The Best Podcasts for Indie Authors 2025
🎧15 Indie Author Podcasts to Listen to in 2025🎧
Looking for some podcast recommendations for authors?
Here you’ll find 15 of the best podcasts for indie authors in 2025—with links so you can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube (if available).
These podcasts offer you great tips on writing and publishing, author interviews, FAQs and Q&As for authors, roundups of author conferences, helpful information on author platform building, book marketing, and publicity, and plenty of inspiration and motivation.
There’s a little something for authors of all levels and genres!
Whether you’re on your first book or your eighth book, whether you call yourself a self-published author, an indie author, or a traditionally-published author (or want to), these podcasts are for you!
This is NOT a comprehensive list—it’s the ones I’ve enjoyed over the years and know the best.
⬇️ Scroll down for the list⬇️
The Indy Author Podcast
Website | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube
Welcome to The Indy Author Podcast, where we explore the writing craft, the publishing voyage, and how we can navigate our way to the readers who will love our work. Hosted by novelist Matty Dalrymple.
Listen if you’re interested in insider knowledge on how to best write, publish, and sell books from a great author with the best interview questions.
Format: interviews by host
New episodes: weekly, on Tuesdays (full transcripts are available)
Episode length: 30–60 minutes
Best episodes:
June 10, 2025: Episode 291 - The Podcast Guest Playbook with Mark Leslie Lefebrve
Oct. 29, 2024: Episode 262 - Combating and Tapping into Imposter Syndrome with Diane Vallere
Oct. 31, 2023: Episode 210 - Constructing a Compelling Series with Sara Rosett
Mar. 9, 2021: Episode 069 - Writing Memoir with Beth Kephart
Wish I’d Known Then
Website | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube (audio)
Join authors Jami Albright and Sara Rosett as they interview indie authors about how they found success as well as what they've learned from their mistakes.
Listen if: you’d like to listen in on two friends talking about how to succeed as indie authors, sharing their experiences, and generously giving their advice, and hosting guests who’ll take your skills and knowledge to the next level.
Format: conversational with interviews by hosts
New episodes: weekly, on Tuesdays
Episode length: 60–75 minutes
Best episodes:
Sept. 17, 2025 / Changing Genres with Fiona Maren: Episode 285
Aug. 13, 2025 / Pinterest for Authors with Melissa Bourbon: Episode 280
Apr. 2, 2025 / How to Find and Work with Book Editors and Coaches with Jen Graybeal: Episode 265
Nov. 20, 2024 / How to Craft Perfect Endings: Six Ways to Conclude Your Novel: Episode 246
Self-Publishing with Dale
Website | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube
The Self-Publishing with Dale Podcast is devoted to teaching you relevant and up-to-date information in the world of self-publishing. Subscribe today. The show’s YouTube channel sorts the episodes into topics including Self-Publishing Online, Self-Publishing Audiobooks, Self-Publishing on Amazon, Book Marketing & Promotional Strategies, and more.
Listen if you’re looking for quick, focused insights on various topics relating to self-publishing—especially author tools and self-publishing platforms.
Format: solo/monologue with occasional interviews—episodes alternate between weekly industry news updates and self-publishing tips.
New episodes: weekly, on Mondays
Episode length: 20–25 minutes
Best episodes:
Aug. 21, 2025 / The Ugly Truth About Publishing Nobody Tells Authors
June 24, 2025 / Mastering Amazon Ads: A Beginner’s Guide for Indie Authors
May 22, 2025 / The Ultimate Indie Author Sales Strategy: What I’d Do If I Had to Start Over
March 10, 2025 / Mastering Keywords & Categories: Your Secret Weapon for Sales
Feb. 4, 2025 / Get 5-Star Book Reviews Faster with These Expert Tips
Dec. 17, 2024 / The Ultimate Guide to Going Wide: How to Sell Your Books Beyond Amazon
Self-Publishing with ALLI
Website | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube
The self-publishing advice podcast offers guidance to authors about publishing their own fiction, nonfiction and poetry books, with a variety of different types of episodes including how-tos, inspirational interviews, and member Q&A sessions hosted by and featuring experienced authors and industry insiders.
