The Self Publishing Show

Big news this week – The Self-Publishing Show Live is coming to the USA!
James Blatch and Cissy Mecca reveal the plans for the first SPS Live USA, taking place at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden in Texas on April 29th and 30th, 2027. The first year will be deliberately small, with just 200 places available, and the first 100 people on the waitlist will have the chance to secure special Founders tickets.
They also reveal the first two speakers: bestselling romance author Lucy Score and Hollywood screenwriter Tom Donnelly. James talks through why Fort Worth was chosen, plans for keeping the event affordable and what they want to bring across from the London conference.
Elsewhere, James and Cissy discuss the latest controversy surrounding RARE London 2027 and the large number of authors withdrawing from the event. James also shares an update on his Etsy experiment, including what happened when he promoted his Cold War book package directly to his mailing list and why bringing your own traffic to a new sales platform can make such a difference.
Key Talking Points
SPS Live USA officially announced for April 29th–30th, 2027
Fort Worth Botanic Garden confirmed as the venue
The event will be limited to 200 attendees in its first year
The first 100 people on the waitlist will be offered Founders tickets
Lucy Score and Tom Donnelly announced as the first speakers
Why SPS Live USA will avoid traditional hotel room blocks
The latest controversy surrounding RARE London 2027
James's Etsy experiment and selling books as gift packages
Why driving your own traffic to a new platform can help generate sales
Avoiding "shiny new object" syndrome and focusing on what's already working
Links & Resources Mentioned
ProWritingAid: https://prowritingaid.com
Discount code: IWC15
SPS Live USA Waitlist: https://learnselfpublishing.com/spsliveusa
SPS Patreon / Support: https://learnselfpublishing.com/support

This week on The Self-Publishing Show, it's launch day for Cissy Mecca's latest medieval romance, while James Blatch is getting serious about his own writing again, with a preorder underway and book two already taking shape.
The main discussion focuses on two significant developments at Amazon KDP. James and Cissy look at the new limits on the number of titles authors can upload each week and reports that Amazon may no longer be honouring permafree price matching. They discuss why these changes may be happening, how they could affect different types of indie authors, and why adapting to changes outside your control is simply part of running an author business.
There's also news from SPS Live London 2027, with Isabelle Knight and A.P. Beswick announced as the latest speakers, plus details of ProWritingAid's Novel November, the Orlando writing retreat and a very big SPS announcement coming next week.
Key Talking Points
Cissy's launch day and the next book already on preorder
Amazon KDP's new weekly publishing limits
What the KDP changes could mean for rapid-release authors and translations
Reports of changes to Amazon's permafree price matching
Adapting your author business when platforms change the rules
ProWritingAid's Novel November writing challenge
Isabelle Knight and A.P. Beswick announced for SPS Live London 2027
Writing routines, deadlines, editors and accountability
The Orlando writing retreat and the value of author communities
A major SPS announcement coming next week
Links & Resources Mentioned
ProWritingAid: https://prowritingaid.com
Discount code: IWC15
Orlando retreat waitlist - indiewritersclub.com/orlando
Cissy's New Series: https://www.amazon.com/Ruthless-But-Her-Captive-Medieval-ebook/dp/B0HDN38GS6 James' new A+: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spider-espionage-thriller-Espionage-Thrillers-ebook/dp/B0HJQBSTGD/ PWA's Nov-Nov: https://prowritingaid.com/novel-november Meta Link Workaround: https://youtu.be/frjsqfhKruI?si=cKvwPiYc-yk9_2Ym For the FB messages: Log into business page Go to: https://business.facebook.com/latest/inbox/automated_responses Select "custom keywords" automation

