- earnings reports going forward. receive a share of the earnings on other ue to publish with ACX. But we recom- is a one-time opportunity. This condition is not platforms in perpetuity. And many request an Alongside overall audiobook sales, these mend authors switch from exclusive found in ACX contracts but is hidden in the additional buyout payment from the author. reports contain additional transactions, includ- help section. Again, with e-books and print to non-exclusive distribution. It is ALLi ing returns, bounty performance and promo in KDP, authors can switch from exclusive to This means, in the vast majority of cases, the policy to recommend non-exclusivity code redemptions. non-exclusive as often as they wish. author finds that at the end of the seven-year as a general principle. This situation term, they must pay the narrator another sum with Audible/ACX underlines why we Unfortunately, many of our members have re- they never expected because it is not in the take that view. ported that the information provided doesn’t 3. End of term contract. Neither is there any mention of this add up and continues to confuse. There are The substantive issue here is that additional agreement requirement. multiple issues of concern. Three of the most Authors who are using the royalty share option authors should only be responsible for pressing are the dashboard, exclusivity options are looking at buying out their narrators. We "true" returns, where the listener has and end of term. would like to know the status of a book once consumed less than 25% of the audi- a buyout happens and at the end of the obook. Audible should pay for its "easy seven-year contract term but there is a lack exchange and return" program from its 1. Dashboard of clarity. At time of writing we await answers own earnings. from Audible/ACX on the following question: The current dashboard does not seem to fulfil ALLi has impressed on Audible that the promises ACX made in its blog post: • If our reading of the ACX contract is correct, authors' continued use of the dash- • To break out returns by sales type, which the author owns the master with no further board does not constitute acceptance can also be downloaded. obligation to the narrator/producer. Why, of the concept of "qualified returns." then, does the author require the permis- • To show promotional codes in a separate sion of the narrator? This could cause issues We also continue to insist that Audible column. if a narrator cannot be contacted. What if must compensate rights holders they have passed away? properly, having admitted that it • To create an at-a-glance format by has secretly deducted monies from showing gross sales from which returns are Without narrator agreement, the audiobooks authors' accounts. deducted, and showing totals above the are renewed for automatic subsequent one- correct columns. year terms, at the end of the seven-year term. We have forwarded these questions to Audible and hope we can reach a Authors and narrators are noting wild swings in To end this rollover, authors need to get narra- solution. ALLi also continues to work reported data. Authors must be allowed to see tor agreement and provide this agreement to with Audible to help with the practical- all returns, including those in the past seven ACX, even if the seven-year term has ended. ities and to support the #Audiblegate days. These figures are available on every other We know of zero exceptions to this and have campaign in its efforts to see a fair platform, including Amazon KDP. They are not been able to find a single example where deal for authors, narrators and rights essential marketing and sales data. the author has successfully stopped the addi- holders. tional one-year terms.

30 | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | 31 The Indie Author The Indie Author

Audible response: still cause for concern On 30 March, Audible announced that it had 2. Exclusivity ACX locks the audio files, so if the author didn't updated sales dashboards and created FAQs keep an additional copy, they cannot access to “help the ACX community understand their We are receiving many questions about the them without the narrator. Even though the sales insights.” facility to opt out of exclusivity. contract has ended. ALLi The data in the dashboard was also made Authors who have moved their books to Some narrators sign the release at the end available in earnings reports for March 2021, non-exclusive and then want to return to ex- of the seven years without expecting further RECOMMENDS sent in April, and would be included in future clusive are being advised by customer service payment. Others agree if they continue to representatives that moving to non-exclusive ALLi recommends that authors contin- earnings reports going forward. receive a share of the earnings on other ue to publish with ACX. But we recom- is a one-time opportunity. This condition is not platforms in perpetuity. And many request an Alongside overall audiobook sales, these mend authors switch from exclusive found in ACX contracts but is hidden in the additional buyout payment from the author. reports contain additional transactions, includ- help section. Again, with e-books and print to non-exclusive distribution. It is ALLi ing returns, bounty performance and promo in KDP, authors can switch from exclusive to This means, in the vast majority of cases, the policy to recommend non-exclusivity code redemptions. non-exclusive as often as they wish. author finds that at the end of the seven-year as a general principle. This situation term, they must pay the narrator another sum with Audible/ACX underlines why we Unfortunately, many of our members have re- they never expected because it is not in the take that view. ported that the information provided doesn’t 3. End of term contract. Neither is there any mention of this add up and continues to confuse. There are The substantive issue here is that additional agreement requirement. multiple issues of concern. Three of the most Authors who are using the royalty share option authors should only be responsible for pressing are the dashboard, exclusivity options are looking at buying out their narrators. We "true" returns, where the listener has and end of term. would like to know the status of a book once consumed less than 25% of the audi- a buyout happens and at the end of the obook. Audible should pay for its "easy seven-year contract term but there is a lack exchange and return" program from its 1. Dashboard of clarity. At time of writing we await answers own earnings. from Audible/ACX on the following question: The current dashboard does not seem to fulfil ALLi has impressed on Audible that the promises ACX made in its blog post: • If our reading of the ACX contract is correct, authors' continued use of the dash- • To break out returns by sales type, which the author owns the master with no further board does not constitute acceptance can also be downloaded. obligation to the narrator/producer. Why, of the concept of "qualified returns." then, does the author require the permis- • To show promotional codes in a separate sion of the narrator? This could cause issues We also continue to insist that Audible column. if a narrator cannot be contacted. What if must compensate rights holders they have passed away? properly, having admitted that it • To create an at-a-glance format by has secretly deducted monies from showing gross sales from which returns are Without narrator agreement, the audiobooks authors' accounts. deducted, and showing totals above the are renewed for automatic subsequent one- correct columns. year terms, at the end of the seven-year term. We have forwarded these questions to Audible and hope we can reach a Authors and narrators are noting wild swings in To end this rollover, authors need to get narra- solution. ALLi also continues to work reported data. Authors must be allowed to see tor agreement and provide this agreement to with Audible to help with the practical- all returns, including those in the past seven ACX, even if the seven-year term has ended. ities and to support the #Audiblegate days. These figures are available on every other We know of zero exceptions to this and have campaign in its efforts to see a fair platform, including Amazon KDP. They are not been able to find a single example where deal for authors, narrators and rights essential marketing and sales data. the author has successfully stopped the addi- holders. tional one-year terms.

30 | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | 31 The Indie Author The Indie Author What you Dashboard can do updates Where to learn more • Visit #Audiblegate.com conceal • Follow #Audiblegate social media: Facebook and Twitter information @audiblegate • Read #Audiblegate blog posts Dark thriller author Susan The #Audiblegate May, who first uncov- • Listen to the #Audiblegate podcast ered the #Audiblegate anomalies and went on to campaign is found The Equitable Rights Take action Movement (TERM), assess- • Query: If you’re an audiobook es ACX's recent dashboard about to step up publisher, write to [email protected] updates, made in response and hold them accountable to author complaints. She Audible’s refusal to engage meaningfully The #Audiblegate campaign has gathered in negotiations has led to the next stage: interest from blogs, podcasts and mainstream • Email audiblegate@alliancein- explains why they are legal action. The aim is to gain attention and press. In the UK, articles have appeared in The dependentauthors.org if you inadequate support from government oversight and Guardian and The Bookseller. In the US, Jane can supply evidence of missing monies or other problems, want to Amazon is acknowledged justice departments in the USA, UK and other Friedman’s The Hotsheet, and Publishing Per- as a technology leader, with countries that have active self-publishing spectives have given it coverage. More features share your thoughts, or report on your experience Amazon Web Services (AWS) sectors. Also, to demonstrate the anti-trust and are upcoming in Bloomberg, the Financial offering products such as anti-competitive nature of Audible’s behavior, Times, and other outlets around the world. • Share information about #Audible- comprehensive analytics, high- along with breach of contract in payment Legal action gate with other authors, publishers, speed database management terms. narrators and rights holders Audible/ACX contracts prevent authors from data exchange, artificial intelligence applications, to To that end, the authors who founded the forming a class action, so TERM has engaged • Sign the #Audiblegate petition name just a few. So, it’s incredible Amazon’s Audible #Audiblegate campaign, Colleen Cross and legal counsel and is currently working on a here presents the Fawlty Towers of dashboards after Susan May, have set up a non-profit rights multi-pronged attack. supposedly four months’ of “hard work.” organization, The Equitable Rights Movement • Join the Fair Deal for Rights Hold- • A legal brief and case for enforcement ers and Narrators Facebook group The dashboard doesn’t display basic data as (TERM), to fight for fairness and transparency promised in its own PR release. Life-to-date counts in contracts and business practice, and the actions is being prepared for government here action. move up and down randomly with no relationship to recovery of monies owed. • Sign up at the ALLi page for the returns. The “totals” columns don’t tally or align. And “This name says everything about our stance,” • If necessary, a civil action for a representa- Audiblegate campaign here to be the dashboard only supplies seven-day returns, not says Susan May. “We simply want fair and tive case will be launched. kept updated full returns. equitable terms and payment. Our case will • An awareness campaign to increase public ALLi advocates for the equitable Is there a reason why a company this size insists on be judged on civil law equity and the legal pressure is being mounted. treatment of the independent author. delivering an appalling experience for authors and maxims are almost our battle cry. ‘Equity will Our campaigns operate globally and narrators? • A fundraiser for the legal case and ongoing not suffer a wrong to be without remedy,’ and advise creative industry professionals, expenses is in preparation. ‘Equity delights to do justice and not by halves.’ literacy and cultural organisations, Could it be that its true goal is maintaining confusion and increasing non-transparency? It's like a child And the one I hope we will always remember • An Audiblegate website and podcast have government bodies and deci- obviously holding something behind their back while when this is done: ‘Equity aids the vigilant, not been established, and pages have been sion-makers in seven core territories: insisting there’s nothing there. There’s something the indolent.’ created on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram Australia, Canada and Common- valuable there, that’s for certain. "We’ve stood by too long ignoring the abuse and YouTube. (See the box, right.) wealth, EU, New Zealand, South Africa, UK and US. Current campaigns in- Authors simply want transparency on all returns of our rights because it was all too hard and ALLi is currently paging other author, publisher, clude ethical self-publishing, open up and access to previous returns data. But that’s just we as individuals seemed so helpless against narrator and reader organizations to join the to indie authors and self-publishing a starting point with fixing what’s wrong at Audible/ the might of a huge, monopolistic company. campaign. Together, united, we are powerful.” for all. Find more here and find our ACX. campaign booklets here.

