Editor’s Letter: From the Desk of Santa Claus
One of my favorite parts of Christmas morning has always been reading the letter Santa Claus leaves for me and my siblings. My parents started the tradition when I was around five years old. Every year, we’d wake up to a letter that talked about everything we’d each accomplished that year and how proud we’d […]
Beyond The 2023 Author’s Planner, Audrey Hughey Helps Others Plan for the Future
Beyond The 2023 Author’s Planner, Audrey Hughey Helps Others Plan for the Future When Audrey Hughey heard about a business planner created by female entrepreneur Carrie Green in 2017, she was hooked. The problem: As it was the first year they were being printed, and with the cost of shipping and exchange rates, Audrey wasn’t […]
Discover the Art History Term that Rejects Originality, and Why Authors Should Embrace It
It’s All Been Done Before. But Only You Can Do It Your Way. What makes a story original? The question seems simple enough until you try to answer it. Plot alone certainly can’t make a book feel unique. Most writing resources agree that the world’s stories can be distilled into one of a distinct set […]
Editor’s Letter: Let’s Connect
In American Sign Language, to sign the word “friend,” you hook your two pointer fingers together, then flip both hands over and repeat the action. When I was learning sign language in college, the website we used as a reference said to imagine your fingers were hugging. Instead, I like to think of things connecting. […]
From The Editor’s Desk
I’ve never considered myself particularly technology capable. Sure, having grown up awash in new devices and an expanding internet, I’m probably more adept than I give myself credit for. But you can also guarantee I’ll need to ask for help from my more computer-savvy friends to set up a website. Over the years, Scrivener and […]
Checks and Balances
When the Royalties Roll in, Here’s How Indie Authors Can Budget for the Future Nicole Schroeder June 2022 was a record-setting month for the United States economy—and not in the way anyone was hoping. A combination of factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and continuing supply-chain shortages, drove the country’s inflation rate […]
Editor’s Letter: Back to School
A few weeks ago, I spent an afternoon shopping for school supplies with my younger sister. She’ll be a freshman in college this year, attending the same university I did, and while I’m helping her prepare—showing her around campus, explaining how the bus system works and where to buy textbooks—I can’t help but feel nostalgic. […]
Book Influencers Help Turn a New Page in Publishing
Nicole Schroeder Nestled in her New England home, independent bookseller Kaitee Yaeko Tredway spends time each week arranging stacks of books and displaying them against a variety of backgrounds. She snaps several photos and writes out creative captions to pair with each, then decides when they’ll publish. Sometimes she makes an appearance in front of […]
From the Mouths of Babes: How to Write Kids Dialogue
Let’s face it: Kids are a lot of work. No one would argue that point in the real world—no one who’s spent time around them, anyhow. And little ones can be just as much of a handful on the page. Especially when it comes to dialogue, making young characters believable can leave a thin margin […]
Editor’s Letter: Please Allow Me to Introduce Myself
As indie authors, we are constantly introducing ourselves: to other writers, to editors, to cover designers, and especially—ideally—to new readers. For a profession that can sometimes feel a bit lonely, we’re rarely going it alone, which makes our first impressions important … and all the more daunting. Speaking of introductions, some of you might recognize […]