The Indy Author Podcast

Matty Dalrymple talks with Michael La Ronn about THE POCKET GUIDE TO PANTSING, including honoring what your brain is trying to do; retrospective outlining for pantsers; cycling through your story; meeting the characters where they are; surprising the reader (and yourself); the challenge of writing into the dark across a series; using AI to create a story bible (but how spreadsheets still work better than AI); differentiating fear from anxiety; and giving yourself permission to trust yourself. You can also listen to me talk myself into the viability of using pantsing for mysteries.   Interview video at https://youtu.be/C40q2qkJ4SM   Show notes (including transcript) at https://www.theindyauthor.com/234---the-pocket-guide-to-pantsing.html   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   Michael La Ronn is the author of over forty science fiction & fantasy novels and self-help books for writers. He runs the popular YouTube channel Author Level Up and serves on the staff of the Alliance of Independent Authors as a US Ambassador, and he also co-hosts the AskALLi Member Q&A Podcast.   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 is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Matty Dalrymple talks with Pamela Fagan Hutchins about DATA-DRIVEN PUBLISHING, including business and creative collaboration with a publisher; the rise of "super indie / alt traditional”; changing one's genre or plotting approach based on the data; battling imposter syndrome; the danger of violating reader expectations and the power of targeting the enthusiastic sub-genre fan; and the value of writing between bright lines.   Interview video at https://youtu.be/6-los8ndB5k   Show notes (including transcript) at https://www.theindyauthor.com/233---data-driven-publishing.html   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   Pamela Fagan Hutchins is a USA Today bestselling and Amazon All Star mystery / thriller / suspense author who believes in soulmates, loves to laugh, and lives out the adventures in her books at a rustic lake camp at Maine’s Mooselook Lake and in an off-the-grid lodge on the face of Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains with her husband, sled dogs, and draft horses. She was also a guest on an installment of my video series What I Learned, when we talked about her book HER LAST CRY.   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 is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Matty Dalrymple talks with Bryan Cohen about WHAT HAS CHANGED AND STAYED THE SAME WITH AMAZON ADS, including ads as a research tool; whether Amazon product pages are actually getting busier; the impact of A+ content; the advice to go deep rather than wide on ad platforms; how AI is (or might be) changing the ad game; budgeting for beginners; and whether one book is enough for an ad campaign.   Interview video at https://youtu.be/1zBrNjHc7tk   Show notes (including transcript) at https://www.theindyauthor.com/232---what-has-changed-and-stayed-the-same-with-amazon-ads.html   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   Bryan Cohen is the CEO of Best Page Forward and Author Ad School. He's helped over 30,000 authors learn ads through his 5-Day Author Ad Profit Challenge. He also runs the Author Ad Agency, which helps full-time authors to scale up their self-publishing earnings. He lives in North Carolina with his wife, daughter, and cat.   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 is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Matty Dalrymple talks with Roland Denzel about AIM LOWER - THE SECRET TO HITTING BIG GOALS IS TARGETS SO EASY YOU CAN'T MISS THEM, including how big goals teach bad habits, how tiny dopamine hits mean the world to your habits, how habits need slack and an expiration date, and his advice: One at a time, please.   Interview video at https://youtu.be/-gdGMff0zG8   Show notes (including transcript) at https://www.theindyauthor.com/231---aim-lower---the-secret-to-hitting-big-goals.html   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   Roland Denzel created The Indestructible Author in 2015 to help authors just like him be more productive and write more books, all while staying healthy, happy, and sane. You might know Roland as the author of numerous health, fitness, and nutrition books, a health coach, and a restorative exercise specialist, but the truth is Roland has always been an author first. He has written over ten books, dozens of short stories, hundreds of blog posts and articles, and at least one poem, all while raising a family and working a sixty-hour a week day job.   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 is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Matty Dalrymple talks with Megan Haskell and Jennifer Hilt about THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE SURPRISING OF KICKSTARTER. They offer their insider perspectives, covering both fiction and non-fiction books, including how Kickstarters enables authors to tap into a growing desire among readers for access to creators; which comes first, a Kickstarter campaign or a reader community; how Kickstarter has become a platform where readers browse for books (and aren’t looking for bargains); the importance of starting small; the challenge of data management; the value of a campaign as market research; ideas for backer tier offerings; which parts of the campaign were harder or easier than they expected; and the importance of not just adding a Kickstarter campaign on top of your existing schedule and of building in rest time.   