Self Publishing Insiders
Episodes
Ask Us Anything: Insights from Author Support
09 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Tara has led the Draft2Digital Support Team since the early days of D2D. This week, she joins the Self Publishing Insiders team to answer author quest...
Structuring Your Series Before You Start Writing
02 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s episode we discuss how to structure a series before you start writing. Our guide on this journey is Kristina Stanley, bestselling aut...
Graduate-Level Publishing Lessons with Kevin J. Anderson
26 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Kevin J. Anderson is a #1 international bestselling author best known for his traditional publishing in the Dune and Star Wars universes, and he has a...
Automating TikToks that Drive Readers to Your Book
19 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Marvin brings over 10 years of experience in book publishing and growth marketing. Now, with his new company AuthorScale, he and his team are developi...
LitRPGs and Building Your Publishing Team
12 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Aaron Renfroe is an author and the owner and operator of Pivot Press. Pivot Press is an organization built to optimize publishing books and audio in t...
Building Your Author Brand: Share Your Books with the World
05 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Former publicist to the stars, Isabelle Knight is the founder of Build Your Author Brand, an online consultancy helping fiction and non-fiction author...
Jane Friedman's 2025 Retrospective & 2026 Publishing Predictions
26 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Jane Friedman has spent her entire career in the book publishing industry, with a focus on author education and trend reporting. She is the editor of ...
Reflecting on 2025 and Looking Ahead to 2026 with D2D CEO Kris Austin
19 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
D2D's CEO Kris Austin joins the D2D team to reflect on our 2025 and another year in publishing, and to look ahead to what is on the horizon in 2026. ...
Connecting Indie Authors with Indie Bookstores with Bookshops.org
12 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
It's official! Draft2Digital and Bookshop.org have announced our partnership to bring indie ebooks to Bookshop.org! Join us as we talk to Bookshop.org...
2025 Indie Author Income Survey
05 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Orna Ross is co-founder and director of the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) and a passionate advocate for self-publishing and author empowermen...
IBPA Boot Camp for Author Publishers
29 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Lee Wind joins us to talk about the IBPA (Independent Book Publishers Association) Boot Camp for Author Publishers, and how to bring all the pieces to...
10 Tips for Setting Realistic 2026 Writing Goals
22 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to 2026! Each new year brings the opportunity to begin anew, yet that can be daunting. Rather than start the new writing year feeling overwhel...
Unputdownable - Finding the Right Editor for Your Book
15 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Autumn A. Arnett joins us to talk about the EFA and what you should keep in mind when looking for the right editor for your book.The Editorial Freelan...
Hollywood Secrets: Incredible Characters, Deep Stories, and Super Drafts
08 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Thomas Dean Donnelly has been a professional screenwriter for over 30 years. In that time he has written on major projects, from Voltron to Uncharted,...
Highlights from Self Publishing Insiders 2025
01 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This special Christmas Day 2025 episode is a pre-recorded one with Mark Leslie Lefebvre who introduces a series of clips that highlight just 14 of the...
Book Discovery in the AI Search Landscape
18 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The way readers search for their next book is changing dramatically. With Google's generative search and Amazon’s upcoming AI-driven recommendation ...
Virtual Beta Readers with Plottr
11 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Cameron Sutter is a sci-fi/fantasy author and the inventor of Plottr – the popular visual story planning software. As a friend of the show, he joins...
What to Quit, What to Keep, and What to Question in a New Age of Publishing
04 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Becca Syme, founder of the Better-Faster Academy and Host of The Quitcast, joins us to talk about what habits and practices we need to focus on in thi...
Novel 90: The 90 Day Writing Challenge!
20 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Bekah Brinkmeier is a USA Today bestselling author and ghostwriter of more than 90 novels. She works with AutoCrit as an instructor and author coach, ...
Book Reviews with Book Award Pro
13 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hannah Jacobson is the founder of Book Award Pro, the industry-trusted platform for getting reviews and awards. The company operates the world's large...
Strategies for ADHD Writers
06 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Nicole Bross is a certified book coach, editor, and the author of A Novel Approach: Strategies for ADHD Writers, a writing guide for neurodiverse auth...
Libraries - Missed Opportunities for Authors
30 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Award-winning Detroit Author & Founder of Motown Writers, Sylvia Hubbard has independently published over 65 romance suspense books over 25 years. Syl...
Freedom to Publish, Freedom to Read
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Banned Books Week spotlights stories that some try to erase—but indie publishing ensures your voice is never silenced. In this episode we’ll explo...
