On the Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast, host Howard Lovy talks to Tim McConnehey, founder and CEO of Izzard Ink Publishing, about why a manuscript assessment can be a crucial first step before a full developmental edit. They discuss how clear, practical evaluations help authors focus their revisions, save time, and make smarter decisions about editing and publishing. The conversation also looks at how early feedback on structure, voice, and market fit can strengthen a book's long-term prospects.

Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of 2,000+ blog posts, and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need.

We invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally.

About the Host

Howard Lovy is an author, developmental editor, and writing coach with a long career in journalism and publishing. He works with writers at many stages of their careers, with a focus on helping them develop their ideas and strengthen their work while preserving their unique voices. He lives in Northern Michigan.

About the Guest

Tim McConnehey is the founder of Izzard Ink Publishing and a Harvard Business School alumnus. He has contributed to U.S. discussions on AI and small-business policy and has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fox News, and The Star. At Izzard Ink, he helps independent authors publish at a professional level, from manuscript assessment through editorial, design, production, and full launch and post-launch support.

What if discovering strong indie books were as simple—and as trustworthy—as walking into your favorite bookshop? In this episode, Alliance of Independent Authors director Orna Ross and campaigns lead Melissa Addey introduce ALLi's new Big Indie Author Bookstore. They explain why it was launched now, how it differs from a standard indie author book list, and how it helps members gain greater visibility and credibility. The discussion also looks at how ALLi will work with readers, librarians, bloggers, and booksellers to connect the right readers with the right books.

Show Notes

The Indie Author Bookstore

Sponsor

Our Creative Self-Publishing stream is brought to you by Orna Ross's Go Creative! program—helping authors harness the power of creative flow in writing and publishing.

About the Host

Orna Ross launched the Alliance of Independent Authors at the London Book Fair in 2012. Her work for ALLi has seen her named as one of The Bookseller's "100 top people in publishing". She also publishes poetry, fiction, and nonfiction and is greatly excited by the democratizing, empowering potential of author-publishing. For more information about Orna, visit her website.

On this episode of the Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast, Dan Holloway examines the controversy surrounding AI-generated romance novels after a New York Times report revealed one author producing hundreds of titles and earning six figures. He also looks at AI's growing presence in cultural institutions, new legal pressure from UK publishers, and data suggesting piracy remains a major threat to the book market.

Sponsor

Self-Publishing News is proudly sponsored by PublishMe—helping indie authors succeed globally with expert translation, tailored marketing, and publishing support. From first draft to international launch, PublishMe ensures your book reaches readers everywhere. Visit publishme.me.

Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need.

And, if you haven't already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally.

About the Host

Dan Holloway is a novelist, poet, and spoken word artist. He is the MC of the performance arts show The New Libertines, He competed at the National Poetry Slam final at the Royal Albert Hall. His latest collection, The Transparency of Sutures, is available on Kindle.