Interview video at https://youtu.be/vB5dVP9xg3E   Show notes (including transcript) at https://www.theindyauthor.com/230---the-good-the-bad-and-the-surprising-of-kickstarter.html   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   Megan Haskell is the award-winning author of The Sanyare Chronicles, the epic fantasy "Forged in Shadow," and a women’s contemporary fantasy series, starting with "Aether Bound." And she and Greta Boris are the forces behind The Author Wheel. Jennifer Hilt is the author of THE TROPE THESAURUS series, including TROPE YOUR WAY TO A STRONGER STORY and books on horror and romance tropes. She is also the USA Today bestselling author of 24 books across four pen names. And Jennifer is my co-host for the MINING THE MOVIES WITH TROPETALK video series that you’ll find on The Indy Author YouTube channel.   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 is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Authors, who would like to tap into another 20% of the reading population? You can do that by making your works accessible to the community of potential readers with print disabilities.   Matty Dalrymple talks with Michael Johnson about HOW TO MAKE YOUR WORK ACCESSIBLE, including the requirements of digital accessibility, such as making images and graphs and charts accessible; tools and services for accommodating accessibility; IP financial and rights considerations; SEO benefits; and the impact of AI. Michael talks about both the social obligations of making work accessible as well as the financial benefits of doing so—there’s a substantial audience out there eager for more accessible content.   Interview video at https://youtu.be/lQHoHCLusoE   Show notes (including transcript) at https://www.theindyauthor.com/229---how-to-make-your-work-accessible.html   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   Michael Johnson is a seasoned executive with almost 40 years of experience in the technology, publishing, and distribution markets. He is the Vice President of Content at Benetech, working with publishers, conversion houses, technology platforms, and booksellers to help them understand and implement processes that allow for accessible content to get from authors all the way through to the end reader.   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 is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

This week on The Indy Author Podcast, I have Part 2 of a wide-ranging conversation with Nick Thacker about SIX KEYS TO AUTHOR SUCCESS. In this episode we talk about BUILDING AN AUTHOR PLATFORM, including the importance of building on land that you own; NETWORKING AND COMMUNITY, and the options offered by in-person and virtual communities; and ADAPTABILITY AND PERSISTENCE, including whether persistence can ever be a disadvantage.   Interview video at https://youtu.be/2ZPUep-pDBM   Show notes (including transcript) at https://www.theindyauthor.com/228---six-keys-to-author-success-part-2.html   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   Nick Thacker is a USA Today Bestselling Author of over 40 thrillers. He owns and operates Conundrum Publishing and Book Career in A Year and runs the write/repeat workshops and writing intensives. He is also the founder of Author.Email, the only email marketing platform for specifically for authors, and RadioWrite.com, the 24/7 writing inspiration radio platform, and he is the VP of Author Success with Draft2Digital. His passion is to help authors figure out what their plan is — not just the “what,” but the “how” and the “why.”   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 is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Matty Dalrymple talks with Nick Thacker about SIX KEYS TO AUTHOR SUCCESS PART 1, including This week on The Indy Author Podcast, I have Part 1 of a wide-ranging conversation with Nick Thacker about SIX KEYS TO AUTHOR SUCCESS. In this episode we talk about QUALITY WRITING, including how marketing serves as a force multiplier for our craft; the opportunities and the responsibility of being your own gatekeeper; balancing quality control with over-engineering; and how writing the first draft is assembling the raw material for your creation ... or maybe like building sandcastles. We talk about PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATION, and the importance of setting the right expectations with your packaging, understanding the cover design tropes of your genre, accepting that cover design isn't one-and-done, and ways indy authors can provide better quality than trad pub. And we talk about the three buckets of STRATEGIC MARKETING: email, social media marketing, and advertising.   Interview video at https://youtu.be/XPYf7vDFGPQ   Show notes (including transcript) at https://www.theindyauthor.com/227---six-keys-to-author-success---part-1.html   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   Nick Thacker is a USA Today Bestselling Author of over 40 thrillers. He owns and operates Conundrum Publishing and Book Career in A Year and runs the write/repeat workshops and writing intensives. He is also the founder of Author.Email, the only email marketing platform for specifically for authors, and RadioWrite.com, the 24/7 writing inspiration radio platform, and he is the VP of Author Success with Draft2Digital. His passion is to help authors figure out what their plan is — not just the “what,” but the “how” and the “why.”   