"It's been awesome," says Andy Weir. "It's like every writer's dream come true." The Washington Post describes Weir's novel The Martian, originally self published, as "Robinson Crusoe in a space suit." The unlikely New York Times bestseller is now a blockbuster Hollywood movie starring Matt … [Read more...]
The blog for writers
The Book Deal
New author sells 80K books in 1 year. Here’s how
When John J. Davis set out to market his first self-published thriller Blood Line, he thought he did everything right. He hired an experienced book publicist, arranged readings at bookstores, went on a 30-day cross-country author tour. The results were dismal. "We quickly discovered that the … [Read more...]
Lessons from a great book jacket designer
The bright yellow cover of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson is instantly recognizable. The Wall Street Journal called the jacket, designed by Peter Mendelsund, one of the most iconic in contemporary fiction in the U.S. Mendelsund, Associate Art Director at Knopf, now has his … [Read more...]
Prequels build buzz!
Have you heard what some savvy authors are doing to build excitement and attract readers to their upcoming books? They're writing prequels: tantalizing teasers in short story form that preview the key characters and settings of an upcoming novel. Some prequels predate or provide backstories … [Read more...]
An interview with yours truly about self-publishing
A while ago I sat for an interview with Brian Felsen, CEO of BookBaby, a service provider for self-publishing authors. He asked a lot of good questions for authors about working with an editor, getting published, and effective book promotion. Here’s the video, in which we talk about how the … [Read more...]
Why should anyone give a shiitake about your book?
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...]
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 … [Read more...]
Big-6 publisher jumps on the indie bandwagon
Was it just a matter of time? The news came recently that Penguin Group, one of the largest book publishers in the world, has acquired Author Solutions Inc (ASI), a leading provider of services for self-publishing writers, for $116 million. Penguin's CEO, John Makinson, waxed rhapsodic in … [Read more...]
The bears and bulls of publishing: An insider steps up
EBook buyers read more books. And why wouldn't they be? They can look on this article about ebooks and find places to get them for free! 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 at … [Read more...]
What writers can learn from Barry Eisler
It's inspiring when a successful author goes out of his way to help others in the craft of writing. Barry Eisler is one of those good guys. Though he'd probably rather be known as one baaad dude. He's a one-time CIA operative, a judo black belt and an intellectual property attorney, who's … [Read more...]