Understanding literary device terminology and how each device works will help you identify them in your favorite books and dramatically improve your writing (that’s not hyperbole). Literally, every sentence (or line of poetry) presents an opportunity to use these and take your reader exactly where you want them to go. 

What is a literary device?

A literary device is any technique used in writing that creates a specific effect. You can find these devices in poetry, prose, and even song lyrics. By understanding these techniques, you can analyze, interpret, and even create your own works of literary greatness (or at least pass that English test).

You’ll find a comprehensive list of common literary devices below, along with examples to help you understand how each one works. Some can help you establish a theme, convey an abstract emotion, or explain a tricky concept to your reader. Others can make a straightforward passage more interesting, insightful, or entertaining. And some just add extra impact or flavor to your writing. 

The literary device list

We’ll start big with literary devices that shape and permeate an entire composition and work our way down to little bits of wordplay you can sprinkle in just about anywhere. Some you’ll recognize (if not by name) because good writing inevitably uses a few of these tried-and-true tricks. (That was a triple alliteration there.) And heads up: You’ll find there’s plenty of overlap. Writers frequently use these literary devices in conjunction with others to great effect. 

Point of view

Point of view is the perspective from which you tell your story. This has many permutations, but in general, it falls into three categories:

First person

The story is told from the point of view of someone experiencing and narrating it. The reader will know what the narrator (usually the protagonist) knows, and only that.

Example: “I opened the refrigerator and was disappointed to find the leftover birthday cake had disappeared.”

Second person

You are the person experiencing and describing the action. This point of view is less common in classic literature and more often found in immersive poetry or interactive media like video games.

Example: “You open the refrigerator. The cake is gone.”

Third person

The most common point of view for fiction and non-fiction, the third person is delivered in the voice of an observer—typically understood to be the author. This presents a lot of flexibility for the information the reader will access. In our example below, we have an omniscient (all-knowing) narrator—but third-person narrators can also be limited in what they know or untrustworthy—providing their own interpretation of events. Often, the third-person narrator is only privy to the knowledge and emotions of the protagonist, while this protagonist filters other characters through their lens.

Example: “The lawyer opened the refrigerator. She saw that there was no birthday cake left, and this filled her with despair.” Here we have an initial observation from a third party. The second sentence shows that the observer can see what the lawyer sees, thinks, and feels.

Tone

The words an author chooses can convey their attitude toward a subject. Regardless of the point of view, the words used are essential for creating a mood for the reader and an understanding of the emotions at play. Writing can be verbose, academic, and dispassionate, presenting just the facts as they are. Or it can be whimsical, punchy, and rich with its own personality. And anything in between. Tone can be consistent throughout a work, or it can shift following the action or a change in the narrator’s psyche. 

Example: “The lack of cake in the refrigerator displeased the lawyer” is direct and clear in its narrative (if a bit dry and aloof). “She saw—horror of horrors—that someone, or something, had absconded with her beloved cake” is playful and infuses the same scene with far more character. 

Allegory

Some of the oldest writing in human history uses this literary device. Authors use fictional narratives to represent a seemingly unrelated real-world situation while concealing a hidden meaning. For example, on its surface, George Orwell’s Animal Farm is simply a tale of dissatisfied livestock—but it’s really a scathing criticism of the abuses and hypocrisy Orwell perceived during and after the Russian Revolution. 

Personification

Personification is another form of allegory, in which human (or human-like) characters represent a broader concept. One example is Uncle Sam, a common personification of the United States government. 

Anthropomorphism

Anthropomorphism is a literary device that assigns human characteristics to non-human things, like animals and inanimate objects. This goes beyond the talking animals in fairy tales and cartoons. Since we all experience the world through a human lens, anthropomorphism can give a better understanding or more profound emotion where it might otherwise be hard to convey. 

Example: “The neglected houseplant hung its head, gazing upon the empty watering can at its feet.”

Satire

Satire is a powerful literary device and tool to expose truths about the world around us using humor—particularly irony and hyperbole. By casting new light (and often heaping ridicule) on established attitudes and assumptions, satirists aim to provide commentary and reshape opinions about their subject. Cervantes’ Don Quixote, arguably the world’s first novel, skewered the misguided traditions of medieval Spain, as personified (there’s an overlap!) by the overconfident, oblivious titular character. (And there’s some more alliteration, too.)  

Parody

Parody is a bit like satire in that it’s a sendup that reimagines and injects humor into more serious existing work. Think Mad Magazine or The Harvard Lampoon, whose writers savagely (but lovingly!) mocked Tolkien’s beloved fantasy epic in Bored of the Rings.

Irony

This is a big one, and ironically, it might not mean exactly what you think. (It’s not “rain on your wedding day.”) Irony is presenting something that, on its surface, is the opposite of the intended meaning or sentiment. When employing irony, it’s essential to understand your audience. If they don’t pick up on your intention, they’ll come away thinking precisely what you didn’t mean. And that would be ironic. 