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 is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Matty Dalrymple talks with David Morris about FROM GATEKEEPERS TO GUIDES: THE EVOLVING ROLE OF AGENTS, including the decline of gatekeeper roles in the publishing world; the agent business model and how it is evolving, including the emergence of an indie equivalent of the agent role; red flags to watch out for when seeking that support; and the role of hybrid publishers.   Interview video at https://youtu.be/WGdEoQNSN2A   Show notes (including transcript) at https://www.theindyauthor.com/226---from-gatekeepers-to-guides-the-evolving-role-of-agents.html   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 Morris is a creative leader, content strategist, and accomplished professional with 30 years of publishing experience. He has worked for major publishers like HarperCollins and Guideposts Books at the executive level with both bestselling and debut authors. David is a literary agent at Hyponymous Consulting and the founder and publisher of Lake Drive Books, an independent hybrid publisher.   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 is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Matty Dalrymple talks with Kristina Adams about RIGHT-TIMING YOUR RELEASE STRATEGY, including the creative price of too-rapid release and the importance of choosing your own “right-timed” schedule; the need for sustainability in an author career; the influence of the writing communities you join or create; distinguishing burnout from temporary boredom; the importance of keeping the writing sacred and the red flag of writing out of a sense of obligation; pursuing the trifecta of fun, energy, and money; deciding what to stop; and the creative value of stepping away from the work.   Show notes (including transcript) at https://www.theindyauthor.com/podcast.html and search for "225"   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   Kristina Adams is the author of 17 novels, 3 books for writers, and too many blog posts to count. She publishes mother / daughter ghost stories as K.C. Adams. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dog or inflicting cooking experiments on her boyfriend.   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 is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Matty Dalrymple talks with Todd Fahnestock about SECRETS OF MAXIMIZING IN-PERSON SALES, including the background of Todd’s less than successful early in-person sales experiences; his first success, and what he learned from it; how to find the opportunities, and the power of saying yes to everything (with some caveats); how to achieve a professional set-up, including advice on effective banner design, book displays, and use of QR codes; the four categories of readers, and tips for improving your changes of a sale for each; how to overcome the fear of being too salesy; options for a low impact approach when sales is not your main goal; the vital importance of understanding your goals and of knowing your numbers; and the importance of setting boundaries and conserving your energy. Show notes at https://www.theindyauthor.com/224---secrets-of-maximizing-in-person-sales.html 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 Todd Fahnestock is an award-winning, #1 bestselling author of fantasy for all ages and winner of the New York Public Library’s Books for the Teen Age Award. He is a founder of Eldros Legacy—a multi-author, shared-world epic fantasy series—two-time winner of the Colorado Authors League Award for Writing Excellence, and four-time finalist for the Colorado Book Award for Tower of the Four: The Champions Academy, Khyven the Unkillable, Lorelle of the Dark, and Tower of the Four: The Dragon’s War. His passions are great stories and his quirky, fun-loving family. 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 is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Matty Dalrymple talks with JP Rindfleisch about THE TOLLING BELL & THE STORY HYPOTHESIS, including the formula of Story Hypothesis (initial want + developing need + true need); the nine fundamental needs and identifying the driving needs; using the Story Hypothesis to create a resonating theme; the downside of how the concept of "theme" is usually taught; the power of a non-hierarchical approach; applying the Story Hypothesis to a series; and considering the driving needs of the antagonist (with a fun conversation about Hannibal Lecter). Links, summary, and transcript at https://www.theindyauthor.com/223---the-tolling-bell--the-story-hypothesis.html 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 JP Rindfleisch IX, is a writer, editor, and podcaster from Rockford, Illinois, who loves the dark, strange, and queer. They co-author NRDS: National Recently Deceased Services with Jeff Elkins and the Leah Ackerman Dark Urban Fantasy series with AB Cohen. JP also penned the cozy queer fantasy Mandrake Manor. They co-host Writer's Ink podcast with JD Barker, Christine Daigle, Kevin Tumlinson, and Patrick O'Donnell, discussing author interviews and publishing news. JP also leads a local authors' group in Rockford Illinois with over 60 members, dedicated to promoting, educating, and connecting writers with opportunities to enhance their careers and community presence. 