The Self-Publishing with Dale Podcast

Amazon is rolling out multiple AI-powered features, from recap generators on Kindle to Rufus, their new conversational shopping tool. Plus, theyve launched a generative AI tool for sellers and announced a new reading sample update for eBook pre-orders. Meanwhile, copyright lawsuits against OpenAI and Microsoft are heating up, and Spotify is now accepting audiobook submissions. Get the latest on how AI is disrupting publishing and what it means for indie authors.

• Book Award Pro - https://DaleLinks.com/BookAwardPro (affiliate link)
• Subscribe to The Self-Publishing Hub - https://TheSelfPublishingHub.com
• Subscribe to my email newsletter - https://DaleLinks.com/SignUp
• Join Channel Memberships - https://DaleLinks.com/Memberships
• Join Me on Discord - https://DaleLinks.com/Discord
• Check out my main YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@DaleLRoberts
• My Books - https://DaleLinks.com/MyBooks
• Wanna tip me? Visit https://dalelroberts.gumroad.com/coffee.

News Sources:

• eBook pre-orders will soon show a reading sample on Amazon - https://www.kdpcommunity.com/s/article/eBook-pre-orders-will-soon-show-a-reading-sample-on-Amazon?language=en_US
• Finding Publishing Opportunities in an Era of AI Disruption: Q&A with CEO Keith Riegert (paid subscription required) - https://janefriedman.com/publishing-opportuities-ai-keith-riegert
• Amazon launches generative AI to help sellers write product descriptions - https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/small-business/amazon-sellers-generative-ai-tool
• Amazon announces Rufus, a new generative AI-powered conversational shopping experience - https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/retail/amazon-rufus?mc_cid=731c56011d&mc_eid=433332c881
• Amazon Kindles new feature uses AI to generate recaps for books in a series - https://techcrunch.com/2025/04/03/amazon-kindles-new-feature-uses-ai-to-generate-recaps-for-books-in-a-series/
• Submit to Spotify Audiobooks Publishing - https://sites.google.com/spotify.com/short-form-audiobooks/make-a-submission
• Copyright cases against OpenAI and Microsoft consolidated in New York court - https://www.bloomberglaw.com/public/desktop/document/INREOpenAIIncCopyrightInfringementLitigationDocketNo3143USJPMLDec/3?doc_id=X10L562HT9O9VHRKA8D1VE5I4TK&mc_cid=731c56011d&mc_eid=433332c881
• $5 billion class action suit over Apple's ebook licensing is based on false premises - https://appleinsider.com/articles/25/04/02/5-billion-class-action-suit-over-apples-ebook-licensing-is-based-on-false-premises
• ProWritingAid Online Beta Reader - https://dalelinks.com/betareader (affiliate link)
• Spoken Beta V0.8.6a: Personal Voice and Emotional Cueing - https://www.spoken.press/the-spoken-chronicle/v086a-release-notes-482025-personal-voice-and-emotional-cueing
• Manuscript Report - https://dalelinks.com/manuscriptreport (affiliate link)
• Audiobook Creation Key Concepts Mini Course - https://www.fleischmannmedia.com/audiobook-creation-key-concepts-free-mini-course
• Author Nation 2025 Speaker Announcement Webinar - https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NaVOwm-_TeOzDd5nQCUIuw?kuid=6ccf76e9-1bd6-49ba-9ba3-af46294ada6b-1744145713&lid=31108&kref=lniru4bBV7rK#/registration
• Space and Time Spring/Summer #148 - https://dalelinks.com/spaceandtime148 (affiliate link)

Credit:

• The Bottom Line by Jane Friedman - https://janefriedman.com/the-bottom-line-janes-publishing-industry-newsletter/
• Laterpress - https://www.laterpress.com/
• Miblart - https://miblart.com/

Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding!

- Dale L. Roberts

Print books arent dead! Discover how to price your print books for profit, which print-on-demand platforms work best, and how to sell more paperbacks without breaking the bank. If youre looking to maximize your earnings, this episode is for you!

