Podcasts about Print on demand

In this episode of the Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast, Dale L. Roberts talks with J. Kevin Tumlinson about building a personal author brand that attracts loyal readers. They explain why branding is about human connection rather than logos, how your mindset can shape your writing career, and how to create a brand that grows with you. The conversation includes practical tips on finding your voice, taking smart risks, and building long-term relationships with your audience. Sponsor This podcast 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. About the Host Dale L. Roberts is a self-publishing advocate, award-winning author, and video content creator. Dale's inherent passion for life fuels his self-publishing advocacy both in print and online. After publishing over 50 titles and becoming an international bestselling author on Amazon, Dale started his YouTube channel, Self-Publishing with Dale. Selected by Feedspot and LA Weekly as one of the best sources in self-publishing of 2022, Dale cemented his position as the indie-author community's go-to authority. You can find Dale on his website or YouTube. About the Guest J. Kevin Tumlinson is an award-winning, bestselling thriller author and seasoned podcaster known as the Voice of Indie Publishing. With a background in film, TV, and radio, he's helped thousands of authors build self-publishing careers while traveling the world with his wife, Kara. His debut novel, The Coelho Medallion, won a 2016 Shelf Notable Indie award, and his passion for history, archaeology, and science fuels both his fiction and his public speaking. Kevin is also the former host of the Wordslinger Podcast and co-host of Writers, Ink, regularly working from coffee shops and hotel lobbies across the globe.

Smithlist is a job board for leadership roles at small businesses. If you're not ready to buy a business but want to lead one:Smithlist - Operate & Lead a BusinessAnica John bought a print-on-demand business to have more time with her kids without compromising her career ambitions.Topics in Anica's interview:Experience at Amazon, WalMart, and Disney StreamingChoosing entrepreneurship over returning to officeBuying a publishing company for indie authorsHigh capex = moatDiversity of their genres and clientele Resurrecting a dead dealHow DiggyPOD stacks up to Amazon KDPCarefully planning tech upgradesAward-winning customer serviceRunning a business from out of stateReferences and how to contact Anica:LinkedInanica@anicajohn.comDiggyPODrejiggGet complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund TeamWork with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:Pioneer Capital AdvisoryLearn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:The Acquisition LabConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on TwitterEdited by Anton RohozovProduced by Pam Cameron

In the first session of Building a Print Business That Will Last, an exclusive, 4-episode Podcast Conference, Henrik Müller-Hansen, CEO at Gelato, joins Deborah Corn to discuss the rise of print-on-demand, the merging of B2B and B2C markets, and how platforms like GelatoConnect are enabling print businesses to meet evolving customer demands, scale globally, and remain competitive in an increasingly digital and automated landscape.   Mentioned in This Episode: Henrik Müller-Hansen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henrikmullerhansen/ Gelato: https://www.gelato.com/ GelatoConnect: https://www.gelato.com/connect GelatoConnect Success Stories: https://www.gelato.com/connect/customer-stories  Transform Your Business with GelatoConnect: https://www.gelato.com/connect/why What's New in GelatoConnect: https://www.gelato.com/connect/product-news  Free Webinars: https://www.gelato.com/connect/webinars  GelatoConnect Product Demo: https://www.gelato.com/connect/product-demo-home GelatoCreators Community: https://www.gelato.com/community Deborah Corn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahcorn/ Print Media Centr: https://printmediacentr.com Subscribe to News From The Printerverse: https://printmediacentr.com/subscribe-2  Girls Who Print: https://girlswhoprint.org Project Peacock: https://ProjectPeacock.TV 

On the Self-Publishing with ALLi Podcast, Orna Ross and Joanna Penn talk about the creative process behind poetry and short fiction. They reflect on how they decide what form a piece should take, how emotion and memory shape their work, and why writing short can sometimes be harder than long. They also discuss editing, publishing, and why indie authors have the freedom to write what matters to them. Sponsor This podcast 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. About the Hosts Joanna Penn writes nonfiction for authors and is an award-nominated, New York Times and USA Today bestselling thriller author as J.F.Penn. She's also an award-winning podcaster, creative entrepreneur, and international professional speaker. Orna Ross launched the Alliance of Independent Authors at the London Book Fair in 2012. Her work for ALLi has seen her named as one of The Bookseller's “100 top people in publishing”. She also publishes poetry, fiction, and nonfiction and is greatly excited by the democratizing, empowering potential of author-publishing. For more information about Orna, visit her website.

In this episode I'm sharing 5 print on demand niches that you can target to increase your sales in the near future

On this episode of the Self-Publishing News Podcast, Dan Holloway covers Spotify's expanded audiobook options, Meta's refusal to support the EU's AI code of conduct, and the fast-approaching deadline for the $100,000 Novel Prize. He also highlights new data suggesting the romantasy trend still has years of life, especially in emerging subgenres. 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.

✨ Suis-moi sur Instagram : https://instagram.com/laurita.socaliente/ Le pretty privilège, qu'est ce que c'est ? Existe-t-il vraiment ? Comment en bénéficier ? Quels en sont les inconvénients ? ⚠️  L'intro est longue ;) l'épisode commence vers 5' et quelques! - Quand il y a privilège, il y a discrimination - Les standards de beauté vont à l'inverse de ce qui est accessible - La beauté est presque le privilège le plus facile à obtenir - Ton mindset te rend pretty or ugly - La vie n'est pas pour les faibles - Vous avez le privilège d'avoir des oreilles - Le moaning te rend peu attirant. - Le cas Luigi Mandore - Quand on est beau, on polarise - Tu dois faire deux fois plus pour réussir dans certains domaines - Vous êtes privilégié(e) - Quand on est beau, on a moins le droit à l'erreur A tout de suite ;)

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Summary In this episode, Julie Berninger interviews Juna from Detour Shirts about the world of print on demand, specifically focusing on selling apparel like t-shirts. Juna shares his extensive experience in the industry, discusses various AI tools for design, and provides valuable tips for creating standout designs. The conversation emphasizes the importance of quality over quantity in design, the role of AI in enhancing creativity, and practical strategies for success in the print on demand space.   Takeaways Juna has been in print on demand since 2005. AI tools can significantly speed up the design process. Quality of designs is more important than quantity. Using unique typography can make designs stand out. Good use of color is essential for eye-catching designs. Creating interesting layouts can differentiate your products. AI can help generate ideas for phrases and designs. It's important to fill space effectively in designs. Designs without text can still be successful. Experimenting with different tools can enhance creativity.   Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Print on Demand Apparel 02:51 Exploring Technology in Print on Demand 05:34 The Role of AI in Design 08:27 Comparing AI Tools for Print on Demand 11:41 Maximizing Design Listings for Sales 14:31 Quality vs. Quantity in Design 17:28 Five Tips for Effective T-Shirt Design 20:56 Designing with Detail: The Importance of Elements 22:54 Creating Unique Designs: Standing Out in the Marketplace 26:10 Typography Matters: The Art of Text in Design 32:03 Color Choices: Using Color to Enhance Designs 38:31 Layout Creativity: Making Designs Visually Engaging Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/rb8nhN9jU0E Resources: https://goldcityventures.com/gifting-gold-podcast - Free Workshop to learn the basics of selling POD https://goldcityventures.com/workshop-pdcst - Free workshop to learn the basics of selling digital products online https://goldcityventures.com/pdcst - Gold City Ventures Website Kittl: https://go.goldcityventures.com/kittl Follow Juna on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DetourShirts 

