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 im...
Jul 22, 2025•44 min•Ep. 297
Matty Dalrymple talks with Kerrie Flanagan about ARTICLE WRITING FOR PLATFORM AND PROFIT, including practical strategies for finding paying markets—and why you should stop giving your work away for free. From her first paid piece in Better Homes and Gardens to her advice on researching and targeting the right outlets, Kerrie offers encouraging, actionable guidance to help writers turn their passion into income. Interview video at https://bit.ly/TIAPYTPlaylist Show notes at https://www.theindyaut...
Jul 15, 2025•41 min•Ep. 296
Matty Dalrymple talks with Hannah Jacobson about UNLOCKING THE POWER OF BOOK AWARDS, including changes within the book awards landscape, particularly the increasing acceptance of indie-published works; practical tips on selecting and submitting to the right awards; how to leverage wins for maximum benefit; the value of receiving and incorporating feedback from award entries; and how authors can share their award journey with readers to build engagement, even if it doesn't end in a win. Interview...
Jul 08, 2025•42 min•Ep. 295
Matty Dalrymple talks with Timons Esaias about WARFARE FOR WRITERS, including how military history can serve as an invaluable resource for authors crafting stories that involve conflict, whether they are set in fantasy, science fiction, or historical periods. While warfare might seem intimidating to many writers, Esaias provides insights and guidance on how to incorporate elements of military history and strategy into fiction in a way that's engaging and informative. Interview video at https://b...
Jul 01, 2025•40 min•Ep. 294
Matty Dalrymple talks with Jennifer Hilt and Ran Walker about WHAT WRITERS CAN LEARN FROM "THE FULL MONTY," including the idea of characters' external wants versus internal needs; the use of tropes such as found family, ticking time bombs, and ugly duckling progressions; and how the film uses one element to convey multiple messages. We discuss how the movie explores themes of masculinity, self-image, and societal expectations, and reflect on what makes the movie universally appealing and emotion...
Jun 24, 2025•54 min•Ep. 293
Matty Dalrymple talks with Greta Boris about REVIVING A SERIES, including the process authors can use to evaluate what went wrong with the original work; the importance of ensuring that titles, covers, and marketing strategies are brand right; and the specific steps authors can take to improve the books' craft, tighten plots, and align better with genre expectations. Interview video at https://youtu.be/Bu6YY2QWSxA Show notes at https://www.theindyauthor.com/show-notes If you find the information...
Jun 17, 2025•48 min•Ep. 292
Matty Dalrymple talks with Mark Leslie Lefebvre about THE PODCAST GUEST PLAYBOOK, including tips and strategies for being an effective podcast guest, emphasizing the importance of understanding the host's perspective, making the process as easy as possible for the host, and focusing on the value you can provide to the audience—if you do that, the benefits will accrue to you naturally! We highlight the importance of the Three Ps—professionalism, preparedness, and politeness— throughout the proces...
Jun 10, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 291
Matty Dalrymple talks with Luke Richardson about THE TRAVELING WRITER IN LIFE AND ON THE PAGE, including how his travels to places like India, Hong Kong, Nepal, and Morocco have inspired his novels, as well as his process for incorporating realistic and vivid settings into his stories. He addresses the challenges writers face when creating stories set in places they haven't visited, shares research resources authors can use for book promotion as well as for writing, and offers best practices for...
Jun 03, 2025•45 min•Ep. 290
Matty Dalrymple talks with Ran Walker about CRAFTING POETIC PROSE, including the nuanced art of using poetic devices in fiction to bring language to life, venturing into various literary techniques, including metaphor and simile, personification, symbolism, homonyms, homophones, and homographs, and onomatopoeia, and exploring how these elements can enrich narratives and engage readers in more profound ways. Interview video at https://tinyurl.com/TIA289YT Show notes at https://www.theindyauthor.c...
May 27, 2025•44 min•Ep. 289
Matty Dalrymple talks with Jennifer Hilt about DECODING STORYTELLING TROPES, including the universality of about 40 tropes that cross various genres, especially the tropes of found family, misdirection, secrets and scars, and the ticking time bomb. Jennifer shares insights about how tropes like these help shape narratives and character motivations, touching on examples from popular books and movies. Interview video at https://bit.ly/TIAPYTPlaylist Show notes at https://www.theindyauthor.com/288-...
May 20, 2025•39 min•Ep. 288
Matty Dalrymple talks with Roz Morris about MANAGING YOUR EDITORIAL CREW, including how authors can effectively manage their editing process, the role beta readers play in the development of an author's work, what the needs are for editing before submitting a work to a traditional publisher or an agent, and tips for indie authors on making the most out of their editing experiences and dollars. Interview video at https://bit.ly/TIAPYTPlaylist Show notes at https://www.theindyauthor.com/podcast.ht...
