Tag: writing

This tag identifies blogs tagged by writer Cortni Merritt as related to writing and the writing process.

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How to Write a Horror Novel: Tips for Scary Scenes

A dark-skinned woman with red eyes wearing all black on a red background stares menacingly into the camera.

Leave your readers with a proper fright after finishing your unnerving tale.

You’re writing your horror book, and everything is coming together nicely: The characters have depth and intriguing backstories; you’ve staked out a creepy setting; and your stalker, monster, cosmic entity, killer inanimate object, etc., is iconic and menacing. You have the components of a great story, yet can’t help but feel that something is missing. You begin to question if you know how to write a horror novel, until you read your manuscript, and only then does it hit you. You don’t feel… scared.

A spider on its web against a dark background with boca effect
Photo by kaboompics. Pexels.

The Importance of a Scare in Horror Story Writing

A well-constructed scare is as important as characters, setting, and plot in horror story writing. It adds bitter flavor, lingering with your readers long after they’ve flipped through the pages. Every ominous shadow in the corners of any room they walk into, strange bumps and thuds in the night, everyday objects that typically don’t frighten them—all because your book left a lasting impact. Tending to your scares with the love and care they deserve keeps your book faithful to the horror genre, and more importantly, makes your book memorable.

I previously compiled a list of excellent horror novel recommendations with bone-chilling scares that you may find useful!

Tip #1 to Write Horror: Find Your Subgenre

Before you begin sprinkling in jump scares or passages of shock and gore, consider the subgenre of your horror book, as each has its own types of scares. A paranormal story relies more heavily on suspense and unease, whereas a slasher leans into jump scares and bloodshed to frighten the reader. If you are struggling to pinpoint your subgenre, consider the following types of horror:

  • Paranormal: events, activities, and entities not scientifically explainable, e.g., ghosts or telekinesis 
  • Psychological: relating to the protagonist’s mind
  • Slasher: a killer or entity preying on a group of people
  • Gore and body horror: concerned with extreme violence and visceral experience
  • Monster: a creature or one’s transformation into one, e.g., werewolves, vampires, zombies

This article covers a more extensive list breaking down these subgenres further, but these are the broad ones worth considering for the sake of this process.

Tip #2 to Write Horror: Harness Fears Effectively

Now that you’ve identified your subgenre, we can look at the different types of fear. Each stroke of horror utilizes different fears, including fear of Death, fear of the loss of sanity, fear of loss of loved people or culture, or fear of pain. 

Consider two classics: Psycho, written by Robert Bloch, utilizes suspense and sudden violence to startle readers in small bursts, whereas The Shining, written by Stephen King, uses the same suspense to establish dread and anxiety that prolongs until erupting into chaos in its final pages. 

These two books reveal different approaches for how to write a horror novel by relying on different types of fear to frighten their readers. It’s crucial to have a solid understanding of your subgenre to know what fears work best. For example, a gore book sustaining the same suspense as The Shining won’t be as effective as one that prioritizes shock and disgust. (For more on how to use a fear of Death in horror story writing, check out this blog.) 

A young Black woman holds open a book and appears engaged with the text.
Photo by Ron Lach. Pexels.

It’s also worth cozying up with similar books and noting their structure. A suspenseful story may involve leaving a trail of unease throughout, and thus requires a different editing approach than a book with quickly established jump scares. That’s not to undermine the importance of maintaining an eerie atmosphere regardless of subgenre (which can be expertly curated utilizing mood boards), but rather to emphasize how scares are catered to differently in horror stories. A revision of your book centered on incorporating these fears can prove useful to heighten the effectiveness of your book. 

Tip #3 to Write Horror: Consider POV

Lastly, and this may sound surprising, but the point-of-view you choose to write your book in greatly matters in how you approach writing scenes that genuinely feel scary. 

First-Person POV

A first-person POV puts readers in the shoes of the narrator, and thus, they can only visualize the narrator’s senses. Curating surprises may be more effective if it focuses on the character’s sudden reaction and feelings toward a scare, told from their perspective. A psychological horror book can utilize confusion to scare readers. You can lean into what the narrator sees and feels that may be abstract or out-of-the-ordinary to play with the reader’s mind, especially if the narrator themselves doesn’t recognize it as peculiar. 

Third-Person POV

Despite the story not unfolding through the narrator’s eyes, a third-person POV can be effective in staging sudden scares or odd occurrences, while also describing the world outside of a character’s immediate view. Great for suspense, a third-person POV allows you to focus on an object or threat that is approaching a character without their knowledge. A monster lurking in the shadows or a ghost appearing on a monitor when someone looks away: A third-person POV is excellent at staging the world outside a character’s direct experiences. 

Even… Second-Person POV?

An excellent example of POV manipulation in horror story writing is in The Only Good Indians, written by Stephen Graham Jones. (Minor spoilers ahead!) The book is mainly written in the third-person, following a group of hunters tracking a monster. In one instance, a character is scanning his surroundings with a gun when he lands on someone, you, the reader, now addressed in the second-person as the monster they’ve been hunting. It’s a masterful example of producing a scare by exploiting POV before the reader can fully comprehend what’s happening. 

If you’re looking for more effective frights, I previously compiled a list of some excellent horror novels with bone-chilling scares!

Map Out and Curate Your Scares

Once you understand your subgenre, its associated fears, and identify your POV, you can begin to establish your scares. There is an extensive list of tips from published writers on what they utilize to startle their audience, and reading other horror books and identifying what about them scares you will inspire you to implement the same techniques when you write horror. 

Scare Trope Example No. 1: Horrifying "Safe" Spaces

Consider including scares in otherwise-safe spaces. Vividly describing a derelict house or abandoned hospital can be equally valuable in building suspense and unease. Think of Jaws and how the novel (by Peter Benchley) and film (by Steven Spielberg) made an entire generation afraid to swim at the beach, or how the film The Ring (based on Japanese horror novel, Ring, by Koji Suzuki)  recontextualized water wells and TVs as things/spaces to be afraid of. 

Scare Trope Example No. 2: The Unlikely Threat

Another example of a common scare type is an unlikely threat. It could be argued that The Omen (screenplay by David Seltzer) or Children of the Corn (again by Stephen King) largely contributed to a trope in horror involving unease toward children. We assume them unlikely to be a threat, only to be confronted with how horrifying they truly are. Or, how a film like Child’s Play or a novel like How to Sell a Haunted House (by Grady Hendrix) instil in viewers a lurking fear that prompts them to keep their eyes on inanimate dolls…just in case they spring to life. 

Toying with the unordinary and even looking inward at what scares you personally are excellent ways to construct a memorable scare that surprises the reader. You can defy expectations or lean into what already unsettles you and people like you. 

Final Thought About How to Write a Horror Novel

A dark-skinned woman with red eyes wearing all black on a red background stares menacingly into the camera.

A horror book can have intricately written characters or a unique plot, but if it’s not scary (or even suspenseful), readers will feel disappointed. Hopefully, you now feel more confident on how to write a scary scene in your horror novel or short story; hopefully you feel prepared to unnerve and surprise your readers. My final piece of advice for how to write a horror novel is to remember that it is okay to revise and edit until you feel confident your scares are effective. Horror readers love nothing more than the excitement of fear and unease creeping into their daily lives after reading an effective, frightening spine-tingler. Family, friends, colleagues, and professional beta readers can provide valuable feedback that helps you identify what didn’t work and what needs a bit more to really get readers’ hearts racing and keep them up at night.

Ready to speak with an editor about your horror novel?

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How to Write an Authentic Author Bio that Speaks to Readers

Close up on man's hands holding book opened to Author Biography

Unlocking an amazing author bio may be easier than you think.

Whether you’ve finished your book, are starting the writing process, or are somewhere in the middle, chances are you’ve thought about your author bio. You know, the “about me” blurb every author has on the back cover and inside the back matter or on the jacket of their book? Maybe you’ve tried drafting some ideas, and it doesn’t sound right, or it doesn’t quite line up with professional bios you admire. Writing the perfect author bio can be tricky, especially when self-publishing a book and you don’t have a marketing copywriter to help. 

Also writing the back cover description for your book? Check out my previous blog to help you write your back cover copy.

Wooden blocks spell out Author; author bio description

The Importance of a Stellar Author Bio

An author bio allows your reader to connect with you before opening your book. The back cover, as we know, functions as sales copy, and in your blurb, you’re selling yourself. The back cover bio blurb gives readers a hint of who you are, what you’ve accomplished, and why you’re telling the story they hold in their hands. Whether you’ve written a collection of poetry, a full-length novel, or a memoir, a clear, concise, compelling bio can magically hook readers who are deciding which book to invest themselves in. 

It is, of course, equally important to write a bio that fits your genre. An author blurb for a steamy romance novel will differ from the blurb for an author who writes true-crime retellings. Familiarize yourself with the styles, keywords, and tone of successful authors in the genre in which you plan to publish your book. Looking at the author bio examples from best-selling and crowd-favorite writers in your genre will give you insight into what readers, including your future audience, will expect. 

Two Types of Author Bios

There are two types of author bios you’ll want to include in your book. A brief (25-50 words) blurb for the back cover of your book, and a longer (50-250 words) in-depth author biography for the inside of your book, usually located in the back matter, after the main text of the book itself.

General Rules for Author Bios

Before we dive into the structures of your two bios, here are a few general tips:

 

  • Write in the third person. It’s standard practice to compose your blurb and bio using this perspective, especially if you’re a new writer, and even if you’re self-publishing a book. (Pretend you’re that marketing copywriter at the publishing house!)
  • Concision is key. Avoid redundancy.
  • Balance the tone between personable and professional. You want readers to relate to you, but sounding too friendly or, conversely, superior can drive people away.
  • Use a tone consistent with your book. This mainly affects the inside bio. Tone is your secret weapon, as it establishes credibility and contributes to writing style.

Writing a Back Cover Bio

Woman holds orange book over her face showing the back cover copy and author bio
Photo by Polina Zimmerman. Pexels.

The back cover author bio is straightforward, typically 1-2 sentences. Write concisely, and sell yourself. Think of it as a way to establish credibility as a writer on your book’s topic or theme. 

Your first sentence should contain the basics: your name, where you’re from or currently reside, and your occupation. If your occupation is irrelevant to your book or writing career, instead, say why you have written your book. Ask yourself, “What drew me to telling this story?” Then, answer that question for your readers. 

As for the second sentence, list any relevant awards or accolades. Don’t have any? No worries! State your goal for writing the book, or what you hope to accomplish with your writing in general. Avoid the trap of imposter syndrome, believing that less recognition means less capability. A strong bio will draw readers in, regardless of the author’s status. 

Please note: You don’t have to include that you are a first-time author. It typically doesn’t matter to readers!

Back Cover Author Bio Examples

Note the use of third-person POV, the concise word choice and descriptions, and the approachable tone used in these author bio examples. The first two focus on experience and professional credentials with writing in different genres:

Marie Collins is a professor at the University of Central Florida with a love for science fiction. Her work has been featured in the Orlando Sentinel, and she holds the 2024 Orlando Authors award for best fiction story. 

Keenan Reed is an acclaimed journalist from  Los Angeles. He formed Reed All About It in 2012 to platform LA writers and bring insightful, honest news to the forefront of journalism. 

This is the perfect formula to follow for first-time authors self-publishing a book, or writers launching into new spaces from other projects: Who are you, what have you done, what are you about?

But what if you want to add a touch of humor to your author bio? Perhaps that is appropriate to your genre, and you’d like to include a bit of personality. 

The bio for children’s writer Dav Pilkey is as follows: 

In the second grade, Dav Pilkey created a comic book about a superhero named Captain Underpants. His teacher ripped it up and told him he couldn’t spend the rest of his life making silly books. Fortunately, Dav was not a very good listener. 

Playful, tells the story of why he wrote this book, gives an idea of his style and voice. 

The bio inside Trevor Noah’s memoir, Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Chilldhood reads: 

Trevor Noah is a comedian from South Africa. 

If you didn’t know who the comedian was before reading the title of his book, the author bio doesn’t give you much more to go on, but it does give you a sense of the style of humor (and humility) you’ll find within. 

Need some help writing or perfecting your back cover copy, including the author blurb? SRD Editing Services offers services for both writing copy for you, or editing copy you’ve written.

Writing the Bio for Inside the Book

Close up on man's hands holding book opened to Author Biography
Photo by cottonbro studio. Pexels.

If you were hoping to give readers a more authentic sense of who you are beyond a two-sentence blurb, your inside biography is your chance to shine. Some authors utilize an entire page, but assuming you are beginning your writing career or self-publishing a book, you may only need a paragraph. 

Your first two sentences will look similar to your back cover bio. Include your name, location, occupation, and qualifications or awards. You have leeway to embellish, but do so in as few words as possible. (Stay on target…)

As for the third sentence, elaborate on what connects you to your book. Why did you write it? What gives you credibility in exploring this topic? Is there an emotional tie you have to your book? This sentence is your chance to tell readers why this book is important to you. 

Finally, close off your bio with a personal detail to humanize yourself. Think of your hobbies, your family, your home; what about you is most interesting that readers can relate to as a human being? Take a look at the author bio examples from writers in your genre; you may find there’s a pattern to the types of details they include and what readers connect with.

Author Bio Examples for Inside the Book

In the following examples, note how the first two sentences could be repurposed for the back cover of the book: third-person POV, concise wording, and approachable tone. The final two sentences give readers deep and unique insight that aligns with the genres for each writer–history and mystery:

Mauricio Betancourt is a historian born and raised in Chicago. His work frequently explores the city and its history, with some of his pieces featured in the city’s American Writers Museum. He traces this deep admiration to childhood trips to museums with his mother. When not writing or strolling downtown late at night, he can be found watching classic movies at home with his wife and their tabby cat, Pepper. 

***

Saki Toshiko is a third-generation Japanese American with a Master’s Degree in Composition & Rhetoric. As a college student, she won several fiction writing competitions in mystery and drama. Growing up in a quaint ghost town, she became fascinated by the supernatural and their wanderings on earth. Saki currently resides in Seattle, where she frequently tours its underground city, preparing for her next novel. 

But what if you don’t have accolades, awards, and credentials to include? That’s OK! Include the details that make you you and what you feel you have to say that readers might connect with. 

The following author bio example showcases how one writer balances between establishing herself as knowledgeable on the topic and providing the reader with a sense of her welcoming style: 

Nooky Bhojwani is a twin mom who writes from the heart about the raw, beautiful, and challenging journey of motherhood. After becoming a mother to twin girls, she embraced the path of spiritual growth, resilience, and unconditional love that comes with raising two little souls at once. Through her writing, Nooky shares honest stories from preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum to the early toddler years, weaving in her own healing practices of yoga, nutrition, and spirituality. Her hope is to encourage and comfort other mothers by showing that they are never alone in their struggles and triumphs. When she’s not writing, Nooky enjoys simple moments of family life, exploring holistic living, and creating supportive spaces for other moms on social media.

Final Polish and Online Uses for Your Author Bios

Of course, proofreading is key. The back cover and interior author bios should both be free of grammatical errors. Consider sharing your bios with friends, family, your editor, and other writers in your genre whose feedback you value. Ask them if the biographies explain you clearly and if there’s anything they suggest adding or removing. This is an excellent practical application to test how effective your bios are with people who know you well. 

One of the key things to remember is that your author bios won’t simply live within your book’s pages. When you are self-publishing a book, you will have opportunities to post your author bio on various websites. Of course, you might have a longer About Me on your own website, but when you create your account on a publishing platform (like Amazon or IngramSpark), you can use one of the author bios you’ve already written. If you market use press releases, podcast interviews, or local speaking engagements or book readings; if you submit poems, short stories, or other items to various publications, they may also ask for your blurb. If you decide to start publishing content on Medium, Substack, or any of the other online platforms, you’ll have a usable, professional, and polished author bio ready to go. 

An open book lies flat on a table next to rocks and a miniature globe; about the author wrap up
Photo by LAYİHA. Pexels.

As you continue your writing career and publish more books, you’ll have chances to update your bios. Revise when you release a new book, and add new honors, awards, or relevant personal details that build your credibility or help to connect with your audience in a new way. Remember, you are selling yourself to readers every time they come across your name. A stellar author bio can lead to lifelong fans along your publishing journey.

Ready to speak to an editor about your book and author bio?

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Project Semicolon: Your Story Isn’t Over

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month banner

Semicolons Represent Continuation

You may know the grammatical function of semicolons, but did you know they represent so much more?

If you’ve never heard of Project Semicolon, it’s a cause I greatly believe in. Mental health and self-care are common discussions for writers, and especially for me, who edits psychology and self-help manuscripts.

September is suicide prevention awareness month, per SAMHSA. So if you care about writers and their mental health, consider how you can support both the awareness of suicide prevention and mental health in general.

Why a Semicolon?

When a writer chooses to end a sentence, they use a period. When a writer wants to string together many grammatical elements in a sentence, they can use a comma. However, a writer might choose to use a semicolon instead of ending a sentence; they might extend what they have to say with a simple change in punctuation.

It is with this theory and sentiment that the Semicolon Project continues their mission. People, but especially writers, who have lived through suicidal attempts or ideation might understand the deep symbolism inherent in the semicolon.

A semicolon is sometimes used when the writer could choose to end their sentence, but instead, chooses to continue, to go on, to add to the action of the story.

Related blog: Two Common (and Easy-to-Use) Semicolon Rules.

Semicolons in Real Life

If you are someone or you know someone for whom this symbolism might resonate, someone who is a writer and who may have been suicidal at one time, there are many ways to show your love or support for them and their struggles,

Nearly 50,000 people died by suicide in 2022, which is one person every 11 minutes. The majority (76%) were White; 32% of them were middle-aged adults; 20% of them were women. (According to the CDC statistics.)

Of course, any life lost to suicide can have tragic consequences for the people they leave behind. 

How to Support Writers You Know

First of all, if your friend is a writer and especially if they’re publishing things, you can read them. Leave a review. Leave comments on their social media. Support like this costs you nothing and means so much. 

Big up your writer friends to others — family, friends, and people who you think would connect with their message. There is literally no better way to support your writer friend than to tell people you love what they do.

