The Indy Author Podcast

Matty Dalrymple talks with Alessandra Torre about CRAFTING GREAT SCENE DESCRIPTIONS, including if and how scene descriptions vary by genre, the challenge of repeating descriptions across a series, the importance of engaging all the senses, tapping into the familiar and the unfamiliar, and the value of both potato chip scenes and casserole scenes. If one of those topics piques your interest, you can easily jump to that section of the interview by going to The Indy Author YouTube channel and clicking on the flagged timestamps in the video description. And if you want to dive deeper into this topic, some of Alessandra's recommendations, especially related to the power of assessing well-reviewed and successful books in your genre, are a great companion piece to Episode 195 - The Anatomy of a Bestseller with Sacha Black. Show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP201 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 Alessandra / AR Torre is an award-winning New York Times bestselling author of thirty novels. She is self-published, as well as traditionally published by Hachett, Harlequin, and Thomas & Mercer. In addition to writing, Alessandra is the CEO of Authors AI and the cofounder of Inkers Con. 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 Mark Leslie Lefebvre about HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED (OR STAYED THE SAME) in the writing and publishing worlds since 2016. Why 2016? Because that's when the first episode of The Indy Author Podcast aired, and I'm looking back with Mark to celebrate landMARK episode 200. We discuss what has and hasn't changed in interior and book cover design, editing, production, distribution, marketing, and promotion, and how we as indie authors can prepare for what the coming years will bring. Show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP200 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 Mark Leslie Lefebvre is the author of more than twenty books that include fiction and thrillers, and paranormal non-fiction explorations. He has also edited numerous anthologies. With three decades of experience in bookselling and publishing, Mark is a seasoned and trusted book industry professional who embraces both traditional and indie publishing options. 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 Diane Vallere about HOW TO OVERCOME PROMOPHOBIA, including fear of the book community; fear of connecting with readers; fear of readers' reception of your work; fear of going it on your own or in a group; fear of thinking outside the box; and my two primary phobias: the fear of having an event and no one shows up and the fear of trying to do it all. We also discuss the concepts of the 7 touches and 7 channels of promotion; the halo effect of promotion across channels; the power of identifying the bottleneck in your writing and publishing processes; and the importance of learning from the fails as well as the successes. Show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP199 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 National bestselling author Diane Vallere writes funny and fashionable character-based mysteries. After decades working for a luxury retailer, she traded fashion accessories for accessories to murder. A past president of Sisters in Crime, Diane started her own detective agency at age ten and has maintained a passion for shoes, clues, and clothes ever since. 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 Jeff Elkins about his book THE DIALOGUE DOCTOR WILL SEE YOU NOW, including how the writing craft is like football; the importance of understanding the craft tools you need to attain moments of artistry; how writing dialogue is not a soft skill; how dialogue isn't only verbal; the three tools of communicating a character's emotional journey; how, if you really want to hammer a moment, you need to bang on it; and, coming back to our sports analogy, how dialogue is a team sport. Show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP198 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 Jeff Elkins is a writer, podcaster, and writing coach. He's the author of eleven novels including INSIDE OUTSIDE and the NRDS Series. As the Dialogue Doctor, he helps writers engage with readers by teaching them to write better dialogue. He has a BA in Religion from Baylor University and an MDiv from Truett Seminary. He lives with his wife and five kids north of Baltimore, Maryland. 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 Michael Evans about REAM AND THE CREATOR ECONOMY, including the move toward niche audiences and community building; providing an immersive experience; building your mini Disney; the importance of not ignoring the non-paying members of your community; the fact that you don't need to launch the perfect subscription; divorcing value from quantity; monetizing short fiction and bonus content; the creative stress of subscription models; and the advice to start small and start small again. Michael's new company, Ream, is a subscription platform, but there are plenty of insights here for writers who are not currently interested in pursuing subscriptions. Show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP197 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 Michael Evans is the co-founder and CEO of Ream, the subscription platform by fiction authors for fiction authors, a sci-fi thriller author of a dozen novels, and a rising senior at Harvard. 