Self Publishing Journeys

Self Publishing Journeys ran for 450+ episodes from 2016 through December 2023, making it one of the longest-running UK-based indie author podcasts of its era. Host Paul Teague — a former BBC Breakfast News broadcaster who became a full-time self-published author — ran two distinct formats simultaneously: interviews with self-published authors and industry service providers, and candid solo "Podcast Diary" episodes documenting his own real-time publishing business.

Note (March 2026): This podcast concluded with its final episode on December 30, 2023. The 450-episode back catalog remains accessible on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The podcast website (selfpublishingjourneys.co.uk) appears offline as of early 2026.

What the Archive Contains#

• Author interviews: Conversations with self-published authors across fiction, nonfiction, and all career stages — from debut to veteran. Guests include service providers (editors, cover designers, PR specialists) alongside authors.
• Podcast Diary episodes: Solo episodes where Paul documented his own weekly publishing activity in real time — current WIP progress, cover design decisions, marketing experiments, earnings milestones, tool choices, and business decisions. These are unusually transparent for an author podcast.
• Transparent earnings discussion: Paul disclosed specific sales figures and earnings milestones, including hitting 25 million Kindle Unlimited page reads. Few podcasts in the genre go to this level of operational specificity.
• Wide distribution coverage: Paul published across Amazon, Kobo, Apple Books, and other platforms, so the show covers both KDP-focused and wide publishing from first-hand experience.

Who the Archive Is For#

• Authors who want "show your work" authenticity: The diary format captures what most podcasts miss — the real-time decisions, course-corrections, and mistakes of an actively publishing author, not polished retrospective advice.
• Authors at the intermediate stage: The diary episodes assume familiarity with basic indie publishing concepts. Listeners new to self-publishing may find the context dense; those who already publish will recognize the situations Paul describes.
• Authors interested in hybrid publishing: Paul's Season 5 finale (July 2023) announced his traditional publishing deal with Storm Publishing for the Detective Hollie Turner crime thriller series — a useful real-time account of the transition from fully indie to hybrid.

Pricing: Free archive. Available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Strengths#

• Unique format combination: No current active podcast combines a diary format (real-time personal publishing journal) with an interview show at this scale. The archive is the only place this combination exists in indie author podcasting.
• 450-episode back catalog depth: 8+ years of indie author experience documented — from early KDP days through the rise of wide publishing, audiobooks, and AI. A large portion of the archive remains practically relevant even if dated on specific platform details.
• Host credibility: Paul Teague's BBC broadcasting background gives the show professional production quality and strong interview technique throughout the archive.

Limitations#

• No new episodes: The show concluded in December 2023. Any platform changes, pricing updates, or strategy developments after that date aren't covered.
• Website offline: selfpublishingjourneys.co.uk appears offline. Discovery is now through Apple Podcasts or Spotify search only.
• Sporadic final seasons: Seasons 4–5 (2021–2023) were sporadic rather than weekly, with long gaps between episodes. The consistent weekly output that defined Seasons 1–3 didn't continue through the end of the run.

Alternatives#

For active interview shows, the Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast (866+ episodes, multiple streams) offers ongoing comprehensive coverage. For a similar "author building their career" narrative with regular updates, following authors' own newsletters or communities now fills the space Self Publishing Journeys once occupied.