This is a list of books, blogs, and other writing and editing resources for independent authors, including some of the blogs for authors (and by authors) I either follow myself or find myself sharing posts from on a regular basis. I hope you find it useful on your journey!
Self-editing is an important stage in a book’s development—and a valuable learning experience for authors responsible for the quality of their own books. When you hand an editor an unfinished manuscript, you rob yourself of one of the most valuable learning experiences you can have as a writer.
So, I don’t know how to change Word’s default language to Klingon or turn my computer into an orbital station. But I do know there’s a lot hidden beneath the surface of Microsoft Word that I’ve found handy in my own writing and editing.
I’d heard wonderful things about Margaret Atwood’s recent trilogy, so I downloaded MaddAddam to check it out for myself. Turns out that’s book 3…whoops! At any rate, the series has a lot to teach authors about being captivating at every stage.
Editors use style sheets to keep track of terminology and spelling–especially important in sci-fi and fantasy, where there are so many made-up terms to keep track of. Here’s a free science fiction style sheet to to help you keep track of words you might be using in your manuscript.
Good back cover copy is absolutely essential to book sales—even in today’s online marketplace, where only a small percentage of books are in a position to be physically picked up and paged through before purchase. Here are five steps to kicking ass with your back cover copy.
