Replacement Child by Judy Mandel

Getting a Traditional Book Deal After Self-Publishing

Today's guest post is by Judy L. Mandel, author of the Replacement Child, forthcoming from Seal Press in March 2013.
Geoff Wyss

How to Write Characters Who Evoke Reader Compassion

How do you write fiction with characters who are mysteriously human, who evoke empathy and compassion from the reader? Is
Creating Space by Ed Cyzewski

Quality Writing Projects Require Safe Places—And Here Are Five

Today's guest post is by Ed Cyzewski (@EdCyzewski). You may remember him from a previous guest post at this site,
A photograph of several bookstore shelves loaded with books.

Sell More Fiction by Activating the Power of Book Clubs

Today's guest post is by Rob Eagar, author of Sell Your Book Like Wildfire. Book clubs and discussion groups—where millions
Jane Friedman Interview - Authors Go Public

A Framework for Thinking About Author Platform

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of participating in an online Google Hangout with the Bay Area Bloggers, hosted by Anne
Reddit AMA

26 Questions on Writing & Publishing: My Answers on Reddit

Last Friday, I had the honor of spending a day with the Reddit writing community, where I participated in an
Joshua Henkin

2 Critical Factors for Successful Stories

You can be a beautiful and gifted writer yet fail to craft a compelling narrative. Joshua Henkin, in the latest
Jane chatting with Kay Steinke at LitFlow

Do Publishers Need to Offer More Value to Authors?

Chatting with Kay Steinke at LitFlow (Berlin), 2012 Last month, I gave a 15-minute presentation in Berlin, Germany, called The
Jonathan Cohen / Flickr

3 Steps for Using Prompts to Write Better & Get Published

In January of 2007—as a New Year's resolution—I decided I was a writer. I resolved that I would stop saying
Author website strategy

Is Your Author Website Doing Its Job? 6 Things to Check

Today's guest post is by Laura Pepper Wu, the co-founder of 30 Day Books, a book studio that provides marketing
Bradlee Frazer

Q&A on Copyright With an Attorney

By far, I receive the most questions from writers on copyright, mainly due to this post: When Do You Need to
Plympton: serialized fiction for digital readers

Plympton: A New Effort to Produce Successful Serial Fiction

In the past year, I've run two posts specifically related to serial fiction—a guest post by Roz Morris and a
The Novelist by L.L. Barkat

Steal Your Way to Better Writing

Today's guest post is by poet and editor L.L. Barkat. You may remember her from an earlier guest post, You
What Does It Feel Like to Have Your Book Banned?

What Does It Feel Like to Have Your Book Banned?

Did you know Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg—one of the most popular books on writing of all time—was
Josh Swiller

Kitchen Sink That First Draft

Lists of writing tips are always popular (and sometimes overdone), but Josh Swiller's 12 tips in the latest Glimmer Train
Stephen King

The Stephen King Guide to Marketing

Today's guest post is by Jason Kong. You may remember him from an earlier guest post here at JaneFriedman.com: Are
Memoir by Meni's Style and A S O !

Why Is There a Surge in Memoir? Is It a Good Thing?

Flickr / Meni's Style and A S O ! Today's guest post is by Shirley Hershey Showalter, who has been
Louisiana Book Festival

Road to Publication (Paved in Book Events)

Today's guest post is by Darrelyn Saloom, who I first met in December 2008 at a Writer's Digest event. Her
Drinking Diaries: Women Serve Their Stories Straight Up

Drinking, Writing, and Self-Discovery

More than a year ago, I participated in a Q&A over at the Drinking Diaries website, which is a forum for
Stefani Nellen

How to Distract Yourself From Trying to Impress

Do you find yourself writing descriptive passages meant to "wow" the reader? Later, do you find that such passages amount to
Leaving Behind Your Day Job

Leaving Behind Your Day Job

I worked many jobs in my younger days: Papa John's pizza delivery driver, Cedar Point amusement park employee, McDonald's drive-thru
The Plot Whisperer Workbook by Martha Alderson

7 Essential Elements of Scene + Scene Structure Exercise

Today's post is excerpted from The Plot Whisperer Workbook (Adams Media, 2012) by Martha Alderson. Two lucky commenters were chosen
Press

How to Get More (and Better) Press

Today's post is by freelance journalist and independent author Dana Sitar (@DanaSitar).  You’ve just released a book. You’re participating in
You Should Really Write a Book

Two Deadly Sins of Memoir Writing

Today's post is excerpted from You Should Really Write a Book by Regina Brooks and Brenda Lane Richardson. Copyright ©
Copyright symbol

Copyright Is Not a Verb

Today's guest post is by copyright lawyer Brad Frazer. He has written two other posts for this site: Trademark Is
Jane's Twitter bio

Build a Better Author Bio for Twitter

Before you decide to follow someone on Twitter, what's the first thing you look at? Probably the bio. Let's assume
A Year of Writing Dangerously by Barbara Abercrombie

What Does Your Mother Think of Your Writing? Does It Matter?