Send us a textIn episode 265 of Beyond The Story, Sebastian Rusk interviews “Merch Queen” Amanda Hofman, CEO and Co-Founder of Go To Market, a woman-owned branded merchandise company revolutionizing swag. Amanda shares her journey from founding NYC's Urban Girl Squad to building a brand that makes meaningful merch fun and accessible. She also talks about entrepreneurship, pivoting during the pandemic, and life in NYC with her family, rescue dog, and love for running and cycling.Tune in for valuable lessons on entrepreneurship and the importance of establishing a strong brand identity.TIMESTAMPS[00:02:47] Print on Demand technology.[00:06:13] Innovative brand merchandise strategies.[00:08:06] Exciting design process for brands.[00:12:39] AI as an enhancer.[00:15:25] Branded merchandise strategy importance.[00:18:46] Gifting platforms over storefronts.[00:21:44] Merch as business support.QUOTES "We connect to the values of a company. We don't connect to the logo of a company. We connect to how it makes us feel, how it relates to our identity." - Amanda Hofman"Your branded merchandise should look, feel, and taste as good as that. And if it doesn't, don't do it." -Amanda Hofman“ AI is going to be there to make a life just that much easier on, on, on what we're doing.” -Sebastian Rusk==========================Need help launching your podcast?Schedule a Free Podcast Strategy Call TODAY!PodcastLaunchLabNow.com==========================SOCIAL MEDIA LINKSSebastian RuskInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/podcastlaunchlab/Facebook: Facebook.com/sruskLinkedIn: LinkedIn.com/in/sebastianrusk/YouTube: Youtube.com/@PodcastLaunchLabAmanda HofmanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/gotomarketstudio/?hl=en LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandagoldfinehofman/ ==========================Take the quiz now! https://podcastquiz.online/==========================Need Money For Your Business? Our Friends at Closer Capital can help! Click here for more info: PodcastsSUCK.com/money==========================PAYING RENT? Earn airlines when you do with the Bilt Rewards MastercardAPPLY HERE: https://bilt.page/r/2H93-5474

Carleen Gray, CEO of GroupeSTAHL (asi/88984), shares her 35-year journey from customer service to the C suite and how she helped transform Stahls' into a global leader in print on demand and other apparel decoration technology.

In this episode, Matt & Lauren review the power of print-on-demand books for subscription-based creators. Whether your content is behind a paywall, time-boxed, frequently updated, or even just spread out over multiple channels, print books can be a great way to support your fans, reach new subscribers, and further establish your expertise and authority. Learn why we think POD print books are a great value add for your subscribers, different ways to monetize your printed content, and how to easily sell and distribute your new products. Don't miss Content Entrepreneur Expo, THE event for creators, authors, and entrepreneurs. Visit cex.events to learn more and use promo code LULU100 to save $100 on your ticket

In this episode of Self-Publishing with ALLi, Anna Featherstone talks with Stuart Grant, founder of the Digital Authors Toolkit, about how authors can use augmented reality (AR). The discussion covers what AR is, how it fits into the publishing process, and practical, affordable ways for indie authors to experiment with it. Real-world examples and tools help illustrate whether AR is a good fit for a particular type of book or publishing stage. 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. Sponsors This podcast 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. This podcast is also sponsored by Gatekeeper Press, the all-inclusive Gold Standard in Publishing, offering authors 100% rights, royalties, satisfaction and worldwide distribution. Gatekeeper Press, Where Authors are Family. About the Host Anna Featherstone is ALLi's nonfiction adviser and an author advocate and mentor. A judge of The Australian Business Book Awards and Australian Society of Travel Writers awards, she's also the founder of Bold Authors and presents author marketing and self-publishing workshops for organizations, including Byron Writers Festival. Anna has authored books including how-to and memoirs and her book Look-It's Your Book! about writing, publishing, marketing, and leveraging nonfiction is on the Australian Society of Authors recommended reading list. When she's not being bookish, Anna's into bees, beings, and the big issues of our time. About the Guest Stuart Grant is the highest-rated author website designer on Reedsy, with more than 300 author sites to his credit. A former radio presenter and theatre lecturer, he now runs Digital Authors Toolkit, helping writers build beautiful, profitable, and future-ready websites. A regular speaker at the Self Publishing Show, Author Nation, and Ireland's Publishing Show, Grant is known for blending practical marketing advice with innovative tech such as AR, AI, and animation.

Kittl Flows are a gamechanger for print on demand design! Just drop in an idea or design, connect a Smartboard, add a prompt and watch your vision unfold.

Matty Dalrymple talks with David Wogahn about PRINT STRATEGIES FOR INDIES, including the pros and cons of using platforms like IngramSpark and KDP for print-on-demand services, sharing insights on costs, logistics, and strategies for maximizing print book sales. David highlights the technical challenges of producing high-quality print books and the dynamics of managing discounts and pricing. The conversation covers the complexities of print runs, hardcover editions, large print books, and the importance of aligning one's distribution strategy with specific goals and budget.   Interview video at https://bit.ly/TIAPYTPlaylist Show notes at https://www.theindyauthor.com/show-notes   If you find the information in this video useful, please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple   David Wogahn is the founder and president of AuthorImprints, which is a Partner Member of the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), and has taught self-publishing classes for Writer's Digest University, Jane Friedman, ALLi, the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), and the Santa Barbara Writers Conference, among other publishing professional organizations. David is the author of six books about self-publishing, including the Countdown to Book Launch® series. In 2012, he became the author of the first LinkedIn Learning course on the topic of self-publishing.   Matty Dalrymple is the author of the Lizzy Ballard Thrillers, beginning with ROCK PAPER SCISSORS; the Ann Kinnear Suspense Novels, beginning with THE SENSE OF DEATH; and the Ann Kinnear Suspense Shorts. She is a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. Matty also writes, speaks, and consults on the writing craft and the publishing voyage, and shares what she's learned on THE INDY AUTHOR PODCAST. She has written books on the business of short fiction and podcasting for authors; her articles have appeared in "Writer's Digest" magazine. She serves as the Campaigns Manager for the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Do you want to grow your business? One way to do that is with exposure! And influencers can help with that! Please do not roll your eyes or envision a high-priced celebrity holding a product and smiling! We are joined by expert Erin Sparrow for real world advice on collaborating with other small business owners to spread the word about your products. From influencers to podcasters to authors and more, Erin has grown her business by working with others to reach a whole new audience and she is going to share how! Be sure to sign up for Kittl and give it a try for yourself: https://link.craftingcamps.com/kittl Erin Sparrow is the owner of Sparrow and Wilde, a small business selling licensed merchandise for authors and other creators. Erin started Sparrow & Wilde in June of 2022 as a side hustle selling mainly print-on-demand apparel. In May of 2023, Erin signed her first author licensing contract with Sarah J. Maas, which allowed her to design and sell merchandise based on best-selling book series like A Court of Thorns and Roses. Since then, Erin has signed with seven other authors, and expanded the Sparrow and Wilde product line to include temporary tattoos, accessories, and more. Erin has also collaborated with podcasts, influencers, and other businesses to create mutually beneficial partnerships. During the growth of Sparrow and Wilde, Erin kept track of every step of her process. In April 2025, she launched a 6-week course to help others build shops of their own. The course focuses mainly on Etsy & print-on-demand (as that is how Erin started her shop, and is a great low-risk/low-cost way to start), but also discusses author licensing, social media, and scaling.This 6-week course is designed to take you from square one to a thriving Etsy Print-on-Demand business. Whether you're just starting out or looking to scale your existing shop, I'll guide you through everything from setting up your shop and mastering SEO to trend research, design tools, licensing, customer service, and long-term scaling strategies.What makes this course different? Most courses focus on either creativity or business. But in this course, every single week includes both! Each week has a Creativity Section where you'll develop your design skills, learn about trends, and create standout listings. And there's a weekly Business Section covering the essential steps for opening and maintaining a small business (both from my own experiences and from my background as a CPA).See the course at: https://link.craftingcamps.com/sparrow Check out Cori's Etsy shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChapterCraftStudio Don't forget to shop our merch store to support the podcast! https://link.craftingcamps.com/merch Let us help you craft your future by turning your passion into a paycheck. Angie Holden and Cori George are teaming up for a series of live events dedicated to helping you start and grow your craft business. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss any of the future episodes!Sign up for our email newsletter here: https://crafting-camps.ck.page/4715c59751Ask us questions here: https://forms.gle/ShKt64gKjeuneMLeAWant more from Cori and Angie? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channels and follow on Instagram using the links below.https://www.instagram.com/craftingcampshttps://www.instagram.com/heyletsmakestuffhttps://www.instagram.com/angieholdenmakes

