Webtips for authors and self-publishers
Posted By Sue Collier on October 9, 2011
My team and I come across so many useful websites, I thought it would be handy to put them together in a regular blog series. So a couple times a month, I’ll be listing a few of them here. If you have or know of a website that would be of interest to my blog readers, please email it to me along with a description; don’t forget to include appropriate links.
Enjoy!
Young adult books—they’re not just for kids anymore. Children’s book publisher and distributor Scholastic has compiled the Ten Trends in Children’s Books from 2010. Leading the list is the surprising fact that more adults than ever are reading YA literature. The Scholastic editors also found that themes are getting more pessimistic about the future; stories about mythology, popular characters, and vampires are huge; readership interest in protagonists with special needs is growing; and the trend toward picture books is on the decline. YA authors who want to focus their writing toward the preferences of today’s audience will find the complete list fascinating.
Your book still not finished? Set a deadline. Business and management expert Mitchell Levy is CEO of Happy About, which publishes smaller, compact, high-impact reads (typically 100–150 pages) in paperback, ebook, or podbook format. In his blog interview with writer Jay Berkowitz (Ten Golden Rules of Online Marketing Workbook), titled “Why self-imposed deadlines are the key to writing a book,” Levy found a kindred spirit. Berkowitz praised the virtues of imposing deadlines on his work schedule, and Levy countered with a stalled writing episode of his own in which a commitment to the calendar knocked him off his duff. Both attributed the successful completion of their projects to sticking to a deadline. Read the article as inspiration from comrades in procrastination.
Business articles wanted! Digital Women is a clearinghouse for female entrepreneurs. They list bad credit loan resources, furnish grant information, and provide a variety of small business tips for women. They’re always looking for fresh ideas to share with their audience. If you write in the areas of business, marketing, resources, finances, home business, or women-owned issues, they will welcome you with open arms. Their guidelines are specific and easy to follow (1,500 words in plain text only) and their terms are clearly outlined. So, flip through your files for an original article you’ve been wanting to submit, or stir up your creative juices into a new flurry of new paragraphs their readership is sure to appreciate.
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