Being a writer is a whole gig. The writing part is hard enough, but add to that the pressure of getting your book seen and sold? Yikes. Luckily there are places you can go to commiserate and gain new skills and networks top help you out. If you’re in Ontario (ON), these are the writing festivals you should know about if you’re serious about your craft.
Category Archives: Book Marketing
Writers festivals in British Columbia
In a bit of a topical diversion from my usual posts, today I’m going to talk about all the writers festivals here in British Columbia (BC). One of the best ways to hone your craft is to be inspired by other writers and get constructive feedback on your own writing. Even if you’re already involved in a writing group at, say, your local library, you should consider some professional development with writers, editors, and various publishing industry professionals. Not only are these events good for your craft, they’re also good for your networking and marketing ideas.
What to do with (unpublished) family manuscripts
Every now and again I get inquiries from family members dealing with a loved one’s possessions who have found a manuscript. Typically they want to know what to do with this compilation of work—and if it’s any good. Sometimes the family is really enthusiastic about the project. Sometimes they haven’t even read it yet. And that’s fair.
What can a librarian do for a writer?
Finding the right sources, whether you’re a journalist or a novelist, is incredibly important for professional writers. If that material search has ever taken you to the library, you’ll already know what a librarian can do for a writer. If you’ve previously preferred to do all your own sourcing yourself, I hope this article will help you see there are faster and more efficient ways to get what you want—at your local library.
Should I write a fan fiction?
You sure should write fan fiction and likely already have—at least partly, in your head. When you think of how a character should have acted or what you wish had have happened instead, you’re essentially starting your own fanfic. This is a brand new world of ‘what ifs’ you get to explore. How far you want to explore that world is up to you.
The top North American trade publishers
What is the first place that comes to mind if you think of published books? Chances are, it’s one of the big multinational publishers: Penguin Random House (now including Simon & Schuster), Hachette, HarperCollins, and Macmillan. While there are literally hundreds of places to get published, these four take the cake in terms of annual revenue, number of titles, and notoriety.
What is a title information sheet and when would I need one?
In publishing, when your book gets presented to the editorial team as a real candidate for selling, your story will be reduced to a single page of to-the-point information known as the title information sheet. This piece of paper is the marketing pitch for your book, and contains important printing details the publisher will need to know for pricing reasons (among other things). So what goes into a title information sheet?
Right Your Writing 