The Indy Author Podcast

Matty Dalrymple talks with Dale L. Roberts about ONLINE COMMUNITY ETIQUETTE FOR AUTHORS, including how to ask focused questions, respond with empathy, and choose communities that match the kind of help you need. We also discuss moderation, respecting other people's time, and sharing expertise without turning every answer into a sales pitch.

Interview video at https://www.youtube.com/@TheIndyAuthorPodcast/podcasts

Show notes at https://theindyauthor.substack.com/ (Substack subscribers get exclusive content)

If you find the information in this episode useful, please consider supporting The Indy Author!

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Dale L. Roberts is a bestselling author, award-winning content creator, and trusted voice in self-publishing. He's written more than 50 books, earned 44 literary awards, and founded the Self-Publishing with Dale YouTube channels, reaching more than 132,000 subscribers. Through his videos, podcast, books, and online community, Dale has helped thousands of authors navigate publishing, marketing, and growing an author business with practical, no-nonsense guidance.

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. More at mattydalrymple.com. 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 writes nonfiction books for authors; her articles have appeared in Writer's Digest magazine; and she is a Partner Member of the Alliance of Independent Authors. More at theindyauthor.com. She also guides professionals in building their presence through a sideline or second act through her platform From Expertise to Authority. More at theindyauthor.com/authority.

Matty Dalrymple talks with Pamela Fagan Hutchins about FLEXIBILITY IS THE KEY TO CREATIVE POWER: PLANNING A SERIES, including how three-book arcs can grow into six-book roadmaps; why character wounds, recurring antagonists, and a unifying crime narrative keep readers moving through a series; how varied settings can preserve plausibility; and why every outline needs enough flexibility to follow a better creative idea.

Interview video at https://www.youtube.com/@TheIndyAuthorPodcast/podcasts

Show notes at https://theindyauthor.substack.com/ (subscribers get exclusive content)

If you find the information in this episode useful, please consider supporting The Indy Author!

https://substack.com/@mattydalrymple

https://theindyauthor.substack.com/

https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple

Thriller writer. USA Today bestseller. Silver Falchion winner. BVI catamaran. Wyoming lodge. Maine lake camp. World traveler. Alaskan malamutes. Draft crosses. Believer in soul mates. Joy seeker.

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. More at mattydalrymple.com. 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 writes nonfiction books for authors; her articles have appeared in Writer's Digest magazine; and she is a Partner Member of the Alliance of Independent Authors. More at theindyauthor.com. She also guides professionals in building their presence through a sideline or second act through her platform From Expertise to Authority. More at theindyauthor.com/authority.

Matty Dalrymple talks with Claire Taylor about WRITING ICONIC CHARACTERS WITH ENNEAGRAM, including how core fears and desires shape memorable characters, how to deepen an existing series, and how to build protagonist-and-villain chemistry. We also discuss character growth, choosing meaningful tropes, and planning spinoffs that meet reader expectations.

Interview video at https://www.youtube.com/@TheIndyAuthorPodcast/podcasts

Show notes at https://theindyauthor.substack.com/ (subscribers get exclusive content)

If you find the information in this episode useful, please consider supporting The Indy Author!

https://substack.com/@mattydalrymple

https://theindyauthor.substack.com/

https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple

Claire Taylor is a humor and mystery author and certified Enneagram practitioner. Through her courses, coaching, and community, she helps authors alchemize fear and master their attention to build sustainable careers aligned with their personal values and dreams.

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. More at mattydalrymple.com. 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 writes nonfiction books for authors; her articles have appeared in Writer's Digest magazine; and she is a Partner Member of the Alliance of Independent Authors. More at theindyauthor.com. She also guides professionals in building their presence through a sideline or second act through her platform From Expertise to Authority. More at theindyauthor.com/authority.

Matty Dalrymple talks with Dan Blank about SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY FOR AUTHORS, including why fragmented platforms need not mean the end of social media, how human stories stand out amid AI-generated content, why simple narratives and imperfect presentation can build trust, how writers can define core messages and learn directly from readers, when to reset an uninspiring feed, and why choosing one comfortable home base—especially a newsletter—creates room to experiment and learn what resonates.