Multi-Voice Stories with Spoken
16 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Phil Marshall is a technologist, entrepreneur, and storyteller who thrives at the intersection of imagination and execution. He is the founder and CEO...
Elevating Black Romance Authors
09 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Lauren Lacey is a Southern storyteller who crafts heartfelt romances filled with the complexities of love and resilience. Her writing, often set in sm...
Indie Culture and Author Nation
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What fuels indie author success beyond the page? In this conversation with Joe Solari of Author Nation, we explore how connection, insight and inspira...
Lessons Learned: A Decade of Indie Publishing
25 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
M.K. Williams is the author of multiple science fiction books, short stories, and self-publishing guides. A truly all-American author, she has lived a...
Catching Up with Dale Roberts
18 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Jim and Mark sit down with Dale L. Roberts, the voice behind the hugely popular Self Publishing with Dale YouTube channel. Dale has h...
Finding Success After Rejection with Ang T. Dalton
11 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Debut romantasy author Ang T. Dalton joins us to share the inspiring story behind The Scars Within—a novel born from resilience, mental health strug...
Ask Draft2Digital Anything for Fall 2025
04 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The D2D Team is back again, answering author questions! Jim, Nick, and Tara talk about publishing and the questions your fellow authors have about Dra...
Discover Your Author Mindset
28 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Adrienne Giordano is a certified life coach and USA Today bestselling author of over forty novels. Adrienne’s experience from over 30 years in writi...
Writing With Dictation
21 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer is an author, writing instructor, and host of The Confident Fiction Author podcast. She’s published nineteen books–eleven o...
Public Relations for Indie Authors
14 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jason Jones is the founder of Jones Literary, a longtime Nashville publicity firm, working with authors, experts, publishers and media around the worl...
Successful Social Media without Virality
07 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Walt Mussell is an award-winning historical fiction author who has used his love of history to build his author career, his social media presence, and...
Escape the Self-Publishing Rat Race with Johnny B. Truant
31 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Johnny B. Truant is one of indie publishing’s early authorities, having created and co-hosted the original Self Publishing Podcast with Sean Platt a...
Recapping Europe's Biggest Indie Author Conference
24 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
James Blatch is a founder of The Self Publishing Show live as well as the course platform Learn Self Publishing, the podcast Indie Writers Club and th...
How to Select the Perfect Cover with Nick Thacker
17 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
BookCovers.com is the premiere marketplace for professionally designed premade book covers. In today's episode, we'll cover everything from how to cho...
Make the Most of Your Smashwords Summer/Winter Sale!
10 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The 17th annual Smashwords Summer/Winter Sale is upon us! This is a chance for authors to get the most bang for their buck while traffic is increased ...
Don't Quit Before the Miracle
03 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Steffanie Holmes, writing as Steff Green, has come a long way, from publishing her first book with a homemade cover, to building a career as a six-fig...
Ask Our Promotions Team Anything
26 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's been too long since Megan and Mark joined Jim to talk about the work our promotions team does at Draft2Digital. If you have questions about how y...
5 Things Indie Authors Should Know
12 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Alessandra Torre is a New York Times bestselling author who has sold more than 2M books and publishes romance under the name Alessandra Torre and dome...
Why Nutrition Matters for Authors
05 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You might know Roland Denzel as a health coach, nutritionist, and restorative exercise specialist, but the truth is Roland has always been, at heart, ...
The Importance of Writing with Themes
29 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Robert J. Sawyer, lovingly dubbed Canada's Dean of Science Fiction by the Ottawa Citizen, joins us to talk about how the sci fi industry has changed o...
Book Bibles & Story Structure with Storysnap
22 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Cameron Sutter is a sci-fi/fantasy author and the inventor of Plottr – the popular visual story planning software. Many authors have used Plottr to ...
Curating Your Community of Superfans
15 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Rachel Rener isn't just a writer of modern romantasy books featuring powerful-yet-flawed heroines, unforgettable magic systems, and smoldering romance...
Ask Draft2Digital Anything (April 2025)
08 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The D2D Team is back to answer viewer questions, so tune in to hear the questions on the minds of your fellow authors hosted by Jim and Mark, who alwa...
Virtual Author Assistants with Kevin Tumlinson
01 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Kevin Tumlinson makes his triumphant return to Self Publishing Insiders! Kevin returns to talk to Jim about Author Anchor and his work helping authors...
The Intersection of Craft & Commerce
24 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Russell Nohelty is a USA Today bestselling fantasy and non-fiction author, publisher of Wannabe Press, co-host of the Kickstart Your Book Sales & Six ...
