Modern-day readers have many options to purchase or acquire books. From brick-and-mortar bookstores to online shopping, yard sales and more, there is no shortage of ways to get books. Another popular means of acquiring books to read is to go to a public library. If you’re an author, your initial thought might be, “Why should … Read more
A recent survey revealed that more than half of the people who read hard-copy books make their purchase choices based on jacket design. Remember when you were growing up and adults would instruct you to “never judge a book by its cover”? Well, they were definitely speaking figuratively, because in the literal sense, it appears that that’s … Read more
Advanced technology has changed the world in many ways, especially regarding daily life routines. Many gadgets and systems and programs exist to add speed and convenience to everyday tasks. In fact, people can buy “smart” homes now! Modern living includes many people having almost non-stop schedules. They complain that they don’t have time to do … Read more
If someone asks you who J.K. Rowling is, you will undoubtedly know that she’s the author of the Harry Potter series. However, if someone were to ask you who Robert Galbraith is, would you know the answer to that question? If you have read, “The Cuckoo’s Calling” or “The Ink Black Heart,” you might recall … Read more
If you want a publisher to consider your manuscript, there are several issues to keep in mind before submitting your work. Many publishers have certain requirements that must be met before they will agree to review your manuscript. For instance, Vertu Publishing uses specific guidelines for writers to ensure that their manuscripts are in proper … Read more
Have you ever read a book, report or other piece of literature only to feel you have no clue what the author was talking about? You may read the same lines over and over asking yourself, “Okay, wait. What is he/she trying to say here?” Another frustrating reading experience occurs when you understand what the … Read more
If you’re trying to get a publisher to accept your manuscript, then you’re a salesperson, as well as a writer. Think of the door-to-door salesmen of the past. They had products to push and a well-rehearsed spiel to help them get the job done. As a writer, your “spiel” is your query letter—the letter you … Read more
Most writers dream of becoming a best-selling author someday. With a global audience, anything is possible. Some books are more likely to hit the best-seller lists than others, however. Why is that? It might be because top-selling books often have several elements in common. This doesn’t necessarily mean that if your book does not have … Read more
Is there really such a thing as perfect grammar? It seems logical to assume that the average person will make grammar mistakes now and then. Writers make them, too—heck, even editors make them. However, with a system of checks and balances in place (I.e., writers submitting their work to editors for review) such errors can … Read more
Ideas, ideas, ideas—writers are full of them—or, at least, should be, if they hope to earn a living at their craft. If you happen to be a best-selling author or have gained celebrity status in a certain niche (e.g., world famous inspirational speaker) you could probably write just about anything, and people would buy it. … Read more