Podcasts about findaway voices

Big changes are coming fast for indie authors. KDP is slashing royalties for print books under $9.99 starting next week. Meanwhile, Publisher Rocket is ending its lifetime license—soon, it'll be monthly only. Plus, Spotify for Authors is moving features over from Findaway Voices and confirming promo code honors. Here's what you need to know. Book Award Pro - https://DaleLinks.com/BookAwardPro (affiliate link) Subscribe to The Self-Publishing Hub - https://TheSelfPublishingHub.com Subscribe to my email newsletter - https://DaleLinks.com/SignUp Join Channel Memberships - https://DaleLinks.com/Memberships Join Me on Discord - https://DaleLinks.com/Discord Check out my main YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@DaleLRoberts My Books - https://DaleLinks.com/MyBooks Wanna tip me? Visit https://dalelroberts.gumroad.com/coffee. Sources: How to Get Amazon Book Reviews Without Breaking the Rules - https://bookawardpro.com/blog/how-to-get-amazon-book-reviews-without-breaking-the-rules/ Publisher Rocket SALE - https://rocket.thrivecart.com/special-publisher-rocket/?affiliate=selfpubwithdale (affiliate link) KDP: Print Royalty Rate and Paperback Printing Cost Changes FAQ - https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/GXFPA52P6ZJD2U3N?ref_=pe_93986420_1235824880 Spotify for Authors - https://authors.spotify.com/ Apple Books accepts accessibility metadata tags - https://itunespartner.apple.com/books/support/12-metadata Written Word Media presents: The YouTube Author Blueprint: From Zero to Growing Reader Community - https://www.writtenwordmedia.com/speaker-series/ ARC: YouTube for Authors - https://DaleLinks.com/ARCTeam  Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts

An annoying tussle with Findaway Voices flagging my very human narrator as digital for STRANGE FAMILIAR, with no recourse to object. It is live on Audible and Kobo though! Also, I may be reversing my insistence on writing with discipline and instead embracing the creative urge and writing what you want to! Buy LoveLitCon tickets here https://lovelit.com/ Be sure to use my author-specific code for a $10 discount! LOVE8368STRANGE FAMILIAR is live! https://www.jeffekennedy.com/strange-familiar You can preorder MAGIC REBORN at https://www.jeffekennedy.com/magic-rebornRELUCTANT WIZARD is out now and the audiobook is live!! https://www.jeffekennedy.com/reluctant-wizardThe posture-correcting sports bra I love almost more than life itself is here https://forme.therave.co/37FY6Z5MTJAUKQGAJoin my Patreon and Discord for mentoring, coaching, and conversation with me! Find it at https://www.patreon.com/JeffesClosetYou can always buy print copies of my books from my local indie, Beastly Books! https://www.beastlybooks.com/If you want to support me and the podcast, click on the little heart or follow this link (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/jeffekennedy).Sign up for my newsletter here! (https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/r2y4b9)You can watch this podcast on video via YouTube https://youtu.be/YHdUVDqD4rESupport the showContact Jeffe!Find me on Threads Visit my website https://jeffekennedy.comFollow me on Amazon or BookBubSign up for my Newsletter!Find me on Instagram and TikTok!Thanks for listening!

On this episode of the Self-Publishing News Podcast, Dan Holloway explains major changes to Findaway Voices, which is splitting into two platforms: Spotify for Authors, focused on Spotify distribution, and a new platform called In Audio for all other outlets. He also highlights a new £75,000 novel prize open to unpublished writers, and reports on a HarperCollins survey showing a decline in parents reading to their children, with homework—not screen time—cited as the main barrier. Sponsors Self-Publishing News is proudly sponsored by Bookvault. Sell high-quality, print-on-demand books directly to readers worldwide and earn maximum royalties selling directly. Automate fulfillment and create stunning special editions with BookvaultBespoke. Visit Bookvault.app today for an instant quote. Self-Publishing News is also sponsored by book cover design company Miblart. They offer unlimited revisions, take no deposit to start work and you pay only when you love the final result. Get a book cover that will become your number-one marketing tool. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven't already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. About the Host Dan Holloway is a novelist, poet, and spoken word artist. He is the MC of the performance arts show The New Libertines, He competed at the National Poetry Slam final at the Royal Albert Hall. His latest collection, The Transparency of Sutures, is available on Kindle.

Something big is happening in the audiobook world—Spotify just changed how indie authors distribute their audiobooks, and it could impact your publishing future. In this week's Self-Publishing News, I'll break down what's happening with Findaway Voices and the brand-new company INAudio. Plus, updates from Laterpress, PublishDrive, and a new feature inside Dibbly Create that could change how you write your next book. All that and more in the self-publishing news this week! Book Award Pro - https://DaleLinks.com/BookAwardPro (affiliate link) Subscribe to The Self-Publishing Hub - https://TheSelfPublishingHub.com Subscribe to my email newsletter - https://DaleLinks.com/SignUp   Join Channel Memberships - https://DaleLinks.com/Memberships Join Me on Discord - https://DaleLinks.com/Discord Check out my main YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@DaleLRoberts My Books - https://DaleLinks.com/MyBooks Wanna tip me? Visit https://dalelroberts.gumroad.com/coffee. Sources: Spotify Transitions Select Audiobook Distribution Services to INaudio - https://blog.findawayvoices.com/inaudio/ INAudio: A Message from our Founders - https://www.inaudio.com/article/a-message-from-our-founders  Laterpress - https://www.laterpress.com/ Laterpress: Monthly and Annual Subscriptions - https://www.laterpress.com/blog/monthly-and-annual-subscriptions  Get Authentic Book Reviews - https://getauthenticbookreviews.com/ Dibbly Create: Guided Book Flow - https://mailchi.mp/dibbly/new-feature-lets-you-build-your-book-in-under-an-hour-6743002  Dibbly Create - https://DaleLinks.com/DibblyCreate (affiliate link) PublishDrive: General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR): What Authors and Publishers Need to Know - https://help.publishdrive.com/general-product-safety-regulation-gpsr-what-authors-and-publishers-need-to-know PublishDrive - https://publishdrive.com/pricing.html?fpr=dale10 (affiliate link) * 50% off special ends Wednesday Book Brush: The ABCs of Amazon A+ Content - https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/YGCclpusSFWtHOJ8lC0uxQ#/registration Beyond the Blast: Book Marketing Tactics for Long-Term Success - https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/mjtluDCqRlGFR6N_y-hgPg#/registration 30 Books in 30 Days Giveaway - https://DaleLinks.com/30Books  Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts

To set your books and audiobooks up for the best chance at success, you need to make your titles available to purchase in as many retail outlets as possible. Author and book publishing consultant Erin Wright joins “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to share her expertise about the most effective methods to distribute books and audiobooks to as many retail sites as possible, including details about how to best use IngramSpark, Draft2Digital, PublishDrive, Author's Republic, Bookvault, and more for your publishing goals.PARTICIPANTSErin Wright is a full-time contemporary western romance author, but unless you're a fan of sexy cowboys, you've probably heard of her instead because of her work in the Wide for the Win Facebook group. She conned Suzie O'Connell (close writing friend and fellow cowboy romance author) into co-founding the Facebook group back in March of 2019, and has been avoiding writing books by posting in the group ever since. If you're thinking about going Wide, or if you're already Wide and just want to connect with other Widelings, be sure to come join Erin in the largest group on the internet for Wide authors. She'd be thrilled to have you!Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services, Christopher Locke assists the 3,600 members as they travel along their publishing journeys. Major projects include managing the member benefits to curate the most advantageous services for independent publishers and author publishers; managing the Innovative Voices Program that supports publishers from marginalized communities; and hosting the IBPA podcast, “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA).” He's also passionate about indie publishing, because he's an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.LINKSLearn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) here: https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/membershipMake sure to connect with Erin for her consulting at work https://erinwright.net/consulting and https://erinwright.net/authors, as well as in the Wide for the Win Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wideforthewinFollow IBPA on:Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonlineX – https://twitter.com/ibpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/Follow Erin on:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@erinwrightLVFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/AuthorErinWrightPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/erinwrightbooksTwitter: https://twitter.com/erinwrightlvBookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/erin-wrightInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorerinwrightGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/erinwright

Amazon is removing the ability to download and backup Kindle ebooks. And on the same day they roll out that change, Amazon will be closing down Kindle Vella. IngramSpark has a few marketing opportunities this month, as well as a giveaway for five free books. Findaway Voices by Spotify announced an agreement to distribute digitally-narrated audiobooks by Elevenlabs. And so much more in the self-publishing news this week! Book Award Pro - https://DaleLinks.com/BookAwardPro  (affiliate link) Subscribe to The Self-Publishing Hub - https://TheSelfPublishingHub.com  Subscribe to my email newsletter - https://DaleLinks.com/SignUp  Join Channel Memberships - https://DaleLinks.com/Memberships  Join Me on Discord - https://DaleLinks.com/Discord Check out my main YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@DaleLRoberts My Books - https://DaleLinks.com/MyBooks Wanna tip me? Visit https://dalelroberts.gumroad.com/coffee  Sources: Amazon's killing a feature that let you download and backup Kindle books - https://www.theverge.com/news/612898/amazon-removing-kindle-book-download-transfer-usb Kindle Vella Announcement - https://www.kdpcommunity.com/s/article/Kindle-Vella-Announcement?language=en_US Amazon: We are winding down Kindle Vella - https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/a/faq Spotify Welcomes Digital Voice Narrated Audiobooks from ElevenLabs via Findaway Voices - https://blog.findawayvoices.com/spotify-welcomes-elevenlabs-audiobooks/ Amazon Ads - https://advertising.amazon.com Apple Books for Authors - https://authors.apple.com IngramSpark: Nominate Your Book Today - https://www.ingramspark.com/editorial-calendar IngramSpark: Mastering Metadata: Are Your a Book Marketing Pro? - https://ingramcontent.jotform.com/250495414855160 Get Authentic Book Reviews - https://GetAuthenticBookReviews.com ProWritingAid: Manuscript Analysis - https://DaleLinks.com/Analysis (affiliate link) PublishDrive: Audiobooks - technical requirements, easy fixes and FAQs - https://streamyard.com/watch/HNgSJGxZHf44 Why Cheap Promo is No Bargain: One Unusually Prolific Example - https://writerbeware.blog/2025/02/21/why-cheap-promo-is-no-bargain-one-unusually-prolific-example/ The Power of Reviews: What Every Author Needs to Know - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/power-reviews-what-every-author-needs-know-ross-brand-ho7ne Get More Book Reviews—Faster & Easier! (Book Bounty interview) - https://www.youtube.com/live/WFyyMPjJDXk?si=kwmWznhD8vrKz34T Join my ARC Team - https://DaleLinks.com/ARCTeam  Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts

2025년, 드디어 AI 보이스 내레이션 될 것 같다! 임박이다! 관련 링크: 일레븐랩스 (ElevenLabs) “Shelf Lives” “생애의 장” Findaway Voices “우유” 녹취록: ⁠https://aimdreaming.imaginariumkim.com/일레븐랩스-shelf-lives-생애의-장-에이아이-보이스-맛보기/ - - - 한아임한테 ☕️ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠커피 사주기⁠⁠⁠⁠

The audiobook direct sales platform, StoryFair is available to buy. IngramSpark sent out a service alert to account holders. And, Dibbly Create just launched a new keyword research tool for Amazon called KIP Scout. Find out more details in this week's self-publishing news. Book Award Pro - https://DaleLinks.com/BookAwardPro (affiliate link) Wide Publishing for Authors - https://DaleLinks.com/WideBook Subscribe to The Self-Publishing Hub - https://TheSelfPublishingHub.com Subscribe to my email newsletter - https://DaleLinks.com/SignUp Join Channel Memberships - https://DaleLinks.com/Memberships Join Me on Discord - https://DaleLinks.com/Discord Check out my main YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@DaleLRoberts My Books - https://DaleLinks.com/MyBooks  Source: StoryFair Audiobooks - https://storyfair.net/. Contact: storyfairllc@gmail.com. IngramSpark - https://IngramSpark.com Apple Books for Authors - https://authors.apple.com/ Findaway Voices by Spotify - https://findawayvoices.com KIP Scout - https://DaleLinks.com/Scout (affiliate link)  Miblart: Email Marketing for Authors: How to Build an Author Email List - https://miblart.com/blog/how-to-build-author-email-list/?ref=daleroberts5 Miblart: Advent Calendar - https://miblart.com/advent-calendar-sign-up/?ref=daleroberts5  Mastering Author Branding with Andrea Jo DeWerd: The Self-Publishing with ALLi Podcast Featuring Dale L. Roberts - https://selfpublishingadvice.org/podcast-mastering-author-branding/  Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts

