We’ve all heard the old phrase, “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” Now, I can’t speak for the content of the manuscript, but you can definitely judge a book’s sales by its cover. As a matter of fact, a book’s cover may very well be one of the most important pieces of your sales pitch. Would you click on a book’s thumbnail if the cover art was dull and uninteresting? No, and your potential readers won’t either. But what makes a great cover? What’s In a Name? Or in this case, what makes a name? Your font typing.…
“We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master” – Ernest Hemingway The world of the self-published author is a rapidly shifting landscape. There are constant changes to the practicalities and tactics involved in self-publishing. Although the fundamentals stay the same, there are always new opportunities waiting for the eager authors out there to see them. At the same time, aside from the logistics and practicalities of publishing, it’s important to continuously learn more about the craft of writing. Today, I’d like to share three of my tried and tested methods for continuously learning and…
Writing a book with standard issue software is often a frustrating experience. Tools such as Google Docs and Microsoft Word were created with the casual writer in mind. They are better suited to shorter compositions such as letters and documents than they are to full length novels or nonfiction projects. I’ve long advocated for using a specialist book writing app. There are a lot of options out there, depending on the type of computer you use, your budget, and the particular features you require. However, my personal pick is Scrivener. Read on to discover the three reasons I love Scrivener…
If writers waited for inspiration to strike, we would never get anything done! The romantic notion of a writer as being a creative artist who only works when his muse is singing sweet songs in his ear is all well and good. However, we’ve got bills to pay! A lot of the secret to success as a writer is simply being able to grind out the word count even when it feels like torture. That might not be romantic, but it sure is true. However, sometimes when we’re low on inspiration, we need a little helping hand to get the creativity…
If you’ve been writing and self-publishing for any length of time at all, you’re sure to know about the massive array of products and services vying for your attention as well as your wallet. It can be tiring to face the bombardment of promotional emails and ads trying to sell you the latest shiny object in the world of writing. This promotional onslaught can cause some writers to shut down and reject each and every tool out of hand as a scam or something not needed. While understandable, this is mistaken. Amidst the noise, there exists a range of tools…
If you struggle to find time to learn new information about writing, you should try a podcast. Unlike books or video courses, podcasts are a fantastic way to learn while on the move. You can make the most of a mundane situation like commuting to work or exercising at the gym. Podcasts can help make everyday moments valuable stepping stones on your journey towards writing success. There are a wealth of writing podcasts available with something to suit almost every taste and interest. As a starting point, I’ll share three excellent podcasts for writers and advice taken from them. You…
Self-Publishing is incredibly tough in so many ways. After all, how could juggling creative writing along with marketing and running a small business ever be easy? Not to mention finding time and energy alongside everything else going on in life. Even though self-publishing is always going to be challenging, a lot of writers make it even harder than it needs to be. Have you ever noticed someone doing things in a way which hurts rather than helps them? Have you found yourself working in a less than optimum way out of ignorance or the habit of familiarity? Given that the…