32 | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli @indieauthorall | 33 The Indie Author The Indie Author What you Dashboard can do updates Where to learn more • Visit #Audiblegate.com conceal • Follow #Audiblegate social media: Facebook and Twitter information @audiblegate • Read #Audiblegate blog posts Dark thriller author Susan The #Audiblegate May, who first uncov- • Listen to the #Audiblegate podcast ered the #Audiblegate anomalies and went on to campaign is found The Equitable Rights Take action Movement (TERM), assess- • Query: If you’re an audiobook es ACX's recent dashboard about to step up publisher, write to [email protected] updates, made in response and hold them accountable to author complaints. She Audible’s refusal to engage meaningfully The #Audiblegate campaign has gathered in negotiations has led to the next stage: interest from blogs, podcasts and mainstream • Email audiblegate@alliancein- explains why they are legal action. The aim is to gain attention and press. In the UK, articles have appeared in The dependentauthors.org if you inadequate support from government oversight and Guardian and The Bookseller. In the US, Jane can supply evidence of missing monies or other problems, want to Amazon is acknowledged justice departments in the USA, UK and other Friedman’s The Hotsheet, and Publishing Per- as a technology leader, with countries that have active self-publishing spectives have given it coverage. More features share your thoughts, or report on your experience Amazon Web Services (AWS) sectors. Also, to demonstrate the anti-trust and are upcoming in Bloomberg, the Financial offering products such as anti-competitive nature of Audible’s behavior, Times, and other outlets around the world. • Share information about #Audible- comprehensive analytics, high- along with breach of contract in payment Legal action gate with other authors, publishers, speed database management terms. narrators and rights holders Audible/ACX contracts prevent authors from data exchange, artificial intelligence applications, to To that end, the authors who founded the forming a class action, so TERM has engaged • Sign the #Audiblegate petition name just a few. So, it’s incredible Amazon’s Audible #Audiblegate campaign, Colleen Cross and legal counsel and is currently working on a here presents the Fawlty Towers of dashboards after Susan May, have set up a non-profit rights multi-pronged attack. supposedly four months’ of “hard work.” organization, The Equitable Rights Movement • Join the Fair Deal for Rights Hold- • A legal brief and case for enforcement ers and Narrators Facebook group The dashboard doesn’t display basic data as (TERM), to fight for fairness and transparency promised in its own PR release. Life-to-date counts in contracts and business practice, and the actions is being prepared for government here action. move up and down randomly with no relationship to recovery of monies owed. • Sign up at the ALLi page for the returns. The “totals” columns don’t tally or align. And “This name says everything about our stance,” • If necessary, a civil action for a representa- Audiblegate campaign here to be the dashboard only supplies seven-day returns, not says Susan May. “We simply want fair and tive case will be launched. kept updated full returns. equitable terms and payment. Our case will • An awareness campaign to increase public ALLi advocates for the equitable Is there a reason why a company this size insists on be judged on civil law equity and the legal pressure is being mounted. treatment of the independent author. delivering an appalling experience for authors and maxims are almost our battle cry. ‘Equity will Our campaigns operate globally and narrators? • A fundraiser for the legal case and ongoing not suffer a wrong to be without remedy,’ and advise creative industry professionals, expenses is in preparation. ‘Equity delights to do justice and not by halves.’ literacy and cultural organisations, Could it be that its true goal is maintaining confusion and increasing non-transparency? It's like a child And the one I hope we will always remember • An Audiblegate website and podcast have government bodies and deci- obviously holding something behind their back while when this is done: ‘Equity aids the vigilant, not been established, and pages have been sion-makers in seven core territories: insisting there’s nothing there. There’s something the indolent.’ created on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram Australia, Canada and Common- valuable there, that’s for certain. "We’ve stood by too long ignoring the abuse and YouTube. (See the box, right.) wealth, EU, New Zealand, South Africa, UK and US. Current campaigns in- Authors simply want transparency on all returns of our rights because it was all too hard and ALLi is currently paging other author, publisher, clude ethical self-publishing, open up and access to previous returns data. But that’s just we as individuals seemed so helpless against narrator and reader organizations to join the to indie authors and self-publishing a starting point with fixing what’s wrong at Audible/ the might of a huge, monopolistic company. campaign. Together, united, we are powerful.” for all. Find more here and find our ACX. campaign booklets here.

32 | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli @indieauthorall | 33 The Indie Author The Indie Author Alternatives for Audiobooks If you want to publish your audiobooks triumvirate, retail partners (Barnes & Noble, Nook, more widely than Amazon’s ACX plat- Kobo), library distribution channels (OverDrive, form, what are your options? ALLi watch- Hoopla, Baker & Taylor), and a few unique sub- Why Audible's figures scription services (YouTube Premium, eStories, dog John Doppler outlines six audio Napster). While not as extensive as the Findaway distribution platforms, recommended Voices network, Author’s Republic lands a solid don't add up partner members second-place prize for the scope and diversity of ACX, Amazon’s audio production platform, and its distribution. TERM co-founder Colleen Cross, who to. Audible claims Audible, its retail arm, are dominant players writes thrillers based on her background to use a “floor” in audiobooks. Their vertical integration gives Kobo Writing Life in finance and forensic accounting, minimum payment Amazon tremendous control over all aspects but provides no of the market. Through them, Amazon dictates Kobo avoids Amazon entirely, and maintains an scrutinizes the small print of the Audible/ transparency on non-negotiable terms to authors, narrators, international focus through Walmart in the US, ACX contract and gets a shock how this number is publishers and customers, unfailingly to its own Indigo in Canada, Bol.com in the Netherlands, Booktopia in Australia, and its own platform, The Audible numbers simply don’t add up. The derived, or when it advantage. was put into place, Kobo.com. Audible ACX contract states authors will be By some estimates, Audible dominates over and who decided paid a 40% “royalty” or 25% “royalty,” depending 40% of the $1.3bn audiobook market. Can to unilaterally defy on which Audible distribution option is agreed, audiobook authors afford to shun this giant Lantern the contract terms exclusive or non-exclusive. Cut that percent- completely? Lantern has its own online store, and also without informing us. age in half if you are in an author/narrator distributes to a solid array of retailers including The short answer is no. But in line with ALLi’s royalty-share agreement. The earnings Audible Downpour.com, Audiobooks.com, Storytel; policy of non-exclusivity, we recommend that does pay, that it and to libraries through Hoopla, OverDrive, and Well, prepare yourself for a nasty surprise. authors move from exclusivity to non-exclu- claims are double the so-called “floor rate”, Mackin Educational Resources. Lantern also sivity with ACX asap, even though that means a It’s not 40% for exclusive pay-for-production. double what we deserve, amount to a dismal distributes through Findaway, Kobo, Audible and lower payment rate. It’s not 25% for non-exclusive. Not even close. 13%. Audible keeps an outrageous 87%, simply Apple, so it’s a great choice for authors looking to I compiled sales data from many Audible for hosting the audio files and processing the ACX distributes to Amazon, Audible and iTunes, aggregate their distribution under one umbrella. authors at different price points and came to payment. If we agree to withhold our audio- which are collectively the world’s largest the same conclusion for all. Authors are only books from every other audiobook store and audiobook venues. However, many audiobook PublishDrive paid a fraction of the stated “royalty” rate. library in the entire world, then that 13% jumps sales take place outside this Big Three. So here's Audible never pays authors the stated “royalty” to 21%. That is a paltry amount, considering we a comparison of terms between ACX/Audible PublishDrive distributes audiobooks to a small rate. Instead, it bases the “royalty” on “Net pay 100% of the thousands of dollars it costs to and six other audiobook distribution services, but robust lineup of major channels. Audible, Sales,” a number so heavily manipulated by produce an audiobook title. recommended partner members of ALLi. They Google Play, Kobo, OverDrive, Bookmate and all supply ACX but also a great number of other Findaway form the core of their network, but Audible, that these “Net Sales” adjustments Audible states that the “floor” number protects outlets—many that Amazon does not access. If they also include some noteworthy outliers, such amount to a 50% deduction from the retail us from the prescribed earnings calculation you’re distributing exclusively through ACX, you as Gardners, and the Chinese distributor CNPe selling price. in the contract, the very calculation it deter- might be leaving money on the table. Reading. This is the figure upon which authors’ share of mined in the first place. How can this number, the sale is calculated. Not retail price. the number Audible is contracted to pay us, be too low if it is simply a percentage of all Audi- Findaway Voices SoundWise Audible admitted it doesn’t follow the earnings ble sales prorated among us, the suppliers? calculations prescribed in the contract. That Findaway Voices features one of the most SoundWise does not distribute to retailers, but confession came only after I took apart its Who made this number too low in the first extensive and diverse distribution networks instead, distributes content through its proprie- earnings calculation formula, step by step, and place? Hint: it’s Audible. of the providers listed here. Its channels include tary app and web interface. While the SoundWise Amazon, Apple, Google, Kobo and Walmart, as audience is smaller than that on other distribu- reverse-engineered the calculations to prove Audible hasn’t been paying us according well as a huge variety of smaller retailers and tion channels, its users tend to be enthusiastic that what it pays us can’t possibly be output, if to contract for years, and I believe it hoped the formula in the contract is followed. venues. listeners who often favor content within the nobody would notice. SoundWise system. This distribution can tap into Once caught, Audible said it is paying us a flat a user base that eschews other platforms. rate instead of from a pool, but not to worry, Author’s Republic because it was only trying to protect us, by Author’s Republic offers a wide distribution paying double what it says we are entitled network, including the Audible/Amazon/iTunes

