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The future of the local bookstore
The publishing and bookselling industries have been in uproar in recent years thanks to the growth of e-books, print-on-demand technology, and online bookstores, along with other factors. Is there any...
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Is it still worth writing a book?
Have books become obsolete? If you spend too long on the internet, you might start to think books are dead. But one of the strange things that is still true, even in this world of iPads and ebooks and...
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Opportunities in traditional publishing
While I’m a champion of quality self-publishing, sometimes a trade publisher is the right way to go for a particular project. And this week I have seen two excellent and rare opportunities for authors...
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Could this be the way to fund your book?
The Guardian newspaper in the UK had a story this week about a man who raised $1 million to fund production of his book through Kickstarter, a “crowdfunding website”. Others have financed publishing...
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Editing your book? Print it out!
Yes, we all live in an electronic world these days, untethered by concrete reality, communicating like mad things on various iThingies. Paper is so 2002. But if you want to do a good job of editing...
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How to spell Your, You’re, There, They’re, Their, It’s and Its
Do you ever struggle with your and you’re? Do you know when to use there, they’re and their? What about it’s and its? Do you use the apostrophe in “it’s a nice day” or in “the planet had it’s own...
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What is a beta reader and why do I need one?
You might have seen the term ‘beta reader’ as you’re browsing writing websites, or maybe this is the first time you’ve heard of it. Basically, a beta reader gives you feedback on your finished...
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What makes a good beta reader?
Last time we talked about what is a beta reader and why you need one. A beta reader gives you feedback on your finished manuscript, so you can adjust it before you self-publish or start querying...
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Making videos for your author blog
Everyone says we have to include video on our blogs these days, but how do we do it? Not only do we have to be author, publisher, marketing manager and general dogsbody, but apparently Martin Scorsese...
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How to find a beta reader
How do you find a good beta reader or “test pilot” to critique your manuscript, preferably for free? “Beta reader” is just a fancy term for a person who reads your manuscript, and gives you feedback...
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Book Promotion: Should you appear in your book trailer?
Usually, you won’t see an author appearing in their own book trailer. But sometimes it’s exactly the right thing to do. Book trailers are like the movie trailers you see at the cinema before the...
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Twitter for Writers: Two golden rules
Twitter for writers: Make friends, not salesImage via Bigstock Twitter can be a confusing place for writers, and the internet is awash with conflicting opinions on how you should use it. Let’s cut...
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What to do when you’ve finished the First Draft
The End is just the beginningImage via Bigstock Picture this: you’ve typed The End on your manuscript. You want to stand on a mountain top, fling your arms in the air and shout to the world, “Yes, I’m...
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3 reasons for using a pen name
A rose by any other name might smell as sweet, but will it sell as many books? Should you write under your own name, or a pen name? Pen names, pseudonyms and nom de plumes have been around for a long...
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How to choose a pen name
There are both artistic and practical considerations in choosing a pen nameImage via Bigstock If you’ve decided to use a pen name, how do you choose it? There are so many options! Last week we looked...
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Why grammar doesn’t matter
Grammar is NOT the most important thing about a bookImage from Bigstock/Markus Mainka Do I have your attention now? How can an editor say grammar doesn’t matter? Isn’t that like a doctor breaking the...
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Writers, are you backing up your work?
Writers, are you backed up?(Image via Bigstock) It’s like exercising regularly and eating healthy food. We all know we should do it. But sometimes we don’t. Backup, that is. Our books-in-progress are...
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Should you use photos on your author blog?
Should you use images on your blog? The right images can help draw readers to your blog, or get them to click on that link to read the rest of a post. But how do we choose photos and illustrations, and...
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3 reasons I’m a Scrivener fan
Scrivener is a small-but-mighty piece of writing software that revolutionises the writing process for long manuscripts – book, script or academic thesis. I hear you say, “I’ve got Microsoft Word, why...
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Why you shouldn’t ask Beta Readers to do copy editing
A Beta Reader critiques your manuscript, and provides feedback to help you improve it. Lots of people will suggest asking a beta reader to copy edit your work. I don’t recommend that, and here’s why....
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