Three timelines. One dark future... The Earth ended slowly, asphyxiated by man's drive for energy and silenced by fire and brimstone. Civilization is left in ruins. The inheritors are left to struggle to survive and reconquer a broken planet. In 2099, mankind emerges from the darkness. A lone rider named Oliver journeys east, seeking civilization beyond the Rocky … [Read more...] about An Interview With E.T. Gunnarsson, Author of Forgive Us
Guest Post: Best File Type for Publishing Your Book
By Dave Chesson Different bookstores require different file types in order to submit your book to them. Furthermore, many allow for multiple different file types for either ebook or book submissions. So, when there are different options, this leaves many authors wondering which is the best file type they should format their book for and submit. Luckily, this article … [Read more...] about Guest Post: Best File Type for Publishing Your Book
An Interview With Felix Holzapfel, Author of Catch-42
A glimpse of a future that may be right around the corner. Tech thriller Catch-42 offers a mind-blowing tour of potential uses for AI, biotech, quantum computing, and robotics, all within a suspense-filled story packed with unexpected twists. Dan is an ordinary guy, scrambling to make a living, who has the most extraordinary dream. A mysterious voice from the future asks … [Read more...] about An Interview With Felix Holzapfel, Author of Catch-42
Guest Post: Top 11 Book Cover Design Tips For Independent Authors
By Samantha Palmer Independent authors don't have it easy when publishing their books. Every aspect of creating a book; from writing it, designing it, and publishing it, falls on them. So, it's not difficult to understand why they have such a hard time identifying whether their book will be a success or not. However, aside from a book’s content, the most defining feature … [Read more...] about Guest Post: Top 11 Book Cover Design Tips For Independent Authors
An Interview With Dr. John Chuback, Author of The Straight A Handbook
In The Straight A Handbook: The 50 Most Powerful Secrets For Ultimate Success In And Out Of The Classroom, Dr. Chuback shares the skills, techniques, and philosophies which are the key to success in school, work, and life. Drawing from his unusually lengthy and rigorous academic experience, which led to a challenging, but equally rewarding career, Dr. Chuback brings a rare … [Read more...] about An Interview With Dr. John Chuback, Author of The Straight A Handbook
Selling More Books With Book Sales Funnels
If you're an author (self-published or traditionally published), it helps a lot to understand how marketing works. At first, it may seem like a lot—it took me years to change my focus from writing / content creation to having a holistic view of publishing. Of course, you want to write the best book possible. That involves taking the time to write a draft, getting early … [Read more...] about Selling More Books With Book Sales Funnels
Guest Post: A Handful of Software Tools That Could Make Your Editor’s Life Easier
By Kenney Myers If you are writing your first book, you might be nervous about sending your manuscript off to an editor for the first time. First off, that is completely normal and healthy. You can take a couple of approaches to this and neither of them are wrong. You can either make sure you have the story as you want it and then leave all of the editing up to your editor … [Read more...] about Guest Post: A Handful of Software Tools That Could Make Your Editor’s Life Easier
Content Creation and Social Media for Writers
When it comes to marketing on social media, there are two things to consider: content creation and platform/distribution. I'll start with the content creation. Content can be useful when it comes to creating leads, or future potential readers. To do that, you want to make sure you create content that matches what people are searching for, and then have calls to action (CTA). … [Read more...] about Content Creation and Social Media for Writers
Guest Post: Blogging Trends for Authors and Writers
By Stacy Walden Blogging is one of the best ways to build a platform, both as a book author and as a freelance writer. With over 3.5 billion searches on Google every day, it’s estimated that 77% of internet users read and interact with blogs. This is a good sign for writers as creating blog content can be inexpensive and provide you with more visibility and … [Read more...] about Guest Post: Blogging Trends for Authors and Writers
Writing for Different Mediums, and Getting Screen Deals
It's an exciting time to be a writer. There are so many possibilities. In addition to books, there are podcasts (scripted and non-scripted), audiobooks, and TV shows, and there are more pathways these days to each of these mediums. Book-to-screen deals are not new but TV and streaming have changed the industry. The LA Times has an interesting piece about eight people … [Read more...] about Writing for Different Mediums, and Getting Screen Deals
Using Video to Reach Readers
Video can be a powerful tool to engage potential readers, connect with fans, and promote your books. Content Marketing Institute has tips for how to engage people through video, such as by being authentic and sharing stories, being interactive with polls and other things (if you're doing a live stream), and playing with constraints. The Book Designer has a number of great … [Read more...] about Using Video to Reach Readers
Writing Considerations
When it comes to writing, there are a lot of things to consider. Do you want to use a pen name? According to BookBaby Blog, you may want to consider using a pen name to stand out (if say you have a very common/popular name), or for privacy reasons. It can also help for branding purposes. You could also choose the ghostwriting path. According to Publisher's Weekly, … [Read more...] about Writing Considerations
Storytelling and Games
Storytelling comes in all sorts of forms, and often there's overlap between mediums. Take games, for example. Electric Lit shared a story about launching a video game at a bookstore. In 2019, The Strand bookstore in New York had a "live playthrough" to demonstrate Eliza, a game "about artificial intelligence, mental health, and the gig economy, written and directed by Matthew … [Read more...] about Storytelling and Games
Book Promotion and Reaching Readers
There's a lot of strategy that goes into book marketing. Whether you have one book or many, it's helpful to lay your foundation and put a few processes in place, so you can keep building your readership and have an impact. Jane Friedman has a great article about marketing foundations, covering the three basics: have a website, choose which social media to use, and establish … [Read more...] about Book Promotion and Reaching Readers
Inspirational Publishing Success Stories and Ideas For Monetization
There is no such thing as overnight success. It takes a lot of time, dedication, and hard work, and yes, some days can feel harder than others. But the result can be worth it. To help stay inspired and motivated, here are some recent success stories and ideas for monetization. I also recommend reading Michael La Ronn's "Reinventing the Path to Success" post, which talks about … [Read more...] about Inspirational Publishing Success Stories and Ideas For Monetization