I'm sharing how to find the top-performers in any niche on Amazon, while filtering out the noise in real time. Copy my approach and you'll never by short of ideas for

My guest this episode is Tracy Cooper-Posey, a prolific author with nearly 250 books across multiple genres and three pen names. She began in traditional publishing, switched to indie in 2011, and now runs a family micro-press. Originally from Australia and now based in Canada, Tracy writes everything from romance to science fiction to thrillers. She has continued to write and publish despite serious health setbacks. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of 2,000+ blog posts, and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. We invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. Sponsor Inspirational Indie Authors 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. About the Host Howard Lovy has been a journalist for 40 years and now amplifies the voices of independent author-publishers and works with authors as a developmental editor. Find Howard at howardlovy.com, LinkedIn, and X. About the Guest Tracy Cooper-Posey is the author of more than 200 novels across romantic suspense, historical, fantasy, science fiction, and women's fiction—because sticking to one genre just seemed boring. A 2024 Aurealis Award finalist (and a 2023 finalist under her fantasy pen name, Taylen Carver), she also writes science fiction as Cameron Cooper and has collected accolades including the Emma Darcy Award, the SFR Galaxy Award, and a fourth-place finish in Hugh Howey's SPSFC#2. A former magazine editor and romance writing instructor, Tracy now writes full time from Edmonton, Canada, alongside her husband and creative partner, Mark Posey, fueled primarily by Irish Breakfast tea, dark chocolate, and sheer stubbornness. She is also the author of The Productive Indie Fiction Writer, where she helps fellow authors thrive without burning out.

In this episode I'm sharing 5 print on demand niches that you can target to increase your sales in the near future

This new approach to Etsy print on demand research was only just made possible, where we're able to pin-point fresh opportunities and filter out declining trends at a glance