May 13, 2025•42 min•Ep. 287
Matty Dalrymple talks with Johnny B. Truant about THE NEW NORMAL OF AN AUTHOR CAREER, including the evolving landscape of self-publishing, the dilemma of comparisonitis, the need to accept slow growth in one's author career as the new norm, the value of patience, and the warning signs when patience turns into a rut. Interview video at https://bit.ly/TIAPYTPlaylist Show notes at https://www.theindyauthor.com/podcast.html If you find the information in this video useful, please consider supporting...
May 06, 2025•40 min•Ep. 286
Matty Dalrymple talks with Art Taylor about WRITING SHORT, including common challenges faced by novelists transitioning to short stories. Art emphasizes the importance of economy, efficiency, and focus; shares practical advice on trimming word count while maintaining narrative impact, such as eliminating redundant phrases and opting for active voice; and explores how key elements—like conflict escalation and character development—must be handled differently in short stories. Interview video at h...
Apr 29, 2025•41 min•Ep. 285
Matty Dalrymple talks with Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer about TRAINING THE BRAIN FOR FICTION DICTATION, including the differences in approach for fiction versus nonfiction. Sarah describes the challenges authors face when transitioning to dictating fiction and offers practical advice for overcoming mental blocks. Sarah also highlights the flexibility of dictation, allowing authors to work in different environments and in shorter time blocks. And she discusses how dictation can improve other audio asse...
Apr 22, 2025•41 min•Ep. 284
Matty Dalrymple talks with Kevin Tumlinson about WRITING PIVOTS AND THE POWER OF HUMILITY, including Kevin's journey of moving from a pantser to an outliner. They discuss his reasons for adopting outlining, influenced by his co-authoring project with J.D. Barker, and the cognitive challenges he faced during the transition. Kevin also speaks candidly about his existential crisis and burnout from overcommitting to activities outside writing, revealing how it affected his creative process. The conv...
Apr 15, 2025•44 min•Ep. 283
Matty Dalrymple talks with Rossana Corniel about UNLOCKING THE POWER OF BOOK REVIEWS, including the importance of reviews in understanding reader expectations and forming effective marketing strategies. Rossana discusses the finding that research shows that reviews can significantly impact sales and reader trust; the importance of tailoring your book's cover and description to your target audience ; and the emotional challenge of dealing with low-star reviews. The conversation also touches upon ...
Apr 08, 2025•42 min•Ep. 282
Matty Dalrymple talks with Liesel Hill about USING RELEVANCE TO SAVE YOUR DARLINGS, including the importance of integrating emotional connection and subconscious storytelling to retain seemingly irrelevant scenes by making them essential. Topics include multi-tasking in scenes, pacing, evoking emotion, character arcs, purposeful character deaths, maintaining continuity in series, and avoiding unnecessary plot elements. Interview video at https://bit.ly/TIAPYTPlaylist Show notes at https://www.th...
Apr 01, 2025•34 min•Ep. 281
Matty Dalrymple talks with Clay Stafford about INSIDER TIPS FROM WRITING CONTEST JUDGES, including what judges look for in submissions, such as originality, strong voice, and proper pacing. Clay shares insights into the judging process, highlighting the necessity of engaging the reader early, avoiding errors, and understanding the contest’s goals and audience. They discuss the importance of submitting polished work, ensuring the right contest fit, and the potential benefits of feedback from crit...
Mar 25, 2025•52 min•Ep. 280
Matty Dalrymple talks with Troy Lambert about LINKEDIN STRATEGIES FOR AUTHORS, including the evolving role of LinkedIn for authors. We delve into strategies for optimizing LinkedIn profiles, engaging with peers, and understanding platform nuances to enhance professional presence, network effectively, and perhaps build a side hustle. Interview video at https://bit.ly/TIAPYTPlaylist Show notes at https://www.theindyauthor.com/podcast.html If you find the information in this video useful, please co...
Mar 18, 2025•44 min•Ep. 279
Matty Dalrymple talks with Malorie Cooper about THE PERKS AND PITFALLS OF FACEBOOK ADS, including the significance of high-contrast images and textual elements in ad creatives, the benefits and drawbacks of Facebook's automated targeting suggestions, and the latest updates in Facebook's targeting mechanisms that can affect ad performance. Mal emphasizes the need for authors to diversify their advertising efforts, touching on the importance of also experimenting with platforms like Amazon Ads and...
