Posts Tagged ‘publishing’
Why Writers Should Use (Some) Big Words
You’ve heard the variations on the theme: Don’t choose a $20 word when a $0.10 one will do. Keep everything to a 4th-grade reading level. Concise and simple writing is better. Those mantras have some credibility — if you’re aiming for more universal reach, more “elevated” or “educated” language might block some doors instead of…
Read MoreOn Sensitivity and Trigger Warnings in Writing
As most writers do, I’ve been sharing my work at different conferences I’ve been finding online. I do this not only to technically improve, but also to understand the impressions I am giving to readers. At the last conference I attended, one of my critique partners mentioned that, although my writing was very good, as…
Read MoreThe Biggest Mistake I’ve Ever Made in Writing
I’ve been writing now for more than two decades. Mistakes? I’ve made ’em plenty. But out of everything, there’s nothing I regret more than not personally networking to a greater degree. Watch/Subscribe Why I went all in on digital When I was getting started and establishing myself, the writing industry was just starting to embrace…
Read MoreWhat Is an “Author Platform?”
What’s a book (or other writing) without an author platform? What even IS an author platform? ??? We tend to think of author platform in terms of social media and followers. That’s PART of it. But an author platform is much bigger than just LinkedIn or Instagram, and it needs to have as many branches…
Read More“Show, Don’t Tell”: The Big Picture Function
“Show, don’t tell.” It’s one of the most widely repeated pieces of author advice out there. The goal is to bring the reader into the character’s world and immerse them in it. Most writers interpret “show, don’t tell” to mean that they should include more details. That’s not entirely off — showing often does require…
Read MoreWhat Is Proofreading?
You’ve got your book draft done. Now you need editing. But did you know there are three different types of editing? And yes, you probably need them all. Editing usually starts with developmental work. Your editor will look for holes in logic or plot and try to make the manuscript idea stronger overall. The second…
Read MoreWhy You Should Consider Writing Your Book Blurb Early
Your book blurb — the material you typically use on your back cover or as part of your Amazon product description — plays a HUGE role in whether people actually buy your book. It summarizes what your book is about and hooks the reader’s interest. But just because your blurb is a summary doesn’t mean…
Read MoreHow Publishing More Titles Can Snowball Your Writing Income
Writing never has been a great way to get rich. But if you’re serious about trying to make money from writing books, one of the best ways to bring in a little bit more money is to create more than one title. Even though doing this certainly isn’t required or the ideal path for every…
Read MoreYour Nonfiction Idea Is Good, But Your Social Media Following Needs to Be Better
It happened to me again. A rejection from a literary agent. I’m used to those by now. I have hundreds. But this rejection was the second in a single week that held the same rationale. Publishers want to see large numbers on social media accounts. Plenty of followers means people trust what you say and…
Read MoreHow to Make Your Writing Sound More Conversational
If writers want to do anything, it’s to connect with and intimately engage their readers. They want to give people the gifts of escapism, inspiration, or education and make them feel deep things. So, why do so many writers fail to achieve that goal? One word. Conversationality. What is conversationality? Conversationality means that whatever you’re…
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