THE PLATFORM 
EDUCATION
You did it. You won NaNoWriMo and wrote 50,000 words. First of all: congratulations! Winning NaNoWriMo is a huge accomplishment! So what now? Here are some steps to consider after NaNoWriMo. 1. Congratulate yourself! Take a minute to breathe in and absorb. You wrote 50,000+ words in a single month. That's bonkers! What an accomplishment! Consider...
Vellum software is one of the newest book formatting choices available to self-published and independent authors, but is it right for you? Book formatting can be costly, and a headache, depending on how complex your book’s formatting requirements are, and how tech-savvy you are with file formats, software programs, and the like. If...
Did you know that the font you use has an impact on the way any given reader might perceive your book? For example, The Book Designer site talks about the importance of fonts and currently has dozens of articles on this topic alone! Fonts like Webdings or Comic Sans have been extensively memed about, but it goes beyond that. A study done by...
Being an author involves a ton of decision making. Self-published or traditional? If you’re self-published, you have to pick an editor. You’ll also have to decide on what company you use to print your book, when you’ll launch your book, and how your book will be distributed. You’ll also have to decide on your own cover. Will you make...
If you’re a self-published author, you’re probably already familiar with how hard it is to produce a book. Traditionally published authors get free edits, cover designs, formatting, and printing, but self-published authors have to manage production by themselves. This isn’t as bad as it sounds—being able to do everything on your own means...
Have you ever opened a book and found the formatting to be awkward? Maybe the margins are inconsistent, so the block of text on the page looks like it’s been stamped at an angle. Maybe there are strange inconsistencies with spacing or font size. Maybe it’s in a font that’s hard to read. These kinds of things will feel unprofessional and...
If you polled every writer and asked them the worst part of writing a book, they’d almost universally say titling it. I’ve never heard a writer say they’re good at titles. Titling a book is hard! If you’re among the majority that struggle to title your stories, let’s talk about how to title a book. TABLE OF CONTENTS Do titles of books matter that...
Many of today’s aspiring writers choose the self-publishing path for several reasons – one of them being that this rapidly evolving industry offers an abundance of opportunities. Plus, the chances of getting your book picked up by a traditional publishing company are becoming slimmer. If you’ve already done some research into self-publishing,...
Do you have a fantastic book idea just waiting to be written, but you’re lacking the funds for publishing, marketing, and distributing? While you want to pursue your passion project – bills need to be paid, and groceries need to be bought. And the idea of being a starving artist isn’t that appealing. If your finances are holding you back, there...
As a self-publishing author, you’re met with several decisions to make, with everything from a publishing platform to distribution and marketing. Often you have to weigh the pros and cons since what works for another author may not be suitable for you. A perfect example of that is KDP Select, an Amazon platform and Kindle book program that lets...
