MONDAYS IN PUBLISHING: Demystifying Life As A Published Author (with side notes about pirates)

AUTHORS – THE MYTH Let’s start here. Let’s start with what people outside publishing believe because it’s what they see in books and movies. In the movies authors are generally beautiful. They live in brownstones or airy apartments, or maybe in a cabin with a view of the lake and…

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MONDAYS IN PUBLISHING: How To Build A Social Media Following (without going mad)

Before we even tackle HOW to use social media let’s discuss the question really burning in your soul: Do I Need To Use Social Media? Straight Answer: NO. You do need a base of operation on the internet, you need a place where people can find you, but you don’t…

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MONDAYS IN PUBLISHING – How To Write A Query Letter (the updated version)

QUERY(n) – the letter a hopeful author sends to an agent or editor with the express wish of getting the manuscript off their desk and onto someone else’s publication schedule. The query is an essential part of the publication process even for Indie Authors, it’s also one of the more misunderstood…

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Mondays In Publishing – Setting Goals for Publication – What You Can Control & What You Can’t

It’s that time of year again! You know, the season of setting goals, making resolutions, and generally convincing yourself that this year will be different through the sheer force of your holiday-fueled determination. Everyone finds it easy to make goals when there’s a ton of enthusiasm and peer support for…

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Mondays In Publishing: A Glossary of Publishing Terms

Author, novelist, writer… What’s the difference? Spelling, for the most part. I’ve never found a satisfactory definition to differentiate, although I tend to think of writers as non-fiction news people (a bias left over from my newspaper days). The real difference is between an Author and a Published/Contracted Author. When…

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Mondays In Publishing – Genre

GENRE It’s a scary word for some people. I’ve met people who will argue genre until they are blue in the face. I have met people who think genre is a form of gate-keeping. I have met people who think genre is a waste of time. I have never met…

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Mondays In Publishing – Seasons In Publishing

Meteorological Winter begins December 1st for the northern hemisphere (as opposed to astronomical winter that begins with the winter solstice). Just like the sky and weather Publishing has its own seasons. Seasons of feast and famine. Seasons to query and seasons to edit. Seasons to publish and seasons to sit…

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