The Spirit of The Gift

 

In Publishing News this week

 

The closure of Baker and Taylor book distributors has ongoing ripple effects throughout the book publishing industry. As the biggest book distributor to libraries, publishers are scrambling to put together dedicated sites. Small publishers are left hanging and now the implications are being felt with other book distributors. Publishers Weekly reports on Lectorum Publishing’s closure. Lectorum, the largest independent distributor of Spanish language books explains that the hits kept coming and they couldn’t overcome them. 

 

Spotify is expanding its reach again. This time into the Nordic countries home of Storytel. Storytel have just posted a third quarter profit. Europe and the American continent have been the preferred audiences to chase. I wonder which one will get to Asia or Africa first. Spotify reports that more than half of its listeners are under 35. With the younger demographic of Africa’s population, the struggle for the worlds ears between these two companies is just getting started.

 

November had three big conferences for the publishing community, Sharjah, Shanghai, and Author Nation and all of them addressed the AI conundrum. Do we? Don’t we? and How much is too much?

 

One of the keynotes of Sharjah was an address by Keith Riegert about AI tools. Publishers Weekly reports on this with the title When It Comes To AI, Adapt or Die. This is stark look at the AI tech disruption in publishing. Keith Riegert says we should treat AI as “a very intelligent but inexperienced assistant.”

 

Adding his ten cents into the mix is Mark Williams explaining that book sellers did embrace AI tools back in 2023 then walked back from it. 

 

So where does that leave us at the end of 2025. Publishing Perspectives has an article on using AI for marketing, including the recording of a panel discussion at Frankfurt. Not using it is not an option, according to the panel discussion. 

 

In my opinion, if you pass lots of junior publishing jobs to AI, how will the juniors know when AI gets it wrong or how to do the job without AI? We could lose a lot of knowledge if we let a computer do the thinking. In the publishing office it should be what is the best use of my assistant’s time? Do they understand enough about my business to use AI to my best advantage? The value of AI is speed in marketing, analysis, and productivity tools. But it is a very poor replacement for creativity. It’s the doubling down on being human that distinguishes us from a machine.

 

Publishers Weekly has an article on what’s happening in children’s publishing in China.

They are not having a fantastic year. The stats are reflected throughout the world as everybody is struggling to find children’s audiences. Where are they all and who is the competition? When I was talking to children at a recent market, they all said they read graphic novels. Producing a graphic novel is time consuming and expensive. A conundrum for the children’s publishers.

 

Joanna Penn is back from Author Nation the world’s biggest indie author conference. They had over 80 presentations and every major vendor was in attendance. Joanna gives a run down on the big topics of conversation. 

 

Richard Curtis has an excellent post on the profit and loss statement. For many in the publishing world this is the most important piece of paper in the office. And one that is not talked about. Understanding this document is key to every publishing decision.

 

Rachel Thompson has an excellent article on subscribers and their importance in marketing. I was recently talking to a publisher about owning your audience and Rachel’s article explains how your free newsletter subscribers are just as valuable as your paid ones. 

 

Michelle Barker (writing on the dream teams blog) has an excellent article on the qualities of a successful writer. It is not about sales. 

 

Dave King has an interesting article on Writer Unboxed about Redshirts. This is shorthand in the writing community for the character that is only there to die. If you are thinking about killing off a character, are you using their death wisely? 

 

In the Craft Section,

Microtension- a must in fiction- C S Lakin- Bookmark

Character layer by layer reveals-Patricia CrisaFulli- Bookmark

Crafting memorable sidekicks- Elizabeth Spann Craig

Is your protagonist the main character- September Fawkes- Bookmark

3 things silent movies can teach you- Janice Hardy

 

In the Marketing Section

Bookmarketing requires patience- Sandra Beckwith

Free Bookfunnel marketing guides- Bookfunnel- Bookmark

22 ways to grow your email list- Bookbub- Bookmark!

