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Author-written articles on reading habits, book culture, writing life, and indie publishing. Fresh perspectives from the community, every week.

Why Some Indie Authors Are Deliberately Slowing Down Their Release Schedule

Books & Culture

Why Some Indie Authors Are Deliberately Slowing Down Their Release Schedule

Rapid release has long been indie publishing's default strategy. Here's why a growing number of authors are slowing down instead, and what's driving the shift.

5 min read

49

The Overlooked Writing Communities That Aren't Reddit or Discord

Community Voices

The Overlooked Writing Communities That Aren't Reddit or Discord

Reddit and Discord aren't the only writing communities worth your time. Here are the quieter, often more useful spaces most writers overlook entirely.

#author life #reader community

5 min read

518

Beyond Amazon: Where Indie Readers Actually Discover New Authors

Books & Culture

Beyond Amazon: Where Indie Readers Actually Discover New Authors

Amazon dominates book sales, but discovery is a different story. Here's where indie readers are actually finding new authors before they ever search a title.

5 min read

44

Local Press Still Works: A Pitch Template for Small-Town Papers

Books & Culture

Local Press Still Works: A Pitch Template for Small-Town Papers

National outlets ignore most indie pitches, but small-town papers still answer their email. Here's a practical pitch template built for local press.

5 min read

37

Why Most Book Launch Calendars Fail (And What to Do in the Final 72 Hours Instead)

Why Most Book Launch Calendars Fail (And What to Do in the Final 72 Hours Instead)

Launch calendars look organised on paper, but most fall apart days before publication. Here's what indie authors should do instead once the real countdown starts.

#book discovery

5 min read

34

Why Your Event Recap Posts Get Less Reach Than Your Event Teasers

Books & Culture

Why Your Event Recap Posts Get Less Reach Than Your Event Teasers

The teaser got people curious. The recap, somehow, gets far less attention, and the reason isn't bad luck.

5 min read

93

How to Plan a DIY Writing Retreat on an Indie Author Budget

Books & Culture

How to Plan a DIY Writing Retreat on an Indie Author Budget

A proper retreat doesn't need a proper budget. Here is how to build one yourself for a fraction of the cost.

5 min read

37

The Bookstore Visit Follow-Up Email That Gets You Rebooked

Books & Culture

The Bookstore Visit Follow-Up Email That Gets You Rebooked

The visit is over, but the email you send next decides whether you're ever asked back.

5 min read

31

What to Do When Your Author Talk Has an Audience of Three

Books & Culture

What to Do When Your Author Talk Has an Audience of Three

Three people in the room can still be a worthwhile evening, if you know what to actually do with it.

5 min read

33

The Three-Second Pitch That Works at a Crowded Book Fair

Books & Culture

The Three-Second Pitch That Works at a Crowded Book Fair

A crowded fair only gives you three seconds. Here is how to make those three seconds count.

5 min read

66

Reveal Parties That Convert: What to Post Before, During and After

Books & Culture

Reveal Parties That Convert: What to Post Before, During and After

Excitement and sales aren't the same thing. Here is what to post at each stage of a reveal so one actually leads to the other.

5 min read

29

What to Say When Nobody Stops at Your Table (And What Not To)

Books & Culture

What to Say When Nobody Stops at Your Table (And What Not To)

What you say in the first few seconds either invites someone in or sends them straight past. Here is the difference.

5 min read

34

On Attitude to Money

On Attitude to Money

“It’s the character of money to corrupt the ardent, tease the vacillating and curse the indifferent. That way, there seems to be no escape for man from money. You’re damned if you have it and accursed for the lack of it”. What is more, by way of showing an escape route to his bride Vidya, he cautioned her; “make money the measure and you are in for trouble dear.”

#social issues #peer presure #social isues

5 min read

30

How to Turn One Event Into a Week of Content

Books & Culture

How to Turn One Event Into a Week of Content

One event happened once. The content from it doesn't have to stop after one post.

5 min read

33

Solo Writing Retreat vs Group Retreat: What Each One Is Really For

Community Voices

Solo Writing Retreat vs Group Retreat: What Each One Is Really For

A solo retreat and a group retreat aren't two versions of the same trip. They're built for two different kinds of stuck.

5 min read

33

What Bookstores Wish Indie Authors Knew Before Asking for a Visit

Books & Culture

What Bookstores Wish Indie Authors Knew Before Asking for a Visit

A bookstore's silence after your visit request usually has a reason, and it's rarely about your book.

5 min read

34

The Author Talk Structure That Keeps a Room Listening

Community Voices

The Author Talk Structure That Keeps a Room Listening

A table fee is easy to pay and easy to lose. Here is how to tell, before you commit, which fairs are actually worth it.

5 min read

34

How to Choose Which Book Fairs Are Worth Your Table Fee

Books & Culture

How to Choose Which Book Fairs Are Worth Your Table Fee

The first hour after a reveal decides more than most authors realise, and most reveals lose it before anyone notices.

5 min read

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