A novel starts a word at a time, building one upon the other. A fellow writer stated, “A word upon a word upon a word equals power.” Words transform into an idea and that idea develops into a story. The story becomes a novel, and that work of fiction can inspire, and bring enjoyment or […]
Read moreFormat a Book for Self-Publication
You’ve written a book. Do you know how to format it for self-publishing online?
Read moreNOM de PLUME – What’s in a Name?
Originally posted on Springfield Writers' Guild:
ELLERY QUEEN – Photo: Al Aumuller, Library of Congress Why would any author want to write behind a fake name? Isn’t getting your name well known the whole point of becoming an author? One of the most common reasons may be because their earlier work(s) failed, says Writers’ Digest.…
Your Editing Toolbox
If you haven’t read your manuscript, fiction or nonfiction, at least three-to-five times, you’re not ready to publish it yet. Use Control+F The little command of Control+F on your computer can be a lifesaver. Use it to find all the unnecessary words in your manuscript like “that” or “had” and then eliminate most of them. […]
Read moreChange Straight Quotes to Curly Quotes
What About Curly Quotes vs. Straight Quotes? Does it really matter if you use straight quotes (“)? Curly quotes (“ ”), also known as “smart quotes” are used in good typography. Straight quotes are plain ASCII characters and are not confusing to web browsers and email servers. In Microsoft, straight quotes can be changed to curly […]
Read moreSelf-Publishing Your EBook on Multiple Sites
Can you publish a digital version of your book on multiple distributor sites? Yes, provided you have not agreed to go with Kindle Select, or any other digital publisher which guarantees they are the only distributor for a 90-day period. In fact, Mark Coker, creator of Smashwords, encourages it. “Get your book out to as many […]
Read more