Interview video at https://www.youtube.com/@TheIndyAuthorPodcast/podcasts

Show notes at https://theindyauthor.substack.com/ (subscribers get exclusive content)

If you find the information in this episode useful, please consider supporting The Indy Author!

https://substack.com/@mattydalrymple

https://theindyauthor.substack.com/

https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple

Dan Blank is the founder of WeGrowMedia, where he helps writers develop their author platforms, connect with readers, and launch their books. He is the author of the book Be the Gateway: A Practical Guide to Sharing Your Creative Work and Engaging an Audience. He has worked with thousands of writers, and amazing organizations who support creative people such as Penguin Random House, Sesame Workshop, Hachette Book Group, Writer's Digest, Library Journal, and many others. You can find Dan on at https://WeGrowMedia.com, his weekly newsletter at https://danblank.substack.com or on social media @DanBlank.

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. More at mattydalrymple.com. 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 writes nonfiction books for authors; her articles have appeared in Writer's Digest magazine; and she is a Partner Member of the Alliance of Independent Authors. More at theindyauthor.com. She also guides professionals in building their presence through a sideline or second act through her platform From Expertise to Authority. More at theindyauthor.com/authority.

Matty Dalrymple talks with Bruce Robert Coffin about WRITING THE STORIES ONLY LIFE CAN TEACH YOU, including how Bruce's police career supplied the lived experience behind his fiction, what writers can learn by reading analytically, how mystery authors guide and misdirect readers, the common creative ground shared by writing and painting, and why an unrealized creative dream may simply be waiting for experience and craft to catch up.

Interview video at https://www.youtube.com/@TheIndyAuthorPodcast/podcasts

Show notes at https://theindyauthor.substack.com/ (subscribers get exclusive content)

If you find the information in this episode useful, please consider supporting The Indy Author!

https://substack.com/@mattydalrymple

https://theindyauthor.substack.com/

https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple

BRUCE ROBERT COFFIN is an international bestselling novelist and retired detective sergeant. He is the author of the Detective Byron Mysteries and Detective Justice series, and co-author (with LynDee Walker) of the Turner and Mosley Files. He has won Killer Nashville's Silver Falchion for Best Procedural and Best Investigator and the Maine Literary Award for Best Crime Fiction, and been a finalist for the Anthony, Agatha, and Barry Awards.

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. More at mattydalrymple.com. 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 writes nonfiction books for authors; her articles have appeared in Writer's Digest magazine; and she is a Partner Member of the Alliance of Independent Authors. More at theindyauthor.com. She also guides professionals in building their presence through a sideline or second act through her platform From Expertise to Authority. More at theindyauthor.com/authority.

Matty Dalrymple talks with Meg Casebolt about BUILDING AI TRUST TO IMPROVE BOOK DISCOVERABILITY, including how AI tools are changing book discovery, why keywords need support from consistent online signals, the value of relevant links and reader recommendations, and why sustained marketing builds more trust than a short promotional spike. Meg also discusses using tropes and trend research to clarify what makes a book distinctive without sanding away the creative edges that make it memorable.

Interview video at https://www.youtube.com/@TheIndyAuthorPodcast/podcasts

Show notes at https://theindyauthor.substack.com/ (subscribers get exclusive content)

If you find the information in this episode useful, please consider supporting The Indy Author!

https://substack.com/@mattydalrymple

https://theindyauthor.substack.com/

https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple

Meg Casebolt is a romance author, AI discoverability strategist, founder of Love At First Search, creator of Happily Ever Indie, and co-host of the First Dates & Soulmates 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. More at mattydalrymple.com. 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 writes nonfiction books for authors; her articles have appeared in Writer's Digest magazine; and she is a Partner Member of the Alliance of Independent Authors. More at theindyauthor.com. She also guides professionals in building their presence through a sideline or second act through her platform From Expertise to Authority. More at theindyauthor.com/authority.

Matty Dalrymple talks with Patrick O'Donnell about HOW TECH IS CHANGING CRIME FICTION, including the camera footage that cracked his first homicide case; why smaller police departments sometimes have better equipment than big cities; the real legal limits on drone surveillance and monitoring suspects on social media; and where he believes AI can genuinely help detectives, and where it never will.

Interview video at https://www.youtube.com/@TheIndyAuthorPodcast/podcasts

Show notes at https://theindyauthor.substack.com/ (subscribers get exclusive content)

If you find the information in this episode useful, please consider supporting The Indy Author!

https://substack.com/@mattydalrymple

https://theindyauthor.substack.com/

https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple

Patrick O'Donnell is proof that there is life after retirement. He was a City of Milwaukee police sergeant with 25 years of street experience, where he supervised various special units and investigated major felonies. He's the author of eleven books, including his newest Police Stories: The Rookie Years https://a.co/d/08a5IRlp. He hosts the popular Cops and Writers Podcast and founded and runs an 8,500-member Facebook group for crime writers that was featured in the Wall Street Journal. He has also hosted true crime television documentaries and has consulted with crime writers for their books and screenplays. O'Donnell lives in Wisconsin, where he enjoys working out, riding his Harley, and spending time with 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. More at mattydalrymple.com. 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 writes nonfiction books for authors; her articles have appeared in Writer's Digest magazine; and she is a Partner Member of the Alliance of Independent Authors. More at theindyauthor.com. She also guides professionals in building their presence through a sideline or second act through her platform From Expertise to Authority. More at theindyauthor.com/authority.

