With this book, Anne Lamott shows us the glory of writing. She has written about 20 books, give or take. So, she has the experience to back up the advice she gives. What Was Lamott Inspired By? She uses her own writing life and her relationship with her friends and family for most of the …
Review of Bird by Bird, Some Instructions On Writing and Life Read More »
A book is a team project, so take time to talk to your editor. Lay down both the expectations and responsibilities of each. How To Prepare Yourself? Be prepared to work. When you edit, you must communicate with your editor and ask them what they expect. You should be ready to both make decisions and …
I recently read Handling the Truth by Beth Kephart and thought a summary would be useful for other memoirists. Part 1: What is and what is not a memoir? I love that she says it’s not about the author winning that final battle or winning some war she thinks she is in with someone else, …
Authors need to choose between self-publishing, hybrid publishing or traditional publishing. The decision should be made based on the author and the book. There are several points to consider, let’s go through them one at a time. Royalties A traditional publisher may offer you an advance but you will earn very little in royalties, maybe …
What is different between self-publishing and traditional publishing? Read More »
Sometimes authors come to me to ask for help promoting their books. They have written high-quality books, put up a website and yet, their books are not selling like the hotcakes they are. The reason: having a platform and promoting your book are two different aspects of being an author. Let’s dig into the difference …
Platform vs promotion for authors: What authors need to know Read More »
No doubt you have heard someone tell you. Write a book and be an expert. Or maybe even write a book and be a thought leader. Both are possible but they are different. So here is a quiz to help you decide if you are an expert or a thought leader. Do you know a …
Expert vs thought leader: Which book will you write? Read More »
If you are going through a traditional publisher, you give them your book baby and they work with you to make it into something they believe will sell. Then they take care of the details, making sure it hits the stores. But what if you are self-publishing? You hear of so many companies in the …
Awhile ago I reviewed Scrappy Rough Draft by Donna Barker. I thought you might like a rundown of the different chapters–there are so many–and you only need to pick the ones that will help you finish your first draft. Hold your breath… here we go. Read chapter 1 if you feel you need to write …
You Can’t Give Up on Your Book: Summary of Scrappy Rough Draft by Donna Barker Read More »
I interviewed Colin MacArthur on writing a memoir about a loved one. Colin was born in Canada, but he lived nearly half his life in the UK. He’s always had an interest in writing and the written word has been published as a photographer and has had one-man exhibitions of his photography, both in Canada …
Writing About a Loved One | Interview with Colin MacAuthor Read More »
If you are an author, you will need an author platform. Your author platform refers to your ability to sell books. I like to think of it as a virtual stage that you build from which you sell your books. People will come to listen if you have something to say that they are interested …
