Author podcasts are an accessible way to learn about the ins and outs of the self publishing industry. As an indie author myself, I immerse myself in them on a daily basis. My daily dog walks allow me time to enjoy and absorb plenty of publishing related content. I always feel really inspired and motivated afterwards! In this blog I share my top 5 great podcasts for self publishing authors. I hope they will help you as much as they help/have helped me.
1) Self Publishing Journeys
Indie author Paul Teague shares his life as a full time writer through weekly diary episodes. Refreshingly honest and straightforward, Paul talks openly about his struggles and successes as the author of both fiction and nonfiction books. Sticking to his carefully planned writing schedule, Paul has recently achieved something all indie authors dream of – hitting five figure monthly book sales! His recent nonfiction release ‘The Five Figure Fiction Formula‘ details his strategies to success. His approach to writing and marketing his books is extremely methodical and organised (which pleases my similarly logical brain no end). As a self proclaimed “finisher completer”, Paul is such an inspiring role model to all aspiring and established indie authors.
Season three of the podcast has just begun but there’s a huge collection of past episodes – weekly diaries and author interviews – to enjoy in seasons one and two. Paul’s series of ’10 things you need to know about…’ bonus episodes were particularly interesting and jam-packed full of excellent tips and information. These episodes were followed by a bumper ’50 things you need to know about self publishing’ episode (dated June 2020), which is definitely worth a listen!
2) Next Level Authors
Next Level Authors is a relatively new podcast hosted by two brilliant indie authors – Sacha Black and Daniel Willcocks. Sacha and Dan joined forces to create Next Level Authors alongside hosting their own individual podcasts. Every Tuesday they share what they’ve been working on during the week, as well as what steps they plan to take to level up their author businesses in the coming week. This podcast is so interesting, informative and entertaining – the hosts both have a fantastic friendship and engaging personalities!
(As bonus recommendations, Sacha’s podcast is The Rebel Author Podcast, and Daniel’s podcast is Great Writers Share Podcast.)
3) The Creative Penn
If you want to know exactly what is happening in the indie author/general publishing world, as well as what may be on the horizon for the future of self publishing, The Creative Penn is for you. Added to that, Joanna Penn’s voice is so cheerful and uplifting!
Featuring independently hosted episodes mixed in with interviews, I particularly loved ‘Reflections On A Decade Of Self-Publishing With Joanna Penn And Orna Ross‘. With new episodes every Monday, this longstanding podcast is a fascinating insight into the life of a hard working indie author living the dream!
4) The Honest Authors Podcast
Hosted by Holly Seddon and Gillian McAllister, this podcast is now in its fifth series. Already a MASSIVE fan of Gillian McAllister’s books (including her newest ‘How to Disappear‘), I am now a huge fan of Holly’s books too, particularly ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ and her latest release ‘The Hit List‘.
The friendship between the two authors is evident in their informal conversations about their respective, relatively recent, ‘traditional’ author journeys. Despite not being self published authors, this podcast feels like being given permission to eavesdrop. There are so many takeaways for writers planning to self publish too!
As well as chatting about their author careers so far, Gillian and Holly answer questions from listeners, interview guests, and host round table discussions with other authors. I find a lot of their content about author anxieties particularly relatable!
5) The Self Publishing Show
Hosted by indie author bestseller Mark Dawson and first time author James Blatch, The Self Publishing Show is an amazing resource for both new and established indie authors. This podcast features a mix of review, interview and special BookLab episodes, in which three industry experts analyse an author’s book cover, blurb and first page. The Self Publishing Show should be a staple listen for anyone running an author business.
Thank you for reading 5 great podcasts for self publishing authors. Please let me know if you have any other author podcast recommendations!
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Great post! I can also recommend the Rebel Author Podcast with my pal Sacha Black x
Oh fab, thank you Shelley! I’m sure I’ve heard Sacha being interviewed on The Self Publishing Show!