The Indy Author Podcast
Matty Dalrymple, The Indy Author
The Indy Author Podcast is for writers who are serious about both the craft of writing and the business of publishing — whether you're working toward your first book or building on an established career.
Every week, host Matty Dalrymple talks with authors, editors, marketers, and publishing professionals about what's actually working right now. Topics span the full range of the writing life: developing compelling characters and tighter plots, navigating indie and traditional publishing paths, running effective book marketing campaigns, building an author platform, working with AI tools, writing short fiction and memoir, managing the business side of an author career, and much more.
With hundreds of episodes in the catalog featuring guests from across the publishing world — from debut authors to bestsellers, indie publishers to Big Five veterans — there's something here for writers at every stage of their journey.
Named one of the 10 Best Podcasts for Authors by Dale L. Roberts, and recognized five years running by Writer's Digest as one of the 101 Best Websites for Writers.
Hosted by Matty Dalrymple, author, publishing consultant, and founder of The Indy Author platform.
Every week, host Matty Dalrymple talks with authors, editors, marketers, and publishing professionals about what's actually working right now. Topics span the full range of the writing life: developing compelling characters and tighter plots, navigating indie and traditional publishing paths, running effective book marketing campaigns, building an author platform, working with AI tools, writing short fiction and memoir, managing the business side of an author career, and much more.
With hundreds of episodes in the catalog featuring guests from across the publishing world — from debut authors to bestsellers, indie publishers to Big Five veterans — there's something here for writers at every stage of their journey.
Named one of the 10 Best Podcasts for Authors by Dale L. Roberts, and recognized five years running by Writer's Digest as one of the 101 Best Websites for Writers.
Hosted by Matty Dalrymple, author, publishing consultant, and founder of The Indy Author platform.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Aug 25, 2020 • 41min
Episode 041 - How to Write a Convincing Villain with Jenna Moreci
Bestselling author Jenna Moreci discusses creating a compelling villain. She talks about how cartoon villainy doesn't work outside of cartoons, the importance of knowing your villain as well as you know your protagonist, and how Greek mythology provides lessons in portraying a villain that are still applicable today. Jenna Moreci is a half-human, half-weaponized robot hellbent on overthrowing mankind. She's also a best-selling author specializing in so-cute-you-could-barf romance interspersed between extreme violence and bloodshed. A Silicon Valley native, Jenna hosts a YouTube channel where she uses her passion for storytelling and background in business to help other creators navigate their writing and publishing journey. Her other talents include prolific cursing, spilling / dropping things, accidentally making people cry, and cooking.
Aug 18, 2020 • 32min
Episode 040 - Storytelling Lessons from Investigative Reporting with Hank Phillippi Ryan
Hank Phillippi Ryan, multi-award-winning and USA Today bestselling author of 12 mystery novels, talks about how her "day job" as an investigative reporter for Boston's WHDH-TV has influenced her work at a crime novelist. She discusses the essence of conflict (a secret someone doesn't want you to know), how the endings of her novels surprise her as well as her readers, and how anything can work if you know how to make it work. Hank Phillippi Ryan is the USA Today bestselling author of 12 mystery novels, and has also won multiple awards for her crime fiction: five Agathas, three Anthonys, the Daphne, two Macavitys, and the coveted Mary Higgins Clark Award. Hank's novels have been named Best Thrillers of the Year by Library Journal, New York Post, BOOK BUB, PopSugar, Real Simple Magazine and others. Her newest book is THE FIRST TO LIE, which just came out on August 4, 2020. She is also the on-air investigative reporter for Boston's WHDH-TV. She's won 37 EMMYs, 14 Edward R. Murrow awards, and dozens of other honors for her groundbreaking journalism.
