It seems like every day there's a new podcast launching (and another one or two dying).
I love listening to podcasts because they're unobtrusive and can fit into daily activities like driving to work, going for a walk, or just waiting in line.
(And since, as of September 2026, there are 504.9 million podcast listeners globally, I'm clearly not the only one who enjoys them.)
Through podcasts, I can digest information, learn tactics, and just grow, while not having to ‘fit’ it into my already busy life.
So, what makes a good podcast? Which ones are worth your time? And which ones are the best for writers and self-publishers? Well, here's a list of some great ones that we think you'll really enjoy!
The Rules of the Road
There really are a lot of self publisher and writer podcasts out there with different angles, themes, and even styles.
However, in my quest to list the ones below, I used the following criteria:
- The podcast must have 50+ shows – this proves it's stable enough and worked out its real identity and niche in the market.
- It must be widely available – if it can't easily be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube, I didn't include it. There are lots of great apps out there for listening, but I wanted to keep things as easy for listeners as possible.
If you know of a great podcast that isn’t listed below, let me know on X/Twitter and I’ll check it out.
Self-Publishing Podcasts
Here are Kindlepreneur's picks of the best podcasts for self-publishers, book marketers, and authors. You might see a familiar face listed first:
The Book Marketing Show
My The Book Marketing Show podcast has 60+ episodes packed with the best book marketing sales tactics and top-notch guests. I created this show for authors who didn't want the fluff, but wanted an easy to follow deep dive into each book sales tactic that is proven to get results. Grab your headphones and have a listen.
Website : Apple Podcasts : Android
Self-Publishing School
The Self-Publishing School podcast by Chandler Bolt is enjoyed by many. It covers writing a book, launching a book, and using your book to grow a six-figure income. Pat Flynn, Gary Vaynerchuk, Joanna Penn, Hal Elrod, and Jeff Walker are just a few of the incredible guests who share their strategies for getting on the NYT and WSJ Bestseller lists, building a tribe of fans, and how to use books to scale businesses of all kinds.
Website : Apple Podcasts : Spotify
The Creative Penn
The Creative Penn by Joanna Penn has been sharing a mixture of business-focused and writing focused topics since 2015. Special guests, such as Ron Vitale, are regularly featured to bring their specialist wisdom to the show. It features hot topics, such as adult coloring books, as well as evergreen advice, like outlining for genre fiction. Listen to my interview with Joanna about how to identify your book sales problem (and how to fix it).
Website : Apple Podcasts : Spotify
The Self-Publishing Show
The Self-Publishing Show (formerly known as the Self-Publishing Formula, which was co-hosted by Mark Dawson) is a weekly podcast hosted by former BBC journalist James Blatch. It takes in-depth looks at fascinating and useful aspects of self-publishing, such as book launches and how to test out a book idea before writing.
Sell More Books Show
The Sell More Books Show, hosted by Jim Kukral and Bryan Cohen, does exactly as its title promises – helps you to sell more books! This is done by offering tried and tested tips related to aspects of book marketing, such as email marketing, building lists, and promoting your book on social media platforms.
Publishing Profits Podcast
Publishing Profits Podcast is hosted by Tom Corson-Knowles and features authority marketers on the show to discuss their favorite tactics and what is working in the book marketing world. Listen to my interview where I talk about using SEO to sell more books on Amazon.
Happy Self Publishing Show
The Author Success Show from Happy Self Publishing covers questions related to writing, publishing, and marketing your books. The guests are successful authors who cover topics such as the best type of lead magnets for books and how to maintain book sales for months after a launch. Each episode gets straight to the point and is less than 20 minutes.
The Indy Author Podcast
Matty Dalrymple discuss the writing craft and the publishing voyage with fellow creators and industry experts, including Joanna Penn, Mark Lefebvre, Sacha Black, and Dialogue Doctor Jeff Elkins. With an evergreen backlist of over 100 episodes and new episodes airing weekly, The Indy Author Podcast provides knowledge and insights to launch and sustain your author career. Check out my conversation with Matty on Optimizing Your Keywords on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!
Website : Apple Podcasts : Spotify
Self Publishing with Dale
Dale Roberts has been getting a whole lot of traction on YouTube and for good reason. I'm pretty sure you've seen at least one of his videos. He covers all sorts of specifics when it comes to self-publishing. He's dedicated to helping you sell more books and developing your author brand.
QWERTY: A Podcast for Writers on How to Live the Writing Life
Author Marion Roach Smith interviews the best writers in all genres to discover their process. QWERTY is about the real challenges of writing and the steps anyone can take to become a better storyteller. Join the conversation.
Website : Apple Podcasts : Spotify
Self-Publishing with ALLi
The Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast by the Alliance of Independent Authors offers comprehensive guidance for authors in the self-publishing realm. It covers a variety of topics and themes, such as creating better books and reaching more readers, and features inspiring interviews with independent authors.
Website : Apple Podcasts : Spotify
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Top Podcasts For Authors and Writing
It's no secret that writing is NOT my forte. Heck, I became a nuclear engineer and physics major to escape the subject as best I could. So, how did I gain the courage to do this? I listened to a LOT of writing and author podcasts along the way:
Behind the Book Cover
Formerly known as Entrepreneur Publishing Academy, Anna David's Behind the Book Cover explores how successful entrepreneurs, authors and thought leaders use books, media, and marketing to become better known, reach more people and grow their businesses. Through candid conversations with traditionally published authors and independently published entrepreneurs, Anna reveals what really happens behind the book's cover.
