O what a tangled web we weave when first we practise to deceive.*
The more authors dig under the cockygate saga rocks, the more slimy practices are being exposed. They seem to be going in a circle as David Gaughran has sleuthed a connecting rod from one chancer to another. Book Stuffing - a scam to fool the page read algorithm so the author can grab more from the pot of money in Kindle Unlimited gets a close look.
Following closely on this is the bribery and the bullying tactics being placed on readers. This hurts everyone in your genre. We want to nurture our readers not pillory them.
Kris Rusch has written an interesting post on learned helplessness. Do you suffer from it? Have you got fixed in your mind that you need to have help to achieve in your writing career? Many writers actually suffer from it though they might not know it.
Stephen Pressfield is writing a new book on the writers journey. He's writing it as a serial on his blog first. Stephen is pretty famous for his writing book, The War of Art, which is a fabulous read. Take a look at some of his serial entries.
Now that Book Expo is over, the analysis of the new format begins. Separating the rights area off from the main display hall might have been a sound idea in theory but in practice...
Publishing Perspectives looks at what they got right, what they got wrong and where to next for these big book expo's.
The Author's Guild is like the American version of the Society of Authors. They have been changing their way of operating to make it more responsive to its members needs. Regional chapters and a help desk with a direct line into Amazon have made writers sit up and take notice.
There are rumblings and rumours about whether Amazon is winding down Createspace in favour of KDP Print. Nate Hoffelder takes a look at what might be happening within the world of Amazon Print On Demand.
As the Northern Hemisphere slides into summer, thoughts turn to all the big writing conventions that happen over summer. Gail Carriger has the must pack list for authors who are planning their professional development trips.
In The Craft Section,
Are sneaky plot holes lurking in your story- Jami Gold- Bookmark
Bookmark
What to do when there is no clear antagonist- Janice Hardy
In The Marketing Section,
Turning your readers into fans- Bookworks- Bookmark
5 tips for getting a non fiction deal- C S Lakin
6 book marketing lessons from the big guys- Bookbuzz- Bookmark
5 ways to build your local market- Indie Reader
To Finish,
Kate Krake has listed 52 fears of writers. Who knew we were such a fearful lot? Naming your fear and confronting it can help. Spending too much time worrying about your writing fears can paralyze you.
Check out this post by Ann Kroeker on filling and stilling your mind so that you can cope with your writer fears.
Maureen
@craicer
