July 10, 2017
You’ve finished your self-published book and are ready to get it into readers’ hands. Prepare yourself: This will require pushing yourself out into the world in order to spread your book’s message — and a heavy dose of thick skin, as the world of publicity can be challenging for […]
June 12, 2017
Nothing detracts more from a book’s appeal than a bad back cover.
Whether your reader is a potential buyer, book reviewer, media professional or someone who wants to hire you for your expertise, your book’s back cover has to communicate to your target audience: “buy me, trust me!”
Authors often spend […]
July 26, 2016
Let’s assume that you’re a fiction writer looking to self-publish. You’re a voracious reader and practiced writer, willing to put in the hours of writing and rewriting to make a story shine. And you’ve got a great story to tell, rich in memorable characters and set in a locale […]
August 20, 2013
By BlueInk Guest Blogger, Paul Goat Allen
I recently wrote a blog about things self-published authors should be absolutely sure of before pushing the final button—and one of those items was having some semblance of a marketing plan. How are you going to promote your work? What are you going to do to increase […]
July 29, 2013
June 19, 2013
By BlueInk Review guest blogger, Paul Goat Allen
Although David Oppegaard is undeniably an extraordinary writer — his debut novel “The Suicide Collectors,” published in 2008 by St. Martin’s Press, is one of the most disturbing and singularly unique works of apocalyptic fiction I’ve ever read — his experience navigating the publishing gauntlet is […]
June 3, 2013
By BlueInk Review Guest Blogger, Paul Goat Allen
I thought it would be interesting to ask a bunch of established authors — writers who have found some semblance of commercial and/or critical success through traditional publishing — to finish this simple open-ended statement “Self publishing is…” to see if there were any prevailing responses […]
May 20, 2013
The landscape of self-publishing today is radically different than it was when I self-published my first collection of poetry 25 years ago. It was the Dark Ages back then and achieving success as an author—critically and commercially—was like trying to find the Grail.
May 7, 2013
When was the last time this happened to you: You’re well into a new book, enjoying the subject and the writing both, when the author takes an unexpected side trip to tell you about her horrible boss, or his dreadful parents, or the ex-spouse from hell. The writing changes tone and your interest in the book essentially stops there.
August 13, 2012
By BlueInk Review Guest Blogger, Paul Goat Allen
Adam Connell published his debut novel “Counterfeit Kings” in 2004 and then effectively disappeared for almost a decade. His journey in that time is filled with invaluable insights, particularly to anyone considering becoming an author. After being chewed up and spit out by conventional publishing, the […]
