Whether you are preparing to launch your new book, still writing the manuscript, or marketing your book a year after its release, you can’t ignore the importance of your author platform for your success as an author. Today you need to demonstrate to a publisher you have built a big enough platform to sell a sufficient number of books before they’ll offer you a contract…. [Read More]
January begins a new fiscal year. It’s also the best time to organize your tax information for last year. Whether your book has been out for more than a year, or you’re more than a year out before you finish writing your book, this is the best time of year to gather the information together for tax purposes. On the income side, identify the sources… [Read More]
Congratulations to Ann Marie Ackermann! The German translation of her book Death of an Assassin: The True Story of the German Murderer Who Died Defending Robert E. Lee will be published in September by the Silberburg-Verlag publishing house. Germany’s Federal Ministry of the Interior will sponsor her launch party as one of 16 nationwide events as part of their promotion of regional literature. The launch… [Read More]
Chelsea Hanson has signed a contract for publication of Sudden Loss Survival Guide: Seven Essential Practices to Heal Grief with Mango Publications. When a loved one dies suddenly, the person left behind doesn’t know where to turn for help, what to do next, or how to put back the pieces of life. Most survivors have no experience with unexpected heartbreak and are not prepared for… [Read More]
Ravelry is a social media platform with 8 million members of the knitting and crochet community. It’s a place for knitters, crocheters, designers, spinners, felters, and dyers to keep track of their yarn, tools, and patterns, and share ideas and inspiration. Knitting has always been a part of my life. Grandma Swenson knit me Barbie Doll outfits out of fine sock yarn. I learned to… [Read More]
Larry Scheckel’s new book, I Just Keep Wondering: 121 Questions and Answers About Science and Stuff, was released by Tumblehome Learning earlier this month. This is the third in his I Always Wondered Series. Tumblehome Learning is a leading publisher of science books for children. Their books inspire readers to learn more about nature and the world around them. They help kids imagine themselves as… [Read More]
Book reviews can be enormously helpful to an author. Those who decide what new titles to order for a bookstore or the library often consult reviews first. Readers, too, may be persuaded to pick up a book based on what they read in a review. And we’ve all heard the urban legend that you need to have 50 or some magic number of reviews on… [Read More]
Happy Holidays from Swenson Book Development LLC. It’s been a wonderful year in new releases! Our next newsletter and blog will go out on New Year’s Day! Sign-up for our monthly newsletter of insider info and our bi-weekly blog about the business of being an author and the writing life. Here’s to more great books in 2019. Merry reading and happy writing. … [Read More]
Every writer hopes to captivate an audience. But who are you writing to? When you write a letter, you address your reader directly. When you write a speech, you anticipate a particular group of listeners. If you write a news article, you have a strong sense of who the readers will be, and your writing reflects your grasp of how best to address their subscribers…. [Read More]
Whether you are an aspiring author or on your sixth or seventh book, professional development comes with the territory. The business of being an author can be overwhelming for many people who don’t have the background. How can you best prepare for today’s marketplace? I’ve worked with writers on their craft for decades and these are the secrets to the success of their writing and… [Read More]
