Writing and Publishing News

I can hardly believe that I’ve been blogging since November of 2005 and this is blog number 88. Five years ago, I didn’t even know what a blog was? Did you? Heck, the term blog wasn’t coined until just 10 years ago. Do you know how many blogs there are now? In May of this [...]

Patricia Fry’s blog Call it popularity, prominence, visibility or expertise. In publishing, it’s what you need in order to succeed. How many people will rush out to buy your book as soon as it lands in Borders and B&N? Why would anyone choose your novel, cookbook, poetry, children’s story or self-help book over the competition? [...]

I’m always surprised when I receive a query letter from a hopeful author through the SPAWN website (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) or my Matilija Press website. Why does this surprise me? First, SPAWN is not a publishing company. It is a networking organization. We don’t do any publishing; we provide the resources and [...]

Do you head for the keyboard every morning even before having your coffee? Do you sometimes turn down invitations so you can stay home and write? Would you rather work on your book than join neighbors for a pool party? Do you even enjoy writing lists, emails and thank you notes? Do you sometimes work [...]

I’ve been almost totally immersed, lately, in revising my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. As some of you know, I’m planning to release the second edition (revised) in August. This has been an enlightening and educational experience, as the publishing industry continues to shift, transition and change. I pride [...]