I usually only post here once a week, but this is interesting news. There’s now a Barnes & Noble Press (a self-publishing suite). I guess it’s their take on Amazon’s KDP. When I first heard about it, I was thrilled, especially since Createspace is getting rid of their author services. But, I’m not quite sure…
Author: Karen Cioffi
Karen Cioffi is an award-winning author and children's ghostwriter. She loves to help those who want to be the author of a children's book fulfill their dream. Contact Karen today to get your story started!
Fiction Writing – Do It Right
I’m reading a book on writing fiction. It’s “Writing Fiction – The Practical Guide From New York’s Acclaimed Creative Writing School.” It’s written by the Gotham Writers’ Workshop faculty and Alexander Steele is the author of Chapter One, Fiction: The What, How and Why of It. Steele explains, “Promising ideas + hard work = good…
Writing – Time Management and Organization
When I first started out in my writing career, I began to think more and more about organizing my writing. But, I was in what I call, slow mode. I worked on my stories with the intent to eventually… hopefully get published. However, I was in no rush; writing came after everything else I had…
Your Author Platform – Is it Ever Too Soon to Start?
Newbies to the writing arena have many questions about creating an author platform. And, the most puzzling one is whether they need a website before they have a book published or in contract. In fact, I’ve recently been questioned twice about whether a newbie with NO book on the publishing horizon should bother to start…
Walking Through Walls Book Trailer
Walking Through Walls was honored with the Children’s Literary Classics Silver Award. Set in 16th century China, this middle-grade fantasy adventure is about 12-year-old Wang. Not liking to work, it really bugs him that he has to help his father tend the wheat fields. Thinking he can bypass work and struggle (and become rich and…
Publishing Your Book the Hybrid Way
As with everything, the publishing industry has changed. With the difficulty in getting a traditional contract through queries and proposals and the hands-on learning and doing of ‘real’ self-publishing, there is a third option: Hybrid publishing. So, what exactly is hybrid publishing? According to Ingram Spark, “Hybrid publishing combines some elements of traditional publishing with…
3 Reasons Why Editing Should Come Before Self-Publishing
Self-publishing is an amazing beast. It has brought the world of publishing into the hands of you, Joe, Beth, and everyone and anyone who wants to write a book. It has brought writing power and freedom to all. But, with writing power and freedom comes responsibility. This means that while it’s true that self-publishing has…
Opening Paragraphs
Contributed by Suzanne Lieurance What’s perhaps the most important part of anything you write? The opening paragraph, of course. Yet many times, that’s the part writers have the most trouble with. They end up with an opening paragraph that is too long, too unfocused, and doesn’t really lead to what happens next. With that in…
Writing Success – Do You Really Have the Power?
The question in the title has been asked for hundreds, probably thousands of years. The simple truth of the matter is you have the power. You are in control of whether you become successful or not. Most of it has to do with your thought process. Zig Ziglar said, “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will…
Making a Fiction Story Work – 5 Key Elements
Think about the last time you read a story that stayed with you. A story that made you feel. A story that took you on an adventure or had you sitting on the edge of your seat. A story that made you cry or laugh . . . or think. These types of stories have…