The Indy Author
Hosted by Rock Paper
A weekly podcast offering practical, craft-focused advice for independent authors on everything from writing techniques to the business of publishing.
A weekly interview show focused on the craft and business of being an independent author. Each episode tackles a specific, practical topic—like scene structure, character interiority, or platform marketing—by interviewing a fellow author, editor, or publishing expert. The conversations are tactical and grounded, aiming to give listeners actionable advice rather than just inspiration.
“The show maintains a tight focus on a single, well-defined craft or business topic per episode, using a definitional Q&A format to ensure clarity. Unlike broader writing podcasts, it's less about author life stories and more about dissecting specific, applicable techniques.”
Who hosts this show
Matty Dalrymple is a suspense and thriller author who also educates and advocates for writers as The Indy Author. She hosts this podcast, writes nonfiction books for authors, and has spoken at major writing conferences like the Writer’s Digest annual conference and International Thriller Writers’ CraftFest. Matty is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, and is a Partner Member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.
Credentials & credits
- Author of multiple thriller and suspense series
- Speaker at Writer's Digest, ALLi SelfPubCon, and Authors Guild events
- Contributor to Writer's Digest magazine
- Partner Member of the Alliance of Independent Authors
- Member of International Thriller Writers
- Member of Sisters in Crime
Other ventures
- Author of the Lizzy Ballard Thrillers
- Author of the Ann Kinnear Suspense Novels & Shorts
- theindyauthor.com (writing/publishing resources)
- mattydalrymple.com (author website)
- William Kingsfield Publishers (publishing imprint)
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01Conflict, Character, and Motivation with Austin S. Camacho - #341Jun 23, 2026 · 38 min
- 02Interiority: The Secret Sauce of Good Fiction with Kristen Tate - #340Jun 16, 2026 · 40 min
- 03Smart Marketing Over Hot Genres with Dale L. Roberts - #339Jun 5, 2026 · 29 min
- 04The Choreography of a Scene with Rene Gutteridge - #338Jun 2, 2026 · 41 min
- 05The Economics of Con Life with Todd Fahnestock - #336May 12, 2026 · 45 min
- 06Story First, Marketing Second with Carlo J. Emanuele - #337May 12, 2026 · 34 min
- 07Substack for Fiction and Nonfiction Writers with Elle Griffin - #335May 12, 2026 · 37 min
- 08Your Humanity Is Your Brand with Jeniffer Thompson - #334May 5, 2026 · 46 min
Notable episodes
- 01Interiority: The Secret Sauce of Good Fiction with Kristen Tate - #340
A strong example of the show's core format: defining a specific craft term ('interiority') and then exploring its practical application in depth.
- 02Smart Marketing Over Hot Genres with Dale L. Roberts - #339
This episode showcases the business-focused side of the podcast, tackling a common financial question for indie authors with a recurring expert guest.
- 03The Economics of Con Life with Todd Fahnestock - #336
A highly specific and data-driven look into a niche part of the author business (selling at conventions), demonstrating the show's commitment to practical, numbers-based advice.
What you'll be asked on this show
Matty Dalrymple's interview style is structured and educational. She often opens by clearly defining the episode's central theme, asking the guest for a textbook definition of a term like 'interiority' or 'conflict.' For returning guests, she uses a personal 'fun fact' question as a warm-up icebreaker. She then methodically builds on that foundation, using follow-up questions to drill down from broad concepts to specific, genre-based applications and concrete examples. She frequently paraphrases a guest's point to confirm her understanding, ensuring the listener is never lost.
Matty Dalrymple hosts one-on-one interviews, sometimes framed around a listener's question. She grounds each conversation by asking guests for clear definitions of the core topic before drilling down into specific applications. For returning guests, she has a signature opening where she asks for a fun fact instead of reading a bio.
Questions Rock Paper keeps coming back to
11 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when Rock Paper reaches for it.
personal
1- Q.01
“Can you share a fact about yourself that my listeners and I may not know?”
This is her signature opening for returning guests, used instead of reading a formal bio.
craft
3- Q.01
“When you talk about [topic], what are you talking about?”
She asks this early to establish a clear, shared definition of the episode's core concept.
- Q.02
“Are there genre conventions for [technique]?”
Probes how writing techniques and reader expectations vary across different genres.
- Q.03
“How does [element A] connect to [element B]?”
This question explores the relationship between different aspects of the writing craft, like conflict and character.
industry
1- Q.01
“What's your take on the common belief that [industry assumption]?”
This question tests a piece of conventional wisdom with an expert guest.
process
1- Q.01
“Do you look at [concept] at the macro story level or at the micro scene level?”
This clarifies the scope of the guest's advice, from high-level structure to granular execution.
advice
4- Q.01
“Can you give an example of that?”
She often pushes for concrete examples to illustrate abstract concepts for the listener.
- Q.02
“What are the common pitfalls for authors on [platform]?”
Seeks platform-specific, actionable advice on mistakes to avoid (e.g., on Amazon KDP).
- Q.03
“Are authors missing opportunities by focusing too much on [tactic]?”
This question challenges common strategies to uncover potential blind spots for authors.
- Q.04
“What are some tips for balancing [approach A] with [approach B]?”
Seeks practical, actionable advice for writers on finding the right balance in their craft.
technique
1- Q.01
“Can you contrast the overt vs. subtle ways of applying [technique]?”
Asks guests to differentiate between direct and indirect methods of execution.
Signature segments
- · Asking returning guests for a 'fun fact' instead of a bio
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are typically established authors, book coaches, editors, or publishing strategists who have deep expertise in a specific niche of writing craft or author marketing, such as Dale L. Roberts or Kristen Tate.
- Austin S. Camachoon Conflict, Character, and Motivation with Austin S. Camacho - #341
- Kristen Tateon Interiority: The Secret Sauce of Good Fiction with Kristen Tate - #340
- Dale L. Robertson Smart Marketing Over Hot Genres with Dale L. Roberts - #339
- Rene Gutteridgeon The Choreography of a Scene with Rene Gutteridge - #338
- Carlo J. Emanueleon Story First, Marketing Second with Carlo J. Emanuele - #337
- Todd Fahnestockon The Economics of Con Life with Todd Fahnestock - #336
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The podcast is listener-supported through direct platforms like Patreon and Buy Me a Coffee. This suggests a direct-to-creator sponsorship model would be the most natural fit, likely for author services, software, or educational products.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
Pitch Rock Paper
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People also ask
- What is the host's real name?
- The host is Matty Dalrymple, a suspense and thriller author.
- Is The Indy Author podcast still running?
- Yes, it releases new episodes on a weekly basis.
- What is the podcast's format?
- It's a weekly interview show where host Matty Dalrymple talks with authors and publishing experts about a specific topic related to writing craft or the author business.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The podcast is available on YouTube and major podcast platforms.
- How can I support the show?
- The Indy Author is listener-supported via Patreon and Buy Me a Coffee.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]About Matty Dalrymplemattydalrymple.com
- [02]The Indy Author - Official Websitetheindyauthor.com
- [03]About & Contact - The Indy Authortheindyauthor.com
- [04]Matty Dalrymple Archives - Writer's Digestwritersdigest.com
- [05]Podcast Overview - The Indy Authortheindyauthor.com
- [06]Meet Matty Dalrymple – CanvasRebel Magazinecanvasrebel.com
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