Ever gotten a review so bizarre it made you wonder if the reviewer actually read your book?

Join Sue and Donna, as we share our most memorable reader reviews—from the heartwarming ones that kept us writing to the absolutely baffling feedback that left us speechless. Like the time a reviewer told Donna she needed a lobotomy. Yes, really.

In this episode:

• The reviews that made our day and reminded us why we write

• Head-scratching feedback that had us rereading our own books

• How to handle criticism (even the lobotomy-level kind) without losing your mind

• What bizarre reviews actually reveal about reader expectations

• The fine line between constructive criticism and… whatever that was

Whether you're an indie author dreading your next one-star review or just curious about the wild world of reader feedback, this conversation will make you feel less alone in the publishing trenches.

Connect with us: Sue Mills: suemillsauthor.com

Donna R Madden: donnarmadden.com

Got a review story that tops the lobotomy comment?

Drop it in the comments—we want to hear it.

#IndieAuthorsUncovered #BookReviews #IndieAuthor #SelfPublishing #AuthorLife #RomanceAuthor #WritingCommunity #AuthorPodcast #BadReviews #BookishPodcast #amwriting #suemillsauthor #donnarmaddenauthor

Amazon might be the 800-pound gorilla in the room, but it's not the only place your readers are shopping for their next great read.

In this episode of Indie Authors Uncovered, we're pulling back the curtain on the often-overlooked opportunities to connect with readers beyond the Amazon ecosystem.

Sue and Donna dig into the real talk about diversifying your reader discovery strategies. We're sharing our own trial-and-error stories—including the face-palm moments and unexpected wins—when we ventured beyond the familiar blue and orange buttons of Amazon's "Buy Now."

We'll explore practical platforms and strategies that actually work for indie authors, from BookBub and other promotional sites to direct sales, Kickstarter campaigns, and building your own author website with a shop.

Plus, we're getting honest about the platforms that sound good in theory but might just waste your precious time and marketing budget. Whether you're worried about putting all your eggs in one basket or you've been burned by an algorithm change, this episode gives you actionable steps to start building relationships with readers on your own terms.

No fluff, no BS—just two indie authors keeping it real about what it takes to survive and thrive in today's publishing landscape.

In This Episode: Direct sales platforms: the pros, cons, and real numbers

Email lists and newsletters: your most valuable asset

Social media strategies that actually convert readers (and which ones don't)

How to balance your time between Amazon and other platforms

Join us for an honest conversation about expanding your reader reach without losing your mind in the process.

Is your goal list longer than your TBR pile? 📚

Join Sue Mills and Donna R Madden as they spill the tea on setting writing goals that actually work (not just the ones that look good on Instagram).

In this episode, we're getting real about:

✨ Why most author goals fail by February

✨ Setting realistic targets when you're juggling day jobs, families, and life

✨ The difference between "publish 12 books this year" dreams and achievable milestones

✨ How to measure progress when writing success isn't always about word count

✨ Goal-setting strategies from indie authors who've figured it out

Whether you're a debut author trying to finish your first manuscript or a seasoned indie looking to level up your publishing game, this episode is packed with practical tips and honest conversation about what actually moves the needle.

New episodes drop weekly! Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss the behind-the-scenes scoop on indie publishing.

💬 Let us know in the comments:

What's your biggest goal-setting challenge as an author?

#IndieAuthorsUncovered #AuthorGoals #IndiePublishing #WritingCommunity #AuthorLife #WritingTips #IndieAuthor #SelfPublishing #AuthorPodcast #WritingGoals #AmWriting #WritersOfYouTube #PublishingIndustry #AuthorTips #BookWriting

Balancing the Day Job and the Dream

Juggling a full-time career and your writing passion? You're not alone. In this episode of Indie Authors Uncovered, hosts Sue Mills and Donna R Madden dive into the real talk about time management when writing is your side hustle, not your only gig.

