Self-Publishing
On the Business of Self-Publishing: Claiming Power Over Your Novel
In the opening round of a three-post series on the business of self-publishing, AJ Wells shares his experience of reading hundreds of self-published books as well as feedback from other successful indie authors in relation to self-publishing as a way to claim power over your novel (as opposed to being a "last resort").
How I Broke Into the Traditional Publishing World as an Indie Author
Learn the process indie author Amanda Aksel went through in getting her novel Delia Suits Up traditionally published, including questions she asked herself and weighing one strategy against the other.
Lessons Learned From Self-Publishing My Picture Book
Author Dawn Secord shares her journey toward self-publishing a picture book featuring her Irish Setter named Bling.
How I Sold the Cover of My Latest Book as an NFT and What I Learned
When faced with the difficult task of promoting his novel Catch 42: A novel about our future, writer Felix Holzapfel had a wild idea: Why not use non-fungible tokens?
Writing With Intention: On Hiring a Sensitivity Reader
Whether you're looking to pitch your work to an agent or are setting out on your self-publishing journey, author Melissa Scholes Young has some tips for hiring a sensitivity reader to up-level your work.
Lessons Learned for Narrating the Audiobook of My Novel
Author Mary Dixie Carter explains how she prepared herself to narrate the audiobook for her debut novel The Photographer.
Three Crucial Changes to the Book Publishing Industry
The new book Book Wars: The Digital Revolution in Publishing documents in detail the changes in the book publishing industry in recent years. Author John B. Thompson gives a glimpse of three crucial changes.
By Any Means Necessary: Finding Unorthodox Ways to Break-In
Novelist D. Eric Maikranz gives advice for how to get your readers to sit up and take notice of your work in untraditional ways.
John B. Thompson: On Researching Changes in the Book Publishing Industry
John B. Thompson, author of the new book Book Wars, shares the research that went into his account of how the digital revolution changed publishing for readers and writers.
5 Tips on Writing a Standout Self-Published Book From Someone Who's Read Hundreds of Them
WD competition judge AJ Wells breaks down what will make or break your self-published book, from cover design to plot construction.
Gary F. Bengier: Indie Publishing Philosophical Speculative Fiction
Former eBay CFO Gary F. Bengier shares his journey to self-publish his debut speculative fiction novel based on his nonfiction philosophy book.
4 Tips for Transitioning From Self-Publishing to Traditional Publishing: How I Found Writing Success After a DIY Start
Mystery novelist Robert McCaw shares how he went from self-publishing his novels to getting an agent and traditional publication, including why the transition made sense for him.
Using Recipes in Your Non-Cookbook Manuscript: What You Need to Know
Want to make your story more savory? On The Market author Audrey Wick suggests including the recipes your characters devour.
In the Chorus That Surrounds Every Writer, Listen to the Voice That's Your Own
It is easy to get lost in the flurry of feedback you get after sharing your writing for critique. Lorraine Devon Wilke shares how not to lose track of your own voice in the process.
5 Tips for Better Book Cover Typography
This post will dive into this crucial component of a book cover. Read on to find out how to handle book cover typography — and how to make yours stand out and sell your book.
Self-Publishing Audiobooks: Why Should You Consider It?
As WD author Jessica Kaye shares in the opening paragraphs of her book The Guide to Publishing Audiobooks, audiobooks are reaching more people than ever. Here are her thoughts about why you might consider self-publishing audiobooks.
indieLAB: The Rise of Self-Publishing 3.0
What is Self-Publishing 3.0? Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) founder Orna Ross explains the shift from the earliest iterations of self-publishing to today's landscape with Self-Publishing 3.0.
Crowdfunding a Novel: Fantastic and Frustrating
Interested in crowdfunding a novel? Susan K. Hamilton, who has crowdfunded two novels, shares the joys and frustrations authors can expect when publishing via this 21st century route.
Breaking In: Debut Author Christy Stillwell on Perseverance and Publishing with Small Presses
In our Breaking In column in Writer’s Digest magazine, we talk with debut authors—such as Christy Stillwell, author of The Wolf Tone—about how they did it, what they learned and why you can do it, too. Here, Stillwell talks about her experience publishing with a small press and more.
7 Tips for a Successful Relationship with Your Book Cover Designer
To help you get the most value out of a partnership with a book cover designer, we turned to some of the top professionals for their across-the-aisle tips on how authors can build and maintain such successful working relationships.
How to Crowdfund Your Writing With Patreon
Patreon offers creatives a more sustainable model for crowdfunding—ongoing micro-payments from interested benefactors.
Shelf Savvy: How Book Categorization Helps Maximize Sales
Book categorization is key to finding readers and maximizing sales. Here’s what you should know.
A Starter Guide to DIY Audiobooks
Audiobooks are the fastest growing segment of the publishing industry. For indie authors or traditionally published authors who have retained their audio rights, now may be the perfect time to consider creating your own audiobooks. Here's your how-to guide to DIY audiobooks.
Why Writers Have a Love-Hate Relationship With Technology
These days writers hoping to write, pitch, publish and platform-build have little choice but to surrender themselves to their laptops and smartphones—a complicated predicament for the dreamers of the world. Here are several pros and cons of the writing world's love-hate relationship with technology.