Ebook sales are projected to hit $29.9 billion by 2033. Authors Guild announces new partnership with an AI licensing company called Created by Humans. And, Findaway Voices by Spotify announces expansion of audiobook distribution for Spotify. All that and more in the self-publishing news. Book Award Pro - https://DaleLinks.com/BookAwardPro (affiliate link) Subscribe to The Self-Publishing Hub - https://TheSelfPublishingHub.com Subscribe to my email newsletter - https://DaleLinks.com/SignUp Join Channel Memberships - https://DaleLinks.com/Memberships Join Me on Discord - https://DaleLinks.com/Discord Check out my main YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@DaleLRoberts My Books - https://DaleLinks.com/MyBooks  Sources: Ebooks Market Revenue Surges to $29.9 billion by 2033 - https://scoop.market.us/ebooks-market-news/ Authors Guild Partners with Created by Humans to Empower Authors in the AI Era - https://authorsguild.org/news/ag-partners-with-created-by-humans-to-empower-authors-in-ai-era/ Findaway Voices by Spotify - https://findawayvoices.com/dale Bookvault: How to Use the Bookvault Bulk Title Upload - https://20439106.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/20439106/Bulk%20Title%20Import%20Guide.pdf PublishDrive - https://DaleLinks.com/PublishDrive (affiliate link) Dibbly Create - https://DaleLinks.com/DibblyCreate (affiliate link). Get 10% off with coupon code: MINUSTEN (good only in October 2024) Dibbly - https://DaleLinks.com/Dibbly (affiliate link). Get 10% off with coupon code: MINUSTEN (good only in October 2024) Self-Publishing Advice Conference 2024 - https://selfpublishingadviceconference.com/  StoryOrigin presents: Writing with AI: What's going on here? - https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcuc-6sqT0rH9LwN_uV1ACBRDYXb5AJsOE-#/registration Get Book Reviews on Amazon Without Violating Guidelines - https://www.youtube.com/live/w0KxkSf6CMs?si=HC4BFWDj9zolnwA- Book Launchers presents: From Invisible to Influential: Dale L. Roberts Unleashes Author Networking Hacks - https://www.youtube.com/live/O3vGtispDTQ?si=Bcot0ulKuP4kVQAZ Networking for Authors - https://DaleLinks.com/Networking  Credit:  Laterpress - https://Laterpress.com  Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts

Are you looking for an alternative to Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX) or Findaway Voices by Spotify? Would you like to get your audiobooks listed on Amazon, Audible, and beyond? Then, let's consider Lantern Audio, a business that helps with audiobook production and publishing. Lantern Audio - https://lanternaudio.com/independent-publishing-services/ ALLi's Watchdog List - https://DaleLinks.com/Watchdog Bestseller Book Launch Checklist - https://DaleLinks.com/Checklist Subscribe to The Self-Publishing Hub - https://TheSelfPublishingHub.com Join Channel Memberships - https://DaleLinks.com/Memberships Join Me on Discord - https://DaleLinks.com/Discord  Check out my main YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@DaleLRoberts  Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts

Are you looking for alternatives to Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX) or Findaway Voices by Spotify? Then, discover how Audiobooks Unleashed is a viable alternative. Audiobooks Unleased publish your audiobooks on Amazon, Audible, and beyond, but is audiobook publishing worth it on the website in 2024? Audiobooks Unleashed - https://distribution.audiobooksunleashed.com/ Subscribe to my email newsletter - https://DaleLinks.com/Signup Subscribe to The Self-Publishing Hub - https://TheSelfPublishingHub.com Join Channel Memberships - https://DaleLinks.com/Memberships Join Me on Discord - https://DaleLinks.com/Discord Check out my main YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@DaleLRoberts  Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts

Are you looking for an alternative to Audiobook Creation Exchange or Findaway Voices? Would you like to publish your audiobooks through numerous retailers including Amazon, Audible, Spotify and more? Then, let's talk about the audiobook publishing business, Author's Republic, and discuss if it's worth it! Author's Republic - https://www.authorsrepublic.com/ FAQ - https://www.authorsrepublic.com/learn/faqs ALLi's Watchdog List - https://DaleLinks.com/Watchdog Subscribe to The Self-Publishing Hub - https://TheSelfPublishingHub.com Join Channel Memberships - https://DaleLinks.com/Memberships Join Me on Discord - https://DaleLinks.com/Discord Check out my main YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@dalelroberts  Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts

Are you publishing your audiobook through ACX yet still looking for other alternatives? Would you like to know an alternate way to publish your audiobooks to Amazon and Audible? Then, discover how Findaway Voices by Spotify might be the ideal place to distribute your audio content for free. Find out if Findaway Voices is worth it in 2024! Findaway Voices by Spotify - https://findawayvoices.com/ Payment Terms - https://my.findawayvoices.com/payment-terms My Email Newsletter - https://DaleLinks.com/SignUp Subscribe to The Self-Publishing Hub - https://TheSelfPublishingHub.com  Join Channel Memberships - https://DaleLinks.com/Memberships Join Me on Discord - https://DaleLinks.com/Discord Check out my main YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@dalelroberts  Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts

Episode 1: Join us for our first Six Figure Author Experiment: launching Russell's fantasy series, the Godsverse Chronicles. The series is written and complete, with covers and audio done and ready to go. Russell had great success launching this series on Kickstarter and now it's time to publish them wide on book retailers. Lee and Russell discuss pre-order strategy with Monica Leonelle, including: * The best way to juice the algorithm for success over on Amazon, Apple, Barnes and Noble, Google Play, Kobo and other book retailers * How to maximize your launch week on Amazon by publishing audio, paperback, hardback and ebook formats together to get an algorithmic boost*  What ‘merchandising' on wide retailers is and why it can give your book the best chance of success* How PublishDrive, Draft to Digital and Findaway Voices by Spotify can save you time and sanity * Pricing strategies including whether to launch full price or at a discountResources:* Free Book Launch ChecklistWe want to hear from you! Let us know what you're launching now and what was your favorite part of this episode.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sixfigureauthorexperiment.com

Since the acquisition of Findaway Voices by Spotify, some significant changes have taken place—changes you as an author of an audiobook should be aware of. Learn more about the red flags that are going up, the concerns about authors' intellectual property rights, and more. What's happening with royalties now that Spotify is offering subscribers 15 free hours of audiobook listening each month? Can that really be good for authors? Or is it just good for Spotify? Is Spotify showing any better policies than the abuses by Amazon? Let's dig in! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amazon KDP announced MASSIVE changes to the Kindle Vella program. Draft2Digital rolls out affordable proof ordering options. Findaway Voices by Spotify continue to receive backlash from changes in the terms of use from two weeks ago. And, so much more in the self-publishing news! Subscribe to The Self-Publishing Hub - https://TheSelfPublishingHub.com Join Channel Memberships - https://DaleLinks.com/Memberships Join Me on Discord - https://DaleLinks.com/Discord  News sources: Kindle Vella's New Terms - https://www.kdpcommunity.com/s/question/0D58V00008XaqwlSAB/is-it-time-to-bail-on-vella-with-the-new-token-terms?language=en_US&topicId=0TO2T000000MFRiWAO&count=10 Draft2Digital Introducing New Print Proof. Shipping Options! - https://authoremail.com/email/campaigns/sd962hjqvq473/web-version/lg0604x35fb97  Findaway And Corporate Rights Grabs - https://www.patreon.com/posts/findaway-and-98622568 Spotify and Independent Audiobook Authors Face Off - https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2024-02-22/spotify-and-independent-audiobook-authors-face-off Rakuten Kobo Launches Kobo Plus in Hong Kong and Taiwan - https://kobowritinglife.com/2024/02/23/rakuten-kobo-launches-kobo-plus-in-hong-kong-and-taiwan/ KOBO's Easter Long Weekend Sale! Deadline: March 8th - https://community.streetlib.com/c/retail-promotions-hub/kobo-s-easter-long-weekend-sale-deadline-march-8th Planning a Book Launch by BookBaby - https://www.bookbaby.com/pages/pdf/planning-a-book-launch.pdf Storygarden Summit - https://plottr.com/story-garden-summit Direct Sales Made Easy: Q & A with Evan Gow - https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwvdO2qqDwrH9fjmVUNw54DCCm0jt75X9rF#/registration Before Social Media: ​​​​​​​The Marketing Elements You Need Before You Post - https://event.webinarjam.com/register/71/w7mvna45 7th Annual Women In Publishing Summit - https://womeninpublishingsummit.com/ Are Book Promotion Sites Right for Me? Reaching More Readers Podcast - https://selfpublishingadvice.org/podcast-book-promotion-sites/ Smashwords Read an Ebook Week - https://www.smashwords.com/shelves/promos  My Smashwords Author Profile - https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/dalelroberts  Credit: Scribando - https://Scribando.com Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts

Katee Robert joins me to talk about her many releases this year, about marketing through Kickstarter and direct-to-reader options like Patreon, and about the foundational books in fantasy and romance that got her started.We also talk about current issues, like Findaway Voices and Spotify's changes to the terms of service for authors.You can find Katee Robert on her website, KateeRobert.com. You can also check out her Patreon.We also mentionedModern PostcardBonkers RomanceThe Bonkers Romance KickstarterNK Jemisin's PatreonUrsula Vernon/T Kingfisher's PatreonChanges in the Findaway Voices ToSAnd former PRH CEO Markus Dohle's comments under oath:“The trial put the inner workings of the company on public display in sometimes unflattering ways. In his testimony, Dohle argued that success in publishing is driven by instinct and random luck, not necessarily a company's size — an argument that the judge found unconvincing. And he revealed his dissatisfaction with the company's performance since the 2013 merger.” Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Katee Robert joins me to talk about her many releases this year, about marketing through Kickstarter and direct-to-reader options like Patreon, and about the foundational books in fantasy and romance that got her started.We also talk about current issues, like Findaway Voices and Spotify's changes to the terms of service for authors.You can find Katee Robert on her website, KateeRobert.com. You can also check out her Patreon.We also mentionedModern PostcardBonkers RomanceThe Bonkers Romance KickstarterNK Jemisin's PatreonUrsula Vernon/T Kingfisher's PatreonChanges in the Findaway Voices ToSAnd former PRH CEO Markus Dohle's comments under oath:“The trial put the inner workings of the company on public display in sometimes unflattering ways. In his testimony, Dohle argued that success in publishing is driven by instinct and random luck, not necessarily a company's size — an argument that the judge found unconvincing. And he revealed his dissatisfaction with the company's performance since the 2013 merger.” Join our Patreon for complete mayhem, shenanigans, and more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our Guest Tonight: A.F. Stewart Website: https://afstewart.ca/ YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/AFStewart BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/a-f-stewart Our Picks For Best Author Websites and Tools mentioned in the show. We are not sponsored by any of the following sites or aps, we just like them or use them.  AUTHOR PORTALS  (some cost money. only sign up and pay for what you will use for sharing, newsletter swaps, ARC, etc…) Amazon/Kindle author account - https://authorcentral.amazon.com/ StoryOrigin - https://storyoriginapp.com/ Book Funnel - https://bookfunnel.com/ Bookshop - https://bookshop.org/ Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/ Library thing - https://www.librarything.com/ Bookbub - https://www.bookbub.com/ MAILING LIST PLATFORMS  (some cost money. only sign up and pay for what you will use) MailerLite - https://www.mailerlite.com/ MailChimp - https://mailchimp.com/ SendFox - https://sendfox.com/ AUTHOR TOOLS (some cost money. only sign up and pay for what you will use) Book Formatting tools Calibre - https://calibre-ebook.com/ Sigil ebook - https://sigil-ebook.com/ Papyrus Author - https://www.papyrusauthor.com/ Editing Tools Pro Writing Aid - https://prowritingaid.com/ Photo and Video Editing tools Cap cut  - https://www.capcut.com/ Adobe express - https://www.adobe.com/express/ Canva - https://www.canva.com/ Book Brush - https://bookbrush.com/ Marketing and Advertising classes and tools Bryan Cohen Free Ad Class - https://learn.bestpageforward.net/apr24/?ref_=a20m_us_lbr_cs_byachn Fiction Atlas CL Cannon - https://fiction-atlas.com/ Kindlepreneur - https://kindlepreneur.com/ Kindlepreneur tools - https://kindlepreneur.com/tools/ PublisherRocket - https://publisherrocket.com/ AUTHOR/PUBLISHER ACCOUNTS  Amazon KDP - https://kdp.amazon.com/ Ingram Spark - https://www.ingramspark.com/ Draft2Digital - https://www.draft2digital.com/ Kobo - https://www.kobo.com/us/en/p/writinglife Apple - https://authors.apple.com/epub-upload Barnes & Noble - https://press.barnesandnoble.com/ Publish Drive - https://publishdrive.com/ Google Play - https://play.google.com/books/publish/u/0/ ACX - https://www.acx.com/ Findaway Voices - https://findawayvoices.com/ Authors Republic - https://www.authorsrepublic.com/ Want to create live streams like this? Check out StreamYard: https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5670617437175808

On the Self-Publishing News Podcast, Dan Holloway takes a critical look at Spotify's recent update to the terms of use for audiobook creators, a move that has stirred significant debate within the indie author community. As Spotify's Findaway Voices faces scrutiny over its revised policies, Dan explores the implications of these changes and the broader concerns they raise about rights and transparency in the digital publishing landscape.  “In the opinion of the Watchdog Desk, the update to the Terms of Use showed a shocking carelessness around issues crucial to the indie author community,” said John Doppler, who runs ALLi's Watchdog Desk. “Waiving moral rights, granting a staggeringly broad array of rights. These conditions may have escaped notice in the Artist's Terms of Use from which they were copied, but in the context of independent publishing, they would have allowed unconscionable exploitation. Any expert familiar with the industry should have immediately flagged these issues.” To the credit of Spotify and Findaway Voices, the correction was swift and addressed the key areas of concern with clarity. However, there are lingering questions, particularly around the use of user content for AI training, which have not been adequately addressed. Spotify did not respond to our inquiry before press time. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven't already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. About the Host Dan Holloway is a novelist, poet, and spoken word artist. He is the MC of the performance arts show The New Libertines, He competed at the National Poetry Slam final at the Royal Albert Hall. His latest collection, The Transparency of Sutures, is available on Kindle.

