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Guest Blogger: Michael Hyatt For an author, one thing is becoming increasingly important in today’s publishing world. It’s a PLATFORM. Don’t get me wrong, great content is still primary but great content + a great platform is the recipe for success that you really need. Publishers are demanding it and even if you’re considering self-publishing, you…

Several of you have been curious about editing inside a publishing house. Every publisher has their own process, and they may call each step by a different name. It’s basically three steps, and they’re usually done sequentially, although there is overlap and not every publisher does all three of these steps. The edits might be…

Let’s talk about advances today. Please keep in mind all of this information is very generalized and won’t accurately describe every situation. First, what’s an “advance” anyway? An advance is a “pre-payment” of the royalties the publisher expects you to earn on your book. Let’s say the publisher has agreed to pay you a royalty…

Can you do all the things everyone tells writers *not* to do—and still become a successful author? I spend a lot of time sharing tips on how you “should” be. Hundreds of other bloggers are doing the same… not to mention all the books for writers and all the teaching going on at conferences. But the…

Today I’m going to tell you the quickest way to drive yourself crazy and lose the joy in your writing journey. You thought I was going to say “Reading agent blogs,” right? Good guess, but no, that’s not it. The quickest way to lose the joy is to expect that your first book contract is…

*Or get out of a rut 1. Read a chapter of your WIP aloud to someone other than your cat. Invite feedback, if you’re brave. But mostly, just listen as you read. Do the words flow easily, roll nicely off the tongue? Do you stumble anywhere? Anything sound awkward? How’s the dialogue? Option: Record yourself…

Back in the early ’80s there was an ad campaign for Paul Masson wine where Orson Welles famously uttered, “We will sell no wine before its time.” The message was powerful; it conveyed, “We care so much about producing the highest quality wine that we refuse to rush the process. We won’t try to bring…

Strategies for Writers, part 3 of 3 Is your book too long? Does it feel a bit wordy, perhaps slightly bloated? Or . . . does it feel perfect but it’s a little high in word count? There comes a time in every writer’s life when they need to reduce their word count. Ack! Not my…

On the heels of our lively debate the other day on my post “6 Reasons Authors Still Want Publishers,” today let’s look at the other side of the coin. Many of you are still trying to decide which path is right for you — or if maybe some combination of both might work. So hopefully these…

In an age when so many of the “big stories” in publishing are about amazing self-pub successes, people are asking more and more, “Why would I want a traditional publisher?” Here are six big reasons. 1. Objective validation To be “chosen” by a publisher means that a group of people who are widely read, and…

Many of you are familiar with the long and often circuitous route to publication. From when you first decide, “I think I’ll write a book!” to the time you have a book in the bookstore, years can elapse. I had a startling reminder of this recently when I saw a book by an author whose…

We’ve talked about volume and variety as the two keys to making a living as a writer. But we need to face the fact that there are some serious challenges to making this dream of “full time writing” come true. As much as you love to write, it may or may not be the life…

Writers always ask about “average” or typical advances in publishing these days. It’s a fair question—if you’re hoping for some kind of payoff, it’s nice to know what that might look like. But the truth is: There is no typical advance. Actually, it’s misleading and unhelpful to talk about “average” advances, because all that matters…

Classic wisdom for unpublished authors seeking traditional publication has been this: If you’re writing a novel (fiction), you need a complete manuscript. If you’re writing non-fiction, you need a book proposal plus two or three sample chapters. If you’re writing a memoir, who knows — everybody has a different opinion. Here’s what is true and…