Irony takes a few different forms:

• Dramatic irony is when characters feel or act in a way that the more-informed reader knows is contrary to how they should. If the protagonist spends his lunch break shopping for an expensive tie in preparation for his impending promotion, unaware that there’s already a pink slip waiting at his desk, that’s dramatic irony.  
• Verbal irony involves a speaker intentionally saying something opposed to their true feelings—such as when Marc Antony repeatedly refers to Brutus as “an honorable man,” although Brutus has just murdered Caesar. This can differ from sarcasm, which typically benefits from a spoken inflection of contempt.
• Situational irony is when the outcome of something stands in sharp contrast to expectations. If you place a heavy bookend on your shelf to keep your books from falling over, but the added weight causes the entire stack to collapse, that’s some situational irony. 

Exposition

Exposition is a literary device referring to the inclusion of passages strictly to provide background, history, context, and other narrative details in your writing. This can be very useful to quickly get a reader up to speed on a story in progress. However, in the time-honored writing advice of “show, don’t tell,” exposition is the tell. So if you find yourself writing long paragraphs of backstory that don’t advance the plot you’re telling, you might want to try some other literary devices to communicate the same details. 

Vignette

A vignette is something like a painting in literary form. These are short passages (usually less than 1,000 words) that go into great detail about a single subject or moment. They’re meant not to advance the plot but rather to impart deeper meaning through vivid imagery. Vignettes are sometimes intended as standalone compositions but are more often employed during a novel, or grouped as collections, as in Hemingway’s vignetted masterwork, In Our Time. 

Soliloquy

Soliloquy is a speech delivered by a character and addressed solely to themselves (and, by extension, the reader). Shakespeare was big on this literary device; in drama, turning an inner monologue outward can be essential for communicating private thoughts and feelings to an audience. The same method can be used in literature, though with an omniscient or first-person point of view, there’s less of a need for characters to think out loud. 

Example: “To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end them.” —Hamlet

Suspense

Suspense occurs when the reader is uncertain about—and anxiously anticipating—the plot’s outcome. Suspense, as a literary device, leverages primal human emotions (fear, doubt, hope), and it’s the primary device for maintaining reader interest in many literary genres. But bear in mind: for suspense to be effective, you must make the reader care about your characters and the plot. 

Example: “Thrilled by the definition of suspense, the reader scrolled further, unaware that the next literary device in store would be…”

Foreshadowing

You may have seen this one coming. Foreshadowing gives the reader a hint of what’s next in a story. We’ll avoid any spoilers, but an example would be: pointing out that a character left her raincoat on the subway. It’s a seemingly innocuous detail until the storm of the century descends on the city. Objects, actions, and even characters themselves can be employed in foreshadowing, as can chapter titles. Foreshadowing that misleads a reader is called a red herring—useful for misdirecting and concealing a plot twist better. 

Flashback

Stepping back in time to provide missing context or backstory is the role of the flashback (also “analepsis”). The narrator may recall an incident before the start of a story to add emotional impact or clear motivation to the actions already underway. When using flashbacks as a writer, you’ll (probably) want to clarify to the reader that time is shifting around—sometimes, this is done with formatting, adding a date to a passage, or a lead that prepares the reader. 

Flashforward

In most ways, this is the opposite of a flashback. Temporarily jumping ahead in a story can give the reader knowledge that a character lacks. This technique can add a sense of inevitability, futility, or predetermination. It’s also handy if you want readers to be able to focus less on where the story is going and more on how things got there. Flashforward can be considered a very direct, explicit form of foreshadowing. 

In media res

In media res comes from the Latin for “in the middle of things,” and it’s the term for joining a plot already underway. For example, a murder mystery may begin in the middle of the trial, while the author uses flashbacks, witness testimony, and exposition to back-fill the story up to that point. If you want to kick things off with a bang, or cut to the chase, jump right in with in media res. 

Symbolism

Symbolism, not surprisingly, uses symbols in the form of words or ideas to represent something beyond its literal meaning. You can use this literary device on a small scale, like describing a character’s impeccably pressed and starched shirt to connote their rigid attention to detail. Or symbolism can encompass an entire novel; the white whale at the center of Moby Dick symbolizes everything from nature, to fate, to evil throughout the tale. Like the whale, symbolism takes many forms:

• Simile is a description that uses a direct comparison to something else, using words such as “like,” “as,” and “than.” This can be great for concise descriptions (“moves like Jagger”) or to provide emphasis (“sharp as a tack”).
• Metaphor is similar to simile, but you must treat the object of comparison as being the thing itself rather than like it—figuratively, of course. Shakespeare didn’t want us to think that “all the world’s a stage,” literally, but his extended metaphor gives real impact to the idea that we all play roles as we move through the acts of life, often against the nature of our true selves. Or, to give a simpler colloquial example, we’ve all known someone who’s “a real firecracker.” Luckily for us all, that’s just a metaphor.  

Allusion

Allusion in literature employs some unrelated work or circumstance to impart meaning without directly referring to that work. You’ve likely encountered and used allusion without giving it much thought, which is why it works; allusion relies on the readers’ shared cultural knowledge to derive the intent from something seemingly unrelated to the topic. Be advised: depending on allusions that are too niche, vague, or obscure can be any writer’s Waterloo. 

