How to Publish: The Best Podcasts About Independent Publishing
September 8, 2022
2,130 5 minutes read
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Have you ever thought about writing a book? Sure you have! Well, most likely you have because according to a writer named Joseph Epstein, exactly 81% of all humans believe they have a book in them that needs to be written. While we cannot be certain of the facts behind these numbers or the research involved, we can go ahead and take Mr. Epstein’s word for it because it sounds about right. Reducing that down, it means about four out of every five people have an idea for a book. From there it’s up to them whether they want to tackle that great endeavor.
Now here’s the thing—at the turn of the millennium, most of these aspiring book authors would have been discouraged. While the technology was there to write a novel on word processing software, which most writers believe makes authoring simpler than writing on a typewriter, the obstacles that needed to be overcome in order to publish a book were relatively insurmountable. Sure, you could submit your manuscript to publishing houses (and of course, authors still do this), but the competition is fierce, and the rejection may be endless. For those that would want to skip all of that anxiety, publishing independently through a vanity imprint was an option—but a very expensive option. Not only would you need to pay for the publisher to publish your book, you would also need to commit to paying for a certain number of copies. And once you had those copies, you’d need to store them somewhere.
And then came the advent of print on demand, which changed the game. Today, authors need only to write the manuscript, export a print file, acquire an eye-catching book cover image, and upload it to one of a number of print-on-demand services. With the major obstacle of self publishing removed, it is more likely now that ambitious first-time authors can get their work out there. As it goes for any first-timers, any help or assistance, or mentorship is accepted with open arms, and now we have a number of great self-publishing podcasts to help new authors navigate this journey into the indie publishing world.
So with no further ado, here is a list of some of the best independent publishing podcasts to help you finally publish that book!
Self Publishing School: How To Write A Book That Grows Your Impact, Income, And Business
The Self Publishing School podcast is meant to be just that — a podcast that will guide an aspiring author through the journey of writing and independently publishing a book. Host Chandler Bolt interviews successful authors that have published independently and traditionally, and these writers provide anecdotes about what worked and what didn’t work, tips for best practices when approaching a novel or a work of nonfiction, and the pitfalls that a writer ought to look out for. There is also insight into the business of independent publishing once the book has been published.
From marketing your book to building buzz on social media, there is a lot to take away from the Self Publishing School podcast for any new author (or new to self publishing).
The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers
The Creative Penn podcast is a weekly show that focuses on how to make a living as an author. So if you’re wondering how you’ll be able to support yourself (or supplement your income) once your book is published, this show will definitely have some answers for you. The host, Joanna Penn, interviews a range of different authors from different genres, and each author discusses how they make a living off of their writing.
There is a lot of great advice for new authors on this show, so it’s definitely worth a listen!
Kobo Writing Life Podcast
The Kobo Writing Life podcast is all about, you guessed it, self-publishing! But this show takes a different angle and focuses on the business side of things. A little disclaimer here — the Kobo Writing Life podcast is a podcast brought to you by one of the books-on-demand platforms, so while they would love you to publish your book on Kobo, there is still great content provided and no annoying “hard sell” to worry about. So if you’re looking for advice on how to run your independent publishing business, this is the podcast for you. Hosts Stephanie McGrath (Publisher Operations Specialist) and Joni Di Placido (Author Engagement Specialist) interview a range of different authors and publishing professionals, and each episode focuses on a different aspect of the business.
There is a lot of great advice for new authors, marketers, podcasters, and more on this show, so it’s definitely worth a listen.
Go Publish Yourself: An IngramSpark Podcast
The second of two podcasts produced by a self-publishing platform, Go Publish Yourself: An IngramSpark podcast also provides in-depth insight into the world of independent publishing. This podcast is a bit different than the Kobo Writing Life podcast, as it features interviews with a range of different publishing professionals (not just authors). So if you’re looking for information on everything from design and distribution to marketing and sales, this is the podcast for you. While the hosts are on Team IngramSpark and do promote the platform’s services, they also interview a wide range of publishing insiders, and each episode focuses on a different aspect of the business.
There is a lot of great advice for new authors on this show, and if you’re brand new to self publishing, then this is definitely worth adding to your indie publishing research queue.
The Self Publishing Show Podcast with Mark Dawson
The Self Publishing Show podcast is brought to you by best-selling author Mark Dawson and newish author James Blatch, and each episode focuses on a different aspect of the business of being an independent author. This show is great for authors who are just getting started in the self-publishing world, as well as more experienced authors who are looking to level up their game. In each episode, Mark and James interview a different publishing professional, and they always manage to extract a ton of great information and advice from their guests while injecting some intoxicating British humor.
There is a lot of great information on this show, and if you’re looking for some practical advice on how to run your independent publishing business or if you’re new to the format, then this is definitely worth checking out.
Final Thoughts
There is one thing you may notice about many of these podcasts, and that is that these great podcast hosts are often podcast guests on other great self-publishing podcasts. It’s no mistake ‚ these are the best in the business, and it’s always great to hear two or three brilliant independent authors discuss what is working, what is trending, and what is changing in the self publishing world.
Do you have a favorite self publishing podcast that didn’t make the list?
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