Archive for the ‘The Business of Writing’ Category

Guest Blog Post: How Libraries Choose Books to Purchase

A frequent question, especially among self- and small press-published authors, is how books get into libraries, and what authors can do to help. Today, guest blogger and public librarian Abigail Goben explains how libraries choose the books they purchase–and what authors should (and shouldn’t) do to play a part in that process.

Authorial Control

Nebula and Hugo nominated author, Cherie Priest, discusses some of the aspects of authorial control over the publishing process.

Guest Blog Post: Grants for Writers–As Diverse As You Are

Being paid for writing is the ultimate author’s dream. Today, guest blogger C. Hope Clark sheds light on an area of support that many writers don’t think of: Grants. There are plenty of them out there, if you know where to look–though, as Hope points out, you must be sure you meet their eligibility requirements, and are willing to conform to their conditions.

First Novel Sales: The Data

What’s the average advance for a first novel? How long does it take the typical first novel to sell? Do most first novelists sell their books on their own, or through an agent? Will publishers and agents consider first novelists who don’t have any short fiction publication credits?

The Importance of Style Sheets

A style sheet is a document the copyeditor prepares that lists the grammatical conventions, characters, places, unusual or made-up words, and the distinctive treatment of words (capitalization, hyphenation, favored spellings, etc.) within a particular text.