Self-published authors have a dizzying variety of tasks to complete. As a self-publisher, you're responsible not only for writing your book but also promoting it and building a long-term author platform for yourself. Given that few of us are naturally blessed with all of the skills needed to successfully self-publish, one of the best ways to make your life easier is to … [Read more...]
Hugh Fritz – Made to Be Broken
What is your most recent book? Tell us a bit about it. My most recent book is Made to Be Broken. It is the first in a trilogy called the Mystic Rampage series, and follows three individuals who are my version of genies. They don’t live in bottles or say “your wish is my command” but they have the ability to manipulate forces with their minds which enables them to do pretty … [Read more...]
Launching an Amazon Bestseller in 2019
It is still possible for indie authors to launch a book on Amazon and make it a bestseller. Don't believe me? Watch this video as Chris Fox explains exactly how he did it. Hint: It is not about making your book free. Want more great ideas from Chris? Check out his books on writing, publishing and marketing books, starting with these: … [Read more...]
Break Through Writer’s Block and Get Unstuck
If writer’s block has got you stuck, stop staring at a blinking cursor and telling yourself to think. Like a toddler who has just learned the word no, your brain will probably just get more stubborn the more insistent you get. It’s time for a new strategy. Use writing prompts to help get your neurons started. If you enter the phrase “writing prompts” into your search engine … [Read more...]
Short Stories & Their Role in the Big Picture
I believe short stories serve a multitude of purposes. They can be, for some, like the training wheels on our bikes. They are a great way to introduce new worlds to readers to test the waters for interest in that area. My short stories came after the novels. It’s been a blast learning the differences in writing techniques needed. In short stories, the author has to be as … [Read more...]
Writer’s Block is A LIE
Let's go through a common event, one that we all have experienced. A police officer has pulled up behind you. Lights flashing, that crunch-crunch-crunch as he stomps his way over the asphalt. Your window is already open 'cause you know the drill, and your butt is clenched so tight an onlooker would think you're three inches taller than you really are. "You know why I … [Read more...]
Blogging Ideas for Authors
There are two main reasons why authors blog: to promote their books or to flex their creative muscles. In fact, many authors blog due to both these reasons. If you are an author looking for blogging ideas, you have to always keep these two main reasons in mind. If your blog promotes your books If you are blogging to promote your existing books, you should blog about common … [Read more...]
Nina Amir – The Author Training Manual
What is your most recent book? Tell us a bit about it. My most recent book is , which was released in March 2014 by Writer’s Digest Books, the same publisher who produced my first book, . It really is the definitive guide to becoming a successful author. The Author Training Manual offers aspiring authors, or even published authors with a new book idea, a process to help … [Read more...]
Becoming Your Own Editor
Writers speculate a lot about what editors really do. Some firmly believe that editors are the final barricade between writers' excellent manuscripts and publication. Others seem to believe that the job of an editor is to clean up after writers and tell them what to do next. To a certain extent, the latter is true. When a manuscript comes along that is so magnificent that no … [Read more...]
Seven Deadly Sins of Fiction Writing
In addition to the five fatal mistakes cited here, several editors had their own pet peeves to share. Here are seven other problems that can speed your story to the rejection pile: Preachiness. "Stories that present an obvious moral, without nuances, subtlety, or complexity, are the first to hit the [reject] pile," says Skylar Burris of Ancient Paths. Cliches. "I did, … [Read more...]