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Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) Watchdog Desk
John Doppler, Head of ALLi Watchdog Desk
What Is the ALLi Watchdog Desk?
The Watchdog Desk is the ethical oversight arm of the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), led by industry expert John Doppler. Its mission is to protect authors from predatory practices, misinformation, and low-quality services in the self-publishing sector.
Through ongoing research, evaluations, and reporting, the Watchdog Desk empowers authors to make informed decisions. It monitors service providers, contests, awards, and publishing trends, offering ratings, reports, and a trusted database and directory of approved partners.
Our ongoing Ethical Self-Publishing Campaign monitors the self-publishing industry in a variety of ways, including our Code of Standards for ethical authors and ethical services.
Whether you’re a new indie author or an author-centric publishing service, the Watchdog Desk is your ally.
ALLi Watchdog Desk:What We Do
✅ Rate Self-Publishing Services
We assign ratings—from “Recommended” to “Caution” or “Watch”—based on in-depth reviews of:
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Pricing & value
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Service quality
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Contracts & rights
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Transparency
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Customer satisfaction
🏅 Evaluate Awards & Contests
Not all writing contests are created equal. We expose poor-value schemes and highlight reputable awards.
🧭 Publish the Database and Directory of Approved Services
Our searchable database of ALLi Partner Members provides authors with trusted service providers who meet our strict ethical standards.
Partner Membership is our highest rating for services and our author members access these partners through our Partner Search database and they, and the wider community, through a widely distributed Directory of these approved services.
The Directory is available free of charge to members.
(see the member zone Publications page, to download, log-in needed)
📘 Guidebook: Choose the Best Self-Publishing Services
Our comprehensive guide to the publishing services industry for authors. Whether you want a ‘soup-to-nuts’ solution or a la cart, this guidebook helps you to understand your needs and assemble your editorial, design, production, distribution and marketing team.
Members: see the Publications page (log-in needed). Non-members can purchase a copy here.
The essential guide to navigating the self-publishing landscape with confidence.
🗞 Watchdog Reports
Regular deep-dives into industry trends, scams, and notable developments.
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Contact the Watchdog Desk at any time if you would like to inform us about a service, or discuss a rating.