When Sarina found Stephanie Pao on social media, she knew she had to interview her. Stephanie has the job we all want—she owns a bookstore on wheels. La Fleuria is L.A.'s first mobile romance bookstore, and we are here for it. Tune in to hear our interview with Stephanie. We're discussing how she got this idea, where she turned for advice, and how she figures out what to stock and where to park La Fleuria!Show links include: #YouAndYourBookstore episode with Mary Laura PhilpottLa Fleuria book truckStephanie on InstagramStephanie's LinktreeLa Fleuria's popup schedule Thrown for a Loop, Sarina's upcoming release (pub date 11/4/25)TropeTruck, a book truck whose owner generously contributed knowledgeIngram, the wholesale bookseller we discuss in some detail (because Jess needed to understand how this bookseller access to indie authors works!)Books Stephanie recommends and loves to sell at La Fleuria:Yes No Maybe by Jessica Sherry (La Fleuria's #2 bestseller!)Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid All Rhodes Lead Here by Mariana ZapataHey, Jess here to talk to you about a new series I have created just for supporters of the #AmWriting Podcast.I met an aspiring author and speaker who has an idea for a book that just knocked me over. I said, please, please write that book. This is someone who had an idea that has a place in the market. It's timely. She's the perfect person to write it, and I asked her, I begged her, if I could please mentor her through this process publicly on the podcast.So while we're not giving her full name and we're not giving the actual title of the book, because we don't want to hand those things away, I am coaching her through the entire process, from preparing her book proposal to querying an agent. I'm going through the whole thing with her. She knows nothing about the publishing industry, she knows very little about how one goes about writing a book—so essentially, this is as I mentioned before, from soup to nuts, From Authority to Author, and hopefully we'll get her there.But really, whether or not this book ends up selling, whether after this book she ends up having a speaking career, this is about the process of preparing to do that. I hope you'll join us.This series is for supporters only, so if you are a free subscriber right now, consider upgrading. Remember, if you upgrade, you'll also get the ability to submit for our First Pages Booklab, and lots of other fun stuff that we put out just for supporters—So come join us. It's a lot of fun.Transcript below!EPISODE 457 - TRANSCRIPTJess LaheyHey, Jess here to talk to you about a new series I have created just for supporters of the Hashtag AmWriting podcast. I met an aspiring author and speaker who has an idea for a book that just knocked me over. I said, please, please write that book. This is someone who had an idea that it has a place in the market. It's timely. She's the perfect person to write it, and I asked her—I begged her—if I could please mentor her through this process publicly on the podcast. So, while we're not giving her full name and we're not giving the actual title of the book, because we don't want to hand those things away, I am coaching her through the entire process—from preparing her book proposal to querying an agent. I'm going through the whole thing with her. She knows nothing about the publishing industry. She knows very little about how, you know, one goes about writing a book. And so she essentially—this is, as I mentioned before from soup to nuts, From Authority to Author, and hopefully we'll get her there. But really, whether or not this book ends up selling, whether this book—she ends up having a speaking career—this is about the process of preparing to do that. How do you write a book? How do you prepare to become a speaker on the back of that book? So I hope you join us. This is a series for supporters only. So if you are a free supporter, or if you're a free subscriber right now, consider upgrading. Remember, if you upgrade, you'll also get access to the ability to submit for our First Pages Book Lab and lots of other fun stuff that we put out just for supporters. So come join us. It's a lot of fun.Multiple Speakers:Is it recording? Now it's recording, yay. Go ahead. This is the part where I stare blankly at the microphone. I don't remember what I'm supposed to be doing. All right, let's start over. Awkward pause. I'm going to rustle some papers. Okay, now one, two, three.Jess LaheyWelcome to the Hashtag AmWriting podcast. This is the podcast about, oh, writing all the things—the short things, the long things, the nonfiction, the fiction, the poetry, the book proposals, the agent queries—all the things. In reality, though, this podcast is about two things. It is about getting the work done, and flattening the learning curve for other writers. I'm Jess Lahey. I am co-hosting today. I am the author of The Gift of Failure and The Addiction Inoculation, and you can find my journalism at The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic.Sarina BowenAnd I'm Sarina Bowen. I am the author of many romance novels. My next one is called Thrown for a Loop and it's coming from Forever in November, and I could not be more excited. And it is in the vein of romance, publishing, and readership that I have invited a guest to talk to us today because she has done something so outrageously cool that I needed to hear more in person. So please welcome Stephanie Pao, who has started Los Angeles' first romance book truck. She's become a bookseller, and I am here to hear all about it. Welcome, Stephanie.Stephanie PaoHi, thank you so much for having me.Sarina BowenMy pleasure. If you wouldn't mind, I would love to hear—how did this happen? Like, how did you decide that the world needed a book truck? Because that is just a cool idea and I never thought of it. And like, so how did you decide to actually make it a thing? And what did you do?Stephanie PaoYes, okay. The idea actually came to me—I lived by the beach, so I was walking by the beach and I saw a vintage Volkswagen truck for sale, and I just couldn't get it out of my mind. It isn't the truck that I have now, but I kept thinking, what could I do with it? And I've always loved books—romance in particular—and I've been looking for something that I could do that kind of took my previous experience, which is marketing, but melded it with something I really enjoyed. And I just thought maybe I could start a book truck. And I started to do research and I saw that there are many book trucks across the country. At the time, I think maybe there was just one or two romance ones and I was lucky enough to be able to speak with someone who had a romance book bus called Trope. She has a bookshop now and she really gave me a lot of confidence that I could probably do this too. I ended up taking a course on bookselling and started looking for a truck. The truck I ended up finding was actually the first truck I found on Facebook Marketplace. The man who was selling it had completely restored it. And he was so excited that I wanted to do this book shop in a truck idea, that he actually helped me and designed all the shelves, and he built it, and he didn't charge me for it.Sarina BowenOh my goodness!Stephanie PaoYeah. So it felt very serendipitous and almost meant to be. And now it's been like two months and I'm having so much fun.Sarina BowenWow. Wow. Oh my goodness. I feel like you should be teaching a class on how to live, right? You're like, "I'm good at this thing, but I'm really interested in this other thing, and I'm going to stick them together and it's going to be great."Stephanie PaoYeah, I feel like it was a little bit of like manifesting, I guess.Sarina BowenWell, wow, that's so great. So how many books does your truck hold at once? Like, what is the size of your store?Stephanie PaoYeah, so it holds about 350 books, and I've taken to also stacking books on top to display my favorite books. So I think it might hold almost 400.Sarina BowenOkay. And so of course, when we think about the bookstores that we grew up going to—you know, there are these giant cavernous Barnes & Nobles, there are smaller independent bookstores—and they're all numbering in the thousands. But by specializing in a category that you really love, like suddenly 400 is you know, it's a workable amount for what romance readers might be looking for on any given day. So, but still, there's a lot of good books in the world. How do you choose?Stephanie PaoYeah, I do a mix of like books that I've read and loved. I have been a voracious reader—I've read my whole life—but I've been a voracious reader for a couple of years. I also do a lot of books that I get recommendations from friends or that I just see are very popular online. So I think people will want to find those, but I think it is hard. I'm still figuring out the right balance of what types of romance to carry.Sarina BowenRight. Right. Because we all have our favorite you know, parts of the genre and they might not be the ones that are killing it.Jess LaheyBut the thing that I'm really excited to hear about is the thing that I love so much about independent booksellers. I get a sense for the bookseller when I go to the bookstore. Like, there are certain bookstores I rave about not necessarily because they're huge, not necessarily because they're beautiful—but because I can tell that when the bookseller recommends something to me; I know who that person is. Or I know the sense of the curation at the store. And that excites me because I feel like I'm in capable hands. So I'm really curious—especially to hear about your curation, and how you decide what you're going to carry—and then I'm also, and I know Sarina is going to ask this question, but in my head, I'm like, how do you find your readers? That's the part I'm so excited to hear about. Like, how do you know where to go? How do the people find you? Because I think that's the magic—is connecting the people with the books. And that's what I feel like a really great curation does. It says, "If you like this, try this," or, "Oh, you're new to this genre? Let me tell you where you should start with this genre." That's what's magic to me about independent booksellers, and the idea of you getting to do it in a very concentrated way with a particular genre is just—it makes me so happy. I'm just so happy you're out there doing this, Stephanie.Stephanie PaoThank you.Sarina BowenSo one time I was reading the listing of a literary agent, I think, and somebody had said, "What do you like about this job?" And the agent said, "I get to invest in my own taste." And I thought that was a really interesting way of looking at her job—but also of your job as well. And before we get to “How do you find the readers?”—because that is a really important chapter of this conversation—I just, from the listener standpoint: are you constantly deluged by authors who are like, “Pick me, pick me”? Like, what would you tell an author who is trying to navigate the bookselling world? What have you learned about your end of being a bookseller that an author might need to hear?Stephanie PaoYes. Okay. So first I want to say, like the curation part—My like number two best seller is actually an indie author's book who I love, and I can see from the book selling, like software that I use, that I'm the only bookstore of the 200 plus bookstores that carry her book, and it's the second best seller for me. Like. I've sold over 30 copies in like two months. So I think it really is like the passion of the bookseller, and I have had quite a few authors reach out to me, and they'll come to events. And I feel like it's, I don't have a good process on how I'm vetting all the authors, but I think it's like, if we make a personal connection, I will try to go out of my way to like read their book, because we've connected in some way, and I love reading, and I just feel like because we've like, either met in person or we've exchanged nice messages on social media, it does make me want to read someone's book more, because I have that personal connection, which is probably how people feel when they go shop at an indie books, or they have the personal connection with, like, a bookseller. So I think that's very similar. Um, I had people like, bring me their books, which does make it easier for me to, like, already have it ready. I don't have to look it up to read it or remember to look it up as well, but I know that, like, probably has a cost to it as well. But I had someone just bring me an F1 romance book yesterday at one of my pop ups, and I've been on an f1 kick. I don't know if she noticed that from my personal social but, like, I am very intrigued already, and now I have itSarina BowenThat's so lovely.Jess LaheyFor the listeners out there who are interested in this very specific topic, in our show notes I'm going to link to an episode we did with Mary Laura Philpott, who used to be at Parnassus, about making connections with booksellers. Because there are things you can do to go out of your way—before your book comes out, or when your book is coming out—to say, “Hey, I have this book coming out, would you be interested at all in getting a copy?” So it's something that can happen that authors can work on. And I'm going to definitely drop the link to that episode in the show notes.Sarina BowenYeah. I had this earlier this year. I was noticing—I started keeping track of how many romance bookstores are in the world. And now I have a list of 60, more than 60. And for a little while, when one just sort of popped up in my social, I was writing an email—because authors get a lot of publisher copies, you know, and sometimes after the launch of the book we end up with a box of like 15 copies still sitting here—and I was sending an email like, “Congratulations on your new store! That's amazing. Can I send you a signed author copy? Because I just have them here. It's a gift.” And the uptake of that is, you know, almost 100%. But I don't ever want to presume that a bookseller wants a copy, you know, unless I check first, because that just seems cheesy. You know, it's, it's, it's hard for authors to know, like, how to be a good partner and not irritating. And anyway, I just thought, you know what your thoughts about that are?Stephanie PaoYeah. I mean, I think for me, like, I am a new store and, like, a single-person business. So anyone that reaches out to me, I'm like, “Oh my gosh, what do you mean? How do you know about me? Why would you want to send me something?” So I'm sure, like, the like, weariness goes both ways, where we are, like, we're also—a lot of people are, like women—or maybe like, not used to promoting themselves more. So I think, like, just shoot your shot. I have an event coming up at like, a big, like, kind of mall, and they said they don't really do things like that with partners like this, but they were impressed that I shot my shot. So I have like, a summer series with them, and I think it's the same for, like, promoting your own book.Sarina BowenYeah, I guess this whole conversation is an exercise in trying.Stephanie PaoYeah, like the worst that could happen is, I think probably they would maybe say no or not respond to your request—which I do feel like I am guilty of that, because I get a lot and I don't know how to best, like, manage the flow of people saying that they want to send books. But that isn't because I don't want to reply. It's more like, I don't have a good system.Sarina BowenIt's hard. So I definitely want to hear how you figure out where to go. Like, where does the truck go? How do you know who to ask? Like, is that a lot of asking and hoping for the, for the best as well. Like, how does it come together?Stephanie PaoYeah, that has been a trial and error process. I think I started off applying to more markets, because they're looking for vendors anyways. But those usually have costs. And I found a few markets that I really enjoy going to, so I go to them monthly now. And…Sarina BowenWhat kind of markets, can I ask?Stephanie PaoYeah, they're like, one is like a night market. They do it like, a couple times a month in a city of LA called Lakewood, and there's like food, there's usually, like