Example: “The missing rookie card was the collector’s white whale” prompts anyone familiar with Moby Dick to apply their knowledge of that work to the collector’s situation. 

Imagery

Imagery, as a literary device, is the use of vivid descriptions to give the reader a more sensory (and, by extension, emotional) experience. Providing details about a scene’s visuals, smells, tastes, and feel can make any passage far more immersive. Using imagery isn’t just about deploying a bunch of adjectives—it’s about tapping into the reader’s imagination and creating a picture with words. 

Archetype

If you want to quickly establish a character that every reader will immediately have some understanding of, you might try employing an archetype. There are quite a few of them, but the Hero is an example that’s easy to understand (and was among the first to be established in classical literature). The Hero could be a Greek warrior, frontier pioneer, or teacher—but readers generally understand that the archetypical Hero is brave, driven, and will rise to the occasion. There’s some distinction between this and a stereotype, which is typically oversimplified and negative. Employing an archetype isn’t so much about creating cookie-cutter characters as it is leveraging readers’ shared cultural knowledge and expectations to help them grasp who’s who. And you can always subvert readers’ expectations. 

Juxtaposition

You can use juxtaposition to present a contrast between two concepts by placing them side by side. Try this literary device in a single moment or carry it through an entire novel. Paradise Lost features God and Satan as main characters, and they are presented in total juxtaposition throughout. Juxtaposition can help define what something is by aligning it against something that it is not.

Example: “The nomad’s black robes created a void against the hot white sand.”

Motif

Motif is, essentially, a combination of symbolism and repetition. By repeating a symbolic element throughout a story, motif helps establish and reinforce the themes at the heart of your work and carries them throughout the narrative. Jane Eyre employs a fire motif; dazzling candles and warm fireplaces are prominent in scenes of comfort, while two destructive fires are crucial in driving the plot forward, much to Rochester’s chagrin. 

Metonymy

Metonymy refers to something using the name of something closely related to it. We use “the press” for print newspapers and a metonym for the reporters who gather the news. Metonymy differs from metaphor in that the stand-in may share no actual characteristics with the subject it represents—the reporters are nothing like the giant plates and rollers of a rotary press machine.

Synecdoche

Synecdoche is a form of metonymy in which a part of something refers to that thing as a whole. When the White House issues a statement, the building didn’t write anything, but it’s understood that the president or a member of the administration did. Synecdoche is a literary device that can serve as shorthand or add linguistic variety. 

Example: “The gunslinger holstered his steel” sounds a little more dramatic, with some artistic allowance for the fact that the revolver also had parts made of wood and brass.  

Repetition

Repetition is repeating a word within a short space, which you’ve just experienced, and you can use it for any number of effects. For drama and emphasis (“Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”), clarity (“This is the end. The end of everything.”), enumeration (“government of the people, by the people, for the people”), and many other artistic purposes. 

Example: “The first rule of Fight Club is: You do not talk about Fight Club. The second rule of Fight Club is: You do not talk about Fight Club!”

Anaphora

Anaphora is the repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of more than one sentence or clause. From Greek literally meaning “carrying back,” anaphora is often used in poetry and speeches to drive home multiple facets of a subject and carry momentum. 

Example: Winston Churchill used this to inspiring effect: “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.”

Epistrophe

Epistrophe is anaphora with the repetition moved to the end of sequential clauses, used for similar impact. 

Example: “The big sycamore by the creek was gone. The willow tangle was gone. The little enclave of untrodden bluegrass was gone. The clump of dogwood on the little rise across the creek-now that, too, was gone.” —The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck

Tautology

Tautology is a form of repetition that boils down to “saying the same thing twice.” Or, to use and demonstrate our new term, you’ve repeated an idea when you use a tautology. “The soloist played alone,” “they were seated in a round circle,” and “ATM machine” are all examples of rhetorical tautology. Statements like “it is what it is” are logical tautologies stating two identical truths. 

Hyperbole

We’re not saying hyperbole is the best literary device—but overstating or exaggerating can be a great way to emphasize the qualities of an object or character or the gravity or absurdity of a situation.  

Example: “He looked across the ring and estimated that his opponent must be easily twelve feet tall.”

Litotes

If hyperbole isn’t your favorite literary device, you may prefer litotes—a form of understatement. Litotes is an example of verbal irony that downplays the reality or impact, often to convey modesty in a character or impartiality in a narrator. When you taste the best cake of your life and evaluate it as “not too bad,” that’s litotes at work. Double negatives often provide an easy path to this sort of understatement.

Paradox

Paradox is a statement that seems to defy logic. The concept of a catch-22 is a paradox in that doing the opposite of what’s wrong is also wrong. In literary use, the paradox may contain a nugget of some other truth while being impossible on its surface. 

Example: In the attributed words of non-literary icon Yogi Berra, “Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.” 

