Where the Readers Are Traditional book discovery—browsing bookstore shelves, reading newspaper reviews—has given way to social discovery. Readers find their next favorite book through online...
The Platform Question “Do you have a platform?” It’s one of the first questions agents ask about nonfiction proposals—and increasingly, it matters for fiction too....
The Reality of Author Marketing Budgets You’ve finished your book. Now you need readers who know it exists. Most authors have $500 or less. Here’s...
Why Self-Publishing Platforms Matter More Than You Think Self-publishing has gotten complicated with all the platform wars and conflicting advice flying around. As someone who’s...
The Decision Every Author Faces Should you pursue a traditional publishing deal or self-publish? This question generates passionate opinions because there’s no universally correct answer....
The Search for Your Champion Finding the right literary agent is like dating—except with higher stakes and worse odds. You’re looking for someone who loves...
The Art of Compression You’ve spent years writing an 80,000-word novel. Now someone wants it in 500 words—including the ending. Welcome to synopsis writing: the...
The One-Page Sales Pitch Your novel took two years to write. Your query letter needs to sell it in about 250 words—roughly one minute of...
The Feedback You Actually Need You’ve finished your manuscript. Your mother loves it. Your spouse says it’s great. Your best friend thinks you’re definitely getting...
Dialogue separates mediocre fiction from memorable fiction. When characters speak, readers lean in—or check out. Masterful dialogue reveals character, advances plot, creates tension, and entertains...
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