When writing a story, one of the first questions you ask yourself is what kind of story you are writing. Is it a short story, a novel, or a novella? While the first two are quite well-known, you might wonder, “What is a novella?” A novella is a story that falls between a short story and a novel. It typically ranges from 20,000 to 50,000 words, although it can vary depending on genre, publishing standards, and the specific criteria set by awarding bodies such as the Nebula or Hugo Awards. Why does defining a type of story by word count matter for publishing? Historically, novellas were a tough ..read more

When we think about book formatting, we often think more about “typesetting” and how the words are organized on the page, but did you know that any color you add to your book’s interior pages is also considered book formatting? When you’re self-publishing, printing costs can be surprisingly expensive, especially if you’re printing in color. This can be frustrating because higher printing costs will impact what you can comfortably charge on the retail side for each book if you want to make a profit.  To keep color printing costs as low as possible, savvy publishers understand how printing ..read more

Technology. It’s always moving, always shifting, always morphing into something new, but if you know when and how to harness it, you can tame the beast and use it to help you thrive as an author.  Writing a book is not for the faint of heart. Where do you start? How do you know if what you’re writing is good enough? How do you manage your time? These are just some of the questions that can surface before typing a single word on the page. Below we’ll review AI writing tools that can help you write your next novel more efficiently and with less stress.  Whether this is your first book ..read more

In 2024, it’s hard to imagine authors publishing their books in print without considering also releasing them in several eBook formats. According to the Pew Research Center’s 2021 study, reading habits are diversifying. While 75% of adults read a book in the past year, 65% opted for printed versions, showcasing their enduring appeal. Still, the shift towards eBooks is noticeable, with 30% of readers now choosing digital formats, an increase from previous years. And a third of American readers engage with both formats, which points to a wide range of preferences. Offering both eBook and pr ..read more

There’s nothing new under the sun, and all great stories boil down to the same basic plot structure: there’s a conflict, it builds up to a high point, and eventually, one way or another, it gets resolved.  However, there are different ways to engage your readers. The Fichtean Curve is one storytelling method that skips exposition and throws characters right into the action. In this article, we’ll look into what exactly this storytelling framework is, how it’s different from other approaches, and how effective it is. We’ll cover: Introduction to the Fichtean Curve Understanding the Three ..read more

Let’s talk about TikTok book covers. From publishers and book designers to marketers, knowing what makes a book cover sell is part of the job. This means understanding buyer behavior, genre expectations, color theory, and the fundamentals of design as well as current trends. Similar to the rules of professional writing, the rules of design are widespread and well-known. Once you learn them, you can freely create within those boundaries. The formula is not perfect, but if you have all the right pieces in place, you can usually make an educated guess on the best way to go.  But, thanks ..read more

One of the reasons book series are so successful is because readers aren’t always ready to let a character or characters go. They want to know what happens next—the continuation. If you’ve ever thought about someone from your childhood and thought, “I wonder what happened to so and so?”, then you get it. It’s our natural curiosity that gets the best of us. How do other people live? How are their lives different from mine? What do we have in common? We want to know how someone’s life unfolds, even if it’s fictitious.  When it comes to book series covers, from the first book to the last, ea ..read more

Color psychology in marketing is used to influence people’s emotions and decisions. Brands leverage colors color to capture people’s attention and shape their feelings about a product. For example, a bright yellow makes people feel happy and energetic, while a deep blue is calming and trustworthy. Color psychology is especially important in book marketing. The color of a book cover can be the first thing that catches a reader’s eye, whether browsing in a store or scrolling online. Understanding color psychology can be a powerful tool. It’s not just about picking a pretty color; it’s about choo ..read more

As an entrepreneur, authoring a business book is a strategic move to cement your authority in your niche. It’s not just about compiling your insights; it’s about sharing your vision and lessons learned—invaluable both for your personal growth and your business’s reputation. While the essence of your book lies in its content—what you aim to share and teach—there’s a crucial element that you may not have paid much attention to yet: your business book cover design. It’s easy to get so wrapped up in the content that the cover seems like an afterthought.  However, the cover is not just protect ..read more

Do you often base book choices on their covers? You probably do because humans are visual creatures. Even if you decide not to pay attention to the design, you might be intrigued by the title and drawn in by a familiar author’s name. A blind date with a book introduces a new concept: what if we choose books based on fragments of information about them, which can be as little as its genre or the main tropes? This trend is getting increasingly popular on social media, where people show their delight in finding new stories to read.  The idea is simple: the book is wrapped up, so you can’t se ..read more