Matty Dalrymple talks with Jeff Elkins about BEYOND THE LAUNCH: REVIVING YOUR BACKLIST, including how to give a never- or lightly-marketed backlist titles a second life; why a book's launch no longer has to determine its fate; finding readers one at a time, in the places they actually are; marketing yourself as an author rather than marketing individual books; and redefining what success looks like for your writing career.

Interview video at https://tinyurl.com/TIA350YT

Show notes at https://theindyauthor.substack.com/ (subscribers get exclusive content)

If you find the information in this episode useful, please consider supporting The Indy Author!

https://substack.com/@mattydalrymple

https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple

https://theindyauthor.substack.com/

Jeff Elkins is the author of 13 novels and has coached over 400 authors 1-on-1 as The Dialogue Doctor.

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. More at mattydalrymple.com. 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 writes nonfiction books for authors; her articles have appeared in Writer's Digest magazine; and she is a Partner Member of the Alliance of Independent Authors. More at theindyauthor.com. She also guides professionals in building their presence through a sideline or second act through her platform From Expertise to Authority. More at theindyauthor.com/authority.

Matty Dalrymple talks with Kris Austin about WHAT DRAFT2DIGITAL'S NEW FEES MEAN FOR INDIE AUTHORS, including how the new $20 activation fee and $12 annual maintenance fee are designed to break the business model of scammers and bad actors; why AI-generated spam pushed Draft2Digital and retailers to act; why Amazon distribution is now invite-only; how print-on-demand change tokens and the 90-day rule work; why the maintenance fee is waived for authors earning over $100 a year; and the new Bookshop.org partnership that lets indie bookstores sell indie ebooks.

Interview video at https://tinyurl.com/TIA349YT

Show notes at https://theindyauthor.substack.com/ (subscribers get exclusive content and benefits)

If you find the information in this episode useful, please consider supporting The Indy Author!

https://substack.com/@mattydalrymple

https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple

https://theindyauthor.substack.com/

Kris Austin is the co-founder and CEO of Draft2Digital, one of the world's largest digital publishing and distribution platforms for self-published authors and independent publishers. Since its founding in 2012, Draft2Digital has grown to support over 300,000 authors from around the globe who have collectively released over 1 million titles.

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. More at mattydalrymple.com. 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 writes nonfiction books for authors; her articles have appeared in Writer's Digest magazine; and she is a Partner Member of the Alliance of Independent Authors. More at theindyauthor.com. She also guides professionals in building their presence through a sideline or second act through her platform From Expertise to Authority. More at theindyauthor.com/authority.

Matty Dalrymple talks with Jane Friedman about LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR BOOK RIGHTS DEALS, including why publishers are increasingly licensing selected rights from successful indie authors, the sales and reader-engagement signals that attract their attention, how to build a business that creates future opportunities, what to negotiate in a rights contract, and how to recognize scams or partners who offer too little value.

Interview video at https://www.youtube.com/@TheIndyAuthorPodcast/podcasts

Show notes at https://theindyauthor.substack.com/ (subscribers get exclusive content and benefits)

If you find the information in this video useful, please consider supporting The Indy Author!

https://substack.com/@mattydalrymple

https://www.patreon.com/theindyauthor

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mattydalrymple

Jane Friedman has spent her entire career working in the publishing industry, with a focus on business reporting and author education. Established in 2015, her newsletter The Bottom Line provides nuanced market intelligence to thousands of authors and industry professionals; her book, The Business of Being a Writer, Second Edition (The University of Chicago Press), is used as a classroom text by many writing and publishing degree programs and received a starred review from Library Journal.

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. More at mattydalrymple.com. 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 writes nonfiction books for authors; her articles have appeared in Writer's Digest magazine; and she is a Partner Member of the Alliance of Independent Authors. More at theindyauthor.com. She also guides professionals in building their presence through a sideline or second act through her platform From Expertise to Authority. More at theindyauthor.com/authority.