Short stories, like all aspects of the written word, have taken their rise and fall in the course of time. Today, we not only have the timeless short stories of the past, but we also see writers daily adding to the plethora of short stories on the market. The short story is not a dying […]
self-publishing
When Your Invention Has a Birthday

Once upon a time… …there was a girl who had her whole life ahead of her and serious doubts she’d ever get through all the writing ideas in her head. They assailed her night and day, but mostly in the middle of the night or the middle of a shower. They didn’t stop coming and, […]
5 Self-Publishing Links to Bookmark {Updated}

Pronoun – “Pronoun is a free publishing platform where authors can create, sell, and promote their books. Our mission: to build a new model for publishing that puts authors first. We are passionate about author success, which is why many of our tools are completely free to use by authors publishing with other services or traditionally […]
More than Scrivener: Software for Every Kind of Author

When most writers think of software just for them (beyond generic programs like Word and Evernote), they think of Scrivener. It’s a great program, but did you know there are TONS of other options, many of them free? And if you’re like me and aren’t a Plotter, you’re going to love discovering that, while the […]
My Favorite Sites for Free and Inexpensive Stock Images

Whether you’re planning to DIY a book cover or make smashing social media graphics to promote your new release, you’ll need images! If you enjoy taking photos and have the equipment and skills needed, you can always use your own. Not everyone is a photographer, though, so you’ll be using stock images. If you’ve ever done […]
How to DIY a Stunning eBook Cover without Photoshop

Do you want to create a fabulous ebook cover without using Photoshop? Do you feel like your design skills are limited? Are you on a tight publishing budget? If you’ve answered “yes” to any of these questions, you’re going to LOVE today’s post and the accompanying freebies. I’m seriously excited to share it with you! […]
Haven’t I Learned Enough?

When I was teen writer, I was on top of things. I had quite strong opinions on what was right, what was wrong, what was accurate, and what was completely laughable. I knew how to write. Then I grew up. One of the most important steps of this “growing up” was realizing that nope, I […]
What is a Blog Tour?

I have a side business orchestrating blog tours for authors. One of the most common questions I get–from experienced and inexperienced authors alike–is “What is a blog tour?” Over the next three weeks, I’ll be talking about the whats, hows, and whens of blog tours. Today we have the “Whats.” What is a Blog Tour? […]
Formatting Paperbacks – My Checklist

Happy Saturday, everyone! I am in the throes of formatting my third novella, “The Secret Slipper,” so formatting is on the brain for sure. I had thought about doing a formatting tutorial, but a video would probably work better than text for that—and I have a cold, so video isn’t happening this weekend. Authors use […]