Book covers are the most important marketing aspect of a book. People will make impulse purchases if they like the book cover; the cover is what gets a book attention. Covers that are white backgrounds with large text tend to look amateurish. You also want covers that persuade people to buy the book, with good flap copy. Use the template from Para Publishing to write effective … [Read more...] about Self Publishing: Cover Design
Self-Publishing
Self-publishing ebooks: An Overview
Fact: Self-publishing is growing. In 2011, according to BISG, over 200,000 books were self-published. Ebooks are also growing. By 2016, ebooks will account for 50% of book sales, and the book market will be worth $21 billion. … [Read more...] about Self-publishing ebooks: An Overview
An Interview with Mark Coker, CEO of Smashwords
I was very fortunate to be able to sit down and talk with Mark Coker, CEO of Smashwords. Smashwords is a site where you can convert ebooks and distribute them through at least seven outlets, including the Smashwords ebookstore. We spent the last hour of BEA discussing self-publishing, the beginnings of Smashwords and where it's going, metadata, ebook distribution, and even the … [Read more...] about An Interview with Mark Coker, CEO of Smashwords
iAuthor
Three weeks ago, Apple launched an exciting new app: iAuthor. It sounded very promising. Using iAuthor, you can drag and drop to make enhanced ebooks. iAuthor and iBooks2 were released on the same day with the intention of making it easier for students to use interactive textbooks. All textbooks sold on the iBookstore are priced at $14.99 or less. But anyone can use iAuthor to … [Read more...] about iAuthor
Self-publishing tools and APIs
My fellow NYU student Miral gave a talk for O'Reilly about self-publishing tools and APIs. She's the founder of BiblioCrunch, a self-publishing platform that connects writers with editors and cover designers. … [Read more...] about Self-publishing tools and APIs
Writing Sex
I'm taking an online class, via UCLA Extension, called Writing Sex. It's interesting. So far, I've learned that good sex writing revolves around good character development, and bad sex writing relies too much on cliches and the actual sex act. Does sex writing matter? Well, yes. Just like any other type of writing, it is used to convey a deeper meaning. Can it be thoughtful? … [Read more...] about Writing Sex
Writing Non-Fiction for Children
Nonfiction children's writing covers a very broad category. I was not aware just how broad nonfiction children's writing can be though, until I read Anastasia Suen's book, Picture Writing: A New Approach to Writing for Kids and Teens. So, here is a list of information I have gleaned from Suen about writing nonfiction for children. Read more here. … [Read more...] about Writing Non-Fiction for Children
Taking online classes
For the past five or six weeks I have been taking online creative writing classes via the UCLA Extension program. I had never taken an online class before, although I know some universities are starting to incorporate them into their coursework, so I did not know what to expect. As of now, I am about halfway through the courses, and I am enrolled in three classes, where I am … [Read more...] about Taking online classes
How to Write a Press Release
Writing a press release may seem a little intimidating at first, but by following the following guidelines, it can be fairly easy. Press releases are meant to get specific information out to the media, so that the media can pass on that information to a mass audience. With that in mind, remember that all journalists need to answer the basic questions of who, what, where, … [Read more...] about How to Write a Press Release
Types of Writing Part 2
In this article are definitions for various types of children's books and freelance nonfiction. This is not an exhaustive list; it is merely a list of words and definitions I have come across so far relating to writing for money. Read it here. … [Read more...] about Types of Writing Part 2
Types of Writing Part 1
So, I have recently broken into the world of creative writing, and I was a little surprised to find out just how many types of creative writing forms exist. Here's a list with definitions of all the creative writing forms I have stumbled upon so far. I hope it helps those of you who are also just getting started on your creative writing. This is not meant to be an exhaustive … [Read more...] about Types of Writing Part 1
Writing For a Newspaper Part 2
Here is the second part of my tips for writing for a newspaper. Writing Articles After all the interviewing and hunting for information, the actual writing of the article is fairly simple, and much like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. You have to figure out the most important parts of the story, and then piece together the rest in a way that flows. Read more here. … [Read more...] about Writing For a Newspaper Part 2
How To Write a Strong Cover Letter
Writing a cover letter can seem like a daunting task. However, when you submit a cover letter along with your resume, you are showing your potential employer initiative and you are setting yourself apart from your competition. The following guidelines will help you write a strong cover letter. Read it here. … [Read more...] about How To Write a Strong Cover Letter
Writing Styles
There are many types of writing, and it's amazing how each style of writing is so different from other styles of writing. For example, technical writing tends to be more cut-and-dry and explanatory, whereas creative writing is all about good descriptions and telling a story via a character's actions instead of explaining what is going on. And then there is legal writing, which … [Read more...] about Writing Styles
Writing For a Magazine
Writing for a magazine can be a difficult transition from writing for a newspaper. At least that's how it was for me. The first time I wrote anything magazine style was actually for a class I took to earn my Professional Writing minor. I remember being a little smug. Since I had spent the last couple years working for a daily newspaper, I figured magazine writing would be … [Read more...] about Writing For a Magazine