The self-publishing movement that was sparked by the introduction of the Kindle ereader eight years ago has taken the entire industry on a rollercoaster ride that shows no signs of slowing down. The only thing we can count on in today’s publishing world is change. Solid advice given yesterday may not work today. Authors need […]
Should You “Send Out” that First Novel? 9 Things to Consider First
by Anne R. Allen We are always hearing about authors who have phenomenal success with a “first novel.” I’m sure most writers fantasize about being that author sometime in our early careers. I sure did. But here’s what I didn’t know back then: the novels that are published first are rarely the first novel […]
Why the Self-Published Ebook is No Longer the “New Query”
by Anne R. Allen A few years ago, soon after the debut of the Kindle e-reader, the world was buzzing with talk of self-published “Kindle Millionaires” like Amanda Hocking and John Locke, and big publishers were beating a path to the doors of all the newly successful self-published ebook writers. Even modestly successful self-publishers […]
Confessions of NYT Bestselling Author Gone Indie
by Eileen Goudge We have a visit from a literary superstar this week.ย New York Timesย bestselling author Eileen Goudge has written 32 novels, sold over a million copies, and been translated into 22 languages.ย I first heard about Ms. Goudge in the 1980s, when my friends and I all ran out to buy her phenomenal […]
Author Collectives: The “Third Path” to Publication. Is it Right for You?
Liza Perrat contacted me a few months ago, asking for permission to quote me in a book about her author collective, Triskele Books. I’ve been fascinated by the idea of authors forming their own publishing companies, so I asked if she’d like to guest post for us. I was eager to hear more about her […]
What are Algorithmsโand Why Should Authors Care about Them?
by Anne R. Allen First, an awesome announcement: this blog will be named toย Writer’s Digest’s Best 101 Sites for Writersย in the May-June issue! (special thanks to Lila and Janet for the heads-up.)ย We are so jazzed! The magazine should be in stores soon. Subscribers have already got their copies. Many, many thanks to whoever nominated […]
When is it OK to Blog Your Book?
by Anne R. Allen What? Blog a book? ย Sez you. You’re always hammering us NOT to put our WIPs on our blogs! True. And I continue to do soโif you’re a beginning novelist hoping to get a traditional book contract. Tiny snippets of fiction for blog hops and other writing-community bonding exercises are OK, […]
Confessions of a Former Query Addict
by Anne R. Allen Happy 2012! What a year itโs been. Exactly a year ago, I woke on New Yearโs Day to one of those emails that used to flood my brain with a mix of adrenalin, serotonin, and hopeโa burst of euphoria that somehow made my life of constant rejection bearable. Itโs […]
When Landing an Agent Lands You Nowhere: Rick Daleyโs Story
While Iโm immersed in revision hell with two books and hopping around the Interwebz trying to promote two others that just came outโin case anybody wonders, this isnโt something Iโd recommendโweโve got a fascinating guest post. ย Meet Rick Daley, the man behind the Public Query Slushpile, and author of the Middle Grade fantasy, THE […]
Indie, Big Six, or Small Press Publishing: Why Not Try All Three?
Todayโs guest post is from Kim Wright, a versatile author who is taking all three publishing routes: Big Six, small press and indie. Sheโs blessed with a smart, supportive agent who is encouraging her in all the paths sheโs choosing. The paperback edition of her literary novel,ย Love in Mid Airย debuts this month…Anne Hedging Bets:ย Three Paths […]
What it Really Means When Your Book Gets Rejected
ย Todayโs guest post is from one of my favorite authors, Ruth Harris. Sheโs a bestselling author–and a former Big Six editor and ย publishing executive who has gone over to the indie side. She knows what sheโs talking about. Her sales numbers are in the millions. Her fiction has been translated into 19 languages, published […]