It’s not easy finding a podcast that will interview a self-published/indie author. Trust me I know, I just spent the past week researching, emailing and tweeting podcasters. And I was pretty surprised to learn that there are still lots podcasters that won’t touch an indie book. I was even more stunned to learn that there are podcasters charging fees for an interview. By the way, it’s unnecessary to pay for an interview, because most podcasts make their money from advertising, not from charging their guests. I’m not saying these businesses are frauds, they do provide a service but there are no stats that say paying for an interview creates anymore buzz than a free one. It’s kind of like paying for book reviews, often it’s unnecessary and yields no ROI.
In my search, I did manage to find several podcasts that will take a chance on an indie author and won’t charge you a dime. But before I tell you that, let me explain why you should consider appearing on a podcast.
Podcasting Is Hot Right Now
Podcasting has gotten so popular that even the New York Big 5 publishers have gotten in on the act. For example, Penguin, and even Macmillan both had podcasts where their editors give submissions tips and discuss upcoming books.
Not to be outdone, Barnes and Noble launched several podcasts via their, Barnes & Noble Studio division. Now before you get excited, be warned, B&N only favors bestselling authors. The same story goes for Apple, and even the U.S. Library of Congress. But don’t fret, if they want to pretend that we don’t exist, that’s fine, we can build our own networks.
Podcasting Authors
In true indie spirit, some authors have started their own podcasts where they feature other indie/self-published books. In fact, 90% of the podcasts who welcome indie authors, are hosted by indie authors or authors signed at small publishing presses. If you were wondering, authors at small presses often face the same uphill battle when it comes to marketing their work, so they really do feel our pain.
Two Possible Arrangements
There are two types of book podcasts, one where you submit your book for review and another where you get interviewed about your book or about writing in general. Both are good ways to promote your work. Now before I go on, I need to be brutally honest with you, this will not make you a bestseller. In fact, most marketing methods like blogging, radio and yes, even television are ineffective at selling products short-term. However, they are very effective at building your brand and if you’re going to sell anything these days, you need a brand.
11 Podcasts to Consider
- Books & Entertainment Network
- Fran Lewis
- Michigan Avenue Media (Marsha Casper Cook) features independent and mainstream authors.
- A Cup of Tea With Alan
- The Writing Community Chat Show
- The Sample Chapter Podcast
- Writer’s Lounge
- Romance At A Glance
- Spotlighting The Indie Author
- Indie Author Lifestyle
- Reading & Writing Podcast
Important Tip: Make sure to read the description of the show and actually take the time to listen in because not all shows will fit well with your personality. If you’re a romance author, maybe a show like Dudes & Books isn’t your style. Trust me, you’re doing everyone a favor by doing your homework. Also keep in mind, a lot of these podcasts are booked well in advance, and are biweekly or monthly shows. That means there’s only so much air time to go around, so if they say no, it’s nothing personal.
If you want to find more radio programs, try my post: How to Find Interview Opportunities.
Finding Indie Friendly Podcasts Yourself
Most websites like Blog Talk Radio, Spotify, Stitcher and iTunes have terrible search engines. To make matters worse, some podcasters don’t tag or categorize their shows properly making it difficult to find them, so you may have to get creative with your search.
Here are just a few keywords to type in the search engine:
- author interviews
- books
- writers
- fiction
- novels
- authors
- indie authors
- self-publishing
For a more specific result, try your genre or niche such as; business, health, legal, sci-fi, romance, erotica, mystery etc. You can do this on social media and Google as well.
Your Job As A Guest
As the guest, there are certain things expected of you such as promoting the show to your social media followers, blog or newsletter. Not long ago, we had an author write a press release before she appeared on our show. That was unexpected, but very much appreciated because many authors just show up, promote their book, then, leave. No thank yous, or communication whatsoever after the fact. If you’re having trouble understanding why that’s a bad thing, read my post: How to Approach & Pitch Social Media Influencers.
A word to the wise: Keep in touch especially, if you plan on writing more books. That means, if they have a Facebook page, like it. If they’re on Twitter, follow them and retweet them whenever possible. It doesn’t take much effort to do these things. And if the Facebook or Twitter feed overwhelms you, create lists on an aggregator app like Hootsuite and check on those lists often. Again, it’s all about sowing good Karma.
Did You Know You Can Podcast Your Book?
Several years ago, a few indie authors created audio versions of their books and posted them to Scribl (formerly known as PodioBooks) where they were able to grow a following. This in turn, created a demand for the ebook and print editions of their work. One of those authors actually ended up getting a publishing deal down the road, but keep in mind, it’s rare.
For those of you who’ve never heard of Scribl it’s a site that uses a rating system to determine the value of a book’s worth. Most of the books offered on the site are free so if that’s not acceptable, you could just buy the proper audio equipment and record yourself reading your book then offer it on Patreon.
That’s A Wrap
Well there you go, I hope I helped you figure out with this whole podcasting thing. I know it’s a lot to digest, so take your time and decide what’s best for you. There are a myriad of choices when it comes to marketing, and podcasting is just one way of finding your audience.
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