The internet is full of suggestions for how authors can make their work stand out. Some advice is often repeated—grow a platform, develop your craft, spend money on ads, start a blog, start a podcast … The list goes on.
How much of that do you actually need? And when should you start it if you want the best chance at getting published?
We have good news for you. All it really takes to be a good author and get published is to have a really, really, good story.
So why is the rest of that peddled? And why is our own blog full of similar advice?
While it may not be necessary for you to wear every hat possible within the marketing industry to be a successful author, knowing how to market well and developing a fan base early will help you sell more books. So, whether any of it is necessary to get published is highly dependent on what genre you write, what connections you already have, and what you hope for out of your publishing career.
Launching your book is a big accomplishment! Follow these 10 steps to get the most out of your book launch.
There are a few universally acknowledged truths all book lovers must face at some point in their reading career: 1. They will never have enough time to read every book in the world, and 2. A book-buying habit can be an expensive habit to maintain.
Speaking as a publishing house, we could not function without readers who buy books. But it is equally true that we could not function without readers who talk about books. Today we’re rounding up some of the best places where you can feed your reading habit without breaking the bank.
Whether you’re beginning your author platform or multiple years in and looking for the next right addition, you’ve probably thought about starting a blog. Your options are endless, beginning can be daunting, and it can be hard to narrow down your niche so your blog can be as effective as possible.
Happy New Year! Keep reading to hear all about the exciting books we have for you soon!
Keep your eyes peeled for a traditional mystery and an apocalyptic action novel perfect for curling up with to enjoy with a cup of tea and a cozy blanket, and a business educational nonfiction designed to help you reach your full potential.
It’s no secret that email lists are one of the best marketing tools to have in your belt. They allow you to reach your followers in one of the most intimate ways any person or brand can—their inbox.
Get a Sneak Peek at What We're Looking to Publish
Whether you live on the road, spend most of your days teaching students, clients, or customers, or you manage your own trade business and sell handmade products, a book could help your business reach new markets and your advice reach new customers.
Not convinced yet? Here are three ways a book may support your business.
Happy Fall! Keep reading to hear all about the exciting books we have for you soon!
Keep your eyes peeled for a pulse-pounding thriller, a heart-renching historical novel, a historical mystery, and a nonfiction book to revolutionize how you view the world.
There is one question most authors dread more than any other question in the world. Your friends ask it, your family asks it, your followers ask it. And someday, your readers will ask it, too.
“What’s your book about?”
No matter what stage of the writing process you’re in—whether you’re just beginning the first draft or you’re sitting at a table in a bookstore for an author signing, this question (or some variation on it) will crop up.
So how do you answer it? How do you take all your hours of passion and research and boil it down to an answer that won’t scare off the asker?
Nailing down how to do this will help you in every stage of marketing your book—whether you’re trying to land an agent or publisher or trying to gather interest from readers.
You gather your friends and the snacks. We have the books and the discussion covered.
As a small publisher, we pride ourselves on having a close relationship with our readers. We love hearing from you—whether you loved a book, want to chat with an author, or have questions about how we may be able to help you publish your book, too.
Our wonderful authors have put together discussion guides for their books. However, if you're reading a book, think it's perfect for a book club, but can't find discussion questions for it anywhere, please reach out. We're happy to connect you with the author to have them speak at your book club or get you a discussion guide as quickly as possible.
Over the last few years, and especially over the Covid-19 pandemic, TikTok has become one of the most powerful social media platforms available to authors and influencers.
TikTok has a proven track record of taking someone who is relatively unknown and giving them a seemingly unlimited stage. As one of the top ten most used social media platforms, TikTok is becoming the space to be.
Autumn is upon us, and we have a few new books we're really excited about!
Keep your eyes peeled this fall for this YA Rom-Com and this gritty rural mystery.
You’ve decided you’re ready to pursue publication. Whether you’re going to self publish, hybrid publish, or go a more traditional route, it’s likely you’ll eventually need to put together a website. You have a few options for how you can go about this, but no matter which way you choose, you’ll need to be prepared with material to populate your website.
Most authors, after typing “The End” for the first time on their manuscript, very quickly learn there’s a lot more to the publishing industry than meets the eye. After all, their cousin is making decent income from the book they published on Amazon, and authors like Steven King and J.K. Rowling have brought publishing into the public eye. Why shouldn't they have that same type of success?
But the deeper they dig, the more there is to learn about the publishing industry, and it turns out there are a lot of ways to get a book published.
Of the different possible options, there are three main paths to publication in the modern age of publishing: Traditional Publishing, Hybrid Publishing, and Self Publishing (also referred to as Author Publishing or Independent Publishing, as the author takes on the additional role of publisher).
Let’s talk about a few of the differences and key parts of the path for these publication options so you can find the right path for you.
It’s no secret that your author career benefits from having an active online presence. It’s also well known that there’s no fast way to build a platform that will last long into your career and bring the results you’re hoping for time and time again.
Posting about your book around publication is fairly straightforward, but what should you post in the off season? Maybe you’re waiting for the right links to share or your book is on submission and it will be a while before you’ll have a product to share. It’s also possible your last book released six months ago and your next one comes out in another six months but there’s nothing to say about it yet. What do you post about then?
Summer is almost here, which means it's time to stock up on books for your upcoming pool days, vacations, or hammock adventures!
These upcoming months are a gift to crime readers everywhere and will keep you guessing with some of your favorite detectives making reappearances and new sleuths making their debut.
From amateur sleuths to hard-boiled detectives, we have the mystery, suspense, and crime fiction books to keep you glued to the page this winter. Whether you're looking to jump in with a new series and a sleuth you can relate to or you're looking for that adrenaline rush that comes with high action, one of these is bound to keep you guessing until the very last page.
Spring is nearly here, and our list is growing again!
This month we have something for everyone, from the return of a favorite fictional sleuth to how to talk about politics with your family to a moving vignette collection.
Whether you're a young adult or an adult who's young at heart, this mix of YA Fantasy, YA Romance, and YA Literary Fiction has a little something for everyone.
March promises to be a thrilling release season for our authors!
From amateur slueths to hard boiled detectives, memoirs, fantasy, and apocalyptic speculative fiction, our March 2022 lineup is sure to entertain, encourage, and educate.
This season is a season for reflecting and re-engaging. If you're looking for some inspiration this Lenten season, we have a book for you.
If you’re not doing these 5 things, your manuscript risks ending up in the dreaded slush pile.
Nonfiction brings insight and advice to you, wherever you're at. These books are messages of love, survival, hope, and reconnection. There's something here for everyone.
Publishing, like any industry, is full of its own jargon. When you’re first getting started, knowing a few of these key phrases and acronyms may help you get past those first stages of confusion.
This list is for the deep thinkers among us who long to see the world as vibrantly and brilliantly as possible, those who want to look through the lens of another's eyes and hear the rhythm of their heart. If you're a fan of poetry, vignettes, and collected essays, this list is for you.
Submitting your manuscript can be a hard thing to do. It's risky to put yourself (and your work) out there, so before you do, there are a few things you should have to make the process easier.
Whether you’re aiming to submit your book to a publishing house, a literary agent, or moving toward self publishing, there are few things most submission forms have in common. Preparing these items in advance can help you understand your manuscript better and help you and the publishing house when you’re ready to market your book to the world when the time comes, so even if it’s not requested in the submission form, you’ll want to have these items in your arsenal.
For both the young and the young at heart, a good picture book will entertain. These are some of our favorites for you and your little ones.