Second, there’s a lot of semicolon merch out there. If you have the kind of relationship where you can get your writer friend a notebook, or a sticker, or a coffee mug, or something else they’ll love, then there’s shopping options for you my friend. (Check out these search results for “project semicolon” on Etsy!) 

Third, if you’re really hardcore about a writer or if you’re the type of writer who has been in the suicidal boat yourself, there are a range of tasteful and heartwarming semicolon tattoo designs to choose from. Getting a tattoo not only shows your long-term commitment and solidarity with your friend (or yourself) and their (your) struggles, but it’s also a silent form of support for all suicidal people and writers everywhere.

You can check out this Pinterest board for semicolon tattoo inspiration. 

Whatever you do, take a few minutes this month to support writers and spread awareness about suicide prevention. 

Ready to Talk to an Editor about Your Writing?

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CMS Citation for Nonfiction Writers: Use IMDB for Film Citations

CMS citation example: showing paper with question and footnote joke.

When you’re writing nonfiction, it’s important to cite the sources of your information. Back in the day, it used to only be acceptable to include citations for books and journals, but not any more! Today’s Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) citation references include not only books and journals but websites, magazines, social media, and even film sources.

While you sometimes might want to include a quote or information that you came across in a fictionalized movie, there are also plenty of nonfiction films, such as documentaries or biopics, that you may want to include in your bibliography. When that’s the case, you can use the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) to find out all the details and fully cite your source appropriate to Chicago, MLA, or APA style – although this blog is going to focus mostly on Chicago.

Now: please note, the 18th edition of the Chicago Manual of Style was just released earlier in August 2024, but this blog will continue to elaborate on the specifics of the 17th edition, as that is still the mostly commonly used across many commercial publishers. Subscribe to the SRD Editing Services blog to be among the first to know about the 18th edition updates!

Related blog: Creative Writing Tips: How to Watch Movies to Improve Your Storytelling. Check it out! 

Film vs. Online Video

No matter what style guide you’re using, when you’re citing video, you will want to check whether the format of the video matters. For Chicago citation style, website videos – such as TedTalks, YouTube videos, or videos posted to social media – are cited differently than films that are released in offline formats first. 

For website citations, you’ll include some of the same information, such as the title of the video and the year it was published, but you’ll indicate to your reader that the source is specifically a video by including the word “video” in square brackets. Check the full details on Chicago citation style for websites for examples. 

CMS Citation for Film

When it comes to citing a film, you can think of what qualifies as a “film” by whether it is a production that requires a professional crew, a script, a studio or shots done on location, and other standards of film production that predate the internet and its distribution of film materials. 

So, for example, you may watch a movie on the web browser on your computer through a site like Netflix or Hulu, but if it’s a fully produced movie that you could also have gone to see in a theater or purchased a DVD copy, you wouldn’t cite it as a website video. 

Similar to an online video, the CMS citation for a film will include the title, the year it was released, and some of the production information, but the citation for a film will ask for a bit more than a website citation. 

Here’s what the Chicago manual has to say about including identifying information.

14.265: Video and film recordings

“Citations of video and film recordings…will vary according to the nature of the material….Any facts relevant to identifying the item should be included. Indexed scenes are treated like chapters and cited by title or by number. Ancillary material…is cited by author and title.” 

For both Notes/Bibliography style and Author-Date style, the Bibliography element will be the same. If you are referencing the whole movie, don’t include the “scene title;” that is only necessary to include if you are directing your reader toward a particular scene in the film.

“Scene Title in Title Case,” Title of Movie or Film, directed by FirstName LastName (Year; Location of studio headquarters: Film Studio Name, version date), Media or timestamp. 

Example: 

“Crop Duster Attack,” North by Northwest, directed by Alfred Hitchcock (1959; Burbank, CA: Warner Home Video, 2000), DVD. 

For the Note in Notes/Bibliography style citation, include the director’s name, the title of the film, and, where applicable, a timestamp of the moment to which you’re referring. This is similar to how the Chicago citation for books would include a page number or page range in the note. For shortened notes, include only the director’s last name, a shortened version of the title, and the timestamp. 

For an Author-Date style CMS citation, throughout the text, include only the director’s last name and the date of the film’s publication in the parentheses.  

If you have the DVD, the case may include most of the information you need, but if you don’t have the DVD case or it doesn’t have the details, IMDB is the place to go.

Special Cases for CMS Citation of Films

Of course, there are occasional situations where more or different information may be required. If a film doesn’t have a named director, for example, you could include a producer or lead actor’s name. If the film has been translated from a foreign language or distributed by different companies in different countries or for various editions, you may have to include some details about the translator or which version of the movie you’re citing, especially if you’re drawing attention to differences between the versions. (This is similar to how a Chicago citation for a book that has been translated or reprinted is cited as well.)

Ask Your Editor for Details on CMS Citation

So that’s a quick overview and the basics of CMS citation for films. When you’re writing fiction (especially historical fiction), you don’t need to include sources for material, although you can include information in an author’s note if you’d like. But when your book is nonfiction and you’ve taken the time to do the research, include the sources in a full bibliography. When you’re not sure how to cite, make sure to ask an experienced editor!

Talk to an editor about CMS citations

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Tools for Romance Writers: Ratings for Spicy Romance Novels

Although writers of all genres should consider how different readers may approach their text, it’s particularly important for writers of romance, erotica, or “spicy romance” novels to connect with readers who are looking for their content. That’s why everyone could benefit from a universal ratings system.  

As a reader, if there were a single standard for rating the “spice level” in books, it would be easier to select, recommend, and review books they love and avoid books that don’t match their preferences. As a writer, a single rating system would make it easier to connect with readers who enjoy reading about what you enjoy writing about. 

Oh! If only. 

While other types of media such as TV shows and movies have standard ratings systems that make it easier for viewers to identify age-appropriate and content-desired material, books are sadly a bit different. While many good romance authors are beginning to include “content warnings” (or “trigger warnings”) so readers are aware of specific content they may find upsetting (or particularly enticing), it’s not required nor a standard practice, although it does seem to be trending in that direction (especially with self-publishing authors). 

But without a universal rating system for books, it remains difficult for readers to have insight into what books are appropriate for them (or their kids, if they’re parents), and it remains difficult for writers to appropriately connect with the right readers. 

Rated Reads helps parents determine if the book their child is reading is age-appropriate (not just because of romantic or sexual content, but for a whole host of reasons.) Our blog last year on the Accelerated Reader Bookfinder tool may also be helpful.  

So what do writers and readers do? Well, here are a few things to consider if you enjoy reading or writing romance, erotica, or erotic/spicy romance.

What’s the Difference?: Romance, Erotica, & Spicy Romance Novels

It’s important to note that reader preferences vary, and what one person considers spicy or erotic may differ from another’s interpretation. The key is to find a balance that suits the preferences of the target audience while maintaining a coherent and engaging narrative.

Hiring some romance beta readers can help you gauge where your novel falls on these scales and help with your marketing and promotion plans. Beta readers in general, but specifically, beta readers who are avid fans of different types of romance, can be invaluable in helping you determine if your content has the “right” spice level for your target readership. 

If you are a romance reader and want to help writers hone and perfect their on-page spice, consider being a beta reader! There are numerous groups on Facebook and hashtags on IG and TikTok (aka “Bookstagram” and “BookTok”) where you can volunteer to be ARC or beta readers for the works-in-progress of all types of romance writers. 

Romance

Woman and man in wedding attire laughing next to table; man wearing hat and woman holding bouquet. Romance novels typically end with happily ever after.
Romance novels typically end with "happily ever after."

To begin with, a “romance” novel typically holds the romance and the developing relationship between characters as central to the plot. The best romance novel tips remind writers to keep the emotions as the story’s focus, and there should typically be a strong narrative arc in the journey of the characters, including challenges, conflicts, and resolutions. True romance novels build an emotional connection as they explore their feelings, and the end result for the reader is a satisfying emotional payoff or a “happily ever after” (HEA) ending. 

While there may occasionally be intimacy, often characters will engage in “relations” through euphemism or off-page action, similar to how movies or TV plots will show characters tumbling into bed, kissing, and then fade to black. Often, there is a fade-in afterward to show the characters’ emotional reactions to the events, but the focus is on the emotions and relationships rather than detailed sexual encounters. Even when sex scenes happen on-page, the characters may speak in euphemism or “softened” sexual language rather than explicit word choice from the author.

In movie-ratings terms, true romance novels can be at any major commercial movie level – G, PG, PG-13, or R. 

Erotica (aka Smut)

To begin with, an “erotica” novel typically places a strong emphasis on sexual content and exploration. The primary goal is to arouse and titillate the reader through explicit descriptions of sexual encounters. While erotica may have a plot, it is often secondary to the explicit content, and as all good romance authors know, the narrative may serve as a framework to connect erotic scenes rather than a central focus that details characters’ emotions and their journey toward a romantic connection. Beware of losing sight of the plot just to get caught up in “the action,” unless you intend to write erotica. While some erotica may explore emotional connections, the central theme is sexual pleasure, and the emotional depth is typically not as developed as in romance.

Erotica is known for its explicit and detailed depictions of sexual acts. The language used is often more direct and graphic, catering to readers seeking a more intense exploration of sexuality. Its content runs the full gamut of sexual fantasies, preferences, and kinks that you can find when reviewing the categories and tags of any website that publishes adult videos.

In movie-ratings terms, erotica is pretty strictly X-rated and higher.

Spicy Romance Novels / Erotic Romance Novels

man and woman in intimate embrace. He is shirtless, she facing away from him, he appears to be kissing her neck and removing her shirt; spicy romance novels balance sexual and romance content.

“Spicy romance” or “erotic romance” falls somewhere between traditional romance and erotica. These subgenres acknowledge and include explicit sexual content while maintaining a strong emphasis on the emotional connection between characters. Here are some key erotic romance novel tips:

Balanced Focus: Spicy or erotic romance strikes a balance between the emotional development of the relationship and explicit sexual content.

  • Narrative integration: Unlike erotica, which may prioritize sexual scenes over the plot, spicy romance integrates intimate moments into a broader narrative that includes emotional tension and character development.
  • Reader expectations: Readers of spicy or erotic romance are seeking a more sensual experience than traditional romance without necessarily delving into the more explicit and purely sexual nature of erotica.
  • Varied Heat Levels: “Heat levels” are often used to classify the level of explicit content in romance novels. Spicy or erotic romance can encompass a range of heat levels, allowing readers to choose the intensity of sexual content they are comfortable with.

Like the best rated-R movies can have very graphic, enticing, titillating sex scenes without losing sight of how those scenes play into the overall narrative arc and important relationship-building between the characters, spicy/erotic romance novels walk the fine line between turning on both their readers’ bodies and minds. 

Spicy Romance Novel Tips: Popular Ratings Systems & Resources

There are several tools and systems that readers and writers can use to assess the spice levels or explicit content in novels, especially in the romance and erotic genres. These tools are often referred to as “heat levels” or “sensuality ratings.”  Good romance authors would be wise to understand readers’ expectations and make the most of these rating systems and reader feedback to strike the right balance to connect with their audience. 

All About Romance (AAR) is a popular romance-focused website that provides sensuality ratings for romance novels. The ratings range from “Kisses” for books with no sexual content to “Burning” for those with explicit scenes.

Smart Bitches Trashy Books is a romance book review site that provides heat ratings for the books they review. The ratings range from “Sweet” to “Scorching.”

Romance.io is a fairly new (2 years old) book review site that provides a “steam” or “spice” rating for a variety of romance books and invites site members to add their own reviews and ratings. They offer a “similar book finder” so if there is something you liked and want more of, you can find it easily. 

Is the Book Spicy? blog focuses just on the spice ratings. No reviews. No spoilers. Just letting you know how steamy the book gets and what the tropes and triggers are for different titles. 

Goodreads, a popular book review platform, allows readers to tag books with descriptors like “steamy,” “erotic,” or “clean romance.” Reading reviews on Goodreads can also provide insights into a book’s heat level. (Connect with our editor, Cortni Merritt, on Goodreads!) 

Readers can use these tools to find books that align with their preferences, and good romance authors can refer to these and other online spice-rating systems to navigate the varying levels of sensuality expected from readers in romance and erotic novels.

How Writers of Spicy Romance Novels Promote & Connect with Readers

One of the most common ways to connect with readers of spicy romance is through newsletters. It’s a great way for writers to find both romance beta readers and eventually promote their finished books for sale. Many newsletters target in on specific subgenres, character types and tropes, and content that’s close to their heart, but here are a few ideas where writers of spicy romance novels can start brainstorming for promotion and marketing:  

  • Book retailer newsletters (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, etc.)
  • Book review sites (Goodreads, BookBub, BookSends, etc.)
  • Book subscription services (Book of the Month, Romance Reveal Book Box, etc.) 
  • Blogs for romance, spicy romance, or erotica books/writing.
  • Social media groups (Facebook, IG hashtags, BookTok, etc.)
  • Forums such as Reddit r/RomanceBooks

By becoming a subscriber to a few newsletters or forums for the genre in which you write, you become familiar with the expectations, including the spice levels and standard ratings, for your spicy romance novels.

Writers of Spicy Romance Novels: Do Your Research

Among all the advice out there on how to write a solid romance novel, tips about incorporating spice are in no short supply. If there were a universal rating system, it would certainly be easier for writers, but since there is not, it is worth the time for a writer working to establish themselves or better target their readership in the romance genre to review several sources of reader feedback about spice levels. 

There’s a reader out there for every book! Don’t feel like you have to force your book to become too spicy if you don’t want it to be, but if you want to turn up the heat, just connect to readers who are looking for that level of burn, and your spicy romance novels and readers will enjoy the perfect match-up.  

Ready to talk to a romance novel editor?

Contact SRD Editing Services

Erotica, Romance, & Spicy Romance Novels Edited by SRD Editing Services

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ANNOUNCING: SRD Editing Services Scheduled to Attend “Read It, Write It” Festival, June 2024

Event promotional graphic including a stack of books and green text on a white background that reads: "Read It, Write It" Book and Writing Festival. Saturday June 15, 2024, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Mall at Wellington Green, Wellington, Florida.

SRD Editing Services is excited to announce our confirmed attendance to the “Read It, Write It” festival in Wellington, Florida, in June 2024!

Event promotional graphic including a stack of books and green text on a white background that reads: "Read It, Write It" Book and Writing Festival. Saturday June 15, 2024, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Mall at Wellington Green, Wellington, Florida.

The second “Read It, Write It” festival will be free to the public and include a number of exciting authorship events, including:

  • Author talks, book signings & meet-and-greets with renowned authors.

  • Writing workshops to hone your skills, led by experienced writers and industry experts. From storytelling to poetry, there will be something for everyone.

  • Book fair to explore a range of publications from local and national authors. 

  • Panel discussions to engage in meaningful conversations about literature, publishing, and the power of storytelling in society.

  • Literary open mic to enjoy shared writing and enjoy the creativity of fellow attendees.

  • Connection with Palm Beach County Library and other sponsors, literacy organizations, and writing groups to discover opportunities to nurture your passion for books and writing.

Currently, Cortni Merritt, editor-in-chief at SRD Editing Services, is scheduled to have a table from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is collecting books from authors she has worked with to feature, along with other freebies and giveaways, including a raffle with terrific prizes. As of this writing, SRD Editing Services is scheduled to be the only business at the event offering professional editing services.

Mark your calendar for June 15, at the Mall at Wellington Green to stop by and see Cortni in person!

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Planners Vs. Pantsers: Tips for New Writers on Navigating Your Writing Journey

An AI image of a woman's back. She is wearing blue shirt and khaki pants and facing an explosion of colors, clocks, and perhaps scraps of paper. Symbolizes how pantsers approach the creative writing process by prioritizing spontaneity and creativity.

Writing is a unique journey, and every writer has their own style. Some meticulously plan every detail, while others embrace spontaneity and write “by the seat of their pants.” As an editor who has worked with both types, I’ve come to appreciate the strengths and challenges each style includes. In this blog, we’ll explore the worlds of planners and pantsers, providing valuable tips for new writers on self-publishing and the various stages of editing a book.

Planning Your Path: Crafting a Literary Blueprint

The Planner's Playground

A notebook and pen with crumpled pieces of paper on a wood desk; symbolize the planning type of writer in discussion of tips for new writersPlanners, or “architects,” are writers who thrive on structure. Here are some tips for new writers who want to take this meticulous approach:

1. Develop a Detailed Outline

For planners, the key lies in crafting a comprehensive outline as a crucial stage. Break down your story into chapters, noting character developments, key events, and thematic elements. This roadmap will guide you through the writing process, minimizing the risk of getting lost in the narrative wilderness.

2. Explore Character Motivations

While planning is your strength, be wary of falling into the trap of a too-rigid structure. Take time to delve into your characters’ motivations. Understanding their desires, fears, and conflicts adds depth, preventing characters from feeling flat or lifeless.

3. Avoid Rushing Things

Planners may be tempted to rush through scenes because we know the outcome. Be mindful of pacing during these drafting stages. Don’t sacrifice tension. Ensure each scene serves a purpose and contributes to the narrative arc. During later stages of editing a book, you can trim or add as necessary.

Learning from Pantsers: Valuable Tips for Planners

While planners excel at creating structure, there’s much to learn from the spontaneity of pantsers. As a dedicated planner, I often work with pantsers who remind me of the magic of spontaneous creativity. During brainstorming or creativity sessions, often unplanned ideas emerge and transform the entire plot. These revelations can result in some of the best elements of a finished story. You’ve got to allow space for the unexpected.

Embracing Spontaneity: Tips for New Writers Who Write by the Seat of Their Pants

The Pantser's Playground

An AI image of a woman's back. She is wearing blue shirt and khaki pants and facing an explosion of colors, clocks, and perhaps scraps of paper. Symbolizes how pantsers approach the creative writing process by prioritizing spontaneity and creativity. Pantsers, or “gardeners,” revel in the thrill of uncertainty. Here are some tips for new writers who find that this spontaneous approach works best for them:

1. Start with a Seed

For pantsers, begin with a single starting point – a character, an image, or a theme.This starting point can give you something to help your imagination run wild. Enjoy freedom from the constraints of a detailed plan, but give yourself a starting point as a seed from which your story can grow organically.

