The purpose of back cover copy is to sell your book. It’s essentially ad copy, a pitch to entice people to read your book. You must hook the reader, telling them enough to intrigue them without revealing too much. If your book will be self-published, you need to write the back cover copy yourself. If […]
Tag: book publishing
The August issue of Book Business had an interesting piece about the textbook industry. The article, “Combating the Higher-Ed Used Book Market,” said that of the $8 billion higher-ed textbook industry, roughly two-thirds of the dollars spent is for used books. That’s bad news for the publishers and authors, as neither makes any money when […]
When I read a book and catch an error or spot something questionable in the layout, I generally overlook it—the first time. When I catch a second oops, I turn to the front matter and see who published the book. If produced by a traditional publisher, my tendency is to overlook the errors. After all, […]
I once read that people have more respect for someone who has published a book than someone with a Ph.D. I don’t understand why, but I agree that’s what many folks think. In fact, I’ll go one step further and state that publishing aside, people have more respect for someone who has written a book […]
The first writing conference I attended had no authors with published books, which was discouraging. The second conference had several, which was intimidating. Although these published authors were in a minority, they loomed large. We, unpublished attendees comprised a silent majority. At the first conference, our speaker said only three percent of writers make their […]
The November 23 edition of “On the Media” (Publishing: Adapt or Die) focused on recent developments and trends within the publishing industry. (It was an update of coverage from April 2012, so some portions were a repeat). The segments include: You can listen to Publishing: Adapt or Die online or download the recording. While I […]
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Publishing: Adapt or Die
“On the Media” Discusses the Publishing Industry The November 23, 2012 edition of “On the Media” (Publishing: Adapt or Die) focused on recent developments and trends within the publishing industry. (It was an update of coverage from April 2012, so some portions were a repeat). The segments include: You can listen to Publishing: Adapt or […]
I recently had someone share a book idea with me. It was about him dealing with a tragedy. If you want to write your story about a personal struggle, here are some questions to ask: Are you emotionally able to write? This man was in the middle of his struggle. He was on edge and […]
I attended my first writer’s conference over two years ago. Aside from the presenters, not one attendee had published a book. Some were talking about it, others were working on it, and a few were seeking an agent, but no one had published anything beyond an article. How discouraging. No one had a success story […]
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Get Published Quick
I read of a published author who advises writers on how to snag a book deal through blogging. Another says social media, specifically Facebook, is the key, while a third advocate the aggressive use of Twitter. Then there’s the countervailing strategy to not waste time online. Others say give your work away, either for a […]