34 | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | 35 The Indie Author The Indie Author Alternatives for Audiobooks If you want to publish your audiobooks triumvirate, retail partners (Barnes & Noble, Nook, more widely than Amazon’s ACX plat- Kobo), library distribution channels (OverDrive, form, what are your options? ALLi watch- Hoopla, Baker & Taylor), and a few unique sub- Why Audible's figures scription services (YouTube Premium, eStories, dog John Doppler outlines six audio Napster). While not as extensive as the Findaway distribution platforms, recommended Voices network, Author’s Republic lands a solid don't add up partner members second-place prize for the scope and diversity of ACX, Amazon’s audio production platform, and its distribution. TERM co-founder Colleen Cross, who to. Audible claims Audible, its retail arm, are dominant players writes thrillers based on her background to use a “floor” in audiobooks. Their vertical integration gives Kobo Writing Life in finance and forensic accounting, minimum payment Amazon tremendous control over all aspects but provides no of the market. Through them, Amazon dictates Kobo avoids Amazon entirely, and maintains an scrutinizes the small print of the Audible/ transparency on non-negotiable terms to authors, narrators, international focus through Walmart in the US, ACX contract and gets a shock how this number is publishers and customers, unfailingly to its own Indigo in Canada, Bol.com in the Netherlands, Booktopia in Australia, and its own platform, The Audible numbers simply don’t add up. The derived, or when it advantage. was put into place, Kobo.com. Audible ACX contract states authors will be By some estimates, Audible dominates over and who decided paid a 40% “royalty” or 25% “royalty,” depending 40% of the $1.3bn audiobook market. Can to unilaterally defy on which Audible distribution option is agreed, audiobook authors afford to shun this giant Lantern the contract terms exclusive or non-exclusive. Cut that percent- completely? Lantern has its own online store, and also without informing us. age in half if you are in an author/narrator distributes to a solid array of retailers including The short answer is no. But in line with ALLi’s royalty-share agreement. The earnings Audible Downpour.com, Audiobooks.com, Storytel; policy of non-exclusivity, we recommend that does pay, that it and to libraries through Hoopla, OverDrive, and Well, prepare yourself for a nasty surprise. authors move from exclusivity to non-exclu- claims are double the so-called “floor rate”, Mackin Educational Resources. Lantern also sivity with ACX asap, even though that means a It’s not 40% for exclusive pay-for-production. double what we deserve, amount to a dismal distributes through Findaway, Kobo, Audible and lower payment rate. It’s not 25% for non-exclusive. Not even close. 13%. Audible keeps an outrageous 87%, simply Apple, so it’s a great choice for authors looking to I compiled sales data from many Audible for hosting the audio files and processing the ACX distributes to Amazon, Audible and iTunes, aggregate their distribution under one umbrella. authors at different price points and came to payment. If we agree to withhold our audio- which are collectively the world’s largest the same conclusion for all. Authors are only books from every other audiobook store and audiobook venues. However, many audiobook PublishDrive paid a fraction of the stated “royalty” rate. library in the entire world, then that 13% jumps sales take place outside this Big Three. So here's Audible never pays authors the stated “royalty” to 21%. That is a paltry amount, considering we a comparison of terms between ACX/Audible PublishDrive distributes audiobooks to a small rate. Instead, it bases the “royalty” on “Net pay 100% of the thousands of dollars it costs to and six other audiobook distribution services, but robust lineup of major channels. Audible, Sales,” a number so heavily manipulated by produce an audiobook title. recommended partner members of ALLi. They Google Play, Kobo, OverDrive, Bookmate and all supply ACX but also a great number of other Findaway form the core of their network, but Audible, that these “Net Sales” adjustments Audible states that the “floor” number protects outlets—many that Amazon does not access. If they also include some noteworthy outliers, such amount to a 50% deduction from the retail us from the prescribed earnings calculation you’re distributing exclusively through ACX, you as Gardners, and the Chinese distributor CNPe selling price. in the contract, the very calculation it deter- might be leaving money on the table. Reading. This is the figure upon which authors’ share of mined in the first place. How can this number, the sale is calculated. Not retail price. the number Audible is contracted to pay us, be too low if it is simply a percentage of all Audi- Findaway Voices SoundWise Audible admitted it doesn’t follow the earnings ble sales prorated among us, the suppliers? calculations prescribed in the contract. That Findaway Voices features one of the most SoundWise does not distribute to retailers, but confession came only after I took apart its Who made this number too low in the first extensive and diverse distribution networks instead, distributes content through its proprie- earnings calculation formula, step by step, and place? Hint: it’s Audible. of the providers listed here. Its channels include tary app and web interface. While the SoundWise Amazon, Apple, Google, Kobo and Walmart, as audience is smaller than that on other distribu- reverse-engineered the calculations to prove Audible hasn’t been paying us according well as a huge variety of smaller retailers and tion channels, its users tend to be enthusiastic that what it pays us can’t possibly be output, if to contract for years, and I believe it hoped the formula in the contract is followed. venues. listeners who often favor content within the nobody would notice. SoundWise system. This distribution can tap into Once caught, Audible said it is paying us a flat a user base that eschews other platforms. rate instead of from a pool, but not to worry, Author’s Republic because it was only trying to protect us, by Author’s Republic offers a wide distribution paying double what it says we are entitled network, including the Audible/Amazon/iTunes

34 | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | 35 The Indie Author The Indie Author

Commissions and royalties Findaway Author’s Kobo Writing Lantern PublishDrive SoundWise Voices Republic Life

Audible/ACX pays 40% of sales for exclusive content, and a Pays 80% of net Pays 70% of net from Pays 32% of list price for Pays 80% of Offers tiered subscription SoundWise has recently meager 25% for non-exclusive agreements. from distribution retailers. subscription purchases, net from all plans paying 100% of net. updated its plans, and all channels (which 45% of list price otherwise, its distribution These plans range from the now pay 100% of net sales Compensation from venues outside of Amazon’s control ranges can range from except audiobooks priced partners. starter plan to publish two (minus processing fees from 30% to 50% of list price. The distributor’s share (if any) is 25% to 50% of list below $2.99, which earn titles for $9.99 per month, up for Stripe) in exchange deducted from this net payment. price, depending 35% of list price. to the pro plan to publish 48 for a subscription fee. Beyond Amazon, a retailer’s business model usually determines on the retailer). titles for $99.99 per month. Subscription fees start at commissions. Some offer subscription models, where readers The service sup- PublishDrive stands out for its a one-time $59 charge pay a monthly fee to access a catalog of audiobooks. Others ports an array unique royalty split features, for the essentials plan, offer a-la-carte sales, which generally pay a higher rate than of business which allow publishers to through a range of subscription models. Most distributors take a cut of net sales models, includ- automatically split and distrib- monthly and annual plans and pass the rest to the author; SoundWise and PublishDrive ing subscriptions, ute payments to co-authors to fit your publishing are the standout exceptions, each paying 100% of net on global pools and other collaborators. needs. a-la-carte sales. and single-copy loans. So the benefits of wide distribution may exceed the short-term convenience of Amazon exclusivity, especially with Audible’s undisclosed seizure of author royalties to pay for customer returns. With other audiobook retailers and distributors, you will be paid for every sale. Exclusivity

Of the audiobook distributors listed in this article, Audible is Lantern, Kobo Writing Life, Findaway Voices, the only one using exclusive agreements. ACX offers exclusive SoundWise, PublishDrive and Author’s Republic and non-exclusive plans, both granting a license to Audible are all non-exclusive distributors, and can be for seven years. If you sign up for an exclusive agreement, used in conjunction with each other to supple- pay-for-production (P4P) agreements may be converted to ment or replace Audible. non-exclusive agreements after one year. Royalty-share agree- ments can also be changed after a longer period, or if you have the agreement of the other party. Exclusivity may be changed 90 days after publication by emailing [email protected].

Pricing

Audible/ACX determines prices based on audiobook length. Each of the audiobook distributors covered offers no control over list price. here allows the author to set their own list price. Reporting

Audible/ACX has come under increasing fire for deceptive Findaway Voices Author’s Republic Kobo features a detailed Lantern’s PublishDrive offers clear SoundWise reporting reporting and for offering subscribers no-quibble returns, at the offers clear reports are available in a author dashboard and reporting is and concise royalty reports, offers great analytics, but authors’ expense, and conceals them by reporting “net sales” reporting with simple format that pro- report system, but reports uncomplicated optionally broken down by even better, it provides (see pages 27-34). breakdowns vides basic information are not broken down by and easy to read venue. Detailed descriptions buyers’ email addresses by retailer in on unit sales and reve- retailer. Reports are only at a glance. of payment schedules are to build your mailing For this reason, ALLi’s watchdog desk has assigned Audible/ACX table format or nue, and an advanced issued monthly. provided for each distribution list. That’s a feature few a Caution rating. charts. Data for tab gives more detailed channel, with illustrative other services offer, and Confusion continues. ALLi is working with Audible/ACX to some retailers information. There is no examples. Daily sales analytics is a priceless marketing resolve this and will report back as soon as possible. is available in graphical chart to give are available as earnings and resource. up-to-the-min- an at-a-glance summa- volume charts, or mapped to ute reports, and ry of performance, but countries worldwide. Compre- past data can reports can be down- hensive, detailed sales reports be downloaded loaded and displayed as may be downloaded as Excel as standalone a chart in Excel without spreadsheets. reports. much difficulty.

36 | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | 37 The Indie Author The Indie Author

Commissions and royalties Findaway Author’s Kobo Writing Lantern PublishDrive SoundWise Voices Republic Life

Audible/ACX pays 40% of sales for exclusive content, and a Pays 80% of net Pays 70% of net from Pays 32% of list price for Pays 80% of Offers tiered subscription SoundWise has recently meager 25% for non-exclusive agreements. from distribution retailers. subscription purchases, net from all plans paying 100% of net. updated its plans, and all channels (which 45% of list price otherwise, its distribution These plans range from the now pay 100% of net sales Compensation from venues outside of Amazon’s control ranges can range from except audiobooks priced partners. starter plan to publish two (minus processing fees from 30% to 50% of list price. The distributor’s share (if any) is 25% to 50% of list below $2.99, which earn titles for $9.99 per month, up for Stripe) in exchange deducted from this net payment. price, depending 35% of list price. to the pro plan to publish 48 for a subscription fee. Beyond Amazon, a retailer’s business model usually determines on the retailer). titles for $99.99 per month. Subscription fees start at commissions. Some offer subscription models, where readers The service sup- PublishDrive stands out for its a one-time $59 charge pay a monthly fee to access a catalog of audiobooks. Others ports an array unique royalty split features, for the essentials plan, offer a-la-carte sales, which generally pay a higher rate than of business which allow publishers to through a range of subscription models. Most distributors take a cut of net sales models, includ- automatically split and distrib- monthly and annual plans and pass the rest to the author; SoundWise and PublishDrive ing subscriptions, ute payments to co-authors to fit your publishing are the standout exceptions, each paying 100% of net on global pools and other collaborators. needs. a-la-carte sales. and single-copy loans. So the benefits of wide distribution may exceed the short-term convenience of Amazon exclusivity, especially with Audible’s undisclosed seizure of author royalties to pay for customer returns. With other audiobook retailers and distributors, you will be paid for every sale. Exclusivity

Of the audiobook distributors listed in this article, Audible is Lantern, Kobo Writing Life, Findaway Voices, the only one using exclusive agreements. ACX offers exclusive SoundWise, PublishDrive and Author’s Republic and non-exclusive plans, both granting a license to Audible are all non-exclusive distributors, and can be for seven years. If you sign up for an exclusive agreement, used in conjunction with each other to supple- pay-for-production (P4P) agreements may be converted to ment or replace Audible. non-exclusive agreements after one year. Royalty-share agree- ments can also be changed after a longer period, or if you have the agreement of the other party. Exclusivity may be changed 90 days after publication by emailing [email protected].

Pricing

Audible/ACX determines prices based on audiobook length. Each of the audiobook distributors covered offers no control over list price. here allows the author to set their own list price. Reporting

Audible/ACX has come under increasing fire for deceptive Findaway Voices Author’s Republic Kobo features a detailed Lantern’s PublishDrive offers clear SoundWise reporting reporting and for offering subscribers no-quibble returns, at the offers clear reports are available in a author dashboard and reporting is and concise royalty reports, offers great analytics, but authors’ expense, and conceals them by reporting “net sales” reporting with simple format that pro- report system, but reports uncomplicated optionally broken down by even better, it provides (see pages 27-34). breakdowns vides basic information are not broken down by and easy to read venue. Detailed descriptions buyers’ email addresses by retailer in on unit sales and reve- retailer. Reports are only at a glance. of payment schedules are to build your mailing For this reason, ALLi’s watchdog desk has assigned Audible/ACX table format or nue, and an advanced issued monthly. provided for each distribution list. That’s a feature few a Caution rating. charts. Data for tab gives more detailed channel, with illustrative other services offer, and Confusion continues. ALLi is working with Audible/ACX to some retailers information. There is no examples. Daily sales analytics is a priceless marketing resolve this and will report back as soon as possible. is available in graphical chart to give are available as earnings and resource. up-to-the-min- an at-a-glance summa- volume charts, or mapped to ute reports, and ry of performance, but countries worldwide. Compre- past data can reports can be down- hensive, detailed sales reports be downloaded loaded and displayed as may be downloaded as Excel as standalone a chart in Excel without spreadsheets. reports. much difficulty.

