How Distraction Can Be an Asset
Over a last year, a consistent theme has emerged in my discussions with writers around the country: They feel distracted. What is to be done?
The Conflicting Advice You’ll Receive on Query Letters
At its core, a query letter is a sales document, and so it’s meant to sell. But opinions differ on the best possible sales approach in a query.
3 Reasons Why You Might Not Want a Hybrid Publisher
I would never tell someone to publish with a hybrid publisher—every writer’s goals are unique, plus hybrid publishing puts the financial risk on the author.
Using Patreon and YouTube to Grow a Writing Career: Q&A with Jay Swanson
Author Jay Swanson discusses how he’s succeeded with Patreon, which allows fans to pledge monthly financial support to his creative efforts.
Don’t Back Down: Choose the Writing Territory You Can Defend Long and Fiercely
Many people want to be rock stars—and many people want to write books. But there are many ways in which a writing dream can crash and burn. One way is to be unclear about what you want with what you are ready to do.
What Is an Editor’s Role in a Changing Publishing Industry?
I’m a contributor to a new essay collection, WHAT EDITORS DO, edited by Peter Ginna and published by University of Chicago Press.
4 Key Ways to Launch a Scene
Each scene in your book requires a beginning, middle, and end. Here are four paths to launching your scene—plus the questions you should ask about each one.
Using Dysfunctional Behavior to Reveal Characters’ Emotional Wounds
Giving characters painful backstory makes them feel credible to readers. But when it comes to describing what happened, many writers jump headfirst into an info dump, hoping a summary will create a shortcut to empathy and “catch readers up.” Unfortunately, this can have the opposite effect.
My Interview with Leanpub: How I Learned to Edit and My Thoughts on the Author Aspirant
I’m the featured guest on the new Backmatter podcast from Leanpub, which is focused specifically on the publishing industry and its latest trends.
What It Means to Be a Writer—and to Emerge as a Writer
There’s a term thrown around in the world of writing that I’ve never fully understood: emerging writer. To emerge as a writer, or anything else for that matter, you must emerge from one thing into an entirely different something else.
What Authors Need to Know About Crowdfunding Their Book: A Case Study by the Numbers
Any author can successfully launch their book through crowdfunding if they are willing to put in the effort. However, it may not be the right path for everyone.
How Fiction Writing Influences Real-Life Relationships
Fiction writing, while not closely associated with affecting one’s real-life relationships, can indeed have that power and develop one’s empathy.
What Do Young Adults Want to Read? Let My Students Tell You
Four lessons for YA: Make it real, get rid of parental oversight, feature topics making the headlines, and include hope.
5 On: Lisa Tener
Lisa Tener shares important lessons learned when writing her first book, the ups and downs of co-writing, the most important platform writers should have, and more.
Don’t Know How to Market Your Book? Start in Your Own Backyard
When I hear professional publicists offer advice to authors, one theme that comes up again and again is: start where you are.
When You Shouldn’t Hire and Pay For a Professional Editor
There are many good reasons to hire a professional editor, but also a number of compelling reasons to hold off and save your money.
Publishing Industry Status Report: Important Stories for Authors in 2017
Print sales for traditional publishers are increasing this year—up by 2.6% compared to the first half of 2016. Ebook sales are continuing their decline.
Social Media for Authors: The Toughest Topic to Advise On
I believe a successful social media strategy is driven by one’s personality and strengths, as well as the qualities of the work produced—leading to a unique approach for each writer. A
What’s More Important: Author Websites or Social Media?
Social media is widely considered necessary by authors and publishers for book marketing. But is it as important as an optimized author website?
Secrets to Developing the Best Title for Your Nonfiction Book
If you’re pitching your book to agents or editors, the perfect title for your book will define your subject and grab their positive attention. It should be a label they can confidently share with colleagues in editorial board meetings and use to convince the powers-that-be to release money to acquire your book.
Creation and Doubt Are Conjoined Twins
All writers have to find a way to deal with the internal negative voice that tells them their work is crap and not worth pursuing.
Writing Secondary Characters That Pop—And Sell More Books
Series have become extremely popular, and secondary characters are now in the spotlight. Readers enjoy trying to spot the next potential hero or heroine.
MailChimp Alternatives for Authors
Is MailChimp the best choice for your email newsletter? Here’s a breakdown of the pros & cons of the three biggest email service providers that authors use.
Emotional Etiquette for the Writer Seeking an Agent
Sometimes guidelines for writers discourage perfectly private, internal envy, anger, indignation, etc., directed toward other writers, or toward agents (or publishers) rejecting work. But that hardly seems realistic, nor is it fair to ask humans to stop being human.