Strategies to get into libraries- IngramSpark

Author branding – Kindlepreneur- Bookmark

 

To Finish,

It’s that time of year where everywhere you look there are Black Friday deals along with Cyber Monday deals. It’s a sign of cultural capitalistic dominance when a holiday only relevant in America spreads around the world as an exhortation to spend money as a way of celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday. Why not flip this on its head and show your thanks to your fellow authors by reviewing their books or subscribing to their patreon or buying them a coffee. If you are hanging out for Black Friday deals for writers then the dream team Angela and Becca have great website discounts. Katie Weiland has a discount on all her courses and books. Women in publishing has collected a long list of other writerly Black Friday discounts. 

Go Forth and Give Thanks.

 

Maureen

@craicer

 

Do you want the best of my bookmarked links in a handy monthly newsletter? You can subscribe here to join our happy band.

If you want the weekly blog in your inbox subscribe to the free Substack version.

If you like the blog and want to buy me a coffee, I appreciate the virtual coffee love. Thanks.

 

Photo by Jess Bailey on Unsplash

Creator Imposter Syndrome

 

 

In Publishing News this week

 

As you read this the Shanghai Bologna Children’s Book fair gets underway in Shanghai. It is billed as the largest Asia Pacific region book fair dedicated to children’s books. Looking at the geographic representation… there are a lot of Asian countries quite a spread of European countries but none from the lower Pacific Rim. Is it geopolitical politics that is keeping them away?

 

African publishing is having a geopolitical publishing problem, reports Publishers Weekly. The problem is Wakanda. This mythical nation is being seen as the default African experience by international publishers There are 53 nations in Africa, apparently they all sound like Wakanda, and look like Wakanda. African publishers are trying to separate themselves and be true to their own voices.

 

Scotland libraries have highlighted a real crisis happening at home and across the world, the closure of libraries. They are calling for more financial and contextual support for libraries. What happened to the billionaires who funded libraries? Where are they now?

 

Mark Williams reports on Audible’s huge investment in Harry Potter, specifically a full dramatized audiobook production. A cast of hundreds, a fan base of millions, a match made in heaven or at least the accounting ledger. He sounds a warning to others who might think this is a good idea.

 

Publishing’s survival depends on data, says the Elsevier chairman Y S Chi. He was speaking at Sharjah Publishers Conference and knows what he is talking about. This is a fascinating article from Publishers Weekly. He gives publishing five years before it is irrelevant if they don’t take action now with their proprietary data. I wonder how many publishers still have their head in the sand on this. Data and what you can learn from it is one of the big discussions in the independent publishing community.

 

Amazon has a news release that they have Kindle Translate in Beta. They are just looking at Spanish and German translations at the moment. I wonder if they picked those two because of the huge book selling markets they have.

 

There are still 200,000 books unclaimed in the Anthropic settlement. Writer Beware is warning of scam law firms who want to help you get your payout. This is really annoying the actual lawyers who are overseeing this case and the payout. Not every law firm is your friend especially if you might be coming into money. 

 

The terrible, horrible, no good, very bad imposter syndrome crisis writes Rachel Toalson for Writer Unboxed. (I don’t know a single good writer who doesn’t suffer from this.) Why is this such a problem in the writer community? Rachel suggests we get out of our own head.

 

Anthologies. It’s lovely to be asked to contribute to these. But there are some pitfalls out there for the unwary author. Matty Dalrymple and Mark Leslie Lefavbre have a chapter from their excellent short story writing craft book on Jane Friedman’s blog. Before you say yes to the anthology.

 

Joanna Penn recently had a great interview with Wendy Dale on Memoir and why structure matters more than you think. For anyone writing or editing a memoir, this is a must read.