Listen if you’re wondering what’s new and what’s helpful for indie authors and you enjoy listening to Q&A; if you’re just starting or you’re doing this for a living (there are episodes geared toward career authors and toward newbies).
Format: Conversations between co-hosts, sometimes Q&A format, and short newsbrief–style episodes
New episodes: weekly or twice weekly, on Fridays and sometimes on Sundays
Episode length: 45 minutes (average), short episodes average 15 minutes
Best episodes:
June 25, 2025 / From Manuscript to Mic – Preparing Your Book for Audiobook Production
May 28, 2025 / Behind the Scenes of the Editing Process
March 26, 2025 / Marketing Strategies for Children’s Books That Work
March 12, 2025 / Six Questions Every Author Should Ask
. . . and don’t miss the monthly Member Q&As.
The First Draft Club
A podcast to help you overcome resistance and write with more joy, clarity, and confidence. If you’re working on a novel or memoir, stick around. Whether you haven’t written a word since your 5-paragraph essay days or you have an MFA in Creative Writing, this podcast is now your weekly coffee date on your journey to finish your first draft.
Listen if you’d like to improve your writing skills and better understand the traditional publishing industry.
Format: Solo monologues
New episodes: weekly
Episode length: 15–20 minutes
Best episodes:
Jan. 15, 2025 / S08 E06: How to Write a Timeless Book (Whatever That Means)
Nov. 27, 2024 / S08 E02: Why You Can Write An Amazing Book That Doesn’t Get Published
Sept. 22, 2022 / S05 E07: 5 Steps to Getting a Literary Agent
Apr. 30, 2021 / Your Best Writing Goals Based on Your Enneagram Type
Minorities in Publishing
Website | Apple Podcasts | Spotify
The brain child of publishing professional Jenn Baker, MiP is a podcast discussing diversity (or lack thereof) in the book publishing industry with other professionals working in-house as well as authors and those in the literary scene.
Listen if you’d like to learn more about everything related to diversity in the publishing industry, especially the complexities and nuances resulting from the lack of diversity in it and the ways in which people are challenging the status quo.
Format: interviews by solo host
New episodes: monthly
Episode length: 30–60 minutes
Best episodes:
Sept. 4, 2024 / Episode 135: Interview with Book Influencer Lupita Aquino
Apr. 24, 2024 / Episode 131: Interview with Newberry-Honor Author Alicia D. Williams
July 6, 2022 / Episode 119: Interview with Zakiya Jamal
Aug 18, 2021 / Episode 112: Interview with Anton Treuer
Self Publishing Insiders
Website | Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Brought to you from the indie author experts at Draft2Digital! Each week, Self Publishing Insiders features an interview with a new guest, covering self-publishing topics from writing and craft to marketing and promoting your books, and anything that can help you build and grow your author career. Learn about new tools, new software, new markets—and of course, all the inside information that D2D can provide! This show features interviews taken from our live D2D Spotlight, available on YouTube and Facebook. Join us, and get your questions answered during the live broadcast, when you visit D2DLive.com!
Listen if you’re an author looking for an edge in self-publishing, you want to ask a question during a live event, or if self-publishing with Draft2Digital is (or might be) for you.
Format: interviews by host(s)—Mark Leslie Lefebvre and/or Jim Acevedo
New episodes: weekly, on Thursdays (full transcripts are available)
Episode length: 45–60 minutes
Best episodes:
June 26, 2025 / Ask Our Promotions Team Anything
Feb. 6, 2025 / How to Succeed as an Author Speaker
Nov. 21, 2024 / The Importance of Editors
Sept. 19, 2024 / Best Practices of Successful Indie Authors
Writers, Ink
Website | Apple Podcasts | Spotify
What does it take to succeed as a writer? Join host J.D. Barker and a panel of industry experts as they pull back the curtain and offer rare insights from the household names found on bookshelves worldwide.
