Advice for Authors
by,
October 23, 2018

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]

Authors Guild offers channel for author complaints with Amazon
by,
August 21, 2018

What do you do when a review of your book appears on Amazon that is fake or abusive? Or when you find copies of your book being sold on Amazon that infringe on your copyright? Worried someone has pirated your book? Have a problem with your product listing? Third-party sellers set as the default setting to buy your book? You discover someone selling Advance Review… [Read More]

Book Festivals
by,
August 7, 2018

Around the country there are a variety of book festivals which bring authors and readers together. Book festivals are different than literary festivals which are intended for writers instead of readers. They are opportunities for authors to promote and market their book directly to their audience. Readers find them celebrations of their favorite books and authors with readings, signings, presentations, special events, and performances. While… [Read More]

August is for Reading
by,
July 10, 2018

From now through August, Swenson Book Development LLC offers a special package for editorial feedback on the first ten pages of your manuscript. I want to read what you’ve been writing. One of the most frequent requests I get from writers is a simple answer to the general question: is this any good? In order to answer any questions about a manuscript, you need to… [Read More]

The Perfect Pitch
by,
June 5, 2018

When you write a book, it needs to be about something. When someone asks what your book is about, how do respond? Do you stumble over your words trying to describe your book? Time to pin down your premise. The perfect pitch means you need to hone your premise statement. Premise: The central idea, situation, or set-up which provides the foundation and pushes the narrative… [Read More]

New Strategy for Social Media
by,
May 15, 2018

Has your inbox been full of messages related to new privacy policies? Have you read them? Why is this happening now? On May 25, a new law goes into effect across the European Union. The General Data Protection Regulation strengthens individual privacy rights and has teeth for enforcement. Each notice is a result of legislation to protect citizens in other countries. This is not a… [Read More]

Memoir as Synecdoche
by,
May 8, 2018

If you are an author of memoir, then you know the story isn’t entirely about you. It’s about the reader. Taking the “me” out of memoir is important if you seek publication for your story. If you use the pronoun “I” in every sentence you actually create a division between you and the reader. Imagine the difference between these two passages. The trees formed a… [Read More]

Minnesota Book Awards 2018
by,
April 24, 2018

For thirty years, the Minnesota Book Awards have recognized the best in writers, illlustrators, and book artists who are Minnesotans. Last Saturday evening in downtown St. Paul at the Intercontinental Hotel Riverfront, more than 800 people attended the awards ceremony emceed by Rohan Preston, theater critic for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. With more than 250 books submitted for the annual award, a panel of judges narrowed… [Read More]

Early Birds Flock Together
by,
April 10, 2018

It starts with falling down. In the snow. And not being able to get up. Art Hritus. Ben Gay. Johnny Walker. Three men I don’t want to meet up with these days. Of course I wasn’t wearing boots. The mittens had been left on the kitchen counter. I didn’t even have a hat. The wind and the snow came up out of the open expanse… [Read More]

Enter to win a free copy of Understanding Teen Eating Disorders
by,
April 3, 2018

Julie could run like the wind. Claire had trouble adjusting to college. Nick felt increasingly disconnected from his family and friends. Anna was resistant to recovery. May suffered abuse at the hands of her boyfriend. Emma was a secret eater. Like mother, like daughter for Maeve. Each chapter in this new book is a case study of a teen to illustrate the development, nature, and… [Read More]