Articles — Reading Tips, Book Lists & Author Stories

5 min read

76

Community Voices

What Book Discovery Sites Get Wrong About Genre Filtering

Most discovery sites organise books by broad genre labels, but that's rarely how readers actually search. Here's where genre filtering tends to go wrong.

#self publishing #book discovery #author life

5 min read

136

Podcast Guesting for Authors Who Hate Self-Promotion

Self-promotion doesn't come naturally to every author. Here's how to approach podcast guesting in a way that feels genuine instead of forced.

#author life

6 min read

202

Community Voices

The Quiet Power of Backlist Promotion: Reviving Old Titles Without a Relaunch

Old titles don't need a dramatic relaunch to find new readers. Here's how steady, low-key backlist promotion can quietly outperform a one-time event.

#book discovery

5 min read

81

Why Some Indie Authors Are Deliberately Slowing Down Their Release Schedule

Rapid release has long been indie publishing's default strategy. Here's why a growing number of authors are slowing down instead, and what's driving the shift.

#author life

5 min read

357

Community Voices

The Overlooked Writing Communities That Aren't Reddit or Discord

Reddit and Discord aren't the only writing communities worth your time. Here are the quieter, often more useful spaces most writers overlook entirely.

#author life #reader community

5 min read

605

Beyond Amazon: Where Indie Readers Actually Discover New Authors

Amazon dominates book sales, but discovery is a different story. Here's where indie readers are actually finding new authors before they ever search a title.

#book culture

5 min read

358

Local Press Still Works: A Pitch Template for Small-Town Papers

National outlets ignore most indie pitches, but small-town papers still answer their email. Here's a practical pitch template built for local press.

#book culture

5 min read

137

Writing Life

Why Most Book Launch Calendars Fail (And What to Do in the Final 72 Hours Instead)

Launch calendars look organised on paper, but most fall apart days before publication. Here's what indie authors should do instead once the real countdown starts.

#book discovery

5 min read

227

Why Your Event Recap Posts Get Less Reach Than Your Event Teasers

The teaser got people curious. The recap, somehow, gets far less attention, and the reason isn't bad luck.

#author life

5 min read

213

How to Plan a DIY Writing Retreat on an Indie Author Budget

A proper retreat doesn't need a proper budget. Here is how to build one yourself for a fraction of the cost.

#author life

5 min read

72

The Bookstore Visit Follow-Up Email That Gets You Rebooked

The visit is over, but the email you send next decides whether you're ever asked back.

#author life

5 min read

83

What to Do When Your Author Talk Has an Audience of Three

Three people in the room can still be a worthwhile evening, if you know what to actually do with it.

#book culture

5 min read

91

The Three-Second Pitch That Works at a Crowded Book Fair

A crowded fair only gives you three seconds. Here is how to make those three seconds count.

#author life

5 min read

132

Reveal Parties That Convert: What to Post Before, During and After

Excitement and sales aren't the same thing. Here is what to post at each stage of a reveal so one actually leads to the other.

#book culture

5 min read

83

What to Say When Nobody Stops at Your Table (And What Not To)

What you say in the first few seconds either invites someone in or sends them straight past. Here is the difference.

#author life