Findaway Voices by Spotify rolled out an updated Terms of Use agreement that had everyone up in arms last week. OpenAI is implementing digital watermarks for images. And, Smashwords is running their annual Read an Ebook Week promotion. All that and more in the self-publishing news this week! Subscribe to The Self-Publishing Hub - https://TheSelfPublishingHub.com Join Channel Memberships - https://DaleLinks.com/Memberships Join Me on Discord - https://DaleLinks.com/Discord  News Sources: Findaway Voices by Spotify Terms of Use - https://my.findawayvoices.com/terms-of-use  Outrage Over New Terms of Use at Findaway Voices Forces Change - https://writerbeware.blog/2024/02/19/outrage-over-new-terms-of-use-at-findaway-voices-forces-change/ ALLi Advice Forum - https://selfpubconnect.mn.co/posts/50819754 OpenAI is adding new watermarks to DALL-E 3 - https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/6/24063954/ai-watermarks-dalle3-openai-content-credentials Streetlib: Spring Spectacular on Apple Books - https://community.streetlib.com/c/retail-promotions-hub/spring-spectacular-on-apple-books-mysteries-romance-and-fantasy-deals-deadline-february-23 The Hot Sheet's January 2024 Bestseller Lists - https://hotsheetpub.com/2024/02/january-2024-bestseller-lists/ Smashwords Read an Ebook Week - March 3-9, 2024 - https://www.smashwords.com/ebookweek Dibbly Create - https://DaleLinks.com/DibblyCreate  (VALENTINE20 - offer ends Feb. 29th)  IngramSpark: Ask the Expert (IG) - https://www.instagram.com/p/C3bE2lJvwKA/ How to Create a Multi-Million-Dollar Business ​​​​​​​From Your Business Book - https://event.webinarjam.com/register/70/kozgpfzo Finish Your Book in 2024! - https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Yxwj-cjWSQK-eCbFpJ5yMw#/registration Crowdfunding Your Book with Kickstarter | Reedsy Live - https://mailparrot.reedsy.com/subscriptions/new?list_id=84ff35ebe3&utm_source=mailparrot_newsletter&utm_campaign=marketplace_live_kickstarter&utm_medium=email Book Ninja Summit - https://bookninjasummit.com  Credit: The Hot Sheet - https://hotsheetpub.com Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts

The Kindlepreneur shared an updated strategy for maximizing the seven backend keywords slots on KDP. Streetlib updated their terms and conditions. An author loses his mind over a review. And, so much more this week in the self-publishing news. Subscribe to The Self-Publishing Hub - https://TheSelfPublishingHub.com  Join Channel Memberships - https://DaleLinks.com/Memberships Join Me on Discord - https://DaleLinks.com/Discord  News Sources: BookBrush's Full Service Social Media Management Services - https://bookbrush.com/social-media-management/ | For the job opportunity, contact CEO Josh Wiley at josh@brushmediagroup.com. Streetlib's Updated Conditions and Terms - https://streetlib-agreements.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/StreetLib_Hub_20220824_en.pdf Self-Published Science Fiction Competition Issues Statement After Author Has Meltdown About Judge's Review - https://file770.com/self-published-science-fiction-competition-issues-statement-after-author-has-meltdown-about-judges-review/#comments  IngramSpark: Share & Sell Your Book (US only) - https://www.ingramspark.com/e-commerce  7 Kindle Keywords: Use All 50 Characters or Not? [UPDATED] - https://kindlepreneur.com/7-kindle-keywords/ eBookFairs: Book Cover Grader - https://ebookfairs.com/Home/Book-Cover-Grader Pod Pro Author Coaching - https://www.theindyauthor.com/services---pod-pro-author-coaching.html Lulu: How to Get Started Successfully as an Author - https://event.webinarjam.com/register/68/qrqmosmk Writing & Publishing Master Class with Andy Maslen | Reedsy Learning - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/writing-publishing-master-class-with-andy-maslen-reedsy-learning-tickets-808859890707 How to Get Started with Amazon Ads: Reaching More Readers Podcast - https://selfpublishingadvice.org/podcast-amazon-ads/ Self-Publishing with Dale Podcast Reviews: https://chartable.com/podcasts/selfpublishing-with-dale-l-roberts/reviews/d5Tm26oB Special thanks to these sources: LaterPress - https://LaterPress.com CraveBooks - https://CraveBooks.com Draft2Digital - https://Draft2Digital.com Findaway Voices - https://FindawayVoices.com David Gaughran - https://DavidGaughran.com  Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts

December 2023 was my best month ever for my audiobooks, so I thought I would take a look at the best places to (legally) get free and low-cost audiobooks. This week's coupon is for the audiobook of GHOST IN THE HUNT as excellently narrated by Hollis McCarthy. You can get the audiobook of GHOST IN THE HUNT for 75% off at my Payhip store with this coupon code: WINTERHUNT The coupon code is valid through February 13th, 2024, so if you find yourself needing an audiobook to break up the winter doldrums, we've got one ready for you! TRANSCRIPT 00:00:00 Introduction and Writing Updates Hello, everyone. Welcome to Episode 185 of The Pulp Writer Show. My name is Jonathan Moeller. Today is January the 27th, 2024, and today we're going to talk about how to find low-cost audiobooks. Before we get to our main topic, let's have Coupon of the Week. This week's coupon is for the audiobook of Ghost in the Hunt, as excellently narrated by Hollis McCarthy. You can get the audiobook of Ghost in the Hunt for 75% off at my Payhip store with this coupon code: WINTERHUNT and that is WINTERHUNT and that will obviously be in the show notes. This coupon code is valid through February 13th, 2024. So, if you find yourself needing an audiobook to break up the winter doldrums, we've got one ready for you. So that is Coupon of the Week. Now let's have a current update on my present writing projects. I am pleased to report that Shield of Storms, the first book in the new Shield War saga set in my fantasy realm of Andomhaim, is complete and it is out and published. You can get it at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Google Play, Apple Books, Smashwords, and my Payhip store. Initial sales and reviews are positive, so thank you all for reading. A few people have asked when the audiobook is coming and recording should start for that on January 29th (Monday). So realistically, probably around March for the audiobook to be available. Now that Shield of Storms is out, let's have a look at my next couple of projects. The next book I publish will be Sevenfold Sword Online: Leveling, and I am about 2/3 of the way through it. In fact, I think I might be closer to 70% of the way through it and so I am hoping to have that done before too much longer. I've had a year's worth of sales data with the previous book and I think I've pretty definitively established that the LitRPG market is pretty much Kindle Unlimited and audio so Sevenfold Sword Online: Leveling will be in Kindle Unlimited and hopefully in audiobook before too much longer, if all goes well. We will see how that goes. After that is done then I will write Ghost in the Veils, the sequel to Ghost in the Serpent and the second book in the New Ghost Armor series. I think that will probably be out towards the end of March or the beginning of April. It's scheduled to be recorded as an audiobook in April. So, I definitely want to have it out before that happens. I am also about 19,000 words into Wizard Thief, the sequel to Half-Elven Thief in December, and that…lately I've been adopting a model for writing where I have a main project that takes up 80% of my time and then do like 10% projects that I work on in the morning when I have my coffee. By the time I get done with Ghost in the Veils, I will probably be like halfway through or maybe even 2/3 of the way through Wizard Thief. So hopefully it should be out before too much longer after Ghost in the Veils is published. So that is where I'm at with all my current writing projects. 00:03:08 Main Topic: Legal and Cheap Ways to Get Low-Cost Audiobooks So let's move on to our main topic this week: legal and cheap ways to get low-cost or free audiobooks. So why talk about that this month or this episode? Well, looking over figures, it looks like December may have been my best month ever for my self-published audiobooks, which I'm very happy about and now very grateful to all of you for. But as we all know, the economy is not good and it is not likely to improve anytime soon. So, budgets are tight for many, many people and so I thought it would be a good way to take a look at the free and legal ways to get free and low-cost audiobooks because obviously it's fairly simple to pirate audio books. I don't endorse that, and there's also always a measure of risk with that, because very often pirates will use fake pirated material to distribute, like, you know, malware and cryptocurrency scams and that kind of thing. I remember a long time ago, back when I was doing tech support, I had a university student come to me very concerned that her computer had gotten a virus, and so I asked, how did do you think this happened? She said, well, I had to watch this movie for class, so I didn't want to pay for it. So I Googled where to watch a pirated copy of this movie online and I clicked on the first link I got and my computer is now filled with viruses. I don't know how this happened. This was not, needless to say, the most mysterious case I ever had to deal with when I was doing tech support back in the old days. So piracy, aside from the moral and ethical implications, can also carry a measure of risk. By contrast, the methods that we're going to talk about today are legal and should have no risk of infecting either your phone or your computer with various forms of malware or cryptocurrency scams. So let's look at the best way to get free audiobook titles and the best way is the one of the most old fashioned ways: your local library system. I should note what I'm about to say applies strongly to the US, since that's obviously where I live, and that I'm most familiar with how things work here, so obviously things will probably work differently in different countries if that is where you live. In the US, there's usually two ways you can get audiobooks from the library. The library will either use a service called Libby, which is sort of a friendly user interface on top of a service called OverDrive, or the library will use something called Hoopla. Not all libraries will have Libby or Hoopla, though many of them will have some sort of service like Libby or Hoopla that provides ebooks or audiobooks. Be sure to check your local library's website to see if your library subscribes to these resources and to learn more about them. One thing, if your library uses Libby/OverDrive is that there will probably be a wait list for newer titles or titles that suddenly get popular (like the the biography of Oppenheimer that inspired the Oppenheimer movie in the summer of 2023). It's not uncommon for a big release or very popular book or audiobook to have a wait list of a couple hundred people, though obviously if you're looking at older or less popular titles, the wait list will sometimes be shorter or no wait at all. Selection will also vary wildly by library. The trouble with a lot of these ebook subscription platforms for libraries is that they're very expensive because the library's essentially a captive market for the vendors. Libraries have to subscribe to the Libby platform and then buy additional titles for their patrons. And if you're familiar with the way the publishing industry works at all, you know that library editions are usually much more expensive than regular consumer editions. For example, a book that might cost a library like $9 in print can cost like $85 on Libby for a copy that expires after 26 checkouts or a similar level of set checkouts. That's often why libraries will only have one or two copies of a very popular title, just because it's so expensive. If they just bought copies for everyone who asks, it would rapidly deplete their budget. The checkout and limits are set by the libraries and not Hoopla or OverDrive, so they vary from library to library. Like one library might have four checkouts per patron per month or another library system might allow ten simultaneous checkouts and ten items you can join the wait list for at the same time. It can vary quite a bit from library to library. So as the saying goes, your mileage may vary, but if you are looking for a low-cost way to listen to audiobooks and read ebooks, then the best place to start is probably your local library system. Now let's move on from free to subscription products. Something new that's come up recently is that Spotify is offering audiobooks. They bought Findaway Voices a couple of years ago and basically imported Findaway Voices' audiobook catalog into their platform, which includes quite a few of my audiobooks. And for a Spotify premium subscription, you get access to a library of audiobook titles included in the cost of an existing Spotify Premium subscription. It comes out to 15 hours a month per individual Premium account or per family account, and depending on your audiobook listening needs, one fifteen hour audiobook might tide you over for the entire month worth of commuting. It is important to note that this does not include all audiobooks available on Spotify. Not all of them are available for this fifteen hour a month subscription and that Spotify does also offer what are called a la carte audiobook sales, where you just buy the audiobook on top of the subscription cost that you're already paying. So, if you're already paying for Spotify for your music listening, as apparently quite a few people do, this could be a fairly cheap way to listen to audiobooks on top of your Spotify subscriptions, as you're paying for that already anyway. Another subscription option is Kobo Plus Listen where you pay about $8 US a month to access a collection of about 100,000 audiobook titles, and for an initial $2.00 a month you can throw in the entire Kobo Plus collection of ebooks. Kobo's audiobook platform is relatively new, so it tends to have fewer frontlist and bestseller titles. Quite a few of my audiobooks are on there and I think the vast majority of my ebooks are in Kobo Plus as well. So, if you're looking for a low-cost way to listen to audiobooks, that could be a good way to do it. Another option is a platform called Everand, which you may also know as Scribd, because that's what it used to be called until a couple months ago. For some reason, they decided to change their name from Scribd to Everand. Whenever companies do this, it's often very confusing and you always suspect that they paid too much money to an MBA consultant for some bad advice, but that is a tangent and let's not dwell on that. Everand has a slightly lower cost than Audible. It's $12.00 a month versus $15 for the lowest tier of the Audible subscription plan and that also includes ebook access. However, it's not a truly unlimited subscription. There seems to be a limit that isn't advertised based on reports, and it's apparently frequently very frustrating to power users. In fact, back when Everand was still Scribd a couple of years ago, there was a bit of a minor kerfuffle where they started limiting romance power users because romance readers are famous for reading so many romance books and listening to so many romance audiobooks. And so they deliberately dialed that back and throttled it and it was a bit of a problem. Audible also has what's called the Audible Plus lowest tier for their Audible subscription. For $8 a month, you can subscribe to Audible Plus and then you can listen to anything that's in the Audible Plus catalog, which does rotate fairly frequently, and things tend to move in and out of it. For a while, the first Dragontiarna Publisher Pack, which would be Dragontiarna Books One and Two, was in Audible Plus, and that did do a good job of driving sales to the rest of the series, but only the first audiobook was in Audible Plus, so it's kind of a loss leader for Podium to do that. Now onto some low-cost a la carte options, where you're just paying for the audiobook rather than subscribing. I have to admit my favorite low-cost option is Chirp. If you're familiar with Bookbub at all, Chirp works basically like Bookbub. Every day you get an email listing the low-cost and discounted audiobooks in genres that you indicated you like when you signed up for Chirp. There's no monthly costs, no recurring fees, anything like that. You just get email every day with a list of audiobooks that are currently on sale for a low cost, ranging from like $0.99 to $4.99 (depending on the title), which is usually a pretty good deal. So, if you're looking to stack up on some low-cost audiobooks, Chirp is a good way to go about it. And if you don't mind a bit of a plug, another good way to get low-cost audiobooks is to listen to this podcast. If you will remember from the start of the show, I have Coupon of the Week for Ghost in the Hunt for 75% off, which comes to about…ah, the audiobook will cost you about $3.00. So listen to this podcast and watching for the coupon code is also a good way to get discount audiobooks, since I do use audiobooks for Coupon of the Week pretty frequently. Finally, if you want to listen to some free public domain audiobooks (this is where the book has been in the public domain, and therefore anyone can make an audiobook of it for any reason), check out a website called LibriVox. That is https://librivox.org and it has a large collection of public domain titles which are all read by volunteers, but the quality may vary depending upon the equipment and technical competence of that particular volunteer, but they are free. If you can't find something you want to listen to at the library for free, this might be a good substitution. So that is it for this week. Thanks for listening to The Pulp Writer Show. I'd like to once again thank my transcriptionist for pulling together the research for this episode. I hope you found the show useful. A reminder that you can listen to all the back episodes on https://thepulpwritershow.com. If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review on your podcasting platform of choice. Stay safe and stay healthy and see you all next week.

