R.P. HOWLEY and DANIEL WILLCOCKS: Why They're Walking Away From Digital Marketing

Four years of ebooks, Amazon ads, and feeding the algorithm — and Dan is done with it. Not dramatically. Just honestly. In this behind-the-scenes episode, Daniel and his co-writer R.P. Howley take stock of where Devil's Rock Publishing actually is in 2026: four Twisted Tales novellas out, a charity anthology closing submissions, and a growing suspicion that the readers they've been chasing are actually paperback collectors who'd rather buy at a convention than click an ad. This is a different kind of episode. No formal interview, no guest credentials. Just two people who talk daily, finally sitting down on camera to work through what's going well, what isn't, and what they're going to try instead. Rob is a marketing manager at a dementia charity, studying for his mortgage advisor qualification, waking up at 4am — and still co-publishing horror novellas. Dan is re-editing The Self-Publishing Blueprint for its 2026 update and relaunching The Writer's Room. This is what the indie author life actually looks like. 💀 What we get into: Why posting every day doesn't mean your followers are seeing it — and what to do instead How marketing a book and marketing a charity use exactly the same core principles The brutal economics of ebooks vs. paperbacks at events (and why in-person sales now make more sense) Why they accidentally built a series for paperback collectors while spending all their time on digital platforms The Hatching Season charity anthology — what they've learned from running submissions, and what "100+ entries" actually means for two people with no time Rob's testimony: what he got from writing sprints before he ever knew Dan properly The Twisted Tales series update: where books five and six are right now Why "can you just" are the two most irritating words in any marketing meeting The philosophy of not asking "what do I want?" but "what does the reader want?" What premium in-person experiences might look like — earrings, wax seals, experience boxes, and why none of it is happening right now Links & Resources: R.P. Howley: @rphowleyauthor (Instagram and Facebook) Twisted Tales books: https://twistedtalesbooks.com Devil's Rock Publishing: https://devilsrockbooks.com Hatching Season submissions: https://devilsrockbooks.com/submissio... Writer's Room: https://danielwillcocks.com/thewriter... Daniel's writer resources: https://danielwillcocks.com/writers About Rob: Robyn Howley has three requirements to function; black coffee in the morning, red wine in the evening, and writing in between. He has the imagination of a six-year-old, the soul of a retiree, and dreams of one day making a full time income as a multi-passionate creative. He currently lives in Southampton, England, and when he’s not writing, he’s nestled on his favourite reading chair, wine in hand, consuming books; podcasts and YouTube tutorials on all aspects of writing, publishing and entrepreneurship.