Recently, we discussed why outlines can be helpful and how to create one, as well as what to do should you come to question your outline. But not all books can be outlined in the same way.  In this post, we’ll cover the specifics of fiction outlines and give you a little more insight into […] The post How to Outline Your Book Part 2: Fiction appeared first on 1106Design ..read more

There’s long been a debate in the writing community over the necessity of outlining a book before writing it. Some authors prefer to write spontaneously, others prefer to plan everything out beforehand. How you begin writing a book is up to you. If you’re a planner, you’ll likely be happier with an outline. There are […] The post How to Outline Your Book Part 1 appeared first on 1106Design ..read more

You may have reached a point in your author career where you’re wondering whether a pen name would be beneficial. Let’s take a look at what pen names are, some best practices for using them, and other considerations to make. What Is a Pen Name? A pen name, or pseudonym, is any name a writer assumes instead of their real name. While you have the freedom to choose your pseudonym, there are important considerations to make. Pen Name Best Practices Your pen name should be unique and easy to remember. If possible, try to keep it short or at least easy to spell. This can help readers find your book ..read more

The further we progress into this digital era, the more it makes sense for authors to eke out their own corners online. Social media can be a good place to start if you have the time to set up accounts and engage with others there. However, before long, you may be wondering if there’s another way to build your brand and help customers learn more about you. The answer could be starting an author website.    What Benefits Does an Author Website Offer? Marketing Your website will (and should) be unique to you. From the color scheme to your font selection, your website provides a multitu ..read more

Competition is tough in the publishing industry. Millions of books are published each year, and it’s a constant struggle to stand out in the marketplace and convince buyers to choose YOUR book. Offering a quality product is the first step toward publishing success. The driving factors of books “looking self-published” are poor editing, subpar cover design, and distracting interior design. Books with these issues don’t reflect well on the author. Cutting corners won’t save you time or money if you find yourself having to hire another service provider to complete work that should have been done ..read more

The term “self-publishing” is often associated with the vision of an author struggling to do everything—from editing to marketing—on their own. It’s true that self-publishers wear many hats, but that doesn’t mean they’re doomed to do everything without help. If you’re a self-publisher, you likely understand how overwhelming the publishing process can be. Even if you hire various professionals for each stage of production, it can be difficult to keep track of project deadlines, revisions, and overall progress. Book production is complex, but it doesn’t have to be a headache. Deciding to hire pr ..read more

We recently discussed how print books are still a viable option for authors and how it’s important to offer as many versions of your book as possible. If you decide that producing a print book is right for you, you’ll be faced with many bookbinding options. How your book is bound will depend on several factors, including your preference, your chosen printer, page count, paper stock, and trim size. Each binding method has its advantages and disadvantages, and you may find that you would benefit from more than one binding style. For instance, you may want to offer a less expensive softcover opti ..read more

It may seem that print books will be pushed out of the running as the world becomes increasingly tech-driven. We disagree. You may have heard that print sales declined in 2023, but it was only by about 2.6% (take a look at the stats on Publishers Weekly). There will likely always be a market for print books due to the fact that computers already take up such a large chunk of our lives. Print books provide a way to unplug from technology and relax. Furthermore, print books command a level of prestige and presence that eBooks don’t. Publishing an eBook is seen as relatively easy (even though it ..read more

So many authors ask us about the value of publishing in multiple formats vs. just one or two. Often the debate is between eBooks and print books in general, as more and more people think print books are going by the wayside. Some people are so bent on the print vs. digital debate that they completely overlook the fastest-growing publishing format: audiobook.  Let’s take a look at why it’s a good idea to consider multiple formats.   Why Publishing Multiple Formats Is Helpful It may cost more upfront to publish a variety of formats, but in the long run, it can increase your chances of ..read more

The writing community was recently abuzz with debates on whether or not authors should include prologues. Of course, this debate eventually extended to epilogues and even other sections such as introductions and afterwords. These parts are generally believed to be skipped over by the majority of readers. Because of this, many writers opt not to add them at all, and they suggest other writers follow suit. Since prologues and epilogues receive the most flack, we’ll focus on them.   What Is a Prologue? A prologue is a section of a book (commonly fiction) that precedes the first chapter. A pr ..read more