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 is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Matty Dalrymple talks with Mary Carroll Moore about PERFECTING YOUR STORY'S TRAJECTORY, including the value of having a visual map of your story's structure; the importance of understanding the triggering event that generates the crisis and the turn from outer to inner crisis; the power of considering how the question posed at the beginning of the story maps to the answer given at the end of the story; adjusting a plot to meet genre tropes; the often overlooked arc of setting and avoiding setting cliches; and using a storyboard to check for cause and effect. Links, summary, and transcript at https://www.theindyauthor.com/222---perfecting-your-storys-trajectory.html 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 Mary Carroll Moore is the author of 14 books in 3 genres, including the Amazon bestselling novel and Hot New Release, A WOMAN'S GUIDE TO SEARCH & RESCUE, and in fact, I met Mary when I interviewed her about that book as part of my WHAT I LEARNED video series. She’s also the author of the PEN-Faulkner nominated novel QUALITIES OF LIGHT. She has taught storyboarding and writing craft for two decades at writing schools around the U.S., including Grub Street in Boston and the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis. 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 is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Matty Dalrymple talks with Stephanie Chandler about LEVERAGING YOUR TRIBE OF INFLUENCE, including the power of tapping into your existing tribe and of expanding beyond that tribe; the value of beta readers to address the problem of obscurity; the downside of promoting outside your target audience, of selling to other writers, and of relying on the "rented real estate" of social media; the importance of creating a reciprocal relationship and exhibiting professionalism; tips for pursuing aspirational contacts; and how each new contact opens a network of others. Links, summary, and transcript at https://www.theindyauthor.com/221---leveraging-your-tribe-of-influence.html  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 Stephanie Chandler is the author of several books including The Nonfiction Book Publishing Plan. She is CEO of the Nonfiction Authors Association, a vibrant community for writers, and the Nonfiction Writers Conference, a live event conducted entirely online since 2010. A frequent speaker at business events and on the radio, she has been featured in Entrepreneur, BusinessWeek, The Writer, Writer’s Digest, and Wired magazine. 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 is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

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 Matty Dalrymple talks with Michelle Glogovac about PODCASTING PLAYBOOK: NAVIGATING GUEST OPPORTUNITIES, including pitching to a podcast is similar to or different from other pitches in a writer’s life; the importance of pitching not just the book but the person behind the book; finding good podcast matches, both by finding your niche and by pushing the boundaries; the differences between fiction and non-fiction pitches; whether repetition of a story a problem; the dangers of following a script; a behind-the-scenes glimpses of a podcaster's life; the vital importance of repurposing; the pro tip of making a Spotify playlist of your podcast appearances; and the value of sharing freely (you won’t cannibalize book sales). As a bonus, I solicited advice from previous podcasts guests about their tips for excelling once you land the guest appearance, and you’ll be hearing from Michael La Ronn, Jerri Williams, Melissa Addey, Frank Zafiro, and Emma Dhesi. Links, summary, and transcript at https://bit.ly/TIAP220 Michelle Glogovac is THE Podcast Matchmaker™, a podcast publicist, and host of the award-winning podcast, My Simplified Life. She works with entrepreneurs, authors, and experts to hone their storytelling abilities, grow their businesses, and elevate themselves as thought leaders. Michelle is a wife, mom of two, stepmom of two, and a fur mom. She has her B.A. and M.S. in Law and is the Founder and CEO of The MLG Collective®.  Her first book, HOW TO GET ON PODCASTS, debuts in January 2024. 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 is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Did you find the information in this video useful? Please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple Matty Dalrymple talks with John DeDakis about The Productive Power of Organization and Procrastination, including organizing content and research material and the value of compartmentalizing; organizational approaches with Excel, MS Word, and Scrivener (and alternatives to each), including pairing a draft document with a journal document; creating a synopsis as you write; tapping into AI for synopses and sales descriptions (a nice follow-on to last week's discussion with Kaylin Tristano about STORY BIBLES AND HOW AI CAN HELP); managing your writer business relationships, including a Dropbox tool for obtaining virtual signatures; not letting the (organizational) tail wag the (writing) dog; the power of percolation; and the value of procrastination. Links, summary, and transcript at https://bit.ly/TIAP219   John DeDakis is an award-winning author of five mystery-suspense-thriller novels, a writing coach and instructor, a manuscript editor, a former editor on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer," and a former White House correspondent. In his spare time he’s an amateur jazz drummer. John is also the host of the video podcast ONE-TO-ONE. His latest book is FAKE. In fact I got to talk about FAKE with John on my video series WHAT I LEARNED ( https://bit.ly/WIL_John_DeDakis ). 