Mar 11, 2025•47 min•Ep. 278
Matty Dalrymple talks with Leah Paulos about BOOK PROMOTION AND HOW TO BREAK THROUGH THE NOISE, including the importance of early marketing planning, crafting concise and compelling pitches, and understanding the specific needs of different recipients. Leah also delves into leveraging email lists, using AI tools for crafting pitches, building relationships with influencers, and the long-tail approach to post-publication promotion. Leah provides practical tips for authors to maximize their promot...
Mar 04, 2025•45 min•Ep. 277
Matty Dalrymple talks with Kathryn Goldman about NAVIGATING LEGAL RISK IN MEMOIR, including the delicate balance memoir writers must strike to avoid defamation, invasion of privacy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Kathryn explains the legal definitions and elements of these terms and offers advice on minimizing risk, emphasizing the importance of factual accuracy and distinguishing between statements of fact and opinion. We also discuss the complexities of protecting oneself wh...
Feb 25, 2025•47 min•Ep. 276
Matty Dalrymple talks with Michael La Ronn about GETTING UNSTUCK IN BOOK MARKETING AND PROMOTION, including how authors can get unstuck when traditional methods like ads and blogger reviews are not affordable or effective. He emphasizes the importance of having an email list and a reader magnet, using strategic pricing, updating book descriptions, and optimizing back matter. They also discuss leveraging relationships with other authors for cross-promotion and the potential of using Kickstarter. ...
Feb 18, 2025•53 min•Ep. 275
Matty Dalrymple talks with Joanne McLaughlin about ELEVATING YOUR PRESENCE WITH PANEL APPEARANCES, including participating in panels as a way to build confidence, network, and promote one's work. We discuss the importance of contributing meaningfully during panels and the benefits of both genre-specific and non-genre-specific conferences, and we touch on the roles of moderators, the structure of panels, and how varied experiences can enhance panel discussions. Interview video at https://bit.ly/T...
Feb 11, 2025•31 min•Ep. 274
Matty Dalrymple talks with Cheryl McKay about SHOWRUNNING YOUR SERIES NOVELS, including how to plan for standalone versus series formats; the role of episodic elements; the benefits of feeling inspired by and using real-world locations in storytelling; the importance of character development and story arcs; and the importance of making strong standalone stories with potential for growth or spinoffs. We also discuss the responsibilities of a showrunner and how this role parallels the varied dutie...
Feb 04, 2025•46 min•Ep. 273
Matty Dalrymple talks with Joanna Penn about THE EVOLVING AUTHOR AND SECOND EDITIONS, including the release of the second edition of Joanna's book, HOW TO WRITE NON-FICTION. Joanna discusses the changes in nonfiction writing, including the importance of storytelling, which led her to apply some of the personal elements and insights she has used in her memoir works into this new edition. We delve into the challenges and benefits of putting out a new edition versus updating the existing one, the e...
Jan 28, 2025•54 min•Ep. 272
Matty Dalrymple talks with Tiffany Yates Martin about TAPPING INTO YOUR AUTHOR VOICE, including how many writers mistakenly view voice as an external element they need to find or impose on their work. Instead, she believes that true voice comes from genuinely accessing and expressing one's internal truths, a process that can feel quite daunting. Tiffany emphasizes that an authentic voice is not about adopting a façade but rather about tapping into what is true to the author and allowing it to em...
Jan 14, 2025•45 min•Ep. 271
Matty Dalrymple talks with Kate Tilton about AUTHOR ASSISTANTS: FINDING ONE OR BEING ONE, including the various types of support an author assistant can offer, from organizing emails and managing forums to handling newsletters and connecting with PR firms. We explore the complexities of finding the right assistant, balancing workload, and the importance of clear communication and trust. Kate also touches on strategies for authors who find themselves overwhelmed and seeking help, providing valuab...
Jan 07, 2025•39 min•Ep. 270
Matty Dalrymple talks with Dre Baldwin about THE DISCIPLINE-DRIVEN PATH TO SUCCESS, including the importance of having clear goals to maintain focus; the role of discipline, time management, execution, and planning in achieving goals; the value of seeking external perspectives and of sharing your goals only with those who can provide support to achieve them; and practical tips for overcoming writer's block. Interview video at https://bit.ly/TIAPYTPlaylist Show notes at https://www.theindyauthor....
Dec 31, 2024•38 min•Ep. 269
Matty Dalrymple talks with Rene Gutteridge about WHAT AUTHORS SHOULD NOT LEARN FROM MOVIES, including how crucial point of view and inner monologue are in novel writing compared to the visual storytelling required in movies; how writers can mistakenly adopt a “director's” approach, leading to overly descriptive and less engaging prose; and delve the science behind the different brain functions of hobbyist writers versus professional authors. We touch on how conciseness in movies contrasts with t...
Dec 17, 2024•44 min•Ep. 268