Hello to episode 148 and Goodbye to 2023. Here's my brief recap of the podcast, this year's Patrons, and the role of persistence that brought unexpected and much-appreciated surprises. You will learn: Five of this year's favorite podcast episodes are linked below. David Richman Eleanor Andrews Maria Henson Chad Peevy Debbie Russell Thank you to my Patrons for supporting the podcast and my writing this year! And to all of you enjoy stories of persistence as much as I do. Thankful Grounded in Grit: Turn Your Challenges into Superpowers is now available on Audible and wide through other retailers, thanks to Findaway Voices! Happy 2024 (soon) and have a great week. Last year I embraced a motto that I'd celebrate the efforts made in goals, not the outcome. I'm keeping this one moving forward! Happy 2024 and many thanks for being part of my world.

Findaway Voices by Spotify makes a MAJOR pivot, allowing Google Play's AI narration to be distributed to more online retailers. An indie author sees a huge payoff to #booktook on TikTok. And, Written Word Media released the results from a recent indie author survey. All that and more in the self-publishing news today! Join Channel Memberships - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl9CjdZQtzufqgYx0CidSbA/join  Join my community at: Discord - http://dalelinks.com/discord  Sources: TikTok's #BookTok trend 'literally changed my life' - https://au.news.yahoo.com/tiktoks-booktok-trend-literally-changed-072145517.html Now Distributing Audiobooks with Digital Voice Narration - https://blog.findawayvoices.com/now-distributing-audiobooks-with-digital-voice-narration/  Auto-narrated audiobooks - https://play.google.com/books/publish/autonarrated/  Survey Results: The State of Indie Authorship - https://www.writtenwordmedia.com/survey-results-the-state-of-indie-authorship/ Quick-Ship Products for the Holidays - https://mailchi.mp/vervante/foilstamping-1127468  KWL Live Q&A – Planning, Prepping and Productivity Tips for Self-published Authors with Sarra Cannon - https://www.youtube.com/live/qqa3ezBgHPs?si=ukQac-3IRas58sWL Joe Solari's Author Newsletter - https://courses.joesolari.com/newsletter?r_done=1 The Self-Publishing Hub - https://TheSelfPublishingHub.com Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts

“The biggest breakthroughs came from the random side projects that I had no expectation would turn into anything.” Josh Kaufman is a longtime friendtor (13 years and counting!) who I admire for his streamlined approach to running his business in a way that supports family life and creative solitude. In our last conversation we spoke about releasing the ten-year anniversary edition of his bestselling book, The Personal MBA: Master the Art of Business, that has since surpassed the one million books sold milestone. Today we're diving into the systems behind that success. Check out 012: Generating Personal MBA Momentum with Josh Kaufman if you haven't already! More About Josh: Josh Kaufman's research and books focus on business, entrepreneurship, skill acquisition, productivity, creativity, applied psychology, and practical wisdom. Josh's unique, multidisciplinary approach to business mastery and rapid skill acquisition has helped millions of readers around the world learn essential concepts and skills on their own terms. Josh's TEDx talk on The First 20 Hours is one of the top 25 most-viewed TED talks published to date, with over 37 million views on YouTube.

Explore ten powerful methods to maximize your audiobook revenue. This video covers a range of techniques, including sales funnels, email marketing, leveraging the bounty program, and driving affiliate sales. Whether you're publishing through ACX, Authors Republic, or Amazon, learn how to grow your audiobook business and make the most of your earnings. Uncover the potential of platforms like Audible, Findaway Voices, and more. If you're serious about increasing your audiobook income, this guide is a must-watch. Join Channel Memberships - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl9CjdZQtzufqgYx0CidSbA/join  Join my community at: Discord - http://dalelinks.com/discord  Sources: Dibbly Create - https://DaleLinks.com/DibblyCreate (affiliate link) Holiday Ordering Deadlines - https://mail.barnesandnoble.com/H/2/v60000018b41022003a1e7f46e96c660a0/87ce7d25-327d-4d48-9056-715e3f72bb9c/HTML IngramSpark Recommended Order Dates - https://www.ingramspark.com/%F0%9F%93%A6act-fast-recommended-order-dates-and-book-nominations LaterPress - https://www.laterpress.com/ There is No Marketing Magic Bullet: Reaching More Readers Podcast, With Dale L. Roberts and Holly Greenland - https://selfpublishingadvice.org/podcast-marketing-magic-bullet/  GetCovers - https://DaleLinks.com/GetCovers - use code TREAT20 (affiliate link) Kobo Plus Data - https://preview.mailerlite.com/a0s2y7l2v8/2332257606858446275/y8b6/  Can a Professional Book Cover Double Your Sales? - https://blog.reedsy.com/guide/book-design/redesign/ The NEW Findaway Voices by Spotify - https://www.findawayvoices.com/dale Spotify Premium Analytics - https://my.findawayvoices.com/reporting/spotify-premium-analytics Spotify's new audiobook streaming could have ‘devastating effect', says Society of Authors - https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/oct/11/spotify-audiobook-streaming-devastating-effect-authors No Fakes Act wants to protect actors and singers from unauthorized AI replicas - https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/12/23914915/ai-replicas-likeness-law-no-fakes-copyright Game-Changing Creator Insights for 2024 - https://assets.lulu.com/media/unbounce/lulu-tilt-creator-insights.pdf Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts

Spotify is rolling out even more changes to the audiobook distribution service, Findaway Voices. The Marketplace is going away after a short run on Findaway Voices, Spotify Premium might not be what audiobook rights holders want, and more. Also, Reedsy shares the difference a professional cover design can make in your book sales. And, Kobo Writing Life updated their Kobo Plus reports and analytics. All that and more in the self-publishing news! Join Channel Memberships - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl9CjdZQtzufqgYx0CidSbA/join Join my community at: Discord - http://dalelinks.com/discord Sources: Dibbly Create - https://DaleLinks.com/DibblyCreate (affiliate link) Holiday Ordering Deadlines - https://mail.barnesandnoble.com/H/2/v60000018b41022003a1e7f46e96c660a0/87ce7d25-327d-4d48-9056-715e3f72bb9c/HTML  IngramSpark Recommended Order Dates - https://www.ingramspark.com/%F0%9F%93%A6act-fast-recommended-order-dates-and-book-nominations LaterPress - https://www.laterpress.com/ There is No Marketing Magic Bullet: Reaching More Readers Podcast, With Dale L. Roberts and Holly Greenland - https://selfpublishingadvice.org/podcast-marketing-magic-bullet/  GetCovers - https://DaleLinks.com/GetCovers - use code TREAT20 (affiliate link) Kobo Plus Data - https://preview.mailerlite.com/a0s2y7l2v8/2332257606858446275/y8b6/  Can a Professional Book Cover Double Your Sales? - https://blog.reedsy.com/guide/book-design/redesign/ The NEW Findaway Voices by Spotify - https://www.findawayvoices.com/dale  Spotify Premium Analytics - https://my.findawayvoices.com/reporting/spotify-premium-analytics  Spotify's new audiobook streaming could have ‘devastating effect', says Society of Authors - https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/oct/11/spotify-audiobook-streaming-devastating-effect-authors No Fakes Act wants to protect actors and singers from unauthorized AI replicas - https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/12/23914915/ai-replicas-likeness-law-no-fakes-copyright Game-Changing Creator Insights for 2024 - https://assets.lulu.com/media/unbounce/lulu-tilt-creator-insights.pdf Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts

Explore the world of audiobook distribution and discover how to reach a wider audience by publishing on various retail and library platforms. This guide provides valuable insights into the benefits of "going wide" with your audiobooks and offers a step-by-step tutorial on publishing to multiple platforms, including Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX), Findaway Voices, Author's Republic, and PublishDrive. If you're eager to maximize exposure and revenue potential for your audiobooks, this comprehensive tutorial is a must-watch. Dibbly Create - https://DaleLinks.com/DibblyCreate (affiliate link) Join Channel Memberships - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl9CjdZQtzufqgYx0CidSbA/join Join my community at: Discord - http://dalelinks.com/discord Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts

In this week's episode, we take a look at the perils and advantages of audiobook production for indie authors. A preview of DRAGONSKULL: FURY OF THE BARBARIANS (as narrated by Brad Wills) is included at the end of the episode. It's time for a new Coupon of the Week! This week's coupon is for the audiobook of GHOST IN THE FORGE, as excellently narrated by Hollis McCarthy. You can get the audiobook of GHOST IN THE FORGE for 75% off at my Payhip store with this coupon code: GHOSTFORGE The coupon code is valid through October 7th, 2023, so if you find yourself in need of a good listen as we advance into fall, perhaps it's time to get a new audiobook! TRANSCRIPT 00:00:00- Intro and Coupon of the Week Hello, everyone. Welcome to Episode 169 of the Pulp Writer Show. My name is Jonathan Moeller. Today is September, the 22nd, 2023 and today we're going to discuss whether or not indie authors should produce audiobooks. Before we get to our main topics, let's do Coupon of the Week. This week's Coupon of the Week is for the audiobook of Ghost in the Forge as excellently narrated by Hollis McCarthy. You can get the audiobook of Ghosts in the Forge for 75% off at my Payhip store with this coupon code, GHOSTFORGE. That coupon code is valid through October the 7th, 2023. So if you find yourself in need of a good listen as we advance in the fall, perhaps it's time to get a new audiobook. You can get the coupon code and the link to the store in the show notes. Let's have some updates on my current writing projects and some questions and comments from readers, and then we'll get to this week's main topic. 00:00:59- Writing Updates I am almost to the end of Chapter 15 of 20 of Ghost in the Serpent, which means I'm just about 75% of the way through the rough draft, so I'm hoping I will wrap that up soon, probably before the end of September, but possibly in the first week of October. The audiobook of Dragonskull: Fury of the Barbarians is finished and is currently processing through all the stores, so hopefully we'll be able to announce that soon. And in fact, we're going to include an excerpt from Dragonskull: Fury of the Barbarians at the end of this episode, so you will be able to listen to a sample. Dragonskull: Tales of the Sorcerer is also going to be started. I think we're going to start recording that on Monday if all goes well, so hopefully we should be able to get that out and available before the end of the year. And once Ghost in the Serpent is finished and published, the next project will be Cloak of Embers, which I hope to start writing in October. That is a neat segue into questions from readers. 00:02:01 Reader Questions Our first question this week is from John, who asks: This is great news. I've been wanting to read more about Caina and her friends, and now we're finally going to get a new series with her. I just checked and there is no pre-order available yet, so please let me know where we can get this one. I don't usually do pre-orders because setting the logistics of it can be kind of a hassle but if all goes well, Ghost in the Serpent should be out sometime in October 2023, so not too much longer. Our next question is from Michael, who asks: Have you tried Starfield, Jonathan or do you intend to at some point when you have the time? I was surprised at just how much like Skyrim in space it is. I have in fact tried Starfield. I have Xbox Game Pass for the Xbox I got last year and since Starfield's in Game Pass, I went to install it and give it a try. Michael's right, it is very much like Skyrim in space where instead of a sword and magic spells, you have a laser gun in the spaceship. Though if you get an axe, you can fight with it like it's a sword. I haven't had much time to play it because I've been focused on trying to get Ghost in the Serpent finished, but I should have more time to play it soon, I think. Our final question this week is from Godfrey who asks: I love all your books that I've read so far. Still a few to go. I'm slightly confused. How about the audio availability of your Cloak Games and Cloak Mage series? Both these series, which are some of my favorites, only appear to have audio available for the first few books. I'm wondering therefore, if there are plans to issue the rest of each of these two series as audiobooks. Thanks for the kind words, Godfrey. I am glad you enjoyed the Cloak Mage and Cloak Games books and in answer to your question, this is a perfect segue into the main topic of the week, whether or not indie authors should produce audiobooks. 00:03:45: Main Topic of the Week I had a conversation the other day about how indie authors sometimes try to produce audiobooks only to give up because the audio books don't sell or don't turn a profit. This is quite understandable. Audiobook self-publishing is like the hard mode of ebook self-publishing. Everything about the process is slower, harder, and more expensive than publishing ebooks, especially the more expensive part. As I've logged before with a bit of work, it's possible to produce an ebook entirely with free software. Audiobooks, if you want to hire a really good narrator, are going to cost between $200 and to $400 per finished hour. So, some basic math will demonstrate the difficulty. At 10 hours long, an audio book of your novel might cost you around $3,000 to produce. If you sell it exclusively via ACX, which means Audible, Apple and Amazon, you will probably get an average of $5 per sale, which means you have to sell about 600 copies to turn a profit. If you sell it through wide distribution, which means you can sell in stores other than Apple, Audible, and Amazon, you will probably get around $2.40 for an ACX sale. Though what you will get on with other stores can range from anywhere to like $1.00 in the library services to almost $6.50 on Chirp and Google Play, depending on your sale price. So just on ACX sales alone, you would need about 1,240 sales to get back your money. Therefore, if you are an indie author and you are thinking about audiobooks, it's a good idea to take a hard look at your finances and business plan and think about whether it's really a smart idea or not. All that said, I have turned a profit on several of my audiobook projects, Frostborn number six through eleven have all made back what I spent on them, and so have about six of the eighteen Ghost books. I'm pretty sure they'll all eventually earn back what I spent. I am unsure if the Cloak Games or Cloak Mage books will earn back. To refer to Godfrey's earlier question, so that's why I haven't done any more of them for a while. With all that in mind, here are some….actually, how many tips are these?…with all that in mind, here are 9 tips I found that make audiobook production profitable. 00:05:56: Tips for Audiobook Production #1: Deductions Depending on how you have organized your publishing business, you may be able to take the production cost of your audiobooks as a business deduction on your taxes, which could reduce your total tax liability, i.e. how much you owe the government when you file taxes. Note that I am not an accountant or a lawyer and you should obtain tax advice from an accountant qualified for your jurisdiction and legal advice from a lawyer licensed to practice in your jurisdiction. That said, the whole idea of deductions sometimes gets sneered at by people ignorant of how taxes actually work, like it's some sort of trick which people use to buy themselves caviar but in most taxing jurisdictions, you can deduct business expenses from your taxes. Though what qualifies as business expenses will vary depending on where you live and what sort of business you actually have, basically business deductions are the governments way of saying spend this income on something on our list of approved expenses to benefit the economy or we're going to take it as taxation, so in my specific situation and business structure, audio production is a deductible expense, which is very beneficial when it comes time to file taxes for the year, but again, consult with a qualified accountant regarding your specific situation. Of course, there are still taxes on audiobook payments. I have to file 1099 Forms for my narrators, which means they have to pay taxes on the payment as income. When I file taxes and then any sales of the audiobook count as taxable business income, to say nothing of the state sales taxes the customer pays when buying the audiobook. Uncle Sam has centuries of practice of getting his cut and he's very, very good at it. In my frank opinion, it's wisest just to figure out what you legally owe, preferably with the help of a qualified accountant, and paying that. A lot of otherwise smart people have brought themselves a lot of woe by ignoring that obvious truth. 00:07:35: Tip #2 #2 Finishing a Series I've noticed that in fantasy and science fiction, readers really dislike an unfinished series. I had originally planned to make Silent Order open end with sort of an adventure of the week format, but that really didn't work out. I think you could do a more open-ended series structure in genres like mysteries, thriller, and regional crime, but science fiction and fantasy readers have come to expect a complete series arc with a definite and satisfying conclusion at the end. Audiobook science fiction and fantasy listeners have that as well, but it's even more intense, selling just one audiobook that isn't part of a series is an uphill climb. I have noticed a definite uptick in sales once an audiobook series is complete. Listeners really like to be able to start a series and just listen on straight through to the end. That said, getting to a finished audio book series is a lot of work and money. Frostborn was 15 books long. The Ghosts and Ghost Exile together were 18 books. The last few books, and though all those series were longer than usual, which means they were more expensive to produce. So if you've written a really long series, getting the entire series in audiobook can be a huge commitment of time and money. As an example, the first Frostborn audiobook I self published was Frostborn: The Dark Warden in late 2018, and the final book finally came out in June 2022. The final audio book finally came out in June 2022, almost four years later. Why the delay? Money ran short on occasion or I didn't have time to work on it or there were health difficulties and then COVID happened in the middle of all that, but now the series is complete and is consistently one of my best sellers. Audio books number one through five in the Frostborn series were produced by Tantor and then I did number 6 through 15 myself. 6 through 11 have all earned back where I spent and I expect 12 through 15 to reach that point sometime towards the end of 2024. So it was worth it to put them all out, but man, it was a lot of work to get there and I didn't even do the actual narrating. I paid someone else to do it. That said, if you write shorter series of books than I do, putting them out into audio will be obviously less expensive and less effort. 00:09:37: Tip #3 #3:  Ebook advertising Basically, if the ebook of your book sells well, then odds are the audiobook is going to do well as well. I've experimented a lot with this, but I haven't found very many very good ways of directly advertising audiobooks. More on that soon. It's easier to advertise ebooks than audiobooks, at least in my experience. So rather than trying to advertise audiobook, it's generally better to advertise the ebooks attached to the audiobooks. As an example, I'm advertising The Ghosts Omnibus One at $0.99 right now. For every 10 or so sales of the ebook, I seem to get one sale of the audio book. Of course the ebook gets  about $0.35 a sale while the audiobook does roughly between $5 and $5.90 per sale, so the audiobooks really do help with the profitability of any advertising, especially on a discounted ebook. Interestingly, this means that if you have an ebook series that is also available in audiobook, that means it becomes easier to profitably advertise the series, because you will also have money coming in from the audiobooks. I've had a couple of months where 40% of the profit from advertising Frostborn and The Ghosts came from the audiobooks. Though as we've said, getting the entire series in audiobook can be a significant challenge. 00:10:47: Tip #4 #4: Bundles One thing I found that works well for audiobook sales is bundling. Like, The Ghosts Omnibus One which I mentioned above, is a bundle containing Child of the Ghosts, Ghost in the Flames, and Ghost in the Blood along with the short story Ghost Aria. This lets me have the nice quartered cover with four different titles on it so that it looks very good on Audible. Audible is basically the reason ebook bundles work so well. There have been some changes in recent years with the addition of Audible Plus, but Audible still mostly works as a subscription credit system. That means you subscribe to Audible and you get your credit a month, which you can then use to buy an audiobook on the store. Since you have the credit, it makes sense to get the longest possible audio book you can for your one credit to maximize the value. The Ghost Omnibus One was the first bundle I did in March 2020. I wasn't expecting much to happen because a lot of other stuff was going on in March of 2020, as you might recall, but the Ghosts Omnibus One was 39 hours long, which made for an attractive value for your credit. It did really well and was my first audio book title to sell more than 1,000 copies in total. I've since had good luck with other bundles. The rest of The Ghosts and Ghost Exile series, and then the Malison complete series audiobook. 00:12:04: Tip #5 #5: Going Wide. It might be worthwhile to go wide with your audio books, which means having them available on platforms other than Audible, Amazon and Apple. ACX, Amazon's audiobook creation platform has been nasty hook to it. If you set your audio books exclusive to ACX you can get 40% royalties, but if you go non exclusive which is what Y means in this context you get 25%. Sometimes depending on promotions and so forth and the weird way ACX's accounting works, in practice it turns out to be around 12%. For a lot of writers, it's worthwhile to go exclusive with ACX because the money will be better and Audible, Amazon are the dominant market in audio book publishing. That said, it is in fact, possible to make more money at the other stores. Google Play, Chirp, Kobo, and Spotify all offer better royalty rates than ACX, even if they don't have the number of users that Audible does. Going wide also allows you to offer direct sales, i.e. selling off your own Shopify or Payhip store or other similar e-commerce platform. Part of the reason I can offer 75% off audio books for my Coupon of the Week is because even with the massive discount, I still make almost as much as I would with a non exclusive sale off ACX. Another advantage is that you get your audiobook into the various library services. The way most of these work is that the library or library system most likely gets access to a big catalog of books and ebooks and audiobooks and the library system only gets charged if someone actually checks out one of the titles. The rate per checkout for the author is pretty low. It's usually around $1.30 USD, but somebody was checking your audiobook out from the library probably wasn't going to buy it themselves, and the $1.30 is still better than nothing. We've mentioned earlier how if an ebook sells well, the attached audio book will probably sell as well. If you have a lot of ebook sales on non Amazon stores, then it is definitely worthwhile to think about going wide with your audiobooks. 00:13:50 Tip #6 Number 6: Chirp Deals Additionally, going wide offer is access to the one effective way I found of directly advertising audio books, Chirp deals. Chirp is owned and run by Bookbub. If you're familiar with Bookbub, you know they send out a daily e-mail newsletter containing links to free or discounted ebooks and authors and publishers pay for spots in those newsletters. I myself have done it many times. However, Bookbub could never promote audiobooks because Audible was the dominant force in audiobook publishing, and Audible doesn't let authors or publishers set the price for any audiobooks. To get around this problem, BookBub started its own audiobook store, Chirp Books, where they could sell audiobooks. Chirp offers a daily e-mail newsletter with a list of discounted books, and I've had good results with Child of the Ghosts, Ghost in the Cowl, and Cloak of Dragons. The reason those three audiobooks worked well is because they all have a long tail of sequels: 8 each for Child of the Ghost and Ghost in the Cowl and 5 after Cloak of Dragons. Usually for a Chirp deal, the first audiobook in the series is $0.99 and then I set the second and third books to $2.99 for the duration of the $0.99 promotion on the first book, which lasts a month. Obviously I will sell the most copies of the $0.99 audiobook and get about $0.30 a pop for those sales. But I get just under $1.50 for each of the sales on the $2.99 books and some lights them and goes on to get the entire series through. So the later titles in the series can generate like $5.50 per sale depending on price. This works so well that Cloak of Dragons has actually made more from its Chirp deal than it did from the entire time it has been on ACX. So if your audio books are wide and you have a series of them, is definitely worthwhile to apply for Chirp deal. That said, if you just have one or two audiobooks, you probably would not get much benefit from it. 00:15:46: Tip #7 #7 Time and Chance. The more audio titles you have across more platforms, the more likely it is that something will take off unexpectedly or do unexpectedly. Well, I had a good example of that in July. My payment from Findaway Voices was usually high. I dug into the data and found out that the Ghost series had experienced a very good month on Storytel. It's one of the stores you can accessed through Findaway Voices distribution. They're based in Sweden and mostly distributed in European and Asian countries. I honestly had only a vague idea that Storytel existed at all. But because my audio books were available there, I had a very good audio month in July, thanks to Storytel, sales. Granted, “plan on getting lucky” is not good planning and should not be in a business plan. However, for good luck to happen, it takes time and effort. Luck is like lightning and the more lightning rods you build, the better the chance of catching some lightning. It's just that audiobook lightning rods take a really long time to build. ACX famously offers royalty share audio book productions where instead of paying the narrator, you split the royalties from the audio book for seven years. If you pay for production, it's not unrealistic to project seven years or so to make your money back. Like, I started on Frostborn audio books in the fall of 2018 and finished the series in audio four years later in the summer of 2022. And like I mentioned above, 6 of the 10 books recorded in that time have turned to profit, which is actually really good in terms of the time frame. 00:17:12: Tip #8 #8: Beware of reviews. If you're new to the audiobook space, one thing to watch out for is the overall hostile tone of the negative reviews. I think some indie authors have gotten spooked by negative reviews that were weren't actually indicative of how the audio book was selling or was perceived. I have the feeling that the easier form of media is consumed, the nastier the reviews. Like, a book takes some amount of mental effort to read, but it's less effort to listen to than an audiobook and even less effort than watching a movie or playing a video game, so you are more likely to find over the top negative reviews. The easier form of a media is to consume, which is why you find things like people posting 7 hour video reviews of why they hate Starfield, or the PlayStation or something. I have an additional theory that this is one of the unfortunate side effects of social media. Negativity always gets more likes and clicks so some people become even more negative to get the likes and clicks, which sets up a vicious cycle. Anyway, what this means in the audiobook space is that you can have most perfect book ever written, narrated by the most beautiful and charismatic voice ever to speak a human language, a voice that would have made kings and emperors listen enraptured in ancient days, and people will still leave long angry reviews because they didn't like the way weather was pronounced. So when you publish your audiobook, be aware that it's going to get some negative reviews and don't panic when you do. I'm afraid it's simply inevitable and part of the process. Your audiobook will not be for everyone. The challenge is connecting your audiobook to the audience that will appreciate it, which is why we were talking about marketing so much. 00:18:40: Tip #9 #9 Selling AI audiobooks is even harder. Because audio audiobook production is expensive and difficult, and AI technology has advanced so much in the last few years, people have been experimenting with creating and selling AI generated audiobooks. This will not be the solution to the challenge of audio production. People seem to either love AI or hate AI, and I definitely have a strongly negative personal opinion about generative AI. That said, it won't be as amazing as its advocates think, nor as dire as the doomsayers believe. People who hate AI or love AI both have a vision where someday you'll be able to type in a prompt like: Lit RPG book where Luke Skywalker and Sherlock Holmes team up to Sauron on Muppet Treasure Island, and the AI will spit out a perfectly crafted book, movie, or game that matches that prompt. But this is as much a fantasy as Lysenkoism or the Whig theory of history, or Rumpelstiltskin's attempting to generate infinite wealth by spinning straw into fake gold. As much as people like Bob Iger and David Zaslav would like to get rid of all those annoying actors or writers and replace them with AI, the technology isn't good enough, and the courts and the legislatures generally don't seem to be in favor of copywriting AI generated material. But that's a larger discussion beyond the scope of this podcast episode for the specific area of my audiobooks. The problem is that the AI can generate a voice that sounds almost like a perfect human voice, fluently reading the text. This has the unfortunate side effect of triggering the uncanny valley effect and making it difficult to listen to the audiobook for a long period of time because the voice swiftly becomes boring. You know the voice narrating the drug side effects at the end of commercials, where it's like Zinoplav can cause blah blah blah. Imagine listening to that voice narrating a nine hour romance audio book. The performative aspect of audio books is hard to quantify, but it is undeniably real and undeniably has a strong effect on the finished audiobook. I experimented with AI audiobooks on YouTube a bit over the last two years. Google Play came out with a program where you could automatically convert one of your ebooks to an AI narrated audiobook. Since I never had any intention of turning Silent Order into audiobooks, I felt comfortable experimenting with the program for that series since it wasn't screwing anyone out of a job. I didn't think the results were good enough to sell, but I did post them on YouTube for free, though, to be fair, I did make some money from the attached ads. What did I learn? First off, there isn't a lot of money in it. In the time I've had AI narrated audiobooks on YouTube, I made about 60% of what it would cost to turn Silent Order: Iron Hand into a real audiobook. Second, people really, really hate AI voices, like intensely and with a passion. They hate them, if a brief glance at the YouTube comments for those audiobooks will reveal, this is one of the things that the Pro AI advocates never seem to accept. People generally hate AI generated stuff. Like, people have no problem using generative AI to write their homework assignments or doing unpleasant writing tasks they don't want to do, like writing cover letters. That kind of thing. But when it comes to actually consuming entertainment media, most people hate AI like this. This sounds, looks, reads, like an AI did it has become a common insult online. 00:21:55 The Marvel show Secret Invasion got a lot of flack because they used AI generated images for the opening titles. Though to be fair, that show had a lot of other problems, so I don't really think AI is a way to lower the cost of audiobook production or to generate a viable audiobook for sale. I think the eventual use of the technology will be to integrate with ereaders. Like say you want your phone to read a book aloud to you. You'll select the voice and accent you want and the e-reader app will read a book to you. In fact, you already can do that on many devices, just with voices that aren't quite as advanced. In my opinion, I think that's a big win for accessibility for visually impaired readers and listeners. But I don't think it's going to replace human narration. 00:22:37 Conclusion Producing audiobooks can be very satisfying and help you reach an audience that otherwise wouldn't encounter your work, but they're definitely not a get rich quick scheme, and they are unquestionably a whole lot of work. If you're an indie author, should you turn your books into audiobooks? I'm afraid the answer has to be individualized. You have to take a good, honest look at your finances, business structure, and goals, and decide if audio production audiobook production will work for you or not. That said, it is nice when you get the emails from listeners saying they listen to the entire series on a cross country drive or while doing something difficult and unpleasant. And with that in mind, thank you all for listening to so many of my audio books. 00:23:18 Conclusion So that is it for this week. Thanks for listening to the Pulp Writer Show. I hope you find the show useful. A reminder that you can listen to all the back episodes on https://thepulpwritershow.com. If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave for review on your podcasting platform of choice. Stay safe, stay healthy, and see you all next week. And now we'll close out the show with the sample of Dragonskull: Fury of the Barbarians as narrated by Brad Willis. 00:23:44: Audiobook excerpt of Dragonskull: Fury of the Barbarians