Making the Most of Reader Events
17 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Tawdra Kandle is a USA Today bestselling romance author who loves to plan and run conferences when she's not spinning love stories! Tawdra is joining ...
Three Years of Smashwords and Draft2Digital
10 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's been three years since we shook up the indie publishing industry and merged Draft2Digital and Smashwords into one big player in the indie space. ...
Aristotle for Novelists
03 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Douglas Vigliotti authored "Aristotle for Novelists" with the intention of adapting the timeless principles of Aristotle's Poetics in a way tailored t...
Inside Draft2Digital's Tools and Services
27 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Draft2Digital has grown a lot over the years, expanding with new tools and services for authors to take advantage of. The D2D team is here to talk thr...
Writing Better, Faster with Becca Syme
20 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Becca Syme (MATL) is a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and has individually coached more than 5000 authors at all levels. She is the author of the Qu...
Utilizing Your Time & Talent to Stand Out
13 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
O'Cyrus is the Founder of Ocyrus Ink Publishing and Host of The Author Lounge podcast. He joins us to talk about how writers can be using their time a...
Page Turner Pacing Strategy
06 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Lover of fairytales, folklore, and mythology, Ines Johnson spends her days reimagining the stories of old in a modern world. She's recently completed ...
Industry Trends with Jane Friedman
27 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jane Friedman has spent 25 years working in the publishing industry, with a focus on business reporting and author education. Her book, The Business o...
Influencer Marketing and Book Promotions with Fable
20 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We always get one big question from our indie authors: what do I do with book promotion? As the Director of Sales at Fable, Margaux Weisman partners w...
Sapphic Fiction & Community Building
13 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Publishing isn't just about writing and reading; it's about community and uplifting voices. In recent years, especially in indie publishing, we've see...
How to Succeed as an Author Speaker
06 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Matty Dalrymple is a prolific author, a member of various thriller writer groups, and finds time to podcast, speak, and consult on the craft of writin...
Dare to Become: From the Corner Booth to the Corner Office
30 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As a Best Selling Author, CEO, and Entrepreneur, Julie Cropp Gareleck is a respected and trusted leader in business communities that extend from the N...
2025 Publishing All-Stars Predictions
23 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Now that we're done reflecting on 2024, it's time to look forward. We bring together some of our favorite all-stars of the publishing world, including...
D2D 2024 Year In Review
16 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We look back at what D2D was up to in 2024, a year with a heavily focused on migration and connecting Smashwords and Draft2Digital so we can make big ...
Audiobook Production & Marketing
09 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After working in the audiobook industry from 1998 - 2022 as a narrator, director, producer, and serving on committees of both the Audiobook Publishers...
Trope Talk & The Romance Genre
26 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In a special pre-recorded episode, Lexi, Megan, and Lyssa talk about the secret sauce of good romance: tropes! We chat about using tropes in your stor...
What are Authors Thankful For?
19 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Mark graciously taken over hosting duties on (American) Thanksgiving! He and our good friend Sacha Black, Sapphic Fiction Queen Supreme, talk about au...
Winter is Coming! Ask D2D Anything
12 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Draft2Digital wouldn't be here without our authors, so we jump at the chance to get the team together and answer your questions.//Draft2Digital is whe...
Overcoming Obstacles as a Tenacious Author
05 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Maria Frankland is a psychological thriller author, currently writing her 21st book and is based in Yorkshire in England, home of Yorkie bars, Yorkshi...
4 Pillars to Author Success
28 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Emma Dhesi, bestselling author and certified book coach, educates and inspires first-time authors to fulfil a calling and write their debut novel. Dr...
The Importance of Editors
21 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Once you've finished your manuscript, the work of polishing your book and getting it ready for the public begins. You might see your draft as good to ...
Spooky Stories and Halloween Horror
14 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Our own Master of Thrills, Mark Leslie Lefebvre, chats with Kevin J. Anderson about writing horror for a special King-Sized Halloween episode of Self ...
200 Episodes of Self Publishing Insiders!
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We've been sharing our conversations with Industry Insiders for 200 episodes, and we don't intend to stop giving our authors insight into the world of...
The Bookfest Adventure
31 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Desireé Duffy is the founder of Black Château, a marketing and public relations agency; Books That Make You, a Webby Award-winning multi-media brand...
Become Part of Author Nation
24 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Fall is here and authors will soon be packing their bags for Vegas! This year, the big conference to look forward to is Author Nation, being hosted fo...
D2D Print Update & Walk Thru
17 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's been a while since we've provided an update and walked you through how to use D2D Print. Having a physical, print copy of your book is as importa...