36 | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | 37 The Indie Author The Indie Author

Transparency Findaway Author’s Kobo Writing Lantern PublishDrive SoundWise Voices Republic Life

Audible/ACX terms and conditions are strewn across 18 sepa- Terms and There is room for The agreement is fairly The agreement Terms and conditions are Terms and conditions rate documents, a nightmare tht is typical of Amazon subsidiar- conditions are improvement here. The concise, although it can is very user presented in plain, clear are moderately dense, ies. They contain a number of legal landmines, including: clear and for "How it Works" and "FAQ" be difficult to parse in friendly. It’s brief English, free of legalese and but not unreasonably so. the most part, pages do not give full places and is peppered but thorough, convoluted references. A The agreement clearly • Account holders may not terminate their agreement succinct. Agree- terms and conditions with jargon. The agreement spelling out model agreement. states rights, obligations prior to delivery of an audiobook, and that termination ment terms may and leave several spells out payment terms, terms with just and limitations. Changes Terms are subject to change, does not affect any rights you have already granted be modified questions unanswered. obligations and rights in the right amount to the terms are posted but with notification to the ACX. without notice to detail. of specificity on the site, and authors author. Dates of change are the user. There is while avoiding are notified by email. • Changes to the terms and conditions take effect Kobo reserves the right to posted. no information dense legal The changes do not take immediately, without notice, and your only recourse change terms and condi- provided about jargon. The effect until 30 days after is to terminate your account—although this does not tions unilaterally, without terminating agreement also their announcement. notice to the author. These release you from any obligations of the agreement. an account, or provides pro- changes are not retroac- The terms require binding how that affects tections to the • You are required to notify ACX if someone asserts tive, but an author might arbitration, and strip the obligations author, a wel- that you have infringed their rights, regardless of the struggle to find out about author of the ability to and existing come change validity of that claim, and ACX may withhold payments the changes or verify take a dispute to court. publications. from documents on any of your books until the claim is resolved. them as earlier versions of They also include sweep- that serve only the terms are not readily ing disclaimers of legal • Any royalty statements issued by ACX are uncontest- to disempower available on the site. liability, including a $50 able after three months, even though discrepancies authors and cap on damages. may not be detected for over a year due to reporting The agreement prohibits indemnify the cycles, the obfuscation of sales and returns, and the sharing of information service provider. technical errors. about the terms and conditions, especially with the press. A pre-emptive attempt to muzzle partici- pants is never a good sign, particularly in a company one trusts to handle your intellectual property and royalties. Termination clauses

The agreement with Audible/ACX is for seven years, whether Findaway Voices Author's Republic users Kobo states that you may Lantern’s agree- PublishDrive authors may SoundWise users may exclusive or non-exclusive. Any audiobooks subject to the terms do not may freely terminate freely terminate your ment allows cancel at any time, with the terminate their accounts ACX agreement must be produced and delivered, and you include infor- their account at any account and withdraw either party to titles to be withdrawn from and withdraw their may not cancel those agreements before delivery. You cannot mation about time. your books from sale terminate at will, publication the following audiobooks at any time. terminate your account if audiobooks are pending. Production closing your at any time. Or, as Kobo with a 60-day month. agreements can only be terminated if all parties agree (author, account, or the puts it: “The term of these timeframe for narrator and publisher), and ACX approves the termination. consequences. Terms shall continue until that to take ACX has the right to refuse termination, even if all parties have The process terminated…” effect. consented to it. must be con- ducted through the platform support.

The bottom line With Audible’s market dominance, indie authors have little choice but to use ACX for now. But there are several viable options to expand reach. Keep in mind that it may take longer to establish a com- parable audience through wide distribution but that investment is likely to pay off. Have you shifted to wide distribution for audiobooks? John Doppler writes science fiction, horror and fantasy and is the ALLi services watchdog. His web- How has it affected your sales and income? Let us know site is johndopp.com. Follow him on Twitter @johndoppler Email [email protected]

38 | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | 39 The Indie Author The Indie Author

Transparency Findaway Author’s Kobo Writing Lantern PublishDrive SoundWise Voices Republic Life

Audible/ACX terms and conditions are strewn across 18 sepa- Terms and There is room for The agreement is fairly The agreement Terms and conditions are Terms and conditions rate documents, a nightmare tht is typical of Amazon subsidiar- conditions are improvement here. The concise, although it can is very user presented in plain, clear are moderately dense, ies. They contain a number of legal landmines, including: clear and for "How it Works" and "FAQ" be difficult to parse in friendly. It’s brief English, free of legalese and but not unreasonably so. the most part, pages do not give full places and is peppered but thorough, convoluted references. A The agreement clearly • Account holders may not terminate their agreement succinct. Agree- terms and conditions with jargon. The agreement spelling out model agreement. states rights, obligations prior to delivery of an audiobook, and that termination ment terms may and leave several spells out payment terms, terms with just and limitations. Changes Terms are subject to change, does not affect any rights you have already granted be modified questions unanswered. obligations and rights in the right amount to the terms are posted but with notification to the ACX. without notice to detail. of specificity on the site, and authors author. Dates of change are the user. There is while avoiding are notified by email. • Changes to the terms and conditions take effect Kobo reserves the right to posted. no information dense legal The changes do not take immediately, without notice, and your only recourse change terms and condi- provided about jargon. The effect until 30 days after is to terminate your account—although this does not tions unilaterally, without terminating agreement also their announcement. notice to the author. These release you from any obligations of the agreement. an account, or provides pro- changes are not retroac- The terms require binding how that affects tections to the • You are required to notify ACX if someone asserts tive, but an author might arbitration, and strip the obligations author, a wel- that you have infringed their rights, regardless of the struggle to find out about author of the ability to and existing come change validity of that claim, and ACX may withhold payments the changes or verify take a dispute to court. publications. from documents on any of your books until the claim is resolved. them as earlier versions of They also include sweep- that serve only the terms are not readily ing disclaimers of legal • Any royalty statements issued by ACX are uncontest- to disempower available on the site. liability, including a $50 able after three months, even though discrepancies authors and cap on damages. may not be detected for over a year due to reporting The agreement prohibits indemnify the cycles, the obfuscation of sales and returns, and the sharing of information service provider. technical errors. about the terms and conditions, especially with the press. A pre-emptive attempt to muzzle partici- pants is never a good sign, particularly in a company one trusts to handle your intellectual property and royalties. Termination clauses

The agreement with Audible/ACX is for seven years, whether Findaway Voices Author's Republic users Kobo states that you may Lantern’s agree- PublishDrive authors may SoundWise users may exclusive or non-exclusive. Any audiobooks subject to the terms do not may freely terminate freely terminate your ment allows cancel at any time, with the terminate their accounts ACX agreement must be produced and delivered, and you include infor- their account at any account and withdraw either party to titles to be withdrawn from and withdraw their may not cancel those agreements before delivery. You cannot mation about time. your books from sale terminate at will, publication the following audiobooks at any time. terminate your account if audiobooks are pending. Production closing your at any time. Or, as Kobo with a 60-day month. agreements can only be terminated if all parties agree (author, account, or the puts it: “The term of these timeframe for narrator and publisher), and ACX approves the termination. consequences. Terms shall continue until that to take ACX has the right to refuse termination, even if all parties have The process terminated…” effect. consented to it. must be con- ducted through the platform support.

The bottom line With Audible’s market dominance, indie authors have little choice but to use ACX for now. But there are several viable options to expand reach. Keep in mind that it may take longer to establish a com- parable audience through wide distribution but that investment is likely to pay off. Have you shifted to wide distribution for audiobooks? John Doppler writes science fiction, horror and fantasy and is the ALLi services watchdog. His web- How has it affected your sales and income? Let us know site is johndopp.com. Follow him on Twitter @johndoppler Email [email protected]

38 | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | 39 TheThe IndieIndie AuthorAuthor

- 41

tion, she went to London to study and play the and play study to London to went she tion, an author. becoming time before full cello adolescence her to Asia childhood in her From ghostwriter, as cellist, roles her to America in has learned McVeigh Alice and novelist, editor different for voices different adopt to how roles. much like very it’s doing ghostwriting, you’re “If following you’re because being in an orchestra “whereas she says, you,” of in front set what’s you novelist, as a yourself writing for you’re if rolled composer the and the conductor are why that’s And God. basically are You one. into we life it because in people enjoy so many of control in perfect we’re like feel often don’t writing.” But you when you’re do everything. She’s a ghostwriter, an editor, and a performer and a performer an editor, a ghostwriter, She’s of that like valleys, and has peaks voice whose shelter, her was says, Alice cello, The musician. a the pain through her it got and salvation, her gradua After high school and adolescence. of

www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | | @indieauthorall www.allianceindependentauthors.org goes has a fun job. He gets to to gets He has a fun job. selfpublishingadvice.org/ Alice McVeigh McVeigh Alice author-interview-alice-mcveigh/ when she Taylor the pen name Spaulding by names are two those But fiction. science writes talent. a multidimensional of aspects two only Tell us your your us Tell backstory: Indie Inspirational podcast Authors of and host manager ALLi multimedia As podcast, Authors Indie the Inspirational Lovy Howard and not authors, some incredible to talk he enjoys What books. their about just what and stories life their is hearing most they Where write. to want them made they what them, influenced who up, grew they and did before saw wrote, read, He books. writing and publishing began these at amazed he is continually says winding the and lives fascinating authors’ to them brought eventually that paths highlights few a are Here indie publishing. interviews. recent of McVeigh Alice | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org 40 | Photo credit: Stokkete | Shutterstock The Indie Author TheThe IndieIndie AuthorAuthor

- 41

tion, she went to London to study and play the and play study to London to went she tion, an author. becoming time before full cello adolescence her to Asia childhood in her From ghostwriter, as cellist, roles her to America in has learned McVeigh Alice and novelist, editor different for voices different adopt to how roles. much like very it’s doing ghostwriting, you’re “If following you’re because being in an orchestra “whereas she says, you,” of in front set what’s you novelist, as a yourself writing for you’re if rolled composer the and the conductor are why that’s And God. basically are You one. into we life it because in people enjoy so many of control in perfect we’re like feel often don’t writing.” But you when you’re do everything. She’s a ghostwriter, an editor, and a performer and a performer an editor, a ghostwriter, She’s of that like valleys, and has peaks voice whose shelter, her was says, Alice cello, The musician. a the pain through her it got and salvation, her gradua After high school and adolescence. of

www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | | @indieauthorall www.allianceindependentauthors.org goes has a fun job. He gets to to gets He has a fun job. selfpublishingadvice.org/ Alice McVeigh McVeigh Alice author-interview-alice-mcveigh/ when she Taylor the pen name Spaulding by names are two those But fiction. science writes talent. a multidimensional of aspects two only Tell us your your us Tell backstory: Indie Inspirational podcast Authors of and host manager ALLi multimedia As podcast, Authors Indie the Inspirational Lovy Howard and not authors, some incredible to talk he enjoys What books. their about just what and stories life their is hearing most they Where write. to want them made they what them, influenced who up, grew they and did before saw wrote, read, He books. writing and publishing began these at amazed he is continually says winding the and lives fascinating authors’ to them brought eventually that paths highlights few a are Here indie publishing. interviews. recent of McVeigh Alice | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org 40 | Photo credit: Stokkete | Shutterstock The Indie Author The Indie Author

