The Catholic Writers Online Conference has come to a close. There have been 34 presenters with nearly 50 chats and many different forums. Attendees of the online conference heard about marketing, writing tips, self-publishing and various other topics. I attended many of the chats and, as usual, learned a lot […]
The Stigma of Self-Publishing
I am the self-published author of four books. Three of my books are currently on various bestsellers’ lists on Kindle. My second novel, In Name Only, won a Gold Medal in Religious Fiction in the 2010 IPPY Awards (the first Catholic novel to win this award). It has been #1 […]
Increase The Odds For Self-Publishing Success
When I began writing my first book, Emily’s Hope, ten years ago, I did so thinking, “If just one person can read my book and feel they’ve learned something, then I’ll have reached my goal.” It never even occurred to me to “make money” with my books. But, eight years […]
The “Control” of Self-Publishing
Self-Publishing is so easy nowadays that anyone can publish his or her own book. Because of that, many self-published authors are producing poor quality books. This can give self-publishing a bad name. In some respects, self-publishing is more difficult than publishing with traditional publishers. After all, publishers take care of […]
Vice President’s Column
Do you make resolutions for the New Year? One resolution that I would encourage all CWG members to make is to write more. Anne Faye, in a recent CWG post, talks about the value of finding 15 minutes a day to write. Whether it’s a journal, blog, essays, articles, short […]
Self-Promotion…or the Strangest Place I’ve Ever Sold A Book
Since a self-published author doesn’t have a publisher to promote them, it’s important to take every opportunity to promote oneself. Keep copies of your books in your car, always have business cards or book marks in your purse or wallet and…don’t be afraid to talk about your books. I’ve sold […]
Famous Self-Published Authors
Are you a self-published author or thinking of becoming one? Well, you are in good company. Here is a list of authors and the books they self-published: Remembrance of Things Past, by Marcel Proust; Ulysses, by James Joyce; The Adventures of Peter Rabbit, by Beatrix Potter; The Wealthy Barber, by […]
Working With An Editor
All authors need an editor. Self-published authors should not publish a manuscript without hiring a competent editor to improve and polish it. For the purposes of this article, an editor is someone who suggests changes in overall plot, setting, characters and theme. I am not talking about a copy-editor (although […]
CWG Board News September 30
As Vice President of the Catholic Writers Guild, it is my responsibility to share board news on the fifth Friday (whenever that occurs). Last Friday on this blog, in sharing what the CWG Board discussed at our recent Skype meeting, Karina said, “Officer Elections are in November! We discussed it […]
The Personal Approach to Marketing Your Self-Published Book
Because self-published authors don’t have a publishing company to help them promote their work, it’s important to take the initiative in marketing. Connecting with your fans on a personal level is a great way to market. This can be done through attending conferences as well as interacting with them through […]