In a previous post, I took self editing and broke it down to revisions and edits along with what things should be looked at in each part. If you missed that post, you can find it here—http://bit.ly/WwDSelfEditing. In this post, I will cover some of my go-to hacks to make the revision and editing process… Continue reading Self Edit Hacks 101
Category: Tips & Tricks
What the Plot
What the Plot?! created by Writing Prompts This was a limited-run crafted game from the social media icon Writing Prompts (FB, Instagram, Tumblr). For those who aren't familiar with writing prompts, they are ideas for stories. It really isn't much more complicated than that. https://www.instagram.com/p/B_H142pH06M/ They're not always so creepy. Some are downright adorable, like… Continue reading What the Plot
How Important Are First Lines?
As writers, we hear frequently how "important" that first sentence is. Examples of what are passed around as "first line musts" Must be unique and memorable.Must be vivid.Must be truthful, funny, scary, etc any emotion.Tells the reader the genreIntroduces all the main characters.Make the reader care. It's the magical key that keeps a reader reading… Continue reading How Important Are First Lines?
Newsletters of the Future
Not so long ago, followers signed up for things like "clubs" to learn information about their favorite anything. Some of you might be too young to remember the Jonathan Taylor Thomas clubs of the 90s. I didn't get into such things, but they were a way of staying connected. The rise of the internet gave… Continue reading Newsletters of the Future
The Book Launch Planner
Launching your book into the world can be a nerve-wracking experience. From remembering who you wanted to hire, who you've contacted to share your release, and the timeline of when these little parts need to be done can make one feel as if they are going around in circles. This planner was designed by Mandi… Continue reading The Book Launch Planner
Working with Editors
Working with editors is a hard leg on the journey of publishing. From finding recommendations, vetting their abilities, and paying for their services, it can be a complicated ride for a novice. If you’ve tried using Google, you’ve probably made your head spin from what type of editing is needed to the roller coaster of prices… Continue reading Working with Editors
Pirating Sites—The Rampant Rash of Writers
From small fries to world renown authors, pirating and plagiarism go hand in hand. Some "writers" take snippets and weave it into a story while others just straight up copy an entire book and claim they wrote it. Thousands of readers flock to pirating sites that remind us of Napster or LimeWire (for those too… Continue reading Pirating Sites—The Rampant Rash of Writers
Rapid Release
Rapid release is the idea of releasing books in a series in a short time frame. It comes with a host of myths, pros and cons. What's the purpose? This capitalizes on readers attention spans and market trends. Don't think this works? Look at Netflix. They drop all the episodes of a season at one… Continue reading Rapid Release
Chapter Breaks & Scene Breaks
Knowing when to take a break is an important aspect in writing. Short stories do not have chapters, but they have scene breaks. Novellettes to novels have chapters and can have scene breaks. But what are these? As readers, we understand chapters. They act like stop signs, allowing us to breathe. As writers it's obvious… Continue reading Chapter Breaks & Scene Breaks
Trim Size
Physical books come in a variety of sizes. Some are tall. Some are short. Some fit in the back pocket, and others lounge in bags. But what size should your paperbacks be? Typical Sizes The typical books I format fall under these sizes: 4 x 6” (154 x 102mm)4 x 7” (178 x 102mm)4.25 x… Continue reading Trim Size
