Getting Published
4 Freelancing Myths That Are Holding You Back
Misconceptions about getting started often hold new writers back. You may think that to be successful as a freelance writer, you need a J-school degree, an impressive database of editorial contacts, and a truckload of supplies. Not so—read on to learn the most common myths that can sabotage you before you start.
How Crowdfunding Allows You to Experiment Outside Your Genre
Established writers can't often—and probably shouldn’t—publish far outside of their area of expertise. It’s a fast way to alienate your existing fan base. But crowdfunding allows you to experiment outside of your genre for a project you want to see out in the world.
How Kindle Press Made My Novel a Bestseller
In 2015, Kindle Press published about 90 novels. By the end of 2016, it had published a total of 218 books—all chosen through the Kindle Scout program.
Should You Submit Your Work to Agents or Editors?
Is it better to look for a literary agent first, or to approach editors and publishers? Much depends on the commercial potential of your work.
Should You Hire a Professional Editor?
But being able to truly see if you’ve been successful in writing a compelling work requires objectivity and distance than can be hard to achieve on your own—and this is where a professional editor comes in.
Choosing Between Traditional and Indie Publishing
This week, I was a guest on the Create If Writing podcast, discussing traditional and independent publishing.
Should You Self-Publish or Traditionally Publish?
Should you self-publish? There is no single right answer to this question—it's always situational. It depends on you, your book, and your career goals. This post outlines the key questions you should ask.
My Latest Advice on Book Publishing and Marketing
Get links to my latest interviews and Q&A sessions where I discuss the publishing industry as well as marketing and promotion.
What’s Your Genre? A High-Level Overview for Writers
Learn how to determine what genre you're writing in and why it matters—plus the difference between commercial and literary.
What to Expect When Hiring a Ghostwriter
Author and ghostwriter Stacy Ennis discusses the process of working with a ghostwriter and how to know if hiring a ghostwriter is right for you.
What It’s Like to Score a Kindle Scout Book Deal
Author Ken Brosky discusses his Kindle Scout book deal and his and Amazon's marketing plans for The Proving.
Using Kickstarter to Fund a Children’s Picture Book
Author Emily Grosvenor explains how she has constructed a Kickstarter campaign for her children's book, Tessalation!
Traditional Publishing: What’s It Good For?
No one used to question the value of a publisher, but now everyone's wondering: What are they good for?
5 Industry Issues for Authors to Watch in 2016
The most important publishing industry headlines and stories that every writer should keep an eye on in 2016.
3 Ways You’re Sabotaging Your Chances with an Agent
Editor and writing coach Rebecca Faith Heyman discusses three ways you might be sabotaging your prospects with an agent (and how to improve your chances).
Why Your Non-Disclosure Agreement Is Probably a Bad Idea
Asking an editor or agent to sign a non-disclosure agreement is not part of traditional publishing business practice.
The Book P&L: How Publishers Make Decisions About What to Publish
Publishers use a P&L (profit & loss) statement to determine whether a book makes financial sense to publish. Here's how they work—plus an example form.
My Experience Working with Amazon Publishing
Author Carol Bodensteiner answers the seven questions she gets most about working with Amazon Publishing.
Is Self-Publishing a Good Springboard to Traditional Pub?
Learn about the likelihood of securing a traditional book deal after self-publishing.
What You Need to Know About Crowdfunded Publishing
What is crowdfunded publishing? Learn about the two types of models now prevalent, plus the major services you can choose from.
Why Authors Walk Away From Good, Big 5 Publishers
UK author Harry Bingham describes the four stages of his career, and why he's decided to self-publish after good experiences with traditional houses.
Updated & Expanded: How to Get Your Book Published
I've revisited my No. 1 post on how to get published—adding more advice and instruction.
