No doubt you’ve read plenty of sage advice about building a long-term livelihood as an independent author. One recommendation you’ve probably come across before is to establish a website early in your career. Why? Because even if you’re promoting your work widely on social media, and in online groups, it makes sense to have a…
What is Your Biggest Problem with Self-Publishing? – Joseph McLean | Guest Post
Everyone who’s getting into the self-publishing game is probably going to face a lot of problems. The self-publishing industry has become extremely competitive. As of 2017, the number of reported self-published titles went over 1 million. Now, as of 2019, the numbers may have doubled or tripled up. Nevertheless, one thing is certain: the self-publishing…
Reasons Why Many Self-Published Books Fail and How to Fix That – Gary Peterson | Guest Post
Many self-published books fail because authors tend to overlook the basic rules of publishing a new book. Authors who are fairly new to publishing get many things wrong, and the result is typically low sales. Publishing your book and selling it on Amazon should be the last step in the whole process, not the initial…
6 Reasons Why Your Book Isn’t Getting Published – Paige Wheeler | Guest Post
So, you’ve finished your manuscript. Congratulations! If you want to publish your book through the traditional channels, that means you’re going to need to start looking for an agent or submitting your book to publishers, (but if you want to get published by one of the five major publishers, you’ll need to get an agent).…
Unlock Your Creative Writing Potential – Piper McIntosh | Guest Post
Whatever your practice, creativity is essential in the writing and publishing profession. Aren’t we always searching for a new way to creatively tell a story? In a world where everyone has a platform and everyone is a storyteller, it is more important than ever to ensure you are able to articulate your craft in a…
The Decision to Become an Author – Anthony Sciarratta | Guest Post
Every person faces a time in their life when they decide whether or not to pursue their dream. The fear of failure can consume one’s soul, but the amount of pain felt after giving up on your dream would be greater. I made my decision in August of 2017, while vacationing in Mexico. It was…
Writing and Reading for Pleasure (June 2019): Douglas Burcham
Douglas writes his first post for 2019 in his “Writing and Reading for Pleasure” series detailing how grieving for a sentimental attachment from childhood has kept him busy writing differently since February 2019. Sunday 1st June 2019 marks the same date nine years ago when I started writing. A few weeks ago I reviewed the…
5 Psychological Benefits of Writing by Hand – Josh Carlyle | Guest Post
Not so long ago, people were inseparable from paper and pencil. This clerical couple helped them literally in everything: keep a budget and arrange business correspondence, take notes and save cooking recipes, congratulate loved ones on holidays and in many other things. Today, for these purposes, we use electronic documents, press the share button on…
The Process of Book Editing: 10 Ways to Save Your Nerves – Jennifer Pauli | Guest Post
Finally, your dream came true: after long months of writing, your book is done. The next step is finding a professional editor to give your masterpiece a final review before it gets to the bookstore shelves. Even if this is not your first book, it is natural to feel nervous about shipping your dearest offspring…
Why Writers Should Join Book Clubs and How to Make the Most of Them – Grace Carter | Guest Post
Most authors find themselves in an industry utterly inundated with all sorts of competition. There are enormous numbers of other writers competing within the print and online publication industries and as such, it requires everything you have as a writer to stay ahead of the curve: and even then, it cannot be enough. There are…