43 and here and Weekly Publishers , and has been an executive editor of of editor and has been an executive , time to helping other indie authors of historical historical of indie authors other helping to time an online through audience their find fiction Diamonds. Discovering site review if thought, I when I can. authors helping “I like with site review a respected establish I could of way be a would it team, a good review authors,” and self-published indie encouraging she says. podcast Authors Indie the Inspirational Find . here He ALLi. of manager is multimedia Lovy Howard and podcaster editor, book is also a journalist, in with credits memoirist, Longreads website his Find . Reviews Foreword tweet him as @Howard_Lovy tweet - www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | | @indieauthorall www.allianceindependentauthors.org is a health writes writes

selfpublishingadvice.org/ and fitness author who discovered a perfect a perfect discovered who and fitness author and video content and print between synergy It YouTube. on has amassed a sizable following voice his discover to Dale while for a little took he exudes it, found he’s but now and his brand, have just you that self-publishing for an energy yourself. for hear to I’m that knowing rush, an adrenaline like “It’s was I like stuck who are people helping other “Within a Dale says. out,” started when I first thousand sub I hit a think I a half, and year hooked.” truly was when I that’s and scribers, selfpublishingadvice.org/ Hollick Helen author-interview-helen-hollick/ topics like fantastical about fiction historical the legend as if but reimagines Arthur, King the magic, without man, a real was Arthur with a successful She ended up without Merlin. publisher. a major up by picked was that trilogy with Random differences creative after Then, go indie and hasn’t to she decided House, her much of she devotes Today, back. looked Dale Roberts Dale Dale Roberts author-interview-dale-roberts/ Hollick Hellen was born was

selfpublishingadvice.org/ travel and fantasy stories, he works on software software on works he stories, and fantasy travel to hates productive, people more make to and he first ripped off, get authors see indie a than more author a self-published became in his life. struck tragedy ago after decade to beginning just writers for advice Tim’s on rely Don’t research. your Do self-publish? one source. just of variety a to listen to thing is “The main the who out work soon you’ll because sources in his Tim says in self-publishing,” are charlatans interview. your to an extension getting you’re if like “It’s find just to going necessarily not you’re house, directory telephone the in Builders Aardvark You up front. the money them all and offer a for due diligence of level need a similar book.” Bjørn Larssen Bjørn Larssen author-interview-bjorn-larssen/ but has his the Netherlands, in lives in Poland, the with and in Iceland heart simultaneously about writes which he Gods, Norse ancient is there enough, isn’t that And if in his books. and his journey story Bjorn’s to much more his discovery to Poland communist-era from as an indie author. freedom of Bjørn Larssen Bjørn - - writes crime writes as the host of the ALLi-spon the as the host of

| www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org www.allianceindependentauthors.org | | sored #IndieAuthorChat on Twitter. What you you What Twitter. on #IndieAuthorChat sored time of the author he’s that is know not may 4242 Many of you might know Tim Lewis Tim Lewis know might you of Many selfpublishingadvice.org/author-inter view-tim-lewis/ Tim Lewis Tim Amy Rivers selfpublishingadvice.org/ Rivers Amy author-interview-amy-rivers/ talk to place great a really becomes “Fiction try and world the in are really things how about perspective of help people gain a little bit to been personally not have they on situations says. Amy by,” touched thrillers and mysteries that are very much very are that and mysteries thrillers Amy’s people and events. based on real curiosity lifelong with her writing is infused people they things the do what makes about dark very into writing her take can which do, are they fiction, are books her Although places. Understanding exploitative. or gratuitous never is which empathy, toward step the first is in of can all use more we says Amy something times. these Amy Rivers Amy

The Indie Author The Indie Author

43 and here and Weekly Publishers , and has been an executive editor of of editor and has been an executive , time to helping other indie authors of historical historical of indie authors other helping to time an online through audience their find fiction Diamonds. Discovering site review if thought, I when I can. authors helping “I like with site review a respected establish I could of way be a would it team, a good review authors,” and self-published indie encouraging she says. podcast Authors Indie the Inspirational Find . here He ALLi. of manager is multimedia Lovy Howard and podcaster editor, book is also a journalist, in with credits memoirist, Longreads website his Find . Reviews Foreword tweet him as @Howard_Lovy tweet - www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | | @indieauthorall www.allianceindependentauthors.org is a health writes writes

selfpublishingadvice.org/ and fitness author who discovered a perfect a perfect discovered who and fitness author and video content and print between synergy It YouTube. on has amassed a sizable following voice his discover to Dale while for a little took he exudes it, found he’s but now and his brand, have just you that self-publishing for an energy yourself. for hear to I’m that knowing rush, an adrenaline like “It’s was I like stuck who are people helping other “Within a Dale says. out,” started when I first thousand sub I hit a think I a half, and year hooked.” truly was when I that’s and scribers, selfpublishingadvice.org/ Hollick Helen author-interview-helen-hollick/ topics like fantastical about fiction historical the legend as if but reimagines Arthur, King the magic, without man, a real was Arthur with a successful She ended up without Merlin. publisher. a major up by picked was that trilogy with Random differences creative after Then, go indie and hasn’t to she decided House, her much of she devotes Today, back. looked Dale Roberts Dale Dale Roberts author-interview-dale-roberts/ Hollick Hellen was born was

selfpublishingadvice.org/ travel and fantasy stories, he works on software software on works he stories, and fantasy travel to hates productive, people more make to and he first ripped off, get authors see indie a than more author a self-published became in his life. struck tragedy ago after decade to beginning just writers for advice Tim’s on rely Don’t research. your Do self-publish? one source. just of variety a to listen to thing is “The main the who out work soon you’ll because sources in his Tim says in self-publishing,” are charlatans interview. your to an extension getting you’re if like “It’s find just to going necessarily not you’re house, directory telephone the in Builders Aardvark You up front. the money them all and offer a for due diligence of level need a similar book.” Bjørn Larssen Bjørn Larssen author-interview-bjorn-larssen/ but has his the Netherlands, in lives in Poland, the with and in Iceland heart simultaneously about writes which he Gods, Norse ancient is there enough, isn’t that And if in his books. and his journey story Bjorn’s to much more his discovery to Poland communist-era from as an indie author. freedom of Bjørn Larssen Bjørn - - writes crime writes as the host of the ALLi-spon the as the host of

| www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org www.allianceindependentauthors.org | | sored #IndieAuthorChat on Twitter. What you you What Twitter. on #IndieAuthorChat sored time of the author he’s that is know not may 4242 Many of you might know Tim Lewis Tim Lewis know might you of Many selfpublishingadvice.org/author-inter view-tim-lewis/ Tim Lewis Tim Amy Rivers selfpublishingadvice.org/ Rivers Amy author-interview-amy-rivers/ talk to place great a really becomes “Fiction try and world the in are really things how about perspective of help people gain a little bit to been personally not have they on situations says. Amy by,” touched thrillers and mysteries that are very much very are that and mysteries thrillers Amy’s people and events. based on real curiosity lifelong with her writing is infused people they things the do what makes about dark very into writing her take can which do, are they fiction, are books her Although places. Understanding exploitative. or gratuitous never is which empathy, toward step the first is in of can all use more we says Amy something times. these Amy Rivers Amy

The Indie Author The Indie Author The Indie Author

CONTACT US Let your creativity run wild! Creative business TODAY! ... And let us worry about the little things. planning for adirondack indie authors editing www.adirondackediting.com All the aspects of author life can be That to-do list loomed large in my life. I’d go creative—and creatively rewarding. to sleep ticking off tasks and wake up remem- adirondackediting@gmail.com bering something I’d forgotten. I got there, but That even includes business and my book production rate was low, and I always money. In the new edition of had a nagging feeling of never having quite Your comments are witty and Creative Self-Publishing and its enough time to enjoy all this work that I loved humorous—I can laugh while accompanying planning series, so much. • 76% repeat-customer rate I work out the kinks. I am very impressed with your ALLi director Orna Ross gives the A to-do list works as a planning method only • fiction & nonfiction books edited work. Your attention to detail lowdown on creative business for writers who have third-party publishers 400 is unparalleled, and I can tell planning. Here’s a taster (and other people whose job is straightforward you dedicated a great deal of It’s my experience and my observation that and singular). If all (all!) you have to do today, • 181 genres time to my book. Thank you! creative business planning is key to ongoing, tomorrow, and forever is get words researched, written and self-edited, then a to-do list will – Jules Orion, author of sustainable success as an indie author. Yes, we The Last True Stargazer Trilogy: can have a flash success here or there, but if serve you just fine. But indie authors are crea- • 40 years writing & editing The Chronicles of Kate Cameron we don’t know how it happened, and don’t tive directors of an author-publishing business, know how to replicate it, it falls away as fast as a much more complex endeavor. it came. If you are to earn more money and influence way of thinking about what we do, and how we This is an invitation to try a particular kind of Author business planning and reader engagement long term, you need do it. More books, more data, more analysis. a creative business plan that’s both flexible But business advice for authors cannot be planning process for an author business, a Many indie authors are living with a constant and focused. trusted if it fails to allow for our creative process based on my personal experience sense of lack: lack of direction, lack of support, motivations. as an indie author, and my observation of lack of resources, lack of time, lack of money. thousands of other self-publishing authors The business isn’t paying a salary, never mind Creative business planning How you do business should align with your over many years. making a profit. It may not even have enough hopes, your dreams, your intentions and As an indie author, you are running a creative money to pay the tax bill. your imagination. Your business should be as While some indie authors are very busi- business, a business that is powered by passion unique and as expressive of you as your books. ness-minded, a great many more come to The problem is usually threefold. The author is: as much as profit. self-publishing with few business skills. And It should ensure you connect daily with what society has set up business and creativity as if • Not selling enough. Over-disciplined planning is as dangerous for made you want to be a writer in the first place. a creative as no planning at all. Our (sensitive, they are separate, so lots of writers and other • Disconnected from time. An author-business is driven by money and inner) creative self can be easily cut off by our creatives are resistant to the very idea of being meaning, by profitsand purpose. Our plans • Not measuring results. (active, outer) thinking self. in business. must also account for the creative rest and I understand this mindset very well. I initially They may be working very hard, but from a Creative digital solo businesses are a 21st play that are very much part of creative work. turned to self-publishing more for its creative rewards perspective they are standing still century phenomenon, born through the And must be flexible enough to allow for than commercial rewards but I hadn’t been or slipping back. They are stressed, perhaps power of digital publishing, and changing how intuition, spontaneous insights, inspired devia- doing it for long when I realized that as soon as depressed, perhaps despairing and about to business is done. Many of the old business tions, and taking the road less traveled. give up. “rules” and “disciplines” are irrelevant, and may you put a book out for sale, you’re in business, Readers love books that are remarkable. even be hampering the progress of a creative whether you like it or not. Remarkably original. Remarkably on brand. For many of these authors, all the fundamen- business. Yet so much business advice remains Remarkably clever. Remarkable characters, or I found myself with book production and mar- tals are in place. Their books are great, they mechanical, one-dimensional, and purely data plot lines, or ideas, or language, or emotion, or keting tasks to do, alongside my writing (and understand their readers. What they’re lacking driven. running ALLi), but the planning tools I’d used till is a plan to make the right things happen at helpfulness. What makes a book remarkable is then were nothing more than a notebook and the right time. And there is a strong movement in au- creativity. a list of to-dos. thor-publishing at the moment, pushing that

44 | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | 45 The Indie Author The Indie Author