2. Embrace Plot Holes

Pantsers may find themselves overlooking plot holes, assuming that the narrative threads will magically tie together later. While spontaneity is your strength, be open to revisiting and filling in those gaps during later stages of editing a book. Your story should make sense to readers who don’t have the privilege of seeing everything in your head.

3. Balance Creativity with Structure

While celebrating your spontaneity, be mindful not to veer into overly indulgent or “purple” prose (or be prepared to edit it closely later especially if you’re self-publishing). Every reader craves a sense of overall story structure. Your narrative should be coherent and provide readers with a clear, engaging journey through your creative landscape.

Learning from Planners: Valuable Tips for Pantsers

Pantsers may be tempted to rush to put down all their thoughts, no matter where it leads the reader because they are enjoying the journey their characters take them on. Be mindful of losing your readers and having them drop out of the story because they couldn’t follow along. Don’t sacrifice clarity or cohesion. Make sure your wild ride still follows the standard “hero’s journey” or demonstrates a clear character arc by at least leading the reader to an end that makes sense based on the beginning. 

Still got questions? Check out this video from Jenna Moreci with tips for new writers, “10 Best Tips for Plotting Your Novel.” 

Image shows black text on white background of a 3x3 table explaining different types of planner and pantser writers. Can be helpful in self-publishing and different stages of editing a book.

The Editor's Role in Different Stages of Editing a Book

Whether you meticulously plan or live the pantser life, both approaches benefit from a skilled editor’s touch and multiple stages of editing a book. One of my top tips for new writers is: Do NOT try to do all the editing at once. You will miss so many things. 

As an editor, especially for self-publishing authors, my role is to enhance the manuscript while simultaneously respecting the writer’s unique style. Here’s how I navigate the challenges for both planners and pantsers during editing:

Guiding Planners through Editing a Book

  • Addressing Rigid Structure: I guide planners to help balance their detailed plans with spontaneity. It’s important to encourage flexibility within their detailed (and sometimes very thorough) plan, which allows for authentic character development.
  • Tackling Rushed Pacing: For planners prone to rushing through scenes during the drafting of their book, I focus on pinpointing areas where slowing down can heighten tension and emotional impact. Could the scene use more description? More emotion? More dialogue. Identifying and addressing these types of gaps ensures a more satisfying reading experience.

Supporting Pantsers when Editing a Book

  • Filling Plot Holes: Pantsers may overlook plot holes or assume readers will connect the dots, but sometimes the manuscript benefits from a bit more obvious storytelling devices. My role is to gently guide the pantsers who resist structre and help them identify and fill in gaps so the reader sees how each scene logically builds from the previous one.
  • Maintaining Coherence: While celebrating spontaneous and quirky action, sometimes this takes the whole plot in a totally unintended direction. Often, writers realize this and try to steer it back to its original direction, but they sometimes need help maintaining coherence. A cohesive structure doesn’t mean sacrificing creativity; it ensures readers can navigate the narrative landscape without feeling lost.

Developmental Editing & Beta Feedback during Self-Publishing for Planners & Pantsers

Regardless of your writing style, the journey is incomplete without multiple rounds of editing, which can include developmental editing, beta reader feedback, and separate steps for line editing and proofreading, especially when self-publishing. Among the best editing tips for new writers – planners and pantsers alike – is that they can benefit from these crucial steps:

Embracing Developmental Editing when Self-Publishing

  • Strengthening Weaknesses: Developmental editing focuses on enhancing a manuscript’s strengths and addressing weaknesses. Whether it’s refining a detailed plan or filling in gaps left by spontaneity, this stage of editing a book is about refining your unique voice and making sure your message or story is clearly communicated.
  • Gaining External Perspective: A skilled editor provides an external point of view, identifying elements that might be unclear or inconsistent to a reader who can’t see inside the writer’s mind. A fresh set of eyes ensures your unique story resonates with a broader audience.

Tips for New Writers to Harness Beta Reader Feedback when Self-Publishing

  • Diverse Perspectives: Beta readers should be among your target audience. They can help highlight what works, what resonates, and where they felt disconnected from the text or confused by the story. Their feedback is invaluable in shaping your story so that appeals to your target readership.
  • Testing Emotional Impact: Beta readers help gauge the emotional impact of your story, an essential consideration for self-publishing and something you can absolutely tweak during the stages of editing a book. Do they feel connected to the characters? Are your plot twists effective?  Your beta readers’ responses guide you in fine-tuning your manuscript for maximum reader engagement.

Planning or Pantsing Your Writing Can Make for an Awesome Journey

Whether you meticulously plan every detail or let the words flow organically, your writing journey is a personal and evolving experience. Embrace your unique style, recognizing the strengths it brings to your storytelling.

As you embark on this creative adventure, remember that both planners and pantsers can learn from each other and there’s room for both in the traditional and self-publishing worlds. The careful architect can infuse spontaneity into their writing, while the adventurous gardener can benefit from the structure that ensures a satisfying reader experience. And both can address issues of structure or plot development in the stages of editing a book. 

Ultimately, every tips for new writers list should emphasize how the magic happens in the balance – a harmonious dance between planning and spontaneity. As you refine your craft, celebrate your individuality, and let the words guide you on your journey to becoming a seasoned and versatile writer, you’ll find the special mix that is just right for you.

Explore the Stages of Editing a Book with SRD Editing Services

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Tips for Science Fiction Writers: The Importance of Technology in Worldbuilding

Fictional space craft flying through a planet's atmosphere with exploding moons or meteors on the horizon. Red/black color scheme. Demonstrates technology tips for science fiction writers.

All aspiring science fiction writers want their speculative fiction to take their readers on a journey. In the dynamic world of storytelling, the role of technology extends far beyond mere gadgets and gizmos. “Technology” can mean many things. Especially depending on context. As a sci-fi series editor, it helps to understand the multifaceted importance of technology in literature, ranging from grounding characters in their surroundings to crafting futuristic worlds in imaginative narratives. In today’s blog, let’s focus on the beating heart of many futuristic narratives: technology, unraveling the layers and discovering how technology plays a crucial importance in storytelling when writing a sci-fi novel.

Featured image in header available from Enrique on Pixabay. 

Embrace Futuristic Concepts

Science fiction, at its core, thrives on imagination. The very essence of the genre lies in pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. The most imaginative writing tips encourage you to liberate your mind from the constraints of current technology and let your imagination soar. Embrace futuristic concepts that challenge the norm and redefine the technological landscape of your narrative.

Consider the groundbreaking work of writers like Isaac Asimov and Octavia Butler, who dared to dream beyond the limits of their time. Your ability to envision and describe advanced technologies is a key ingredient in crafting a truly immersive sci-fi experience for your readers.

Build Consistent Technological Systems

While the allure of the fantastical is undeniable, when writing a sci-fi novel, you must maintain consistency in your technological systems. This keeps your readers engaged. Establishing rules and limitations for your invented technologies adds depth and believability to your fictional world. The coherence allows readers to suspend disbelief and fully invest in the universe you created.

Think of your technological framework as the backbone of your narrative. Ensure that it aligns with the rules you’ve set and remains logical throughout the story. In addition to crafting an outline to help you know how the story will develop, you might also create a glossary or keep notes on how the technological elements function in your fictional universe. Whether it’s interstellar travel, artificial intelligence, or bioengineering, a consistent technological foundation will enhance the overall authenticity of your sci-fi world.

Science Fiction Writers Must Explore Ethical and Social Implications

As you craft your technological marvels, don’t forget the human element. Consider how these advancements impact the society and individuals within your fictional world. Ethical dilemmas and societal changes may arise from the introduction of groundbreaking technologies, and readers of sci-fi are generally here for it. Don’t disappoint! 

Among my favorite imaginative writing tips is the advice to explore the intersection of technology and humanity, like some of the most memorable sci-fi stories. Philip K. Dick’s classic “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” seamlessly weaves ethical questions into a narrative about artificial intelligence and what it means to be human. Integrating such considerations will elevate your storytelling and provoke thought in readers of all ages and backgrounds.

The Best Science Fiction Writers Blend Technology with Human Elements

One pitfall of many science fiction writers is the tendency to focus solely on their world’s technological aspects and neglect the human experience. To create a truly impactful narrative, it’s essential to blend technology with the emotions, struggles, and relationships of your characters.

Consider how your characters interact with and react to the advanced technologies of their world. Use technology as a tool for character development, exploring how it shapes their beliefs, motivations, and personal growth. This integration not only adds depth to your characters but also makes your futuristic world relatable and emotionally resonant.

Research Real-world Tech Trends

One of the less imaginative writing tips but one that can’t be overstated: You must research, research, research when writing a sci-fi novel. Your narrative may exist in the realm of imagination, but grounding your story in real-world tech trends provides a solid, familiar foundation for readers to relate to. Stay informed about advancements in science and tech, and use this knowledge to inspire and inform your storytelling.

Imagine the impact of self-driving cars, genetic engineering, or virtual reality on your sci-fi world and your characters. By incorporating elements inspired by real-world trends, you not only infuse authenticity into your writing but also offer readers a glimpse into the potential future based on our current trajectory.

Avoid Technological Overload

In the pursuit of creating a technologically rich narrative, this experienced series editor advises that you learn to strike a balance. Avoid overwhelming your readers with excessive technological details that might distract from the main storyline. Instead, focus on seamlessly integrating technology into the narrative, using it as a means to advance the plot rather than overshadow it.

Consider the pacing of your story—reveal technological details gradually, allowing readers to acclimate to the futuristic world you’ve crafted. A well-balanced approach ensures that your narrative remains engaging, with technology serving as a complement rather than a distraction.

Last Tip for Science Fiction Writers: Embrace the Journey

In the vast universe of science fiction writing, technology serves as a powerful vehicle for exploration and discovery. Aspiring science fiction writers, I encourage you to embrace the limitless possibilities that technology offers in crafting your narratives. From futuristic concepts to consistent technological systems, ethical considerations, and the integration of human elements, each element plays a crucial role in shaping a compelling sci-fi story.

Remember, the journey when writing a sci-fi novel is both personal and communal. Take risks, experiment, and explore the uncharted territories of your imagination. As you navigate the cosmos of your narrative, let technology be your guiding star, illuminating the path toward a captivating and thought-provoking story.

Happy writing, science fiction writers, and may your imagination soar beyond the stars!

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Cost to Self-Publish a Book

Graphic design image of hands exchanging ebook for money; symbolizes the cost of self-publishing a book

What Does it Cost to Self-Publish a Book?

 As an editor with more than ten years of experience, I can’t tell you how many times writers have asked me, “What does it cost to self-publish a book?” Although it seems like a straightforward enough question, the simplest answer is “It varies,” but writers are seldom satisfied with that. 

You will find a range of numbers online or hear stories from other writers of what they paid. Or, stories of what they didn’t pay for and regretted not having done professionally. 

The reality is that it depends on so many factors and individual decisions, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. The biggest factor and what the cost to publish a book really comes down to is this: How much of the work do you want to do yourself, and how much of the work will you hire out to separate professionals or purchase a package from a service? 

I don’t think I can answer every single question about the cost of self-publishing in a single blog, but for what it’s worth, I will try to provide some basic information to give you the food for thought that will help you in your publishing journey.

How to Calculate Your Cost of Self-Publishing

Let’s go through some of the common steps of the publishing process and look at how that relates to the cost to publish a book. You can learn how to execute any of these steps in the process and save a line item in your self-publishing budget, but based on your time, resources, or prior knowledge or experience, it might make sense to hire professionals for some services and take on others yourself. In hiring professionals to fill in your own gaps in knowledge or expertise, you can greatly reduce your cost to self-publish a book. 

The publication process can include:

To save money upfront, you can certainly take on any of these steps yourself. As in any startup business, the self-published author has to wear several hats and perform many duties. Of course, for the most professional final product or the greatest return on your investment, hiring professionals for some parts of the process may be the right decision.

When Prioritizing Costs of Self-Publishing…

Now, I can’t advise you how to spend your own money. Obviously, you have worked hard on your manuscript, and as an editor and book lover, I think your manuscript deserves the best that you can give it when being launched.

My main piece of advice is: Think through everything. 

Every decision you make can affect your cost to self-publish a book, especially how much you pay out of pocket. 

During the writing process, many authors continue to see their book as their baby. They have such an emotional attachment to it. At this point, it’s time to switch over and begin to see your book as a product. You have to sell it. Which means you have to begin to think like a business person and not like a protective parent. 

Don’t learn by trial and error or get halfway into a step in the process and refuse to pivot when a challenge arises. Make decisions and a plan based on the best information you can find, then remain a little flexible for the journey. Having a plan at the onset can save you time and frustration and reduce your cost to publish a book. 

And, if you can build a 10% cushion into your budget to deal with unexpected expenses, do it.

"Shop Your Comps" (Competitors/Comparable Products)

Book cover with black and white image of books on a bookcase with yellow text "Sell books"

One of the first things I learned in sales more than twenty years ago is to always “shop your comps.” Now, “comps” might be short for “competitors/competition” or “comparables,” depending on who you’re speaking with. When evaluating your costs of self-publishing, you may even have to consider that you have different comps in different formats (i.e., ebooks may have different comps than printed books, even in the same genres). 

Although I know you’re likely thinking in terms of ebooks published to Amazon KDP and other platforms, consider this when thinking about your book’s comps: 

If you walked into a literal bookstore and found your book on the shelf, what would you expect to find next to it? 

If your book is a historical romance set in 1860s London with a feminist female lead character…then you should shop for other historical romances set in the 1860s (hopefully in London), with feminist female lead characters. If your book is a memoir that describes your rags-to-riches success story, your comps are other memoirs that detail the same kind of success story, perhaps even from someone with a similar background to yours. 

It may seem like a strange way to shop or a strange step to take when considering the cost to self-publish a book, but this is how your readers are finding books. If they leave a review or show interest in a particular book, the algorithm on Amazon will show them more products that are similar to ones they’ve already liked. Readers also tend to browse by categories and genres of books they already know they like, so if yours stands out “next to others on the shelf” (literally or metaphorically), your book has a better chance to sell. 

So, go to Amazon and search through the categories and genres in which you plan to publish. Don’t look just at the big-name bestsellers you’ve heard of before, but filter your search results to see the best-reviewed books, most recently released books, and books recommended based on others you’ve read or know.

Your book should “look” as much like the competition as possible. Take note of the cover artwork and interior design and formatting (if you can get a sneak peek into the book). Take a look at the back cover or online description and author bio.

Apply a critical researcher’s eye. What do you see? 

Is it common to see clean copy in the book descriptions or do you notice typos and errors? Do the covers look similar? Can you tell which covers are professionally designed and which are more likely done by an amateur? Are a lot of your comps published in multiple formats (ebook, audiobook, paperback, hardcover, etc.), or is it pretty common to see others in your category exclusively in one format? What do the reviews look like? What are some readers’ biggest points of praise and complaint? 

 Then in big-picture terms, start applying these ideas to your thoughts on budget and cost of self-publishing. Addressing or thinking ahead about the following can help you reduce some of those costs or get the most value out of what you pay: 

  • What would make your book more appealing than theirs? 
  • How would yours stand out as different? 
  • Could you add a subtitle? (are subtitles common in your genre?) 
  • How can you craft your online description/back cover copy to both fit in and stand out among your comps? 
  • Would a blurb from another author in your genre be helpful or welcome or do the readers in your genre steer clear of that kind of promotion?

Remember, these books are your competition. Readers might scroll past one of these books and land on yours. What is going to make them click to “Read More”? And then, what is yours going to do differently to make them put it in their cart or on their TBR list?

While the cost to publish a book is the main focus during these recon missions, this information-gathering will be helpful in every step of the publishing process, and by doing this at the beginning, you can save yourself valuable time and avoid common errors or holdups that other authors run into.

Keep Track!

Take notes. Keep a list of resources, videos, links, articles, and advice that answers your questions or provides useful tips. Use bookmarking in your web browser and other apps to keep track of your own resources for info on the cost of self-publishing.

Whatever your process is, take notes, and once you’ve eliminated an option as no longer being right for you, strike through it, but don’t delete it. It’s then easier to see what options you’ve evaluated and rejected so when someone recommends it to you again, you won’t think to yourself “Wait, have I looked at that already?”

Editing Costs When Self-Publishing

In the traditional publishing model, the publisher pays the associated editing cost to publish a book. But as a self-published writer, you will have to decide how much editing you would like to do yourself and how much you want to pay someone else for. 

Traditionally published manuscripts typically receive four rounds of editing, at least. Usually, the author’s agent has offered developmental editing and assistance with revising and rewriting before the manuscript is even pitched to a publisher. Then, the publisher may ask for their own round of developmental edits and revisions – including removing or adding characters, rewriting entire scenes or storylines, or completely revising the beginning or ending of a story. 

Then, the manuscript typically goes through a round of line editing followed by a round of copyediting, to remove any word choice errors, reduce repetitive language, and fix grammatical or technical problems. These steps may be repeated. 

Then, after formatting by the graphic designer, the manuscript typically goes through a round of proofreading to ensure that no errors made their way into the publish-ready manuscript (called the “proof”). Once the proofread is complete and corrections are implemented, the book typically goes off to the printer. 

Now, while readers expect self-published books to be as error-free as traditionally published books, all those rounds of editing certainly affect the cost of self-publishing. Paying a fair market rate to each of the editors may be out of budget, which is why many self-published authors choose to improve their self-editing skills and edit their own material, or to skip one or more steps in the process. It’s totally understandable. 

Check out our blog with a Self-editing Checklist for Authors.

Check out our blog on Using Ctrl + H to Self-Edit Your Writing.

On the other hand, that’s often why self-published books are derided as being poor quality compared to traditionally published books. Many readers expect a book to be completely error-free once it reaches their hands; they are accustomed to books that have been put through many rounds of edits. Readers may be especially sensitive to typos, unclear or repetitive sentences; awkward, stilted, or wooden dialogue; unchecked facts; and a number of other inconsistencies and sloppy inaccuracies in self-published materials on Amazon KDP and other platforms. 

