by Sharon C. Jenkins
Bowker | Tue Aug 18, 2015
We’ve all taken a personality test at some point in our life. Maybe you took the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and discovered that you are Introverted, Sensing, Thinking, and Judging. Or perhaps you’ve taken the DiSC test and now you know that you lean more towards steadiness than dominance. Maybe you just saw a quiz on Facebook that tells you your personality based on your favorite song.
Whatever the test, more and more people are putting stock in what your personality is. So the question is, how can you use your personality to help you become an author?
by Rochelle D. Carter
Bowker | Tue Jun 30, 2015
There are many things that publishers wish authors knew before they signed their contract or even submitted their books. I know that I have had a few head-scratching interactions with potential authors, from being told "I don't read books" to "I didn't know I could talk about my book". Here are 7 Things Publishers Wished Authors Knew, and sometimes are a little perturbed at having to explain:
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by Penny C. Sansevieri
Bowker | Tue May 26, 2015
Okay readers, listen up. This one is for you. Being an author isn’t easy – in fact it’s a pretty tough job. It’s not easy being an author in a world where everyone can get published. We write our books for you and, in return, we’d love a little help now and again.
Most of my articles focus on advising authors on marketing and social media. I am sure authors read these pieces and feel like they need a nap. Yes, there’s a lot to be done, but you shouldn’t go it alone. Your readers can be your best ally to help you market to other readers.
Often readers do want to help, but aren’t really sure what to do. There’s a bit of a mystique around authors. Many readers think, “Well, the book has been published, they probably don’t need my help.” But this couldn’t be further from the truth. Authors (especially those who are starting out) do need our help.
by Penny C. Sansevieri
Bowker | Tue Apr 14, 2015
It’s happened to all of us at one time or another. You write a great article either on your blog or as a guest post, and one day you find it on someone else’s site with no credit to you whatsoever. In the case of what happened that prompted this piece, an article I wrote was lifted and tinkered with *slightly* and then reposted onto someone else’s site. What do you do if that happens? Well, it’s certainly a hassle but it’s one you should consider following up on because stealing someone else’s work – especially stealing it and repurposing it, is not right and certainly a copyright infringement.
by Penny C. Sansevieri
Bowker | Fri Mar 13, 2015
If you’ve ever had a review removed from Amazon you know how frustrating that can be. I’ve spoken to some authors who lost one and others who lost dozens. Each time it’s assumed that Amazon is the devil and that they get a certain amount of enjoyment from just randomly pulling reviews. While I was pretty certain this wasn’t true, I decided to call Amazon Author Central and get to the bottom of this.
The rep there was helpful and clear about their guidelines. Let’s look at a few:
by Arthur Q. Gutch
Bowker | Tue Feb 17, 2015
There's great joy in getting your first royalty check, but an equally large letdown when it comes to tax time. The government considers royalties income, and you've got to claim it on your tax form at the end of the year. Fortunately, writers are allowed a large number of deductions for expenses incurred in the act of writing. Obviously, the best advice is from your tax accountant, but here are some of the most common deductions a self-published author or writers can take to decrease their taxable income.
Subscriptions - Most writers subscribe to writer's magazines, journals and newsletters. They're necessary research, including topic magazines nonfiction writers need for their research.
by Bowker Publishe...
Bowker | Fri Sep 26, 2014
Book review ezine Shelf Unbound’s Writing Competition for Best Independently Published Book now includes a prize for sports-related works. In addition to best overall winner, the competition will present the Pete Delohery Award for Best Sports Book, which carries $1,000 cash prize. The winner, selected by the editors of Shelf Unbound, will be featured along with the winners and finalists of the larger competition in Shelf Unbound’s December/January 2015 issue, which is read by 125,000 book lovers in 65 countries. Entries are being accepted now through October 1.
by Brian Jud
Bowker | Wed Sep 3, 2014
Becoming a success (as you have defined it) in book publishing is more an art than a science. You can learn all the right things to do, but the application of those actions is different for every situation, person, book and target buyer. One key to moving continuously in the right direction on your path is to have a strong belief in yourself. In other words, become DEAR to yourself.
by Dan Dillon
Bowker | Thu Jan 16, 2014
People make a lot of books with Lulu. In fact, thousands upon thousands of titles are published to Lulu.com every week. While that’s a few too many books for us to read, we do know there are three things a writer needs to keep in mind to ensure their book is one readers will want to buy. If you’re among the writers preparing to publish a book this year, these three tips will be key factors in your success.
1. Know who your ideal reader is before you even start writing.