CONTACT US Let your creativity run wild! Creative business TODAY! ... And let us worry about the little things. planning for adirondack indie authors editing www.adirondackediting.com All the aspects of author life can be That to-do list loomed large in my life. I’d go creative—and creatively rewarding. to sleep ticking off tasks and wake up remem- [email protected] bering something I’d forgotten. I got there, but That even includes business and my book production rate was low, and I always money. In the new edition of had a nagging feeling of never having quite Your comments are witty and Creative Self-Publishing and its enough time to enjoy all this work that I loved humorous—I can laugh while accompanying planning series, so much. • 76% repeat-customer rate I work out the kinks. I am very impressed with your ALLi director Orna Ross gives the A to-do list works as a planning method only • fiction & nonfiction books edited work. Your attention to detail lowdown on creative business for writers who have third-party publishers 400 is unparalleled, and I can tell planning. Here’s a taster (and other people whose job is straightforward you dedicated a great deal of It’s my experience and my observation that and singular). If all (all!) you have to do today, • 181 genres time to my book. Thank you! creative business planning is key to ongoing, tomorrow, and forever is get words researched, written and self-edited, then a to-do list will – Jules Orion, author of sustainable success as an indie author. Yes, we The Last True Stargazer Trilogy: can have a flash success here or there, but if serve you just fine. But indie authors are crea- • 40 years writing & editing The Chronicles of Kate Cameron we don’t know how it happened, and don’t tive directors of an author-publishing business, know how to replicate it, it falls away as fast as a much more complex endeavor. it came. If you are to earn more money and influence way of thinking about what we do, and how we This is an invitation to try a particular kind of Author business planning and reader engagement long term, you need do it. More books, more data, more analysis. a creative business plan that’s both flexible But business advice for authors cannot be planning process for an author business, a Many indie authors are living with a constant and focused. trusted if it fails to allow for our creative process based on my personal experience sense of lack: lack of direction, lack of support, motivations. as an indie author, and my observation of lack of resources, lack of time, lack of money. thousands of other self-publishing authors The business isn’t paying a salary, never mind Creative business planning How you do business should align with your over many years. making a profit. It may not even have enough hopes, your dreams, your intentions and As an indie author, you are running a creative money to pay the tax bill. your imagination. Your business should be as While some indie authors are very busi- business, a business that is powered by passion unique and as expressive of you as your books. ness-minded, a great many more come to The problem is usually threefold. The author is: as much as profit. self-publishing with few business skills. And It should ensure you connect daily with what society has set up business and creativity as if • Not selling enough. Over-disciplined planning is as dangerous for made you want to be a writer in the first place. a creative as no planning at all. Our (sensitive, they are separate, so lots of writers and other • Disconnected from time. An author-business is driven by money and inner) creative self can be easily cut off by our creatives are resistant to the very idea of being meaning, by profitsand purpose. Our plans • Not measuring results. (active, outer) thinking self. in business. must also account for the creative rest and I understand this mindset very well. I initially They may be working very hard, but from a Creative digital solo businesses are a 21st play that are very much part of creative work. turned to self-publishing more for its creative rewards perspective they are standing still century phenomenon, born through the And must be flexible enough to allow for than commercial rewards but I hadn’t been or slipping back. They are stressed, perhaps power of digital publishing, and changing how intuition, spontaneous insights, inspired devia- doing it for long when I realized that as soon as depressed, perhaps despairing and about to business is done. Many of the old business tions, and taking the road less traveled. give up. “rules” and “disciplines” are irrelevant, and may you put a book out for sale, you’re in business, Readers love books that are remarkable. even be hampering the progress of a creative whether you like it or not. Remarkably original. Remarkably on brand. For many of these authors, all the fundamen- business. Yet so much business advice remains Remarkably clever. Remarkable characters, or I found myself with book production and mar- tals are in place. Their books are great, they mechanical, one-dimensional, and purely data plot lines, or ideas, or language, or emotion, or keting tasks to do, alongside my writing (and understand their readers. What they’re lacking driven. running ALLi), but the planning tools I’d used till is a plan to make the right things happen at helpfulness. What makes a book remarkable is then were nothing more than a notebook and the right time. And there is a strong movement in au- creativity. a list of to-dos. thor-publishing at the moment, pushing that

44 | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | 45 The Indie Author The Indie Author

Q Where are you going? Q How will you know when • Where would you like to arrive, in terms of you’ve got there? your personal passion, mission, values and You need to measure. The number of books sense of purpose? and other products done and delivered. The • What kind of profit would you like to make? number of sales you’ve made. The number of What personal income do you want to email sign-ups or other reader engagement take home? What would a decent flow measures you want to track. The amount of of money in your business allow you to money that’s accruing in your business bank achieve? accounts. • What kind of influence would you like to The creative business planning method rec- have as a writer? ommends four measures: • What’s not out there that you feel com- • Productivity: Your output. Expressed as pelled to write? (Hint: this will be connected words completed (writing productivity) and What unique and remarkable value are you processes of publishing, feeding into your in some way to your early life experiences.) books published (publishing productivity). bringing to readers? This is a question you book cover, your marketing and promotion, need to answer. What is it about your books how you distribute and produce, your word • Profits: Your financial rewards. Expressed that make them valuable? What makes them choices… everything. Q How are you going to get as money paid across to yourself after all remarkable? How can you amplify that in the your publishing expenses are paid (profit Without doing this work, you can be writing there? year to come? And more immediately in the account and personal bank deposit). and half-publishing for a very long time with- When thinking about this you need to consider next quarter? • Purpose: Your influence and impact. out understanding where your books fit in the the creative conditions you need, and the Expressed as platform, reach and reader Now ask the same questions about how marketplace. tools, tech and team that will support your engagement with what is most meaningful you do business: your processes and team business. Also your personal creative process. for you as a writer (book sales, follower and tools and plans. What is it about your What are the best processes for you to achieve Q Where are you now? numbers and engagement, reviews). processes, team, tools and plans that make what you want to achieve—in writing, in pub- them valuable? And remarkable? How can you Explore: How did this (most unusual) year lishing, in business? • Personal happiness: Your pleasure in your amplify that in the year to come? And in the go for you? As a writer? As a publisher? As a work. Expressed as a reading from one The internet is full of writers counting words. next quarter? business? Consider where your author business to 10 based on internal self-observation, Yes, getting our words out is vital, but is, right now, in terms of its strengths and where one is misery and 10 is creative bliss. first-drafting is only one stage in the writing weaknesses (internal), its opportunities and Let’s give it a fancy title, and call it your Annual planning process. And writing is only one strand of threats (external). creative happiness quotient (CHQ). Creative business planning begins with the success for an indie author, who is a publisher • Strengths. whole year. Here are some questions to get as well as author. Indie authors wear three different hats to get our work done, and we you thinking about your creative intentions and • Weaknesses. Q How do you ensure that you business plans for 2021. They aim to connect must know which one we are wearing at a enjoy it all? you to your deeper reasons for writing, your • Opportunities. particular time, as they each require a different set of skills: Your personal satisfaction, your creative hap- personal experiences, and interpretations of • Threats. piness quotient (CHQ) is your most important that experience. They use the f-r-e-e-writing • Maker (writing words and producing books). Compare: As well as comparing your business metric. The outer measures of productivity and method (writing fast, raw, exact-and-easy) to go profit (products, sales, account balances) give deep. to where it was this time last year, also compile • Manager (improving processes and profits). or refresh your list of “comps”: authors who are us endpoints to travel towards but the inner • Marketeer (promoting books and other Authors can resist this kind of exploration, but comparable to you in various ways. measure of personal satisfaction keeps us it's not just navel-gazing. If you know what you products and projects). connected not just to what we’re creating, but Examine your own work in comparison to how we’re creating. value, and your value to your readers, this can Without a plan that integrates those three theirs—not in a hierarchical way but at the level shortcut many processes for you. Why should a aspects, you’re going to have a hole in your of offering. What value are they offering the It’s good to have an end in mind but in the end reader buy your books? Why should somebody business through which a lot of your energy engaged reader? How does that compare to what counts as a creative is how you travel. share your social media posts? Why should and achievements will leak. anyone care? The answers to these questions your offering? What makes them remarkable? This is an extract from Creative Self-Publishing: can spell success or failure for your author busi- How do they achieve their effectiveness? What ALLi’s Guide to Independent Publishing for ness. Presenting your books and other products can you learn from them? Authors and Poets by Orna Ross. You can freely in a way that makes readers care comes from download the ebook in the member zone understanding why you care yourself. and the print book is available for purchase on Amazon. What you’ll learn through this exploration has practical applications, right across the seven

46 | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | 47 The Indie Author The Indie Author

Q Where are you going? Q How will you know when • Where would you like to arrive, in terms of you’ve got there? your personal passion, mission, values and You need to measure. The number of books sense of purpose? and other products done and delivered. The • What kind of profit would you like to make? number of sales you’ve made. The number of What personal income do you want to email sign-ups or other reader engagement take home? What would a decent flow measures you want to track. The amount of of money in your business allow you to money that’s accruing in your business bank achieve? accounts. • What kind of influence would you like to The creative business planning method rec- have as a writer? ommends four measures: • What’s not out there that you feel com- • Productivity: Your output. Expressed as pelled to write? (Hint: this will be connected words completed (writing productivity) and What unique and remarkable value are you processes of publishing, feeding into your in some way to your early life experiences.) books published (publishing productivity). bringing to readers? This is a question you book cover, your marketing and promotion, need to answer. What is it about your books how you distribute and produce, your word • Profits: Your financial rewards. Expressed that make them valuable? What makes them choices… everything. Q How are you going to get as money paid across to yourself after all remarkable? How can you amplify that in the your publishing expenses are paid (profit Without doing this work, you can be writing there? year to come? And more immediately in the account and personal bank deposit). and half-publishing for a very long time with- When thinking about this you need to consider next quarter? • Purpose: Your influence and impact. out understanding where your books fit in the the creative conditions you need, and the Expressed as platform, reach and reader Now ask the same questions about how marketplace. tools, tech and team that will support your engagement with what is most meaningful you do business: your processes and team business. Also your personal creative process. for you as a writer (book sales, follower and tools and plans. What is it about your What are the best processes for you to achieve Q Where are you now? numbers and engagement, reviews). processes, team, tools and plans that make what you want to achieve—in writing, in pub- them valuable? And remarkable? How can you Explore: How did this (most unusual) year lishing, in business? • Personal happiness: Your pleasure in your amplify that in the year to come? And in the go for you? As a writer? As a publisher? As a work. Expressed as a reading from one The internet is full of writers counting words. next quarter? business? Consider where your author business to 10 based on internal self-observation, Yes, getting our words out is vital, but is, right now, in terms of its strengths and where one is misery and 10 is creative bliss. first-drafting is only one stage in the writing weaknesses (internal), its opportunities and Let’s give it a fancy title, and call it your Annual planning process. And writing is only one strand of threats (external). creative happiness quotient (CHQ). Creative business planning begins with the success for an indie author, who is a publisher • Strengths. whole year. Here are some questions to get as well as author. Indie authors wear three different hats to get our work done, and we you thinking about your creative intentions and • Weaknesses. Q How do you ensure that you business plans for 2021. They aim to connect must know which one we are wearing at a enjoy it all? you to your deeper reasons for writing, your • Opportunities. particular time, as they each require a different set of skills: Your personal satisfaction, your creative hap- personal experiences, and interpretations of • Threats. piness quotient (CHQ) is your most important that experience. They use the f-r-e-e-writing • Maker (writing words and producing books). Compare: As well as comparing your business metric. The outer measures of productivity and method (writing fast, raw, exact-and-easy) to go profit (products, sales, account balances) give deep. to where it was this time last year, also compile • Manager (improving processes and profits). or refresh your list of “comps”: authors who are us endpoints to travel towards but the inner • Marketeer (promoting books and other Authors can resist this kind of exploration, but comparable to you in various ways. measure of personal satisfaction keeps us it's not just navel-gazing. If you know what you products and projects). connected not just to what we’re creating, but Examine your own work in comparison to how we’re creating. value, and your value to your readers, this can Without a plan that integrates those three theirs—not in a hierarchical way but at the level shortcut many processes for you. Why should a aspects, you’re going to have a hole in your of offering. What value are they offering the It’s good to have an end in mind but in the end reader buy your books? Why should somebody business through which a lot of your energy engaged reader? How does that compare to what counts as a creative is how you travel. share your social media posts? Why should and achievements will leak. anyone care? The answers to these questions your offering? What makes them remarkable? This is an extract from Creative Self-Publishing: can spell success or failure for your author busi- How do they achieve their effectiveness? What ALLi’s Guide to Independent Publishing for ness. Presenting your books and other products can you learn from them? Authors and Poets by Orna Ross. You can freely in a way that makes readers care comes from download the ebook in the member zone understanding why you care yourself. and the print book is available for purchase on Amazon. What you’ll learn through this exploration has practical applications, right across the seven