Of course, as an editor, I’m biased. I think it’s absolutely worth including the cost of editing in your budget of cost to self-publish a book. I 100% recommend that every book go through *at least* a line edit and a proofread. If possible, these two duties should be performed by different people. A line edit before the formatting layout helps catch errors of clarity or meaning; a proofread after the layout helps catch errors of readability. 

The first cut-off number recommended professionally is 40 errors per 1,000 words. Before you move into the formatting/layout stage, get your manuscript below that number and it’ll be “mostly clean.” For a proofread, you want to keep reviewing it until your error rate is lower than 1 error per 1,000 words. 

Some ways to reduce this cost of self-publishing include beta readers, group workshops or critique swaps, or run your draft through the Editor tool in MS Word, Grammarly, or ChatGPT. The real-life people can help you catch errors in meaning and ideas that would engage the reader, and the technical/AI tools can help you catch technical errors and correct grammatical problems. Doing both of these before handing it off to a professional editor can help reduce your time, frustration, and cost to self-publish the book.

Cost of Self-publishing: Design

Man in grey shirt handing money toward the camera; symbolizes design costs of self-publishingIncluded also in the cost to publish a book are the visual elements,  pictures, graphics, and other details that contribute to the look and presentation of the finished product. Design costs include the creation of art and organizing the layout of both the book’s interior and exterior. This means the book’s front cover, spine, and back cover, as well as a book jacket if you’re publishing a hardcover book. Then of course, the text must be laid out and formatted. 

Design costs will vary depending on the complexity of your book. Again, you might be able to learn to do some or all of this yourself. Some graphic designers offer services to illustrate and create both interior and exterior of the book; others specialize in one or the other. In addition, if you envision your book having multiple images–photos, charts, graphs, maps, or illustrations–there may be additional costs associated with producing, editing, or formatting them. 

And, this is not to get into too much detail about graphic novels, cookbooks, and illustrated kids’ books–anything with specialized fonts or additional graphic work for the text will add to the cost to self-publish that book. If you’re planning to publish an image-heavy book, expect costs that text-heavy books wouldn’t encounter. And of course, whether you’re publishing via Amazon KDP, multiple ebook platforms, or in print can affect your total costs. 

Need a referral for a professional graphic designer? Please ask! SRD Editing Services is happy to provide referrals for professional graphic designers and book cover artists with whom we’ve worked before. 

Some common design-related expenses include:

Front Cover Design

The front cover design is essential for attracting readers, who will expect a professional look that speaks to your book’s genre, themes, and central plot. You can create a cover yourself for free, but I wouldn’t recommend doing so without experience, unless you utilize the templates and tools available from a program such as Book Brush, which is designed for authors who may not have graphic design knowledge. 

If you choose to hire a professional, you can buy a pre-made template or have a design custom-created to your specifications. The cost of this self-publishing step can range from less than a hundred dollars to over a thousand. Typically, as with many creative products, you “get what you pay for,” but you always want to look for a designer with a wide portfolio that includes examples in your book’s specific genre. If you find a designer who offers multiple revisions, that is usually best, as it allows for some trial-and-error to help you get the exact right cover for the book you’ve worked so hard on.

Interior layout

This may be one way, if publishing only an ebook, you can reduce the cost to self-publish a book. Free ebook formatters like those at Reedsy or the open-source software Calibre allow writers with very little design experience to get the job done, with a low-enough learning curve. 

However, if you want a print version of your book, it is more difficult. Or, if you’re concerned about digital rights management (DRM) and keeping your ebook secure (especially on Amazon KDP), you may want to consider if the cost of hiring a professional is worth it. 

Whether you’re publishing in ebook or printed, a book’s interior layout should be polished. For a printed book, this means things like page numbers and running headers and footers in the right places. For an ebook, it means details like creating an auto-formatted table of contents and hyperlinking it to each corresponding chapter. There are also considerations such as adding and finalizing the front and back matter and adjusting page layouts for bleed and trim sizes on printed materials. 

If you are authoring a children’s book, graphic novel, or other printed book where you want to purchase a unique font for publishing, you may have to pay the graphic designer who owns the font copyright for licensing rights to use their font. 

A professional will take care of all these details and more, and this cost of self-publishing will vary from a few hundred dollars to over one thousand, depending on the person’s experience and the scope of work.

Illustrations & Graphics

If your book requires illustrations, charts, graphs, or other graphic elements, you may need to hire an illustrator or graphic designer. There are some free tools to help nonprofessionals, such as Canva or Inkrate, if you’re inclined to try making some imagery yourself. This cost to publish your book will depend on the number and complexity of the visuals. 

Look for free templates or pre-made stock graphics, photographs, and illustrations that are available for commercial use with or without attribution. Always check the licensing rights on any images you’d like to use, as some images may require purchase. 

Ebook Conversion

If you’re publishing both a printed and ebook version of your book, some graphic designers will include an ebook file (.epub) along with your formatted files for printed books. Other designers will charge for a separate conversion of your ebook files. Of course, you can also perform the ebook conversion yourself with free software, although your options may be limited. 

The cost of ebook file conversion ranges from less than one hundred to several hundred dollars, depending on the specifics. SRD Editing Services offers ebook formatting for authors interested in an ebook-only formatting service.

Publishing, Distribution & Promotion Costs to Self-Publish a Book

In traditional publishing, the costs of publishing, distribution, and promotion are largely taken on by the publishing company. The author may have some promotional costs associated with travel or public bookings, but typically they may be eligible for reimbursement either from the publisher or on their taxes. 

The publishing cost to self-publish a book is substantially greater. You take on all of these responsibilities, as well as their associated expenses. Consider the following in your publishing, distribution, and marketing and how they might affect your budget.

ISBNs

Every version of every book needs a different ISBN. That means that when you publish a single title, each format of the book should be assigned its own ISBN: hardback, paperback, ebook, audiobook, and so on. ISBNs should be purchased directly from Bowker, and they can be purchased in bundles of 10 or 100, so if you know you’ll be publishing multiple titles and you’ll want them in various formats, you can buy in bulk. ISBNs never expire and can be saved until whatever publishing date you choose to use them. 

To keep publishing costs down, many authors will release their book first in ebook format only. If you plan to keep your distribution narrow and exclusive to Amazon KDP, Amazon will provide you with a free ISBN. If you plan to “go wide” with your distribution and make your ebook available on multiple distributing platforms/channels, go ahead and purchase an ISBN that’s not Amazon-affiliated.

Copyright Costs

As noted in the design section, if there is a specific copyright-protected font or image that you’d like to use in your published book, you may have to purchase the licensing rights for your commercial product (i.e., your book). Additionally, if you include song lyrics or want to quote large sections of copyrighted material from another author, you may also need permission from the copyright holder to reprint the material. At times, permission may be granted simply by asking and including attribution to the original copyright holder. At other times, republishing rights may have to be purchased. Consider your material and whether those republished sections are vital to the message of your text when evaluating the cost of self-publishing your book.

Print-on-Demand Costs

The great thing about print-on-demand (POD) publishing is that there is no inventory for you (or anyone!) to stock. A book is printed only after a customer clicks “Purchase” and inputs their payment information.

The downside to that model is that there is no discount for “bulk printing,” and overall, each individual book costs more. 

(OK–you can often do a bulk order and print several books at once for a discount; there are exceptions to these general statements, but your consumers will pay more on average than they would if your book was available via a big retailer or traditional publishing distribution channels.) 

Because of most distribution websites’ pricing structures, the author can choose how large of a profit margin they want to allow themselves, essentially deciding how much of the printing cost to self-publish their book they want to pass directly on to the customer. But then, this can affect sales. As your book’s price increases, it’s possible that the sales number will decrease. 

You can keep the cost of printing down by researching the options and implementing a few strategic choices to control costs. The size of your printed book (5×8 vs. 6×9, for example), the type of paper, and the number of photos or illustrations can all affect the price of your book–even more so if they’re color. 

 So if you’re planning to offer a paperback or hardback version of your book, make sure you research your print-on-demand options and what extra steps will be necessary to maximize the value of your self-published book.

Advertising, Marketing, & Promotional Materials

This is–believe it or not–probably the easiest and quickest way to spend money on your book. A sneaky line item in the cost of self-publishing that can balloon far beyond its initial estimate. There are so many companies and individuals out there promising to sell a million copies of your book if you’ll only spend a certain amount on ads, and newsletter plugs, and email marketing, and a book trailer…

White cartoon person pushing down dynamite hooked to orange text "budget" in the background; symbolizes "blowing up" the budget cost of self-publishing

When thinking about what kind of marketing and promotions you want to do for your book, consider how you can repurpose free material already at your disposal. Can you use images you already paid for? Can you make use of free stock video and video editing software? Do you have a friend who is willing to give you word-of-mouth promotion to their wide social media following? Of all the ways to reduce the cost to publish a book, this one deserves your attention and a detailed plan. 

Consider the various ways you can market, advertise, and promote your book for free or very little cost. It’s easy to invest thousands into marketing a book and ending up with no sales to show for it; make sure you have a plan, wisely consider all the factors, and have clear criteria for what determines the moment you’ll “pull the plug” and discontinue a potentially draining and ineffective marketing strategy.

Self-Publishing Services Can Reduce the Cost to Publish a Book

I recommend you look into the self-publishing services companies and see which offers the services you want at the price point that works for you. A full self-publishing services company should handle printing, distribution, and maybe some marketing for you. But marketing services can vary greatly as well. So before you spend a dime, take the time to do the research and craft a plan that lets you minimize your effort and maximize your results once it’s time to publish.

Conclusion: Results > The Cost to Self-Publish a Book

For you, “results” could mean a sense of accomplishment, checking an item off your bucket list, or the thrill of seeing your name on the cover of your very own hard work. No matter what the cost to self-publish a book is, if it’s the right choice for you, you’ll be willing to pay what it costs to bring your dream into the world.

Contact SRD Editing Services

Got more questions for the editor about the cost of self-publishing your book?

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Types of Beta Readers & Sensitivity Readers

Man holding A and B letters symbolizing types of beta readers and deciding between them

Has someone recommended that you look into getting a “beta reader” or  “sensitivity reader”? You may not realize initially, but they are both types of beta readers that focus on different things in your writing.

If you’re wondering what they are and why they’re helpful, the short answer is that they make your book better.

What Is a Beta Reader?

“Beta” might sound like a techy term, and there’s a reason for that.

In the software industry, programmers release “beta” versions of new programs that a select group of users to test the product. You might have heard about a “beta” version of an app. Basically, “beta” means that issues are still being worked out before the product becomes available to the wider public.

Books are no different! In publication, we add the word “reader,” and a “beta reader” means someone who reads an unfinished draft of a writer’s manuscript in order to give general feedback.

Like an advanced screening for a movie or a dress rehearsal for a performance, the beta reader gets the chance to put their professional or honest consumer opinion into the writer’s ear before the process has been completed. The writer can then make their suggested changes if they choose. 

Over time, there have developed two main types of beta readers: those who focus on readability and the reader experience and are typically just known as “beta readers,” and those who focus on issues of cultural or personal sensitivity, typically called “sensitivity readers.” 

What Is a Sensitivity Reader?

A sensitivity reader is a specific type of beta reader that reviews an advanced copy of a book as needed, paying attention to any especially sensitive topics that are touched on.

If your manuscript deals with any potentially triggering topics, a sensitivity reader is a must. Even if you don’t think your book touches a triggering topic, ask your beta readers to keep an eye out for anything that could be considered troublesome. If any of them reports a sensitivity issue, take the next step and hire a sensitivity reader. 

Sensitivity readers often specialize in a particular type of “hot button issue” or topic. For example, a person with a disability may read a book to see if characters with disabilities are being portrayed in a compassionate way. The reader can help the writer avoid any potential backlash or negative reaction because of a problematic portrayal or treatment of a particular character.

Beta readers and sensitivity readers can help with issues of plot, story structure, character believability and arc, and more. Both types of beta readers might be able to spot issues of race, gender, sexuality, ageism, classism, stereotypes, or political biases, all of which are important to consider in the final stages of drafting.

Why Are there Different Types of Beta Readers?

As you already know, publishing a book is a huge collaborative effort. In order to produce the most well put-together product possible, several people will contribute. If many hands make light work in most things, then many eyes make fewer errors in publishing. 

Are Beta Readers and Sensitivity Readers Needed if You're Self-publishing?

Look, I won’t tell you that you “need” both  types of beta readers. But ask yourself this: do you intend to make money with this book?

If so, you should know that it’s common practice to have manuscripts with traditional publishers go through multiple rounds of development with editors, and at least one round of advanced readers. In today’s traditional publishing market, both types of beta readers are becoming more common and crucial. And, like it or not, traditionally published books (and high-quality self-published work) will be your competition if you’re self-publishing.

If you don’t really care if your book makes money, next ask yourself if you’re interested in your book being the best version of itself it can be. If you want it to shine, and you can honestly and openly accept constructive criticism and work with it, then yes. Do the thing!

If you don’t really care about making money or publishing an A+ quality book, then the last question to consider is: do I care if my book offends people?

Chances are, if you don’t care about it being the best version of itself, then most readers will find a reason to quit reading it in the first 10% of your word count. But, if someone does keep reading after that, do you care if it hurts their feelings or offends them or if they find it insensitive? What if they go online and talk trash about it?

If you want to avoid setting somebody off and dealing with the fallout, consider at least one of both types of beta readers at least. Having two or three people who are members of your target audience should tell you enough to raise any urgent red flags. And if there are many red flags, the next step might be to work with a developmental editor.

Got more questions about both types of beta readers?

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Write a First Draft: Tips for Fiction & Nonfiction Books

Closeup hands on laptop keyboard for write first draft tips

You may have heard that there’s no wrong way to write a book. When you make the goal to write, first draft jitters can easily get in the way, and without a plan or solid options for your process, you won’t know what’s right or wrong. 

Many pieces of advice for finishing your book first draft won’t work for you. Some advice will only work some of the time, and some advice may even cramp your style or bring on writer’s block if it’s not right for you. 

Let’s review some of the options to help you write your first draft of a book.

Maybe we should separate fiction and nonfiction. There’s similarities of the two, but distinct genres pose different challenges and require different approaches.

Tips to Write a First Draft of a Nonfiction Book

1. Find a Theme

You need a hook. A central theme. Something interesting and fresh that grabs the reader’s attention. It’s the only way to move them through the details of events to understand the story. Your particular insight should be striking and unique. 

For the first draft of a book, think about what makes your book stand out from others like it. Maybe yours is the first to approach a topic from a specific intersection of identities of race, culture, gender, and age. Maybe yours is like another popular advice guide or self-help narrative out there, except yours is aimed to people in a specific occupation or area of the country. 

Whatever it is that makes your book unlike others, identify and lean in when you write your first draft. It can help when you’re stumped about what to write next. Think: how can I connect this back to my central theme? Then, write to answer that.

2. Gather Information

For a nonfiction book first draft, begin with research using public information available online. For a genre such as memoir or biography, you will need to go beyond online materials, but for the first draft, you can begin with widely known sources. For genres such as self-help, spirituality, or some kind of guidance book, you can use internet sources for basic terminology or general background knowledge on complex topics. 

As you write your first draft, keep track of sources. Depending on the citation style your publisher (or you, if you’re self-publishing) chooses, there can be large variations in citations for books, interviews, websites, videos, etc. And if you want to quote from large sections of other people’s copyrighted materials, you may need to reach out to the publisher for the appropriate permissions to reprint. So keep your notes organized as you write a first draft.

3. Write in any Order

When you write the first draft of a book, start with an outline to at least get going. It doesn’t have to spell out everything, but at least have a beginning, middle, and end plotted out. Some people are “pantsers” and don’t do outlines well. Honor your process but start with something. 

However, no matter how detailed your outline, you don’t have to write it in order. If you’re writing real-life events, no need to start at the beginning and go through each scene chronologically until the end. Write according to what you remember, the scenes you’re most passionate about, the time allotted. Write according to whatever system works best for you but don’t think you have to go from beginning to end. You can skip around until everything is drafted.

Tips to Write Your First Draft of a Fiction Book (Novel)

1. Find a Theme

For a fiction book first draft, focus on characters and plot. Some elements of your characters will be similar to established characters in other books, film, or TV. What makes yours different? Some tropes in your plot will make it similar to existing books that people love. How are you going to implement a twist or be entirely true to that plot device, in support of your story’s central theme? Focus on making your story unique. In later drafts you will hone in on specifics of word choice and details that make your book poetic, literary, or grammatically correct, but when you write your first draft, keep in mind what about these people or their adventures will keep your reader along for the ride.

2. Gather Information

Oh! The rabbit holes you can go down when you write first draft material. Don’t fall into the trap! For your first draft, use brackets and margin comments to mark areas that you can go back to later, especially if you need to research. If you write historical fiction or sci-fi, you may find yourself needing to look up details of complex events, theories, or devices, but keep the writing mindset focused in creative energy. Simply note for yourself where you should research details when the time comes. 

For the first draft of a book, the details matter less. Keep a clear vision of your story and characters and focus on narrative arc. The research to fill in specifics can come later.

3. Write in any Order

One fun way to approach creative fiction writing for your book first draft is to write when the muse speaks to you or when inspiration strikes. Sometimes you can picture a scene perfectly in your mind, and the dialogue just comes to you. Sometimes you hear voiceover or narration for a particularly poignant moment, and you don’t know what has happened to make the character feel like they do, but the words are flowing from your mind to express that disconnected, unprompted feeling. You don’t know where the paragraphs fit into the story, but damn it, you know they are beautiful, and you will fit them in. 

All of that is okay. When you write a first draft, you should put together stories in whatever method works for you. If it’s a bit like a scrap heap that turns into a patchwork quilt, then so be it. The time may come to string those random scenes together to make a story, but for the first draft of a book, you only have to get the random scenes written down.

Conclusion: To Write a First Draft, Be Prepared & Open to Creativity

Don’t be intimidated to write your first draft of a book! It’s a huge achievement, and you’re going to do great. As long as you keep putting down one word after another, you’ll end up with a whole book manuscript before you know it. The key to success is to be prepared with an outline and some basic research, then be open to creativity and your own writing process, as long as you’re keeping the central theme of your book in mind.

