Guest post from editor Denise Harmer, who has edited several of my books! You did it. You’ve written that novel. You’ve checked it over at least a gazillion (is that even a word?) times. You’ve made sure each of your plot points is wrapped up nicely, you’ve double-checked your spelling, and you’ve asked your friends for their opinions. Now what do you do with this beauty that you’ve spent so … [Read more...] about How an Editor Can Help Your Writing
eBook Basics
Why Proofreading Matters
When I began working inside an 80-year-old publishing house, I quickly learned two things about proofreading matters: a) a daily cappuccino was my friend, and b) there was a bigger meaning behind two small shelves of books near my office (aka cubicle). Proofreading Matters Those shelves, it turned out, held our latest printed titles, and some of them - okay, many of them - had little yellow … [Read more...] about Why Proofreading Matters
Cover Design: The Evolution of a Cover
I stink at graphic design, so I hire a cover designer for my books. If you prefer to give cover design a try, consider this article by Nancy Moser. Otherwise, follow me on this journey through the cover design process for one of my collections. Okay, so I acquired the rights to my first two novels quite a few years ago, and after many requests, decided to go back and write a third book in that … [Read more...] about Cover Design: The Evolution of a Cover
Self-Editing for Indie Authors: 5 Top Tips
This is a guest post by author and editor Carrie Padgett with five great tips on self-editing for indie authors. Read on: A couple of years ago, a friend recommended a book she thought I would love. She was right. It was witty and fresh and I loved it. Except it was riddled with typos and continuity issues. Honestly, I’d have chucked it against the wall if it wasn’t so darned entertaining. Not … [Read more...] about Self-Editing for Indie Authors: 5 Top Tips
Ingram Spark Promo Code
Ingram Spark Promo Code 6th UPDATE: Currently, IngramSpark is revamping their promo codes program and one is not available. If I see one released for the general public, I will do my best to post it here. Happy Friday! Here's a GREAT deal that showed up in my inbox today, so I thought I'd share it with you. Ingram Spark (aka IngramSpark) is offering FREE publishing of your paperback books for a … [Read more...] about Ingram Spark Promo Code
How to Format a Book for Kindle Using Microsoft Word
How to Format a Book for Kindle using Microsoft Word I published my first indie book years ago by uploading a Microsoft Word document to my Kindle account. The preview of my eBook looked okay, but when it showed up on Amazon it looked horrible with mismatched indents and wordsscrunchedtogether. The Nook version was no better, nor Smashwords. I needed a better way to format a book for … [Read more...] about How to Format a Book for Kindle Using Microsoft Word