Author Conference Season with D2D
10 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We've been jetting all over the author conference scene recently, so now it's time to wind down, share experiences, and talk about the current trends ...
The Benefits of Writers Clubs
03 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
At D2D, we're huge proponents of writers clubs. They offer a safe place to learn, grow your career, share your ideas, and gain constructive feedback w...
From "Big 5 or Die" to Ecstatic Indie Author!
26 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The path to Big 5 publishing dreams is paved with rejection letters. What is it about traditional publishing that so intrigues us? Is it the validatio...
Best Practices of Successful Indie Authors
19 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Why do some authors seem to take off instantly, while others flail about endlessly? Is it experience? Talent? Time? Yes, but more often than not, it’...
How to Structure a Book Series
12 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we dive into the essentials of structuring a successful book series with Kristina Stanley of Fictionary. We'll discuss key elements l...
Trials, Tribulations... and Success!
05 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If there's one lesson indie authors have learned, it's that perseverance and fortitude matter. Yet sometimes life can throw us curve balls, knock us d...
Self Publishing Roadmap for Success
29 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you've ever asked yourself, "How do successful indie authors do it?" -- this is the episode for you. Joining us is none other than Dale Roberts, th...
Author Marketing with StoryOrigin
22 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
No one ever said indie publishing is easy! There's the writing, the publishing, the distribution. If that wasn't hard enough, there's the marketing. I...
How to Fund a Book Launch
15 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Among the myriad things that indie authors have to grapple with is how to fund a successful book launch without going in the red. To help us tackle th...
Touching Base with D2D - Ask Us Anything!
08 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Once a month we host an "Ask Us Anything" episode. Usually these episode are tied to a specific topic, like the Smashwords to D2D merger, or D2D Print...
Find, Connect & Grow Your Tribe
01 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Indie authors are told that in order to be successful, "you've got to find your tribe" and "build your community." But how exactly do you do that? Whe...
The New BookCovers.com
25 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Eleven months Draft2Digital announced the acquisition of SelfPubBookCovers.com (SPBC), a decade-old pioneering marketplace for premade book covers. We...
The Smashwords Summer/Winter Sale 2024!
18 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Smashwords store sales keep getting bigger and better. More authors, more books, more first-time customers and more book sales! In this episode, we'll...
Translation Rights Management to Expand Your Global Reach
11 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Navigating foreign language rights and finding great translators is tricky business, even for the most experienced indie authors. That's why we're sup...
Asking the D2D Promotions Team Anything!
04 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Draft2Digital is known for its innovative publishing and distribution tools for indie authors. But do you know about all the cool things we're doing t...
Empowering Authorpreneurs with Indie Author Magazine
27 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Indie Author Magazine (IAM) is on a mission to inform, educate, and inspire authors at every stage of their careers. Flip through the pages of any iss...
Master Review Campaigns to Increase Book Sales
20 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you're reading this, you already know that best practices are what separates the publishing amateurs from the pros. But did you know there are a mu...
Author Strength Training with Becca Syme
13 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Better. Stronger. Faster. It's what many of us strive for in our author careers. But how do we move the needle forward when life has other plans? Ente...
Smashwords to D2D Migration - Ask Us Anything!
06 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When D2D announced the acquisition of Smashwords in March 2022, we knew the integration of the two companies would be a huge, long-haul effort. But to...
Prepare to be a Success with Book Launchers
30 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Julie Broad is a four-time author and the Founder of Book Launchers, a professional self-publishing services company that helps non-fiction authors wr...
Introducing Fable! D2D's newest retail partner!
23 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
D2D just announced a new retail partnership with Fable, the popular online bookstore and social reading app that powers 25,000+ online book clubs. Joi...
Library Advocacy with EveryLibrary
16 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
John Chrastka is the executive director of EveryLibrary, the first nationwide political action committee for libraries, and the EveryLibrary Institute...
Inspiration and Writing Conferences from Toronto Indie Authors Conference
09 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you know Draft2Digital, you know we're huge fans of writers conferences. Where else can you form lasting author friendships, establish key partners...
General Accounting for Indie Authors
02 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
DeAnna Hart, also known as D.F. Hart, writes crime thrillers and contemporary romance. She also has an MBA and over two decades of hands-on experience...
Answering Your D2D Questions!
25 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Our followers are in charge for this week's "Ask Us Anything" (AUA) edition of Self Publishing Insiders. All topics were welcome! Be sure to join us l...
Think Like a Cartoonist
18 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today we celebrate humor and creativity with accomplished author and cartoonist, Leigh Rubin. An author of more than 20 books, 2024 marks the 40th ann...