In this final post in the Elements of a Successful Book blog series, I'm talking reviews—what they are, different types, how to get them,...

Metadata feels like a nebulous term, and for many writers, it’s components seem hard to pin down. However, it’s vital that your book has...

You’ve written your book and edited the heck out of it, and you don’t want to deal with it anymore. Sounds about right? But then you...

Book titles and subtitles feel pretty basic—every book has a title (at least), and I don’t think it’s controversial to say that your book...

If you think no one is judging books by their covers, then you’d be wrong about this oft-underutilized aspect of book marketing. The book cover and spine or the book cover thumbnail will be the first aspects of your book that catch a potential reader’s attention. It’s pivotal that your book cover is professional and that the cover image file is sized appropriately. The last thing you want, before you even consider all of the other implications for book cover design, is a grai

(And why they have nothing to do with editing.) Whether you’re a writer or an editor, putting yourself and your writing in front of...

Beta readers are a pivotal part of the self-publishing process. They read your manuscript with the eye of an “average” reader, helping to identify areas of improvement. What beta readers do Beta readers are essentially test readers. While some may comment on obvious grammar or spelling mistakes, the bulk of a beta reader’s feedback should be focused on their level of engagement with and reactions to the text. They may also comment on the effectiveness of world-building, chara

In an unregulated industry that primarily takes place over the Internet, scammers abound. Indie authors often save for professional editing, and it can be a costly mistake to hire the “wrong one.” How do you know you’re hiring a reputable professional editor? More important, how do you know you’re hiring the right kind of editor for your manuscript? From an editor’s perspective, there are a few standard cues to look for when vetting your editor. Do they have a professional bu

Independent authors are faced with many decisions during the self-publishing process, not least of which is determining what type of editing their manuscript needs. The decision to hire a professional editor, in itself, introduces a whole host of choices that can lead very quickly to decision fatigue. The editing trend There is a temptation, especially if one frequents writer Facebook groups and other corners of the Internet, to skimp on editing and instead rely on the help o

When you hire a professional editor, the obvious benefit is a polished work as free of typos and mistakes as it possibly can be, but there are a few less obvious benefits as well. I am all about upholding industry standards in the self-publishing biz. I catch mistakes in my own writing all the time. In fact, I guarantee you'll find one in this blog post. I proofread my own work, and just like the authors I work with, my eye will likely skate over whatever is missing or out of