Mark interviews the creative daughter/father team of Brigid Collins and Ron Collins about their collaborative writing. Prior to the interview, Mark shares a brief personal update, comments from recent episodes, and word about this episode's sponsor. You can learn more about how you can get your audiobooks distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway. In the interview, Mark, Brigid and Ron talk about: The last time they saw one another (Feb 2020, just prior to the world "shutting down" for the pandemic) Ron's entry into the world of professional speculative fiction writing in the mid 1990s Why Ron feels that non-fiction can be a lot of fun to write Ron's latest book On Creating (And Celebrating!) Characters Brigid growing up and being witness to the dedication her father Ron had for his pursuit of writing Singer, the first book Brigid wrote, which evolved into the four books of The Songbird River Chronicles in response to her father's prompting Brigid's appreciation of having good parents at all the various stages of her youth and adulthood The importance of being able to accept the other person's methods and style of writing as well as their ideas which can be totally different Learning one's own writing styles from engaging with the other person's work The incredible amount of fun that can happen with the right collaborations The logistics of how they co-author together, for both short stories as well as a newco-authored book project Finding the middle-ground between planning and discovery writing Merging the worlds of the fairie realm with the baseball world based on the idea of a baseball diamond being built on top of a fairie ring The fun of merging the tropes of these two types of worlds The way the split of writing has evolved and gotten more complicated as part of writing the next books in the series Leveraging Google doc and folders for the collaborations Using Draft2Digital's payment splitting option for publishing A collaboration that Ron is doing with his brother merging science fiction and the world of music Advice they would offer to writers interested in getting into writing collaborations And more...   After the interview Mark reflects on the "2+2 equally more than 4" awesomeness that can happen in a powerful collaboration. Links of Interest: Brigid's Website The Songbird River Chronicles (and more) Ron's Website On Creating (And Celebrating!) Characters Home Run Enchanted (Faires and Fastballs Book 1) Abridged (half-hour) Keynote on Embracing Technology for AuthorTube Writing Conference Unabridged FULL HOUR Keynote (Patreon link) Wine Country Writer's Festival EP 250 - Typewriters, Nature, and Fatherhood with E S Curry EP 314 - Defeating Writer's Block Using Penspyre EP 317 - Rambling Reflections from the Road - Part 2 EP 318 - Rambling Reflections from the Road - Part 3 Buy Mark a Coffee Patreon for Stark Reflections Best Book Ever Podcast Lovers Moon Podcast The Relaxed Author Buy eBook Direct Buy Audiobook Direct Publishing Pitfalls for Authors An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores Wide for the Win Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books This Time Around (Short Story) A Canadian Werewolf in New York Stowe Away (Novella) Fear and Longing in Los Angeles Fright Nights, Big City Lover's Moon Hex and the City The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard   Brigid Collins is a fantasy and science fiction writer living in Michigan with her wonderful wife and her irritating cats. (Just kidding, the cats are pretty wonderful, too.) Her fantasy series The Songbird River Chronicles and Winter's Consort, her fun middle grade hijinks series The Sugimori Sisters, and her dark fairy tale novella Thorn and Thimble are available wherever books are sold. Her short stories have appeared in Fiction River, Feyland Tales, and Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar anthologies. Ron Collins is a best-selling Science Fiction and Dark Fantasy author who writes across the spectrum of speculative fiction. With his daughter, Brigid, he edited the anthology Face the Strange. His short fiction has received a Writers of the Future prize. His short story “The White Game” was nominated for the Short Mystery Fiction Society's 2016 Derringer Award. He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering and has worked to develop avionics systems, electronics, and information technology before chucking it all to write full-time.   The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

If you're an author with a handful of books published (or you've published nonfiction and have one book with a great program to help clients), AMMO is TRBM is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.unlike any other program on the market. You're going to have to work the program to find success, and bestseller status likely won't hit in weeks of joining the program, but for many authors, AMMO is the beginning of a lucrative career that puts books first. Learn more here.THIS IS THE LINK TO MY SUBSTACK if you're listening elsewhere.Follow this link to checkout Findaway Voices.Use the same process for ebooks with IngramSpark.Map of Participating Hoopla Libraries.You can buy my novels here.Or get a great deal of 5 of my ebooks here.Or get a great deal on 2 of my audiobooks here.Or basically steal 2 paperbacks from me here. Get full access to TRBM at jodyjsperling.substack.com/subscribe

If you're an author with a handful of books published (or you've published nonfiction and have one book with a great program to help clients), AMMO is unlike any other program on the market. You're going to have to work the program to find success, and bestseller status likely won't hit in weeks of joining the program, but for many authors, AMMO is the beginning of a lucrative career that puts books first. Learn more here.THIS IS THE LINK TO MY SUBSTACK if you're listening elsewhere.Follow this link to checkout Findaway Voices.If you don't have an audiobook of your novels, you're missing huge opportunities. Go out and get one started if you can. Figure out how to make it happen if you can't currently afford or coordinate it.Distribute your audiobooks wide to passively get your books in libraries. You'll still have to do a ton of work to get great penetration in libraries, but letting Hoopla and other pay-per-checkout methods passively offer your book is great.You can buy my novels here.Or get a great deal of 5 of my ebooks here.Or get a great deal on 2 of my audiobooks here.Or basically steal 2 paperbacks from me here.TRBM is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to TRBM at jodyjsperling.substack.com/subscribe

