Making the Case for Hardcover Books

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…

Picture This

“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…

Pick Me!

Adrift in a sea of sameness? Remember those classmates in grade school who were so anxious to answer the teacher’s question? They would not just raise their hand, they would wave it with enthusiasm to improve their chance of being selected, maybe even shouting “Pick me, pick me!” to up the ante. They probably didn’t…

Are You Up to Speed on Print On Demand?

Same-day shipping. Cars and bikes and scooters to rent by the hour. Dog walkers ready and waiting to take Fido for a stroll. (Wait, does anyone still name their dog Fido?) The on-demand economy touches our lives in so many ways now that sometimes we don’t even realize the technology behind everyday products and services.…

Puzzled by the design process?

Little known fact: I am a jigsaw puzzle enthusiast. I love spreading all the pieces out, finding the straight pieces and building the frame, organizing the rest into groups by color or content, figuring out where they go, and watching the image emerge bit by bit. Putting the last piece in place is uniquely satisfying.…

Is the jar empty or full?

The jar certainly looks empty. But given that its purpose is to collect favorite memories in the months ahead, I see it as full of opportunity, energy, action. At the least, it is a challenge to be met.  Not unlike writing a book. The blank page could be considered, well, blank. Or the author can…

Take control with your own ISBN

Chief among the (many) burning questions of authors who want to self-publish is “What is an ISBN and do I need one?” A seemingly simple question with a not-so-simple answer…let’s break it down. It is actually two questions rolled into one. The first part — what is an ISBN? — is objective and therefore straightforward…