Why don’t some people take self-published books seriously? Not everyone can interest an agent or publisher in their work, just as not everyone (no matter how talented) can play in the NFL. Some writers make the effort and pay the cost and self-publish. Writers sell writing to live, you know. Some really skilled football players get turned down by the NFL, and sometimes for one …(there’s more) Continue reading
I’ve written for Suite101 and other content mill farms in various iterations on and off for about 10 years and have seldom been a fan of how they treat writers. But let me say this: Suite101’s newest management team, seems to have a better path. There have been a confusing number of shake ups there, but now they may have put together a group that …(there’s more) Continue reading
Writers need a platform if they hope to hook up with a publisher, and sometimes, even just to sell an article to a magazine. A writer needs a platform to sell her writing. Becoming an expert in something is the way to build a platform, and blogging is a great foundation. I’ve been blogging since the word was invented – since about 2002, I think. …(there’s more) Continue reading
You’re a great writer. Your family and friends always said you have a book inside you. So you wrote the novel and now you’re scared to death—what if it fails? What if you actually succeed? Your book needs a professional editor or a ghost, whether you’re going to self-publish, shop it to publishers, or engage an agent. Getting the ideas into words puts you miles …(there’s more) Continue reading
In a recent LinkedIn discussion a couple people flamed over a comment I made. I advised doing thorough homework before paying a publishing company to handle your book and reading contracts carefully before signing anything. It’s good advice whether you self-publish, work with Simon and Shuster, use POD, or crank the stuff out on your desktop and hawk it out of the trunk of your …(there’s more) Continue reading