46 | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | 47 The Indie Author The Indie Author

1. Giveaway assets: your gift You want to give them great value for their products time. Reader magnets could be short stories, poems, scorecards, quizzes or webinars. Lots The gift enables the reader to know, like and of authors give away a first book in a series, Exploit your IP: trust you. It creates interaction and interest. trusting in its read-through value. You could It also allows you to spread your mission and give away a beautiful digital photobook of passion and purpose. your novel’s setting or a free half-hour coach- going beyond ing consultation. There are no rules, but your If you're a poet, you might give away free poems on Instagram. I share my own poems reader magnet should ideally set the scene for as I work on them, and I also highlight other a book sale. the book poets using the hashtag #indiepoetryplease. It you write in more than one genre, you will Later I collect the poems I want to keep into need a separate reader magnet for each. Selling books is hard. It’s easier to make 4. Premium product that your true fans, the a book (core product) but while I’m writing I your living from writing if you combine readers who most love your books, will don’t know which ones will make the cut. While 3. Core assets: your books books with other products into a “prod- buy. These can be courses, consultancy, I’m writing first-draft poetry on Instagram, I’m special print editions, special subscription uct ecosystem”. ALLi director Orna Ross just enjoying the experience. Off the poems Your books are your core product. podcasts. and pictures go, freely given. outlines the opportunities “The core product in any business focuses The order here is often the sequence of how on delivering remarkable value to a client Books are a low-ticket item. Compared to the a reader finds you and is led through your 2. Attractor assets: your reader and is centred on solving a problem or satis- amount of time they take to write and publish, funnel, as they give your work more and more magnets fying a want,” Priestley says. “Gifts and prod- the profit margins are tiny. This is one of the attention, and are willing to pay more time and ucts-for-prospects tend to offer education or reasons that authors find it difficult to make a Here you are looking for something in money to connect with your words. And with entertainment to whet the appetite, whereas living. You have to sell an awful lot of books. return for your gift—usually a sign-up to your you. the core product resolves the problem or newsletter. Your reader magnet builds trust. satisfies the want.” That’s easier in some genres than others but First they receive your gift, then sign up to your It’s the reader’s first step to committing to you. what makes it easier for everyone is to have list, then spend money on your books, then what my business mentor, Daniel Priestley of move to your premium offering. Dent Global, calls an “ecosystem” of products. Products of different types that complement Think about these four product categories as each other can generate a more reliable they relate to your author business. Which have income than any one of them on its own. you got on offer? What is your reader’s journey Traditional Publisher Quality through the various product types? “Having one product is not enough to make a successful business,” says Priestley. “After Each of the product types should closely relate for Independent Authors working with thousands of businesses, I’ve to your writing mission and the tone and tenor learned that it’s product ecosystems that make of your books. a business work well, not any one individual Although it takes time, thought and work to product, no matter how profitable it is.” create each of these products, they are assets So what is a viable product ecosystem for an for your business that will go to work for you, author? Priestly identifies four types of product 24/7. that work together: gifts, products for pros- Here’s how each of the asset types will work for pects, core products, and what he calls client you. products but an author is more likely to think of as a fan product. From manuscript to market, our professional team serves authors worldwide. Here’s how this might translate into author business: • copyediting and substantive editing • eBook formatting 1. Gift: Giveaway book or blog, video • cover design • author website design channel, podcast or social media account • page design and typesetting • project management that inspires, entertains or educates in the • proofreading • book launch plan same manner as your books.

2. Product for prospects: Reader magnet, CONTACT US FOR A CONSULTATION TODAY eg a free book, a valuable newsletter. 1106design.com • (602) 866-3226 • [email protected] 3. Core product: books.

48 | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | 49 The Indie Author The Indie Author

1. Giveaway assets: your gift You want to give them great value for their products time. Reader magnets could be short stories, poems, scorecards, quizzes or webinars. Lots The gift enables the reader to know, like and of authors give away a first book in a series, Exploit your IP: trust you. It creates interaction and interest. trusting in its read-through value. You could It also allows you to spread your mission and give away a beautiful digital photobook of passion and purpose. your novel’s setting or a free half-hour coach- going beyond ing consultation. There are no rules, but your If you're a poet, you might give away free poems on Instagram. I share my own poems reader magnet should ideally set the scene for as I work on them, and I also highlight other a book sale. the book poets using the hashtag #indiepoetryplease. It you write in more than one genre, you will Later I collect the poems I want to keep into need a separate reader magnet for each. Selling books is hard. It’s easier to make 4. Premium product that your true fans, the a book (core product) but while I’m writing I your living from writing if you combine readers who most love your books, will don’t know which ones will make the cut. While 3. Core assets: your books books with other products into a “prod- buy. These can be courses, consultancy, I’m writing first-draft poetry on Instagram, I’m special print editions, special subscription uct ecosystem”. ALLi director Orna Ross just enjoying the experience. Off the poems Your books are your core product. podcasts. and pictures go, freely given. outlines the opportunities “The core product in any business focuses The order here is often the sequence of how on delivering remarkable value to a client Books are a low-ticket item. Compared to the a reader finds you and is led through your 2. Attractor assets: your reader and is centred on solving a problem or satis- amount of time they take to write and publish, funnel, as they give your work more and more magnets fying a want,” Priestley says. “Gifts and prod- the profit margins are tiny. This is one of the attention, and are willing to pay more time and ucts-for-prospects tend to offer education or reasons that authors find it difficult to make a Here you are looking for something in money to connect with your words. And with entertainment to whet the appetite, whereas living. You have to sell an awful lot of books. return for your gift—usually a sign-up to your you. the core product resolves the problem or newsletter. Your reader magnet builds trust. satisfies the want.” That’s easier in some genres than others but First they receive your gift, then sign up to your It’s the reader’s first step to committing to you. what makes it easier for everyone is to have list, then spend money on your books, then what my business mentor, Daniel Priestley of move to your premium offering. Dent Global, calls an “ecosystem” of products. Products of different types that complement Think about these four product categories as each other can generate a more reliable they relate to your author business. Which have income than any one of them on its own. you got on offer? What is your reader’s journey Traditional Publisher Quality through the various product types? “Having one product is not enough to make a successful business,” says Priestley. “After Each of the product types should closely relate for Independent Authors working with thousands of businesses, I’ve to your writing mission and the tone and tenor learned that it’s product ecosystems that make of your books. a business work well, not any one individual Although it takes time, thought and work to product, no matter how profitable it is.” create each of these products, they are assets So what is a viable product ecosystem for an for your business that will go to work for you, author? Priestly identifies four types of product 24/7. that work together: gifts, products for pros- Here’s how each of the asset types will work for pects, core products, and what he calls client you. products but an author is more likely to think of as a fan product. From manuscript to market, our professional team serves authors worldwide. Here’s how this might translate into author business: • copyediting and substantive editing • eBook formatting 1. Gift: Giveaway book or blog, video • cover design • author website design channel, podcast or social media account • page design and typesetting • project management that inspires, entertains or educates in the • proofreading • book launch plan same manner as your books.

2. Product for prospects: Reader magnet, CONTACT US FOR A CONSULTATION TODAY eg a free book, a valuable newsletter. 1106design.com • (602) 866-3226 • [email protected] 3. Core product: books.

48 | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | 49 The Indie Author The Indie Author

4. Premium product assets percentage of those people to buy your books through the emails you send. And a Your truest fans want more. This is the product percentage of those will go so far as to review that gives it to them. Premium products cost and recommend them. more to develop and deliver than books, but can be much more profitable, as well as Within that grouping will be a few readers adding extra income streams that make your who really get and love what you do. These business more resilient to market changes. This are your truest fans. They will read everything is often the product that turns a business from you’ve written and they’ll still want more. These 10 facts about viable to successful. are the people who will buy your premium products. The reader journey Today’s highest-performing authors go self-publishing beyond the book to offer a product ecosys- We don’t have full data about self-publishing so most of the “facts” you read in trade press When you think of the reader journey, begin tem that works in harmony to deliver a positive reports are flawed or even wrong. Trade publishing releases its figures long after the fact. with your gift product and imagine one step experience that keeps readers returning for Self-publishing platforms like Amazon, Kobo and IngramSpark do not release the data they leading to another. more. This allows you to spend more time hold about sales. And many more indie sales are invisible because authors are selling directly with current readers, rather than chasing new You will have a lot of people who are idly to readers through their own websites or don’t use ISBNs. Despite these omissions, the following ones; more time writing than advertising or discovering your gift offering, as it’s out there, figures give encouraging snapshots of our vibrant and growing industry. freely floating around. From those people, promoting; and more time deepening and some might go straight to step three and buy developing your unique take on the world, a book, but many will only be prepared to rather than being just another author with just commit to step two, signing up for your reader another book. Books are big business The book industry is a huge, influen- tial and reliable global consumer market, says Mark Williams, magnet and giving you their email address. Orna Ross is the director of ALLi. Follow her on director of international communications at StreetLib and Twitter @ornaross. Once you have that, you then draw a editor-in-chief at The New Publishing Standard (TNPS). In 2018, the most recent year for which full figures are available, 675 million print books were sold in the US, 190.9 million print books in the UK. The market is valued at AUD$312m in Australia and NZ$1.8m in New Zealand. The digital formats of e-books and audiobooks generate billions in global revenue each year.

