Opening Up To Indie Authors: A Guide for Bookstores, Libraries, Reviewers, Literary Event Organisers ... and Self-Publishing Writers (The Alliance of Independent Authors Guides)

by Debbie Young, Dan Holloway

You've self-published a book and you'd like to see it in your local library or bookstore or the review pages of your favourite newspaper. You'd like to speak or read at a literary festival or event. You'd like to enter it for a book award or prize. This Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) guide will tell you how to recognise opportunities, work with publishing partners and open doors, and keep them open, for your own benefit -- and that of all indie authors.

This guide is also aimed at those who work in the literary, publishing and books industries: award bodies, book fairs and conferences, libraries, literary festival and event organisers, retailers, reviewers and anyone who acts as a bridge between writer and reader.

It gives detailed advice on how to find good self-published books and how they might -- and should -- be included, wherever readers are found.

Packed with useful information, and real-life examples from members of The Alliance of Independent Authors, this guidebook is part of a wider campaign that includes a petition, and lobbying within the publishing industry, encouraging it to open up to the self-publishing phenomenon.

You can sign the petition at Change.org. http://www.change.org/petitions/open-...

More information at: www.allianceindependentauthors.org

"Kobo is eager to work with ALLi on the 'Open Up to Indie Authors' program and publication, thereby continuing to assist authors with navigating the critical yet often complex layers, relationships and processes surrounding the book industry." Mark Lefebvre, Director of Self-Publishing & Author Relations at Kobo Books.

Genres: Writing, Business, Nonfiction

136 pages, Paperback

First published March 25, 2014

About the author

Hello dear readers!

I hope you will enjoy my warm, witty, feel-good contemporary fiction, full of English humour and heart, inspired by life in the Cotswold village which has been my home for over 30 years. I have three series of cozy mystery novels plus various short fiction, and I've written a couple of non-fiction books too.

NOVELS

My latest book is "Death at the Village Christmas Fair", the third in my Cotswold Curiosity Shop Mystery series. The series begins with "Death at the Old Curiosity Shop", followed by "Death at the Village Chess Club". In this series, moving from the city to the lively Cotswold village of Little Pride, Alice Carroll (50) discovers that nothing is quite what it seems in her new business enterprise. Each novel in this series has at its heart an intriguing item to be found in her bric-a-brac shop, and features eccentric characters, plenty of red herrings and lots of English humour.

My Sophie Sayers Village Mystery series begins with "Best Murder in Show". Originally envisaged as a seven-book series to run the course of a calendar year in the life of the idyllic English Cotswold village of Wendlebury Barrow, it continues to grow, with the most recent addition being Sophie Sayers' ninth outing, "Driven to Murder",

My Gemma Lamb Cozy Mystery series is a mashup of romantic comedy, gentle mystery and nostalgia for classic children's school stories but aimed at adults. It focuses on the intrigues among the teachers and visitors to the school, rather than the children. "Dastardly Deeds at St Bride's" (previously published as "Secrets at St Bride's"), and is followed by "Sinister Secrets at St Bride's" (formerly "Secrets at St Bride's"), Wicked Whispers at St Bride's", and "Artful Antics at St Bride's". Two further books will follow to complete the series of six, running the course of the academic year at St Bride's Boarding School for Girls.

All of my novels are now available in ebook, paperback, hardback, and audio in English. There are also German language editions of Sophie Sayers' adventures and Italian translations of Gemma Lamb's.

SHORT FICTION

My series of comedy mystery novelettes, Tales from Wendlebury Barrow, is set in the same world as the Sophie Sayers Cozy Mysteries. The first, "The Pride of Peacocks", is available exclusively to members of my Readers' Club (visit my author website to claim your copy). "The Natter of Knitters" and "The Clutch of Eggs" are available in ebook and paperback. A Christmas special, "Christmas with Sophie Sayers", featuring festive short stories set in the same world, was published for Christmas 2023. Three more Sophie Sayers short stories appear in the charity anthologies, "Fate", "Everyday Kindness" and "The Little Shop of Murders". Look out for another one in the "Courage" anthology, coming in 2026!

My standalone novella, "Mrs Morris Changes Lanes", is a second-chance mid-life romantic comedy with a touch of magical realism, set in the Cotswolds in spring,

Earlier in my career, I published three themed collections of short stories, "Stocking Fillers", "Marry in Haste", and "Quick Change".

PLAYS

I've also now started writing scripts for murder mystery events, My debut play, "The Importance of Being Murdered", was premiered by Hawkesbury Drama Group in April 2025. The original playscript will be published later this year for use by amateur drama groups all over the world, and I'm also working on a novelisation.

AWARDS

The first St Bride's novel was shortlisted for the 2020 Selfies Award given for the best independently-published fiction in the UK. The sixth Sophie Sayers novel was shortlisted for the same award in 2021. My short story "The Alchemy of Chocolate", from "Quick Change", was a winning entrant to the April 2015 Stroud Short Stories competition, and as a result I was later invited to read it at the Cheltenham Literature Festival.

