This is probably one of the most popular questions I get as authors are starting to plan their publishing journey. Like most things, there is no right or wrong answer. It really just depends on what you prefer and what is best for you.

Whether you’re going the traditional route or self-publishing, you’re probably going to run into book advances either on your book contract or on third party contracts. So here are the bare bones of terms so you can make the best decision for your publishing journey!

If you are a fan of this channel, you’ll know we talk a lot about identifying your story genre, being familiar with it so you can either follow or bend genre expectations. Making sure you are giving the reader what they want and able to market your story correctly to get your book to those demanding eyes and ears.

But within this, there is a new term on the rise — Microgenres. 

Previously a popular term mostly in the music and movie community, the book world is now adapting it for their purposes as well. So what is a microgenre?

Let’s discuss!

I’ve been getting a lot of questions recently about main characters, how much detail to give about them to make them believable but not too overwhelming to the reader.

And it is a tricky balance, to be sure, not to mention all the information out there for authors. So let’s discuss what I believe you need to know, and leave out, as you plan your main characters. 

Writing a book is a long process, but publishing a successful book can be an even longer one.

"You can either be a genius or you can be patient."

This quote from James Clear comes from one of his 3-2-1 emails, and while I’ve yet to read his title Atomic Habits (it is on my TBR!), I thoroughly enjoy his weekly thoughts. His full quote is:

"I rarely have good ideas.​ To overcome this limitation, I think about one topic (like habits) for an unreasonable amount of time. Then, I revise, revise, revise until only the best stuff remains. It’s slow, but it works.​ You can either be a genius or you can be patient."

While James is not specifically talking about writing or publishing, he certainly could have been.

Skipping over the obvious connection to writing and editing in general, let’s talk about publishing.

Whenever I tell someone I’m an editor, nine out of ten times the reaction I get is, “Ugh, grammar.” And when I explain my developmental editing focus, it is quickly followed by a “Huh?” 

For those not familiar with the publishing process, the concept of a developmental edit can seem foreign. Most are used to thinking of editing only the copyediting sense.

Editing is so much more than just that! As a developmental editor, I get to dive into the heart of your novel and help you clarify your vision for readers. Best. Job. Ever. But what is a developmental edit?