Spectators don’t see the effort that goes into preparing for a rowing race. Readers don’t see the effort that goes into writing a book. But the work is there. This essay offers a brief reflection on The Boat Race and books.
Book Reviews: Why They Matter—and How to
Book reviews are an influential marketing tool both at launch and for long-term sales. In this article we look at how to get online reviews, who to ask, best practices, and whether you should use paid review services.
Who Said It? 3 Best Practices for Quotin...
A quote can powerfully underscore a point you want to make in your writing. But many authors neglect to make sure the quotes they use are correct and clearly identified as quotes. Here are three best practices for incorporating quotes in your writing.
Sources and Citations: A Quick and Dirty...
For nonfiction books, sources and citations go with the territory. They are tedious—but essential for credibility. Here’s my quick and dirty guide, aimed at the general nonfiction writer and self-published authors in particular.
The Reality of the Book-Writing Process:...
Is this normal? The word “normal” has popped up for me in several contexts lately: “normal” in a statistical sense (think variation); “normal” to describe people (warning: tricky area); “normal” to describe something that is typical. A couple of client conversations also got me thinking about “normal” in the book-writing process. Before you embark on […]
Print-on-Demand (POD) Book Quality: Are ...
Occasionally, complaints about the quality of print-on-demand (POD) books bubble up among authors and publishers. Are POD books really that bad? After 10 years of working with POD, here are my observations.
Photos in Your Book: Expert Tips and Bes...
Whether you’re writing memoir or biography, having photos in your book can enhance the story. But before you start adding them, read these considerations and tips. You’ll want to think about technical specs, photo quality, and permissions, among other things.
Tired But Still Need to Write? Try These...
Sometimes you must make writing progress even when you are not in top form—you’re tired, you have a cold, but there’s a firm deadline. Here are three tips to ease your writing so you can continue to make progress. Bonus: They work at other times too!
Book Sell-Sheets: How to Create This Cri...
Trying to get your book into brick-and-mortar bookstores or libraries? You might need to develop a book sell-sheet. This article covers what a sell-sheet is, how to develop one, and some of its benefits. It also includes two sample sell-sheets.
How to Write When You Can’t: Try Shadow
Sometimes it feels impossible to write—whether due to a slippery subject or the need to fill your creative well. When you’re not quite ready to write but want to sidle up to it, try “shadow writing.” Here are some tips.
From Intuition to Action: The Value of P...
Whether your gut is telling you to write a book or complete some other big project, that feeling is there for a reason. This brief article offers a gentle reminder: if you have a time-sensitive dream, it’s time to act.
Lulu: A Self-Publishing Alternative to K...
Lulu offers a self-publishing alternative to KDP and IngramSpark. As with most options, there are benefits and drawbacks. In this article, we compare print options, distribution, revenue, and more.