a theme, so like, there was an AAPI night, or they had— I don't know if you know those, like toys called Labubu — but the last event I did was a Labubu themed one. And then I do another market that is in Culver City, and it is similar—like, there's food and drinks and then there's, like, people selling different like, a lot of artisan-made things,Sarina BowenOkay.Stephanie PaoYeah, um, and then I reach out to local businesses as well. And I found, like, right away, I reached out to so many, and I didn't hear back from that many, because I was just starting out. I didn't have that many followers at the time. But the people who I found, and I did pop up set, they were so kind, and they let me dictate, like a day where I come back monthly, so I just have like places that I will go monthly, which makes it a lot easier to, like, have it like a set schedule, and then I just try to test new places and add on.Sarina BowenLike, what kind of business? What? What makes a good what's a good sort of connection?Stephanie PaoYeah, well, so the first place that said yes to me was another women-owned business. And I do feel like they are, like, more inclined to, like; take a chance on another woman-owned business. So she actually has a flower shop, and she does like high tea on the days that I go. So she has people going there for like, high tea— but it's on a very visible Street. It's on the Pacific Coast Highway, so I think it's—I'm not sure it's benefiting her in any way, because I'm not sure my customers are going to buy flowers, um, but she has a space for me to pop up, and it doesn't like detract from her business, and it adds something fun to her guests. And I also go to coffee shops and breweries, and I do want to start reaching out to restaurants as well.Jess LaheyI'm actually looking at her pop-up schedule on her site right now, and there's also—I wouldn't have even occurred to me—but these silent readings that I see every once in a while on social media that I'm like, "Oh, if I lived in a city, I would be going to those all the time," where people just get together to read together. I've also seen them—people getting together just to write together—and those? That's brilliant. Showing up for something like that is such a wonderful idea, and your pop-up schedule looks fantastic. I'll definitely be dropping that into the show notes as well.Sarina BowenWell, I just want to push back on the idea that the flower shop isn't getting anything out of you stopping there, because, like—so she runs a flower shop. I'm just certain she has a tiny core number of people who come every week and get fresh flowers because, you know, money is no object, and why not.But then there are other people who are on her list, maybe, who are only there when it's somebody's birthday three times a year. But if you're coming on a certain day, and she can tell her following, you know, that, "Oh, stop by on Tuesday because La Fleuria is going to be here, and it's, you know, the romance book truck, and you definitely want to check it out," it gives her a timely thing she can tell the people that do like flowers. And, you know, she's going to maybe have more foot traffic on that day than she otherwise might not have had.Stephanie PaoYeah, I think it's more maybe imposter syndrome, because she has like 800,000 followers.Sarina BowenWow!Stephanie PaoSo I'm like drop in your bucket.Sarina BowenWow. Well, maybe we should all be in the flower business.Stephanie PaoYeah.Jess LaheyWell, what did you have to sort of overcome with your own resistance in order to try this new thing? Because when writers have this same problem, we have an idea. It's a little glimmer, a sparkle, of an idea. It's so appealing in our minds. But, like, the commitment to actually, like, set aside six months of your life and write an entire book because you had this glimmer of an idea is a process, and that is why there aren't as many people who write complete books as you have ideas for them. So how did you convince yourself that, um, that this risky thing was—was something you ought to commit to? And how did you make that decision?Stephanie PaoYeah, I think I'm still convincing myself that...Jess LaheyOkay, fair, fair.Stephanie PaoUm, I think it's actually really—it's really hard, because I think we're really programmed, or at least I was, on, like, this typical metric of success, which is, like: go to college, get a job, keep climbing the corporate ladder. And so I just kind of thought I would be doing that my whole life. But I never once thought, like, does that make me happy? Like, I was in a marketing job, and I was like—I climbed up to, like, VP, but I didn't enjoy it at all. And I just thought that's what we were supposed to do. So I think for me, I have been freelancing for three years because I got really burnt out, and I've just slowly come to terms with, like, maybe what I build for myself, or what I want for my life, is different than what all my friends have. Because I still talk to my friends that I've had for a long time, and I don't think they understand what I'm doing. And I feel like you will get a lot of resistance from people that you know, because they just want you to do the thing that feels safe to them, which is not venturing and doing something completely unknown. So I think it's, like, being really comfortable with the idea yourself and that not everyone's going to get it—but that's okay, because the people who do will, like, really support you. And then, of course, like, I'm not going to sugarcoat it—it is like a big financial risk. I think if you're setting aside time to write and not doing, like, other work, like—it is a risk either way. So I am lucky enough to have support, and I think that's, like, really important to share; that, like, my parents supported me so that I could take this on. And I—I started taking less and less clients from my, like, freelancing work to prepare to do this. And, like, I am still not, like, super profitable, but I know that I can, like, push back into freelancing if I really need to. So I think it's—I'm comfortable knowing that there are other means of, like, income if I really need it. But I really want to give myself time to see where this goes.Sarina BowenRight, I love that. So, of course, you knew that freelancing was—that you had some connections there, which helps, so you have, like, a little bit of a cushion for yourself, which is amazing. You—you mentioned earlier that you took a course in bookselling, and I just wonder how you found that, and how—how you felt. Was it information that you already had? Did it just give you confidence? Or did you really learn a lot from that course?Stephanie PaoWell, I found it through the American Booksellers Association. It was, like, a linked course that they had on, like, how to get started with opening your own bookstore. And I did learn a lot. I think at the time, I was really debating whether I should do a bookstore or do something more mobile. And that course actually made me feel like—when we did all the calculations—the rent is so much in LA that it just seemed, like, much, much too risky to do a store first. Like, maybe building up a customer base before investing in a shop. So I think I did learn a lot. I also—there's—I get a lot of the same questions from people who want to start something similar. And I got all of that information through this course. Like, a lot of people ask me where you buy books from, and things that have to do with bookselling that aren't very well known. And I think the course provides that information.Jess LaheyNice. Do you do you use Ingram [Ingram Content Group], and so you have like a special account as a bookseller?Stephanie PaoYes. And I just started opening, like, accounts with the publishers, because I wasn't sure how much I was going to order, and you have to meet minimums to order through the publishers. I was like, I don't know how quickly my inventory is going to go, but now I think it will be more worth it, because you get a better, like, discount through the publishers.Jess LaheyAs someone who's not involved in the bookselling community or the independent publishing community—just for my knowledge—one of the things that I, you know, often lament is if I like an author that is an independent bookseller and their print books are hard to come by. How do you—is Ingram someone who helps you bridge that? Does Ingram do this, like, print on demand? Sorry, there—my husband's home. Could you explain how this works a little bit to me?Stephanie PaoSo I also—well, I'm not 100% sure—but yes, Ingram does the print-on-demand books, and they have books from a lot of independent authors on there. I have a friend who is an indie author, and she said that she first listed her book on Amazon, but then the bookstores couldn't buy it, so she had to do something to get it on Ingram. So I'm not sure how that works, but I've also bought directly from a few authors, like the author I mentioned, who is, like, my second best seller. I buy directly from her, and I'm not sure where she gets her copies, but it is a much better deal than through Ingram.Jess LaheyYeah. So, Ingram—their first and primary business was as a wholesaler for traditionally published books. So, you know, in the '90s, when I briefly worked at Random House, Ingram was—you know, when a new book is published, Ingram buys a certain amount of them, and Baker and Taylor buy a certain amount of them, and they stand as a middleman who is ready to wholesale those books to booksellers. And then, of course, they created their print-on-demand service so that, probably, when you log into Ingram, you can see indie titles and traditional titles sort of all together in their offered database. But I did learn something recently about indies and Ingram that was a real eye-opener for me, which is that an author who opens an IngramSpark account and uploads their files there—like, like an indie author that you buy from probably does—has to set a discount amount. And unfortunately, the number that the bookseller gets is not the same as what the author sets. So the author can set a discount to retail in a band between, I don't know, 40 and 60 or something like that. But, um, in order for a bookseller to get their maximum discount, I have to put 53% discount or greater—like 53 or 55—and if I put 52 instead, then the bookseller gets, often, a very bad discount that is not 52%; it's more like 30%. So there's this magic that happens at the 53% author discount that allows you and your colleagues to get the max discount in your Ingram account. And it took me only, like, eight years to learn this magic.Jess LaheySo Stephanie, this is why we keep Sarina around, because she knows how this stuff works.Stephanie PaoI figured it was there was something, because the range in discounts I see from indie offers is so wide from like 20 to 40% and at 20% it's almost not even worth it to carry.Sarina BowenRight. I bet it isn't.Stephanie PaoYeah.Sarina BowenSo you if somebody Well, but, and that's where the confusion comes in, because here's an author, and she's putting 45% in that box, and then you're seeing it at 20 and going, this isn't worth it. And of course, like both of you, could be frustrated because…Jess LaheyExactly!Sarina BowenBecause that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. So um, but I have learned that 53 is the magic number, and that if an author puts 53 and then you will get your max discount. And it took me way, way too long to understand this.Jess LaheyThis is like… this is, this is—these little random things that come up occasionally—are, you know, why I talk about flattening the learning curve for other authors or booksellers or whomever that listen to this podcast. Because how on earth would you know that? And then you're frustrated because you can't carry a book, because you can't make money on it. The author's incredibly frustrated because you can't—won't—carry the book, and then that piece of information never gets across. So thank you for diving into that dorky detail for me, because, again, I think that's such an important piece of information that no one would ever know unless someone somewhere is discussing it. So thank you.Sarina BowenUm…you're welcome. It's really just inside baseball—like picky junk that takes up my week. But here we are.Jess LaheyI know. But the people who listen to this podcast—in particular, the people who are fans of Sarina Bowen—are often people who are also writing within the indie space. And so how, you know—how are they going to find this stuff out?Sarina BowenWell okay.Jess LaheyOkay.Sarina BowenEven if it's not as you know, as joyful as the following your dreams and the flower shop stuff, but we're here to do all of it.Jess LaheyWell… But the big—this is also a big part of it, because there are also going to be people out there who are like, Oh, I don't want to open a brick-and-mortar store, but Oh, a truck? I mean, like, for me, that's the entry point. That's very, very exciting to me. So, the other reason I wanted to be on this podcast today is because I want to understand how that works, and is it a way into something that would really feed your soul and your heart—and not to mention your book… sell—your, your bookshelves.Sarina BowenOf course. So, Stephanie, before we go, I would love—since you're the expert here—I would love for you to recommend a couple romances that you're excited about right now. And if you wouldn't mind, I would be super thrilled to hear what your number two bestseller is—that you, that you are her best bookseller.Stephanie PaoYeah, okay. It's Yes No Maybe by Jessica Sherry, and it is a story of a woman who has, um, scars on her face from, like, an accident from when she was younger. And she's, like, always felt not worthy of, like, all the good things in life, and she's settling. And she moves next door to a romance writer who has writer's block, and she becomes basically his muse. And it's, like, very sweet but very emotional. Some other books I love—I recently finished Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid, and I've never cried so hard in a book. And it's, like, also such a beautiful love story. I, like, have chills thinking about it.Sarina BowenWow.Stephanie PaoYeah. And then, just like a favorite that I always recommend is All Rhodes Lead Here by Mariana Zapata. I'm in my late 30s, so I feel like I love when characters are in their 30s and still figuring things out, and I love a slow burn romance.Sarina BowenAll right. Thank you so much. I, um—I love those choices. Um, we've all walked into bookstores and seen, like, the same five books on the front table that we've seen in every other bookstore we've walked into that month. And it's really lovely to hear some different recommendations from you, and we really appreciate it. Thank you so much for spending some time with us today to talk about this super fun project that—that Jess and I are like, Ooh, we could just quit everything and get a...Jess LaheyYeah. Well, no. The other thing is, I'm like, Okay, when's my next speaking engagement in Los Angeles, and can I make it coincide with one of your pop-up dates so that I could come by?Stephanie PaoI will drive the truck to you.Jess LaheyThat… actually, we'll figure it out. Because I just, I'm dying to see your truck, dying to see how it works. I just, I'm loving the selections. And I'm just really happy for more than anything else, I'm really happy for someone who has found a way to turn something they love into a business that can work. So I'm just so happy for you.Stephanie PaoThank you. Thank you so much for having me. This was really fun.Sarina BowenIt was entirely our pleasure. And thank you listeners for tuning in once again to the am writing podcast, and until next week, keep your heads in the game and your butt's in the chair.Jess LaheyThe Hashtag AmWriting podcast is produced by Andrew Perrella. Our intro music, aptly titled Unemployed Monday, was written and played by Max Cohen. Andrew and Max were paid for their time and their creative output, because everyone deserves to be paid for their work. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amwriting.substack.com/subscribe

