Category: Newsletter features

  • The Paranoid Writer’s Guide to AI: Part one

    The Paranoid Writer’s Guide to AI: Part one

    Nigel George is an educator and author of five books on technology and self-publishing. In the first instalment of his series on AI tools, Nige reframes what it is these ‘dumb machines’ are—including what they are and are not capable of doing—to help demystify what roles AI could play in the publishing process. ‘Artificial Intelligence’…

  • From the ASA’s Guide to Getting Published: What makes a book sell?

    From the ASA’s Guide to Getting Published: What makes a book sell?

    Last month, the Australian Society of Authors (ASA) launched the ASA’s Guide to Getting Published: Understanding and navigating Australia’s book industry, a new book-length resource for Australian writers and illustrators, written by publisher and former ASA CEO Juliet Rogers. The book is pitched as an accessible, easy-to-use guide that will help demystify the publishing industry…

  • Terry Whidborne on self-publishing his illustrated book ‘Tasmanian Faeries’

    Terry Whidborne on self-publishing his illustrated book ‘Tasmanian Faeries’

    Terry Whidborne is the author and illustrator of Tasmanian Faeries, an illustrated hardback book that gathers ‘eye witness’ accounts of faery encounters in Tasmania, as collected by the fictional author Lady Plummage. Whidborne spoke to Independent Publishing about his book, from its genesis as an idea to working on producing the book with  Forty South…

  • Are audiobooks the right option for you?

    Are audiobooks the right option for you?

    David Stokes, founder of Author2Audio, answers some common questions from authors interested in turning their title into an audiobook. When on ‘discovery calls’ with prospective authors, I invariably ask my routine question: ‘Why do you want an audiobook?’ This is often followed by an uncomfortable pause on the other end of the line …  maybe…

  • Lisa Van Der Wielen on her award-winning picture book ‘Little Dune’

    Lisa Van Der Wielen on her award-winning picture book ‘Little Dune’

    Lisa Van Der Wielen is a Perth-based writer and the author of several picture books. Late last year, her book Little Dune (illus by Alison Mutton) won the Spark Award in the picture book category, an annual award from the US-based Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators that recognises excellence in a self-published children’s…

  • Anna Featherstone on publicising your book

    Anna Featherstone on publicising your book

    Anna Featherstone will be presenting a workshop at SPN’s Independent Publishing Conference 2022 on the topic of publishing timelines. The workshop will cover the various writing, publishing, marketing, distribution and leveraging tasks authors need to attend to, and when, to give their book the best chance of success. Below is an extract from Featherstone’s Look—It’s…

  • Brittany Schulz on her indie specialist bookshop Fiction & Friction

    Brittany Schulz on her indie specialist bookshop Fiction & Friction

    Brittany Schulz is the owner of Fiction & Friction, an online bookshop dedicated to stocking indie authors, specialising in romance titles. After two years running the online shop, Schulz is is now opening a physical location  in Murray Bridge, Adelaide, to cater to increasing demand. She spoke to Debbie Lee, Ingram Content Group’s senior manager…

  • Louise Guy on her writing career

    Louise Guy on her writing career

    Could you please introduce yourself, the books you have written and then give a brief pitch of your most recent book? Hi, I’m Louise Guy, author of 13 middle-grade fiction titles, 15 romances (10 novella length, five full length), and five domestic thrillers. I write under three pen names and love the versatility of writing…

  • Ivana Truglio on the inaugural Book Fair Australia

    Ivana Truglio on the inaugural Book Fair Australia

    The first ever Book Fair Australia will be held at Sydney Showground on 26–27 November. Independent Publishing spoke to founder and CEO Ivana Truglio about her inspiration, her plans to grow the event, and what authors and book lovers can expect from the fair. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your…

  • Ben Randall on ‘Sisters for Sale’

    Ben Randall on ‘Sisters for Sale’

    Ben Randall is a filmmaker and the author of the ‘Sisters for Sale’ nonfiction series of books, which focus on the trafficking of young Hmong girls from Northern Vietnam to China. Randall released an award-winning documentary by the same name in 2018 before turning to writing to expand the story. Randall is also the founder…