Stephen King is one of the most popular fiction writers of our day, and his book offers writers insight into King's view of the writer's craft. This infographic shares 14 tips from . Read what King has to say about passive tense, what makes the best stories, description, setting a daily writing goal and what paves the road to hell. [Note: This infographic appeared on … [Read more...]
An Easy Way to Multiply Your Book Sales
I recently received this question from an author: I have three books published in the Amazon Kindle store. Sales have been okay, but they have slowed in recent months. What can I do to make more sales? There are several things that can increase book sales, but I am just going to look at a couple of things you may not have considered. … [Read more...]
What is the Best Book Writing Software?
One of the questions I get a lot is about what software to use to write books. Should books be written in plain text? Do you need special publishing software such as Adobe InDesign? And what about Scrivener? You can use whatever software works best for you, but I have learned that using good ol' Microsoft Word can be the best choice. You can upload the files directly to … [Read more...]
How To Make Your Kindle Book A Bestseller
If you're still not publishing on Kindle, you might want to consider it. Even small books that only sell a few copies a day can still earn you a $100 or more per month in passive income. And if your book becomes a hot seller, you can do far, far better. Here then are some tips for making your next Kindle book a best seller: … [Read more...]
Instill a Love of Books by Reading to Your Child
Did you grow up loving to read? If so, chances are that love was encouraged by the adults in your life: parents, teachers and others who introduced you to books. My mother read to me from a very early age. She says that I had memorized “The Night Before Christmas” by the time I was three, because she read it to me so many times! Books were and are an important part of my … [Read more...]
What Qualifications Should a Ghostwriter Have?
When hiring a ghostwriter, you might be most concerned with what qualifications they should have. However, you may not need to be quite as concerned about their formal education and credentials as you are about their skill level in certain areas. This is because writing is not necessarily an art form that someone professionally trained for in college. Many good writers never … [Read more...]
Sell More Books at the Back of the Room
As an author, you may have many opportunities to speak to groups, present at conferences and instruct classes. Making your book available for purchase at these events can build your fan base and put cash in your pocket. Even giving a free talk to a small group can be profitable. I have given many talks at morning meetings where I walked out the door with hundreds of dollars … [Read more...]
What Fiction Writers Can Learn About Marketing from Non-Fiction Writers
Marketing fiction can be more challenging than non-fiction. You can make it easier by adopting techniques used by non-fiction writers. Yes, these marketing methods work for novels, too. Tie your book to a hot news story. One client’s novel about the oil industry came out right when gas prices were spiking. He used that as a hook to land lots of radio interviews and create … [Read more...]
Editing Resources for Writers
Making your manuscript the best it can be is a critical step in your book's success. We can not recognize all of the issues in our own work, so it is important to hire a professional to edit your book before you self-publish it or submit it to a publisher. (No, it is not the job of the publishing house to turn rough drafts into polished prose. Your work should be the best you … [Read more...]
Words are, like, important?
Anyone who appreciates the beauty and utility of language will enjoy this poem by Taylor Mali. There are people who will tell you that the meaning is what matters, not the way it is expressed. But when words are used carelessly and incorrectly, how do we know what the speaker or writer is trying to say? Words have meaning. The words you use, and the manner in which you … [Read more...]