SRD Editing Services Book Coaching

Want help to write your first draft? Consider a book coach...

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Book Cover Design for Self-Publishing Authors with Book Brush

One black book and one white book with blank covers leaning against a brick wall. Discussion on book cover design

As a blog for writers and editors that generally focuses on how words are put together in a text, we don’t usually discuss much about book cover design, unless we’re talking about back covers and what goes on them. But today, let’s talk about front cover design.

I recently stumbled on Book Brush, and I have found it to be very useful and user friendly for a new author who is looking for easy-to-use and inexpensive software to help them design their own book covers and make their own social media and other marketing images for book promotion. This is not a paid nor affiliate promotion; I’m just telling y’all about a tool I like that I thought you might also like.

First, Consider Hiring a Professional Book Cover Designer

So, most of the time, I will tell you that hiring a professional is worth it, for a number of reasons. 

I understand why many people will choose to design their own book cover rather than hire a professional. Generally, the biggest concern for a self-published author is budget, and professional graphic designers and book cover design packages aren’t always budget friendly. 

If you have the option to hire a professional, you might consider it for the following reasons and evaluate them based on some of these criteria. If you are going to move forward with designing your own book cover, realize that you, as your own designer, will be held to the same standards as these professionals. Readers will expect a professional-looking cover, no matter whether the book had a huge team putting it together or was a one-person job. 

If you want to hire a professional and you’re working with SRD Editing Services on your manuscript edit, we can recommend several high-quality, experienced, and talented book cover designers. Please just ask!

Reasons to hire a professional book cover designer

  • First Impressions Matter: Your book cover is often the first thing potential readers see. A professional cover makes a positive lasting impression, increasing the likelihood that readers will look closer.
  • Genre Expectations: Professional designers are familiar with genre conventions and understand what visual elements are effective for different types of books. They can create a cover that aligns with the expectations of your target audience. This can contribute to better marketability and reader engagement.
  • Eye-Catching Design: Designers have the skills to create visually appealing and engaging covers that stand out in a crowded market. They know how to use color, typography, and imagery to capture attention and convey the essence of your book.
  • Technical Expertise: Professional designers have the technical expertise to create covers that meet industry standards for resolution, color accuracy, and print quality. This is crucial for both digital and print formats.
  • Saves Time and Frustration: Designing a cover involves various technical and creative aspects. Hiring a professional allows you to focus on writing and other aspects of publishing while ensuring that your cover is in capable hands.

But, if you are up for the challenge, you feel like you might have a little fun with your book cover design, and/or you are looking to save money with a less-expensive option than hiring a professional, BookBrush might be realistic option for you. 

A Little About Book Brush

Book Brush is a platform that provides tools for authors and publishers to create eye-catching graphics and promotional materials for their books. It is designed to help authors with marketing by offering a user-friendly way to create professional-looking images for book covers, social media posts, advertisements, and other promotional materials.

They offer customizable templates, a ton of book-related graphics, and the ability to add text and other elements to create eye-catching book cover designs. The website (no app) aims to simplify the process of creating promotional materials for authors who may not have graphic design expertise.

So sign up for free and check them out! 

What to Consider when Designing a Book Cover

Designing a compelling book cover is crucial for grabbing readers’ attention and conveying your book’s genre, central themes, style, and the experience of reading it. (No pressure though!) 

When designing your own book covers, here are some best practices to keep in mind:

  • Understand Your Genre:
    • Different genres have distinct visual conventions. Research successful book covers in your genre (“Shop your comps”) to understand common design elements and colors.
  • Eye-Catching Typography:
    • Use clear, legible fonts for the title and author name. Ensure the text is large enough to read even in thumbnail size but proportional to the overall imagery on your cover and of the same “mood” as your book’s central themes. Experiment with fonts that match your tone and genre.
  • Balanced Composition:
    • Create a visually balanced book cover design by placing elements strategically. Consider the rule of thirds, where important elements are placed along the intersections of an invisible grid.
  • High-Quality Imagery:
    • Use high-resolution images to maintain quality, especially for print covers. Images should be relevant to the book’s content and convey the mood or theme effectively. See below for more about stock images, but whenever possible, try to use unique images that you created yourself or that you have permission from the artist to use.
  • Color Palette:
    • Choose a color palette that reflects your book’s mood and genre. Consider color psychology to evoke specific emotions. Ensure the colors are visually appealing and work well together.
  • Readable at Thumbnail Size:
    • Many readers discover books online, so your cover should be recognizable and readable even in small-size images. Test your design by reducing it to thumbnail size to ensure it remains effective.
  • Test with Your Target Audience:
    • Before finalizing a cover, gather feedback from your target audience. You can use social media, author forums, or beta readers to get opinions on different design options.

Remember that a book cover is a powerful marketing tool, and investing time and effort into its design is an essential part of the overall book publishing process.

Want to read more about fonts?

Check out these two articles to learn more about what fonts are recommended for different book genres, both for book cover design and for the interior text. 

Best Fonts for Your Self-Published Book

Best Fonts for Books: The Only 5 Fonts You’ll Ever Need

Book Cover Design Tip: Use Stock Photos with the Right License

Without getting into too much detail about copyright law and intellectual property rights, (go research it for yourself), it is important to say that if you’ll be using artwork for your book cover, it should either be artwork that you created yourself (including a photo you took yourself), or an image that you have permission from the artist, photographer, etc. to use. 

If you don’t have a picture to use for your book cover design, you can’t just do an online search and download/screenshot whatever image you’d like to use and then cut-and-paste it into place. That’s in violation of the law. Instead, you can check for stock photos or artwork of the image you’d like to use. If the licensing rights include commercial publishing, you can use it for the cover of your book without having to seek additional permissions. Some images you might have to pay to obtain the licensing, and others you might be able to download for free. Some you can use “with attribution,” meaning you have to name the artist for the cover image on the copyright page or other public places. 

Here, I have put together a list of some platforms that I have personally used where you can find stock images for your book cover design and other marketing needs:

  • Pixabay: Pixabay provides a wide range of free images, vectors, and illustrations. It’s important to check the licensing terms for each image, as not all content is free for commercial use without attribution.
  • Pexels: Pexels is another platform that offers high-quality, free stock photos for commercial use. It’s important to review the licensing details for each image.
  • Adobe Stock: Adobe Stock is a premium stock photo service with a vast collection of high-quality images. While some images are free, many require a purchase or subscription. Make sure to review the licensing options.
  • Shutterstock: Shutterstock is a popular stock photo site with a vast selection of images. It is a paid platform, and you need to purchase a license for each image you use.
  • iStock: iStock is another paid stock photo site owned by Getty Images. It offers a variety of high-quality images, illustrations, and videos for purchase.
  • Depositphotos: Depositphotos provides a range of stock photos, vectors, and videos. It operates on a credit-based system, where you purchase credits to download images.

In fact–spoiler–I may use one or more of these for the images for my blog. Although some images are my own or I have permission, a lot of them are stock images. 

When it comes to using images or other content that you personally do not own, it never hurts to speak with legal counsel and seek professional advice on copyright law, intellectual property rights and protections, and licensing specifics. 

Easy Book Cover Design Software: Book Brush

Logo for Book Brush, a cloud-based book cover design software
Book Brush: Cloud-based, easy-to-use book cover design & marketing software

So I’m no graphic designer. But I have had to learn how to do some basic work in graphic design programs. Designing your own book cover is no joke. For some people who are visual artists and who pick up computer interfacing quickly, graphic design may come naturally and be a piece of cake. For me, I was glad when I found Book Brush and could actually use their tool in an easy and intuitive way. 

The templates help with shortcutting to genre specifications and expectations, and the user-friendly tools make things like font choice and placement (and color specs) simple and straightforward. 

And the price is right too. For less than what you would pay a professional book cover designer for a single project, you get a package with Book Brush that allows you to create and publish multiple covers. Overall, I think this is an excellent publishing tool that self-publishing authors should invest in if it’s the right choice for them and their publishing journey. 

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Books and Publishing Discussion: Should Books Include a Credits Page?

Blue sign against brown wall reads "Cinema" used to highlight the similarity between credits at the movies and books and publishing credits pages.

I read an article recently that got me thinking about changes to the standards in books and publishing. We’re all familiar with the “credits” that run after audio-video productions (TV shows and movies), but what if books had a “credits page” in a similar fashion? Avid Press, says Publishers Lunch, is making a credits page standard in their book template. 

The credits page at Avid Press will name workers across a number of departments including editorial, marketing, production, artwork, and more, as well as thank the “hundreds of professionals in the Simon & Schuster audio, ebook, finance, human resources, legal, operations, sales, supply chain, subsidiary rights, and warehouse departments whose invaluable support and expertise benefit every one of our titles.”

This step by Avid Press is commendable. As readers, we often don’t recognize the contributions of all the professionals in the traditional publishing process. This move aligns with the practice of acknowledging the collaborative effort behind a book’s publication, and allows readers to familiarize themselves with the specific names of editors, graphic artists, and other industry professionals whose work they admire, even if they weren’t initially aware.

While authors may sometimes include acknowledgements in their book content, they typically recognize the editors and beta readers whose names they knew and can remember, alongside mentors, family members, and friends. Acknowledgments are still important in that they allow the author to thank these individuals for their support, feedback, and assistance.

On the copyright page, sometimes, the publisher will include information about the cover art, lead editor, photographer, illustrator, or another high-ranking contributors to the book and its publishing process, but this is not standard across the industry and is typically mostly concerned with, of course, copyright protection rather than credit for excellent work done. 

However, a full credits page (or two) would help support and empower all the industry professionals who work “behind the scenes.” Including this in books and publishing the names of technical and support staff provides more transparency and a more thorough accounting of every step of the process for the publisher as well as the professionals.

Positives to this Change in Books and Publishing Standard

Recognition.

One of the primary reasons to include credits in a book is to express gratitude and recognition to the individuals who have contributed to the creation and success of the book. Industry experts currently don’t have a lot of options to showcase or portfolio their work, or it can be cumbersome, or they may be under contract not to reveal their role in the production. 

Since we’re looking at credit pages as similar to a credit reel at the end of a TV or film production, let’s consider the parallel that these credit pages may begin a database for publishing professionals similar to the IMDB listings for all film industry cast and crew members. Currently, if an editor is listed on the cover of a book, Goodreads will allow the professional to tag themselves as “Editor” on that title, but there is no standardized system for books and publishing industry pros who brought them to life.

Professional collaboration.

Even the team members who work together on various projects may not be aware of their overlapping expertise or experience. Someone’s talent may only get around a limited circle due to old-fashioned word of mouth. In today’s world of freelance work, short-term contracts, and various mergers and acquisitions in the publishing industry, professionals may have difficulty networking or navigating with other industry professionals over time. Including a credits page in books, and publishing the details of teams of professionals, would assist editors, graphic designers, audiobook professionals, and more to admire each other’s work, promote projects done by teams they know and trust, and collaborate with other skilled and credited individuals to produce the best books possible.

Reader connection.

In much the same way that team members aren’t able to track the success and movements of their collaborators, readers have nearly zero knowledge of who worked on their favorite books. But, much like movie fans can sometimes target their fandom to a particular professional like a stunt coordinator, costume designer, or sound effects team, book fans may want the same opportunity to follow, like, and subscribe to their favorite book editors, cover artwork designers, and marketing teams who really knock the promotion out of the park (ehrm, off the shelf?) …

Especially in a world of increasing self-publishing, readers may appreciate being able to visit an online profile of one of their favorite book publishing professions, which is linked to other projects in the professional’s portfolio, and thereby discover new and exciting books (and publishing connections) to explore.

Potential Drawbacks to this Change in Books and Publishing Standard

Clutter.

Adding pages to the book’s front matter creates “clutter” that readers must skip past to get to the main section of the book. Adding pages to the book’s back matter means they may never be seen by most readers (although, arguably, the way that credits are often not seen by moviewatchers either). Adding any bulk/pages to the book can also increase the weight or cost.

Traditional and individual books and publishing professionals might consider adding only a single page to the book itself, with a short listing of lead positions on the book’s publishing journey and a QR code or URL link where the reader can find a complete credits listing. If the publisher decides to include the full listing in the book, it should be well-formatted and constructed to maintain the book’s aesthetic. 

Inclusion & Hierarchy

During the publishing process, errors inevitably occur. A traditional publisher may incorrectly omit or miscredit individuals on their team. There is also the order of crediting different positions to consider, and whatever hierarchy is determined, it’s likely that someone will be unhappy with the result. These hurt feelings can lead to potential legal troubles if someone feels their work was not appropriately or adequately recognized. 

In the case of a self-published author of books and publishing a credits page, the self-publishing author may be dissatisfied with the work of one of the professionals and unhappy about promoting them within their finished book. And because the self-publishing author is doing much of the work themselves, including a credits page may be an extra step that seems unnecessary.

Privacy.

In both traditional and self-publishing, the idea of a credits page brings up questions about privacy, disclosures, confidentiality, and consent. In the case of traditional publishing, not all contributors may want public acknowledgment (for whatever reason), and this change is standard could be detrimental to their privacy. Especially if they’ve performed a role such as a sensitivity reader, they may not want to make themselves a target of readers who don’t like how a certain book turned out. In the case of a self-publishing author, especially one who is using a pen name, the credits page may be advisable only on a case-by-case basis.

A Template for Self-Published Books and Publishing Professionals

Personally, I hope other traditional publishers and more self-publishing authors will adopt this practice. Including the credits of publishing contributors for the book in the book offers a promising vision for the future of books and publishing. It’s a move that can elevate the industry and highlight the often-overlooked contributions of many professionals in the book creation, production, sales, and marketing processes.

 

Because this is a new and ongoing discussion, I’d love to hear what you think! If there was a template for a credit page that you could use for your self-published books and publishing projects, would you use it? 

 

Leave a comment below with your thoughts!!

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How to Write a Back Cover Blurb & Online Book Description

Hand selecting book from a shelf; how to write a back cover blurb

Wondering how to write a back cover blurb for your book? Especially if you’re venturing into self-publishing, this can be a sticky and even controversial topic. You are not alone as a self-published writer wondering what makes the best back cover copy for your book. Self-published authors grapple with this every day, working to create an enticing summary that compels readers to open their book and dive in. Today let’s discuss some of the key elements that make your back cover blurb the best it can be, regardless what genre you’re publishing.

Back Cover is Both Sales Pitch and Art

Essentially, the back cover of your book is a teaser that provides readers with a summary of the main plot points that set the story in motion, while giving your reader a sense of the theme at the heart of the story, and without giving away too much that the reader feels disappointed if there is no more to the book than what is included on the back cover. No big deal, right?

Your back cover is also a sales tool, as it often pitches the story to a potential reader before they have any other exposure to it. It should intrigue potential readers, making them eager to discover what lies within. A well-crafted blurb may also feature a brief endorsement from a fellow author, ideally someone well-known in your genre who can vouch for your writing prowess and the merits of your work. But a lot of readers become disengaged if the back cover is nothing but endorsements and blurbs, so make sure that if you include an endorsement, it’s a real doozy.

How to Write a Back Cover Blurb: The Structure

Typically, there is a common approach in how to write a back cover blurb to address the main questions readers have without violating space constraints. Most professionals divide the back cover of a book into a structure of four paragraphs. The opening paragraph addresses the central questions of your story: What does your main character desire, and what obstacles stand in their way? If you can distill these key elements into just a few sentences, you’re on the right track.

In the second and third paragraphs of your back cover blurb, you should also touch on the main themes of your book and offer hints about your target audience. Tell your readers: Who will love this book? Some authors mention comparable titles, while others incorporate keywords, major themes, and symbols that readers can infer from language choices.

Throughout the back cover blurb, keep readers guessing by offering them something “the same but different” as you nod to the familiar while presenting something fresh and exciting. You want your book to feel both comforting, like a cozy visit to their favorite place, and adventurous, like an exploration of uncharted territory.

If Including an Author Bio

For your author bio, keep it concise. Limit it to two sentences, sharing your background, what you’re known for, and your current achievements. If this is your debut novel, mention that specifically. If readers want to learn more about you, they can easily find additional information via a quick online search or by visiting your website.

What About the Online Book Description?

Now, let’s talk about online book descriptions, which is a bit different from how to write a back cover blurb but a lot of the same principles apply. So the thing about physical book descriptions is that they take up real space on a real object, and they have to fit within standard limitations in order to be palatable to real readers. Unlike physical book covers with space limitations, online bookstores allow more flexibility with description length, but you must make sure to strike a balance.

So in your online book description, you can go a little wild. Within reason.

While you can provide more information online, avoid giving away the entire plot or revealing the ending before readers make their purchase. Don’t give away the whole book for free. You don’t want your online description to become too wordy. Keep it to the point and engaging, so readers will be enticed to hear everything you have to say.

Tips for Clickable Online Book Descriptions

Today’s tips for online book descriptions that maximize click-worthiness:

  1. Summarize what readers will gain from your book: Begin with a compelling “In this book, you’ll learn…” statement.
  2. If your book is part of a series, dedicate a few sentences to providing context and building anticipation for readers by discussing previous and upcoming plot points.
  3. Consider adding content warnings and comparisons like “Perfect for readers of…” to help readers identify if your book aligns with their interests or preferences. Highlight aspects such as female-led groups of characters, LGBTQ themes, or neurodivergent representation to attract your target audience effectively.

How to Write a Back Cover Blurb: Take the Time to Get it Right

By mastering the art of crafting back cover blurbs and online book descriptions, you can engage potential readers and entice them to embark on a literary journey within the pages of your book. Some writers love polishing their back cover copy and online book descriptions, but if you’re not sure how to write a back cover blurb, consider workshopping it with other writers or seeking professional advice. It’s such an essential part of your marketing package and sales tools that it’s worth the time it takes to get it to Goldilocks-perfection: Just right.

Ready to speak with an editor about your back cover blurb and online description?

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Writers Talking Writing: TV Writer Shonda Rhimes’s Tips to Lay Track

Cover of book by TV writer Shonda Rhimes titled "Year of Yes"

Lessons on Life from a TV Writer

Earlier this year, I listened to the audiobook for Shonda Rhimes’s Year of Yes, a successful and interesting TV writer with decades of experience (if you don’t know who she is.) In this mix of memoir and self-help advice, both funny and touching, Rhimes shares her wisdom about how to embrace personal growth and new opportunities.

