This article is by Michael Cairns. For decades, the publishing industry has worked to ensure that every book that they publish can be marketed within a single genre. This is, up to a point, understandable. Publishing is a business, and the clearer the genre of a book, the easier it is to find the target … Read more
This article is by Walter Rhein. There is an inherent paradox in the phrase “focused ambiguity”. Yet the disconnect achieved by putting those two words together approximates the mental state necessary for writing good fantasy. One of the big mistakes a lot of new writers make in their world building is too much of a … Read more
This article is by T.L. Bodine. Self-publishing can certainly seem like the easier route to take when it comes to getting your words in front of readers. After all, there are no gate-keepers – no agents to court, no publishers to approach. With the click of a button, your book can be released into the … Read more
The last dozen fantasy books I’ve read would be classified as epic fantasy. Some kind of hero or heroine goes on a quest, or there are world-spanning conflicts between kings and queens. I guess you’re expecting me to say, “Ugh, I’m so sick of epic fantasy.” Actually, no. I quite enjoy these kinds of stories … Read more
This is the second article in a two-part series by Alexandra Butcher. Part one is here. One of the most controversial ways to promote a book is to offer it for free. The theory is that readers will take a chance on a free book by an unknown author, and that this will help the … Read more
The reality of marketing a self-published book and finding your audience presents a challenge somewhere in-between the faint dream of online success, and the sense of screaming unheard into the web’s dark and angry void. Traditional publishers target their marketing towards their network of book reviewers and buying agents who, in turn, bring a book … Read more
Tired of waiting months, weeks, or even days to hear back about your manuscript? Is that 500,000 word door-stopper just desperate to get immediate feedback? Do you like fast food, Twitter, and teleportation? For those of you that want feedback from an editor yesterday, this is your guide to immediate success. Until recently, I’d never … Read more