The preface, the introduction, and the foreword of a book are introductory pieces that belong in a book’s front matter—before Chapter 1. Many authors think that these are all interchangeable terms, but this is a common misconception. So what’s the difference between a preface, introduction,… Read More »Preface, Introduction, or Foreword: What’s the Difference?
If you’ve written a great book, chances are readers will turn to the very last page to see who, exactly, is this masterful writer. Your author bio should tell a story about you that your readers can connect with. There are two places where your… Read More »How to Write a Smashing Author Bio
Being a book editor means I have edited some incredible books over the years. Unfortunately, not all of the books I have edited have done well in terms of sales, mostly because authors incorrectly assume that if they publish a book, people will immediately know about it… Read More »Why You Should Get Your Self-Published Book Reviewed
One of the best ways to get the word out about your book is to do a book signing event or attend a book festival. Here in Boise, for example, in the past I attended the Boise Book Fest—where admittedly, I stand out like a sore… Read More »6 Critical Things Authors Should Bring to a Book Signing
Every time I go through an author’s manuscript, I find words or phrases that don’t always lend themselves to making the author sound eloquent. To put it a different way: Too much wordiness in a sentence can make an author sound amateurish. As a book editor, one of… Read More »#1 Tip for Avoiding Wordiness in Your Novel
Many times, I’ve checked back with a client on the progress of their manuscript only to find that they haven’t made much progress at all. “What happened?” I ask them, expecting something major—like a house fire, a financial catastrophe, or a death in the family.… Read More »How to Overcome Writer’s Block
One mark of a talented author is rhythmic writing, but this can be a difficult writing strength to master. Rhythm in writing is defined as the way the words and sounds come together, usually to create a beat. Long sentences might sound smoother but more… Read More »How to Vary Your Sentences to Create Rhythmic Writing
As a book editor, I’ve seen fiction novels take place in a variety of settings and even a variety of times, from Tanya S.M. Kennedy’s The Terarch Rebellion (which takes place in a medieval fantasy type setting) to David Charles Shaw’s Brain in a Jar (a futuristic sci-fi novel). If… Read More »The Rules for Referencing Specific Dates in Your Book
What is a writer’s voice? As an author, is it important that you have a unique “voice”? And can every writer have a distinctive writing voice? These are some of the questions my clients ask me. An author’s voice is the unique style, tone, and personality that… Read More »3 Steps to Develop Your Writing Voice
If you’re an author, you should know that your purpose is to create books that are as concise as possible. (After all, that’s my number-one goal as your book editor: To help you create incredible, well-written books!) What does that mean? That means cutting out whatever… Read More »Don’t State the Obvious