Writing

The following is a guest post from Lisa Cohen and an entry in February’s Self-Publishing Writing Contest. Voting for the winner will begin on Thursday, February 9th. Want to help out your fellow indie authors? Consider entering March’s contest! If you’d have asked me a year ago about self publishing, I would have given you all sort of persuasive [...]
You might also like:

1. The Long Game of Self-Publishing [Guest Post]
   The following is a guest post from Merry Farmer and the first entry in February’s Self-Publishing Writing Contest. Voting for…
2. Do You Still Enjoy Writing? (And What to Do if You Don’t) [Guest Post]
   The following is a guest post from Michael W. Roberts and an entry in February’s Self-Publishing Writing Contest. Voting for the winner will…
3. Grit City Emotobooks Revolutionize Fictional Storytelling [Guest Post]
   The following is a guest post by Ron Gavalik. Thanks, Ron! As a writer it’s always been a goal of…

Continue Reading Self-Publishing: Perils, Pitfalls, and Promise [Guest Post]

Tags: Book Design, Guest Posts, Publishing, self-publishing companies, self-publishing perception

The following is a guest post from Barry Skelhorn and an entry in February’s Self-Publishing Writing Contest. Voting for the winner will begin on Thursday, February 9th. Want to help out your fellow indie authors? Consider entering March’s contest! Self-publishing has its up and downs — just ask any aspiring writer.  Like those authors I also been through the [...]
You might also like:

1. The Long Game of Self-Publishing [Guest Post]
   The following is a guest post from Merry Farmer and the first entry in February’s Self-Publishing Writing Contest. Voting for…
2. Do You Still Enjoy Writing? (And What to Do if You Don’t) [Guest Post]
   The following is a guest post from Michael W. Roberts and an entry in February’s Self-Publishing Writing Contest. Voting for the winner will…
3. Grit City Emotobooks Revolutionize Fictional Storytelling [Guest Post]
   The following is a guest post by Ron Gavalik. Thanks, Ron! As a writer it’s always been a goal of…

Continue Reading Short but Sweet [Guest Post]

Tags: Guest Posts, Marketing & Promotion, social media

If there’s one thing every author can use, it’s more readers! If you’ve followed our advice and found your target market, you’re well on your way to figuring out how to attract those readers to your work. We know that it’s always helpful, however, to hear the experience and advice of other indie authors who [...]
You might also like:

1. [Discussion] Do Professionally-Designed Book Covers Matter to Readers?
   During our Self-Publishing Basics Series, we got a response to 7 Things To Know About Book Design that got the…
2. [Discussion] Choosing Your Book’s Target Market
   6.7 billion. 6,700,000,000. That’s the world population from 2008. The bestselling author from last year sold a measly .4% of…
3. [Discussion] How Do You Use Your Author Website?
   With a few posts related to author websites popping up on Twitter, we thought they’d be a great topic for…

Continue Reading Who Are Your Readers? [Discussion]

Tags: Discussion, Marketing & Promotion, readers, target markets

Have an awesome idea for a post that’s not related to self-publishing service reviews? Consider entering it in our Self-Publishing Writing Contest for a chance to win Amazon.com gift cards and much more! Thanks to everyone who participated in our previous Self-Publishing Linkups on New Year’s Resolutions/Goal-Setting and Social Media Resources (note: you can still add your link at any time). [...]
You might also like:

1. Social Media Resources [Self-Publishing Linkup]
   Have an awesome idea for a post that’s not related to social media? Consider entering it in our Self-Publishing Writing…
2. New Year’s Resolutions/Goal-Setting [Self-Publishing Linkup]
   Have an awesome idea for a post that’s not related to goals/resolutions? Consider entering it in our Self-Publishing Writing Contest…
3. More Useful: Facebook or Twitter? [Discussion]
   Without a doubt, Facebook and Twitter are king and queen of the social media world. As you dive in, however,…

Continue Reading Print On Demand/Self-Publishing Service Reviews [Self-Publishing Linkup]

Tags: Links & Resources, pod, printers, Publishing, reviews

On a recent binge to find creative inspiration from some of my favorite Southern authors (both old and new), I dug around for a little bit of background info on a journalist I’ve taken a liking to named Wright Thompson. A native of Mississippi, Thompson is a senior sports writer for ESPN the Magazine and [...]
You might also like:

1. February 2012 Writing Prompts
   Hallelujah it’s Friday! By now you should be accustomed to the spectacular new Duolit posting schedule which includes not one,…
2. Links of the Month: February 2011
   To keep with our new once-weekly posting schedule, Links of the Week is now Links of the Month! We determine which…
3. Get Prompted in 2012!
   So far it’s been an extra special month of big announcements and new features to make Duolit even more awesome…

Continue Reading What book made you want to become an writer? [February 2012 Prompt #1]

