Why Writing a Book Is an Act of Courage

writing a book

Each time I meet someone who wants to write a book, I send up a little prayer. May your book be of service in the world. May you find the help you need to get it out there. And may you have the bravery to follow your book journey all the way to the end. … Read more

Good Bones: Crafting a Solid Book Structure

book structure

A great title, cover and concept are often enough to get a reader to pull your book off the shelf. But what keeps her reading until the every end, and gets her to recommend the book to friends? The answer is an amazing reading experience. One where the content of the book flows so seamlessly … Read more

Creating a Simple Writing Plan You Can Stick To

writing plan

What’s the hardest part about writing? DOING IT! You can have the greatest ideas in the world, but setting aside the time to sit down and put pen to paper (or fingertips to keyboard) is a whole different story. So how do I help my authors skirt the deadly territory of “writer who isn’t writing?” I … Read more

A Publishing Timeline for First-Time Authors

publishing timeline

No matter how you slice it, writing a book is a big, long, complex job. Most first-time writers assume that once they finish their draft manuscript, the heavy lifting is complete. All they have to do is wait for their publisher to put a few things together, and they’ll have a beautiful book in their … Read more

How to Become Your Own Publisher: Why to Buy Your Own ISBN

isbn

So, I’m going to go ahead and come out with it: while I enjoy helping authors pursue and acquire book deals, I’m also super excited about self-publishing. The whole thing gives me energy. I like the idea of creative control. I like knowing that artists are out there, doing every single thing their own way. … Read more

Is a Ghostwriter Right for You?

ghostwriter

One of the first things I learned when I first opened KN Literary arts is that the term “ghostwriter” has a realllllllly bad rep. I would be chatting with prospective clients, and the same publishing obstacles would come up: Not enough time to write a whole book or proposal Not confident in the writing process … Read more

The Importance of Loving Your Book Idea

book idea

So often we hear the phrase “write what you know.” I would take that a step further, to “write what you love.” Many times, a client will ask me to help her choose between multiple ideas. She’ll present me with the one she thinks she ought to write, the one that is more “commercially viable,” … Read more

14 Tips to Love Writing Again

love writing again

When we think of writing, we often think of the sexy parts. The inspiration of the muse! The poetic prose, flowing on the page! The readers whose lives are about to change! While all that’s well and good, the truth is there’s nothing sexy about the butt-in-chair time required to actually write that book. If … Read more

Three Really Good Reasons You’re Not Writing

not writing

Recently I was chatting with a new friend of mine, a teacher and leader in her field, about the fact that I help birth books for a living. She covered her face in her hands and said, in a muffled voice, “Oh dear. I’m supposed to be writing a book!” She was embarrassed to admit … Read more

Twenty-Five Publishers Who Want Your Proposal

book proposal

So. You’ve put the finishing touches on your book proposal. You’ve taken your idea, fleshed it out into an outline, and concisely explained who will read it, what they’ll get from doing so, when they’ll need your book, where they’ll find it, and why you’re the best person to deliver the goods. This is a … Read more