January 9, 2023
About Self-Publishing
January 9, 2023
4 ways indie authors go wrong writing a bio
Every book needs an author bio. It lets readers know who you are and why you are uniquely qualified to write the book at hand. Readers expect this at the back of your book. And booksellers and other industry professionals expect it on your press releases and other marketing […]
January 9, 2023
4 ways indie authors go wrong writing a book description
Every book needs a description of its contents – that snappy teaser copy you traditionally see on the back cover. When done properly, it lures readers in, as well as signals what audience the book is targeting. And it’s invaluable on marketing materials, author websites and other promotional materials.
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November 21, 2022
Why Your Novel’s Cover Art is Even More Important Than Ever
By Paul Goat Allen
As someone who has been in the self-publishing business for decades—from purchasing titles for a national book chain to reviewing thousands of self-published titles for Kirkus, BlueInk, etc. to interviewing countless self-published authors for various sites—I’ve seen cover art quality for self-published titles increase exponentially over the last few decades […]
November 9, 2022
The Ending is Everything! Is Your Novel’s Conclusion Strong Enough?
By Paul Goat Allen
Straight from the files of Stating the Obvious comes the next BlueInk blog about the monumental importance of a novel’s conclusion. It’s a no-brainer, right? Your novel needs a memorable ending in order to have any chance at commercial success.
But then why do so many novels have weak conclusions?
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June 16, 2022
9 Features on KDP You Should Know About
By Amanda Miller
Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform has been an amazing tool for independently published authors to get their books into the world and hit a big market—not only swiftly but affordably. Not only is KDP’s platform easy to use, but it is ever-evolving with fresh, new developments for authors to take […]
May 10, 2021
Beyond the Labels: BlueInk Review Talks with David Ebenbach
By Paul Goat Allen
BlueInk Review sat down with David Ebenbach to talk about the publishing industry, the advantages and disadvantages of putting labels on novels (and writers), and his upcoming science fiction debut How to Mars—about a reality show on Mars gone wrong—which is already in its […]
February 9, 2021
Three Simple Ways to Satisfy Reader Expectation—and Increase Sales
By Paul Goat Allen
So, while the content included in this blog seems to be stating the obvious—it’s not always apparent to writers who have had their heads immersed in their respective writing project for years. (Insert “can’t see the forest for the trees” idiom here.)
I’m talking about understanding reader expectation: knowing what narrative […]
January 11, 2021
Experts offer their best tips for self-publishing success
We asked dozens of experts in self-publishing what were the two most important tips they had for indie authors. They responded with advice on everything from book covers to copyrights to social media—and much more! Over the next month, we will share one tip each day on our Facebook and Twitter feeds. Don’t miss […]
November 17, 2020
The One Question Many Indie Authors Fail to Ask Themselves
Besides reviewing genre fiction for companies like PW, Kirkus, and BlueInk, I work as an instructor and mentor in Seton Hill University’s Writing Popular Fiction program. During my time with these student writers, we discuss the respective strengths and weaknesses of their manuscripts in great detail, as well as how […]