 

In The Craft Section,

The art of intimacy in writing- Sarah Hamer- Bookmark

How to mine early memories for children’s stories- Marilyn June Janson

Secondary characters should have motivation- Anne R Allen- Bookmark

Stop labeling the process and trust the story- Yasmin Angoe

Is your writing good enough- Suzy Vadori- Bookmark

 

In The Marketing Section

How I use Bookbub ads to market full price books- Mathew Holmes -Bookmark

The Instagram Glow Up – Sandra Beckwith

The power of the prequel- Written Word Media- Bookmark

Book Promo ideas- Penny Sansevieri- Bookmark

Wither Social Media -James Scott Bell- Interesting 

 

To Finish

 

Rachel Thompson’s posts on book marketing are always must reads for me. Her latest post Why Creators Fear Bad Reviews and How That Fear Makes Us Better is one of her stand out articles that all writers should read. She explores the psychology behind creator fear and how we can harness it to turn it into creative fuel. 

Creative fuel comes from many sources. The Storybundle collection of writing craft books is only available for another three weeks so go check it out. You will kick yourself if you miss out.

 

Maureen

@craicer

 

Do you want the best of my bookmarked links in a handy monthly newsletter? You can subscribe here to join our happy band.

If you want the weekly blog in your inbox subscribe to the free Substack version.

If you like the blog and want to buy me a coffee, I appreciate the virtual coffee love. Thanks.

 

 

Photo by Llanydd Lloyd on Unsplash

 

Standing Out

 

 

In Publishing News this week,

 

The Sharjah Bookfair is on. As Publishers Weekly explains it centers on the Global South, Africa, Asia, India, and the Middle East. That’s a fair chunk of the world catering to a young demographic. Over 118 countries and over 2,300 publishers represented. It’s a networking extravaganza.

In an interesting side event at Sharjah the PublishHer- Women In Publishing, networking event was held over three days. Publishing Perspectives reports that the mood was upbeat. ‘What a time it is to be a publisher,’ said Gvantsa Jobava, president of the International Publishers Association.

 

Dan Holloway reports on the European and International Booksellers Federation’s new AI charter. They have a list of 11 points that they want to make clear to the technological industries. Dan makes a good point about the confusion between assistive AI and generative AI. The 11 points are easy to understand and a good guideline for the publishing industry.

 

Everybody seems to be launching a website company for authors. Publishers Weekly reports that Tertulia book discovery platform is launching a website building platform for authors that will instantly populate their books and sell them using Ingram for shipping. It’s in Beta at the moment, but with the current move to direct selling it looks like a good solution to an author problem.

 

A while ago (Before Covid) I delivered a big speech on the future of publishing where I talked about the potential of blockchain technology. At the time many people shook their heads and muttered that it was all too much for them to understand. It was interesting to come across this company who want to take the concept of books on the blockchain and run with it. Publishing Perspectives writes about the Written site. It’s a pity that their website is so horrible though. 

 

Writer Beware has the best guide to the Anthropic AI case. This is a what you need to know, all the links you need to claim compensation, timeframes etc. If you still are wondering how to claim your $3000 from the settlement this is required reading.

 

Kevin Kelly, of 1000 true fans fame, has an interesting take on AI. Paying AI’s to read my books. This is a completely opposite idea to the prevailing concerns in the publishing industry. If AI is going to be the search engine for everything don’t you want your books and ideas inside the box being discovered? A fascinating point of view here.

 

Gabriele Pereira has a great article on DIYMFA- Two Things AI Can’t Take Away From You. This is a good reminder that the importance of your voice and how you write is what distinguishes you from every other writer out there.

 

Agent Richard Curtis has an interesting article on the Droit Moral clause and what happens when you waive it in a contract. This is eye opening. This is a clause that is in contracts for film rights. If you waive the clause – the film can do anything they like to the story.

 

Rachel Thompson has a great post on writers block. If you are settling in for Novel November this is the last thing you need. Rachel writes that it’s not your muse that has gone missing but something else in your life.

Ellen Buikema continues this theme with a look at writer self doubt. She has some great tips to get over your fear of not being good enough.

