How to Get Social Media Influencers to Promote Your Book
Whether you like social media influencers or not (I do not), the allure of their numbers of followers has not been ignored by marketing firms...…
Angela’s Desk
Is Your Client Feigning Ignorance? Don’t Be a Dummy!!
Something that really gets my goat is when people pretend to be stupid in order to take advantage of me in some way. After being in business for 23 years, I've seen my share of Faux Ignoramuses...…
Should You Pay to Appear on a Podcast?
I was very interested in one podcast series but the narrator's voice had a twangy tone that reminded me of a screechingly bad note on my guitar...…
LAST CHANCE! THIS SATURDAY!! What Will the Spring, 2021 24-Hour Short Story Contest Topic Be?!?!
Will the topic feature include some suspense, some humor, some mystery, or something else? You'll soon find out! We are super excited about this topic!! Grab a fresh cup of coffee, open a window, turn on your laptop, crack your knuckles, and get those creative juices flowing!…
Are Authors REALLY This Desperate for Eyeballs?!
Sadly, some authors will fall for this type of scam.…
World’s Worst Query Letters and Book Proposals For March, 2021!
Oh, yes! We know you’re excited!! Today, we’re going to share another installment of our popular column, World’s Worst Query Letters and Book Proposals. We've been savings these for a few weeks now so there are a LOT to entertain you! …
Should Writers/Journalists Let Facebook Host Their Websites and Newsletters? No. Here’s Why.
You can bet that the minute you post something that Facebook (or any of your readers for that matter) doesn't like, you're going to...…
I Need Your Help Understanding This Cancel Culture Thing (WARNING: Contains “offensive” material not suitable for minors)
Before you think that, by being white, I've never been a "victim" myself, read this...…
WHO’S SCAMMING GRANNY? Snakes That Prey on Elderly Authors
Elderly authors are easy marks for scammers and thieves. Today, I'll share the stories of several (semi-)fictional victims. These represent a combination of horror stories we've heard over the years.…
BLOGGERS BEWARE: Re-writing “News” Can Get You Sued…for Libel
Some bloggers are News Rewriters and they, too, can be held liable if they distribute incorrect information (libel, defamation, and invasion of privacy)...…
Promote Your OWN Website, Not Your Publisher’s
Author Andy was so excited! His new book was finished and he'd just approved his print galley. It was time to start selling books! His publishing company put his book up for sale on their website and sent him the URL where he could send people who wanted to purchase his book. Andy didn't have his own website or blog, but he didn't think that would be a problem. Unfortunately, it was, on several fronts. And, while Andy and the other authors below are fictitious, the scenarios are based on real complaints we've received from authors over the years. In every case, had the author had their own website or blog, he or she would have lost few, if any, sales. …
WHAT in the WORLD is in THAT BOX?! Topic, Common Themes, and Winners of the WritersWeekly.com Winter, 2021 24-Hour Short Story Contest!
A wedding ring? A mysterious map?? A severed finger???…
Yes, We’re Weird! And, That’s Why We’re Still in Business!!
I was always a weird (um, naughty) kid. I never aligned myself with social norms. I recognized when something was ridiculous, even if "everyone else" was doing it. I would do things differently, despite the fact that...…
Posting “Read-Aloud” of Children’s Books on YouTube – Good Idea or Not?
Aside from the copyright infringement implications, I have a moral problem with this as well...…
Assuming Your Readers are Stupid is Just Plain…STUPID!
If I had a nickel for all of the authors who have told me they didn't think readers would mind a few typos.…
Despite Covid, Print Books Still Outsold Ebooks in 2020
Sales of print books are still higher than sales of ebooks. …
Another Reason to Buy Print Books: Amazon Can’t Take Them Away From You!
While I won't get into the politics of it all (Heaven knows we're all drowning in that stuff right now), this all serves as an important reminder that what we buy electronically may not always belong to us...…
Can You REALLY Trust Your Secretary, Webmaster, or Publishing Consultant to “Sign” Your Publishing Agreement? – by Angela Hoy
An author recently asked his webmaster to complete a publishing contract on his behalf (which was, of course, not legally binding). What the author learned later, however, was quite disturbing...…
LAST CHANCE! THIS SATURDAY!! What will the Winter, 2021 24-Hour Short Story Contest Topic Be?!?!
