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Writer’s Digest
The Importance of Independent Bookstores
by, Audrey Arnold
July 23, 2019

When thinking about your local bookstore, what comes to mind? Is it a familiar friendly face greeting you as you walk in? Is it a sense of comfort and calm? There is a simple magic to independent bookstores, and they’re a refuge for many in the neighborhoods they serve, playing an important role in benefitting the community. Local independent bookstores are vital pillars in the… [Read More]

Filed Under: #indiethursday, American Booksellers Association, bookstore, brick-and-mortar storefront, Community, Favorite Bookstores, FCBF, Fox Cities Book Festival, independent bookstore, indie bookstore, IndieBound, local bookstores, Readers Loft, shop indie, shop local, UntitledTown, UntitledTown Book and Author Festival, Writer's Digest
2 Comments
Advice for Authors
by, Jill Swenson
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]

Filed Under: Asian American Journalists Association, Authors Guild, AWP, BookCon!, Military Writers Society of America, National Association of Memoir Writers, National Association of Science Writers, PEN America, Poets & Writers, publisher''s weekly, Romance Writers of America, Shelf Awareness, Society for Children's Book Writers & Illustrators, Writer's Digest
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Do you need an agent and, if so, how do you know which one is right for you?
by, Jill Swenson
September 17, 2013

So you think you need an agent? Most agents do not represent poetry, short stories, non-fiction or material suitable for academic or small presses. If you have written a novel or a memoir, you might consider finding a literary representative. The best reference guide is Chuck Sambuchino’s Guide to Literary Agents published annually by Writer’s Digest Books and the 2014 issue has just been released. Before you… [Read More]

Filed Under: AAR, agent, Chuck Sambuchino, Guide to Literary Agents, Publisher's Marketplace, Query letter, Writer's Digest
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Hurdles for authors of children’s books.
by, Jill Swenson
July 17, 2012

Children’s books are treated differently than other kinds in the business of publishing. The market is highly segmented with rigid requirements about reading level and age appropriateness. The number of words and pages are rigidly defined within each sector of children’s books. Having more than one book up your sleeve is important since serial books are more desirable than a single title.  Marketing features matter… [Read More]

Filed Under: 2012 Children's Writer's & Illustrators Market, Children's Books, Chuck Sambuchino, Publishing, Writer's Digest
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2012 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market: Your Ticket to the Secrets of Kidlit
by, Jill Swenson
March 31, 2012

The best reference you can buy on the subject of publishing children’s books is the Writer’s Digest publication, 2012 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market, edited by Chuck Sambuchino. For the best publishing tips, the first 175 pages are a gold mine. In the 2012 edition of CWIM (the acronym used for this desk reference for the past 20 years), Sambuchino added lots of new  instructional… [Read More]

Filed Under: 2012 Children's Writer's & Illustrators Market, Buffalo Street Books, Chuck Sambuchino, SCBWI, Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators, Writer's Digest
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So if I have to blog, where do I start?
by, Jill Swenson
February 12, 2011

Authors are expected to have their own blogs today. Not just after the book comes out, but before. Publishers look at the visitor statistics to your blog as the potential market for your book. So before you send in that brilliant book proposal, build a platform for your publication. If you have never done any blogging before, the place to start is with reading and… [Read More]

Filed Under: Best Blogs for Writers to Follow, blogging, My Name is Not Bob, Platform, Publishers, Robert Brewer, Writer's Digest
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2011 Guide to Literary Agents
by, Jill Swenson
February 2, 2011

The 2oth anniversity edition of this Writer’s Digest Book seems a bit leaner than in previous years; despite new articles, hundreds of listings for writers’ conferences, and fresh material on this rapidly changing business. Nearly a third of the book is dedicated to how-to and background information for authors on finding the right agent for your work. The second third of the reference guide offers 550… [Read More]

Filed Under: 2011 Guide to Literary Agents, Authors, Business Tool, Chuck Sambuchino, Publishing, Writer's Digest, Writing Conferences
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