Oxymoron

Oxymoron functions as paradox on the smallest possible scale, with the conflict existing between the words themselves. “Parting is such sweet sorrow” contradicts itself—the sadness of Juliet’s separation from Romeo is contradicted by her loving longing for their next encounter. Or, less lyrically: “jumbo shrimp.”

Antithesis

Antithesis is much like juxtaposition but in a more narrow, linguistic sense. Antithesis provides comparison (and contrast) of concepts by grouping them in adjacent sentences or phrases. 

Example: “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.” —President John F. Kennedy

Malapropism

Malapropism is the unintentional use of the wrong word in place of the similar-sounding correct word. If you’re the author, your misuse of a word will, hopefully, be intentional—but your characters won’t know it. 

Example: Yogi Berra, when discussing a presidential election, pointed out that “Texas has a lot of electrical votes.” Yogi presumably meant to refer to the electoral college, not the energy used at the polls. 

Idiom

Idiom is any expression with a widely-understood figurative (non-literal) meaning that an unfamiliar reader could not derive from the words themselves. If a character “kicks a bucket” or “buys a farm,” they are, most likely, dead. Once you know what an idiom is, you’ll see them everywhere—the English language is estimated to feature 25 million idiomatic expressions.

Colloquialism

Idioms exclusively used in informal writing (or conversation) are usually considered colloquialisms. They may consist of simple expressions (“what’s up?”) or short forms (“ain’t”). A colloquialism is a bit different from slang (terms used more exclusively by a particular group) and jargon (terms used by members of a profession or field of expertise). But, as always, there’s lots of overlap. 

Euphemism

Euphemism entails replacing an offensive or unpleasant term with a more innocuous alternative. Authors can use this to sanitize language for a delicate audience (“birds and the bees”), to soften the impact (“passed away”), or just for linguistic variety (“under the weather”). A character’s use of euphemism can also tell the reader something about their mindsets, upbringing, or general comportment. Many euphemisms are, essentially, just polite idioms.

Aphorism

Aphorisms are pithy statements or observations that contain a truth about the world. Every language has them, and you likely know hundreds of them. You can use familiar aphorisms in writing to quickly communicate the mindset of an author or a character or the nature of a situation—or you can invent a new one that may eventually become a part of culture.

Examples: “The early bird gets the worm.” “Easy come, easy go.” “Brevity is the soul of wit.”

Pun

Ask dads everywhere, and they’ll tell you this form of wordplay is the height of humor. Ask anyone else, and they might roll their eyes, perhaps begrudgingly. Ask us, and that makes puns useful in more than one way. The pun (more academically: “paronomasia,” more continentally: “double entendre”) uses terms with more than one meaning to humorous or rhetorical effect. 

An example of both from Shakespeare: When asked where the recently-but-still-secretly murdered Polonius is, Hamlet responds that he is at supper “not where he eats, but where he is eaten”—in other-but-the-same words, Polonius is worm food. That’s a supper-b pun (if a bit dark), dripping with irony, couched in metaphor, and, well, Shakespeare. So take note: Puns are a legitimate literary device. 

Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of identical sounds within a group of words. You’ve already seen a few here. Generally used to refer to initial consonants (as with Peter Piper and his preserved produce), you can use the term to reference initial vowels too. Alliteration is often used in poetry but also has its place in prose. It can be engaging for readers who may find themselves unconsciously sounding out your well-written words. 

Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia is a very long word that applies primarily to very short words, which themselves sound like the noise they describe. A bottle rocket may start with a “sizzle,” launch with a “woosh,” and culminate in a “bang.” Interestingly, every language features unique examples of onomatopoeia for the same sounds. The same car horn that goes “beep” in English will go “pu-pu” in Japanese. Use whatever onomatopoeia best demonstrates the sound you’re describing; if you’ve invented a new sound, that’s an opportunity to invent a new onomatopoeia!

Cliffhanger

This plot device places a character in a tricky situation (or outright peril), then immediately breaks the narrative’s momentum to create suspense. The interruption may be a chapter break, a sudden shift to another plot line or moment in time, or even the end of a novel intended you will serialize. Often the conflict is a new one that’s introduced right before the cliffhanger, leaving the reader with questions about not just the outcome of the predicament but its true nature and meaning. 

Example: “Would the list of literary devices continue? No one knew for sure….”

***

…and that’s it. You’ve reached the end. The end of our list of literary devices that every author should know. Now you know them, and next, they can help your writing in not-insignificant ways. So gather ye rosebuds while ye may, and go forth to compose compelling literature rich in imagery, rife with symbolism, and—

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A poem can be almost anything. It can be an amorphous, scattershot stream of consciousness or a carefully structured narrative with precise rhymes and meter. It can be open to interpretation, or unambiguous and direct. And it can be meant for a wide audience, or just for your own private diary. This versatile verse is the written word’s oldest form of creative expression, and writing poetry is something everyone should try at least once.

