When I had the privilege of speaking to the Space Coast Writers' Guild about mistakes self-publishers make, I shared some predictions about what would change for self-publishers in the 2020s. One of the most important trends we’ve been seeing and that will only get stronger is that authors are becoming increasingly empowered. Traditional publishers no [...]
Above the Fold Rachel Scott McDaniel Smitten Historical Romance (Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas) I don’t usually review romance fiction on our site, but when I was offered the opportunity to review a story about a young woman trying to make it in the newspaper business in the early 1900s, I couldn’t resist. Above the [...]
When kind, generous, service-minded people do charitable work, they often say that they want to “give back.” And I think: Why not simply give? To me, “giving back” means returning something. It means I have something that was loaned or given to me and I’m giving it back. But most of the organizations I support [...]
One of the most common questions prospective clients and aspiring authors ask me is, “How long should my book be?” It’s an important question with a simple answer: It depends. Your book needs to be long enough to accomplish its purpose. For some books, that could be as few as 5,000 words; for others, it [...]
Priceless: A Devotional Cookbook Based on Proverbs 31 Vickie Burns Redemption Press Devotions, reflections, a prayer journal, menu plan and recipes—all carefully crafted and blended to help the reader move closer to becoming a Proverbs 31 woman. Blending a devotional with a cookbook is a charming and challenging idea, and Vickie Burns does it well. [...]
Have you heard that books are the new business card? That’s a bit of an overstatement. In fact, though electronic contact lists have replaced Rolodexes for most of us, traditional business cards are going to be around for a long time. Still, if you have a book, giving away a copy of it (instead of [...]
Focused Backstory: The Key to Writing Deep Character Journeys Carol Alwood Fiction authors: Learn how to construct backstories for your characters and use them throughout your novel to build and complete the character arc. I read this book while I was working on the scene outline for my second novel. I was having trouble, and [...]
Whether writing or speaking, your goal should be to communicate, not to impress. Many years ago, I was at a Mensa gathering. It was a games night and we were playing Password. I usually do well at word games, but not this time. My partner decided he wanted to show off his expansive vocabulary rather [...]
10 Publishing Myths: Insights Every Author Needs to Succeed W. Terry Whalin Morgan James Publishing The best source for information is someone who has “been there, done that”—and when it comes to publishing, W. Terry Whalin has been there, done that, and generously shares what he knows in 10 Publishing Myths. I wish this book [...]
The Choice is Yours: 52 Choices for Happier Lives Barbara Dahlgren Redemption Press The Choice is Yours is a compilation from a weekly blog Barbara Dahlgren has written for the past five years. The book includes 52 life choices, so it works as a one-year weekly study you can do alone or in a [...]