Listen if you’re interested in hearing from and learning from successful novelists.
Format: discussions between hosts and interviews
New episodes: weekly
Episode length: 60 minutes
Best episodes:
Sept. 9, 2025 / Should You Be on Substack?
Dec. 31, 2024 / The Business of Being a Writer with Hot Sheet Author Jane Friedman
Dec. 17, 2024 / The Importance of Building a Brand with Marissa Eigenbrood
Apr. 20, 2020 / Beating Resistance with Steven Pressfield and Shawn Coyne
Write Now with Sarah Werner
Website | Apple Podcasts | Spotify
A podcast for all writers (aspiring to professional) looking to find a healthy work/life/writing balance. Get the encouragement, honest advice, and inspiration you need to pursue your passion and write every day.
Listen if you’re looking for variety and inspiration and if the show description appeals to you, because it delivers on what it promises.
Format: solo/monologue (Sarah Rhea Werner) and interviews
New episodes: weekly, on Mondays (show occasionally goes on hiatus)
Episode length: 25–45 minutes
Best episodes:
Apr. 28, 2025: Writing When You’re Not Okay – WN 167
Dec. 4, 2024: Should I Self-Publish? – WN 162
July 22, 2019: Finishing What You Start – WNP 072
Mar. 25, 2019: Putting Yourself Out There – WNP 068
Feb. 19, 2018: Coffee Break 063: Monica Leonelle
The Wordslinger Podcast
Website | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube
From award-winning and bestselling author Kevin Tumlinson, this weekly podcast explores the stories that shape us into who we are, and shape the world into what it can become. It’s all about the story here.
Listen if: you’re looking for a down-to-earth host with a laid back style gives tips and life wisdom for self-published authors.
Format: solo/monologue with occasional interviews
New episodes: weekly (usually), on Fridays (aired from 2013 to Aug. 7, 2020, then rebooted Mar. 18, 2024)
Episode length: 30–50 minutes
Best episodes (since 2024):
Apr. 10, 2025 / Unlocking the Future of Audiobooks: AI Narration and Multicast with Spoken
Mar. 27, 2025 / Embrace the Perspective Economy: Navigating Success in the Artisan Age
May 31, 2024 / Kickstarter, Direct, and a New Age of Book Marketing with Joanna Penn
Kobo Writing Life Podcast
Website | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube (audio)
The Kobo Writing Life Podcast features exciting interviews with bestselling authors, tips on the craft and business of writing, and advice for successfully self-publishing.
Listen if you’re interested in hearing self-published authors discuss their work and their author journey and learning about Kobo’s self-publishing platform.
Format: interviews by co-hosts
New episodes: weekly, usually on Tuesdays
Episode length: 30–60 minutes
Best episodes:
Sept. 2, 2025 / #377 - Developing Your Debut Romance Novel with Noreen Nanja
Dec. 24, 2024 / #359 - The Importance of Indie Publishing with Rakuten Kobo CEO Michael Tamblyn
June 11, 2024 / #345 - Maximizing Your Book Marketing with Mal Cooper
June 21, 2022 / #294: How to Become a Bestseller on Kobo
Inside Independent Publishing with IBPA
Website | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube
Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA) wants to make you a smarter publisher by giving you access to powerful ideas, strategies, and tools for success. Our interview guests are independent publishers, author publishers, and hybrid publishers, as well as distributors, printers, reviewers, booksellers, marketers, visionaries, and opinion leaders from all sectors of the book publishing industry. . . .Your host is IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services Christopher Locke.
Listen if you’re in any way involved in the traditional publishing industry in any way other than being an author.
