Once in a while, hosts Craig and Roland comb through the latest happenings in the ever-evolving world of self-publishing. In this episode, they’re joined by author, self-publishing expert, and well-known YouTube star Dale L. Roberts for a roundtable discussion. Dale, always on top of the hottest trends affecting authors, brings fresh insights to the conversation, leading to a lively discussion on the rise of AI in publishing, maximizing engagement through targeted content creation, and recent issues surrounding KDP blocking books.

The episode doesn’t shy away from big questions, such as how AI is reshaping the writing world and what that means for authors moving forward. Drawing on a recent Draft2Digital AI survey, the conversation explores the controversial role AI plays in writing, the debate over selling access to author works for AI training, and the potential implications for future publishing models. Whether you’re for or against AI, this episode offers a balanced look at both sides of the debate, providing you with valuable insights to make informed decisions about using AI in your own career.

Dale L. Roberts https://selfpublishingwithdale.com/

Draft2Digital 2024 AI Training Survey Results https://www.draft2digital.com/blog/2024-ai-training-survey-results/

Hidden Gems

Need our help publishing or marketing your book?

https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/author-services/

All episode details and links:

https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/podcast

Well-written stories are driven by the choices characters make, and understanding why the characters made those choices is crucial if you want them to seem believable and authentic. That’s where psychology can come in.

In this week’s episode of Fully Booked, journalist and High Fantasy author Steffanie Costigan joins Craig and Roland to discuss how she uses elements from the classic Myers-Briggs Type Indicator when she develops her characters, because she believes it offers a powerful guide into how each of them might think, act, and interact with each other.

Inspired by the work of Carl Jung, this personality index ranks traits like extraversion, empathy, intuition, and perception and then assigns one of 16 personality types to the result - mapping out characteristics that particular type of person is best known for. Steffanie explores how assigning these personality types has helped her gain a deeper understanding of her characters, and made them more compelling and engaging for the readers of her work.

Steffanie Costigan https://landofthedragon.ca/about/

Hidden Gems Need our help publishing or marketing your book? https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/author-services/ All episode details and links: https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/podcast

You might have heard influential figures in self-publishing declare that Direct Sales are “the next big trend” - but is selling your ebooks directly to your readers really a better option than using a tried-and-tested platform like Amazon?

Today, Craig and Roland sit down to discuss exactly that, using Roland’s months of experience selling his books directly to provide a real-life example. They discuss the challenges of setting up an effective sales funnel, how much technical knowledge you’ll require, the difficulty of turning a profit, and they weigh the pros and cons against more traditional self-publishing options like Amazon.

One thing’s for sure: Direct sales isn’t for everybody. However, you’ll be in a good position to consider that option after listening to this discussion, and have a good place to start planning out your own direct sales system.

Roland Hulme https://www.youtube.com/c/RolandHulme

Hidden Gems

Need our help publishing or marketing your book?

https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/author-services/

All episode details and links:

https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/podcast