Today's post features an item excerpted from A Year of Writing Dangerously: 365 Days of Inspiration & Encouragement (New World
Benjamin Percy

Avoid Opening With Dialogue

It's a typical pet peeve of editors and agents: Stories that begin with dialogue. In the latest Glimmer Train bulletin,
Haole Wood by Dee DeTarsio

A Small-Budget Advertising Experiment

Today's guest post is by Dee DeTarsio. While it is more of a brief advertising anecdote than a serious ad
Rejection

Tips for Dealing With Rejection + Other Success Strategies

Earlier this week, I was the featured interviewee over at Andrea Hurst's Authornomics series. I answer questions such as: What's
The Pocket Muse by Monica Wood

5 Remarkable Writing Prompt & Exercise Books

After working at Writer's Digest for a decade-plus, I saw more than my fair share of writing exercise/prompt books—plus I
Author Solutions and Pearson

Is the Author Solutions Acquisition a Good Thing for Authors?

Yesterday, news broke that Pearson (parent company of Penguin) had acquired Author Solutions for $116 million. Read the basics here.
Question mark

How to Impress the People You Interview (and Be Professional)

Today's guest post is from author Christina Katz. Her most recent book is The Writer's Workout. Not too long ago
Wired for Story by Lisa Cron

The Reader Must Want to Know What Happens Next

Today's post is excerpted from Wired for Story by Lisa Cron, just released from Ten Speed Press. We think in
Danielle Lazarin

Why Write When Others Write So Much Better?

Every writer I know can identify with the following: I was only halfway through Stuart Dybek's I Sailed with Magellan
The Birds Tree by ploop26 / DeviantArt

Why Self-Publishing Is a Tragic Term

Today's guest post is by Ed Cyzewski. You may recall him from his previous post here, When Self-Publishing Is More
Crowd by James Cridland

Are You Making This Marketing Mistake?

Today's guest post is from Jason Kong. When your goal is to sell ideas, books, or yourself, it's easy to
How Dads Influenced Some Famous Writers

How Dads Influenced Some Famous Writers

My dad once told me I could do or be anything I wanted. Apparently that's the same thing author Patricia
Trademark symbol

Trademark Is Not a Verb: Guidelines From a Trademark Lawyer

Today's guest post is from lawyer Brad Frazer. He has also written two other posts for this blog: Copyright Is
Video: Changes in Publishing & Self-Publishing

Video: Changes in Publishing & Self-Publishing

Some of you may have heard about the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), a new organization supporting self-published authors. I'm
It Takes an Egg Timer by Joanne Tombrakos

There Are Two Kinds of “Busy.” Is Yours the Good Kind?

The following is excerpted from It Takes an Egg Timer: A Guide to Creating the Time for Your Life by
Kitty Cornered by Bob Tarte

How One Introverted Author Successfully Markets His Work

The following Q&A is with author Bob Tarte. Bob lives in Michigan with parrots, ducks, geese, parakeets, rabbits, doves, cats, hens,
How to Blog a Book by Nina Amir

How Long Does It Take to Get Blog Readers?

The following advice is excerpted from How to Blog a Book by Nina Amir, recently released from Writer's Digest Books.
The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau

Hustling: How to Spread the Word About Your Work

The following advice is excerpted from The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love,
Silas Dent Zobal

Fiction Is About What We Can’t Say

If you write fiction, then you don't want to miss the latest Glimmer Train bulletin, which features three wonderful essays
Facebook strategy

Facebook Strategy for Authors: In-Depth Discussion

If you're like most authors I know, you've wondered about how to best use Facebook. Should you stick to your
Platform by Michael Hyatt

Top 10 Blog Traffic Killers

The following advice is from Michael Hyatt's newest release, Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World. The book is one of
Everyday Writing by Midge Raymond

No Excuse Not to Write: 10 Five-Minute Writing Prompts

The following is excerpted from Everyday Writing by Midge Raymond. The book is meant for anyone with a passion to
Writer Unboxed

Do You Adopt a Totally Different Voice to Market Yourself?

Today I'm a guest over at Writer Unboxed, where I discuss how finding your unique writing voice is not so
Megaphone

Please Do Not Pay Money for an Online Ad Until You Read This

Articles about the ineffectiveness of online advertising are a dime a dozen. (See this one and this other one, from