FREE EBOOK

Rec

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely essential for any author who wants to be taken seriously and treated professionally. Regardless of whether or not the author is self-published or traditionally published, the insights and rich, in-depth look at the book business (publishing/distribution, bookselling and libraries) is the best and most concise compilation of information for authors I have ever read.

Having been a bookseller for more than two decades, I have already learned many of the insights that most authors who approach bookstores are not likely to have - but I found the book valuable in the way that it laid out those insights in a comprehensive and straight forward fashion, as well as providing a summary list for easy reference.

Every writer would be wise to check out this book; and booksellers, librarians and other book industry professionals would also be well-advised to get their hands on it in order to understand the author's perspective as well. One thing this book does really well and consistently is that it allows the reader to consider the perspective of the person on the "other side" of the discussion -- so that authors can appreciate the reasoning behind many business decisions that booksellers and librarians and literary event organizers have to make. This balanced perspective provides incredible value.

Kudos to Debbie Young, Dan Holloway and Orna Ross for creating a critical and much needed resource that will empower writers with a true sense of professionalism that helps them pave their way to success.

[Mari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. It's full of useful, vital, information for us Indie Authors - and those others who should be 'opening up', the libraries, bookstores, reviewers, event organisers... Clearly written, accessible, well researched, and experienced (the authors are Indie published).

5 stars even though I have one criticism: I need the paperback version to come out soon! As a person who underlines I feel the need to be able to highlight, and then easily turn to, the best bits for future use and it;ls just easier to grab a book from a shelf and flip the pages than use a Kindle!

Yep - Kindles and other e-readers are best for holiday etc fiction, and especially stories you probably won't read again. For books you aren't totally sure you'd buy, but as the Kindle is cheaper and takes up less room you'll give it a go ... paperbacks for reference - what do others think?

[K.S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read for someone like me, who wants to self publish, but knows very little about it. Chocked full of information and common sense, this guide offers advice on how to approach bookstores, reviewers, and libraries. It brings up important questions writers should consider about podcasts, awards, and having a basic business plan.

As a creative writer and a fledgling professional, I found the advice Orna Ross and other self published authors offered up in this book invaluable. I received a free copy of this, but I’d be more than happy to pay for other such publications. I felt it was well worth it.

[Alison Cubitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must-have guide for every author, whether self-published, hybrid or traditionally published. The world of publishing is in a constant state of flux. The certainty is that there is no certainty. Yesterday's trade published author gets dropped by their publisher and agent and becomes tomorrow's indie author. Then there are the self-published authors, who couldn’t interest an agent or publisher who go on to sell well and then get wooed by the gatekeepers….

Navigating your way through the brave new world of publishing is tricky and for self-publishing authors that can be even more of a challenge. This book is part of a campaign promoting equal opportunity for all authors no matter how they choose to publish. It is full of great tips for those of you trying to get your work into a bricks-and-mortar book shop, a library or a literary festival.

I'm a member of ALLi and received a free download of this book as part of my membership.

[Sindy Castellanos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Manual whose clear explanations and proposals are realistic and are becoming more relevant every day. It can be considered as an accurate guide towards the goal of achieving a fair space in the publishing world for self-published authors.
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Manual cuyas claras explicaciones y propuestas son realistas y van tomando cada día más relevancia. Puede considerarse como una guía certera hacia la meta de lograr un espacio justo en el mundo editorial para los autores que se auto-publican.

[E.J. Lamprey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something of a must for indie authors, because the role is becoming serious. The days of traditional publishing, where your book, unless you were really good or really lucky, never made it to the light of day are over, and we have the giddying excitement of making our own luck and publishing ourselves.

Downside- there are now a lot of books out there: literally millions. There are a lot of how-to books out there, too, but this one delivers. Add it to your essential reading list, add it to your arsenal, it has so many of the answers. If it was the only reference book you'd ever need I'd give it 5 stars but there will never be a book that is that. This is one of the best.

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a new member of the Alliance of Independent Authors, I downloaded this from the website, as it looked like essential reading. It certainly is. As an author who has switched from trade (in my case Big 5) to going it alone, I'm frustrated by the assumption that all self-published books are rubbish and their authors unprofessional. It just isn't so, and this book lays out the case for that. This guide has given me lots to think about and many ideas to try. I know I'll be dipping into this book again and again.

[Karl Drinkwater · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's useful, professional, empowering, clear and sensible. The book gives a useful overview of the contemporary publishing scene, as well as specific suggestions for improving it in terms of letting the best books rise to the top, regardless of what route they take to readers' hands. It also challenges a number of assumptions which gave me a few things to think about.

[Delvina Greig · Rating 1 out of 5]

The numbering system was weird on this one. For a book proclaiming self-published books to be equal of traditionally published, it didn't follow its own advice to making everything perfect before making it public. I gained very little of value form this book which is a shame.

[Kim Howard · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is undoubtedly some very useful information in this book. It is just a shame they didn't follow their own advice and get it perfect before publication. I found all the silly little errors very off putting.