Category Archives: Writing and Editing

#10 Do you know what indie authors must do for themselves?

Yes. Continue with #11. No. An indie author must be prepared to handle the following or to hire someone to handle them. *Obtain ISBNs for each version of the book: hard cover paperback, ebook, and audio book. *Engage a professional cover designer. The same design can be used for both hardcopy and ebook, but anContinue reading “#10 Do you know what indie authors must do for themselves?”

#9 Do you want to publish your book through a traditional publisher?

Yes. First, realize that you probably need an agent. Check out to #11. Then consider the length of time it will take to get your manuscript through the publication process, typically 18 to 24 months. If you don’t want to wait so long, consider the independent publishing route by checking out the next answer. ContinueContinue reading “#9 Do you want to publish your book through a traditional publisher?”

#7 Have you had your draft edited by a developmental editor?

Yes. Continue to #8. No. A developmental editor doesn’t focus on spelling, punctuation, grammar, or style, but rather on consistency and pacing of the story, and may recommend restructuring or leaving out content. A developmental editor may assist at early stages of turning an idea or outline into a draft or once the manuscript isContinue reading “#7 Have you had your draft edited by a developmental editor?”

#5 Do you have an outline, summary, or synopsis for your story?

Yes. Continue to #6. No. Consider whether an outline will help you get started. If it won’t, skip this step and go on to the next one. But realize that at some point, when querying an agent for a fiction book, you’ll need a synopsis, and for a nonfiction work, you’ll need a book proposal;Continue reading “#5 Do you have an outline, summary, or synopsis for your story?”

#4 Is your book idea fiction, memoir, or creative nonfiction based on history?

Yes. Continue to #5. No. Explore requirements for writing nonfiction. *Tips from publisher and distributor IngramSpark may provide a starting point. *Josh Bernoff’s Without Bullshit website is an excellent place for nonfiction writers to get tips. Sign up for his newsletter. Continue to #16. Featured image credit: Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash

#3 Does your audience want books?

Yes. Continue to #4. No. Perhaps you should write blog posts, journal articles, ezines, short stories, flash fiction, poetry, op ed pieces, or you could create podcasts or YouTube videos. Even if your answer to this question is yes, you’ll probably have to complete many of these activities to market your book. So get aContinue reading “#3 Does your audience want books?”