With BookBaby offering AI-narrated audiobooks and Spotify buying up Findaway Voices, the audiobook industry is changing. Find out what you should know about these changes and what your options are for your greatest success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, JP Rindfleisch IX, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week's publishing topics, including Findaway Voices' big swing to draw indie audiobook authors to Spotify. Then stick around as JP chats with Canadian fantasy author C.L. Polk! C. L. Polk is the author of the World Fantasy Award-winning novel Witchmark, the first novel of the Kingston Cycle. Their most recent novel, Even Though I Knew The End—called a "must-read for those who like their queer fantasy with a little grit and a lot of soul" by Booklist—is available now wherever books are sold. Check It Out! J.D. in Pittsburg - https://www.pittsburghbookfestival.org [Note: This event took place on May 13, 2023] JP on Twitch - https://www.twitch.tv/cheshirepope CopCamp2023 - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.premeditatedfiction.com/copcamp2023⁠⁠⁠[FB Group - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/1280410339558799⁠⁠⁠] Show Links:* Writers, Ink on YouTube! - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@jdbarker_author/podcasts⁠⁠⁠ J.D. Barker - ⁠⁠⁠https://jdbarker.com/⁠⁠⁠ Christine Daigle - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.christinedaiglebooks.com/⁠⁠⁠ JP Rindfleisch IX - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.jprindfleischix.com/⁠⁠⁠ Kevin Tumlinson - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.kevintumlinson.com/⁠⁠⁠ Patrick O'Donnell - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.copsandwriters.com/⁠⁠⁠ C.L. Polk - https://clpolk.com/ TODAY'S SPONSORS: AutoCrit - https://www.autocrit.com/jd (click this link to take advantage of our Writers Ink special offer!!!) MasterWriter - ⁠⁠⁠https://masterwriter.com/⁠⁠⁠ Best of BookTok - ⁠⁠⁠https://bestofbooktok.com/⁠⁠⁠ Booktrib - ⁠⁠https://booktrib.com/author/writers-ink/⁠⁠ Music by Nicorus - ⁠⁠⁠https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep⁠⁠⁠ Voice Over by Rick Ganley - ⁠⁠⁠http://www.nhpr.com⁠⁠⁠ and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - ⁠⁠⁠http://www.millpondstudio.com⁠⁠⁠ Show notes & audio production by Geoff Emberlyn - ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/gmbrlyn⁠⁠⁠ Website Design by Word & Pixel - ⁠⁠⁠http://wordandpixel.com/⁠⁠⁠ Contact - ⁠⁠⁠https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/⁠⁠⁠ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/writersink/support

I messed up with last week's news regarding Spotify. Also, the "Godfather of A.I." quit Google and expresses some regrets over the development of artificial intelligence. And, Amazon Advertising provides even more learning tools and resources for authors. All that and more in this week's self-publishing news. GetCovers - https://DaleLinks.com/GetCovers (affiliate link) GetCovers Giveaway - https://DaleLinks.com/GetCoversGiveaway Sources: Spotify Helps Authors Earn More with Findaway Voices - https://blog.findawayvoices.com/spotify-helps-authors-earn-more-with-findaway-voices/  ‘The Godfather of A.I.' just quit Google - https://fortune.com/2023/05/01/godfather-ai-geoffrey-hinton-quit-google-regrets-lifes-work-bad-actors/ Kobo U.S. Memorial Day Promo (StreetLib) - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSduo42zY4apHgKy3o7DIch8XGd4Uzfkh2oubANfFoUw8JDkMw/viewform Advertising books on Amazon: A guide for authors - https://advertising.amazon.com/en-us/library/guides/advertising-books-on-amazon-authors/ How to Increase Amazon Followers [4 Easy Steps] - https://kindlepreneur.com/increase-amazon-followers/ LaterPress - https://www.laterpress.com/ The State of Author Newsletters: Data from 500+ Authors - https://insights.bookbub.com/state-author-newsletters-data/ Fictionary StoryCoach Certification - https://files.constantcontact.com/b5458993601/c8a8cf62-2dda-4534-ae2a-dcef676d35a2.pdf  The 2023 Indie Author Income Survey with ALLi's Orna Ross (D2D) - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-2023-indie-author-income-survey-with-allis-orna-ross-tickets-630455829357 Draft2Digital Live - https://draft2digital.com/live/ eBookFairs - https://DaleLinks.com/eBookFairs (affiliate link) Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts

Amazon KDP finally has some competition by way of IngramSpark with their latest updates. Spotify is stepping up BIG time by offering an unheard of royalty for audiobooks that is double the royalty ACX (Audible) offer. Also, find out how ACX made other news, Kindlepreneur rolls out updates to tracking pirated books, and so much more.    Sources: Miblart Cover Design Giveaway - https://DaleLinks.com/Giveaway GetCovers eBook Cover Design Giveaway - https://DaleLinks.com/GetCoversGiveaway  Miblart - https://DaleLinks.com/Miblart (affiliate link) Use coupon code DALE10 to get 10% off at checkout. Promote your ebooks your way - https://authoremail.com/email/campaigns/rw660nd2a5e2c/web-version/lg0604x35fb97  Five Pieces of Book Blurb Advice You Should Avoid - https://www.writtenwordmedia.com/five-pieces-of-book-blurb-advice-you-should-avoid/  The Quiet Ebooks Revolution - https://giak.medium.com/the-quiet-ebooks-revolution-3fff2c6940f9 Fleischmann Media - https://www.fleischmannmedia.com/ Amazon Announces Anti-Counterfeiting Exchange to Help Eliminate Counterfeits Across the Retail Industry - https://press.aboutamazon.com/2023/4/amazon-announces-anti-counterfeiting-exchange-to-help-eliminate-counterfeits-across-the-retail-industry ACX - https://www.acx.com/ IngramSpark Celebrates 10 Years - https://help.ingramspark.com/hc/en-us/articles/15276524164749-IngramSpark-Celebrates-10-Years- The Alliance of Independent Authors - https://DaleLinks.com/ALLi (affiliate link)  ReaderScout - https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/readerscout/ankgmhneialghlebgnocmjjemngllcgd The Top 7 Book Aggregators Compared - https://publishdrive.com/top-book-aggregators.html Spotify Helps Authors Earn More with Findaway Voices - https://blog.findawayvoices.com/spotify-helps-authors-earn-more-with-findaway-voices/  The Self-Publishing Hub - https://theselfpublishinghub.com/ Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts

World-famous author James Patterson goes off on the New York Times Bestseller List. Romance author EL James joins a panel of romance authors to chat with other authors. Streetlib offers conceirge services for newbie authors. And, AppSumo is bringing back the popular DepositPhotos deal for a limited time. All that and more in the self-publishing news! Sources:  Live author chat with E L James as we re-read The Mister - https://bingebooks.com/pages/live-author-chat-with-el-james23 The Hot Sheet - https://hotsheetpub.com James Patterson on Twitter - https://twitter.com/JP_Books/status/1641161267476873223  Audiobooks Without Audible: The Hard Lessons I've Learned Routing Around Amazon - https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/audio-books/article/91897-audiobooks-without-audible-the-hard-lessons-i-ve-learned-routing-around-amazon.html  Findaway Voices - https://findawayvoices.com Streetlib Concierge Book Services - https://concierge.streetlib.com/ KWL Live Q&A – Kobo Plus US & UK Expansion: an AMA with the KWL Team - https://www.youtube.com/live/LKizumuyPoA?feature=share DepositPhotos AppSumo Deal - https://selfpublishingwithdale.com/dp (affiliate link) Rights vs. Copyright: Untangling the Confusion - https://writerbeware.blog/2023/04/14/rights-vs-copyright-untangling-the-confusion/ KDP Select Global Fund for March 2023 - https://kdp.amazon.com  eBookFairs - https://dalelinks.com/ebookfairs (affiliate link) The Self-Publishing Hub - https://theselfpublishinghub.com/ Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts

Kindle Unlimited has had a stranglehold on the reader subscription model for years now while a competitor has slowly been extending its reach. Also, find out what Publishers Weekly suggests for protecting your work on Amazon KDP. Spotify expands its reach. And, Amazon is closing down the Book Depository. Find out all about that and more! Let's discuss the news in self-publishing on Mondays at 6:15pm EST (UTC-5)! Sources: Laterpress - https://laterpress.com Protecting Your Work - https://booklife.com/news/authors/03/27/2023/protecting-your-work.html How to Sell Your Audiobook on Spotify With PublishDrive - https://publishdrive.com/sell-audiobooks-on-spotify.html Spotify Launches Audiobook Sales in Canada - https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/retailing/article/91816-spotify-launches-audiobook-sales-in-canada.html  Findaway Voices - https://findawayvoices.com  KDP's Kindle Vella - https://kdp.amazon.com Kobo Plus launches in the US and UK - https://preview.mailerlite.com/f2e2j5p8t7/2186091478147667616/z8t0/ Help your books stand out with Sponsored Brands webinar - https://advertising.amazon.com/resources/library/webinars/register?webinar_key=2631838740472983391&organizer_key=5730221780046494214&ref_=pe_24209330_709653810_email MK Williams - https://youtu.be/KlTckewLQ2c Book Depository will close this month - https://thenewpublishingstandard.com/2023/04/04/amazons-dismantling-of-its-books-operations-continues-book-depository-will-close-this-month-what-will-be-next/ The Self-Publishing Hub - https://theselfpublishinghub.com/ Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts

Amazon Author Central finally rolls out an amazing new feature for authors. Draft2Digital launches print out of beta. Publisher Rocket reveals new categories feature that could change the game. And, so much more in this week's self-publishing news. Let's discuss the news in self-publishing on Mondays at 6:15pm EST (UTC-5)! Sources: Draft2Digital Opens D2D Print to Every Author - https://www.draft2digital.com/blog/press-release-draft2digital-opens-d2d-print-to-every-author/ Crime Writers' Week 2023 - https://DaleLinks.com/Crime (affiliate link) Business Basics for keeping your sanity and profits in the fast-paced publishing world - https://www.writtenwordmedia.com/speaker-series/ Publisher Rocket - https://DaleLinks.com/Rocket (affiliate link) Amazon Followers for Author Page - https://author.amazon.com/help/GA4B2P8YR6H9DCA3  Findaway Voices - https://findawayvoices.com/dale KDP Select Global Fund - https://kdp.amazon.com/ SiteGround - https://DaleLinks.com/SiteGround (affiliate link) IngramSpark - https://ingramspark.com/ Blurb - https://blurb.com/ The Self-Publishing Hub - https://theselfpublishinghub.com/  Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts

More details came out surrounding the agreement through Findaway Voices and Apple AI... Now is a GREAT time to be a romance author... Authors work to address an issue on the Amazon KDP platform... and Barnes & Noble Press starts new live broadcast on Facebook. All that and more in the self-publishing news! Sources: How To Write An Outline For A Nonfiction Book - https://event.webinarjam.com/register/47/w7mvnao5 IngramSpark coupon code: BOOKLOVE (good for 2 free uploads till Feb. 28, 2023) SiteGround - https://DaleLinks.com/SiteGround (affiliate link) Starting Your Next Chapter with B&N Press - https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=1198946934084667  How to Write Romance That Stands Out | Reedsy Live - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-to-write-romance-that-stands-out-reedsy-live-tickets-494927811407  KWL Live Q&A: Romance Roundtable - https://www.youtube.com/live/WGoz9W7m5aM?feature=share The Hot Sheet - https://hotsheetpub.com Stop the unfair removal of titles on Amazon - https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-unfair-removal-of-titles-on-amazon-change-the-kdp-select-policy  KDP Select Global Fund - https://kdp.amazon.com/  Book Award Pro - https://DaleLinks.com/BookAwardPro (affiliate link) Discord - https://DaleLinks.com/Discord Book Award & Contest Ratings - https://selfpublishingadvice.org/author-awards-contests-rated-reviewed/ The Self-Publishing Hub - https://theselfpublishinghub.com/  Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. We only endorse programs, products or services we use and can stand confidently behind. 