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 Merle Saferstein about THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF JOURNALING, including overcoming mental barriers to journaling, and how revisiting your journals is optional; the importance of not censoring yourself, and of exploring your shadow self; using journaling to declutter your mind, and as a tool for character development; and preparing your armor for reader responses. Show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP196 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 As the director of educational outreach at the Holocaust Documentation and Education Center, Merle Saferstein worked closely with hundreds of Holocaust survivors helping them to pass along their Legacy of Remembrance to students and teachers. When she retired from the Holocaust Center, she developed a course entitled Living and Leaving Your Legacy®. Merle is a council member of the International Association of Journal Writing, the author of ROOM 732, and a contributor to the Huffington Post, Medium, Authority Magazine, and Thrive Global. 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 Sacha Black about THE ANATOMY OF A BESTSELLER, including the three-step process of reading, deconstructing, and implementing; the importance of reading like a writer; the power of constructive comparison; the fact that bad examples can be as instructive as good examples; the need to factor in genre expectations; being purposeful, focused, and intentional; and advice not to let analysis stand in the way of your writing. Show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP195 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 Sacha Black is a best-selling and competition-winning author, rebel podcaster, and professional speaker. She writes educational nonfiction books for writers and sapphic books for Young Adults. She also writes under a super-secret pen name. She has five obsessions: words, expensive shoes, conspiracy theories, self-improvement, and breaking the rules. She lives in Cambridgeshire, England, with her wife and genius, giant of a son. 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 Jim Azevedo about TIPS FOR ATTENDING WRITERS' CONFERENCES, including doing your pre-work, such as downloading the conference app and studying the schedule; promoting your attendance on social media; building your writing and publishing community; the importance of understanding your goals before you get to the conference; and the one-drink rule (it's probably not what you think). Show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP194 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 Jim Azevedo is the Corporate Communications Manager at Draft2Digital. Prior to Draft2Digital, Jim was previously the marketing director at Smashwords. 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 Michael Bracken about THE PATH TO SHORT STORY PUBLICATION, including getting a feel for what editors like and studying the guidelines; making yourself known to editors ... in a good way; finding the opportunities; knowing when to say no ... and when to try something new; best practices for submissions, including the importance of understanding MS Word; the value of connections, not competition; changes to short fiction as a money-maker; and the pros of indy and traditional publishing. Show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP193 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 Michael Bracken is the Edgar- and Shamus-nominated, Derringer-winning author of 1,200 short stories, including crime fiction published in The Best American Mystery Stories and The Best Mystery Stories of the Year. Jack Bludis, author of The Big Switch, called Michael the "Mickey Spillane for the new century." Michael is also an Anthony-nominated editor of 20 published and forthcoming anthologies, the editor of Black Cat Mystery Magazine, and an associate editor of Black Cat Weekly. He lives, writes, and edits in Texas. 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 Richie Narvaez about STRETCHING YOUR WRITING MUSCLES WITH SHORT FICTION, including using a short whodunit as a way of learning story structure and the basics of character conflict; the importance of being a reader in your genre to be aware of trends and tropes; the value of sketching out your story idea in advance; how a short story is like a cocktail party; using short fiction and free writing as a way to get out of your own way and unleash your creativity; and the importance of just writing the damn thing. Show notes at https://bit.ly/TIAP192 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 Richie Narvaez has had more than 70 short stories published in magazines and anthologies such as Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Mystery Tribune, Shotgun Honey, Tiny Crimes, and the Mississippi Review. He is the author of two novels, the urban thriller HIPSTER DEATH RATTLE and the YA whodunnit HOLLY HERNANDEZ AND THE DEATH OF DISCO, which won an Agatha Award and an Anthony Award. He has two collections of short stories out, ROACHKILLER AND OTHER STORIES and NOIRYORICAN. 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.