Most inspiring book cover trends of 2023

I’ve been getting back into writing this month, and one of the things I’ve been struggling with is getting the proper book cover for the targeted readers. I’ve got a few ideas of my own, but this kind of research is quite helpful in figuring out what’s in these days. If you’re looking for escapism, […]

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Book Cover 101: Mystery/Thriller | Writers In The Storm

I always like to see how book covers evolve, especially since I like designing them. Nice to be on top of trends when reading new books. Also, I usually use an e-reader, so the colours don’t pop like they do on print versions. Notice the tones…black, or off-black, or angry red but not bright red. […]

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How to Promote a Sequel

This is an interesting question for me, since I’m writing a bunch of different stories at the same time, all using the same main character. How do I launch these, I wonder? All at the same time? Stagger them to build interest? Tease the sequels before they launch? As usual, BookBub has some intriguing ideas: […]

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Questions from the Proust Questionnaire

Similar to the previous post, here are some interview questions you can pre-answer, since many radio and TV interviewers pull directly from the Proust Questionnaire. I’ve been trying for days to remember the name of this set of questions. So I’m posting it here for you fine folks. To get to know my characters better, […]

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Using Author Interview Questions in Marketing Materials

If you’re self-publishing, you’re going to need to figure out how you’re going to market your own books. If money’s no problem, hire someone to do marketing for you. However, you’ll likely have to do your own marketing, even if you have outside help doing it. One thing which you can do to get an […]

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Another Pre-publishing Promotion Guide

Thanks to BookBub for this handy little guide for pre-launch book promotion. There are some great insights, including why and how to get a blurb from another known author: Secure blurbs from comparable authors. Author blurbs can catch readers’ attention, especially if they’re familiar with the author providing the blurb. Our tests showed that book […]

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How to Promote Your Book Before It’s Published

Some good tips on how to promote your books before they come out. One thing I could use is good information on how to promote a book pre-launch (maybe using some kind of checklist to cover all the bases, including all the book promoter websites I’m using). It’s something I’m working on as I go, […]

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48+ Publishing Resources You Should Know About

Here’s a pretty decent list of publishing links for the aspiring writer. Some good research here, from graphic design apps to online courses. Most of the distribution stuff is probably well-known. Note that this list is meant to provide a starting point for your research into service providers for a variety of projects, but it’s […]

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40 best books to read before you die

The blank-best-blanks-to-blank-before-you-blank lists are a little silly, a little subjective, and maybe a little overdone. However, I like posting about books these days, so have at it. I’ll admit, I’ve got some reading to do. I’ve maybe read 16 of these novels, and only remember some of those, since many were read in school. That […]

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13 Stories About Surviving a Nuclear War

You can tell a person’s age by how much the quiet threat of a nuclear war impacted their childhood. I remember so many movies, books, and television references from the early-to-mid 80s, including “The Day After,” the traumatizing made-for-TV movie which heavily influenced nuclear disarmament by showing the average American the horror of a nuclear […]

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