The “beat sheet” is the most useful editorial tool you can develop, other than a sharp pair of scissors! Based on his bestselling book, Writing Treatments that Sell, Dr. Atchity will explain what a beat sheet is and how it differs from a synopsis, a...

Kathleen Schmidt, publicist at www.kmspr.com, discusses ways to balance your life as you write your book. The most important rule? You don’t have to say yes to everything. You need great discernment in knowing what needs to be done now and what things...

Author and editor, Sara Anne Fox, recommends that writers put a book or script away for at least a month before deciding how to go about the editing process. This detachment will assist with the re-write and will allow you to be more objective when you...

Author and editor, Sara Anne Fox, recommends that writers put a book or script away for at least a month before deciding how to go about the editing process. This detachment will assist with the re-write and will allow you to be more objective when...

Looking for tips on author brand development? Julie Wernersbach, publicist for BookPeople, the leading indie bookstore in the United States, describes how the store stays relevant and how authors can apply the same lessons to their brand development...

Looking for tips on author brand development? Julie Wernersbach, publicist for BookPeople, the leading indie bookstore in the United States, describes how the store stays relevant and how authors can apply the same lessons to their brand development...

Nonfiction is a wide and varied genre, so it can be difficult to find clear guidelines to follow. Most importantly, you should know why you are writing this book and what you hope readers will take away from it. From there, following these five elements...

Before you publish your book or submit your manuscript to an agent, use beta readers to receive feedback on your manuscript. As the author, it's easy to overlook errors or weak points in your story. By allowing beta readers to provide an outside perspective...

Authors spend months and even years writing their manuscript, but often give little thought to what may be the some of the most important words in selling the book: the back cover copy. Think about it: before a potential book buyer reads a word of the...

Our favorite stories have a well-crafted structure and contain common elements. We think of writing as an art, but does it have elements of math and science? Elaine Ash thinks so. Ash, author, editor, and book coach, shares her research on structure...