planning | writing | editing | design | marketing | production | distribution | pre-launch | launch | post-launch
I HAVE TO BE honest, it looks like over five (yes, 5) years since I’ve updated my website or posted to this blog, but blogging and a new live vlog / podcast are not only planned but scheduled (to start Wednesday, April 12, 2023, see this site or sign up for updates). Continue reading “Wow, FIVE Years!”
MANY OF MY CLIENTS are, with their books, seeking to stake a claim on a niche or step up to being an authority in their field. Many already are. Either way, branding is what now sets us apart, and perhaps that’s been true ever since there was no longer a “town doctor.” As we become more and more in number, we need to find ways to differentiate ourselves and ideally, stand out (for good reasons) and be the first to come to mind. Continue reading “Assume Success!”
AS A 12-YEAR-OLD growing up in Pompano Beach, I was given a surf board. I’d tuck it under my arm and ride my BMX across the causeway to Atlantic Beach and try to surf. I never quite did it right—-I am not a natural surfer. Not at all. But I loved it–loved trying anyway. Continue reading “Writing and Surfing”
Yes, apparently! But no big deal.
I noticed when uploading to Kindle (KDP) some months ago that Amazon was kind of pushing also uploading your print book on the KDP platform as well. They made it convenient and easy, but I didn’t like that you had less control and fewer options. So when they announced CS was shuttering up, I was not surprised, and you should not be worried. I think they’re simply getting it all under one roof, and I’m sure they have internal reasons. You can see Amazon’s current, full explanation here. Continue reading “CreateSpace Closing?”
“TRIM SIZE” REFERS to the sizes of books. In fact there are charts that tell which sizes are “industry standard” and available in different formats. The availability from self-publishing platforms can affect your decision on where to upload, distribute, and publish your book. For example, CreateSpace does a great job for self-publishers but by design is meant to be more on the user-friendly side, so the amount of technical know-how you need is less but so are the publishing options on things like trim sizes, formats, and distribution, as compared to Ingram’s self-publishing platform, Lightning Spark, where you have many more professional options but a little more know-how is required. Each platform has a PDF that explains file preparation and lists trim sizes. Continue reading “Trim Sizes”
ONE OF THE MOST common questions, complaints, and concerns I hear is that a writer edits while they write, or stops and edits a chapter before moving on, and so on. They get stuck. Stephen King and so many others recommend you do not do this–-do not start editing until you have your first draft. Then edit all you like. In fact use placeholders, such as (in fiction) “crime scene.” Then you can go back and talk to cops about crime scenes and so on. Continue reading “Write Right Through!”
THE LEAD TIME for launching your book will vary depending on your purposes and resources. If you are building a career as an author, it might also depend on whether this is your first book launch or not. The formula for viability as an author is simply books x readers = sales. That explains in part why publishers will tell you the best marketing for your book is always your next book. Continue reading “To Launch “Hard” or “Soft”?”