On this episode of the Self-Publishing News Podcast, Dan Holloway discusses allegations that the bestselling memoir The Salt Path misrepresented key facts, reigniting debate over truth in nonfiction. He also examines Globe Scribe, a new AI translation tool claiming human-level results, and reports on the closure of serial fiction platform Radish after struggling to compete with Wattpad. 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.

With print-on-demand, you can print just one copy of your book… But you can also print 100. Or 500. Or 1,000. Or 3,159. You do you.In this episode, Lauren & Matt talk bulk book orders; when you need them, how they work with print-on-demand, and all the logistics (and discounts!) you should know about.Don't miss Content Entrepreneur Expo, THE event for creators, authors, and entrepreneurs. Visit cex.events to learn more and use promo code LULU100 to save $100 on your ticket

ALLi Campaigns Manager Matty Dalrymple talks with book cover designer Rachel Valliere about improving indie book design through a crucial but often overlooked tool: the creative brief. Rachel explains how a well-crafted brief helps authors communicate their vision clearly, including technical details like trim size, binding, and cover text. They discuss how understanding genre conventions, using design elements intentionally, and navigating image and font rights contribute to professional indie book design. Sponsors This podcast 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. This podcast is also sponsored by Gatekeeper Press, the all-inclusive Gold Standard in Publishing, offering authors 100% rights, royalties, satisfaction and worldwide distribution. Gatekeeper Press, Where Authors are Family. About the Host Matty Dalrymple podcasts, writes, speaks, and consults on the writing craft and the publishing voyage as The Indy Author. She has written books on the business of short fiction and podcasting for authors, and her articles have appeared in Writer's Digest magazine. She serves as the campaigns manager for the Alliance of Independent Authors. Matty is also the author of the Lizzy Ballard Thrillers, beginning with Rock Paper Scissors; the Ann Kinnear Suspense Novels, beginning with The Sense of Death; and the Ann Kinnear Suspense Shorts, including Close These Eyes. She is a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. About the Guest Rachel Valliere is a book cover and interior designer and the founder of Printed Page Studios and The Book Designer Collective. While she currently specializes in nonfiction, she has worked across many genres throughout her career. Her mission is to provide high-quality services to purpose-driven independent authors—beginning with strategy before design—to create stunning books that amplify their impact while ensuring they maintain full rights and control over their work. You can find her on LinkedIn and YouTube.

Instead of relying on Amazon and Etsy as the backbone for your print on demand business, consider launching your brand on Printify's Pop-up Store. In this video I show how to launch a fully-functional store in minutes!

I'm following up on this week's Top 5 Niches and doing a Dot Day inspired design tutorial where I show how to create two different styles of Dot Day designs!

In this episode of the Self-Publishing with ALLi Member Q&A podcast, hosts Michael La Ronn and Sacha Black discuss how to find a developmental editor for a nonfiction book that covers complex, controversial, or specialized subject matter. Other questions include: How long should it take to design a book cover, and should the designer read the manuscript? Is it worth creating a series wiki for your books? Should authors release their audiobook at the same time as the ebook and print editions? Do you need an ISBN for an audiobook, and what platforms should you use for distribution? How do you safely publish a book through a foreign company? Why won't Amazon link the hardcover and ebook editions when the hardcover is published through IngramSpark? And More! 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. Sponsor The Member Q&A podcast 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. About the Hosts Michael La Ronn is ALLi's Outreach Manager. He is the author of over 80 science fiction & fantasy books and self-help books for writers. He writes from the great plains of Iowa and has managed to write while raising a family, working a full-time job, and even attending law school classes in the evenings (now graduated!). You can find his fiction at www.michaellaronn.com and his videos and books for writers at www.authorlevelup.com. Sacha Black is a bestselling and competition winning author, rebel podcaster, speaker and casual rule breaker. She writes fiction under a secret pen name and other books about the art of writing. When Sacha isn't writing, she runs ALLi's blog. She lives in England, with her wife and genius, giant of a son. You can find her on her website, her podcast, and on Instagram.  

