Writing & Publishing

In September 2022, Spotify launched audiobooks on its music and podcast platform. How does this affect the audiobook market? Will it impact self-published audiobook authors, especially those on Amazon’s ACX and Audible?

All authors suffer from a “shall I stay or shall I go” moment at some point. Probably more now as book and content markets become more competitive. Here are some things to consider as you consider continuing your self-publishing career.

Two authors were complaining about sudden downturns in their book sales. What is happening and why? Could it happen for your self-published book? Can you do anything about it?

A brief insight into how we set up our own small publishing company to publish our children's picture books.

The HTML boilerplate in authoring tools contains the basic tags needed to run a webpage, such as the "html," "head," and "body" tags. But how do we insert ordered and unordered lists, images, and links? These are additional elements that technical writers frequently use in their HTML documents.

A friend of mine said she’s begun using an artificial intelligence “ghostwriter,” or AI writing assistant. You tell it what you want to write, and the AI will write it for you. I discuss questions and concerns about how this tech could impact you and the writing industry.

The world is full of options for people to start their own blogs. Now, it’s time for you to make a decision on what niche you should focus on next.

Are Amazon ads worth doing for traditionally published authors? I’m not so sure. Let me explain why based on my experience from running Amazon ads for my self-published books since 2016.

One of the reasons self-published authors sign up for KDP Select on Kindle Direct Publishing is to do Free Kindle eBook Promotions. I’m not a big fan of free eBook giveaways, whether on Amazon KDP or other platforms. Here’s why.

I’m a bit put off by billionaire Mark Cuban's brag of spending no money on marketing for his new venture, relying totally on word of mouth. Authors may look at this, thinking they can spend no money or resources on marketing, too. Let me explain why this may not work.

Ultimately every copywriter’s goal is to turn their writing skills into a profitable long-term career. So here are the biggest answers to some of the most common questions beginner copywriters have.

Pretty regularly, I come across a post from an author on social media where they’re crying about their low book sales. After reviewing many of these posts, I’d like to share some general observations about what ails these authors, their books, and their book sales.

Authors may have concerns about protecting their writing work but want to build fans for their work prior to publishing. Lots to unpack here!

Do you feel that you're still not good enough despite everything you've achieved? Maybe you're suffering from imposter syndrome. Here are four ways to overcome it.

Some customers will be disappointed with what they purchase, regardless of what you offer. Admit it; you’re not happy with everything you buy. I don’t fret that somehow my books or content are bad if they are returned for a refund. Here’s why you shouldn’t worry about it either.

Google Play now enables authors and publishers to create audiobooks using text-to-speech (TTS) robot voices. Let’s talk about what these technological advances are, how they will impact audiobooks, and what that means for authors who are self-publishing audiobooks.

Do you always have to get professional photos for your author headshots? Can you use selfies? Are there any rules for using photos in books? I share what you need to know about author headshot photos for your books.

I'm known for saying that book covers aren't as important as authors think. But what if the book cover is the real value of the book and not the writing in it? I discuss the emerging and disturbing "books as decor" trend and what it means for authors.

Goodnovel is a legit online web novel writing platform for fiction authors.

Blogging has become a very popular way of making money, especially for those who want to work from home. Some bloggers earn seven figures annually. But how do they achieve so much success with blogging?

As you’re shopping on Amazon, you may have run across product pages that include additional photos and content to help promote the product. This is referred to as A+ Content on Amazon. It’s now available for authors who self-publish on KDP, Kindle Direct Publishing. I share my experience with it.

Authors are often confused and frustrated when using keywords to market their self-published books on Amazon and Kindle Direct Publishing. I explain why and how to approach this aspect of your book marketing.

Self-published authors need to understand that their books can have multiple sub-markets based on the book format. Markets for print books, eBooks, and audiobooks are discussed.

While the S.M.A.R.T. goal setting method is sound theoretically, it often has its flaws in practice. Let’s see how self-published authors get goals wrong.

An author asked if opting into KDP Select would affect paperback sales. Well, yes, it can. Here’s how.

I discuss what the PR game is all about. And now that social media has become even more of a force than mass media for smaller businesses and authors, I’ll talk about that, too, as it relates to promotions for your book.

To avoid getting disappointed or scammed, authors must understand the distinctions among publishing companies, publishers, and self-publishing platforms.

What authors need to know about trigger warnings for books and other content.

As authors, we have to be very careful about “aging” our audiences. And this goes in both directions of the age spectrum. Let’s talk about a few of the pitfalls to avoid in age classifications for your readers.

These websites and newsletters will promote your discounted ebook free of charge and help you attain that sweet spot on the top 100 list.

I share book-reading trends that could be impacting book sales for authors.

This article outlines seven key differences between articles and blogs (with original examples).

What does your book's Amazon Best Sellers Rank (BSR) actually mean? I explain Amazon BSR, category rankings, and NPD Bookscan reports for authors.

TikTok is a short video content-sharing social network that covers every imaginable topic, including a large community called #booktok. What is #booktok, and how can self-published authors take advantage of it?

Interested in making extra money online? You can earn passive income from easy-to-create low-content or no-content books and journals on Amazon.

Selling your self-published poetry is tough. I share why poetry is such a marketing challenge, and some tips to make your poetry more market-friendly.

What are NFTs, and how can authors use them to self-publish?

I've written for HubPages for over seven years. Here are reasons they're a great company to write for.

Is Webnovel legitimate? The short answer is yes. But that answer changes depending on your description of legit.

Figuring out how many potential book buyers you have is the first step in forecasting your self-published book sales. Learn how to do it.

Is self-publishing a book the best way to get your message or story to the world? Do you understand your motivations for wanting to write a book? I offer some food for thought on whether writing and self-publishing a book is really worth your while.

Looking to make money as an artist by publishing your work online? Here are two relatively easy ways for artists to make money on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing.

Do you dream of seeing your self-published book on the shelves of your local independent (indie) bookstore? I bust some myths about indie bookstores and self-publishing, and I share what you need to know about the indie bookstore business.

What is a bad book? What is bad marketing? How can you know whether your self-published book or your book marketing is bad?

In 2021, Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) self-publishing platform introduced hardcover book printing. Here’s what you need to know about creating a hardcover edition for your book on KDP.

Content creation is a popular and rapidly evolving field. Anyone can create content, but success requires skill, expertise, persistence, and adaptability. This article discusses the six main traits most successful content creators share.

Can merchandising incentives and displays incentivize bookstores to carry your self-published book? Probably not. I explain why.

Stay competitive as a content writer! Here are tips to keep your skills sharp and keep up with what employers are looking for.

Big-name record labels and musicians sell box sets (or boxed sets) and bundles, as do big publishers and authors. Can small, self-published authors do it, too? Yes! Here's what you need to know.

Wondering if you should take your book off the market on Kindle Direct Publishing? I've unpublished a number of my Kindle ebooks. Here’s what you need to know.