David Patneaude's Blog: Different Worlds - Posts Tagged "publishing"

So many books...You know the rest. So many four and five-star books on Goodreads and elsewhere. So if you're a reader, how do you decide what to read? And if you're a writer who's written--or is in the process of writing--something, how do you get your book noticed, and once it gets noticed, how do you convince readers to pick it out of the pile or off the shelf or click on it on the website and spend a week or two of their precious time reading it? How do you get the elusive "buzz" going, and how do you take the next step? These questions are mostly rhetorical, but one answer (not always true, unfortunately) is to write something good. It's not always true because good books get neglected and bad--or mediocre--books for one reason or another make millions. So you do what you can. Write a good book, find a good agent, hope that she or he can find you a good publisher, hope that nothing goes wrong along the way, hope for strong reviews, hope that the publisher believes in the book enough to spend some money on publicity. Then you do what you can to promote yourself and the book--appearances, parties, social media, whatever. If you're good and fortunate, you could have some success. But it's a long road, and regardless of what happens, you have to keep in mind that writers write. You have to love what you're doing--creating characters and their stories. What happens next is important, but you can't let it overshadow your creative side. In many ways, it's out of your control.

Self Editing for Fiction Writers: How to Edit Yourself Into Print by Renni Browne and Dave King

Getting ready to start your novel? Partway through the first draft? Done with the first draft and ready to re-draft or revise? Struggling? Not struggling but want your manuscript to stand out? Get this book, and don't just put in on your bookshelf. Read it. Explore it. Underline. Highlight. Keep it open and within arm's length as you move along. Whether you're frequently published or new at this game, it's an invaluable tool. I had the first edition early in my career and practically wore it out. The newer edition (2004) is equally as valuable. The chapter on voice alone is worth the price of the book.