• Book Award Pro - https://DaleLinks.com/BookAwardPro (affiliate link)

Sources:

• Print Book Sales Saw a Small Sales Increase in 2024 - https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/96842-print-book-sales-saw-a-small-sales-increase-in-2024.html
• Global Book Market 2023: Revenue growth in many countries despite major challenges - https://nielseniq.com/global/en/news-center/2024/global-book-market-2023-revenue-growth-in-many-countries-despite-major-challenges/
• Global Book Market 2024 shaped by strong fiction, declining non-fiction and slower price increases - https://nielseniq.com/global/en/news-center/2024/global-book-market-2024-shaped-by-strong-fiction-declining-non-fiction-and-slower-price-increases/
• The Alliance of Independent Authors - https://DaleLinks.com/ALLi (affiliate link)
• Alliance of Independent Authors Watchdog List https://DaleLinks.com/Watchdog
• Wide Publishing for Authors - DaleLinks.com/WideBook
• Subscribe to The Self-Publishing Hub - https://TheSelfPublishingHub.com
• Subscribe to my email newsletter - https://DaleLinks.com/SignUp
• Join Channel Memberships - https://DaleLinks.com/Memberships
• Join Me on Discord - https://DaleLinks.com/Discord
• Check out my main YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@DaleLRoberts
• My Books - https://DaleLinks.com/MyBooks
• Wanna tip me? Visit https://dalelroberts.gumroad.com/coffee.

Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding!

- Dale L. Roberts

Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX) rolled out new features and analytics for account holders, plus I share deeper insights into ACX's new digital voice narration with the cloning capabilities. Kobo Plus expanded into two new regions. National Novel Writing Month shut down; what happened and what can authors do now? And an Australian erotica author has been arrested due to some disturbing allegations. Find out about all that and more in the self-publishing news this week!

• Book Award Pro - https://DaleLinks.com/BookAwardPro (affiliate link)
• Subscribe to The Self-Publishing Hub - https://TheSelfPublishingHub.com
• Subscribe to my email newsletter - https://DaleLinks.com/SignUp
• Join Channel Memberships - https://DaleLinks.com/Memberships
• Join Me on Discord - https://DaleLinks.com/Discord
• Check out my main YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@DaleLRoberts
• My Books - https://DaleLinks.com/MyBooks
• Wanna tip me? Visit https://dalelroberts.gumroad.com/coffee.

Sources:

• Now in Beta: Narrator Voice Replicas on ACX - https://www.acx.com/mp/blog/now-in-beta-narrator-voice-replicas-on-acx
• Getting the most from your ACX reporting and analytics - https://www.acx.com/mp/blog/getting-the-most-from-your-acx-reporting-and-analytics 
• Rakuten Kobo Launches Kobo Plus in Singapore & Malaysia - https://kobowritinglife.com/2025/03/18/rakuten-kobo-launches-kobo-plus-in-singapore-malaysia/
• NaNoWriMo shutting down (covered by The Bottom Line) - https://janefriedman.com/the-bottom-line-janes-publishing-industry-newsletter/ (subscription required)
• The State of NaNoWriMo - A Community Update - March 2025 - https://youtu.be/TR6NnjgeIIY?si=Yr8eQ3F7fgYyukWd
• Apple Books for Authors - https://authors.apple.com
• Sydney author Lauren Tesolin-Mastrosa arrested over ‘pedophilia’ book - https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/crime/sydney-author-lauren-tesolinmastrosa-arrested-over-pedophilia-book/news-story/5babb82438d7adc5ca699c877b07641a 
• CoverRater - https://coverrater.com - use coupon code DALEROCKS for 20% off (good till Sept. 30, 2025)
• PublishDrive - https://DaleLinks.com/PublishDrive (affiliate link)
• PublishDrive presents: Building Your Author Platform with Evan Gow of StoryOrigin - https://publishdrive.com/building-your-author-platform-with-evan-gow-of-storyorigin.html 
• Keith Wheeler presents: YouTube for Books - https://dalelinks.com/youtubeforbooks (affiliate link)
• Book Career in a Year by Nick Thacker - https://www.bookcareerinayear.com/sp/book/ref/1/ 
• Books that Make You presents: Dale L. Roberts on Self-Publishing for New Authors – Your Guide to Indie Success - https://youtu.be/_9CejZROHcU?si=63ji1R6XkK9IAMCi
• Self-Publishing with ALLi presents: Marketing Strategies for Children’s Books That Work - https://selfpublishingadvice.org/podcast-marketing-strategies-for-childrens-books/
• The Writing Community Chat Show presents: A Haunted Island. A Spooky Investigation. - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thewccs/a-haunted-island-a-spooky-investigation?ref=project_link
• Teddy AG Smith presents: Dale L. Roberts - Beyond Amazon: The Strategic Approach to Publishing Wide - https://youtu.be/bea3M6zGlqQ?si=AlfTwqLTn9cBPXkw
• ULTIMATE ‪@DaleLRoberts‬ QUIZ | ARE YOU A SELF-PUBLISHING WITH DALE EXPERT? - https://youtu.be/o2n7Kw6q6l0?si=3IYU8M32GGqS8qaI 

Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding!

- Dale L. Roberts

AI is changing the publishing industry! Learn how authors can use AI for marketing, ads, and book optimization, which AI tools actually help you sell more books, and what ethical AI usage looks like for indie authors. Stay ahead of the game with these AI-powered strategies!

• Book Award Pro - https://DaleLinks.com/BookAwardPro (affiliate link)

Mentioned Tools & Affiliate Links: 

• ChatGPT - https://chatgpt.com/
• Dibbly Create - https://DaleLinks.com/DibblyCreate (affiliate link)
• ProseWrite - https://DaleLinks.com/ProseWrite (affiliate link)
• Spoken.Press - https://Spoken.press
• Leonardo.AI - https://leonardo.ai
• Subscribe to The Self-Publishing Hub - https://TheSelfPublishingHub.com
• Subscribe to my email newsletter - https://DaleLinks.com/SignUp
• Join Channel Memberships - https://DaleLinks.com/Memberships
• Join Me on Discord - https://DaleLinks.com/Discord
• Check out my main YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@DaleLRoberts
• My Books - https://DaleLinks.com/MyBooks
• Wanna tip me? Visit https://dalelroberts.gumroad.com/coffee.

Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding!

- Dale L. Roberts

Big changes are happening in self-publishing! Bookvault expands to Canada, Libro.fm reports massive audiobook subscriber growth, and Dibbly Create launches new support features. Plus, Creativindie’s Derek Murphy just relaunched a free 3D book cover mockup tool and a universal book link service. Stay tuned for everything you need to know about these industry updates and how they impact indie authors.

• Book Award Pro - https://DaleLinks.com/BookAwardPro (affiliate link)
• Subscribe to The Self-Publishing Hub - https://TheSelfPublishingHub.com
• Subscribe to my email newsletter - https://DaleLinks.com/SignUp
• Join Channel Memberships - https://DaleLinks.com/Memberships
• Join Me on Discord - https://DaleLinks.com/Discord
• Check out my main YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@DaleLRoberts
• My Books - https://DaleLinks.com/MyBooks
• Wanna tip me? Visit https://dalelroberts.gumroad.com/coffee.

Sources:

• Bookvault Canada - https://help.bookvault.app/bookvault-canada
• Libro.fm Reports a Surge in Subscribers - https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/97261-libro-fm-reports-a-surge-in-subscribers.html 
• Dibbly Create - https://DaleLinks.com/DibblyCreate (affiliate link)
• CreativIndie w/ Derek Murphy - https://www.youtube.com/@DerekMurphycreativindie
• 3D Book - https://3dbook.xyz/
• 1Link - https://1link.st/
• Authortunities w/ Angela Yuriko Smith - https://authortunities-hub.mn.co/
• The Bookfest - https://www.thebookfest.com/ 
• Struggling to Edit? This Tool Makes It Easy! - https://www.youtube.com/live/N2NBTaEqzOs?si=oKuTxNU6ljV3geag
• Spoken.Press - https://spoken.press 

Credit:

• Jane Friedman's The Bottom Line - https://janefriedman.com/subscribe-paid-newsletter/ 

Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding!

- Dale L. Roberts