Writing & Publishing

When I receive collaboration offers, I ignore most of them. Some of them are just not legit. Others just want too much. And some are just not a good fit. Let’s discuss how to evaluate collaboration opportunities because some of them are more trouble than they’re worth.

Almost anything is possible when it comes to book printing if money is no object. If you don’t have that kind of cash, then you need to consider your book printing options carefully. I provide insight on some frequently asked questions (FAQ) and comments about book printing for self publishing.

Authors often offer signed copies of their books for their loyal fans. But is offering them more hassle and expense than they're worth, especially for self published authors? I discuss the logistic challenges of offering signed copies.

While self published authors should choose Amazon categories for their books that align with their subject matter, some authors get overly concerned about them. I explain why they shouldn't be.

Writing your book is just the first step in your self publishing journey. Though you might not believe me now, it’s also the easiest part of being a self published author. So let’s see how ready you are for what comes next by taking the quiz.

Pen names, or pseudonyms, can sound like a good idea for building an author brand or identity, preserving privacy, and being able to explore different writing genres. But using them can have an impact, positive or negative, on your book sales and even your life. Find out how.

An author I follow on social media was launching her first self published book. She asked her followers about what to do on book launch day. Was it a regular day? Should there be some celebration or events? Here are some insights and ideas for the day your self published book goes live.

A popular theory says that your next book helps market your last book. True to a point. The danger in this is that authors think that by self publishing more books, they won't have to do book marketing. Sadly, this works against them. So how do you kick the habit of self publishing too many books?

Reader magnets are usually freebie eBooks that self published authors give away in exchange for collecting a reader’s email address and/or contact information. But do they really work to build an email list of fans and book sales?

A self published author was concerned to discover that a new book with a very similar title was appearing before hers in search on Amazon. She feared that this other book would take away her visibility on Amazon and Google, even though hers was published much earlier. Were her fears valid?

This article highlights some ways to make more effective comments when you are reading someone else's work.

Self publishing a co-authored book is really “ourself” publishing. Collaborating on a book can be a fun and fulfilling project between family, friends, or colleagues. But co-authored books add several issues to all the challenges of individual self publishing.

Even though self publishing is easier than it’s ever been in history, as a self published author, you still need to have these non-writing skills.

I get inquiries from self published authors who want to sell large quantities of their books to organizations such as schools or corporations. These are referred to a bulk book orders or volume sales. Here's what you need to know about doing these sales.

There’s really nothing wrong with wanting to memorialize one’s personal or family history through self publishing a memoir or biography. But many of these "legacy" authors don't understand what they're about to attempt. I explain.

This article provides tips that I have accumulated from reading articles when others are asking for help improving their hubs. Although I hope the article will be beneficial to all readers, I have tried to include some suggestions and links to help nonnative speakers.

The ongoing pandemic has severely dented people's financial security. In recent months, many people have turned to freelance writing to support themselves. This post aims to help them to find relevant projects.

Aside from the writing of it, self publishing a book series can be a major undertaking that involves significant planning and marketing. Here's what you need to consider.

Can you make money blogging? I'm afraid not—unless you attract and retain your audience by doing these 5 things.

“What are the best niches?” This is understandably a question that many self published authors have. We want to make sure that we get a return on our self publishing investments. Not an easy question to answer! I discuss what a “best” niche is and how to find ones that are worth pursuing.

Almost everyone seems to want to write a book, though many can't or shouldn't. Don't get trapped into a book writing project to fulfill someone else's impossible dream! I explain why and how.

I often see “I won’t work with Amazon” outbursts from self published authors on social media. Most of them just don't understand their relationship with Amazon. I explain what that relationship is.

How do I get my stories noticed on Wattpad? How do I gain popularity? Here are six simple steps.

How can I make money on Wattpad? What are the steps I need to follow? Are my stories eligible to be paid?

What kind of stories should I publish on Wattpad? How do I make my story successful on Wattpad? How do I get paid on Wattpad?

Photos present a host of problems when used in self published books. Here's what you need to know to keep you out of legal trouble, and improve your book.

It can be scary to get started with a project like writing a book. You might be concerned whether you can finish it or not. But at some point, all writers go through this feeling.

Authors and sellers on Amazon fret about getting anything less than 5-star ratings and reviews. But that fear is not justified! I explain why.

Using influencer marketing is a new and evolving marketing channel for advertisers. But is it good to use for self published books? I discuss what authors need to know, and reveal who are the best influencers to boost book sales.

Some tips to help you succeed as an iWriter writer.

Though there are millions of free and paid stock photos out there, navigating them all can be tricky. Here's the rundown on how to find and choose images without getting into legal trouble.

It is SO IMPORTANT for authors to have blogs! It's how we build an audience. But what content do we create for our blogs, and how do we turn our readers into fans that will buy our book? Start upping your blogging game by implementing these top tips.

HubPages.com is not a get-rich-quick site, but with time and patience a good writer can create a stream of passive income. Here are the most common mistakes that HubPages writers make.

Being a successful indie writer means making sales, which requires an audience. Learn the basics of author brand building, audience building, and creating a network of readers hungry for your next novel!

Lead generation nonfiction books can be great marketing tools for building your expert status in your field and might help generate sales leads. But I’ve seen so many entrepreneur and small business authors get overwhelmed, over-invested, and disappointed with them. I explain why.

With time and patience a good writer can create a stream of passive income. This article is about writing fiction and poetry on HubPages.

HubPages.com is not a get-rich-quick site, but with time and patience a good writer can create a stream of passive income. As a veteran writer with nearly 200 featured articles, I have some advice for writers trying to get make money on HubPages.

With time and patience a good writer can create a stream of passive income. The first rule is an easy one: quality content always earns the most money.

HubPages.com is not a get-rich-quick site, but with time and patience a good writer can create a stream of passive income. In this article, I will show you my step-by-step system for writing profitable online articles.

Is iWriter legit? If you're a freelance writer and are wondering if you can make money with iWriter, beware! The platform is a scam.

HubPages.com is not a get-rich-quick site, but with time and patience a good writer can create a stream of passive income. Free, legal photos and images for HubPages and other online articles are easy to find if you know where to look.

Whether you’re new to freelance writing or you’ve got it down pat and are raking in the big bucks, you’ve undoubtedly scoured the Internet for advice. To niche or not to niche? That's the question I hope to help you answer.

Some authors are concerned about people stealing their original book “ideas.” Others are concerned about getting their self published books out into the market before someone else with the same "original" idea gets there first. But having a book idea that's too original it's good either. I explain.

Easier ways to get your writing out into the world and get paid for it.

I often see posts in author forums from new authors who are very interested in getting their self published books into local public libraries. This is one of the most inefficient book promotion efforts. I explain why in this rant.

Giving potential readers the chance to win a copy of your book, maybe even a signed copy, sounds like such a great idea for them and you. But this is another one of those tactics that sounds great, but could end up being a hassle. Find out why.

What if your book becomes irrelevant? Yes, it could happen. I share how to determine if your book is irrelevant, as well as how to deal with the issue. This will be of particular interest to nonfiction authors.

Effectively marketing your blog can be the difference between making money and wasting time trying to make money, only to end up failing. The mistakes described in this article are some that I wish I knew about before I started blogging. Hopefully they help you to avoid the same mistakes I made!

I have been a blogger for almost 10 years now. If you're thinking about getting into blogging as a hobby, side business, or career, here's what you should know about the major ups and downs of it all.

This is my Q&A session with a writer who asked relevant questions about using the Medium platform.