Aug 11, 2020 • 40min
Episode 039 - Building a Writer Community with Connie Johnson Hambley
Author and Sisters in Crime New England president Connie Johnson Hambley discusses how important it is for writers to engage in communities that can provide craft, business, and emotional support, and how to go about finding them. She talks about the idea of paying it forward, and how to shift the me-focus of networking into the you-focus of community building. Connie Johnson Hambley has written for Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Nature, MassHighTech, and other wonky outlets, where she honed her skills in reaching readers at a deep emotional level. Her high-concept thrillers feature remarkable women entangled in modern-day crimes set in worlds where the good guys win–eventually. She is the author of The Jessica Trilogy The Charity, The Troubles, and The Wake. Her short stories have been published in Best New England Crime Stories of 2016 and 2017 and in Mystery Weekly magazine. And she is a two-time winner of Best English Fiction literary award at the EQUUS International Film Festival in New York City. Connie is president of the New England chapter of Sisters in Crime, a member of Mystery Writers of America, and a board member of New England Crime Bake.
Aug 4, 2020 • 36min
Episode 038 - Graphic Novels with Joshua Howell
Science fiction author Joshua Howell discusses the graphic novel he created based on the first novel in his Fierce Saga, The Fierce are Fading, including his collaboration with illustrator Ilaria Apostoli, the technical challenges that graphic novels pose, and how preparing his story for this visual medium gave him the inspiration he needed to complete the prose version.
Jul 28, 2020 • 33min
Episode 037 - How Cozy is Cozy? with Diane Vallere
Diane Vallere, author of over twenty-five traditionally and indy-published cozy mysteries, discusses reader expectations for different genres and when and how authors can push those boundaries. We also talk about ways to engage fans, including the promise of a story that extends beyond a single book, an email newsletter that connects on a personal level, and a holiday surprise!
Jul 21, 2020 • 39min
Episode 036 - Frugal Tips for Writers with Elizabeth Sims
Elizabeth Sims, author and contributing editor to "Writer's Digest" magazine, discusses tips on where the frugal writer can save money, and where money-saving should not be the highest priority. We talk about the benefits of writers' groups and conferences; how you can access premium-level resources without paying premium-level fees; and the importance of considering not only financial cost, but karma cost as well.
Jul 14, 2020 • 45min
Episode 035 - Mistakes Writers Make about Police Procedure … and How to Avoid Them
Bruce Robert Coffin, the award-winning author of the bestselling Detective Byron mystery series and a former detective sergeant with more than twenty-seven years in law enforcement, talks about how to avoid the inaccuracies regarding the portrayal of police procedures that can take the reader out of your story. We talk about whether an author must have their story comply in every detail with actual police procedure (the answer is no), our own pet peeves about depictions of police procedure in books, TV, and movies, and the freedom provided by fictionalized settings.
Jul 7, 2020 • 49min
Episode 034 - Connecting through Video with Dale L. Roberts
Video content creator Dale L. Roberts shares tips on how to reach readers and followers, and how to monetize your efforts, through video. He discusses how to maintain your content over time to ensure your viewers continue to get value from it, how to ensure engagement through discussion, and ideas for how fiction as well as non-fiction authors can use video to establish a brand and an online presence.
Jun 30, 2020 • 40min
Episode 033 - Overcoming Mental and Emotional Barriers to Creativity with Rachael Herron
Rachael Herron, the internationally bestselling author of more than two dozen books, including thriller (under R.H. Herron), mainstream fiction, feminist romance, memoir, and nonfiction about writing, discusses the barriers that can block our creativity and strategies and tactics we can use to overcome them. We discuss the idea of trusting that you'll land softly, the role that scaring yourself plays in nurturing creativity, and when and how to let go without shame if an endeavor is not feeding your creative drive.
Jun 23, 2020 • 31min
Episode 032 - Why Hybrid with Julie Mulhern
Julie Mulhern, USA Today bestselling author of the (traditionally published) Country Club Murders and the (indy published) Poppy Fields Adventures, discusses her career as a hybrid author and how she went the traditional route first in order to build a platform and traction for later self-publishing. We talk about the tangible and intangible benefits of working with a team, and how book price can impact perceived value.
