My freshman year in college, I chose my course schedule based on class titles and time slots. Early-morning sessions lost out to late-morning or afternoon alternatives. After a few problems (don’t ask about calculus), I realized the professor might be the most important factor. By asking around, it was easy to discover who the good […]
We all love humor, because it’s fun to laugh. But why do we laugh? And is there any way we can learn to write funny things so that other people will laugh? Is there some secret to it? I’ve been fascinated by that question all my life. When I was ten years old, I stumbled […]
The back cover is where you convince readers to buy. One trick that many writers use is to craft a compelling description before writing the manuscript because it can help to know what to focus on when developing the manuscript. You have a very limited amount of space on the back of your book so […]
There are just two things you need to write authoritative and compelling nonfiction: to be an authority, and write in a way that interests and informs your reader. “Obviously,” you say? Well, yes and no. The problem is that many books are published by authors with little first-hand knowledge of their subjects or experience in […]
Last year more than 900,000 ISBNs were assigned by Bowker. If you want to sell more books in such a crowded field, they need to stand out in a positive way. In their effort to rise above the competition, authors conduct innovation sessions to think outside the box, brainstorming for the best creative strategy. This […]
You’ve heard it before: Writing and publishing a quality book can help establish you as an expert, boost your visibility, and open the door to more opportunities such as speaking gigs and interviews. But when you’re already running your own business, who has time to write a book? Enter the anthology. An anthology is a […]
“If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.” Rudyard Kipling (1865- 1936) As part of the advanced memoir writing class I teach, one of the assignments is for the participants to write a brief narrative linking their family history to historical events happening on a local, national or international scale. […]
Have you noticed how ampersands turn to gibberish when they are entered into Google’s blogpsot.com service? That is only the beginning of problems they cause for editors, and publishers of all kinds. A bigger problem is that many of the difficulties they cause go unnoticed except by the publishing pros we would all like to […]
You’ve poured your heart and soul into the writing process. You’ve produced a book, a blog post, or an article that you’re proud of. There were long hours of research and agonizing over your word choice. You’ve revised the work over and over again. Now, it’s time to self-publish it. But what if it contains […]
Many writers struggle to complete a task. The reasons for this are as unique as the writers themselves. It can be down to a lack of inspiration, trying to take on many projects at once, or trying to push themselves too hard. Many writers are so focused on the quantity that they neglect quality. Others […]
Am I Boring You? How to Enliven Your Nonfiction Writing by Anne Janzer
My freshman year in college, I chose my course schedule based on class titles and time slots. Early-morning sessions lost out to late-morning or afternoon alternatives. After a few problems (don’t ask about calculus), I realized the professor might be the most important factor. By asking around, it was easy to discover who the good […]
Streamline Your Online Presence and Gain More Time to Write by Joey Garcia
It’s rare to find an author who is passionate about shepherding her or his book into the marketplace. When I speak to writer’s groups about book publicity, authors lament their responsibility for the business side of things. Most wish someone else would manage their publicity or online presence for them. If you’re an author who […]
Electronic Newsletters and Email Marketing
Email marketing is not dead; it’s as valuable as ever. But it is harder to get people to subscribe, which means you have to make it worth their while. Tips for Email Marketing Success Add a sign-up box in the header or sidebar across all pages of your site. Give away a great incentive for […]
Author Name: Lee Holcomb Book Title: Lifestyle Lawyer: The Female Attorney’s Guide to Designing a Law Career You Love Synopsis There’s a widely held belief among female attorneys that to succeed professionally they must become a partner in a law firm or a general counsel at a large company. But why? Many female attorneys will have […]
Am I Boring You? How to Enliven Your Nonfiction Writing by Anne Janzer
My freshman year in college, I chose my course schedule based on class titles and time slots. Early-morning sessions lost out to late-morning or afternoon alternatives. After a few problems (don’t ask about calculus), I realized the professor might be the most important factor. By asking around, it was easy to discover who the good […]
Streamline Your Online Presence and Gain More Time to Write by Joey Garcia
It’s rare to find an author who is passionate about shepherding her or his book into the marketplace. When I speak to writer’s groups about book publicity, authors lament their responsibility for the business side of things. Most wish someone else would manage their publicity or online presence for them. If you’re an author who […]
Electronic Newsletters and Email Marketing
Email marketing is not dead; it’s as valuable as ever. But it is harder to get people to subscribe, which means you have to make it worth their while. Tips for Email Marketing Success Add a sign-up box in the header or sidebar across all pages of your site. Give away a great incentive for […]
How to Produce and Distribute Audiobooks
Audiobooks were once delivered on cassette tapes, and then later in CD boxed sets. They were expensive. There were local retailers who would sometimes allow you rent them just like videos on VHS tapes (remember those?). And then CDs went the way of vinyl records and have since become decorative coasters. Today the largest retailer […]
Amazon Author Central: Steps to Maximize Your Account
Amazon’s Author Central is an essential tool for managing your books and author information on the site. Every author should take full advantage of the free service because it allows you to update content on your book page, keep author bio information up to date, see your sales data, and more. Both print and Kindle-only […]
Expert Round-Up: Amazon Marketing Tips
Each month, the Nonfiction Authors Association asks a burning publishing question of the industry’s best, brightest, and most innovative experts. Here’s what they have to say! PATRICK SCHWERDTFEGER The beauty of doing a “launch” on Amazon (such as a 4-day Kindle sale for $0.99 or even free) is that it gets your book in the […]
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