Indie Author Magazine Featuring Joanna Penn: Indie Author Magazine, #26

By Chelle Honiker and Alice Briggs

Beta readers and ARC readers are an integral part of publishing, and in this issue of Indie Author Magazine, we're making it even easier to collaborate with them. Find document sharing platforms to get your draft into their hands, explore which readers—or editors—your novel needs, and see how the right team of advance readers can launch your book to new heights before you've even hit Publish.

Read three key articles: 

✓ Document Sharing Tips and Best Platforms for Delivering Your Manuscript Securely

✓ Developmental Editor or Beta Readers? Navigating the Book Revision Conundrum

✓ Piracy Prevention Programs for Your ARC's Maiden Voyage

You'll also read a Q&A with Joanna Penn, author, public speaker, entrepreneur, and the host of The Creative Penn—a writing and marketing podcast that has seen more than 8.4 million downloads since its launch in 2009. Read about her wonderfully creative career and some of the indie publishing lessons she's learned along the way.

Plus:

Our Sassy, Advice-Giving Aunt, ★ Indie Annie ★ Gives An Author Her Two Cents on Whether to Hire a Virtual Assistant

Everything the Only Child Needs to Know to Write Realistic Siblings

Martelle's Motivation: Simple Words, Not Simple Stories

How Amazon Responded to a Viral Trend that Harmed Indie Authors

Exploring Flights of Foundry, A Virtual Sci-Fi Convention

Prosperity: Thinking Ahead with Your Advance Reader Team

Sun, Sand, and Getting Schooled: 2023's IBPA Publishing University in Review

Corner the Market: The Subtle Art of Ad Copy

Indie Authors Share How They Combat Loneliness with Connection

Ten Tips: Google Workspace

• Language: English
• Publisher: Chelle Honiker
• Release date: May 29, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223764786

Book preview

Indie Author Magazine: Featuring Joanna Penn

INDIE AUTHOR MAGAZINE: FEATURING JOANNA PENN

BETA READERS, ARC READERS, DOCUMENT SHARING, AND INDIE AUTHOR BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS

CHELLE HONIKER

ALICE BRIGGS

Athenia Creative Services, LLC

Indie Author Magazine

Chelle Honiker and Alice Briggs

© 2023 by Indie Author Magazine

The publication, authors, and contributors reserve their right to copyright of their work. No part of this work covered by the copyright may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means without the written consent of the publisher. All copyrighted work was reproduced with the permission of the owner.

Reasonable care is taken to ensure that Indie Author Magazine articles and other information on the website are up to date and as accurate as possible, at the time of publication, but no responsibility can be taken by Indie Author Magazine for any errors or omissions contained herein.

Furthermore, Indie Author Magazine takes no responsibility for any losses, damages, or distress resulting from adherence to any information made available through this publication. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Indie Author Magazine.

Published by:

Athenia Creative Services, LLC

Sparks, NV 89436

CONTENTS

In This Month’s Issue

Business

A Roadmap to Story Revision

Developmental Editor or Beta Readers—Which Path Is Right for Your Story?

Piracy Prevention Programs for Your ARC’s Maiden Voyage

Hacked

A Year after TikTok Users Exploited Amazon’s E-Book Returns Policy, What’s Been Done to Protect Indie Authors?

Typewriter Tales

Editor’s Letter: Protecting What’s Precious

Insider Insights

The Prospective Power of Your Advance Reader Team

Martelle’s Motivation

A Literary Dichotomy: Simple Words, Not Simple Stories

Saying More with Less

The Subtle Art of Ad Copy

Event Recaps

Exploring Flights of Foundry, A Virtual Sci-Fi Convention

Sun, Sand, and Getting Schooled: The 2023 IBPA Publishing University Conference in Review

Devil in the Details

Oh, Brother

Writing Realistic Stories about Siblings

Health, Wellness, and Mindset

Solo Act

In a Sometimes Lonely Career, Indie Authors Find Creative Ways to Connect

On The Cover

Building a Creative Career: Q&A with Joanna Penn

Ask Indie Annie

Fresh-Faced in Franklin: I’m About to Publish My First Book and I’m Overwhelmed!

10 Tips

10 Tips for: Google Workspace

Technology

Sharing Is Caring

Document Sharing Tips and Best Platforms for Delivering Your Manuscript Securely

From The Stacks

Books, Tools, and Podcasts You Should Know About

Afterword

IN THIS MONTH’S ISSUE

Beta readers and ARC readers are an integral part of publishing, and in this issue of Indie Author Magazine, we’re making it even easier to collaborate with them. Find document sharing platforms to get your draft into their hands, explore which readers—or editors—your novel needs, and see how the right team of advance readers can launch your book to new heights before you’ve even hit Publish.

Read three key articles: 

✓ Document Sharing Tips and Best Platforms for Delivering Your Manuscript Securely

✓ Developmental Editor or Beta Readers? Navigating the Book Revision Conundrum

✓ Piracy Prevention Programs for Your ARC’s Maiden Voyage

You’ll also read a Q&A with Joanna Penn, author, public speaker, entrepreneur, and the host of The Creative Penn—a writing and marketing podcast that has seen more than 8.4 million downloads since its launch in 2009. Read about her wonderfully creative career and some of the indie publishing lessons she’s learned along the way.

Plus:

• Our Sassy, Advice-Giving Aunt, ★ Indie Annie ★ Gives An Author Her Two Cents on Whether to Hire a Virtual Assistant

• Everything the Only Child Needs to Know to Write Realistic Siblings

• Martelle’s Motivation: Simple Words, Not Simple Stories

• How Amazon Responded to a Viral Trend that Harmed Indie Authors

• Exploring Flights of Foundry, A Virtual Sci-Fi Convention

• Prosperity: Thinking Ahead with Your Advance Reader Team

• Sun, Sand, and Getting Schooled: 2023’s IBPA Publishing University in Review

• Corner the Market: The Subtle Art of Ad Copy

• Indie Authors Share How They Combat Loneliness with Connection

• Ten Tips: Google Workspace

Welcome from Indie Annie

BUSINESS

The business of being an author can be daunting. We’ll cover various aspects of the business side of being an indie author such as strategies, bookkeeping, keeping track of expenses for taxes, and more.

Read More Business Articles on Our Website >>

Plan to Attend the 20 Books to 50K Conference in Las Vegas. Visit https://indieauthormagazine.com/20Books for more information!

A ROADMAP TO STORY REVISION

DEVELOPMENTAL EDITOR OR BETA READERS—WHICH PATH IS RIGHT FOR YOUR STORY?

Eryka Parker

After several months or even years of research, interviews, and mastering the art of adept wordsmithery, you’ve finally finished your manuscript. You have cleared the skillful craft and creation hurdles and now face the challenge of polishing your masterpiece and introducing it to the world. This final editing and revision process looks different for many writers, as it involves various levels of review, critique, and feedback implementation. There are many options to consider, and you may wonder who you should involve in your review process. What qualifications and experience should you look for, and how familiar should they be with your topic and industry?

Independent authors frequently consult beta readers and developmental editors when attempting to identify major issues with their manuscript, and even with the similar roles they can play, many have strong reasons for including one or both parties in their manuscript evaluation process. So what’s the difference between the two, and which will benefit your manuscript most? Two independent authors with different answers to the question shared their journeys revising their manuscripts and explained the reasons for their preferences.

Developmental Editors vs. Beta Readers

Also known