This week on The Self-Publishing Show, James Blatch and Cissy Mecca catch up from opposite sides of Europe, with Cissy joining from Sicily as she prepares for the September 29th launch of her new book.
James shares news from Learn Self-Publishing, including plans for a brand-new course, Self-Publishing Pathway, which will replace Launchpad and be built from the ground up for today's publishing landscape. He also reveals details of the Orlando writing retreat taking place in March and teases a major industry announcement coming on October 8th.
The main discussion turns to AI audio, as James shares his latest experience using ElevenLabs to create an audiobook version of his novella Desert Venom. They look at how much AI narration has improved, where AI-narrated audiobooks can currently be distributed, and the cost and practical considerations for indie authors.
Cissy also gives an update on her upcoming book launch, including ARC readers, Meta preorder ads, Amazon Ads and her new Vanguard reader group. She shares how she's using Claude and ChatGPT to analyse years of sales, newsletter and BookBub data to help shape a more data-driven launch strategy.
Key Talking Points
The new Self-Publishing Pathway course and the future of Launchpad
The Orlando writing retreat in March
A major Learn Self-Publishing announcement coming October 8th
James's experience creating an AI-narrated audiobook with ElevenLabs
Where authors can distribute AI-narrated audiobooks
Human narration versus AI narration and the cost of producing audio
Cissy's September 29th book launch and ARC reader strategy
Meta preorder ads, Amazon Ads and the new Vanguard reader group
Using Claude and ChatGPT to analyse historical sales and marketing data
Links & Resources Mentioned
ProWritingAid: https://prowritingaid.com
Discount code: IWC15
SPS Patreon / Support: https://learnselfpublishing.com/support
Orlando Writing Retreat Waitlist: https://indiewritersclub.com/orlando
ElevenLabs: https://elevenlabs.io

This week on The Self-Publishing Show, James Blatch is joined by author Skye McKinnon to dig into the numbers behind BookBub Featured Deals and ask whether they still offer authors the same value they once did.
Skye shares data from 28 BookBub deals, showing how the additional sales generated by her 99-cent promotions have fallen significantly over the years. They discuss whether the cost still stacks up, the results from free promotions, and whether combining several smaller newsletter promotions could offer better value.
The conversation also turns to Skye's recent success with Instagram and Facebook Reels. After experimenting with short-form content using Author Scale, she saw older books that had barely been selling suddenly take off, with some reels reaching hundreds of thousands of views.
James also shares a few thoughts on using AI, including where tools such as Claude can be useful for analysing author business data – and where authors should be more cautious about relying on their answers.
Key Talking Points
Skye McKinnon's findings from 28 BookBub Featured Deals
Whether BookBub promotions still offer good value for authors
Free versus 99-cent promotions and the importance of sell-through
Stacking smaller newsletter promotions as an alternative to BookBub
Skye's success using Instagram and Facebook Reels to revive older books
Using Author Scale to create short-form book content
Repurposing successful organic content for paid advertising
Using AI to analyse author business and advertising data
Links & Resources Mentioned
ProWritingAid: https://prowritingaid.com Discount code: IWC15
SPS Patreon / Support: https://learnselfpublishing.com/support
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com
SPS LIVE 2027 tickets are now available: https://www.learnselfpublishing.com/spslive

This week on The Self-Publishing Show, James Blatch and Cissy Mecca are together in Pennsylvania after celebrating the wedding of their friends Lucy Score and Tim. James even had the honour of officiating the ceremony.
There's also exciting news for Lucy Score fans: Things We Never Got Over is heading to the screen, with filming for the Amazon Prime series, titled Runaway, about to begin in Vancouver.
Inspired by Lucy and Tim's own friends-to-lovers story, James and Cissy dive into romance tropes and why they work. Cissy runs through some of the most popular tropes with readers right now, from enemies to lovers and forced proximity to fake dating, grumpy/sunshine, second chance and fated mates. They look at how tropes create conflict and reader expectations, how authors can combine several tropes in one book, and why the same relationship dynamics can be useful well beyond romance.
Key Talking Points
Why building an audience and strong author business matters before a breakout moment arrives
Why tropes have become such a powerful part of romance marketing
How BookTok has helped make readers increasingly trope-aware
Enemies to lovers and why it remains such a popular trope
Forced proximity and the "one bed" microtrope
Combining multiple tropes to build conflict and tension
Fake dating and arranged relationship scenarios
Grumpy/sunshine and opposites attract
Friends to lovers and second-chance romance
Protective and morally grey heroes
Fated mates
Using romance-style relationship dynamics in thrillers, crime, fantasy and science fiction
Why successful tropes still need believable characters, conflict and emotional development
A preview of next week's discussion on book promotions and BookBub Featured Deal performance
Links & Resources Mentioned
ProWritingAid: https://prowritingaid.com
Discount code: IWC15
SPS Live 2027 TICKETS are now available here is the link for more information: https://www.learnselfpublishing.com/spslive