Anyone who can write can write a poem, and for the ambitious poets, publish a poetry book. It doesn’t have to take years of study, and you’re only on the hook for the rules you choose to set for yourself. You’re here, so we hope you’re willing to try—and we’ll set you up with some things to consider when you write your poem, guidelines to follow, and ways to get the most out of your foray into the versatile verse.

But before you delve into how to write poetry, let’s get you excited about why. 

Benefits of writing poetry

Whoever or whatever you’re writing your poetry for, it is, first and foremost, a deeply rewarding creative exercise. Composing a poem helps you think differently—about your writing, yourself, and the world around you. The freedom of poetry can allow you to wander into new facets of your imagination. On the other hand, the constraints of a particular poetic structure can force you to delve deeper into untapped parts of your writing brain. Either way, anyone used to writing prose can benefit from taking poetry for a spin. A poet strives to make every word impactful, and that’s a skill that translates into every form of writing. 

Branch out. Find new words. Form new imagery. Forge new rhymes. You’ll get out as much as you put in—and possibly more. 

Types of poems

So, we know a poem can be just about anything. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have some understanding of the type of poem you’re setting out to write. 

If you’ve already been exposed to volumes of poetry as a reader, you’re probably familiar with your favorite forms and some of the ins-and-outs of their composition as you start writing. If you’re new to poetry—or haven’t read any since a teacher last assigned you one—it’s worth taking some time to explore a variety of poems, long and short, old and new. Reading can help you learn about the impact of poetry’s words and structure. And going to a local poetry reading can be an ear-opening way to experience another critical aspect of the medium: the interplay of words and their sounds. Take it all in, and discover what speaks to you and sparks your muse. 

The big three

As you delve into poetry as a reader, you’ll discover that, broadly speaking, the medium falls into three general forms. 

Rhymed verse 

This is the most common kind of poetry, and likely what you think of when you think of a poem in the classic sense. From nursery rhymes to limericks to sweeping narrative epics, all examples of rhymed verse follow prescriptive rules about how many syllables are in each line, which syllables are emphasized, and which words rhyme with each other. Composing rhymed verse is a lot like writing a song without the music.

Blank verse

This type of poetry follows syllabic rules (forming the poem’s “meter”) but doesn’t call for any rhymes. Shakespeare often used blank verse written in iambic pentameter to give the spoken words a rhythm and cadence. It’s still a lyrical form of poetry, and presents plenty of technical challenges to the writer, but you won’t have to worry about finding a word that rhymes with “purple.” 

Free verse

Free verse a name given to a type of poetry that throws pretty much every rule out the window. Syllable counts, rhymes, even the basic structure of the poem itself are left entirely in the hands of the poet. You can group thoughts—or divide them across lines—entirely as you see fit. One line might contain twenty syllables, while the next might have just one. This can be liberating, and especially useful for stream-of-consciousness writing. Nontraditional poets like e.e. cummings pushed the boundaries of what a poem can be, using creative structures to shape the reader’s experience. 

Don’t be intimidated by the rules of rhymed and blank verse. It can take a while to find your groove, but once you get into the swing of things, those rules can help propel your creative process. If you get caught up on something, remember that language is flexible. Tricks like slant rhyming will get you out of some jams, and there’s always this hack for getting around troublesome meter: 

Counting syllables out can be fun,
’Til you find yourself over by one.
There’s a time-honored fix
In the bard’s bag of tricks:
An apostrophe gets the job done. 

Inspiration and expression

With a poetry form in mind, you’ll next form an idea of what your poem is about (or reverse that order—this is poetry!). Anything you want to express or communicate can come to life as a poem. An observation. A memory. A fantasy. A life story, or a heroic epic, or both. Anything goes. 

Just as important as the subject of your poem is how you’ll go about the process of writing it. Poems can, and should, be evocative for the reader—but writing a poem is often more about conveying your own emotion than eliciting a particular response. Take it from William Wordsworth:

“Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility.”

Others write with a different approach, disappearing into another persona, or examining a subject from a completely externalized point of view. Take it from T.S. Eliot:

“Poetry is not a turning loose of emotion, but an escape from emotion; it is not the expression of personality, but an escape from personality.”

Those are two very good poets, with two very different takes. Like everything in poetry, there’s no singular answer. As Elliot continued: 

“…but of course, only those who have personality and emotions know what it means to want to escape from these things.”

Both of these poetry legends obviously found (and connected emotionally) with huge audiences. So here’s the lesson: write for yourself, and go where your own mind takes you. You’ll end up with poetry that’s honest and personal; whether that resonates with other readers will be up to their own personalities and interpretations, and that’s more than okay. 

Finding the right headspace to write your best poetry can also mean finding the right physical space and the tools that suit your process. Think about where you do your best writing, and where you find your strongest creative inspiration. It might be a secluded forest glen, or a crowded subway car, or your desk at home. On a notepad, a laptop, or your phone. Write where writing comes naturally to you, using whatever implements you’re most comfortable with. 