In this episode I'm sharing 5 print on demand niches that you can target to increase your sales in the near future

On this episode of the Self-Publishing News Podcast, Dan Holloway explains how the Meta ruling favors tech companies but leaves the door open for future cases that could benefit authors. He also covers Cloudflare's new tool to let publishers charge AI firms for content scraping and reports on a bestselling author's move to take control of her rights outside traditional publishing. 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.

This big name in print on demand is getting sued for stealing designs and product mockups from other brands, and selling knockoff goods

Implement this tip to increase the conversion rate of your Etsy listings, sending a strong signal to Etsy's algorithm to boost your visibility because you're converting customers at a higher rate than your competition!

While at Split Rock, Freelance hears that the lighthouse is having problems. Can four of the crew find a way to get the job and get paid?Returning to our own origins, we wanted to tackle the beta test for Red Markets 2nd Edition! We're joined with friends from other podcasts to engage in another living campaign!Brownie can be found at The Roleplaying Exchange.Rina can be found on The Old Ways Podcast and Ain't Slayed Nobody. They can also be found on Youtube at Symphony Entertainment. Their COC scenarios can be found at DriveThruRPG in PDF and print on demand.If you want to try 2E for yourself, the beta is available at Hebanon Games' itch.io.Ethan - GMBrownie - WorkadayDan - BlackbirdLaura - KixRina - Artemis

What does it really take to build a lasting author platform in 2025? In this episode of the Self-Publishing with ALLi Podcast, host Dale L. Roberts chats with indie author Kerrie Flanagan about what it means to grow and sustain an author brand in today's crowded publishing world. From mastering the tools that matter to balancing multiple genres under different pen names, this conversation offers practical insights for authors looking to deepen their reader connections and expand their reach. Sponsor This podcast 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. About the Host Dale L. Roberts is a self-publishing advocate, award-winning author, and video content creator. Dale's inherent passion for life fuels his self-publishing advocacy both in print and online. After publishing over 50 titles and becoming an international bestselling author on Amazon, Dale started his YouTube channel, Self-Publishing with Dale. Selected by Feedspot and LA Weekly as one of the best sources in self-publishing of 2022, Dale cemented his position as the indie-author community's go-to authority. You can find Dale on his website or YouTube. About the Guest Kerrie Flanagan is an author, writing consultant, and instructor with more than twenty years in the publishing industry. She is the author of The Writer's Digest Guide to Magazine Article Writing, creator of the Magazine Writing Blueprint, and co-author of several series under the pen name C.G. Harris. Her work has appeared in Writer's Digest, The Writer, Alaska Magazine, and Chicken Soup for the Soul. A founder of Northern Colorado Writers, Flanagan teaches for Stanford University and regularly presents at conferences nationwide.

My guest this episode is Mark David Gerson, an award-winning author of more than twenty books spanning fantasy, memoir, and writing guides. He once avoided writing, but eventually embraced it—and now helps others do the same through his coaching, workshops, and books. He's also a screenwriter and visual artist who sees writing as both a creative and spiritual act. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of 2,000+ blog posts, and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. We invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. Sponsor Inspirational Indie Authors 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. About the Host Howard Lovy has been a journalist for 40 years and now amplifies the voices of independent author-publishers and works with authors as a developmental editor. Find Howard at howardlovy.com, LinkedIn, and X. About the Guest Mark David Gerson is the founder of The Mark David Gerson School of Writing and award-winning author of more than 20 books. As a novelist, he is best known for his Legend of Q'ntana fantasy series. His nonfiction includes classic titles for writers, compelling memoirs, and inspiring self-help books. When not writing, Mark David coaches an international roster of both first-time and seasoned writers to help them get their stories onto the page and into the world with ease. Learn more at markdavidgerson.com or follow him on Facebook.

In this episode I'm sharing 5 print on demand niches that you can target to increase your sales in the near future

Produced by Joseph Cottrell, Wayne Hall, Ken Fuller and Jeffrey Crecelius This week I'd like to celebrate the release of my second book, Tales from Topographic Oceans - Yes Album Listening Guide - a title almost as lengthy as the record itself. It's been a very long and sometimes challenging process to prepare the book for publication - much like the record itself. However, it's finally here and you can buy it from all the usual places. If you haven't yet ordered your copy, you live outside the UK and you would like to help me out, please visit YesMusicBooks.com and order from there. There are print on demand links in the store on the site which will allow you to order copies of the book and its full colour supplement, printed at a location near where you live, avoiding shipping costs and the associated environmental impact. I also get to keep more of the proceeds from the order, rather than giving it to the big corporations. Shipping time may be a little bit longer than the online stores but the choice is up to you. If you are in the UK please order directly from BurningShed.com and if you normally get your books from a local independent bookstore, then that is also a great option wherever you are in the world. The book ended up being 336 pages long which is rather a surprise to me. The initial idea was to produce something shorter and simpler than the Tormato Story book - more of an actual guide, rather than an in-depth study. However, as soon as I started, it became obvious that I could resist travelling down just as many fascinating rabbit holes as last time. I did manage to uncover some previously hidden information and it was a lot of fun researching as many different aspects of this epic work of progressive rock as I could. As Prog Magazine put it in their review, “The most rewarding way to experience Tales is to dive in and become immersed. This book is the very definition of that.” Yes - The Tormato Story Available now! YesMusicBooks.com YMP Patrons: Producers: Joseph Cottrell Wayne Hall Ken Fuller Jeffrey Crecelius Patrons: Aaron SteelmanLindAl Dell'AngeloLobate ScarpBarry GorskyMark BaggsBill WhittakerMark James LangBob MartilottaMark SlaterBrian HarrisMartin KjellbergBrian SullivanMichael HanderhanChris BandiniMichael O'ConnorCraig EstenesMiguel FalcãoDave OwenPaul HailesDavidPaul TomeiDavid HeydenRachel HadawayDavid PannellRobert NasirDavid WatkinsonRobert VandiverDeclan LogueRonnie NeeleyDemScott ColomboDoug CurranSimon BarrowFergus CubbageStephen LambeFred BarringerSteve DillGary BettsSteve LuziettiGeoff BailieSteve PerryGeoffrey MasonSteve RodeGuy DeRomeSteve ScottHenrik AntonssonSteven RoehrHogne Bø PettersenTerence SadlerTodd DudleyJohn CowanJohn ThomsonJohn HoldenJohn ViolaJamie McQuinnTim Stannard Become a Patron!

On this episode of the Self-Publishing News Podcast, Dan Holloway explains how the European Accessibility Act will impact authors selling into the EU, with practical tips on accessible formats and why EPUB matters more than ever. He also covers a major U.S. court ruling against Anthropic for scraping copyrighted books—while still declaring its AI-generated content fair use. 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.

These are some of the best opportunities to capitalize on selling back-to-school themed print on demand products this coming August!

Tabletop swiss army knife JT Smith joins the Submarine! JT is most famously the creator of The Game Crafter, a US based print on demand service, but he has done a ton more that he shares about as well on the show. We talk tariffs for a little bit but also do a High School award show for board games! All this and more on today's episode. 

