It can be hard to know how to begin writing a nonfiction book. Here, we cover three elements to align up front–purpose, audience, and subject–with concrete examples to get you started.
Word Tip: Creating En and Em Dashes
You can use Word’s autocorrect feature to automatically create en and em dashes. Here’s how to check your settings, use the right keystrokes, and look like a pro.
Proofreading Oversights You Don’t Realiz
You want to self-publish your book, but you don’t want your book to LOOK self-published. Do these proofreading oversights give you away? Yes? Learn how to fix them.
The MS Word Editor: Going beyond Spellch...
The MS Word Editor can do way more than check your spelling and basic grammar. But you may need to turn on the options. This article shows you how.
When the writing process feels hard, can...
Sometimes the writing process is easy; sometimes, not so much. Does it matter to the reader what your writing process is like? Learn why waiting to feel inspired before you write doesn’t really work.
Match Your Nonfiction Writing Approach t...
Choosing the correct writing approach for your nonfiction project—self-contained or emergent—can increase efficiency or relieve pressure. Here’s how.
Crisis Writing: Paying Attention To and ...
When we’re in crisis, whether societal or personal, writing about it can be tricky. Here are 3 considerations for your crisis writing, and how to decide whether it should be published.
One Word Conversation: “Discover”
In this 45-minute One Word Conversation, William Brown and I talk about the word “discover”—what we are in search of and what we want or fear to find. We touch on some surprisingly weighty writing issues: voice, procrastination, process, avoidance, and more.
A Comprehensive Guide to ISBNs
ISBNs cause new indie authors significant confusion. What are they? How do you use them? This Q&A guide to ISBNs can help demystify them. With 40 comments, this post is one of our most popular.
On the Problem of Overwork: Protect Your...
There are times that call for hard work, and even overwork. Understanding these implications that overwork has for your writing helps you limit negative impacts.
Coronavirus Isolation Getting You Down? ...
Coronavirus isolation getting you down? Looking for fun so so you don’t go stir crazy? For your entertainment, here are my apocalypse go-to’s. Bonus: book recommendations (of course!) to help fill this quiet time.
Reader Personas: Know Your Audience
Reader personas help you understand your book’s audience so you design and develop the right content for them, resulting in better engagement. This article shows you how to develop personas, how to use them, and the magic that happens when you get them right.