Pay the Writer Part 2—Blood Diamonds & Fair Trade Fiction

I think consumers could change publishing if we let them. If we stopped assuming they didn’t care, that all they wanted was cheap books no matter the consequences.

Consumer Power, Author Responsibility & Why Book Reviews MATTER

Today we’re going to talk about reviews. I believe most folks have come to mistakenly assume that reviews are kind of this “extra” nicety that isn’t directly relevant to the author beyond ego and that’s patently false especially in the digital age where we writers live and die by algorithms.

The Ugly Truth of Publishing & How BEST to Support Writers

But today, dear newbies. I am going to take you on a tour behind the curtain. Also for those who are NOT newbies, feel free to pass this to family in a “Take Your Clueless Friends Who Think You Will Make a Million Dollars as Soon as You Publish Day.”

PAY THE WRITER—Pirates, Used Bookstores & Why Writers Need to Stand Up for What's Right

And when bookstores go around bragging to The Washington Post about how much profit they make because the margins are so much better than NEW books and expect me the author to bite on some Book-Buying-Trickle-Down-Economics wrapped up with an “It’s Culture” ribbon? NO!

The Writer's Journey—Staying the Course From Newbie to Master

The mark of a pro is they make whatever we want to do look easy. From running a business to playing guitar to wicked cool Kung Fu moves, masters rarely seem to even break a sweat. Same with authors. With the pros? The story flows, pulls us in, and appears seamless and effortless.