The Challenges of First-Person POV
There’s no quicker way to intimacy with a lead character than first-person point of view (POV). But numerous challenges also come with this POV. One of these is the natural limitation of being stuck in one perspective throughout the story.
6 Common Sense Steps to Secure a WordPress Website
For a platform that powers a quarter of the websites in the world, Wordpress is surprisingly insecure. The default settings leave a site open to being hacked a half-dozen different ways.
Troubleshooting for Writers: 7 Questions to Ask When You Lose Desire to Finish Your Book
Ideally, we’d have all the creativity and energy and desire we need to write amazing stories. However, the truth is, sometimes we hit roadblocks while following through. Here are some of the most common roadblocks and how you might solve them.
How to Turn a Microsoft Word Document Into an Ebook (EPUB)
Word doesn’t export to EPUB, but you can still produce an editable file quickly, without buying software or using a “meatgrinder” conversion.
What Belongs on an Author Website Homepage? 4 Key Elements
Whether you’re an emerging author or one that is well-established, it can be challenging to figure out what belongs on your website’s homepage and what to say about yourself on the front door to your online presence.
Having Trouble With Plot? Look at Your Characters.
In a great story, character and plot are inextricable from one another. The seeds of the story conflict lie in the character.
How Time Zone Differences Affect Your Book Marketing
Do you know what time it is in Mumbai, India? Knowing time differences in the countries where you sell books is key to social media engagement, and ultimately sales.
Using Amazon Ads to Sell a YA Novel: A Detailed Analysis
While Amazon sponsored ads haven’t been a marketing miracle, I also haven’t lost that much money—and copies of my YA novel have sold at a steady pace.
Reader Analytics from Jellybooks: Crunching the Numbers to Improve Book Marketing and Sales
Reader analytics measures the strength of reader engagement with a book. This data helps publishers more effectively market and promote books to readers.
The WordPress Plugins I Can’t Live Without
Plugins are one of the most wonderful and useful things about Wordpress. Here are some of my favorites for writers.
Self-Publishing a Debut Literary Novel: The Actions, The Costs, The Results
A self-published author breaks down her expenses and resulting sales after promoting on social media and email, paying for reviews, advertising, and more.
5 On: Dario Ciriello
Author Dario Ciriello talks about breaking writing rules, what publishing other writers taught him about the business, and how little he as a writer cares about what other writers think.
The Marketing Rule You Can’t Forget
When I work on a project—with clients, but particularly with my own writing—I start by acknowledging a blunt but important truth: Nobody cares about what I have made.
So You’re an Author Without a Social Media Presence: Now What?
Social media is just one component of your author platform, and not necessarily the most important component. It works best as part of a holistic book marketing and promotion strategy.
How to Pitch Agents at a Writers Conference
Pitching agents at a writers conference can be a difficult task for the new writer. Here’s how to make it a little easier on yourself.
A Basic Guide to Getting Permissions + Sample Permissions Letter
If you need to request permissions from an author or publisher, here are general guidelines, plus a sample letter you can customize.
A Serial Publishing Platform That Earns Money for Indie Creators
Tapas, a new digital publishing platform, has led to meaningful earnings and readership for independent artists and writers in less than two months.
Screenwriting Techniques to Strengthen Your Novel: Q&A with Nina R. Sadowsky
Screenwriter and novelist Nina R. Sadowsky shares screenwriting techniques that have influenced her novel writing, and writers can learn from the screen.
How Do You Respond to Criticism of Your Work? 6 Patterns to Recognize
Are you getting the most from professional feedback, or are you inadvertently sabotaging your progress? Look for these patterns in your response.
Start Here: How to Self-Publish Your Book
This is an introductory guide to the major self-publishing options available to authors today, and how to choose the right service for you.
Near Charlottesville? Join Me for a Master Class in Author Platform
I’m offering a month-long master class in author platform in August 2017, in collaboration with Writer House in Charlottesville, Virginia.
The Advice to Pursue Your Passion: What Does “Passion” Even Mean?
Here’s a word I have eliminated as fully as possible from my information and advice lexicon for writers: passion.
A Writer’s Guide to Permissions and Fair Use
Permissions is all about seeking permission to quote or excerpt other people’s copyrighted work within your own. Here’s when you need to seek permissions.
The Challenge Faced by High-Quality Literary Journals
Today, our problem is not finding more great things to read. It’s finding time to read the great many wonderful things that are published.
The Difference Between a Press Release and a Pitch (You Need Both)
The two biggest mistakes in book publicity pitches: they are too long in length, and not pointed or provocative enough.
If You’re Successful, Lots of People Ask for Your Help. Who Deserves It?
A “clueless ask” is when a well-meaning stranger asks for an investment of a successful person’s time and energy. What are such people owed, if anything?