In this episode of the Production and Distribution stream of the Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast, ALLi nonfiction adviser Anna Featherstone speaks with Brad Andalman, co-founder of Vellum, the popular book formatting software used by thousands of indie authors. They discuss Vellum's origins, its evolution, and how it fits into the book production process—especially for authors looking to maintain control, streamline workflow, and update files efficiently. Brad also shares insights on how authors use Vellum in unexpected ways, recent feature updates, and how the team prioritizes new tools based on author feedback and publishing trends. 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. Sponsors This podcast 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. This podcast is also sponsored by Gatekeeper Press, the all-inclusive Gold Standard in Publishing, offering authors 100% rights, royalties, satisfaction and worldwide distribution. Gatekeeper Press, Where Authors are Family. About the Host Anna Featherstone is ALLi's nonfiction adviser and an author advocate and mentor. A judge of The Australian Business Book Awards and Australian Society of Travel Writers awards, she's also the founder of Bold Authors and presents author marketing and self-publishing workshops for organizations, including Byron Writers Festival. Anna has authored books including how-to and memoirs and her book Look-It's Your Book! about writing, publishing, marketing, and leveraging nonfiction is on the Australian Society of Authors recommended reading list. When she's not being bookish, Anna's into bees, beings, and the big issues of our time. About the Guest Brad Andalman is the co-founder of 180g, the company behind Vellum—the Mac-based software that simplifies professional-grade book formatting for indie authors. He launched the company in 2012 alongside Brad West after more than a decade at Pixar Animation Studios, where he helped build next-generation animation and rendering tools.

Amazon's automated takedown system is being abused by people filing new trademark applications that are in "PENDING" (and not "REGISTERED") status. Here's what we can do about it

I'm sharing the design strategy that helped me scale my print on demand business to where it started making regular sales. I'm talking 1 sale a day! Which adds up to quite a bit of money after a year goes by

✨ Suis-moi sur Instagram : https://instagram.com/laurita.socaliente/ Parfois, on traverse des phases de doute, des phases de down, on se sent mal, inadapté, pas à sa place, et pire encore, on a l'impression d'être une fraude, un échec... Dans cet épisode, on reprend les bases : - Ce n'est pas un manque de motivation ou d'énergie, mais un manque de focus - Le rejet est une redirection - Vous avez un avantage injuste ! - Si quelqu'un vous dit non, vous ne demandez pas à la bonne personne - On a tous un besoin commun - Dis moi où tu vis je te dirai pourquoi ça ne va pas. - Les réseaux sociaux : une fausse bonne idée A tout de suite ;)

ALLi Director Orna Ross unpacks the first court ruling on AI's use of copyrighted books and why it matters to indie authors. She explains how the judge balanced “fair use” with pirate copying, then walks through ALLi's Four Cs—consent, compensation, clarity, and curiosity—to show authors where the real battles lie. Along the way, Ross offers clear steps for safeguarding your work, engaging readers, and keeping your creativity alive while tech giants and courts hammer out the details. Sponsor This podcast 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. About the Host Orna Ross launched the Alliance of Independent Authors at the London Book Fair in 2012. Her work for ALLi has seen her named as one of The Bookseller's “100 top people in publishing”. She also publishes poetry, fiction, and nonfiction and is greatly excited by the democratizing, empowering potential of author-publishing. For more information about Orna, visit her website.

In this episode I'm sharing 5 print on demand niches that you can target to increase your sales in the near future

Hey there, Product Bosses! Welcome to the very first episode of our brand new mini-series: Ask Jacq. These are short, powerful coaching episodes where I answer real questions from students inside our programs like Standout Society and the Product Boss Sales Accelerator. Because sometimes all it takes is one good question to unlock your next big breakthrough.In this episode, we dive into three insightful coaching moments. First, I help a handmade salve maker figure out how to shift her focus away from a boutique mix and double down on her handmade best sellers. Then, we explore product selection for a print-on-demand brand and the importance of brand-building versus sampling everything. Finally, we talk strategy around pricing tiers and what really makes a “best seller” in a collection with multiple sizes.Whether you're wondering how to narrow your focus, eliminate decision fatigue for your customers, or simply identify your hero product—you'll walk away from this episode with clarity and actionable ideas. Let's get into it!Resources:If you've ever wished that someone would just tell you exactly what works when it comes to scaling your product brand into real money, then I have something really special for you. I put together a special bundle of our top podcast episodes. Check out this totally free playlist of episodes here.Join our mailing list for access to additional training and support to turn your business into the best it can be.Consistent content is key to getting more people to see and buy your products. If you want to create great content but you don't know what to say, or you feel too busy, or you just don't want to be the face of your brand, no worries – because we've got you covered with a year's worth of consistent content that's sure to resonate with your audience! If you want to see how easy this can be, click here.Connect:Website: theproductboss.comInstagram: @theproductbossMentioned in this Episode:InstacartDiscover more about how Instacart can work for you!Click here to learn moreGlociUse Code JACQUELINESNYDER to get 15% OFF your order! Click here to shop now!

How did a simple t-shirt brand built on optimism grow into a $150 million business? Life Is Good president Tom Hassell shares how the company reshored production, adopted print-on-demand, and stayed committed to purpose-driven growth.For more on Life Is Good and show notes click here. Subscribe and watch Shopify Masters on YouTube!Sign up for your FREE Shopify Trial here.

It's the Witch Wave Season 8 Finale! Tourmaline is an award-winning artist, filmmaker, writer, and activist whose work is dedicated to Black trans joy and freedom. She's the author of the new book Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson, which is the first comprehensive – and utterly beautiful! - biography of the visionary trans activist. Her prior book, One Day in June, is a picture book about Marsha and the Stonewall Uprising. Tourmaline is a TIME 100 Most Influential Person in the World awardee and a Guggenheim Fellow. She has frequently appeared on ABC News, as well as in the New York Times and Vogue. Her art is in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Tate, and the Getty Museum. She created the critically acclaimed film Happy Birthday, Marsha!, and she has directed Pride campaigns for Dove, Marc Jacobs, and Reebok. She previously worked with Queers for Economic Justice and the Sylvia Rivera Law Project.Tourmaline lives in Miami, Florida, but she was able to join Pam in person in the podcast studio here in Brooklyn!On this episode, Tourmaline discusses the magical activism of Marsha P. Johnson, the importance of freedom dreaming and liberatory manifestation, and how we can conjure future flourishing for all. Pam also talks about the deep kinship between witches and the queer community, and answers a listener question about a bewitching gift for a new mom.Check out the video of this episode over on YouTube (and please like and subscribe to the channel while you're at it!)Our sponsors for this episode are Ritual + Shelter, Mixed Color, Wheel of Fate, The Witch Summit, LOGOS Candles, BetterHelp, PaganPagesOrg, and Black Phoenix Alchemy LabWe also have print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here, and all sorts of other bewitching goodies available in the Witch Wave shop.And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to detailed show notes, bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam's monthly online rituals, and more! That's patreon.com/witchwave

297. Unlocking Your Creative Potential: The Power of Books In this episode, Mike Brennan discusses the creative process and the journey of writing and publishing books. He emphasizes the importance of creativity in everyone's life and explores various formats for creative expression, particularly through books. Mike shares his personal experiences with creating multiple books, including 'Dear Snow', 'Dear Human', and 'Make Fun a Habit', detailing the inspiration behind each project and the self-publishing process. He encourages listeners to embrace their creativity and consider writing their own books as a means of sharing their unique perspectives and experiences. 3 Key Takeaways:

In this week’s Throwback Thursday segment, see how a side hustler built a thriving print-on-demand business by tapping into ultra-specific niches—like “retired paramedic” mugs—without ever spending on ads. Side Hustle School features a new episode EVERY DAY, featuring detailed case studies of people who earn extra money without quitting their job. This year, the show includes free guided lessons and listener Q&A several days each week. Show notes: SideHustleSchool.com Email: team@sidehustleschool.com Be on the show: SideHustleSchool.com/questions Connect on Instagram: @193countries Visit Chris's main site: ChrisGuillebeau.com Read A Year of Mental Health: yearofmentalhealth.com If you're enjoying the show, please pass it along! It's free and has been published every single day since January 1, 2017. We're also very grateful for your five-star ratings—it shows that people are listening and looking forward to new episodes.