 

Chelle Honniker of Indie Author magazine has a sideline in devising author automations. She is an expert at streamlining author business with innovative uses of software. I was intrigued with her post on branding. She dives into things I never thought of before on author branding. 

 

Cathy Yardly writes on The Art of Propulsive Fiction for Writer Unboxed this week. This is the fiction that sits between pure commercial and literary. Is it plot driven or character driven? Cathy writes that this is the wrong focus. It’s about the goal of the main character. Sometimes that gets lost in the story.

 

In The Craft Section,

Five commandments of Storytelling- StoryGrid- Bookmark!

Connecting points keep the story moving- K M Weiland- Bookmark

6 tips for creating great character chemistry- Becca Puglisi- Bookmark

Crafting real relationships between characters- C S Lakin

The fastest way to make a character sympathetic- September Fawkes

 

In the Marketing Section,

3 common book marketing tactics that are useless- Sandra Beckwith

Book marketing Blueprint- John Kremer- Interesting

Author event ideas that sell books- Penny Sansevieri- Bookmark

Adventures at book signings- Terry Odell- Bookmark

 

To Finish,

Elizabeth Spann Craig has been writing great articles for years on her author blog. It’s a great blend of her cozy mystery books and her articles for writers. Recently she had an interesting article on the importance of author promo instead of book promo. She writes “Readers remember the author who taught them something or made them laugh, not the author who just posted cover reveals.” This is a great mantra to remember as we head into the Christmas selling season.

Maureen

@craicer

 

It's nearly time for my monthly newsletter? You can subscribe here to join our happy band and get the best of my bookmarked links.

If you want the weekly blog in your inbox subscribe to the free Substack version.

If you like the blog and want to buy me a coffee, I appreciate the virtual coffee love. Thanks.

 

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Finishing To Start Again

  

In Publishing News this week,

 

The most fantastic news hit the worldwide children’s publishing community. The Booker prize for children’s books was announced. Yes, we have made it! A huge prize of our own and it is of equal value to the other Booker prize. That is such an endorsement of the importance of children’s books. (After all if they don’t learn to love reading, they won’t be reading all those other Booker prize books.)

 

Meanwhile, over the pond the American Publishers association was lamenting the latest sales figures for summer. Every format was taking a hit according to Publishers Weekly. 

However, in Europe the biggest selling format was comic books. They were up nearly 10 % in sales. Why? Publishing Perspectives looks at this quiet superhero publishing industry saviour.

 

In AI court news a judge has ruled that there is a case to answer with Chat GPT’s book summaries that violate copyright laws. These court cases will lay the basis of how AI will operate in the future. More judgements might be going authors way in the next round of the AI legal cases.

While eyes are on AI court cases, the CEO of Bloomsbury was making waves by saying that AI can help with writers block and other creative things. This has surprised many people in the book industry who see AI and creativity in a different light.

 

The Independent Book Publishers Association has a comprehensive article on the pros and cons of direct sales from websites. Direct Sales has been the one of the major topics of interest in the Indie publishing community for its ability to bypass the Amazon algorithm. What happens in the Indie world will gradually trickle up to the traditional publishing world.

 

Kathleen Schmidt writes this week about the rise of lavish book publishing parties. She details parties that were spectacular blowouts as a way of marketing. But did they work? Meanwhile, there is a rise in the sort of book party that benefits a charitable cause. I’m going to a book launch next week of a poetry book on food and everyone is asked to bring items for the local foodbank. The last event this small press ran filled a car with food for the foodbank.

 

Kindlepreneur has added a new video to their useful YouTube series- How to format in Word. This is actually a great primer on the basics of interior page design.

 

Anne R Allen has an excellent post on writing rules. They are only guidelines. This is important to know. The rules should be in service to the story not the other way around. 

 

Good luck to all those people tackling Novel November. Don’t forget to sign up and access those freebies. Also if you want some craft books to help you on the journey check out Storybundle.