Sue and Donna get honest about the challenges of carving out writing time between work meetings, family commitments, and everything else life throws at you. They share their own hard-won strategies for protecting your creative time, maintaining momentum on your projects, and avoiding burnout when you're wearing multiple hats.

Whether you're writing before dawn, during lunch breaks, or burning the midnight oil, this episode is packed with practical tips for making the most of limited writing windows. From setting realistic goals to knowing when to say no, Sue and Donna explore what actually works for authors who are building their publishing careers one stolen hour at a time.

Perfect for indie authors who are still working toward that full-time writer dream—or for those who've chosen to keep their day job and write on the side. Because you don't need endless free time to be a successful author; you just need to work smarter with the time you have.

Join the conversation and discover how to make your writing dreams work with your real-world schedule.

#IndieAuthors #WritingCommunity #TimeManagement #AuthorLife #WritingTips #SideHustle #IndiePublishing #WritersOfYouTube #AmWriting #AuthorTips #WritingAdvice #DayJobWriter #AuthorCommunity #IndieAuthorsUncovered #WritingMotivation #ProductivityTips #WorkLifeBalance #WritingGoals #SelfPublishing #AuthorPodcast

Indie Authors Uncovered - Episode 3: Pantsers vs. Plotters: Finding Your Writing Style

Are you a meticulous planner or do you write by the seat of your pants?

In this episode, Donna and Sue dive deep into the age-old debate between pantsers and plotters!

oin us as we explore:

✍️ What it really means to be a pantser or a plotter

📚 The pros and cons of each writing approach

🎯 How to figure out which method works best for YOU

💡 Tips for combining both styles (yes, you can be a "plantser"!)

🚀 Real-life examples from our own writing journeys

✨ How to overcome common challenges with each approach

Whether you're a discovery writer who loves the thrill of not knowing what happens next, or a detailed outliner who needs every scene mapped out before typing Chapter One, this episode has something for you!

What's your writing style?

Drop a comment below and let us know if you're Team Pantser, Team Plotter, or somewhere in between!

🔔 Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE for more indie author insights and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode!

📱 Connect with us: www.suemillsauthor.com www.donnarmadden.com

#indieauthors #writingprocess #Pantsers #plotters #writingtips #authorlife #selfpublishing #writingcommunity #IndieAuthorsUncovered

Consider this episode your indie author cheat sheet—written in our tears and typos.

We're getting brutally honest about every facepalm-worthy mistake we've made on our self-publishing journey. From launching a book without an email list (rookie move) to spending $500 on a cover that screamed "2003 clipart," we're confessing it all so you can skip straight to the smart decisions.

Think of us as your indie author guinea pigs.

We ate the poison berries so you know which ones to avoid. Warning: This episode contains strong regrets and the kind of hard-won wisdom you can only get from doing everything wrong first.

Got a mistake you want us to roast? DM us—misery loves company, and we're building a support group.

Welcome to the podcast where self-publishing gets real. We're pulling back the curtain on indie authorship—the good, the bad, and the autocorrect fails that made it to print.

Each episode, we're spilling the tea on everything traditional publishing won't tell you: the messy first drafts, the marketing mishaps, the 3am formatting breakdowns, and yes, those typos that somehow survived five rounds of edits.

We're talking plot twists in our stories and our author journeys—from surprise bestsellers to algorithm changes that tanked our sales overnight.

Whether you're a seasoned indie author, thinking about self-publishing, or just curious about what really happens behind the scenes of those books in your Kindle library, this is your safe space.

We're here to celebrate the wins, laugh at the chaos, and remind you that every successful author has a story about accidentally publishing Chapter 3 twice. Grab your coffee (or wine, we don't judge), and join us for honest conversations about the indie author life. Because if we can't laugh about that time we misspelled our own character's name for an entire chapter, what can we laugh about?

New episodes drop weekly. No gatekeepers, no pretension—just real authors keeping it real.

#indieauthor #bookpublishing #romancebooks #romanceauthor #indieauthorsuncovered #romance #romancechannel #smallfrymarketing #typos #spillingthetea #plottwist #indiepublishing