Website : Apple Podcasts : Spotify
Grammar Girl
Grammar Girl is a long-running podcast from Mignon Fogarty that's packed full of tips for writers who like to write well. By listening to Grammar Girl, you will learn advanced writing tips about even the most obscure aspects of the English language. A sure way to improve your writing.
Website : Apple Podcasts : Spotify
Read To Lead
Read To Lead is the perfect podcast if you share the belief that books are one of the best ways to get ahead in your leadership and business efforts. Read To Lead features regular interviews with some of the top non-fiction writers and grills them on their perspective regarding business and leadership.
The Writer Files
The Writer Files is perfect for those of you who like to understand the habits and processes of different writers in detail. Each episode features Kelton Reid looking at a different type of writer. The podcast has included everything from screenwriters to thriller writers and poets so far.
So You Want To Be A Writer
So You Want To Be A Writer is an Australian based writing podcast which features both an author and a journalist as host. Episodes contain a mixture of news and trends within the world of writing and actionable tips on various aspects of the craft, such as advice on plotting, and how to write for specific genres.
General Podcasts I Think You'll Love
In book marketing and writing, we sometimes need to supplement our focused learning with something a little broader in scope. After all, a good idea is a good idea, and you never know what you'll be able to apply to your self-publishing efforts. The following podcasts are awesome sources of inspiration and ideas.
Side Hustle Show
The Side Hustle Show is brought to you by Nick Loper of Side Hustle Nation. It covers a wide variety of ways to make money online such as blogging, content creation, and consulting. Here's my interview with Nick who has been a good friend over the years.
Website : Apple Podcasts : Spotify
Smart Passive Income
Pat Flynn is a name you're hopefully familiar with – if not, his SPI podcast is a great place to start. Episodes cover actionable tips on making money, as well as more philosophical topics like dealing with rejection. It was a dream of mine to one day be on guest on Pat's show, so it was exciting to be invited on a few years ago. Click here check out that episode.
Website : Apple Podcasts : Spotify : YouTube
The Unmistakable Creative
If you are at all interested in the creative process, and as a book marketer you definitely should be, then you will want to tune into The Unmistakable Creative regularly. It features an inimitable look at the creative process, having featured heavyweight guests such as Tim Ferriss and Seth Godin. Recent episodes have dealt with topics such as the ego and self-expression.
The Tony Robbins Podcast
The Tony Robbins podcast features a mixture of the motivational tactics you expect from Tony Robbins alongside a range of actionable business advice. Robbins interviews guests with a proven track record of success to extract their secrets. Recent episodes have looked at the psychology of success and how to master the process of sales.
Website : Apple Podcasts : Spotify
TED Talks Daily
You've almost certainly come across TED talks in their video format, either on YouTube, through social media or directly on the TED Talks website. However, they are also available as an audio podcast which you can download and tune into on the go. This is one of the best ways to enjoy the intriguing ideas of TED Talks without having to focus on a video lecture.
Website : Apple Podcasts : Spotify
Inactive Podcasts (I Still Think You'll Enjoy)
These podcasts aren't active any longer (or haven't posted new episodes in quite some time), but they have a catalog of episodes with a lot to offer.
Writer 2.0
Writer 2.0 Podcast by acclaimed writer AC Fuller has well over 100 episodes and has been going strong since 2014. AC Fuller has previously taught at NYU and is one of the most reputable names in the industry. Episodes feature a mixture of actionable ideas and interviews with great guests, like myself, from the spectrum of the self-publishing world.
The Portfolio Life
The Portfolio Life is hosted by Jeff Goins and features some of the most useful and fascinating insights into the creative process and creative work around. Some of the topics included on recent episodes have been Facebook Live for Writers, Overcoming The Fear of Rejection, and The Seven Stages Of Finding Your Calling. This shows the mix between the inner aspects of writing, and the more practical aspects, which are equally featured on The Portfolio Life.
Writing For Children
If you want to write for children, this is your perfect podcast. Hosted by the charismatic Katie Davis, director of the Institute of Children's Literature, Writing for Children features advice on everything from creating characters to writing non-fiction for kids. Katie Davis is a bestselling children's author, so her podcast is a resource you can trust, as well as enjoy.
The Creative Writer's Toolbelt
The Creative Writer's Toolbelt is specifically aimed at creative writers. It is a mixture of actionable writing ideas alongside interviews with writers speaking about aspects of their craft. The 100+ episodes contain everything from character development to story theory.
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Click here to see it in actionSo, What's Your Favorite Book Marketing Podcast?
As you can see, there are lots of different shows on the market. Some that give explicit tactics, while others just focus on interviews and the market in general.
But regardless of what you're looking for, there are all kinds out there to fit just about anyone's particular needs or level.
If I missed any above that you think should be mentioned, go ahead and let us know on X/Twitter and we'll check it out.
And if you're a fan of the tactics I share on the Kindlepreneur blog, you'll love the 60+ episodes on my Book Marketing Show podcast. Check 'em out.