When do you need a prologue? Many writers say never but there is a place for them according to Maryka Biaggio on Jane Friedmans blog. She explores why some prologues work.

Over on Writer Unboxed, Barbara O’Neal writes about The Art of Endings. Do you stop and reflect on the energy of finishing a project? Does the end set the scene for the next project?

 

In the Craft Section,

Waiting for inspiration to strike- Ellen Buikema

9 ways to energise your plot- Ruth Harris

The stubborn elephant- Sue Coletta- Bookmark

The real purpose of the second act- K M Weiland- Bookmark

The art of crafting relationships - C S Lakin- Bookmark

 

In The Marketing Section,

What’s Interesting – Dissecting Marketing Copy-Cassie Murray- Bookmark

Simple steps to success- Rachel Thompson

Leverage someone elses network- Sandra Beckwith- Bookmark

The week following a promo- WrittenWord Media- Bookmark

Eleven Labs review- Reedsy

 

To Finish

The blog is late by a day because last night I attended the Whitireia Publishing Course graduation. This course is the only one of its kind in the Southern hemisphere. It has been running for over 30 years. The graduates have a 75% chance of getting a job in publishing within six months which is an enviable position to have as a training course.

So why am I talking about this? 

In the constant restructuring of our education system across all age levels, this post graduate course held on in the face of funding cuts and restructuring until this year. The axe fell and 2025 was to be the last year. The shortsightedness of axing a course that was profitable with a great international reputation stunned the New Zealand publishing industry. This course is hands on, working on real projects, and acts as an apprenticeship scheme for publishers. A Whitireia Publishing grad can walk in and do the job on day one is the unofficial motto. 

The Publishers Association of New Zealand put their heads together and worked up a model that will save the course, partnering with Whitireia polytechnic to keep the course going. They need a venue, but they are taking enrolments for next year. If you know of anyone who wants to spend an intense year learning all things publishing in a post graduate course with a high success rate, fantastic tutors, internships, publishing projects, speakers, and total book love send them here.

In uncertain times, books are a comfort and an inspiration. It is nice to know that publishers can come together to protect their industry newbies in the face of their own challenges. In the end, the books will be the winners!

 

Maureen

@craicer

 

If you have a job for a recent publishing course graduate – drop me a note.

 

It’s nearly time for my monthly newsletter. If you want the best of my bookmarked links you can subscribe here to join our happy band.

If you want the weekly blog in your inbox subscribe to the free Substack version.

If you like the blog and want to buy me a coffee, I appreciate all virtual coffee love. Thanks.

 

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Caution: Look Carefully At The Message.

 

 

In Publishing News this week,

 

Frankfurt Bookfair wrapped up and everyone is slowly trickling back to their offices in publishing land. Publishers Weekly has a rundown of the gossip, the political brickbats, the changes coming to the fair to make it more public facing, much to some publishers’ dismay. I think there will be a lot of water cooler conversations about the fair, especially the stats of more than 50% of European readers not reading more than one book a year, and the American ambassador feeling attacked because the German minister said AI was digital colonization. 

 

While AI might have been the subject of fiery speeches at Frankfurt there was a survey done that asked how many publishers were using AI. Some were but many aren’t for various reasons, reports Publishing Perspectives. It sounds like many publishers are dipping the tip of their little toe in the water, seeing which way the rest of the publishing world is going, and still making up their mind.

 

Nielsen released a report at Frankfurt showing which territories were having a growth moment. More than half but some were going backward rather than staying the same. Nielsen reported than NZ was locked in price discounting which stifled growth. (I wonder where those cheap books are?) 

 

Publishers Weekly reported who the top trade publishers are in 2025. Thompson Reuters took over pole position. It is interesting how Amazon, possibly the worlds biggest bookstore, isn’t on the list.

