TRUTH TIME: the idea of "self-publishing" is really sort of a lie. Self-publishing is really more of a team sport. In order to give yourself the best chance at success, you'll want to build a trustworthy publishing team to help you craft and market your book. Today, Clayton shares some pointers on the team members you need, why you need them, and where you can find them.

Since Luna did an episode on how to finish your novel, it seemed only right that Clayton follow up with an episode on how to START that novel! Good preparation is key, and Clayton has some solid ideas on how you can start your novel off on the right foot.

Starting is easy. Finishing can be hard.

When it comes to worldbuilding, there's a fine line between too much detail and "did you even consider what this world might look like?" A well-built fictional world should present a partnership between writer and reader; "I built this for you, now you get to play in it." Clayton shares his thoughts on how to strike the right balance and how to create a world that's believable and rich without being overwhelming in its detail.

A book without an editor is like a ship without a boatswain. A good, professional editor should be more than a spellchecker; they should be your partner, helping shape the story, managing consistency, and, yes, correcting your grammar. Luna breaks down the importance of a good editor, and how to work with one as a team to produce the best book possible.

A good book cover is your best marketing tool and one of the most critically important parts of a published book. Unfortunately, for many indie authors, good design often takes a backseat to budget. Today, Clayton discusses what to include on your book cover, what NOT to include, the importance of working with an expert, and what common design mistakes to avoid...then he chats with book cover design genius J. Caleb Clark of J. Caleb Design to learn the secrets of beautiful cover design.

Good characters are a strong foundation for any story, and Luna explores the elements of good characterization and offers a step-by-step guide on how to write characters that are believable, relatable, motivated, and multi-dimensional.

How long should a chapter be? It may seem like a pretty arbitrary question, but this week, Clayton looks at chapter length from a surprising angle and shares his thoughts on why it might be a much more important decision than you think.

In the inaugural episode of Indies, Steven Luna explores what it means to be an independent author and publisher...the pros, the cons, and everything in-between. Today, we endeavor to answer a Big Question: Is self-publishing right for you?

Take a sneak peek at Indies, the brand new podcast for independent writers and publishers that focuses on both the craft of writing and the business of self-publishing, with the help of independent publishing experts Clayton Smith and Steven Luna, the minds behind Dapper Press!