Anyone who has been involved in publishing during the last decade is aware that self-publishing has entirely changed the landscape of the industry. But for writers who are learning how to publish a book for the first time, the self-publishing process can be more than a little overwhelming. In this guide, we're going to break down the benefits of self-publishing and the simple steps you can take to achieve your publishing goals.

​January 26 is an emotional day for me. Though today I have four years of distance from the event, I suspect this day will always feel turbulent. It’s a reminder of so many things for me, but one that rises to the top is that my personal world could be demolished in an instant. Of course, that goes for all of us.

​When we're discussing success on social media—specifically Twitter—the first question people ask is, "How many followers do you have?" And although having a ton of followers can make you feel successful and valued within your community, it is not an accurate measure of success on the platform. So what is?
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My friends, I have a new favorite tool. It's called SaneBox, and it's right up there with Social Jukebox on my list of tools that help me keep my life together.

This app is amazing, and it is so simple. I honestly can't believe I haven't been using it for years. This is going to be a short post, just to let you know this exists—because I wish someone had told me.

You may or may not have heard of decision fatigue, but you have no doubt felt it. Decision fatigue refers to the exhaustion we feel after making so many large and small decisions over the course of the day.

Those in positions which involve more decision-making are of course more prone to this phenomenon. A 2011 study found that judges were likely to deliver harsher rulings later in the day. 

​But decision fatigue impacts everyone. Think about how many decisions you make every day. What to wear, what to eat for breakfast, how you want your coffee, whether to stop for gas, how to greet your coworkers, which task to start first, what language to use in an email... The list goes on.
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The narrator is one of the least utilized storytelling tools. A strong, unique narrator can add another layer of depth to your story. Let's talk about types of narrators and how to craft yours.

Whether you've completed your first novel-length draft or your twentieth, penning those final words is a rush. You've dedicated an incredible amount of time and energy to your manuscript, and finally reaching the end of the story can be emotional and amazing. But it can leave you asking a simple question:

What now?

Let's review a few simple steps every writer should take after completing a draft.

Most of my editing clients aspire to publication. They often ask me about their options for publishing their work. In the modern publishing industry, authors have more choices than ever before. That can be amazing, as it allows authors to choose the option that best suits their goals for each specific project and for their career as a whole. But it can also make it difficult to determine the best route.

Let's break down the major types of publication and the pros and cons of each.
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I have been blogging in this little corner of the internet for going on a decade, and this blog has never had a real name. But I have finally chosen one: Pen Your Own Pages.
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If you're writing fiction, and you're not Cormac McCarthy, chances are you're using quotation marks. But are you using them correctly?

Let's go over the recommendations of the ​Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition, the accepted style guide for American fiction.