What Is a Developmental Editor and What Can You Expect?
photo by Professor Bop / Flickr Today's guest post is excerpted from Perfect Bound: How to Navigate the Book Publishing
Self-Publish or Perish: Why I Made the Leap from Traditional Publishing to Indie
THE Funky Man / Flickr Today's guest post is by New York Times bestseller Eileen Goudge (@eileengoudge), whose newest novel,
Why I Left My Mighty Agency and New York Publishers (for now)
Olivander / via Flickr Note from Jane: Today I'm beyond honored to feature bestselling author Claire Cook (@ClaireCookwrite), who has
Both Sides Now: A New York Editor and Author Goes Indie
Today's guest post is by author Leslie Wells. I’ve been on both sides of the publishing desk—as an acquiring executive
5 Mistakes You’ll Make on the Way to Publishing Success
Today's guest post is by Carmen Amato (@CarmenConnects), author of The Hidden Light of Mexico City and the Emilia Cruz series. You
How to Write a Competitive Title Analysis
The following post has been excerpted and adapted from The Author Training Manual by Nina Amir, recently released by Writer's
6 Ways Micro-Publishing Strengthens Your Author Career
Micro-published books are short, tight, and swift. A meaningful discussion of micro-publishing has been pushed aside during the ongoing tug-of-war between traditional publishing and independent publishing (self-publishing). But we are well beyond “everyone is a writer” at this point. We have progressed into “everyone is a publisher,” if they wish to be—and we have been living in this realm for some time already. Fortunately, micro-publishing benefits the industry as a whole by bringing some much-needed simplicity and directness into a publishing equation that is often weighted down by its own complexity and contracts. And it also benefits you, the writer.
Infographic: 4 Key Book Publishing Paths
This infographic breaks down the key 5 publishing paths, their value to authors, the potential pitfalls, and examples of each.
How to Increase Your Odds at Getting Lucky
Learn how self-published novelist Ransom Stephens landed a two-book deal with Amazon—without even querying.
Why Editors Focus on Page One
Editors can tell within a couple pages if a manuscript will be acceptable to them. How? What makes this decision so clear to an editor and so muddy to an author?
Submission: 6 Rules of Thumb From an Editor-Turned-Writer
Today's guest post is by writer and editor Jennifer Niesslein (@jniesslein), who is based in Charlottesville, Virginia. I’m experiencing karma.
Infographic: 5 Key Book Publishing Paths
This infographic breaks down the key 5 publishing paths, their value to authors, the potential pitfalls, and examples of each.
Should You Self-Publish? 15 Questions
Self-publishing is not for every writer—you must have specific traits. Ask yourself the following 15 questions before you decide to go it alone.
Self-Publishing and Traditional Publishing: Enjoy the Best of Both Worlds
CJ Lyons (@cjlyonswriter) is an award-winning, critically acclaimed New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She practiced pediatrics and
How Long Should You Keep Trying to Get Published?
Don’t you wish someone could tell you how close you are to getting traditionally published? Don’t you wish someone could say, “If you just keep at it for three more years, you’re certain to make it!" Or, even if it would be heartbreaking, wouldn’t it be nice to be told that you’re wasting your time, so that you can move on, try another tack (like self-publishing), or perhaps even change course entirely to produce some other creative work?
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
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
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
Is Your Work Commercially Viable?
Writers often ask, "How do I get published?" But I don't like to answer that question until I know what
Please Don’t Blog Your Book: 4 Reasons Why
It's been a trend ever since I worked full-time as a book acquisitions editor: Blog-to-book deals. I acquired or oversaw
5 Attitudes Toward Publishing You Should Avoid
Today I'm over at Writer Unboxed, discussing the types of attitudes that make me want to issue red-flag warnings to
How Do You Know If Your Agent Is Any Good?
I recently received the following question from a writer who wishes to remain anonymous: Every new writer wants to know
What Good Salespeople Know That Writers Should
Today's guest post is by author and business person Joanne Tombrakos. What ultimately spurred my decision to self-publish was a
Do-It-Yourself vs. Professional Help
Yesterday was my regular contribution to Writer Unboxed. I discussed how some independent authors are putting their work out there with
Using an Agent to Get on Kindle
I've been keeping an eye on John Carpenter and his book project ever since we first started having conversations on
The Basic Pitch Formula for Novelists
At the Midwest Writers Workshop, an agent panel gave some wonderful, straightforward advice about how to construct your pitch. You
Reading Notebook #29: When the Author Became More Important Than the Publisher
From "Talent Grab" by Malcolm Gladwell, The New Yorker (October 11, 2010) … a parallel revolution was taking place in