Painting with words

Writers love poetry because it shines a glorious light on the magic of language itself. When you compose an original poem, words come together and perform a completely new dance for the reader. Employ literary devices like assonance and consonance to give individual words more impact. Evoke deeper meanings with figures of speech (figurative language); simile for direct comparison of two concepts, metaphor for less direct analogies, and synecdoche and metonymy for new (or familiar) ways of describing known concepts. Employ these and other literary devices as you see fit, and trust your instincts. 

Don’t be afraid to use resources like a thesaurus. Poetry is all about finding the right words, and even the best poets need help finding them from time to time. OneLook.com has a reverse dictionary that’s one of our favorites. It can help you find not just synonyms but related words and concepts, sorted by parts of speech. If you’ve committed to a form that rhymes, a rhyming dictionary can be a big help, too. 

Seek feedback

Sharing your work with others is a great way to hone your craft—and discover how to better capture your own voice on the page. If you intend to put your work out into the world, but have any hesitation about the reaction, start small. Let close friends or family members read your poetry, or share it in the poetry community (online or IRL). You’ll find a receptive audience that either knows where your writing is coming from or can provide help through their own knowledge and experience. 

Just start writing

Above all else, the key to writing poetry is this: just start writing. These days, there are a ton of writing resources for aspiring writers. If you can’t quite think of how to start a poem, move past the opening, and start in the middle. If the meter and rhyme are tripping you up, change course and take free verse for a spin. And if you have no idea where to even begin, start small by writing a haiku about whatever’s on your mind to get your creative wheels turning. In fact, we’ll close with one:

Which device is best,
Metaphor or simile?
That’s, like, up to you. 

For inspiration, check out our blog to learn how to write a poetry book.

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While the popularity of the novella form has varied over time, there are two key reasons why writers and readers continue to return to them. First, a novella is the perfect blend of story and character. It’s long enough to explore a complex plot but short enough to keep the reader engaged from beginning to end. Second, novellas are a great way to experiment with new ideas and genres. Whether you’re looking to write a mystery, romance, or historical fiction, the novella is ideal for trying out a new genre without committing to a full-length novel.

Writing a novella is not easy, but the results can be truly magical when done well. Check the literary archives to find a long list of esteemed novella authors who agree—including Leo Tolstoy, Edith Wharton, Charles Dickens, Franz Kafka, James Baldwin, Shirley Jackson, and Ernest Hemingway.

So if you’re looking for a new writing challenge, why not try your hand at one? You might just surprise yourself. Follow these tips for writing a novella of your own and see where the story takes you!

What is a novella?

Before we get into how to write a novella, let’s first look at what a novella is. A novella is a piece of fictional literature shorter than a typical novel but longer than a short story.

Knowing it fits somewhere in between, you may ask, “How long is a novella?” Although word counts vary, they are typically between 20,000 to 40,000 words. On the shorter end of the genre is Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, which comes in around 21,000 words. And on the other end is Joyce Carol Oates’s Black Water, which clocks in at 40,000.

But more so than length, there are characteristics that make novellas unique. Novellas are typically simplistic, fast pace, and symbolic. They also tend to encourage the reader to think deeply about a central question or theme.

What’s the difference between a novella and a novel?

Of course, the main differences between a novella and a novel are word count and complexity. But there are also pacing, symbolism, and thematic differences. Let’s dive in.

Word count

The first noticeable difference between the novella and the novel is word count. As mentioned above, a novella is roughly 20,000-40,000 words and no more than 200 total pages. On the other hand, a novel is usually 40,000-80,000 words and over 200 pages.

This greater word length usually equates to a more extended writing time. With more words to play with, a novelist has more space to develop complex characters, explore detailed plotlines, and create a rich and layered story world. Conversely, because the word count for novellas is limited, there is less time for character development and plot complexity.

While a novella may only take a few months to write, a novel can take six months or even years, depending on the length (and the writer, of course).

Complexity

Novellas usually have a much simpler plot than novels. This is not to say that novellas cannot be complex, but they often rely on one or two key ideas or conflicts that are explored in depth. In addition, they tend to focus on a single character’s development rather than side plots and multiple characters’ backstories.

With the additional words, novels have more space to develop elaborate plotlines. This may include multiple storylines that intersect, characters with intertwining motives and goals, or an intricate web of backstories and revelations. These storylines are usually broken up into chapters—which aren’t characteristic of novellas.

Pacing and plot twists

The shorter word count of novellas usually leads to a faster pace than most novels. As a result, the story moves more quickly in a novella, so you won’t find long, drawn-out scenes. Paired with the fast pace, novellas are often known for their unpredictable and shocking endings that leave the reader reeling.

This is different than novels, which often have a slower speed and more predictable endings. While novels can have shocking moments, they usually build up to them and aren’t as jarring to the reader.

Symbolism

Novellas tend to rely on symbolic writing, imagery, and motifs to explore complex themes in a shorter amount of time. Symbolism can be used to develop characters, deepen the plot, and create a more profound experience for the reader. This symbolism is often dense and can take multiple readings to decipher.

Novels can also be symbolic, but they usually have more room to develop these images and themes. With more words, novels can explore these symbols in greater detail, giving the reader time to reflect—without the need for the audience to read between the lines.

