Learn how to prevent your Amazon account from being banned with these 5 essential tips.

This guide is crucial for indie authors looking to maintain their publishing presence. In the competitive world of self-publishing, one question looms large: How do I avoid getting banned on Amazon?

This concern is particularly prevalent among indie authors who fear the loss of their hard work and revenue. In this episode, I break down 5 essential strategies to help you navigate the platform safely and effectively.

Based on my extensive experience and the insights I've gathered from the indie author community, these tips will not only help you avoid pitfalls but also empower you to publish confidently.

Understanding the Fear of Getting Banned

For many indie authors, the fear of having their Amazon accounts suspended or banned is all too real. Discussions in various online groups often amplify this fear, suggesting that bans are rampant among self-publishing authors.

However, it’s importa...

Most people who want to write a memoir don't get stuck because they have nothing to say. They get stuck because they have too much to say and no idea where to begin.

If that's you, you're not behind or disorganized. You're just a person with a full life trying to figure out how to fit it into a book, which is a genuinely hard thing to do!

These 50 questions are designed to help you start excavating. Not every question will apply to your story. Some will stop you cold.Others you'll skim past. That's fine. The goal isn't to answer all 50. It's to find the ones that make you think, Oh, that's something.

Let's get into it.

Who You Were: Identity & Origin

Before you can write about what happened, it helps to understand who you were when it happened.

These questions dig into the version of you that existed before everything changed (or before you knew it needed to).

1. What's the earliest memory you have that still feels significant today?

2. What did you believe about yourself as a ...

Creative careers look glamorous from the outside. The inside is usually…a little messier.

In episode 160, I sit down with Liz Astrof, TV writer ("Stumble," "King of Queens," "Pivoting," etc.) and author of Stay-At-Work Mom, to talk about the real mechanics of building a career in entertainment and publishing. Not the highlight reel. The actual process.

Liz shares what it’s like to write for television while also stepping into the world of books. Different mediums. Different pressures. Same core truth: Good work takes time to find its footing.

We talk about the long stretch between idea and green light. The pitches that don’t land. The projects that stall. And why collaboration is both the magic and the madness of working in TV (and being an author!).

She also shares a candid look at her version of resilience. Not the motivational-poster version but the practical version, where you keep showing up, keep refining, and keep creating—even when the timeline isn’t cooperating (whic...

In this episode, I’m joined (for the third time!) by Emma Grey, whose newest novel, Start at the End, publishes on April 7, 2026. We talk about writing brave stories and building a creative life that can withstand rejection.

Emma shares how vulnerability fuels her fiction. Not for shock value, but how honest emotions earn their place on the page. We talk about how she approaches structure, how she stays grounded in character, and why the process of storytelling keeps evolving right alongside the writer.

We also get into rejection. The real kind, the kind that stings. Emma’s take? It’s part of the path, and it's not a verdict on your talent.

And then there’s what’s next for Emma—TV adaptation plans and the shift from prose to screen. What changes? What stays? And how do you protect the emotional core of a story when new collaborators step in?

If you’re writing something that feels personal—or wondering whether you’re resilient enough to keep going—this conversation is a must-l...

In this episode, I’m joined by U.K.-based bestselling author Alexandra Potter, known for Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k-Up and her newest release, So, I Met This Guy... We talk about her writing journey, the freedom (and risk) of genre versatility, and why she refuses to be boxed in (as should you!).

Alexandra shares how she develops characters with depth and momentum. A friend calls her the “cork board queen,” and once you hear her plotting process, you’ll understand why. 

We also dive into the heartbeat of her current books: female friendships. The kind that carry you through heartbreak, reinvention, and the messy middle of midlife. She makes a strong case for why we need a female equivalent of the word “bromance.” (I've been contemplating an appropriate term ever since!)

We touch on the role of timing, the importance of community, and the ever-unpredictable path to bestseller status. 

About Alexandra Potter

Website: www.alexandrapotter.com

Instagram: @alexandrap...

Can you write a memoir without putting your name on it?

In this episode, I tackle two of the most common questions I hear from aspiring memoirists: Can I stay anonymous? and What makes a book successful? 

I break down why selling a memoir without a personal identity attached is tough. Readers connect to people, not just stories. And when the story is personal, anonymity adds a level of friction you can’t ignore.

I also share why the best memoirs often read like fiction. Strong scenes. Real tension. Clean narrative arc. Which is why, if anonymity feels non-negotiable, writing the story as fiction might actually be the smarter move.

Then there’s the success question.

Is it bestseller lists? Revenue? Or simply finishing a draft you once thought you couldn’t write?

If you’ve been circling your story but stuck on fear, privacy, or what “counts” as success, this conversation will help you ground your next step.

Check Out These Great Author Resources

Click Here to grab the FRE...

It's critical to understand the dynamics of book distribution, the advantages of ebooks, and strategies for increasing sales, especially as an indie author. So in this conversation, I discuss recent updates in the self-publishing world, focusing on distribution platforms for authors, particularly the new option for ebook distribution through Bookshop.org. 

The conversation also touches on the challenges indie authors face in getting their books into physical bookstores and how I suggest indie authors best utilize various distribution platforms for maximum effectiveness.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Video: How to Update Your Fonts if KDP Rejects Your Manuscript

Episode 98: Going Wide Vs. Amazon Exclusivity (KDP Select) 

Getting Your Self-Published Book Into Bookstores 

Author Email Toolkit: 30+ Templates for Building Buzz, Selling More Books, and Growing Your Reader List

Check out These Great Author Resources

Click Here to grab the FREE nonfiction or memoir kickstart that's helpe...

If you’re a self-published author trying to upload minor corrections to a book that’s been live on Amazon for months—or even years—and suddenly seeing an error about unsupported fonts, you’re not alone.

No, you didn’t suddenly break your book.

Amazon KDP has quietly changed how it validates fonts during the Quality Check process, and it’s catching a lot of previously approved interiors off guard.

Let’s talk about what’s actually going on, and what to do next.

Why Amazon KDP Is Suddenly Flagging Fonts That Worked Before

Here’s the frustrating truth: When you upload any new interior file to KDP—even for a small typo fix—Amazon re-checks the entire manuscript as if it’s a brand-new book.

That means:

• Fonts that passed before are re-evaluated

• Embedded fonts are re-scanned

• Older formatting choices are held to new standards

So even if:

• your book has been live for years

• the font is embedded in the PDF

• nothing about the design changed

…it can stil...

Sarah Vacchiano’s journey from querying 100 agents to publishing with one of the industry’s top houses is a story of patience, "luck," and the power of building genuine relationships.

In this episode, Sarah shares the behind-the-scenes details of her publishing journey, including how a chance reconnection with an editor led to her debut novel’s acquisition and publication. You'll discover how her strategic persistence, timing, and a bit of serendipity turned a decade-long work into a real-life success story that defies typical timelines.

We break down:

• The unconventional path from manuscript to publication, including querying, rejection, and a six-year pause
• How the universe conspired through a friend’s recommendation to seal her deal with Little A (an imprint of Amazon)
• The magic of editorial collaboration, with insights into the intensive editing process
• The importance of vulnerability and personal growth reflected in her characters and story
• Why embracing failure and
...