Writing in more than one language
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April 26, 2016

Anyone who enjoys the painstakingly difficult process of writing probably has a love for words, which inspires their masochistic writer’s journey. Those who understand the slight intricacies of words and the importance of sentence structure choose their statements wisely, editing, re-editing, and editing again. This process is multiplied twofold for a writer who speaks more than one language, carrying with them the difficulty of creating… [Read More]

7 Books to read before the end of 2015
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December 22, 2015

The last week of the year is a book orgy for me. No distractions. No interruptions. It is the time of year when I can indulge in reading works I have set aside because I know I am going to enjoy them. Some of these might have ended on my list to wrap up for 2015 if I hadn’t set them aside for my end-of-year reading… [Read More]

2015 Books to Wrap Up
by,
December 8, 2015

This past year had many wonderful new titles and as the year comes to a close you’ll see many Best Books of 2015 lists in your newsfeed. Belarusian writer, Svetlana Alexievich won a Nobel Prize in Literature in 2015 and things are looking up for nonfiction writers. Elizabeth Kohlbert won a Pulitizer for The Sixth Extinction in 2015. There are many award lists of books,… [Read More]

I Love My Library
by,
December 1, 2015

In this day of high priced books and new technology, public libraries are an invaluable resource for authors as well as readers in general. I sometimes think my local library, the Tompkins County Public Library is beyond compare, but I constantly run into articles and posts by people around the country, around the world, who love their libraries just as much. For an author, a… [Read More]

Why shop Indie?
by,
November 24, 2015

Amazon makes it so easy to share links with book cover images and if you’re a Prime member there is an incentive to shop on Amazon. There is just one big problem. Books and Amazon. When you purchase books from Amazon you get a deep discount and the publisher pays the author even less in copyright royalties. A percentage of pennies is a pittance and… [Read More]

Tis the Season of Book Festivals in the Midwest
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October 13, 2015

Book festivals are celebrations of reading and writing and they bring authors face to face with their audiences.  Don’t overlook them in your marketing plan as you will find they are a wonderful way to meet your readers and market your books. Like rock concerts and music festivals to recording artists, book festivals are the performance highlights to any author’s book tour. Autumn and book… [Read More]

Are you a member of the Authors Guild?
by,
October 6, 2015

The Authors Guild is the nation’s professional organization for writers, aiding and protecting author’s interest in copyright, fair contracts, and free expression since 1912. It supports working writers, advocates for author rights, and provides a community for its members. Any author who has been published by an established U.S. book publisher or by periodicals of general circulation in the US qualifies for membership. You may… [Read More]

4 Things to Know About Publishing (From an Intern’s POV) – Samantha Kolb
by,
August 18, 2015

This summer Samantha Kolb completed an internship with Swenson Book Development LLC. Here she shares some of what she learned in the last 10 weeks. As an English major, I have learned to endure perplexed looks when family and friends ask what my major is. I have also learned to gracefully answer no to the follow-up question; “Oh, are you going to be an English… [Read More]

Recommended. Summer. Reading.
by,
June 23, 2015

Two novels. Both are set during the Second World War and yet neither is a war story.      Anthony Doerr, All the Light We Cannot See, won the Pulitizer Prize for fiction this year. Read it to gain an appreciation for what editors mean when they say “character-driven plot.” This is much more than a story about WWII. Marie-Louise is a blind 14-year-old girl… [Read More]

Little Free Library
by,
May 26, 2015

Little Free Library Big Book Access Kickstarter Campaign met its fundraising goal last week to help get books into the hands of those who need them most. Created by Todd Bol, the campaign celebrated the 3rd anniversary of the non-profit which he started as a tribute to his mother who loved books and loved to share her passion for reading.   A couple years ago… [Read More]