The #1 Author Group Every Nonfiction Writer Should Join (ALLi Review)

Want to sell more books, protect your rights and get expert advice. One of the greatest ways to do this is through Ally. Wondering if Ally, the Alliance of Independent Writers is worth it. Good news. This video is for you. Hey there. I'm Julie the Book Broad, Founder of Book Launchers. We are your first choice in all things nonfiction book publishing. Visit book launchers.com to learn more about how we help. Now, what is ally? The alliance of Independent Authors. It is a global nonprofit professional association for self published and indie authors. Check out their website here. It's essentially a support network and advocacy group by indie authors for indie authors, offering guidance and resources to help you publish successfully whether you're launching your first nonfiction book or you've published multiple titles. And by the way, it doesn't have to be nonfiction if you are an independent author. Ally is built to support you every step of the way. We are members at Book Launchers so so let me give you a sneak peek behind the membership portal so you can see some of the cool benefits that you can't see when you visit their website as a non member. Now, besides the fact that you can get some deals on services you might need, you can also get legal support. And I think this is one of the big, big benefits here because as you've probably heard me say, if you've been around, I am not a lawyer and I cannot give legal advice. But members of Ally can get contract vetting and general legal advice. They have template contracts as well and they also will explain terms. The organization's watchdog desk also is something I talk about all the time and it flags scams and unethical publishers. It has all kinds of warnings about bad services in the industry. So you definitely should bookmark that link and I'll put it in the description below. Ally also advocates for indie authors rights. They campaign for things like fair royalties and inclusions in bookstores and the best awards. So so they are an industry watchdog and Ally on your side. They also provide answers and expert advice on every aspect of publishing. They have the Ask Ally helpline where you can ask any self publishing questions and get help from veteran authors and advisors. Members also get a library of free guidebooks on topics from editing to book launches, bookstores and rights. You can check out some of the guides they have right here. Now their partner directory is also a really great resource and it covers every service an author could need. And you know these are trusted services because Ally has that watchdog service that helps you keep away from scams and shams, but also to be part of their partner program. They have a vetting service and they will go through your services thoroughly. I know because they went through ours. They questioned the qualifications of our editors, what we paid them, and went deep into the how and why we price our services and do what we do. So so if a partner is on there, they've been vetted. They also have podcasts and monthly Q and A calls that help you keep informed of best practices. Of course, we also DO Q&As here on Book Launchers TV and we have our new school community where we provide a whole lot of extra support and training. Are you on the inside yet? Go to booklaunchers.com school if you're not. But inside the Ally community they have meetups at major book fairs as well as they also will host an annual online self publishing conference, the Self pubcon. So they give you chances to connect with peers and industry insiders no matter where you live. Now there also is ibpa, the Independent Book Publishers Association. We are also members and love it as well. But as an author, how do you choose what organization is right for you? Well, for most authors watching this video, Ally is a better fit because IBPA is a broad publishing industry association serving independent publishers and self publishing authors through advocacy and education. However, its focus really is on the business of publishing more of a publishing at large for small presses and things like that, whereas Ally is laser focused on empowering individual indie authors. If you're an author, Ally offers more direct support for writing, publishing and selling your book, whereas IBPA offers industry connections and programs geared slightly towards publishers and book trade professionals, but besides discounts expert advice and legal support and community. Well, that's a lot. But is Ally right for you? Well, it depends on your goals and needs. Some people think it's just for beginner authors, but I would argue that with its price point it isn't. Depending on your tier, you're paying somewhere between $90 to $150 or more a year. But one legal issue and that more than pays for itself. Ultimately, I think Ally benefits authors at every stage of their career, which whether you're a beginner and if you are a beginner, it will help you learn the ropes faster. But if you're experienced, you'll still gain value from advanced topics like foreign rights, expansion of your distribution, staying on top of industry changes. And I mean Ally explicitly welcomes everyone from first time authors to those publishing their 50th book. But like any group, it's only valuable if you're going to use it. And I think some people think that it's a networking group and it's not. Think of it more like a resource center for for advice you'd otherwise pay a whole lot more for. And well, yes, you can network and make friends. The community is very supportive. But you also get tangible benefits like that contract review, watchdog reports, member only guides, discounts, and a dedicated literary agent contact for rights deals. They're all worth checking out. Now, if you do check out Ally and sign up, be sure to let them know we sent you by using our affiliate link booklaunchers.com ally right there and in the description below.