Successful Author FAQs: Discover the Art of Writing, the Business of Publishing, and the Joy of Wielding Words
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About this ebook
Do you have questions about writing? Publishing?
With over three decades of experience as a publisher, editor, author, and freelance writer, Peter Lyle DeHaan has answers to questions writers commonly ask. He'll help you move forward on your writing journey.
On this grand adventure:
- Learn why you shouldn't call yourself an aspiring writer.
- Uncover tips to deal with rejection.
- Expose writing advice that may not be true.
- Discover how to self-edit, get feedback, and find an editor.
- Determine if being a writer is worth the effort.
But there's more. In fifteen topical chapters, tackling over one hundred questions, Peter will address finding time to write, publishing options, and platform considerations. He talks about blogging and marketing. And he weighs in on the traditional vs indie publishing debate.
There are also loads of writing tips, submission pointers, and a publishing checklist.
Be inspired. Be informed. Be motivated to become the writer you've always dreamed of.
Don't delay your writing journey any longer. Take the next step.
Read Successful Author FAQs to explore the art of writing and the business of publishing.
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Successful Author FAQs - Peter Lyle DeHaan
Successful Author FAQs: Discover the Art of Writing, the Business of Publishing, and the Joy of Wielding Words
Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD
Successful Author FAQs: Discover the Art of Writing, the Business of Publishing, and the Joy of Wielding Words © 2019, 2023 by Peter Lyle DeHaan.
All rights reserved: No part of this book may be reproduced, disseminated, or transmitted in any form, by any means, or for any purpose without the express written consent of the author or his legal representatives. The only exceptions are short excerpts and the cover image for reviews or academic research. For permissions: peterdehaan.com/contact.
ISBN:
979-8-88809-050-3 (e-book)
979-8-88809-051-0 (paperback)
979-8-88809-052-7 (hardcover)
979-8-88809-053-4 (audiobook)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2023911976
Published by Rock Rooster Books, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Credits:
Editorial consultant: Claudia Volkman
Copy editor: Robyn Mulder
Proofreader: Julie Harbison
Cover design: Cassidy Wierks
Author photo: Jordan Leigh Photography
To my fellow writers. May you enjoy success and find fulfillment on your author journey.
Contents
Behind these FAQs
1. The Intentional Writer
Is It Worth It?
Finding Balance
Finding Time to Write
Quantity versus Quality
Dictation
Don't Forget to Back Up Your Files
Writers Must Be Readers
Find Time to Read
Determining Your Reading List
Reading Goals for Writers
Invest in Your Writing
10,000 Hours
2. Craft
Tips to Improve as a Writer
Write Every Day
Work Up to Writing a Book
Changing Writing Conventions
Writing Voice and Style
Identifying Speakers in Dialogue
Points of View
Third Person Omniscient
How to Format Numbers
Writing and Artificial Intelligence (AI)
3. Planning
Which Approach is Best?
Planning a Book
Planning a Series
Series that Intersect
4. Getting Feedback
Tips on Getting and Receiving Feedback
Finding a Writing Mentor
Beta Reader Questions
How to Find a Critique Group
Critique Group Characteristics
5. Editing
Self-Editing Tips
Alternatives to Hiring an Editor
Editing Guide
Types of Editors
Editor Pet Peeves
Finding an Editor or Proofreader
6. Building a Platform
A Place for Platform
Social Media Strategy
Social Media Content
The Purpose of Blogging
7. Blogging
Blogging Expectations
Discover What to Blog About
Blog Your Book
Book Your Blog
The Fiction Author’s Blog
Writing a Book versus Blogging
8. Blogging with WordPress
WordPress.com versus WordPress.org
Using Blog Categories
Using Blog Tags
Removing Ads from WordPress.com Sites
SEO Tips and Tricks
9. Submit Your Work
How to Format Your Submission
General Submission Tips
Periodical Submission Tips
Query Letters and Book Proposals
Submission Feedback
Common Submission Errors
10. Agents
When You Need an Agent
Tips on Finding an Agent
What Agents Handle
11. Publishing
Publishing Options
Traditional Publishing
Indie Publishing Versus Traditional Publishing
Book Support Services
Indie Publishing Checklist
Assisted Publishing
E-Book Formatting
ISBNs
Audiobooks
12. Marketing
Book Marketability Basics
How to Know If a Book is Marketable
Writing about Your Health Scare
Using an Advance for Marketing
Hiring Marketing Experts
Do-It-Yourself Marketing
13. Legal Stuff
Protect Blog Content
Copyright Registration
GDPR
Selling Full Rights
Including Images and Photos
Citing Sources for Quotes
14. Finances
Book Publishing Costs
Traditional Book Publishing Costs
Write Full-Time
Financial Considerations
Freelance Writing
Ghostwriting Work
Ghostwriting Fees
15. Other Considerations
Dealing with Rejection
Grammar Checking Programs
Word Processing Alternatives
Contest Payment Conundrum
Writing Advice that May Not Be True
Discover What Type of Writer You Are
My Story
About Peter Lyle DeHaan
Books by Peter DeHaan
Behind these FAQs
Peter Lyle DeHaan makes a full-time living through his writing.