Recently, someone read the fine print to an agreement on a distribution platform that volunteers your books for training artificial intelligence on Apple. Amazon finally enacts new ebook return policy. Fiverr rolls out new influencer program. Facebook Ad costs drop. And, much more in this week's self-publishing news! Sources: Best Web Hosting for Authors: The Good, the Bad, and the Heavy-duty - https://kindlepreneur.com/web-hosting-for-authors/ SiteGround - https://DaleLinks.com/SiteGround (affiliate link) Amazon Finally Adds Change to Ebook Returns Policy to Its Terms - https://selfpublishingadvice.org/self-publishing-news-uk-government-cancels-plan-to-allow-copyright-exception-for-text-and-data-mining/  Author Central - https://author.amazon.com/ Announcing Expanded Library Distribution to Palace Marketplace! - https://www.draft2digital.com/blog/announcing-expanded-library-distribution-to-palace-marketplace/ Written Word Media - https://www.writtenwordmedia.com/reader-reach/ Fiverr Influencer Program - https://dalelinks.com/influencer (referral link) Nate Hoffelder on Twitter - https://twitter.com/inkbitspixels/status/1621497237007114240 Findaway Voices' Agreement - https://my.findawayvoices.com/docs/Findaway_Voices_Digital_Distribution_Agreement_(6.10.2020).pdf  Authors Guild Income Survey - https://qualtrics.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3kkZJzXqF9WssAK?referral_org=D2D  She Loves Poems (Derek Murphy) - https://shelovespoems.com/  The Self-Publishing Hub - https://TheSelfPublishingHub.com  Spme outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. We only endorse programs, products or services we use and can stand confidently behind.

Spotify acquired Findaway Voices about a year ago, and now we're seeing positive steps in them establishing themselves as a viable alternative to ACX. Also, find out what Written Word Media shared about author earnings in 2022...new public domain work rolled out...and so much more. Links & Sources: Book Award Pro - https://DaleLinks.com/BookAwardDeal  HUGE Updates for Amazon KDP Publishing - https://youtu.be/0FCAWf2jMc4  What Are the Highest Indie Author Earners Doing? - https://selfpublishingadvice.org/self-publishing-news-5/  PublishDrive/Kobo Promo - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe842tOVP26sfYdzgdRVRZTFJCV68zKePbiB0HRfYsNS459mA/viewform  2022 Year in Review: The Year of Joining Forces - https://www.draft2digital.com/blog/2022-year-in-review-the-year-of-joining-forces/  The Hot Sheet - https://hotsheetpub.com  January 1, 2023 is Public Domain Day - https://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/publicdomainday/2023/  Canada extends copyright protection - https://globalnews.ca/news/9383379/canada-copyright-protection-20-years/  Create Your Ultimate Authorship Plan for 2023! - https://event.webinarjam.com/register/45/15yg6tp8  Voices Distribution Agreement - LATEST - file:///C:/Users/ptdal/Downloads/Findaway_Voices_Digital_Distribution_Agreement_(9.7.2022).pdf  Spotify Promo Cards - https://blog.findawayvoices.com/spotify-promo-cards/  Giveaway Codes on Spotify - https://blog.findawayvoices.com/giveaway-codes-on-spotify/  STATE OF THE SANDERSON 2022 - https://www.brandonsanderson.com/state-of-the-sanderson-2022/  THE SELF-PUBLISHING HUB - https://theselfpublishinghub.com/ 

This week we have a great show in store for you. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast and answer the Question of the Week in the comment section. Author Ad Challenge starts Oct 12th! You can join here: https://AuthorsAdvertise.com Top Tips of the week include why your book isn't for everyone, and that's a good thing, how beta readers can hurt, but also help at the same time, whether authors should be seen marketing their books. The 5 News stories that matter most to indies this week include how D2D is making proofs and author copies easier for non-US authors, how TikTok is changing book covers, how to leap ahead of the Big 5, protecting yourself and your audiobook using Findaway Voices, why genre doesn't matter except to your readers. Question of the Week: What's your process for using beta readers?

In September 2022, Spotify launched audiobooks on their music and podcast platform. How does this affect the audiobook market? Will it impact self published audiobook authors, especially those on Amazon's ACX and Audible? YouTube video: https://youtu.be/-U-Q-_lpO5A Timestamp show notes (click timestamp to view segment on YouTube): 0:13 Spotify adds audiobooks to their music & podcast platform 0:36 How to Spotify audiobooks work? 1:53 Will Spotify audiobooks impact existing audiobook markets? 3:43 ACX and Spotify's audiobook pricing & royalties explained (or exposed) 6:36 Exclusivity issues with ACX and Spotify's Findaway Voices 8:08 Should self published authors switch to Findaway Voices? 11:14 How to connect with Heidi Udemy course, How to Self Publish an Audio Book: https://www.udemy.com/course/how-to-self-publish-an-audio-book/?referralCode=75A2310A555CB12AFE4C You can also listen to The Heidi Thorne Show on your favorite podcast apps including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean, Pandora, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or Amazon TuneIn Radio. This is Episode 265.

Kyla Stone writes apocalyptic and dystopian fiction series novels. She loves writing stories exploring how ordinary people cope with extraordinary circumstances, especially situations where the normal comforts, conveniences, and rules are stripped away.You can learn more about Kyla on her website: https://www.kylastone.com//Draft2Digital is where you start your Indie Author Career//  Looking for your path to self-publishing success? Draft2Digital is the leading ebook publisher and distributor worldwide. We'll convert your manuscript, distribute it online, and support you the whole way—and we won't charge you a dime.  We take a small percentage of the royalties for each sale you make through us, so we only make money when you make money. That's the best kind of business plan.  • Get started now: https://draft2digital.com/• Learn the ins, the outs, and the all-arounds of indie publishing from the industry experts on the D2D Blog: https://Draft2Digital.com/blog  • Promote your books with our Universal Book Links from Books2Read: https://books2read.com  Make sure you bookmark https://D2DLive.com for links to live events, and to catch back episodes of the Self Publishing Insiders Podcast.

Over the years, I've produced, recorded, and outsourced various audiobooks based on works I've written. For my first book, I narrated it myself using a microphone at home. Later, I commissioned a narrator, also known as an ACX, and asked them to rework the entire audiobook. They did a better job than I did. For subsequent books, I outsourced production by hiring narrators, and I paid between $1,000 and $2,000 for a finished audiobook. More recently, when I wrote my parenting memoir, I Can't Believe I'm a Dad!, I decided I wanted to narrate this book myself, so I rented a studio nearby.Each chapter ranged between 1,500 and 2,000 words and took about half an hour to narrate. I'd have to stop and rerecord a sentence for pickups or get the right tone, speed, and pace. The radio producer often asked me to go back and rerecord certain sections. After several hours of recording, my voice would crack and dry up, which would be it for the day. The whole process took a lot longer than I thought. But you don't have to go and rent an audio studio for your audiobook; there are multiple services available to help you break down the process. One excellent service to consider is Findaway Voices. I use Findaway Voices to distribute the audio files I recorded for I Can't Believe I'm a Dad! It enables authors to go wide with their audiobooks. Even if you don't have an audiobook that you've narrated yourself, you can use their newly launched marketplace to source a narrator who can record your audiobook for you.This week, I caught up with Scott Curry of Findaway Voices. He's also a self-published author.In this episode, we discuss:Using the platform if you're bringing your own audioUsing the marketplace to source a narratorScott also describes his writing process and how he thinks about audio production today. I think you'll love his tip about auditioning himself for his audiobook and why he didn't get the job!Resources:Findaway VoicesScott Curry as an Independent AuthorSupport the show

In this week's news segment we discuss the growth of digital publishing and the decline of print book sales. Also, find out how Streetlib expanded its reach, Kobo supports Arabic now, and how Findaway Voices and Draft2Digital will be celebrating National Audiobook Month. And, hey, even more details! Listen in! Write Publish Profit 5.0 - https://DaleLinks.com/Profit Book Brush on IG - https://www.instagram.com/bookbrushforauthors/ Book Award Pro - https://DaleLinks.com/BookAwardPro Rakuten Kobo's Support for Arabic as a Primary Language Shows Commitment to “Wide” Agenda - https://selfpublishingadvice.org/self-publishing-news-rakuten-kobos-support-for-arabic-as-a-primary-language-shows-commitment-to-wide-agenda/ Scribando - https://www.scribando.com/ Digital Publishing Market to Grow - https://finance.yahoo.com/news/digital-publishing-market-grow-usd-130000289.html US print sales fall another 6% as the Q1 declines continue into Q2 - https://thenewpublishingstandard.com/2022/05/06/us-print-sales-fall-another-6-as-the-q1-declines-continue-into-q2/ How to Market Your First Book (For New Authors!) - https://publishdrive.com/how-to-market-your-first-book.html StreetLib expands its global distribution network by adding Legimi - https://blog.streetlib.com/streetlib-expands-its-global-distribution-network-by-adding-legimi/ Are Amazon A+ Pages Worth Your Brand's Time? - https://marketplacestrategy.com/blog/are-amazon-a-pages-worth-your-brands-time/ A Series of Live Author Events - https://findawayvoices.com/audiobookmonth2022 How Scarlett gets more value from her email list than Amazon ads - https://storyoriginapp.com/blog/scarlett-braden-case-study IngramSpark Academy - Ebooks 101 - https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/3799641/BFD40013A51DF2EC096EEF2BE202A3E1 eBook Fairs - https://DaleLinks.com/eBookFairs 

Episode 124 / We're taking this week off for a summer break, but we're giving you a quick recap on Inkers Con (it was great!) and then replaying one of our early episodes. Historical romance author Cecelia Mecca what she learned when she changed genres and how she now reverse engineers her books before she writes them. Intro links: Sara's interview with Findaway Voices about writing mysteries, publishing, and audiobooks: https://youtu.be/RL3lTq0Rix8 Show notes: Cecelia's mistake involving releasing her prequel novella on Super Bowl Sunday The challenge of replicating success Ceclia's love of plotting books and how she wishes she'd read more craft books before writing her first novel How important packaging is for your book (cover, title, blurb, trope) and reverse engineering your novel, including considering how to marry what her muse wants her to write with considerations about cover and marketing Tips for using free marketing strategies including Facebook Live and Facebook groups (types and timing of posts) How to get to know your readers An incredibly simple, yet effective tip on how to to be successful on social media How not using a pen name can be a mistake and lead to confused also-boughts on the ebook stores Learning not to be so hard on yourself when things don't as you expect Strategies to reach new readers including being a hybrid author and using print, including hardbacks and large print Links/Mention: Cecelia's website http://ceceliamecca.com Launching Indie Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/263060221047105/ Romancing the Beat https://books2read.com/u/mBgGGD Rock Your Plot https://books2read.com/u/mYp77P Book Faces Live podcast https://nathanvancoops.podbean.com/e/cecelia-and-nathan-compare-favorite-plotting-methods-and-their-strategies-for-structure/ Podcast deliberate actions for success in Facebook group https://www.amyporterfield.com/2019/10/284/ Colleen Hoover - collaboration with American Idol https://amp.usatoday.com/amp/6553539 Smarty Pants podcast on outpost social media channels http://smartypantsbookmarketing.libsyn.com/episode-50-how-to-set-up-pinterest-as-an-outpost-channel Genres discussed include historical romance, paranormal romance, vampire, Regency, and mystery. Come over and say hi to Jami and Sara in the WIKT Facebook group! You can find show notes and links at wishidknownforwriters.com. Links: Author website The Big List of Craft and marketing books mentioned on WIKT podcast episodes Jami's Launch Plan Sara's Book Release Timeline Checklist Jami's books Sara's books Resources from the Author and Reader Community to Help Ukrainans

Episode 123 / Mike Stop Continues, founder of SiteArcade, joins us to talk all the things related to author websites: why you need a website, what should be one it, branding, and the benefits of a press kit for authors. Links of interest: Sara will be chatting with Findaway Voices next week Wednesday (June 8th) about mysteries and audiobooks at 11:00 AM (EDT). You can register here: https://app.livestorm.co/findawayvoices/cozy-mystery-with-author-sara-rosett?type=detailed… Show notes: How Mike got started working with writers What Mike wishes authors knew about websites What he sees authors doing that they do because they think they have to, but aren't producing results The most common mistakes he sees related to author websites Trends in author websites and what he sees for the future of author websites How to use your website to build your list, sell your books, send people to your social platforms What should be in your press kit What's coming on the horizon in writing and publishing Come over and say hi to Jami and Sara in the WIKT Facebook group! You can find show notes and links at wishidknownforwriters.com. Links: SiteArcade: Websites for Authors Mike's 20Books Vegas Talk, One Day to a Great Author Website Damon Suede & Heidi Cullinan's Your A Game Arvid Kahl's The Embedded Entrepreneur OpenAI's Dall-E Image, Generation AI Google's Imagen Image, Generation AI SudoWrite, AI Writing Assistant The Big List of Craft and marketing books mentioned on WIKT podcast episodes Jami's Launch Plan Sara's Book Release Timeline Checklist Jami's books Sara's books Resources from the Author and Reader Community to Help Ukrainans