Thursday at the #NINC2025 (Novelists, Inc.) writers conference began with a hearty breakfast in the hotel restaurant. Needing to walk off the calories, my roommate, Janice Hardy, and I headed to the beach for a stroll and to collect seashells for my grandson. It was relaxing to squish our feet in the sand and to … Read more
Before you upload your book to the various distributor sites, you must prepare your book description in long and short forms, any review quotes you’ve obtained, keywords and categories, and your author biography. You’ll also need your ISBNs, subtitle, series title and volume number. If you’re going wide, choose if you want to submit your … Read more
Would you like to create your own book trailer? Various companies will do trailers for you, but their work may be similar to what you can do on your own with a slide show. Wouldn’t you rather pick out the photos and music that best suit your story? You may already have a program on … Read more
Most authors have several manuscripts gathering dust in their drawers. These are our unsold babies, books we wrote along the journey to becoming a published author. Are they really that bad, or were they merely not ready for the right market at the right time? Aside from the corrections that our more skilled eye could … Read more
Questions often asked of writers include: What is your writing process? Do you set yourself daily writing goals? Do you plot the book in advance? For me, I’m a plotter, not a pantser. I write a synopsis ahead of time. The storyline may change as I write the book, but it acts as a roadmap … Read more
After any life change, you have to access your situation and adjust to the new reality. My writing muse is taking time off. I was afraid that in moving, I’d lose my identity as a writer. Indeed, I’ve had a hard time mustering enthusiasm for my next book and other related projects on my 2021 … Read more
As a writer, it’s important to do a year-end goal review to see what you’ve accomplished and what has yet to be done. This will help you in setting goals for the new year. Aside from moving to a new location, this is what I’ve completed: CREATIVE GOALS Publish Easter Hair Hunt, #16 in the … Read more
What is homework for writers? It’s when you need to learn something new, and instead of going the easy route by asking writer friends for answers, you do the research yourself. It’s okay to ask for advice and input but don’t expect to learn everything there is to know. Where Should You Start? Listserves can … Read more
Authors have all sorts of administrative tasks, from answering emails, to fielding workshop requests, to creating book ads, to keeping up with social media and writing blogs. These behind-the-scenes duties can keep us busy from morning to night. When I’m in a creative phase, the writing comes first. But right now, I am taking a … Read more
ISBN stands for International Book Standard Number. It is a globally recognized identification number for your book. As an indie publisher, you need to think about this option before self-publishing your work. Why should you use your own ISBN numbers? Control over metadata More professional – Your imprint is the publisher Better availability to retailers, … Read more