You must open your mind to new opportunities and experiences in order to overcome stagnation and truly grow. Nothing new will happen to you if you don’t say “yes” to anything new. If you want to break free from the constraints of the familiar and mundane, Rhimes argues, you must be open to the unknown.

The book is particularly relatable for writers, mothers, and Black women—and even if you are not all of those things, you may be able to relate to her clear and insightful revelations about her experiences as an introvert. I could relate! I understood exactly what she was talking about when she said she was fine fading into the background, although she obviously had a larger-than-life personality.

Lay Track like a TV Writer

One striking metaphor Rhimes employs in the book compares writing for successful TV shows to laying down train tracks, and even non-TV writers can relate. Shonda describes how she knew the train was coming; the production schedule must run on time. She details her intense feelings of pressure to keep the schedule on track. She knows she can be flattened by that train.

To help her maintain focus and meet her writing goals (while avoiding being overwhelmed by industry demands), Rhimes lays out 6 tips on “how to lay track” as a TV writer. Even if you’re not a writer for a big, successful TV series (or three!), try these out to see if they can help you be more focused and productive in your own writing process.

  1. Establish a routine. A daily routine provides structure and can help you stay disciplined, focused, and productive. Designate times to complete your writing, whether you write for a specific period of time or until you reach a certain word count; it’s the consistency of sitting down to write at the same time that can help.
  2. Set clear deadlines. Clear, nonnegotiable deadlines create a sense of urgency and can help motivate you to meet your goals. In the case that you’re working on a collaborative project (like a TV show), deadlines for yourself will help you do your part to ensure everyone’s timelines stay on track.
  3. Say “no.” It can be difficult, of course, because we want to say “yes” to all the good, entertaining, pleasing things in our lives—like time with family and indulging in trips to restaurants and other places away from our desks—but if those opportunities are not aligned with your goals, they can derail your focus. To meet your deadlines, you will have to say “no” to some things and prioritize your work.
  4. Embrace productive procrastination. To be at your most creative, you need the space to brainstorm and think, so not all procrastination is bad procrastination. Sometimes, letting your mind wander allows you to come up with something great, new, and creative. So allow yourself to take a break if it helps you be your creative best.
  5. Accountability. Do you have a team that holds you accountable? Or even just one single “accountability-buddy”? Get one. Whether it’s your partner, your kids, your colleagues, or the rest of your writing team, use the power of positive peer pressure to help you make steady progress and deliver on your commitments.
  6. Create a dedicated workspace. This should be a sort of “sacred” writing space for you. A space where you can be your most productive, feel free to think, and that helps you envision yourself as a successful, competent, productive writer. Set up an area that helps you feel comfortable, but not too relaxed, and ready to work.

In addition to these tips on how to successfully lay track in your writing, Rhimes also discusses some of the less glamorous aspects of being a TV writer, such as the eye strain (and necessary eye care for writers) that comes from staring at a screen for long hours and the weight gain that can occur if you maintain a sedentary lifestyle and don’t balance laying track in your writing with actual movement of your body. And in all her discussions about these real-world writerly topics, Rhimes remains funny as hell.

More Life Lessons

If you’re not familiar with Rhimes’s work, do yourself a favor and try this book on for size. You’ll find some heartwarming lessons about navigating physical, mental, and emotional challenges, particularly those faced by a successful TV writer. No matter what other self-help books you’ve read, you’ll find in Year of Yes an inspirational message about embracing your own paths of growth and self-love.

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Tool for Children’s Book Writers (& Parents!): Accelerated Reader Bookfinder

Children reading a children's book. Boy and girl sitting next to a window.

For more than 20 years, the Accelerated Reader (AR) program has been helping kids read children’s books they enjoy, at their own pace. Readers of all levels can choose an AR book, read their way through it, then take a computerized quiz to assess their understanding and sometimes earn class credit. 

Educators across the US use it, and hundreds of thousands of kids across the country read millions of pages every year because of it. If you’re a parent of a child of any age, you’ve probably already heard of AR. 

But if you’re a parent who is looking to contribute more to your child’s reading goals and even help them find new books to read, or if you’re a writer of children’s books looking to keep up with trends, find stories comparable with your own work, or identify the reading level of your work, the Accelerated Reader Bookfinder website can be a great resource. 

This blog aims to provide both parents and kids lit authors an introduction and overview of how to use the AR Bookfinder site. Let’s take a look! 

Accelerated Reader Bookfinder logo for childrens book database
The Accelerated Reader Bookfinder website is a comprehensive database of information about children's books.

Using AR Bookfinder Website

Whether you’re a parent or you write children’s books of any level — from elementary to mid-grade, juvenile, or YA books — use the AR Bookfinder website for basic research. 

Now, when I was a kid participating in Accelerated Reader, there was no website–there was no internet. If I wanted to know what reading level a book was or how many points it was worth, I had to actually go to the library and examine the sticker on the spine of the book or ask the librarian. How times have changed!

Accelerated Reader Bookfinder welcome page for children's books
On the Welcome page, select the “Parent” option to explore AR Bookfinder without creating an account.

When you first land on the AR Bookfinder welcome page, you need to identify yourself as a student, parent, teacher, or librarian. Whether you’re a parent or a writer of children’s books, you can use the “parent” option to browse the website without creating an account.

For Parents: Confirm AR Children's Books, Reading Levels, & Points

Once you have identified yourself as a parent, use the “Quick Search” option to enter a title that your kid is interested in, to confirm whether it is an AR book, what reading level it is, and how many points it’s worth. You can also search an author name to see which of their works are AR eligible.

I’m lucky, personally. My kid is an excellent reader(!), but I have to constantly remind him to collect his AR points and meet his goal to earn the grade for his language arts class. Luckily, most of the books he’s interested in are in the AR Bookfinder database. 

We are sometimes at our favorite local thrift bookstore or the public library, or a friend will offer to let my son borrow a book, and with a quick search, we can find out whether a title he’s interested in is an AR book.

(In fact, one of our favorite books of 2022 — See You in the Cosmos — was one we borrowed from the public library then found out on AR Bookfinder that it was worth 10 points!)

For titles that may have multiple versions in print, it may be important to look more closely at the details of each book on your search results list. Some versions may be abridged, a graphic novel or illustrated version, or an annotated or enhanced version of the book–all of which might affect the reading level and point value. 

AR Bookfinder children's book results list of different versions of Alice in Wonderland
A popular title like “Alice in Wonderland” may have several versions available for your child to enjoy and earn AR points.

Advanced Search Options

If you’re not sure of the title or author name, or if you want to check more details about a book series, use the “Advanced Search” tab for more search options.

AR Bookfinder childrens books advanced search options and menu
Use the AR Bookfinder Advanced Search options to filter specific results.

By using the Advanced Search tab, you can peruse a specific children’s book series to see which titles earn AR points, or you can choose the “Interest Level” (i.e., reading level) to browse titles that might appeal to your child. 

Select from Lower Grade (K-3), Middle Grade (4-8), Middle Grade (6+), and Upper Grades (9-12) to filter a list that meets your child’s unique reading needs.

Use the Additional Criteria options to select a topic that your child is interested in (not just genres, but think of this more similar to tags, like “adventure” or “history”), as well as filter to look at only fiction or nonfiction children’s book titles.

If you have no ideas or starting points for your search, and your kid needs suggestions of children’s books, keep reading! The section below details how to use the “Collections” tab on the AR Bookfinder website to search for new titles, authors, or series your little one may love.

AR Bookfinder Tips For Children's Book Writers

As a new or still-learning children’s book writer, it can be tricky to know exactly what reading level or grade level you’re writing for. These “levels” may differ based on subjective criteria such as word choice, sentence structure, and topic.

Maybe you have an idea for a kid’s book, and you’re not sure who your audience is or exactly what age they are.

Or maybe you’re prepping your query letter and submission info for agents and you need to gather titles of children’s books that are comparable to yours. Either way, using the “Collections” tab in AR Bookfinder can help.

Explore "Collections" for Comps & Reading Level

Writers (and parents!) can use the “Collections” tab to explore two things: recent award-winning children’s books and trending and popular kids books.

AR Bookfinder website showing childrens book writers how to explore the Collections tab.
Use the “Collections” tab to explore award-winning children’s books.

Now, it’s possible that these lists will overlap, but just because something is award winning doesn’t mean it’ll be popular! And just because a title is popular with kids in a certain age group doesn’t mean it was critically acclaimed.

Checking out both options in the Collections tab can give you a full picture of what’s going on in children’s book publishing and how to position your title. 

When you select the Collections, tab you will see these two main options to peruse through the database.

By selecting the “plus sign” next to one of the options, you expand the menu for more specific information.

Under “Awards,” for example, you can find links to specific children’s book award lists, such as the Newberry Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award. 

AR Bookfinder collections show award-winning children's books
Use “Collections” to browse award-winning children’s books.

On the other hand, selecting the plus sign next to “What Kids Are Reading” opens a sub-menu with the three most recent calendar years. Select a year to open the next sub-menu, which says “Top 20 Fiction/Nonfiction Books of [YEAR]”.

When you select this menu, the next sub-menu opens, separating out each grade with a link. You can then explore the top 20 books for kindergarteners, first graders, etc., all the way through high school seniors.

AR Bookfinder children's books top 20 of 2020
Use “Collections” to explore top 20 titles for each grade level in most recent 3 calendar years.

For example, the Top 20 for 11th grade in 2020 includes classic titles such as The Catcher in the Rye and Huckleberry Finn, along with contemporary titles such as Divergent and The Hate U Give. 

Obviously, many eleventh graders are reading and taking AR quizzes on titles required for a class curriculum, but it’s also obvious that many eleventh graders are continuing to read children’s and YA books in which they’re interested and which are also AR books they can earn points on. 

Track Titles & Reading Goals with Goodreads!

Although the AR Bookfinder website does have a “favorites” feature, which they call the AR Bookbag, that allows you to save a list of titles; however, when using a Parent account, the Bookbag empties/clears its history when you close your web browser. That can be inconvenient for long-term tracking and ideas! 

Instead, our editor Cortni suggests creating a Goodreads account if you don’t already have one (and connect with Cortni on Goodreads!) Using Goodreads’ “shelf” feature, you can easily track all the books you’ve read, the ones you’re currently reading, and ones you want to read. 

Since a Goodreads account will last far beyond your child’s school years, it can be an excellent long-term tool to keep your kid reading far into adulthood. 

And for authors of children’s books, a Goodreads membership and active account can help you connect with your readers and keep them informed of your work and upcoming releases.

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Children's Books Edited by SRD Editing Services

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Creative Writing Tips: How to Watch Movies to Improve Your Storytelling

Early 20th century film projector with light on blue and black background. Creative writing tips for watching movies.

Sometimes, you just want to watch a movie for the fun of it. Sometimes, you want to watch a movie and learn from it. Specifically, if you want to spend some time enhancing your own creative writing skills by watching movies, I think there are a few ways that can be done.

Now of course, movies aren’t the same as books, but neither are TV shows, podcasts, or games. But they all have similarities, and although they employ different types of storytelling techniques, you will widen your own storytelling techniques by familiarizing (or at least, exposing) yourself to storytelling in different media. If you write creative fiction or nonfiction, here’s how you can watch movies in the same genre and critically analyze it to improve your writing.

(BTW: I also already wrote a blog on how to read fiction to improve your own writing.)

Take Notes!

I know, I’m spoiling the fun even more. But my suggestion is to take notes when you’re watching a movie that you want to learn from. It will help you write your best creative writing.

In your notes, it can be helpful to write down the timestamp of the moment in the movie you want to reference. For example, if there’s an example of really great dialogue, pause the movie and find out at what minute and second (for example, 12 minutes and 22 seconds into the movie would be 12:22, or 1 hour, 12 minutes and 22 seconds into the movie is 1:12:22) the scene takes place so you can easily go back to it. 

If you’re watching the film on DVD, you might be able to return to the “chapter” or “scene” using the menu options, so if you have that option and find that easier, use that method instead. 

Watch It Alone

This notetaking process of occasionally pausing the movie to take notes when your creativity or interest is sparked (or sometimes, even, to briefly interrupt watching for a creative writing spurt) will probably annoy other people if you’re attempting to watch the movie with a companion (or several). Opt for times when you can watch the movie alone and without judgment. 

Unless you find someone really supercool and awesome who is unbothered by this way of watching a movie. In that case, pop your popcorn for two. 

Creative Writing Tip 1: The Beginning and End

Of course you may have heard this advice in creative writing classes over the years, but it’s worth saying again.

The first line means something and the last line means something.

So when it comes to movies, there are two aspects of each end of the movie to consider: the visuals and the first line of narration or dialogue.

When it comes to a book, you can start anywhere—inside a character’s head, describing the setting, or giving expository information are only three of many potential methods.

However, movies must do two things at once: they must start with visuals that immediately begin the process of world-building, and they, at some point, include voiceover narration or character dialogue that begins to lay out information relevant to the plot.

Now those are two of the practical functions served by the earliest moments in the movie, but there are several other important establishing elements: time period, mood, intensity, pacing, etc.

Then, at the end of the movie, the concluding scene must do all of the same but in reverse: wrapping up the interactions and plot, character insight, history of the events in the story, mood resolutions, etc.

As you’re watching a beloved (or brand-new-to-you!) movie in the near future consider the following:

  • Who are the first characters seen on-screen? The last characters? Were they significant to the story and why?
  • What emotions did you experience in the opening scene? What about the end?
  • What color schemes were used and how did they set (or resolve) a mood? What built on that mood?
  • How would you have handled it differently if you’d been the lead creative writer?

Then as the movie reaches its conclusion, take note of the last line of the movie. As much as book writers love to obsess over the first and last lines in a movie, good film writers do too.

Even if the line is bad (cheesy etc.) consider if the writer was true to the character and did them justice in the end.

Creative Writing Tip 2: Expressions and Body Language

Acting is very physical. The best actors can (arguably) portray a range of emotions and embody realistic physical movements of a range of characters.

It can be easy to tell rather than show in your writing, but silent acting is pure showing. Watching movies can help you recognize moments where the actors are giving a genuine physical performance, showing their emotions in their facial expressions or their experiences through the movements of their body.

When you come across a scene with particularly great physicality, give yourself the writing exercise to pause the film and see how much you can describe based on purely what you see, without context.

For example, in the movie Red Dragon, I think there is particularly excellent physical acting from Ralph Fiennes. Of course, he’s excellent throughout the movie, but particularly, in the climactic scene where he (as the antgaonist) is facing off against the protagonist, played by Edward Norton. 

The scene begins with Fiennes’s character threatening the life of the teenage son of Norton’s character. At a distinct moment in the scene, without saying a word, Fiennes goes from being threatening toward the boy to being protective of him. And you can see it—in the way Fiennes tightens his arm around the boy, cradling the teenager to his chest; in the way his nostrils flare and eyes widen; in the way he starts to move his body in front of the boy’s, to shield him from harm—when he had been threatening to kill him not a moment before.

It’s a dramatic turn and incredibly well-executed by an actor who shows you what his character is feeling without having him speak a word.  

(Okay, in general, Ralph Fiennes is a fantastic physical actor. I know, I know, he’s Voldemort and all but…well, nobody’s perfect.)

Creative Writing Tip 3: Accents, Sounds, & Speech Patterns

Some stories, especially those set in a particular place and time, have a distinct soundscape. While this most obviously is important for your characters in terms of accents and voices it’s also important in terms of the sounds of the world you’re building.

When you’re setting a scene, it can be easy as a creative writer to focus on the characters themselves, or give a brief description of what a room or setting looks like. But, there is much more to a reader’s true depiction of a place, and one of the key elements is sound. 

Pay attention to how movies utilize sound to build tension, bring a setting to life, and affect mood. If there are animals in the scene, can you also hear them? If there are children, what sounds to they make and how do they contribute to the film? 

How are sound effects used? How can you pace your own writing like music? How can you interject comedy or dramatic delivery through use of sound in your settings? 

Here, I can give you one example of what not to do: in the TV show Gotham, which largely takes place in a police station, there was too much silence. I would notice how, in multiple episodes, entire scenes would take place at the police station, which would have no ringing phones in the background, no slamming doors, no shouting, no squeaking chairs. It would simply be a close-up of the characters, against a dramatically lit and silent background. Like a comic panel, not a TV show, and it ultimately became distracting for me as a viewer, who was used to seeing other cop TV shows where the stations were full of a lot of noise. 

If I’d been a writer on that show, I might have made that suggestion at some point. Perhaps one did, and their idea was rejected. Who knows? But I know that as a viewer, it was too quiet; and if I read a book with the same kind of “silence scenery,” I find it too quiet. 

Be Kind. Rewind.

Watching movies can be a lot of fun and inspiring to writers looking to enhance their creative writing. Some of the movies you find are excellent examples of your genre, you may need to re-watch multiple times and extract the elements you find most useful to you and your process.

But whatever you do, don’t get caught up in being a movie-viewer rather than a writer. Keep writing. 

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From “Writer” to “Author of a Book”: 4 Tips for Imposter Syndrome

Black and white image of hands coming together in fist bump. Encouragement for writers who want to author a book

There’s a mental shift for writers when they start calling themselves an author of a book. Many writers seem to find some magic in the term, some kind of promise in the word.

If you are among the group of authors with only one published book, there’s good news. That’s all it takes to call yourself an author. Technically, if you have published only one book, I’d recommend you call yourself an emerging author.

Difference Between a “Writer” and an “Author”

Some people (who risk sounding pretentious) might elaborate on subtle differences between the terms writer and author, but really it just comes down to: have you published a book yet? Fiction or nonfiction, any age genre (adult, YA, children); authors with only one published book are still the author of a book.

Now, there are many types of writers.

Screen writers are highly involved in your favorite TV shows and movies. Copywriters craft the ads, commercials, and most of the social media posts (and blogs!) that you see.

Poets are writers who specialize in poetry. A fiction writer might not necessarily be an author of a book. Many fiction writers are accomplished at short form and focus on flash fiction or short stories.

