Originally published May 25, 2020; most recently updated March 1, 2022. When I presented “Self-publishing 101” at a conference, one of the biggest topics during the Q&A was ISBNs. Lots of questions and lots of confusion surfaced. ISBNs are one of the elements of indie publishing that took me a long time to figure out, […]
On the Problem of Overwork: Protect Your Creativity
After several weeks in stay-at-home coronavirus isolation, I am starting to hear a new pattern from colleagues: “I’m being so productive!” “I am working all the time…” “I am getting burnt out.” This work may be paid or unpaid. Some of us are lucky enough to be able to work at home and business is […]
Coronavirus Isolation Getting You Down? My Apocalypse Go-To’s
After working at home for two weeks, my husband said, “If this goes on much longer, I’m gonna need more pajamas.” And last night he woke up from a dream where we had stolen an Amazon Prime delivery truck so that he could get to work. (He felt bad for the driver but apparently didn’t […]
Reader Personas: Know Your Audience
Pre-social distancing, I had dinner with Hilary Davidson, author of Dress in the Age of Jane Austen, before she spoke to the North Carolina Region of the Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA). Her book is a beautiful work, replete with full-color illustrations of Regency Era dress and robust descriptions of the clothes and […]
Proofreading Tips, Tricks & Tools
Having an editor for your book is critical. If you spend money for only one publishing-related item, editing is my recommendation. However, you can make your editor’s task easier and keep your editing expenditure down by doing an effective job of editing and proofreading your own work. Here are some of my favorite editing and […]