 

Barnes and Noble have got a new library distribution eco system sorted out. This is to try to fill the gap left by the collapse of Barker and Taylor. They are the latest in a stream of book distributors and publishers hoping to help libraries part with their meager funding. 

 

Meanwhile, in a glimpse into the future, Thomas Umsteddt reports that Walmart are making buy links directly into Chat GPT. Watch for this to be quickly adopted by Amazon. Thomas also talks about the changes to the Amazon algorithm now rewarding readers from outside the ecosystem coming to buy your books. Amazon ads are slowing down.

 

Victoria Strauss of Writer Beware has a post on the Army of Bots taking over the publishing scams. She has examples and screenshots of what to look for. As ever, if you see a newbie talking about the great offer they got – gently point out that publishers don’t randomly email you out of the blue to offer publishing contracts.

 

Chad Allen writes on Jane Friedman’s blog about Why Your Book Isn’t Enough and Why that’s Good News. This is an interesting article on platform. Could you engage more with your audience?

 

Insecure Writer Support Group have an interesting post on Fair Use. What is it and when can you use it? This is a good reminder that lawsuits follow when you take someone’s work without getting permission.

 

The Creative Law Centre has a good post on Author Estate planning. Protecting Your Legacy Beyond The Page.

 

Hank Quense has an interesting post of Elizabeth Spann Craig’s blog warning beginning writers not to use AI. This is sound advice. How can you know if AI is writing anything good? How will you learn to tell the difference? September Fawkes is also cautioning writers about over reliance on Beat Sheets. Yes they teach structure but sometimes they get in the way of the story. This is an excellent article from a great writing teacher.

 

James Scott Bell is starting a new project and he looks at the process of getting ready and when the big grind points will hit. If you are thinking about having a go at Novel November (NovNov) this is a good primer.

 

Katie Weiland has an excellent article on the midpoint which had me thinking about my own characters and where their mirror moment is. A good excuse to dive back in and see if I have really nailed that essential bit of the story down.

 

In The Craft Section,

Strengthening your prose through direct language- Elizabeth Spann Craig

Working with relationship driven scenes- September Fawkes- Bookmark

Clean 1 draft fiction Dean Wesley Smith- Bookmark

Coach your characters- Jackie Alcalde Marr- Bookmark

You keep using that word- On profanity- Tiffany Yates Martin

 

In The Marketing Section,

On Amazon verified reviews- Sandra Beckwith

Branding by standing out- Podcast with Joanna Penn and Steve Brock- Bookmark

Free reads- new service from Bookbub

Creative book launches- Bookbub – Bookmark

How Netgalley makes your book stand out- Rachel Thompson- Bookmark

 

To Finish,

This week I dropped into the Alliance of Independent Authors free conference on New Trends in publishing. These mini online conferences are excellent. My hand cramped writing notes. It is so good for those of us in opposite time zones to be able to access replays. Sadly, the two day grace period to watch the replays disappeared very fast. If you are hunting down information online about writing conferences check out YouTube. The 20books to 50k conference sessions are still up. Author Nation who have taken over the big 20 books conferences have a video podcast now. Draft2 Digital has an excellent series on Print or you can go down the Brandon Sanderson’s Writing University rabbit hole. 

If you want to grab writing craft books don’t forget to check out Storybundle’s collection, a win win win for the book authors, writers, and a charity. All this is great prep for Novel November (NovNov) coming soon. 

 

Maureen

@craicer

 

Do you want the best of my bookmarked links in a handy monthly newsletter? You can subscribe here to join our happy band.

If you want the weekly blog in your inbox subscribe to the free Substack version.

If you like the blog and want to buy me a coffee, I appreciate the virtual coffee love. 

Thanks.

 

Photo by meisam saeb on Unsplash

Hunting Down Information

 

 

In Publishing News this week,

Frankfurt Bookfair is on. This Bookfair, the largest in the western hemisphere, dominates the publishing calendar. Publishing Perspectives has a run down on the issues talked about on day one of the fair. 