Nonfiction writers compose essays, magazine and website content, and online tutorials and articles.

Technical writers compose textbooks, guidebooks, and manuals.

You can make an excellent living, engage many interests, and master many forms and platforms as a writer, without ever becoming the author of a book.

But if you do finish that first draft of your manuscript, you’re one step closer to calling yourself an author. Now, all you have to do is publish.

Imposter Syndrome

Not to gloss over the sometimes-difficult, multistep process of publishing, but…

One of the challenges that can keep many people from making the transition from writer of a manuscript to author of a book is imposter syndrome.

Imposter syndrome is a situation in which a person feels or states that they are not worthy of their achievements or of acclaim, despite evidence to the contrary. People who struggle with imposter syndrome report feeling like a “fraud” or like they’ve fooled others into thinking highly of them.

I think you can see why this is a mindset that might (sometimes) affect writers (even very talented ones.) I have worked with people who had run multiple successful companies, had raised incredible children, had lived through extreme and extraordinary circumstances who all told me that they weren’t sure they could be an author of a book because they weren’t sure that anyone would be interested in their stories or ideas.

Every book you’ve ever read, every author you ever admired, began as a writer who decided that, even if they weren’t sure anyone would be interested, they were going to publish their book anyway.

Funny cartoon from Science of People showing two pie charts. One blue and one yellow.
From The Science of People, “The 5 Types of Imposter Syndrome (and How to Overcome It!)”

Becoming a Successful Author of a Book

Now, that’s not to say that publishing a single book will let you live the life of your dreams. Authors with only one published book have a long road ahead of them. Being an author is not the same as being a successful author. Generally, emerging authors tend to publish about seven or eight books; those authors who earn $100K per year or more have an average of thirty-three books to their names.

It can be helpful to consider your definition of success. An annual income of $100K as a book author is one measure of success. You might consider what else are elements of your personal success story—a successful launch party; a successful book signing or public speaking engagement; a successful media tour; a successful establishment of a Facebook group or other social media space to connect with your readership.

There are many standards by which you can measure success once you’re the author of a book, and you can build on those successes.

Writing through Imposter Syndrome

But first, in order to complete that all-important initial step from writer to author, you have to get past the dreadful imposter syndrome. There are many different approaches, but here are a few of my favorites that I’ve seen work over the years for different authors working on their first book.

Talk Back to Negative Voices

You can do this out loud (if you’re in a comfortable environment), or you might type it up as a dialogue screen in a blank document. When a negative thought tells you that you should stop writing, shouldn’t tell your story, or that you’ll never be the author of a book, you respond back to the thought with either a question like, “Is that really true?” or a statement that conveys the idea that “Your opinion isn’t welcome here.”

I find it can be particularly helpful to get this all out at the beginning of a scheduled or impromptu writing session. If you have half an hour to write, spend the first two to three minutes telling your self-doubt to take a hike…at least for the next twenty-eight minutes.

Let Negative Thoughts Sputter Out

Along the same lines, if you don’t find that talking back to negative self-criticism or doubt is the right approach for you, instead, try to imagine those thoughts being said to you by an angry toddler—fragmented language and all. Then, spend two to three minutes writing up what the negative toddler–thoughts are saying. You might find that—very quickly and like a toddler—the negative self-talk will run out of steam. Or you might find yourself laughing if you’re very good at writing a toddler’s voice, and in that case, consider becoming the author of a book for children.

Lock Away Negative Voices

You can also manage negative self-talk from imposter syndrome using visualization techniques, including “shrinking” the source of this critical inner voice. Visualize the person (or people) whose voices embody the negative thoughts, then visualize that person shrinking, becoming small, small enough that you can drop them into a glass jar on which you tightly screw the lid, muting the voice. If you hear multiple voices or inner critics, repeat the process with each person/thought until they are all secured in these mental glass jars. Then, place all the jars in a mental cabinet, close the door, and physically lock it. Now, sit down to write.

Try the Mirror Technique with a Writerly Twist

You have probably heard of the motivational process/Law of Attraction of repeating positive mantras (or affirmations) to yourself in the mirror, daily, in order to boost confidence, increase self-compassion, and focus your mental energy—aka, the mirror technique. This is a great idea, of course, and there is some research showing that mirror affirmations may help support student achievement (in certain circumstances); so why not writers?

The basic mirror technique is simple: You spend at least 1 minute in front of the mirror repeating to yourself positive, self-affirming statements. (Some say you can simply think the statements, but I suggest speaking them aloud.) General recommendations include phrases like, “I can do anything I put my mind to” or “I am worthy.”

For writers, and specifically a writer who wants to become the author of a book, I recommend trying author-motivational phrases such as: 

  • “I am an author.”
  • “All it takes is one published book.”
  • “All of my favorite books started as ideas.”
  • “I am creative.”
  • “I can write my way out of any plothole.”
  • “You can edit a bad draft, but you can’t edit a blank page.”

If you have another writer-related motivational phrase, give it priority in your daily affirmation routine.

Image of a small cat looking in mirror at reflection of a lion with the caption "What matters most is how you see yourself." Encouragement for writers and author of a book.

If you don’t have a daily affirmation routine, you can always try this as a practice to pump yourself up before writing time. Give yourself a one-minute pep talk, then sit at your keyboard and let the imposter syndrome watch you work.

Whatever you need to do to become the author of a book that you want to be, keep writing.

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Random Writer Tool: 200 Years of Illustrated Women’s Fashion (Historical Fiction)

Illustration showing women clothing fashion examples from 1785-1970, used as a tool for writers of historical fiction
Illustration showing women clothing fashion examples from 1785-1970, used as a tool for writers of historical fiction

Random Writer Tools: Fashion in Historical Fiction

Writers of historical fiction: rejoice! 

As a writer, you never know what kind of random tools that you find online will come in handy, and this article from the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art (“the Met”) is one such example! 

A team of researchers painstakingly reviewed fashion plates, dress patterns, images, and descriptions to compile this comprehensive illustrated timeline of women’s historical fashion from 1784-1970. 

The timeline includes an example of popular fashion (mostly dress designs) from every year.

Now, if you’re writing a story, book, or script of an event that takes place in the past 200 years or so, you can have a visual example.

The article also gives a brief description of the general fashion trends of each decade, including details like raised or lowered hem lines or waist lines, preference for long or short sleeve lengths, and a notation about hats, bonnets, and head fashion accessories.

Some Drawbacks...

While this illustrated timeline is helpful and certainly a lot of fun(!), it’s important to note that: 

  • This is limited to European and American fashions and does not include examples of fashion trends in other areas of the world.
  • This is also limited by class and most likely depicts the fashion trends of middle-class and upper-class women.
  • Because of that, all illustrations depict upper-middle-class White women.
  • The timeline ends in 1970, at which point, fashion photography and popular media make most fashion research easier.

This article also doesn’t touch on shoes or footwear! But, as this blog discusses, footwear is an important element of fashion in fiction. 

Use the Best Tools for the Best Writing

No matter what genre you write in, you will spend time researching to improve and enhance the accuracy, details, and believability of your writing. Historical fiction presents its own unique challenges, and many writers choose to specialize in one specific historical time period (and location) because of how overwhelming it can be to “live inside” the world you create as a writer. 

The best writers use the best tools, and you never know what will be useful. Hopefully, historical fiction writers find this illustrated fashion timeline one of the tools worth saving for later. 

Editor of Historical Fiction

Editor Cortni Merritt enjoys editing historical fiction from a variety of time periods! Interested in a beta read, line edit, or proofread for your historical fiction? Let’s talk! 

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Two Common (and Easy-to-Use) Semicolon Rules

Black examples of the semicolon in different fonts against a white background

Semicolons: Who Needs 'Em?

Black examples of the semicolon in different fonts against a white background

Oh! Semicolons. I, like many other editors, love them. But if you’re a writer who finds the semicolon *the worst, * you have options available to you.

One of those options is that you don’t have to use any semicolons at all if you don’t want to. I won’t pressure you.

But if you want to learn the most basic semicolon rules, here you go. There are only two common semicolon uses that writers may “need” to know. At least, two that are simple enough you won’t have to look them up to remember them.

Starting your round of self-edits with a self-editing checklist can make it easier to finalize your manuscript. If you find that you particularly struggle with semicolons, add them as an item to your personal self-editing checklist. 

Semicolon Rule 1: Compound Sentences without a Coordinating Conjunction

In Grammarian: When you’re joining two independent clauses into a compound sentence without a coordinating conjunction, use a semicolon.

In plain English: When you want to combine two sentences into one and you’re not using and/or/but, you can use a semicolon.

What it means: you never *have* to use a semicolon in this situation. You can separate it into two sentences, or use a comma with the appropriate coordinating conjunction.

When this can be especially useful: when using a pronoun such as it/this/that.

Example:

I ate the pizza. The pizza was delicious.

I ate the pizza, and the pizza was delicious.

I ate the pizza, and it was delicious.

I ate the pizza; it was delicious.

Now I know this is incredibly simple, but it is also clear. (Always start with a basic example when explaining something). You can easily see how we progressed from two sentences to a compound sentence that uses a coordinating conjunction and a comma, to a compound sentence that uses a semicolon and no conjunction.

Honestly, this rule applies even with compound subjects or predicates, with sentences that contain a lot of adjectives or adverbs, and even with sentences chock-full of prepositions.

Example:

I ate the wings and pizza; the wings made me sick, but the pizza was delicious.

I ate pizza and drank Coke; this combination made me sick to my stomach.

I ate pizza and got sick; that got me thinking.

I think the semicolon is particularly helpful in sentences with pronouns it/this//that because you can combine two thoughts that are connected, without having to repeat yourself, while maintaining clearly that the pronoun refers to the immediately preceding noun. Sometimes when the pronoun and the noun to which it refers are separated into two sentences, the meaning becomes unclear.

The process of self-editing your book can be long and tedious, so many people hire an editor instead. It can take a long time.

Now, “it” here *probably* refers to “the process of self-editing your book” but “it” could also refer to “hir[ing] an editor.” Do you see what I mean about ambiguity? Readers may become confused.

(If I came across this in a line edit, I would leave a comment with suggestions on how to rewrite this to ensure the meaning remains clear.)

The process of self-editing your book can be long and tedious, so many people hire an editor instead, which can take a long time. (Indicates hiring an editor takes a long time.)

The process of self-editing your book can be long and tedious, which takes a long time, so many people hire an editor instead. (Indicates self-editing your book takes a long time.)

Semicolon Rule 2: Use semicolons to Separate List Items when Lists Contain Lists

Think of it as “list-ception.”

If you have a list of three or more items, you separate each list item with a comma.

I went to the store and bought milk, eggs, and bread.

Simple enough.

But when one of your list items contains elements that would also be separated by commas, it would create confusion. So you separate the larger (external) list with semicolons and the shorter (internal) list with commas.

Yesterday I went to the post office, picked up groceries, and dropped off my dry cleaning. The groceries I picked up included milk, eggs, and bread.

As a single sentence:

Yesterday I went to the post office; dropped off my dry cleaning; and picked up groceries including eggs, milk, and bread.

Notice I changed the order of items so the contained list would be at the end. This was simply personal preference; I personally think it’s a bit grammatically neater. But it would also be acceptable to keep them in the original order.

Yesterday I went to the post office; picked up groceries including milk, eggs, and bread; and dropped off dry cleaning.

In this original order, it’s a bit easier to see what I mean by “external” and “internal” lists.

Semicolons: Simple as That!

And that’s it! The two most common and easy-to-follow semicolon rules.

Now, there’s different types of editing, which can vary even more depending on which genre the manuscript is or the type of writer you are. Finish your  developmental editing for creative concepts before jumping into your specific technical edits; your manuscript will benefit the most in the end. And your readers will love it! 

Want to learn more about semicolons? Check out this blog from Grammarly which guides you through 5 different ways to use semicolons. 

Happy writing! 

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Self-editing Checklist for Authors

A pink piece of paper demonstrating a self-editing checklist for authors

Congratulations! You’ve finished the initial drafts of your manuscript. Maybe you even went through developmental edits or critique partners already. Now, you think you’re ready for content editing or line editing. Not so fast. You want everything to be as clean as possible—you want to save yourself the time and money of making editors do extra work. Here’s a handy self-editing checklist you can use to guide your final steps before you send it off to be marked up.

A Word on Style Guides:

While the big five publishers typically follow the guidelines in the Chicago Manual of Style, most independent book publishers have an in-house guide; as a self-published writer, the rules of style are yours to choose from.

Be prepared to discuss with your editor some specifics like Oxford comma, when to use italics, and whether you prefer “ok” or “okay” or “OK” or “O.K.”, “T-shirt” or “tee shirt” or “t-shirt”.

My advice: Pick one and use it consistently during your self-edit. If you and the editor decide to make a change later, it will be a smoother process.

Self-Editing Checklist for Writers

  • Chapter & section titles
  • Fact checking
  • Character & setting consistency
  • Punctuation consistency
  • Order of events /continuity
  • Basic font/formatting

Let’s go through these in some more detail. Edit your writing with these in mind, and you’ll feel good passing it on to beta readers or your editor.

Editing Chapter & Section Titles

Every chapter should be marked. You might not title them, but they need to at least have numbers. Every chapter should start on a new page.

Create a new page by inserting a page break at the end of the previous chapter. Click your cursor after your last line of text, hit Ctrl + Enter (or Command+Enter on a Mac) and voila! Your cursor will be at the top of the next page. Now use your “Delete” key to move the next chapter title into place.

According to Chicago style, spell out the words (“two” and “twenty”) rather than using Arabic or Roman numerals. My rule of thumb is to be consistent. I don’t care if you like it spelled out or use numbers — just pick one and go through all your chapters and make them the same.

self-editing checklist for writers, authors, and poets
It will all build on itself. Trust the self-editing and professional editing process …

Lastly, you don’t need to center the chapter title. You can if you want, but your designer will likely remove it anyway.

Now, cross this off your self-editing checklist. Well done. 

Editing for Facts

Fact: it’s super-easy to Google a business, brand, or person’s name and make sure it’s spelled, capitalized, and punctuated correctly. You can do this simple research yourself or you can pay someone else to do it, but it should be done.

Pop quiz: Is it “Pop-Tart” or “PopTarts” or “Pop Tarts”? What about “cleanex”? Is that correct? Does Frederick Douglas’ last name have two “s”es?

Answers: Pop-Tarts, Kleenex, and yes.

I will never forget being younger and reading a book from a renowned author, and noticing that the spelling of “Arrowsmith” appeared in the printed book. This was in pre-Google days but still… It haunts me.

Fact: it’s pretty easy to check the history of most things, and if you’re writing a historical novel, you must.

Don’t have your characters using technology that is invented after their time, dressing in clothing that doesn’t match the period, or unaware of information that was common knowledge in their day.

I once edited a novel set in the 1800s where the richest character showed off how rich he was because he was the only guy in town with a certain type of car… or any car for that matter, because they hadn’t been invented yet.

Fact: it’s a little harder to check the science on something if you’re a sci-fi writer, but you’d better do it. Otherwise, science lovers won’t want to read your stuff. Take the time to learn the basics of the science you’re writing about. You don’t have to get your PhD, but you do have to know at least enough to pass a 101 class.

This self-editing checklist item can take a bit more time, but it will be worth it in the end. 

Editing for Character & Setting Consistency

improve-writing-process
Your reader will go down a straight path from beginning to end. Take a look at it the way they do.

I’m assuming you didn’t sit to write the whole novel at once. So I’ll give you leniency and predict that some details probably changed. Maybe a character starts off brunette and ends up with black hair. Maybe the house starts off blue but ends up yellow. Maybe the scene starts off midday and suddenly shifts to sunset.

Inconsistencies happen.

If you’re a planner, you might have made a whole character description list and maps and who knows what else. They might come in handy at this point, but if you didn’t make one already, there’s no time like the present.

Start at the beginning. When a new character or setting is introduced, make a note of what details you included, including how you spelled the name that first time. If you spelled it wrong the first time, correct it and move on. But otherwise, I want you to read through and make sure every other use of that character’s name is spelled the same way as the first use.

Yes. This happens more than you would think. Writers change the spelling of character names. Sometimes the name itself will change or the character suddenly has a nickname—it happens all the time.

Your reader (and editor) will think: How was I supposed to know Kate and Katie were the same person?

Some writers might find it helpful to note the time of day or location at the beginning of each scene, then read through the entire scene and confirm consistency. After you know a certain scene, chapter, or section is consistent, you can remove the notes about it.

The trick is: Read through and note details that arise every time the character appears. Then, the next time the character is in the scene, check your notes. Make sure distinguishing features or idiomatic expressions remain true to the character you’ve already introduced.

Give this self-editing checklist item several rounds and perhaps break it into sub-list items if that is the right process for you. 

For consistency with self-editing numbers, take a look at this detailed blog about self-editing numbers in Chicago Manual of Style. 

Punctuation Consistency

This is another thing you can pay for if you want to, but with a little elbow grease, you can shape this up pretty good yourself. So roll up your sleeves and get to work.

The three biggest offenders here are probably dashes ( – vs. — ), use of parentheses, and punctuation in time.

Dashes — first: they’re not hyphens. Hyphens join two words to make a new one and don’t have a space on either side. There are two types of dashes (but this blog is long enough, no?), and my general rule is: if you want to make the reader follow you across a little “pause” or “jump” then put a space for them to jump over, two short dashes to land on — like this — and a space to let them jump back into the main sentence.

Just make all your dashes between words consistent.

Parentheses: if you open it, you must close it. Don’t leave any parenthesis hanging. If you start it, finish it too.

Don’t leave a random parenthesis hanging at the end of a sentence or paragraph if there wasn’t one earlier in the sentence or paragraph. It’s technically just a typo, but these things happen. And your reader will go back and look for the other one and lose their train of thought. You never want the reader to lose their train of thought.

self-edit, consistency, punctuation help
Make your message clear, and it will be timeless.

Punctuation in Time: I may be going against Chicago style here but I’ll say it anyway—minimize your use of colons, and use periods to your advantage. I suggest that if you’re mentioning an exact on-the-hour time, go ahead use the Arabic numeral without a :00 after it. If you’re using “a.m.” and “p.m.”, periods help make it clearer and are preferred by CMoS.

