It’s beginning to look a lot like the end of the year, complete with all the fun and frenzy that accompanies the holiday season. If you’re like me, your to-do list is getting longer as the days get shorter. At this time of year, so many of us are all wrapped up (pun intended) in…
That notion can be quite a challenge, depending on what the “things” are. Scale matters, of course, but that shouldn’t stop us from trying to make the world a better place. Because baby steps beat inertia every time. So with that perspective in mind, I set out some months ago to start a revolution of…
If you’ve typed out the final words of your book, congratulations! So definitely do a happy dance and relish that accomplishment…before the realization strikes that your work has only just begun. Because after the writing come the tasks that will bring your book to life, such as editing, cover design, and formatting. And absolutely do…
Making sense of different file formats can be difficult, especially if you have no prior graphic design knowledge. However, you should know the basics, especially when working with a graphic designer for your book cover or interior formatting. Becoming familiar with the alphabet soup of file formats will make for easier client-designer communications, so it’s…
As a reader, you might not pay much attention to the copyright page in books, which is typically located on the back (verso) of the title page. However, it’s an essential part of the book’s front matter, containing valuable information for librarians and bibliographers, as well as anyone who wants to use quotations or contact…
Much like today’s birds evolved from dinosaurs, the self-publishing industry has become a very different animal than its predecessor, traditional publishing. While similarities remain, they may not be evident unless you know where to look. Among self-published writers, there is certainly an opinion that traditional publishing is the dinosaur, lagging behind the trends and technologies…
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re writing or have finished writing a book and may be looking to self-publish it. Congratulations — writing a book is a fantastic accomplishment! But the next steps can be confusing and overwhelming, and the process may not necessarily be an easy one to follow. When the time comes…
Whether you’re a coach, speaker, executive, business owner, or any type of professional with wisdom to share, you may be giving serious thought to writing a book. And you should be, considering the significant benefits of being a published author and the fact that self-publishing has greatly leveled the playing field. However, bridging the gap…
Do you judge a book by its cover? This question usually precedes a discussion of what constitutes good (and bad) cover design. But I’m changing it up here and referring instead to the type of cover, i.e. hardcover vs paperback. In the print-on-demand world, paperbacks reign supreme. They are more cost-effective and faster to produce…
“I can’t imagine life without the internet.” That’s a direct quote from my daughter several years ago and a statement which grows ever more true. For example, how many times a day do you google something? And when did google become a verb, anyway? (If you must know, it was added to the Oxford and…
