Plenty of variables will impact your bottom line, but I’m going to give you a quick run-down of the basics you’ll need to budget in order to self-publish your book. These are what I consider the absolute non-negotiables. Once you start marketing your book, you’ll be looking at other expenses, including buying ads and whatever other methods you choose, but this list will get you to where your book is available for purchase. Once I’ve done more marketing of my own, I may add those expenses to this list or write another just for marketing. This list is excerpted from my blog post, Please Do Not Feed the Pigs: A…
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Please Do Not Feed the Pigs: A Critical View of the Traditional Publishing Industry
Hey. You. Starry-eyed writer. You. Listen to me. I know you just want to write your stories and, God willing, get paid for it, but there is a crowd of people who will offer to help you get published. *takes your little face in my hands* Don’t assume you can trust them, nor that you actually need what they’re offering. Let’s face it: new authors are scared and impressionable, and that makes us easy targets. This industry is like a secret society; it feels like you can’t find an in anywhere, no matter how good your writing is. So whenever someone waves and calls, “Yoohoo! New writers! I know what…
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An Ode to the Illusionist
Authors are not the only creators of fiction. Actors, both on the stage and the silver screen, are our brethren. They breathe characters in and walk around in their shoes, like the most intimately connected of readers. Visual artists, too, can create fiction. They may draw scenes or give a face to a character who visits readers only in little snatches. But there is one creator of fiction who is often forgotten, and that is the illusionist. I hope no one makes their entire way through life without experiencing the magic of the theater. When the lights go down and the curtains come up, it’s like your body doesn’t exist…
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Why You Should Write That Thing
The only thing writers are better at doing than writing is making excuses. (Admit it! You know it’s true.) And one of our favorite things to excuse ourselves for is, ironically, not writing. Now, if you’re a writer, this is not news to you. Probably you’re reading this article about why you should Write That Thing so that you don’t have to actually open the document and write it. I see you. (And I’m here preaching to you instead of hashing out my latest novel. So we’re even.) But I’m not here to talk about procrastination. I’m talking about stifling a story. I don’t know how inspiration comes to other…
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“Christian Fiction” vs. Faith in Fiction (and Why I Prefer the Latter)
Christian fiction sounds pretty straightforward. You would think that the quickest way to recognize whether a book fits in that genre would be to ask the question, “If you ran into God in the middle of this novel, how surprised would you be to see him?” If you’re not surprised at all, you’re probably reading Christian fiction. If he took you considerably by surprise, you’re probably in a different section. Right? But that’s not the case. Even if you don’t regularly read Christian fiction, let’s walk down that aisle. What would you expect to see? You’ve got your Amish romance section (a weirdly specific niche, but it’s a thing), your…
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The Wait is Over!
This is it! The months of waiting are up. Angels Strange and Beautiful is officially available for purchase as an ebook or a paperback. Hopefully soon the hardcover will be available on IngramSpark. Buy your copy today!
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Angels Strange and Beautiful Cover Reveal
Ladies and gentlemen, may I present your first glimpse of the cover art for my debut novel, Angels Strange and Beautiful, courtesy of Abbey Konzen!
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The Big Question: Why Self Publish?
What do you think when you hear the words “self publishing”? It’s okay, you can be honest here, if only with yourself. If you’re like many people, your first thought might have been, “Were they not good enough to get published traditionally?” Like it or not, self publishing has had quite a stigma attached, and while its image is improving, there are still negative connotations to fight through, not to mention a major lack of knowledge on the subject. That’s why I thought I would take a few minutes to talk about what led me to the decision to self publish and let you in on the questions I asked…
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BIG NEWS: All Systems Go
My friends, my readers, and my supporters, It is with the deepest joy and wildest excitement that I announce that my debut novel is complete with a title and ready to begin the countdown to its launch! (Eek!) Read on to learn about my book, grab a sneak peek of the story behind it, and find out when you can buy your copy. About the book Angels Strange and Beautiful is a historical novel set in New England between the 1600s and 1700s. In the first half, a more or less innocent stalker follows the love story of Faith and Theophilus in a once-sleepy little village that is suddenly plagued…
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The Consuming Dream
I have been given a unique gift. I know that. This beautiful world of dreams which keeps my head ever in the clouds and peering at the world from weird angles is a joy and a delight to me. I cannot imagine a life without it. Why would I live if not to live this way? However, I feel upon my heart an immense burden. Yes, all artists feel the one of striving for perfection and inevitably falling short. I’ve come to appreciate this constant challenge as a friendly adversary who is always forcing me to be better. It is like a tough but trusted critic who stands behind those…