Tags: Blog Prompts, February Blog Prompts, writing inspiration

The following is a guest post from Eric Kent Edstrom and an entry in February’s Self-Publishing Writing Contest. Voting for the winner will begin on Thursday, February 9th. Want to help out your fellow indie authors? Consider entering March’s contest! It’s November 1st, 2010 when I sit down to write my first novel. I open Scrivener, pop a can [...]
You might also like:

1. Do You Still Enjoy Writing? (And What to Do if You Don’t) [Guest Post]
   The following is a guest post from Michael W. Roberts and an entry in February’s Self-Publishing Writing Contest. Voting for the winner will…
2. Grit City Emotobooks Revolutionize Fictional Storytelling [Guest Post]
   The following is a guest post by Ron Gavalik. Thanks, Ron! As a writer it’s always been a goal of…
3. The Long Game of Self-Publishing [Guest Post]
   The following is a guest post from Merry Farmer and the first entry in February’s Self-Publishing Writing Contest. Voting for…

Continue Reading Dictation: I’m a Story Teller, Not a Story Typer [Guest Post]

Tags: dictation, Guest Posts, Story, writing process, Writing Tips

The following is a guest post from Michael W. Roberts and an entry in February’s Self-Publishing Writing Contest. Voting for the winner will begin on Thursday, February 9th. Want to help out your fellow indie authors? Consider entering March’s contest! Why do you write? What is it that gets you out of bed in the morning or keeps you [...]
You might also like:

1. The Long Game of Self-Publishing [Guest Post]
   The following is a guest post from Merry Farmer and the first entry in February’s Self-Publishing Writing Contest. Voting for…
2. Grit City Emotobooks Revolutionize Fictional Storytelling [Guest Post]
   The following is a guest post by Ron Gavalik. Thanks, Ron! As a writer it’s always been a goal of…
3. Finding Writing Time and Working Smarter [Repost]
   The following was originally posted on March 28, 2010. Reclaiming Writing Time From Busy Modern Life I’m too busy. I…

Continue Reading Do You Still Enjoy Writing? (And What to Do if You Don’t) [Guest Post]

Tags: Guest Posts, Motivation, writer's block, writing a novel, writing process, Writing Tips

The following is a guest post from Merry Farmer and the first entry in February’s Self-Publishing Writing Contest. Voting for the winner will begin on Thursday, February 9th. Want to help out your fellow indie authors? Consider entering March’s contest! I once took a train trip from Orlando to Philadelphia. I was moving back home [...]
You might also like:

1. Grit City Emotobooks Revolutionize Fictional Storytelling [Guest Post]
   The following is a guest post by Ron Gavalik. Thanks, Ron! As a writer it’s always been a goal of…
2. You Can: Self-publishing Success – What it is and How to Achieve It
   The following is a guest post from author Carol Buchanan. If you’d like to be a guest poster, we’d love…
3. Reeling in our natural tendency to be long-winded…
   It’s a common problem: We like the concept of Twitter. We get how Twitter can help. But how in the…

Continue Reading The Long Game of Self-Publishing [Guest Post]

Tags: Guest Posts, inspiration, Motivation, Publishing, self-publishing experience

Last month, we announced a new feature: the reader mailbag! Here we take your questions about anything involving writing, design, publishing, marketing or any other self-publishing related topic and answer them here on the blog. Have a question? Tweet @duolit or give us a shout via our contact form!  From @JeremySenko: I have a great idea for [...]
You might also like:

1. [Discussion] Writing: Which comes first, the characters or the plot?
   In thinking about our cycle of blog topics (branding, publishing, marketing and design) it occurred to us that we left…
2. A writer’s dilemma: Characters versus Plot
   Yesterday, we asked you guys to share your opinions on which comes first in the writing process: characters or plot….
3. Getting Started with Self-Publishing
   Did you know that you can be a published author without having to wade through years of query letters, rejection and…

Continue Reading Reader Mailbag: Rushing Plot, Book Trailers, Getting Started

Tags: book trailer, getting started, Marketing & Promotion, plot, Publishing, Reader Mailbag

One of the most common questions we’re asked from authors looking into self-publishing is: how much does it cost? The truth is, the costs of self-publishing vary wildly and are highly dependent on which publishing route you take (eBook vs POD vs traditional printing), your personal skills and abilities (can you design your own cover [...]
You might also like:

1. How Much Do YOU Pay for Books? [Discussion]
   One of the most common questions we receive from authors is “how do I price my books?” The truth is,…
2. [Discussion] How Do YOU Feel About Book Cover Branding?
   In yesterday’s post, we presented twenty book covers with the author’s name removed — were you able to match up…
3. [Discussion] Do Professionally-Designed Book Covers Matter to Readers?
   During our Self-Publishing Basics Series, we got a response to 7 Things To Know About Book Design that got the…

Continue Reading How Much Does It Cost to Self-Publish a Book? [Discussion]

Tags: cost, costs, Discussion, ebook, pod, Publishing