Format: Interviews by solo host
New episodes: monthly, at the end of each month
Episode length: 40–45 minutes
Best episodes:
Feb. 27, 2025 / Amazon: How to Strengthen Book Sales & Discoverability
Feb. 29, 2024 / Tips to Level Up Your Independent Publishing Business
Mar. 30, 2023 / Understanding the Importance of Trade Reviews
Book Marketing Tips and Author Success Podcast
Website | Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Join Penny Sansevieri and Army Cornell for fun and frank discussions packed with clever ideas and easy-to-implement book marketing strategies! Designed to help self-published authors and traditionally published authors at any level, the Book Marketing Tips and Author Success Podcast will definitely inspire you with new ideas for how to sell books and grow your platform.
Listen if you’d appreciate quick, focused tips on book marketing—especially for beginners and those who need a reality check.
Format: conversation between co-hosts
New episodes: weekly, on Fridays
Episode length: ~30 minutes with short episodes under 10 minutes
Best episodes:
Sept. 19, 2025: Hook, Line, and Bestseller: The Art of the Elevator Pitch
June 13, 2025: Unlocking ChatGPT’s Creative Power for Authors
Aug. 23, 2024: Top Book Marketing Strategies to Embrace
June 30, 2023: How to Pitch Yourself to Podcasts or Start Your Own
Sept. 10, 2021: 10 Easy Ways to Revive an Older Book
Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing
Website | Apple Podcasts | Audible | Spotify | YouTube
Drawing upon more than a quarter century of experience as a bookseller, a writer, an editor and a respected and trusted book industry representative, Mark Leslie Lefebvre provides context to help you make informed decisions to build your own writing and publishing life.
Listen if you’d like to hear insights on the current and future state of publishing from one of the kindest, most genuine, and most knowledgeable people in the publishing industry today—insights drawn from years of experience as a bookseller, book distributor, and fiction and nonfiction author.
Format: interviews and solo monologues by host
New episodes: weekly, on Fridays
Episode length: usually about 50 to 60 minutes with occasional 20-minute episodes
Best episodes:
July 25, 2025 / Episode 426 – Getting YOUR Book Into Bookstores and Libraries
Oct. 4, 2025 / Episode 382: From Page to Platform: How to Succeed as an Author Speaker
Mar. 12, 2021 / Episode 181 – Things I Hate About KDP Select
Dec. 24, 2020 / Episode 169 – The World Needs Your Book with Monica Leonelle
Novel Marketing Podcast
Author Media presents Novel Marketing the longest-running book marketing podcast in the world. This is the show for writers who want to build their platform, sell more books, and change the world with writing worth talking about. Whether you self publish or are with a traditional house, this podcast will make book promotion fun and easy. Thomas Umstattd Jr. interviews, publishers, indie authors and bestselling traditional authors about how to get published and sell more books.
Listen if you’re looking for lots of actionable advice, clearly delivered, by a Christian author and book marketing expert.
Format: solo/monologue and interviews by host
New episodes: weekly, on Wednesdays (full transcripts are available)
Episode length: 20–45 minutes
Best episodes:
Sept. 10, 2025 / Ep 475: How to Get More Book Reviews
Nov. 25, 2024 / Ep 441: How to Build a Rejection Proof Platform in 2025
Sept. 30, 2020 / Ep 256: How to Get Published with a Traditional Publishing House
There are many great podcasts for authors that are now inactive or not actively posting new content but that are well worth listening to. I recommend the following, among others:
Beautiful Writers Podcast
Begin Self Publishing Podcast
Book Faces Live
Book Launch Show
Create If Writing
Portfolio Life by Jeff Goins
Self-Publishing School
Six Figure Authors
Smart Author with Mark Coker
Successful Writer Podcast
The Book Marketing Show with Dave Chesson
The Career Author Podcast
The Manuscript Academy
The Publishing Profits Podcast
Hope you enjoy these author podcasts!
—Daniel