Barbara Linn Probst

Barbara Linn Probst is a writer of both fiction and non-fiction, living on an historic dirt road in New York’s Hudson Valley. Her debut novel, Queen of the Owls, (April 2020) is the story of a woman’s search for wholeness, framed around the art and life of iconic American painter Georgia O’Keeffe. Queen of the Owls was a medalist for popular fiction from the Independent Publishers Association and the Sarton Award for Women’s Fiction; it also placed first runner-up in general fiction for the Eric Hoffer Award and was short-listed for the $2500 Grand Prize. Barbara’s second novel The Sound Between the Notes, recipient of starred Kirkus Review given only to work “of remarkable merit,” launched in April 2021. Her third novel will be published in 2022. Barbara has a PhD in clinical social work and blogs for a number of award-winning sites for writers. To learn more about Barbara and her work, visit barbaralinnprobst.com.
Launching a Book: Baby, Art or Product?
Image: a pencil-shaped rocket launching into space
Promotion strategy for your book depends greatly on why you’ve written it, what it means to you, and its place ...
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/ Guest Post, Marketing & Promotion
Choosing a Publicist (Again): Assessing Your Changing Needs
Image: a megaphone placed on a chair
As an author’s career progresses, the publicity needs change—and what worked for the first book might no longer be appropriate ...
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/ Guest Post, Marketing & Promotion
Hybrid Publishing: Everything You’ve Always Wanted to Know
Image: vintage blue typewriter on a background that's half pink and half yellow
Hybrid publishing is like hiring a contractor: You pay them to oversee the design and construction and, when it’s done, ...
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/ Getting Published, Guest Post
Should You Hire a Social Media Assistant?
Image: woman's hands at a laptop computer, crafting a colorful post based on the open book at her side
Virtual assistants take over tasks that you could do yourself. What you’re buying, in effect, is the freedom to use ...
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/ Guest Post, Social Media
Marathons, Sprints, and Pounces: 3-Tiered Approach to Book Launches
Image: three runners
Promoting a book isn’t a one-off event. It’s a series of actions: long-lead strategies, mid-range tasks, and sudden opportunities ...
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/ Guest Post, Marketing & Promotion
Peer Critique Versus Professional Editing: When, Why and How to Use Both
Image: sharpened pencils of different colors
Developmental editors, critique partners, sensitivity readers, friends—feedback comes from different people, for different reasons, at different times ...
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/ Guest Post, Writing Advice
What Makes Readers Give an Unknown Author a Chance?
Image: woman browsing a bookshelf
A debut novelist surveyed readers on Facebook. The result? In publishing, as in life, first impressions matter—and we do judge ...
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/ Guest Post, Marketing & Promotion
Choosing a Publicist: Ruling Out and Ruling In
Choosing a Publicist: Ruling Out and Ruling In
There are a lot of publicists out there. How can you pick the right one? This is a crucial decision, ...
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/ Guest Post, Marketing & Promotion
Beta Readers: Who, When, Why, and So What?
beta readers
Use of beta readers is widespread, but surprisingly little has been written about how writers actually use them and how ...
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/ Guest Post, Writing Advice