By BookBaby author Philip Kinsher You love cooking and you love writing — so the next step seems obvious, right? But … how do you get your first cookbook or recipe book from a state of initial culinary inspiration to being a published resource for the kitchen? Read on for tips on making your dream a delicious reality and learn how self-publishing with BookBaby can help get you there. Table of Contents: • Develop your cookbook concept • Learn about popular cookbook themes • Determine the number of recipes to feature • Outlining and structuring your cookbook • Food photos and illustrations • Ge ..read more

By BookBaby author Lauren Davish Estimated reading time: 6 minutes Who said TikTok was full of mindless videos? Clearly, they’ve never heard of BookTok. This thriving subcommunity on TikTok has proven itself to be transformative for authors everywhere, highlighting specific books through viral videos. Leveraging the BookTok community has become essential for authors — especially indie authors. Learn how to market a book on social media, including BookTok, to raise awareness and improve book sales. Table of Contents: • What is BookTok? Discover its impact • What makes a BookTok video go viral ..read more

By BookBaby author Lauren Davish Estimated reading time: 5 minutes We’ve talked about the front matter of a book, which includes everything after the front cover up until page one – such as the title and copyright page, dedication, prologue, and more. A book’s front matter helps to introduce the author and the story before it begins. Table of Contents: • What is back matter? • Epilogue • Author’s note • Acknowledgments • Appendix • Glossary • Index • About the author • Marketing via back matter So, now it’s time to dive into the book’s back matter and discover why this part of your book also ..read more

By BookBaby author Lee Purcell Estimated reading time: 5 minutes Book publishing has experienced tectonic changes as the world navigates the digital era. And while some predicted the rise of the eBook would spell the fall of the printed book, too many of us love the heft of books, the finger-feel of paper, the pleasure of wandering the aisles of new and used book shops, the artistry that goes into writing, designing, and publishing printed books. • Views of the marketplace • Postcards from the mainstream • What about the indies? • Audiobooks are big in Sweden • The big picture • Trends in publ ..read more

By BookBaby author Lee Purcell Estimated reading time: 5 minutes Book publishing has experienced tectonic changes as the world navigates the digital era. And while some predicted the rise of the eBook would spell the fall of the printed book, too many of us love the heft of books, the finger-feel of paper, the pleasure of wandering the aisles of new and used book shops, the artistry that goes into writing, designing, and publishing printed books. • Views of the marketplace • Postcards from the mainstream • What about the indies? • Audiobooks are big in Sweden • The big picture • Trends in publ ..read more

By BookBaby author Scott McCormick Estimated reading time: 12 minutes If you want to pursue a traditional publishing deal, then the first thing you need to do is to get a literary agent . Like it or not, agents are the gatekeepers in the publishing industry, as most publishers will not accept manuscripts from un-agented authors. So how do you get an agent? Well, one way is to go to a book conference and meet one and try to talk to them face-to-face. Many times, agents will tell authors they meet at such conferences and workshops that they can send them their manuscript afterwards. Table of Co ..read more

By BookBaby author Janna Lopez Estimated reading time: 7 minutes It’s an honor to offer inspiration, tips, and writing strategies as a webinar presenter. As an experienced writing coach, I help writers ignite clarity, confidence, and connection to their book-writing journeys, forge new pathways toward completion, and realize major dreams. Creating new writing outcomes requires fresh ideas and new approaches to writing. I’ve talked (and written) about how we need to unlearn what we know about writing and re-learn what writing can be — and how this changes the way we connect with words. Table o ..read more

By BookBaby author Michael Gallant Estimated reading time: 1 minute Experiment with this time-honored storytelling format and see where your creativity takes you. Many of our most beloved books follow a similar path. First, an old world is invoked or a new one created. Characters are introduced along with their relationships and surroundings. Something metaphorically explodes into something else, and we begin to understand why the story was written in the first place. Second, the characters respond and take action. They learn new things as we learn more about them. Intensity increases and the ..read more

By BookBaby author Scott McCormick Estimated reading time: 7 minutes First-person narration is a mode of storytelling in which the narrator is a character in the story and tells the story from their point of view. Just like in the real world, the narrator only knows their own thoughts, as opposed to a third-person omniscient narrator who knows the thoughts of every character. Table of Contents: • The pros of writing in first person    • It adds a level of realism    • You can add depth and complexity with an unreliable narrator    • You can plunge readers into yo ..read more

By BookBaby author Brian Jud Estimated reading time: 6 minutes Think of the top brands in any industry. What do they have in common? For one, they create an identifiable “personality” that distinguishes them from competitive products and services so their brand promise can be easily communicated and understood. Table of Contents: • Develop a brand statement 1. Define your purpose 2. Perform a self-assessment 3. Develop your personal brand with intention 4. Construct your personal narrative 5. Embody your brand You need to do the same thing and create a personal brand as an author that distin ..read more