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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As an author, a great way to generate interest in your new book is through a press release. If you are unaware of what press releases are, why they are important, what goes into them, or are unsure of the best possible way to approach them, spend a few moments here learning about their function. What is a press release? A press release is a great way to appeal to a broad audience through media outlets. It’s a message written with the intention of getting information circulating about your book. As an author, a press release is a great way…