Published on December 11, 2013
We were finally able to round everybody up to go get the Christmas tree. Grampa picked out the perfect one and we raced home to decorate it. I cooked honey baked ham (with Justin’s honey coating recipe), cheesy mashed potatoes, and fried okra while the children had fun hanging lights and ornaments. Just before bedtime, I filled up the tree stand to the rim with water.
The next morning, I walked in the living room and, right in front of me, it came crashing down…
Published on December 11, 2013
worst book proposals and query letters
Today, I’m going to share snippets from some of the worst query letters we’ve received over the past couple of months. Yes, we can learn from others’ mistakes! Featured below are real quotes from query letters submitted to WritersWeekly.com…
Published on December 11, 2013
Thanks for WritersWeekly.com – it’s still the best, most-informative ezine for writers!
Michael
Published on December 11, 2013
self-publishing
Millions of writers are pursuing their dreams by self-publishing. While I wouldn’t discourage anyone from chasing their dream, I would like to encourage you to think about your dream in a different way…
Published on December 11, 2013
I had a book published by (a small P.O.D. publisher) in the US and it has been on sale since Oct. 2011, I have received no royalties, no answers to my emails, and now all emails are sent back. The editing was disgraceful (no errors fixed, etc.) and they took a lot longer than my contract stated to publish it. I have seen no advertising as was promised. In fact, they did not adhere to any of their contract. I have cancelled my contract, but they are still selling it on Amazon and other similar sites. I really don’t know what to do about it. I’m completely at my wit’s end.
Published on December 11, 2013
Usually, the moral of a story is told at the end. I will tell you the moral of this one at the beginning: If you believe in your own ability to write for pay and your sense of where to send you work, listen to your inner self and let no one, no matter how experienced and successful in publishing, dissuade you from what you believe will work…
Published on December 4, 2013
This is the longest we’ve ever gone in the season without putting up our tree. We usually have it up during the third week of November. Thanksgiving came late this year and, each year, it gets harder to organize everyone for a group outing…
Published on December 4, 2013
I received an email from an author last week asking why he never received his “royalties” for a Kindle “gift” ebook he bought for someone. It was his own book and he had documentation proving he’d purchased the ebook version from Amazon. I checked Amazon’s reports and they didn’t show the sale for that month.
I wrote to Amazon and the author was not happy with their response…
Published on December 4, 2013
Dear Angela,
Yesterday, I participated in an authors event at our local central library in Merrillville, Indiana. Perhaps 20 authors were there. All, it appears, were self-published.
I had the only professional looking books and the only hard backs, which impressed most of the visitors.
I need your business cards to pass out! Honestly, I am not kidding. The author across from my table had her book printed by PublishAmerica. What a horror story! (She told me) just the mailing fee for 100 paperback books (not so good color work on cover) cost her $400. Mailing is $4 per book! No bulk mailing charge.
She is locked into a 7-year contract and was stunned when I told her that I get a check from BookLocker.com each month. In a year, she has never received a royalty check.
Again, I am so pleased with your wonderful service.
Leaving for Miami in two days to get my gold medal for Destiny Denied. One of the important judging points was the look of the book and the printing of the cover, which is due to your fine work.
Gratefully,
Rosemary Gard
DESTINY’S DOWRY
Set against the background of the beautiful Croatian countryside and its simple villages, DESTINY’S DOWRY is the story of a baby taken immediately after birth to a place she did not belong.
DESTINY DENIED
Stefan Vladeslav’s father announces his illegitimate son Ivan as an heir and Stefan’s mother is obsessed with the family’s monetary inheritance.
WINNER! GOLD MEDAL – Readers’ Favorite Book Awards – Cultural Fiction
EDITOR’S NOTE: You can read more about Publish America’s ridiculous per-book shipping fees HERE.
Published on December 4, 2013
diversify your writing income
Despite a declining economy, my writing revenue climbed more than 32% last year. I credit much of that success to adjusting my marketing sails and capitalizing on social media netweaving, with a focus on Twitter and blogging…