Don’t capitalize “AM” or “PM”, and I suggest that you never use “o’clock”, unless it’s accurate to the historical period or character’s voice. CMoS does allow for “o’clock.” 

For more about consistency with semicolons take a look at our blog with easy semicolon rules to help you check this off your self-editing checklist. 

Editing for Event Continuity

We’d all like to think that our scenes don’t contain any holes. But, we’re wrong. 

Continuity is easy to mess up—and even after you’ve edited for character and setting consistency, there’s one more type of consistency you should check for. 

Re-read scenes with an eye for consistency of smaller actions inside each event. Do your characters repeat actions or lines of dialogue? Are there gaps between actions in the scene—for example, does a character take off his jacket, but then in a couple lines, it’s back on again? 

This round of your consistency edits—specifically for continuity—is where you’re checking for internal consistency within scenes. Some editors will begin at the end of the book and work their way backward chapter by chapter, to make sure that the continuity within each scene is solid.  

As your self-editing checklist is getting shorter, your manuscript is getting better. Keep going! 

Editing for Basic Formatting

OK, you’re reaching the conclusion. You’ve edited and re-edited and revised and checked over everything. You might have even reached a point where you feel like your eyes will cross if you have to read it again. 

This round of editing doesn’t really require reading. Just attention to detail. 

The long and complicated explanation regarding formatting is that—oh boy—it largely depends on how you plan to publish. If you’re self-publishing, you’ll be sending your Word document to a professional designer for the internal formatting for your printed book. 

Don’t argue, don’t think you can cut corners or save yourself money by “formatting” your printed book yourself. You’ve put so much hard work into your manuscript, and if you’re going to print physical copies, don’t sell yourself short. Hire a pro. That being said, you will want to do some basic formatting before you send it to a designer. 

If you are planning to self-publish an ebook, there are specific formatting guidelines you will need to follow. But again, you’ll need to do some basics before you send it to an editor or your publishing team, or even before you convert the document into the appropriate file format. You can do this yourself, if you want to take the time to learn, or you can hire a pro. But either way, do the basic formatting. 

So what do I mean by “basic formatting”? 

Simple: 

  1. Make sure that all the body copy is in the same font and same spacing. Select all text, and make the font, font size, and paragraph spacing uniform. Don’t try to manipulate this stuff so that the MS Word document “looks right.” It’s more important to communicate to the designer how you want it to look than it is to make it look that way. 
  2. Make sure each chapter starts on a new page (see earlier checklist item). If you want to be really fancy, make sure that each chapter title is in bold, to identify it at a glance.
  3. Search the document for any double spaces. Remove them. No double spaces at the beginning of a new sentence. No double spaces at all. 
  4.  Put in your “front matter.” This includes the Title page, acknowledgments page, and copyright page. You *can* include a Table of Contents page, but do NOT (repeat: do NOT) bother to include the page numbers here. The page numbers will change throughout the formatting, and this page is best finalized as one of the last things. 

So four basic things that might take you an hour or so to complete and officially cross off your self-editing checklist. And if you don’t know how—ask! Whether you have an editor you can consult with, or if you check out some helpful tutorials on YouTube or Skillshare to improve your MS Word skills, there are plenty of places for you to find out what you need to know to make these simple formatting at home in your manuscript. 

Ebook formatting from SRD Editing Services | literary editor fiction & nonfiction | Orlando, FL

So that’s it! I know I said this wasn’t going to be a comprehensive self-editing checklist—and trust me, it isn’t—but hopefully, we’ve struck that balance between “that’s enough” and “too much”. This is definitely editing that most writers can manage themselves—no special training or extensive skills necessary—however, hopefully it’s not too advanced that you’ve gone cross-eyed. 

My Favorite Editing Shortcuts

Editing can be a long process. Here’s a few of my favorite shortcuts. Of course, these are for a PC, but I think on a Mac you just use the “Command” key instead of the Ctrl key.

  • Ctrl + A for select all
  • Ctrl + F to find
  • Ctrl + K to find and replace
  • Ctrl + Z for undo

You can also check out this blog about how to use CTRL + H when writing and as an addition to your self-editing checklist. 

Happy writing!

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How to Outline Your Novel or Nonfiction Book

Woman editing a stack of papers by hand to demonstrate how to outline your novel or nonfiction book.

In my years as a developmental editor, ghostwriter, and book reviewer, I’ve come across a few tricks to breaking down a good story, and a few tips for assembling one. Maybe you’ve been told before how to outline your novel or nonfiction book, but hopefully this blog will have some new information for you. 

In the discussion about different types of writers — “planners” vs. “pantsers” — I tend to come down closer on the side of “planner.” I look at it like having a road map that helps you know what direction you’re heading, but it doesn’t mean you can’t take detours or stops or double-back along the way. 

Writing is a journey, and here’s a few tips to help you get through it.

About Outline "Rules"

Many writers say to begin a plot or nonfiction book with an outline. You’ve probably done different kinds of outlines repeatedly since the seventh grade.

I wholeheartedly agree that you should outline your novel or nonfiction book, except two things:

First: You’re not in school, so don’t think your outline will be graded. It’s for you, to organize your thoughts. So don’t use Roman numerals or complicated tiered systems if they don’t work for you. Regular ol’ bullet points work just fine.

Second: Take a step back to something even more basic than the outline. First, take three blank pages and plot out your book’s beginning, then the end, and then figure out the middle. One page for each.

First Tip to Outline Your Novel or Nonfiction Book: Begin at the Beginning

The beginning is often the easiest to write. You have figured out where to start; you have a lot of information and world building and context to put in.

Limit yourself to only one page to summarize the most important points for the beginning of your outline. You will expand on it later. No doubt.

Answer Me These Questions Three

The beginning of your story should answer three questions, so you want to address them on the first page, and use them to build the first section of your outline.

  1. What’s the story about?
  2. What does the reader need to know to understand it?
  3. How much does the reader know already?

Your first two chapters should set up the context. Maybe a preface or introduction if you can squeeze it in. But really, you don’t have long to get the reader invested. When you want to outline your novel, include specific points and details about how and where you will hit these points in the narrative. 

Assume your back cover copy has gotten the reader to open to page 1. They’re primed for you to “wow” them. Use a barbed hook to pull them along through the opening pages. Show them that they made the right decision to crack the cover — because you’ve got something to say, you’ve got a story to tell, and you’re talking straight to them.

Getting them hooked is one thing. Interested is another. But really getting the reader to the point where they can say to someone “I’ve read a couple chapters, and I really like it so far” — that’s the first solid milestone.

Give Readers what They Need & Build to Outline Your Novel or Nonfiction

You want your book’s readers to understand the context for the book right away. Weigh in the first page they should clearly know the main theme of your book. Not the thesis statement of it, but what’s at the heart. They should be able to immediately see themselves living inside it for hours.

You want readers to figure out quickly that they have some idea of what’s going on. Don’t overload the beginning, keep them walking through the introduction to the topic or the characters’ world, and give them a few pages to put together familiar pieces. Connect with things similar to what readers have heard or seen before.

The beginning of your book can namedrop or allude to references, and it should convince the reader you know what you’re talking about. Both for fiction and nonfiction.

Keep the Reader Guessing

Although it will be tempting at the beginning, don’t reveal every secret. Don’t list off everything that makes your book different. Let your readers discover why your book is different and tell you when they’ve finished it. Instead, focus on letting them see how the knowledge they bring from their experience as a reader is going to pay off for them in your book.

Then, when they think they have a handle on the topic at hand and the world you’ve created for your characters, drop the first bomb on them. Shatter something the reader took for granted, something they thought they knew and understood. Put something familiar in a new light, and you’ll get them passed the beginning of the book and into its middle.

Second Tip to Outline Your Novel or Nonfiction Book: When You Get to the End, Stop

Next in the outline of your novel or nonfiction book, consider the end of your book. Your ending has to stick, if you want anyone to leave an online review or tell their friends about you. Too often I see writers really dig into the beginning and lose steam by the end. So, outline your book’s ending before its middle.

Use one of your three sheets of paper to brainstorm the answers to the three following questions. 

  1. Where does the reader end up?
  2. How do they feel?
  3. What should they do next?

If you plot the end of your book with clear intentions of the results you’re aiming for, you are more likely to hit them. Consider both issues of plot structure and resolution for character arcs, as well as the emotional ripples you’ll be sending through your readers’ souls. Do you want readers to be better prepared for something in the world? Do you want them to have an emotional reaction? 

Again, considering how your book’s outline functions like a road map, this is your general idea of the destination you want to reach and the welcome you expect on your arrival. 

Outline Your Novel to Avoid "The Curse of the Dragging Middle"

The middle of your book will likely comprise approximately 40 to 60% of your overall content, depending on how thorough you are with your first and final sections. And, I would reckon that “somewhere in the middle” is where 40 to 60% of readership lose interest.  

This is the “meat” in burger that is your book. So your outline can’t “yada yada” past this important section. It may be tempting to rush it, but take as much time considering how to avoid making your middle “drag” as you did with brainstorming how to engage the reader in the beginning. 

Avoid a sagging middle section in your book by addressing four questions:

  1. How do I get the reader from where they are to where I want them to go?
  2. What are the 3 most important things I have to tell them (in 2 sentences each)?
  3. What order should I release this important information?
  4. How can I capture readers’ hearts and minds?

Don’t underestimate the value of having a road map to get you through this important section. If you want people to finish your book, think ahead about the course you’ll guide them along. 

Of course, this first outline isn’t a hard-and-fast rule, and the draft will change. But you’ll know where you’re starting, where you want to end up, and have a vague way how to get there if you outline your novel or nonfiction book.

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Ad Copy & Poetry: Kissing Cousins

Depictions of billboards at a busy intersection to relate ad copy and poetry

In writing for businesses, I frequently hear marketing directors/executives/creative team leaders say something to the effect of “Make every word count. We want them to feel, not think. Lead their thoughts with your words.” This is at the heart of ad copy. 

It’s poetry, commercialized. (Oh, and dumbed down to the LCD). People marketing to you expect to you read, feel, and react at about the level of a thirteen year old. Don’t think they respect your intelligence. They think the buyer is “smart” and “savvy”, not knowledgeable.

In my most humblest of opinions.

So, what can we learn here, about this crucial fact of both genres of perhaps the least-read words on the planet? (Think about it: lower but more dedicated readership numbers for poetry vs. a widespread yet fickle audience in advertising.)

“Impact” and “retention” are the names of the games in both.

Impact is Instant in both Ad Copy & Poetry

Whether it’s poetry or sales copy, you need to land with an immediate impact. No, not immediate. Instant. Where in a novel, a reader may give you a whole page to sufficiently hook them, and in a short story the reader might allow you at least a paragraph to breathe magic into words, readers of ad copy and poetry give you about three words.

Three. Friggin. Words.

In no time flat, you have to trigger the reader into some kind of reaction. Get them through to the end of the sentence. That’s your first goal.

All the advice you’ve heard about eliminating adverbs? Now is the time.

You will find a difference in the use of adjectives in poetry vs. ads though. In poetry, you want sensory images and specifics that come with detailed nouns. In ad copy, adjectives can be useful to trigger emotions. You want the reader to be able to picture the product in their hand and their life.

With that being said, some of the same rules apply. Alliteration. Cacophony. The old school literary devices that you “need to know“, all show up in poetry and ad copy.

Retention Depends on Goals

Consider your end goal when writing. 

If you want readers to feel, perhaps reflect and think very deeply, then you’re writing poetry, and you probably can keep someone who reads the first line engaged enough to read the first stanza. From there, it’s up to you to keep them engaged in every line.

If you want the reader to feel something within three words and take action by the end of a single sentence, then you’re in ad-copy-land.

For either type of writing, thinking about the goal of your words will lead to retention of your readers. If your goal is to entertain and inspire, and you focus your words on that, not only can you engage the reader for the entire poem or advertisement, but you have a higher chance of grabbing their attention in future encounters.

Ad Copy & Poetry: Concise. Clear. Compelling.

It’s what both ad copy writing and poetry must be.

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Tips for Consistent Quality Writing

tips-quality-writing

There’s a problem with doing something well: Once is rarely enough. When you do something (like producing quality writing) well, two things can happen:

  1. Other people begin to expect more of you, and
  2. You begin to expect more of yourself

For a writer, this can be great. A well-done piece deserves the admiration it receives, and you should be proud when an article, poem, essay, story, or book comes together.

But unless you’re one among the rare breed of author — and I mean really, really rare — who can launch a career from one great piece, a single successful publication will not a sustainable income make.

Setting Unreasonable Standards

So after your first great piece, you sit down to write the next one. Immediately the demon of comparison shows up on your shoulder.

What if it’s not as good as your first published thing? What if you don’t live up to the expectations for quality writing you’ve set for yourself?

On some level, you try to tell yourself, “Everything will be okay if it’s not ‘perfect.'”

So you let something slide. Relax a little on your vigilance to push the quality to its extreme.

But if your first high-quality product was noticed by the public, you can bet that any dip in quality will be noticed, too. You set a high standard that others now expect to see in your work, and when they don’t see it, they will let you know.

Setting Reasonable Writing Expectations

What’s the lesson here? How do you keep yourself from being caught in an endless loop of writing better and pushing yourself to the limit every time?

Well, you don’t.

Some people think they can avoid this challenge by settling for a lower quality piece and set low expectations at the beginning. But ask yourself: Why would you expect to get readers if you lower your standards?

Readers have fairly low tolerance for writers who treat them like fools. If you’re offering mediocre or low quality, they won’t be back for more.

With lower quality writing, you’re less likely to engage as many people to begin with or bring back the ones you engage with the first time.

So what to do?

Quality Writing Tip #1: Do your best.

One man’s trash is another’s treasure and all that. If your prose is clean and error free, and your plot is well structured with thought-out character arcs and a solid narrative, readers may forgive historical inaccuracies, use of clichés or bland characters and world building.

Do your best, and be prepared to hear that your best wasn’t “perfect.”

Present the reader with a polished package, and they may overlook some areas where it could be improved. Or, at least you’ll receive feedback on what to improve for your next piece.

Quality Writing Tip #2: Use feedback.

Don’t just “receive” feedback, use it.

If you received praise from readers, and you want to know why they thought your book was high quality — ask!

This might take the form of social media polls, reading your reviews and comment threads, or sending out reader copies  of your work and asking for specific advice.

Use what your readers say to recognize at least four things your readers generally agree was high quality about your writing or the book in general, and identify at two areas where you can push the quality to higher levels in the next poem or manuscript.

Quality Writing Tip #3: Look for quality to emulate.

Maybe you really admire colorful metaphors or quirky descriptions and world building. Maybe tight and minimal sentences are what you strive for.

Read books from some of the great writers in your genre or historical time period and pick out examples of what you think makes their writing great.

Work to structure your sentences the same way, use metaphors or descriptors similarly, or mimic the dialogue style that you find engaging. Whatever it is that you enjoy about reading their work, use as a model for your own craft.

Quality Writing Tip #4: Be patient. Quality takes time.

Be prepared to tackle your manuscript in multiple revision iterations.

Maybe one day, you revise the entire thing with a focus on word choice. Then, the next day, you do a read-through and edit to focus on historical accuracy. Stay focused on the areas you’ve marked for improvement and special attention. Be patient.

You might be midway through your outline and realize you need to do additional research or watch a movie that people recommended as a reference. Do it.

Don’t let the pressure to put out a follow up to your first well-received work push you to a hasty release of the next piece.

If you’re honestly working to improve, you must work as hard as you did the first time, so you can reach the level of quality you’ve already set for yourself. Then, push at least 25% past that. Work harder than you’ve ever worked before; the improvement will show.

Once you become recognized for your skill, enjoy it. But don’t stop.

No one wants to be a one-trick pony, and compromising on your writing quality ensures you will be.

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On Intransitive Emotions: Emotional Writing Practice

Pink blooming flowers on the branch of the bush. To express emotional writing and intransitive verbs.

Where Do Emotions Go?

Do feelings have direct objects? Many do. Most of the time.

We do not feel an emotion like love if it is not directed toward some thing or someone. We don’t usually feel anger without a source, a thing that is the reason for our anger. Whether or not anger and love are ultimately directed toward the correct thing is a separate issue. But overall, they are not objectless. Not without an objective.

But what about gratitude? Or loneliness? Or freedom? Or even anxiety?

Some human emotions, like some verbs in the English language, may not need to act upon a direct object. Some things we, as humans, simply feel without it being directed toward a specific thing. Regardless of who caused the emotion or where it came from. Or what we plan to do with it.

I have heard it said that grief is love with nowhere to go. How beautifully tragic. You have so much love, but no object to direct it toward. You’ve lost someone or something you love, and what’s left is this love with no object to love. So it is transformed into grief. And then what do you do with it?

If you can learn to harness and develop your most emotional writing, you may be able to direct these emotions and express their universality to others.

Emotional Writing Is about Range

Consider: It is easy to write about emotions that come from an obvious person or can be directed easily outward or inward toward some manifestation. It is easy to show through emotional writing that a character is angry based on his or her reaction to the circumstances.

But your writing can grow from learning to express the intransitive actions and feelings of life. The things we all simply feel. The things we can’t necessarily explain or simply express.

Consider the sentence: He ran.

The verb does not need to act on anything. It stands alone. No object. This is what makes it an intransitive verb.

What emotions might your character have that run by themselves? What emotional state does your character default to? What might be some of the intransitive emotions that your character feels but which don’t have an object? 

How can you express something like a character’s gratitude for the wind on her face with emotional writing? Is the character grateful to someone or something for the wind, or does she simply feel the gratitude without having anywhere to put it? 

Does your character’s emotion need an object? It can have one, sure, but it may not be necessary. Just like he can run quickly. Or he can run on the pavement, your character can be grateful to someone or something. Even if it’s ineffable.

And if you, dear writer, can make your characters’ actions and intransitive emotions tangible, you will lead readers into a much richer world through the emotional writing that draws readers in and makes characters come to life.

This may be something to incorporate into your own self-editing and revision, as well as an item to address with your creative editor to ensure you’re working together to make your emotional writing as creative and expressive as possible. 

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