That’s the first question to ask yourself, writes Guy Kawasaki in the opening chapter of a definitive new book on self-publishing, APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur – How to Publish a Book, written with co-author Shawn Welch. Kawasaki is passionate about writers creating worthwhile books for … [Read more...]
The blog for writers
The Book Deal
Ask the Editor: Can I become a better writer?
Q: Every rejection letter I get says there’s something wrong with my writing. Can I really get better at this? A: Yes, you can! Having edited hundreds of writers, I know for a fact that even the most seasoned, successful writers read, study, revise and rewrite, use a professional developmental … [Read more...]
Timing your book’s launch date for maximum impact
Strategic timing of your book’s publication date can give it a jet-propelled boost and have a major impact on its long-term success. Commercial publishers and booksellers have known this forever. Christmas and beyond Retailers rack up between 25-35 percent of their annual revenues during … [Read more...]
Great reasons to self-publish: 7 case histories
Writers who self-publish often reap enormous benefits that are personal and unique. This goes way beyond the usual notion of self-publishing as either an alternative or a pathway to a traditional book deal. Writing and publishing a book can strike an emotional chord of meaning and importance for … [Read more...]
Ask the editor: An agent said my novel needs emotional glue. Help!
Q. An agent said my novel is missing emotional glue. Like it doesn’t stick together. What is emotional glue and how do I get it into my story? A. Emotional glue reveals a character’s internal reactions, ruminations, and anticipated responses to the dialogue and action of the story. It's the … [Read more...]
The bears and bulls of publishing: An insider steps up
EBook buyers read more books. They’re the future! We’re in the midst of a fantastic transition. Words from another outsider advocating the overthrow of legacy publishing? Nope. Not this time. Instead, these bullish sentiments come from a consummate insider, John Glusman, editor-in-chief of W.W. … [Read more...]
It’s the details, writers!
An author builds a narrative with thousands of tiny details. Even before a reader knows what the book is really about, it’s through the gradual accumulation of these crucial moments, objects, movements, sounds, smells and touches that the power and meaning of the story emerges. As an editor … [Read more...]
The Viagra Diaries: A self-publishing mega success story
“Barbara Rose Brooker is fearless. The Viagra Diaries does for single seniors what Helen Gurley Brown’s Sex and the Single Girl and Erica Jong’s Fear of Flying did for the women’s sexual revolution in the sixties and seventies.” -- Entertainment Tonight It’s a blurb to die for, and well … [Read more...]
Growing a short story into a novel
Do you have a short story work-in-progress that just doesn’t want to fit into 10,000 words or 25 pages? Is it bursting at the seams? Does it feel incomplete and frustrating to read? Then you may have a recalcitrant short story that could be transformed into a successful novel. A case in … [Read more...]
Why writers need agents: 4 pros weigh in
Literary agents are still the gatekeepers for authors seeking traditional book deals. That's the bottom line, despite all the big changes in publishing, says Candice Fuhrman, an agent with many New York Times bestselling authors in her corner. “As long as publishers are buying books and paying … [Read more...]