Write! Grow! Launch!

If you’re anything like me (and most authors, to be honest), you’ve found yourself in this position before – you get all excited about your new book idea, you sit down and start typing away like a madman (or woman), and then after a few...

Many authors, I included, don’t realize there’s a difference between marketing and publicity. And publicity is a huge part of your book launch efforts, and we should all be doing our best to find moments in the spotlight when we can feature our...

Every author I’ve ever met has, at some point, felt the pressure of perfectionism, even if we didn’t know that was the deal! But if you have ever compared yourself to other authors, felt like you or your writing aren’t good enough, or generally...

Everyone loves a good Netflix binge these days, and the book world equivalent is finding a wonderful, well-written book series you can bury yourself in for weeks, months, or even longer. Readers love series novels because they grow so attached to the...

I know. I know. If you’re anything like me, you’re sick and tired of hearing about this pandemic. But since it’s starting to rear it’s ugly head again this winter, and we have no idea how long it’s going to last, a lot of authors are voicing...

It’s not enough to write a great book if you want to sell as many copies as possible. One of the other crucial steps you must take to achieve selling success is to have a beautiful, stunning, and appropriate cover design made. Your cover will give...

One of the best thing’s I’ve ever done to improve my writing was to stop pantsing it. A couple of years ago, I learned about the Hero’s Journey as a plotting method. I was curious, so I dug in and learned all I could. I wasn’t sure it would...

One of the most important decisions you’ll have to make before you begin writing any novel is how many points of view you want to include in your narrative. Essentially, you have three choices. You can write your novel in single, dual, or multiple...

One of the most important steps in your book launch will be getting as many good book reviews as possible lined up for release week. But how do we go about finding and working with ARC reviewers? Many authors struggle with this issue, so this week,...

Regardless of where you are in your writing journey, you need to give serious thought to building your author brand. But many authors overlook this crucial step on their journey. What is author branding? Branding deals with everything you put together...

Whether you’re a newbie writer or a veteran author, you’ve likely heard of the writing platform, Scrivener. And, if you’re like me, you love the concept and want to find a way to write your book using this amazing program, but it seems a bit...

How many of you cringe at the thought of getting in front of a video camera? I know I’m not the only one. But, you guys, there is no better time to be live (or recorded) in front of your readers than now! Especially during this pandemic, when...

Many authors, especially those writing memoirs, find they have to dig deep within themselves and revisit painful memories during the writing process. This can be a cathartic practice, but it can also be very upsetting if you’re not prepared to...

One thing a lot of newer authors struggle with is dialogue. Even veteran authors sometimes struggle with balancing the right amount of dialogue with narrative or how to handle certain dialogue situations with multiple characters. So, this week, I sat...

Most authors know by now that we should have a website to promote our books and that the site should include a blog, but I don’t think all authors know the WHY behind needing a blog. I also am asked quite often how to start a blog and what to write...

Last week, we talked about how to work with book marketers. So, this week, we’re following up with a discussion about how to build and work with your book launch team. My guest this week, Nick Loper, is the Founder of Side Hustle Nation. And as you...

If you haven’t heard of Reedsy, you’re living under a rock. On this episode, I sat down with co-founder Ricardo Fayet, and we discussed the art of marketing your book and working with book promoters. It was a very interesting discussion, and we...

If you’re a writer, you’ve probably heard someone somewhere mention “voice” in fiction. But if you’re like me, at least at first, you’re not really sure what they’re referring to. In this episode of Write Your Best Book, we’re sitting...

More and more people these days want to tell their story because every single one of us experience some sort of emotional wounds in our lives. And we feel that, by sharing our story with others, we can do more than just entertain others but will also...

If you’ve done any marketing at all for your books, you’ve likely heard the term “lead magnets.” But I’m not sure everyone really understands exactly what lead magnets are or how to use them properly. In fact, so many of my clients have...

In order to create characters who are well-rounded, empathetic, and relatable, you must first learn how to write emotions. Emotions, when written properly, will connect the reader to the protagonist and make them root for their victory. If you can...

One of the most crucial elements of your branding and platform is your author website. So often, I am asked by clients when they should put up a website. The answer is always…NOW! Start it before you even have your first book out. Your clients needs...

Speaking in public about your books is not just for public speakers or professionals. Once your book is published, there may be many opportunities that arise when you’re asked to discuss them. Perhaps you’re at a book signing or a writer’s...

We’ve all experienced it. And if you haven’t, you will. Writers’ Block is the thorn in every author’s side, especially when we want nothing more than to be writing at that moment. But the words just won’t come. I don’t think there’s a...

WRITE YOUR BEST BOOK PODCAST Episode 24 How and When to Use Prologues & Epilogues   There’s an age-old debate on whether or not authors should use prologues (and epilogues). So many authors believe that agents are anti-prologue/epilogue,...