Best Books for Writers on Craft, Creativity, Marketing, and More!
Reading the right books can help you become a better, more successful writer, but where to start!? I’ve been an avid reader of books for writers a long time now, and it’s a topic I’ve written about in the past. But as I keep reading more books in this genre, I expand and refine my […]
How a Writer Faced His Fear and Landed a Book Deal
Writing a book proposal and landing a book deal is hard work, but it can be done. I recently sat down for a video call with writer, spiritual director, and speaker Brian Plachta about his journey from a small platform to a landing a book deal. We talked about: how Brian pushed through his fear […]
24 Surprising Benefits of a Book Proposal
The most obvious benefit of writing a nonfiction book proposal is it could lead to a book contract. But several other benefits are less obvious; the purpose of this article is to share what they are. Ready? Here we go! Writing a book proposal . . . Gives you space to dream. Think of your […]
3 Easy Questions to Help You Improve Your Book Idea
She was about the coolest girl I’d ever met. And she’d invited me, still in high school, to hang out near her college campus about an hour away. That’s right, friends. This was the big leagues. I was relaxed, though; you would’ve been proud of me. In the days leading up to my big date, […]
Why Rejection Is NOT the Problem
I remember meeting with an unpublished writer in a Nashville coffee shop years ago. She told me in no uncertain terms she was a writer and was going to be published. That writer was Rachel Held Evans, and she meant what she said. Evans worked hard on her craft and nurtured an audience. She honed […]
Are You a Safe Bet for Publishers?
Publishing is legalized gambling.” That’s an aphorism I’ve heard several times from publishing professionals, and there’s some truth to it. Publishers place a bet on an author and her manuscript, meaning they pay an advance as well as all the costs of production (editorial, marketing, printing, paper, glue, etc) and marketing (advertising, mailings, publicity, exhibit […]
My Annual Review of 2018
This has been a year of transition for me! That coupled with author James Clear’s advice to do an annual review are enough for me to take up the task. Following Clear’s example, I’ll cover what went well, what didn’t go so well, and what I learned. Here we go! What Went Well This Year? […]
How to Get a Publisher’s Attention
Recently I asked readers of this blog, “What’s your #1 question about publishing or getting published?” Below are some the questions I received with my responses. I’ve tried to order these in terms of the chronological process of deciding how to publish, picking a publisher, submitting, and so on. I hope you enjoy reading through […]
What Every Author Needs to Know about Publishing and Marketing on Amazon
We all know Amazon is the biggest bookseller in the world by far, but marketing on Amazon is still a mystery to many authors. Most writers don’t understand what makes a book an Amazon bestseller. And they’re confused about how to work with the Amazon platform to market their books and increase sales. That’s why […]
What Is a Writer Platform and How Do You Build One?
Below are questions I received recently about how to build a writer platform followed by my responses. My hope is that these questions are broadly representative of those many writers have about this often vexing topic. Before I jump into the questions, let me first define what I mean by platform. An author’s platform is […]