There’s a first time for everything I can still remember my first real exposure to constructive criticism of my writing. Sophomore year of college, I received my first C+ on a paper in my entire educational career. Immediately, I rationalized the grade had to be a mistake. I read the remarks my professor left on each of the eight pages I’d written, and I grew defensive and angry. Preparing myself with counterpoints, I scheduled a meeting during office hours to argue my stance with him. Before I had the chance to challenge his grading, my professor hit me hard with…
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We’ve got some exciting changes coming to our Author Service Department this March. These changes will affect the way we do our job as your book publisher. Just as a book has a beginning, middle, and end, so does the process of creating a book. Imagine it like running a relay race. You will now have a dedicated publishing expert to run beside you through each leg of the race who will help you pass the baton (your manuscript) to the next publishing expert! Pre-production Pre-production is the stage you enter once you’ve selected your publishing package. It’s the first step…
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Less than two months ago, many of us took the time to write out long lists of New Year’s resolutions. We dreamed of becoming the next Bob Goff or Shauna Niequist—not only finishing the writing and publishing process, but also seeing our books at the top of bestseller lists. The reality for many, however, is strikingly different: Most New Year’s resolutions fail by the second week of February. If you haven’t touched your computer in a week or the last “date modified” on your work in progress shows you haven’t accessed the file since January—don’t fret. You can still…
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If you’re envisioning three tech guys talking about how their startup is going to be the next big thing, you’re in luck– because this isn’t about that kind of pitch. While pitching sometimes gets a bad rap, it’s important to be able to convey the message of your work quickly, clearly and concisely. An elevator pitch, which is typically presented in sixty seconds or less, challenges self-promoters to get to the point of their presentations, while effectively including all of the most pertinent information. Will the next person you talk to about your book have a stopwatch to time your…