We served our authors as editors, guides, teachers, book designers, publishers, and to a small degree, marketers. At the time, we encouraged and taught them to blog. Back in the early 2000s, blogging was a successful way to get noticed. Much as podcasts are today. And we did other things to help them get noticed. The hard work, of course, was always at their end. That's just how it is. As the author, the work of marketing and selling is up to you - no matter who publishes your book. Read more →

Lucy believes we spend too much time 'intellectualizing' - and isn't that the truth? I know I spend a good bit of time justifying my behavior and the behavior of others by thinking it through, rather than allowing my 'intuition' or my 'heart' dictate how I should feel about a situation. Read more →

"I was so excited to hold my book in my hand," a friend of mine told me. "It's just marvelous to have it here, done, and ready to be shared with the world. I can't even believe how heavy it is!" The awe in her voice was shining in her eyes, and I couldn't help but share in it. That finished book, that magnificent manuscript is so much more than a collection of words and paragraphs. Yes, it's an accomplishment few achieve, but it's also a birthing of a new you. Read more →

"A copy editor reads the entire manuscript while checking for many things: incorrect grammar, spelling, and punctuation; spacing and basic formatting issues; effective writing techniques such as word choice, parallel construction, passive voice over active voice, limited repetitions and clichés, avoiding vague or offensive language; and consistency of spelling and treatment of names, places, objects, actions, etc." Read more →

In fact, if you don't prove you have an established platform, with thousands of possible readers, traditional publishers won't even talk to you. No matter how great your proposal is. Oh, yeah, I forgot - before you do or prove any of the above to a traditional publisher, you have to prove you can sell the book and earn back your royalty for the advance. At which time, they will are likely to Read more →

A copy editor does not squash out your voice. That’s not our job. Our job is to make sure you know the rules so you can choose which ones help comprehension of your book and which ones you want to purposely break. Read more →

Yes, when you have a book you are now "the author of" and become more sought after than before you wrote your book, but that doesn't have to mean neglecting your business.  It means accepting speaking opportunities when and where you can, and selling books in the back of the room. Meanwhile, you are now the expert in that business you wrote about in your book, and the audience wants to know all about it, all about you, and how they can work with you. Read more →

You want to start a business. You have a big idea for a book. You hope you can make the business, the book, the big idea come true. The dream of that big idea is so big in your mind’s eye, it takes up a whole room, a whole house, a whole street! Read more →