In 1982 he sold his first piece for an astounding $300 and never looked back. Since then, he has written hundreds of articles, thousands of blog posts, and scores of books, with over one hundred ideas in queue.
Since 2001 he has been president and editor-in-chief of his own publishing company, producing magazines, e-publications, websites and now publishing his own books. And since 2015 he’s worked as a commercial freelance writer, earning a nice five-figure income from it.
This lifetime of experience gives Peter a vast amount of knowledge to pull from, and for those situations he hasn’t personally encountered, he draws insights from the many writing and publishing podcasts he listens to each week.
This book covers the frequently asked questions writers have posed to him over the years as a publisher, editor, freelancer, and author, as well as a writing conference speaker, critique group leader, and writing and publishing blogger.
1. The Intentional Writer
If writing matters to you—and it must, since you’re reading this book—let’s start with some basic big-picture ideas to point us in the right direction and help us move forward.
Whether you’re just beginning or have pursued writing for a while, these items apply to every writer.
Is It Worth It?
Question: I want to write, but the more I learn about this as a career or even a side pursuit, the more overcome I feel. Is writing worth it?
Answer: Most definitely!
First, if writing were easy, everyone would do it. Though anyone who knows how to read can also write, few people can write well. That’s what being a writer is: exercising our ability to string words together with excellence.
As with any worthwhile endeavor, it takes time to develop skill as a writer. As writers, we’re always learning and always growing. Each piece we write has the potential to be better than the piece before it. And each year our ability can surpass last year. Writing is a journey of discovery that lasts a lifetime.
Second, if you have a passion to write, then pursue it with full-out abandon. Don’t dismiss writing for a more profitable pursuit. If you do, you’ll always regret it. But that doesn’t mean being a full-time writer. Most authors write and do something else. They may have a full-time job and write on the side. Or they may focus on writing but have a side hustle
or two to help pay the bills.
Writing is art, and it is science. Embrace both. Pursue both. Merge both to produce words that sing or words that sell. What joy we realize as we learn to write like that.
Third, writing is a smart way to avoid job obsolescence. In the ever-evolving labor market—which changes faster every year—the career most people start with is seldom the career they end with. Writing, along with a few other skills, sidesteps the threat of obsolescence. Yes, the form of our publication will change—it already has and will continue to do so—but the skill to arrange the underlying words will persist.
People who have mastered the art of writing will always have something to do—even if we can’t now imagine what that might look like.
Fourth, writing embraces a new way to earn a living. As forty-hour-a-week jobs become less available and less desirable, twenty-first-century workers piece together a variety of pursuits to produce income, achieve better work-life balance, and find vocational fulfillment.
This approach includes freelancing, contract work, and subcontracting, with many writers leading the charge in these areas. With this mindset to guide us, today’s writers can forge ahead to produce a life with variety, purpose, and fulfillment. And you can join them in this quest.
How amazing is that?
Yes, without a doubt, pursuing a career in writing is worth the effort.
Takeaway: When discouraged, remember the joy of writing, and hold on to your dream to be an author.
Finding Balance
Question: How can I balance writing, work, and life?
Answer: In my pursuit of work-life balance, it seems something is always slipping, with writing, work, and life residing in constant tension. Yes, at times I may go a couple of days keeping everything in balance, but one little bump and the whole illusion falls apart.
We should always consider this issue of work-life balance and make whatever tweaks we can to move closer to achieving a sustainable existence.
Each writer needs to figure out this dilemma, to learn what works best for themselves and their situation. Something common to all writers is that the solution requires intentionality and self-discipline.
One fact we can know for sure is if we don’t strive to make balance happen, we’ll never come close.
Takeaway: You may never find sustainable work-life balance, but you can find a solution that works for you and your situation.
Finding Time to Write
Question: How do you find time to write?
Answer: Most writers face this dilemma at one point or another. The problem, however, dwells in the question. We don’t need to find time to write as much as we need to make time.
We each have twenty-four hours in our day. While work and sleep occupy part of each day, we exercise some degree of control over the rest. We decide what we will do with it. We can choose to write or opt to do something else.
Before you say, But my situation is different,
let me agree. Everyone’s situation is different.
Then let me ask how much time you spend each week watching TV or going on social media. Time spent on these activities presents a prime opportunity to write instead.
If writing is important to us, we’ll make time to write. We may write a little or a lot. We may write every day or only once a week, but we must make it happen.
If you can carve out one hour a week, every week, and write 500 words, by the end of the year you will have written 26,000 words.
If you can carve out ten minutes a day, every day, and write one hundred words each