Types of novellas

Novellas usually fall into three categories: literary, inspirational, and genre.

The literary novella is intense but allows for more depth than a short story. Authors of this novella tend to use more challenging language to express the characters’ psychology over the central theme or question, as Earnest Hemingway did in his novella, The Old Man and the Sea. This language could be hard to follow in a longer novel but works in a shorter piece.

An inspirational novella is usually on the shorter side. They pull at readers’ heartstrings to inspire and drive emotion, as Paulo Coelho did in The Alchemist. These types of novellas appeal to readers of all ages, but especially young readers.

The last type is a genre novella. These are specific interests like vampires, steampunk, sci-fi, or horror—like H.P. Lovecraft’s spooky The Shadow Over Innsmouth. In fact, many popular genre novellas have emerged in recent years and are popular with young adult audiences.

Nine steps to writing a novella

Now that you’ve learned what a novella is, it’s time to jump into the steps to write your own. Novellas are a perfect opportunity for first-time writers to develop their writing skills in a shorter format. While writing a novella, you’ll learn to deepen character development, create a plot with structure and twists, and keep within word limits. It may seem daunting at first, but if you follow the steps below, you will be on your way to writing a novella in no time.

1. Read lots of novellas

Just as you wouldn’t want to build a house without studying blueprints and walking through a similar home, you don’t want to start writing a novella if you’ve never carefully read one. Paying attention to the narrative and stylistic choices, structure, and pacing in other novellas will help you craft your own. So read more!

You might even discover a novella category you never knew existed. There is a novella type for everyone—from historical and autobiographical stories to science fiction, gothic, and mystery tales. You probably have already read some popular novellas as a child or young adult. Perhaps your reading list has already included Animal Farm, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, A Christmas Carol, and Of Mice and Men. Expand your list with a few more ideas from our blog featuring classic novellas.

2. Outline key scenes

If you’ve written a short story before, you might be surprised to find writing a novella quite different. The more extended structure of a novella demands a more detailed approach.

Before you begin writing, you’ll want to create an outline. It’s vital to know how to create a novella outline to ensure you think through the length and pacing and develop your main character.

First, think about the central conflict your characters will encounter. What is your protagonist’s biggest problem? Once you determine this major crisis, you need to figure out the solution your main character will uncover throughout the novella.

Next is character development. You should have one main character that you develop in more detail than others in your story. Work through what’s essential to the character, their motivation, and their point of view on your prominent theme. You’ll also want to think about developing your supporting characters throughout your story—while not spending too much time with them.

Then you’ll want to develop your plot. Choose a setting for each plot point, note who is involved and the outcome of each event. Then map out your critical scenes from beginning to end. Once you know the entire arc of your story, you can write each scene in a way that advances the plot.

3. Choose a point of view

There are three primary points of view used in fiction writing. First, decide which kind of narration makes the most sense for your novella, and then stick to it.

Many stories are told in first-person perspective (using I or my) because it creates a powerful and personal connection with the character telling the story.

The second-person point of view (using you) is not very common in fiction, but it can be effective for certain tales.

The third-person perspective (using he, she, or they) gives an all-powerful narrator outside the story complete access to the characters’ lives and minds, so it’s a prevalent choice.

4. Develop a character arc

Most compelling stories involve a character arc where the protagonist (the main character) undergoes an emotional journey or transformation. Before you begin your novella, you will want to decide where your characters will end up (what they will learn, how they will change). Is this a story of triumph, revenge, courage, discovery, reward, or loss?

Use what you know about each characters’ personality to create a believable path for them. The stronger the character development (emotions, motivations, decisions, and reactions), the more readers will connect with the story.

5. Pick up the pace

A common mistake that writers make when writing their first novella is taking too long to reach the first major conflict. Unlike a novel, the novella does not give readers time to slowly gather clues about the characters and plot.

Try starting your story in medias res (in the middle of the action) to provide early pages more energy and hook your reader. Read through your first draft and see if any background descriptions or character behaviors feel repetitive. If so, delete them.

Then look for places to build suspense or use foreshadowing, where you hint at upcoming events through imagery, symbolism, or observations. Remember, symbolism is important in this shorter form of writing.

6. Use figurative language

A savvy writer knows when to keep the story moving with straightforward plot descriptions and when to add flourishes. If you realize you’ve been straightforwardly writing your novella and simply telling (rather than showing) the action, see if there is room for figurative language. Play with symbolism, metaphors, similes, personification, and hyperbole.

It may take a few drafts to ensure that these images and literary techniques strengthen your story rather than distract from it. So don’t be afraid to experiment. Using creative language can take your novella from bland to beautiful.

7. Avoid complicated subplots

Once you begin writing your novella, you may be tempted to introduce new subplots or side characters. Resist the urge, and remind yourself that every character or event needs to support the storytelling.

Is it part of the exposition (description), rising action (series of events that create tension), turning point or climax (moment of highest conflict), or resolution? Recurring flashbacks and tedious dialogue can complicate the story or slow things down. Your goal is to build a relationship with readers and create an immersive experience in a fairly condensed format, so there is no time for tangents.