A world of readers Africa has more people online than the USA and Canada, combined, more than Latin America, more than the European Union. But does anyone read in these places? They certainly do, says Mark Williams, as shown by public attendance at book fairs. “The Algeria, Iran, Sharjah (UAE) and Kolkata (India) International Book Fairs each at- tracted over 2 million visitors in 2019. The Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Baghdad (Iraq), Buenos Aries (Argentina), Bangkok (Thailand), Havana (Cuba), Colombo (Sri Lanka), New Delhi (India), Muscat (Oman), Hyderabad (India) and numerous other international book fairs each attracted over 1 million visitors in 2019. Search our free online directory of editorial talent. Our members: Beyond America part 2 Aggregator PublishDrive reports that • are skilled and experienced sales in international markets continued to rise from March • cover all subjects and genres to August 2020 and continued to grow in September. The abide by our professional standards US captured about 30% of PublishDrive’s overall sales in that • period, while 70% came from global markets. A reliable source of professional editorial help History and music In September 2020, the bestselling fiction category on PublishDrive was historical, especially World War II @The_CIEP |  @EditProof |  Linkedin.com/company/the-ciep ciep.uk and medieval. The bestselling non-fiction category was music, especially the musical instruments subcategory.

50 | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | 51 The Indie Author The Indie Author

4. Premium product assets percentage of those people to buy your books through the emails you send. And a Your truest fans want more. This is the product percentage of those will go so far as to review that gives it to them. Premium products cost and recommend them. more to develop and deliver than books, but can be much more profitable, as well as Within that grouping will be a few readers adding extra income streams that make your who really get and love what you do. These business more resilient to market changes. This are your truest fans. They will read everything is often the product that turns a business from you’ve written and they’ll still want more. These 10 facts about viable to successful. are the people who will buy your premium products. The reader journey Today’s highest-performing authors go self-publishing beyond the book to offer a product ecosys- We don’t have full data about self-publishing so most of the “facts” you read in trade press When you think of the reader journey, begin tem that works in harmony to deliver a positive reports are flawed or even wrong. Trade publishing releases its figures long after the fact. with your gift product and imagine one step experience that keeps readers returning for Self-publishing platforms like Amazon, Kobo and IngramSpark do not release the data they leading to another. more. This allows you to spend more time hold about sales. And many more indie sales are invisible because authors are selling directly with current readers, rather than chasing new You will have a lot of people who are idly to readers through their own websites or don’t use ISBNs. Despite these omissions, the following ones; more time writing than advertising or discovering your gift offering, as it’s out there, figures give encouraging snapshots of our vibrant and growing industry. freely floating around. From those people, promoting; and more time deepening and some might go straight to step three and buy developing your unique take on the world, a book, but many will only be prepared to rather than being just another author with just commit to step two, signing up for your reader another book. Books are big business The book industry is a huge, influen- tial and reliable global consumer market, says Mark Williams, magnet and giving you their email address. Orna Ross is the director of ALLi. Follow her on director of international communications at StreetLib and Twitter @ornaross. Once you have that, you then draw a editor-in-chief at The New Publishing Standard (TNPS). In 2018, the most recent year for which full figures are available, 675 million print books were sold in the US, 190.9 million print books in the UK. The market is valued at AUD$312m in Australia and NZ$1.8m in New Zealand. The digital formats of e-books and audiobooks generate billions in global revenue each year.

A world of readers Africa has more people online than the USA and Canada, combined, more than Latin America, more than the European Union. But does anyone read in these places? They certainly do, says Mark Williams, as shown by public attendance at book fairs. “The Algeria, Iran, Sharjah (UAE) and Kolkata (India) International Book Fairs each at- tracted over 2 million visitors in 2019. The Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Baghdad (Iraq), Buenos Aries (Argentina), Bangkok (Thailand), Havana (Cuba), Colombo (Sri Lanka), New Delhi (India), Muscat (Oman), Hyderabad (India) and numerous other international book fairs each attracted over 1 million visitors in 2019. Search our free online directory of editorial talent. Our members: Beyond America part 2 Aggregator PublishDrive reports that • are skilled and experienced sales in international markets continued to rise from March • cover all subjects and genres to August 2020 and continued to grow in September. The abide by our professional standards US captured about 30% of PublishDrive’s overall sales in that • period, while 70% came from global markets. A reliable source of professional editorial help History and music In September 2020, the bestselling fiction category on PublishDrive was historical, especially World War II @The_CIEP |  @EditProof |  Linkedin.com/company/the-ciep ciep.uk and medieval. The bestselling non-fiction category was music, especially the musical instruments subcategory.

50 | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | 51 The Indie Author

53 www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | | @indieauthorall www.allianceindependentauthors.org when you use the ALLi member promo code at the time of setup or when requesting a revision Receive FREE title setup and FREE revisions Receive FREE title setup and FREE Stunning print books and one platform ebooks from Distribution to 39,000+ retailers and libraries worldwide and 20+ major online retailers Publisher education through and online courses, a podcast, weekly blogs with • • • Publish Like a Pro a Like Publish just your content. We It’s with it. help you do more Exclusive Offer for ALLi Members Exclusive Offer www.ingramspark.com Lockdown may have converted more more converted have may Lockdown As more readers discover and buy and buy discover readers more As

While male authors tend to dominate the dominate to While tend male authors Book publishing will continue to grow, but the but grow, to will continue publishing Book Readers and other consumers of the arts are the arts are of consumers and other Readers Instant gratification Instant readers to e-books for convenience and immediate delivery, delivery, and immediate convenience for e-books to readers report whose latest Media, Word Written at Wolman Ricci says than in e-books 30% more is buying reader an average says in sales increase “The largest the pandemic. before did they sales are overall slowed, in Q3 Although growth came in Q2. levels.” pre-pandemic well-above still voices Female true in is the opposite publishing, trade in lists bestseller wrote women that found FicShelf by study A self-publishing. the of but 67% titles, published traditionally top the 39% of titles. self-published top-ranking to is anticipated market printing The global book Print book Buyer’s Report to according 2024, to year 1% a by grow the is self-publishing market, that Within report. printing about 17% by expand to projected segment, fastest-growing year. each businesses Nimble giant established beyond venturing are they online, books a 300% increase reported Verso publisher The UK retailers. CEO Faber’s sales during lockdown. in direct-to-customer so indie the pandemic” will outlast lessons “lockdown admits and on nimble business structures capitalize should authors participants are “We Williams. Mark says global reach, increase one obsess over Don’t renaissance. global driven, in a digitally markets.” two and one or company Patronage platform Crowdfunding work. they while supporting creators has increased initial pledge amount the average says Patreon who patrons new of The number years. two the last 22% in by support has they an artist to than $100 a month more pay 21%. by grown Self-starters says publishing, trade in not will be in self-publishing, growth October of in a column Shatzkin Mike commentator industry as publishers bookstores, from away sales move more As 2020. works, new for each other bid against and no longer merge capital, of risk a large requires title no longer up a as setting with a in a deal find little advantage will increasingly authors publisher. trade | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | So tell us, what are your knowledge gaps? What data would you like to see in a report about see in a report to like you would data What gaps? knowledge your are what us, tell So self-publishing? We need better data. We need your input. At ALLi, we want to commission a study to fill the fill to a study commission to want we ALLi, At input. your need We data. need better We be to work this want We in. come you where That’s industry. the self-publishing in data-hole most you’re topics and the areas cover to it want We members. our for valuable useful and in. interested 52

The Indie Author The Indie Author

53 www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthorall | | @indieauthorall www.allianceindependentauthors.org when you use the ALLi member promo code at the time of setup or when requesting a revision Receive FREE title setup and FREE revisions Receive FREE title setup and FREE Stunning print books and one platform ebooks from Distribution to 39,000+ retailers and libraries worldwide and 20+ major online retailers Publisher education through and online courses, a podcast, weekly blogs with • • • Publish Like a Pro a Like Publish just your content. We It’s with it. help you do more Exclusive Offer for ALLi Members Exclusive Offer www.ingramspark.com Lockdown may have converted more more converted have may Lockdown As more readers discover and buy and buy discover readers more As

While male authors tend to dominate the dominate to While tend male authors Book publishing will continue to grow, but the but grow, to will continue publishing Book Readers and other consumers of the arts are the arts are of consumers and other Readers Instant gratification Instant readers to e-books for convenience and immediate delivery, delivery, and immediate convenience for e-books to readers report whose latest Media, Word Written at Wolman Ricci says than in e-books 30% more is buying reader an average says in sales increase “The largest the pandemic. before did they sales are overall slowed, in Q3 Although growth came in Q2. levels.” pre-pandemic well-above still voices Female true in is the opposite publishing, trade in lists bestseller wrote women that found FicShelf by study A self-publishing. the of but 67% titles, published traditionally top the 39% of titles. self-published top-ranking to is anticipated market printing The global book Print book Buyer’s Report to according 2024, to year 1% a by grow the is self-publishing market, that Within report. printing about 17% by expand to projected segment, fastest-growing year. each businesses Nimble giant established beyond venturing are they online, books a 300% increase reported Verso publisher The UK retailers. CEO Faber’s sales during lockdown. in direct-to-customer so indie the pandemic” will outlast lessons “lockdown admits and on nimble business structures capitalize should authors participants are “We Williams. Mark says global reach, increase one obsess over Don’t renaissance. global driven, in a digitally markets.” two and one or company Patronage platform Crowdfunding work. they while supporting creators has increased initial pledge amount the average says Patreon who patrons new of The number years. two the last 22% in by support has they an artist to than $100 a month more pay 21%. by grown Self-starters says publishing, trade in not will be in self-publishing, growth October of in a column Shatzkin Mike commentator industry as publishers bookstores, from away sales move more As 2020. works, new for each other bid against and no longer merge capital, of risk a large requires title no longer up a as setting with a in a deal find little advantage will increasingly authors publisher. trade | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | So tell us, what are your knowledge gaps? What data would you like to see in a report about see in a report to like you would data What gaps? knowledge your are what us, tell So self-publishing? We need better data. We need your input. At ALLi, we want to commission a study to fill the fill to a study commission to want we ALLi, At input. your need We data. need better We be to work this want We in. come you where That’s industry. the self-publishing in data-hole most you’re topics and the areas cover to it want We members. our for valuable useful and in. interested 52

The Indie Author

Watchdog desk Watchdog Weekly podcast podcast Weekly Code of standards of Code Member showcase Member

Quarterly magazine Quarterly World-class advisers World-class Lively member forums member Lively Weekly advice bulletin advice Weekly Member affiliate earnings affiliate Member Run by authors for authors for authors by Run Approved services directory services Approved Bi-annual online conference Bi-annual Legal and contract guidance contract and Legal Member discounts and deals and discounts Member Searchable services database services Searchable Code of ethics and excellence and ethics of Code Campaigning for indie authors indie for Campaigning Easily downloadable resources downloadable Easily

Industry networking and contacts and networking Industry Translation, TV and film rights guidance rights film and TV Translation, guidebook series guidebook Self-Publishing Successful 21 benefits of of 21 benefits ALLi authors are everywhere and we we and everywhere are ALLi authors

www.allianceindependentauthors.org ALLi membership ALLi support independent author-publishing worldwide author-publishing independent support Alliance of Independent Authors, Freeword Centre, 60 Farringdon Rd, London EC1G 2RA EC1G London Rd, Farringdon 60 Centre, Freeword Authors, Independent of Alliance writers self-publishing for association a non-profit Authors: Independent of Alliance The | www.allianceindependentauthors.org | @indieauthoralli www.allianceindependentauthors.org | 54

The Indie Author