Why Nobody Reads Press Releases Anymore
Buying press release services to announce getting published in a small magazine is a very bad idea.…
Ask The Expert
Can I use your 24-Hour Short Story writing prompts to create a book of short stories?
I would like them to write short stories for NaNoWriMo...…
Publisher Wants Author’s Illustrator Friend to Give Up ALL Rights???
The publisher may be planning to do something more with your illustrations than you would want.…
SCAM ALERT: No, Netflix did NOT just email you about turning your book into a movie!
If Netflix was actually interested in your book, they would not send you such a generic letter.…
Another Reason Authors Must Own and Control Their Own Websites? CANCEL CULTURE!
If you let any other person or company host your website, they have the power to "cancel" you if they don't like something in your book, something you wrote online, or even some of your social media posts. You may think you're safe from this garbage right now but you never know which way the politically correct tide is going to move in the future...…
“I’m 15 years old. Can I still write for you?”
"I've read your writer's guidelines and I'd love to send you some article ideas. However, I don't know if you have an age limit..."…
Can a Ghostwriter Be Sued for Libel or Invasion of Privacy?
"A woman wants me to ghostwrite a book about her abusive childhood? This makes me nervous. Could I be sued?"…
INSULTING! “Can you send me a free critique of my short story/article/poem/book manuscript?”
I get a bit miffed that so many people assume that I will drop everything to critique their work for free.…
Angela Shares a Brutally Honest Review of an Author’s Book Description on Amazon
I recommend pulling your book from the market.…
Email From “Major Movie Studio” Didn’t Fool THIS Author!
How many authors can they trick into paying thousand of dollars for their completely garbage service?…
“Can I re-publish a deceased relative’s book that’s been out of print for decades?”
Books that are no longer in print may or may not be available for republishing.…
“Amazon has the wrong author on my book’s page!”
"I've already had a couple of people tell me they bought his books instead of mine..."…
Should I publish one very large book or three smaller ones?
It's always better to have three products to sell instead of one.…
“Am I supposed to collect sales tax when selling my books directly to readers in my state AND others?”
Are you collecting sales tax when you sell your books?…
Book Reviews – Great for Blurbs…Not So Great for Sales?
"I'm a bit disappointed in (my book sales) because I got a good review from (a book review publication). I had four more good reviews at (book review websites). Two more are due out next week..." …
“Should I post my business videos to YouTube or to my own website?”
"Should I my how-to videos on my own website or should I use YouTube. I know YouTube gets a lot more traffic than I ever will..."…
What Does ‘sic’ Mean and When Should You Use It?
"My book contains speeches by others that have grammatical errors. What do I do?"…
“Is my book being trolled on Amazon by someone I know?”
If an author has any enemies (or suspected enemies), I recommend he or she remove those people from their social media friends' lists, as well as their email lists long before marketing of a new book begins...…
“Should I pay my publisher almost $3,000 to make my book returnable?”
Being told you have to buy insurance to close a book distribution deal? Sounds fishy because it is.…
“Should my website’s URL be my name or my book’s title?”
"What do you recommend for authors when they are creating a..."…
“Nobody Has Bought My Brand New Book…Yet There Are Already Used Copies For Sale Online?”
I haven't been paid a dime, but there are used copies of my book on Amazon. Well no, those aren't really used copies. …
If an editor buys first rights, but never publishes my article, what then?
If an editor accepts an article, but never print it, can I sell it again?…
“What are the benefits of going with a hybrid publisher?”
Ah, "hybrid." Such a cool sounding word, right? But...…
She’s my friend so she won’t sue me for what I wrote about her, right?
We've heard of family members suing authors for what was written, even when names were changed.…
“Should I get rid of the paperback edition of my book since the hardcover makes more money?”
"If I get rid of the paperback, people will buy the hardcover one instead and my profits will increase, right?"…
“Can I publish a book of baseball cards?”
"I'm helping a friend assemble a baseball book and he wants to include photos of Topps Baseball cards..."…
How to Waste Months of Your Life Writing a Book You CAN’T PUBLISH!
"I recently retrieved my dusty copy of (the author's) original synopsis and first chapters I produced and decided I wanted to continue to make it into book. I have tried to contact the originator by letter and email..."…
“Can I sue an author who gives their book the same title as mine?”
"Another author published a book in 2015 that has the exactly same title as my book, which was published in 2010."…
“A literary agency wants to represent my 12-year-old self-published book. Legit or not?”
"Because I hear so many horror stories about companies like this agency scamming authors (and yes, they approached me first!), I’m..."…
What do illustrators need to know before starting work for an author?
Do the illustrations have to be in a specific format for publishing? Yes, they do!…