 

Publishers Weekly reports that libraries are hunting for partners to fill the distribution gap left by the collapse of Baker and Taylor. Ingram Content group are ramping up to offer services, but Amazon is ahead of them having quietly designed an eco system just for libraries. The library dollar is still relevant and with limited funds libraries are going to be looking for as many extras as they can get.

 

Dan Holloway of the Alliance of Independent Authors has a post on the Spotify and Chat GPT integration and the how this might play out for authors. He also explores the dangers of the new AI video app, Sora which is threatening the content creators on YouTube.  

Dan Blank uses the Sora controversy to wonder if we should all ditch social media. He explains that social media is only worth it if you are intentional with its use. How are you showing your human side?

 

Publishers Weekly has an up beat post on comic books. They are having a moment, where new readers are discovering them and sales are going up. I wonder if this is a follow on from all those graphic novels that were being launched at young readers in the last decade. 

 

The Guardian reports on a new venture – a certified organic and AI free stamp for literature, to help readers identify books created by real authors. The team behind this has plans to expand beyond the UK. They have a following amongst independent publishers.

 

Sandra Beckwith has an interview with Tal Kilim, who has launched Booksnout an innovative approach to storytelling using crowd sourcing. Does this approach sound familiar? Hopefully they have learned from the Unbound debacle earlier in the year.

 

Manda Comisari writes on Jane Friedman’s blog about the divide between art and business. Good Intentions Aren’t Enough in Publishing Deals: How Creators Can Protect Themselves. 

 

James Scott Bell always writes an entertaining article on the writing business. This week he looks at advice he would give if you are hunting a traditional publishing deal. He references Nathan Bransford’s publishing submission bill of rights, one clause is the timely response to submissions. Many writers are left in limbo over never hearing about a submission. It leaves a sour and discouraging taste about the industry.

 

Kathleen Schmidt is wondering where the big fall book is? Twice a year- Northern hemisphere Spring and Autumn, the publishing industry releases their big books. These are the ones with the marketing dollars behind them. This year the Fall books are very quiet. Why?

 

Penny Sansevieri reports that some authors are getting locked out of their Amazon Central pages. She has some tips to help you get back in and why you should be using these pages in your marketing.

 

Katie Weiland has a collection of great writing craft books. She has been updating them this year and has now updated her popular workbook on Structuring Your Novel. She is launching her second edition with a nifty giveaway.

 

In The Craft Section,

How to edit someone’s work- Sarah Hamer- Bookmark

Morning pages- tips- Gabriela Pereira

Writing using good speech guidelines-Barbara Probst- Bookmark

Creativity in Brevity- Jim Dempsey- Bookmark

The secret weapon behind character arcs- Janice Hardy- Bookmark

 

In The Marketing Section,

Selling books direct- Kindlepreneur

Standing out in a crowded market – Podcast with Joanna Penn and Steve Brock

Pinterest for authors- Bookbub- Bookmark

The best social media channels for different types of books – Rachel Thompson- Bookmark

How to build an email list before the book launch- Thomas Umstaddt- Bookmark

 

To Finish

Recently, I had a phone conversation with a family member and we started talking about dicey parts of the world and what was happening. Then I thought about what if our phone conversation was being monitored so I stopped and addressed whoever might be listening that this was an innocent phone call. Sue Coletta this week addressed the same problem that thriller writers have. Do FBI profilers mistake writers for serial killers. 

It can be tricky out there in writer search history land. I’m glad I write children’s science fiction. 

 

Maureen

@craicer

 

Do you want the best of my bookmarked links in a handy monthly newsletter? You can subscribe here to join our happy band.

If you want the weekly blog in your inbox subscribe to the free Substack version.

If you like the blog and want to buy me a coffee, I appreciate the virtual coffee love. Thanks.

 

 

Photo by Kaja Sariwating on Unsplash