As with every Winter contest, you can expect some chill (brrrr!) and maybe some thrill! Or, maybe some suspense, some humor, some mystery? You'll soon find out! We are super excited about this topic!!…
STOP GLUTTONOUS PURCHASING PRACTICES BY BOOKSTORES! Why ALL Books Should be Non-Returnable!! By Angela Hoy
Bookstores have a long history of ordering too many books, and then returning them for credit or a refund, often damaged, bent, and/or dirty, and at the expense of the publisher (or self-published author). At other times, the books are simply destroyed (or sold to a big salvage bookstore), again, at the expense of the publisher or self-published author. Bookstores, like other retailers, should be financially responsible for their own sales forecasts. Period. I just can't find anything in the "returns" equation where the publisher or author should be financially responsible for a bookstore's poor estimation of sales... …
World’s Worst Query Letters and Book Proposals For December, 2020!
Oh, yes! We know you’re excited!! Today, we’re going to share another installment of our popular column, World’s Worst Query Letters and Book Proposals.…
Should You Use Booksniffer to Promote Your Book?
Read what the Alliance of Independent Authors has to say about Booksniffer. …
Amazon is Screwing Over Authors and Publishers ONCE AGAIN!
Why in the world would Amazon let people who'd completely used and benefitted from a product "return" it for a full refund? I know why!…
How to Find Software if You Don’t Want to Pay a Monthly Fee (BONUS: And, My Secret for Finding High-Demand Products During a Pandemic)
When Microsoft, Adobe, and other firms starting offering their software in download-only format, and for a monthly or annual fee, I got really, REALLY mad!…
Submittable – Good for Writers…or Not?
Is Submittable a good deal for writers? We don't think so. Here why...…
World’s Worst Query Letters and Book Proposals For November, 2020!
Oh, yes! We know you’re excited!! Today, we’re going to share another installment of our popular column, World’s Worst Query Letters and Book Proposals!…
Tax Refunds of Tate Publishing’s Owners Will Be “Intercepted” by the Oklahoma Attorney General
PLUS: The Oklahoma Attorney General's files about Tate Publishing have "mysteriously" vanished in the past week! Why?!…
HOLD ONTO YOUR HALLOWEEN MASKS, FOLKS!!! Topic, Common Themes, and Winners of the WritersWeekly.com FALL, 2020 24-Hour Short Story Contest!
It's our FAVORITE contest of the year and you do NOT want to miss the top three winning stories! Are you scared? You should be!! ;)…
9 Reasons NOT to Use BookBaby to Publish Your Book
We were recently contacted by an author who wants to move his book from BookBaby to BookLocker. He says it takes them too long to print and ship a book. We took a look at their current "terms of service" and this is what we found...…
ATTN: NEW AUTHORS – “Pre-sales” Only Work for iPhones and Stephen King
One author wrote to me this week saying her book was ready but that she wanted to "hold" the book until December 1st to get more people interested in it. I told her, "That type of product hype only works for iPhones and celebrity authors like Stephen King..."…
OUR READERS HAVE SPOKEN: Dumbing Down Children’s Books is a VERY BAD IDEA!!
I asked you guys and gals to weigh in with your opinions on this topic and we received more comments than any other article we've published this year!…
SEEKING YOUR INPUT: Dumbing Down Children’s Books – A Good Idea or Not?
the vocabulary was extremely advanced for a picture book. Now, I don't have a problem with that but...…
Copyright Infringement or Plagiarism…or BOTH?
Entire sections of the book contained information taken from websites but no websites or writers were given credit. So, is this copyright infringement or plagiarism? In this case...…
Two Reasons Why Some of Your Readers are NOT Allowed to Post Reviews on Amazon!
As we all know, positive reviews mean better exposure on Amazon! However, did you know that some people aren't allowed to leave reviews on Amazon?…
LAST CHANCE! THIS SATURDAY!! What will the Fall, 2020 24-Hour Short Story Contest Topic Be?!?!
As with every Fall contest, you can expect some colored leaves, some chilly air, and maybe something creepy....or not! You''ll soon find out! We are super excited about this topic!! …
We Told Them NOT to Write about THIS…So They Wrote About THAT! Topic, Common Themes, and Winners of the WritersWeekly.com SUMMER, 2020 24-Hour Short Story Contest!
She's on her way back to the car with popcorn, candy, and a soda when all the lights go out at the drive-in. Then, the screen lights back up with... YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THE WINNING STORIES!!…