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 is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Did you find the information in this video useful? Please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple Matty Dalrymple talks with Kaylin Tristano about STORY BIBLES AND HOW AI CAN HELP. If you’re tired of discussions about AI, you’ll find plenty to interest you in the first half of our conversation, and if you’re not tired of AI, you’ll find some great tips for uses of AI for authors that go way beyond the creation of story bibles. We start out our conversation discussing story bibles in a more traditional context, including what information is important to capture, and how much is too much; capturing story bible details during a proofread (or proof listen); and expanding our idea of story bibles beyond text to include things like maps and audio. In the AI-focused part of our conversation, we discuss tips for prompting; the need to babysit AI; using AI for brainstorming; concerns about AI and piracy; and how the different AI platforms use your data. Links, summary, and transcript at https://bit.ly/TIAP218   Kaylin Tristano is an indie author who has been writing contemporary romance and romantic suspense as Cara Malone for the past 7 years. She is also a freelance editor with Happy Ever Author, specialized in helping other indie authors produce great books. She has a bachelor's degree in writing and a master's in library science. 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 is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Did you find the information in this video useful? Please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple Matty Dalrymple talks with Andrea DeWerd about THE MANY LEVERS OF YOUR AUTHOR PLATFORM, including two approaches to social media: going wide or going deep; the pros and cons of social media scheduling and cross-posting apps; tips for finding your target demographic on social media; the evolving status of BookTok and TikTok; the fact that an author platform is more than social media, and how to find those alternatives; tapping into your existing network or community, or even building a platform with fellow authors and author services providers; establishing a presence on Goodreads, BookBub, and Amazon Author Central; and, finally, knowing when it’s time for a change. Links, summary, and transcript at https://bit.ly/TIAP217   Andrea Jo DeWerd is a book marketing strategist, consultant, writer, speaker, and the founder of the future of agency LLC, a book marketing and publishing consulting agency headquartered in Brooklyn, NY. Andrea is also the co-founder of MADonna Writing Retreats, a luxury writing retreat experience in Barcelona. She’s a 13–year veteran of Big 5 publishing with over one-hundred career NYT bestsellers. 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 is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Did you find the information in this video useful? Please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple Matty Dalrymple talks with Frank Zafiro about LEARNING FROM OUR READERS AND OUR CHARACTERS, including what writers can learn from a negative review (not to be confused with a bad review); tips for crafting realistic dialogue (it’s not a transcript); allowing a long-running series to evolve; the dynamics of an ensemble cast; and how to position a first book in a series as your craft skills grow with subsequent books. Links, summary, and transcript at https://bit.ly/TIAP216  Frank Zafiro writes gritty crime fiction from both sides of the badge. He was a police officer from 1993 to 2013, serving as a patrol officer, a training officer, and a detective, and leading K-9 and SWAT units. He retired as a captain. Frank is the award-winning author of over forty novels, including the River City series of police procedurals, and co-author of the Charlie-316 series. Frank also hosted the crime fiction podcast Wrong Place, Write Crime. He has written a textbook on police report writing and taught police leadership all over the US and Canada. An avid hockey fan and a tortured guitarist, he lives in the high desert of Redmond, Oregon. 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 is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Did you find the information in this video useful? Please consider supporting The Indy Author! https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple Matty Dalrymple talks with Thomas Dunne about MISTAKES WRITERS MAKE ABOUT FIREFIGHTERS, including the fact that firefighting is a small part of a firefighter’s job; how the variety of firefighter roles enables story and character depth; story opportunities involving false alarms; how where there's fire, there's (almost) always smoke, and portraying the experience of moving through smoke by tapping into all the senses; life in a firehouse, including the official and unofficial hierarchies; and the variety of personalities who choose firefighting. Links, summary, and transcript at https://bit.ly/TIAP215  Thomas Dunne is a retired Deputy Chief and 33-year veteran of the New York City Fire Department with extensive experience working in Mid-Manhattan and the Bronx, including acting as incident commander at hundreds of fires and emergencies in the city. Chief Dunne lectures at conferences and colleges across the country, has written numerous magazine articles, and serves as an adjunct instructor for the National Fire Academy and Kean University. He is the author of NOTES FROM THE FIREGROUND, a memoir of his experiences with the FDNY, and the novel A MOMENT IN TIME. 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 is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.