8. Revise your drafts

Even the most experienced writers need editors. So after finishing a draft of your novella, allow time for readers you trust to review it and provide feedback. You can even give them a list of story elements to help focus their comments: strong opening/closing, character development, setting, plot conflicts, dialogue, tone, diction (word choice), and consistent verb tenses.

Receiving constructive criticism on creative projects is not easy for anyone, but it is essential to produce your best work and become a better writer.

9. Make a trade book

So you’ve written your first novella. Congratulations! That’s no small feat. The last step is to get it out to your audience.

We may be biased, but we think novellas are perfect for self-publishing. They are shorter, less expensive to produce, and an ideal way to try your hand at book design.

Download our free desktop software, BookWright, for everything you need to design and print your novella. Select trade books as your book format, then choose a book size, paper, and cover type to fit your project.

You can also use pro bookmaking tools like Adobe InDesign or Blurb’s PDF Uploader to set up your book. The next step is up to you! Will you sell your book online, share it with friends and family, or distribute it worldwide?

Want to learn more? Check out trade books to get started! 

The post How to write a novella in 9 easy steps appeared first on Blurb Blog.

Whether penning a novel or curating visuals for a photo book, editing is the unsung hero in transforming good content into exceptional content. It’s especially pivotal for self-published authors who are responsible for delivering quality without traditional publishing support systems.

Sure, it’s ideal to enlist a colleague or hire a professional editor to review your manuscript objectively, but what if that’s not an option? Even if “writer” isn’t how you’d describe yourself (looking at you comic creators and culinary maestros), you have what it takes to fine-tune your masterpiece. After all, no one knows its nuances quite like you do.

Pro tip: Complete a thorough edit of your text before you add it to your book layouts, then do another final proofread after designing your pages. Errors can easily pop up while copying and pasting, so always review your book pages before you publish.

A simple guide to structured editing

Editing is both an art and a science; it takes having creative finesse while utilizing a systematic workflow. This simplified approach to structured editing breaks down the process into three components: broad structural edits, detailed line edits, and finely tuned copy edits.

Broad structural edits

Broad structural edits are the first and perhaps most crucial step in refining a manuscript, as they address the overarching framework of your work. This stage is less about perfecting sentences and more about examining the skeleton of your narrative to ensure it stands strong.

When considering the overall structure and flow, start by stepping back from the details to view your work as a whole. Ask yourself whether each chapter, section, or paragraph serves a clear purpose and contributes to the overall goal of your piece. 

Does it flow logically? Is there a coherent progression that guides readers effortlessly from one point to another? 

To achieve this seamless journey for your audience, take these tips.

• Create an outline if you haven’t already. It can be surprisingly revealing.
• Look for gaps in logic or content that may need additional information.
• Identify redundancies where trimming could tighten your narrative.
• Consider pacing and make sure there aren’t sections that lag behind in engagement or relevance.

Your book’s genre can also shape your approach to structural editing. Consider these genre-specific tips to keep your story flowing.

• Fiction: Pay attention to the story structure and ensure exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution are all present and properly placed. Characters should develop over time while staying consistent with their established traits.
• Nonfiction: Clarity is king here. Lay out arguments methodically and supporting evidence logically. Headings also play an important role. They must accurately reflect underlying content so readers can follow along without confusion.
• Comic books and graphic novels: Focus on the synchronization of text and visuals. The dialogue should not merely narrate the visual elements but enhance them, providing depth to the characters and advancing the plot. Ensure that the style, quality, and pacing of both the artwork and the written content remain uniform throughout the novel.
• Photo books: Visual narrative is key. Ensure that the sequence of photos and text tells a compelling story or conveys the intended theme effectively. You still need a story arc in a visually-driven book because that’s what drives your fans forward.
• Illustrated books: Keep a close eye on the relationship between copy and illustration. The visuals should enhance the reader’s understanding and enjoyment of the text, not confuse or distract.

For all genres:

• Be mindful of tone. Does it fit with genre expectations?
• Check voice consistency throughout, as sudden shifts can jar reader immersion.

Keep in mind that broad structural editing may require significant rewriting and moving things around. However, the return on that work means every element aligns across pages.

Detailed line edits

Once the broad structure of your work is solid, it’s time to zoom in for detailed line edits. This meticulous phase focuses on refining language and enhancing readability at the sentence level.

Read aloud to catch awkward phrases

One effective technique is reading your text aloud. Your ear might catch what your eye has missed. Listen for:

• Clunky or awkward phrasing that disrupts the flow.
• Overly complex sentences that may confuse readers.
• Repetitive word usage within proximity.

Hearing the rhythm and cadence of your words can highlight areas where the prose doesn’t sound natural, prompting a thoughtful revision.

Balance text and visuals in visually driven books

In works like children’s books or graphic novels, balance between text and imagery is key. Each element should complement the other without overwhelming it.

• Ensure captions accurately reflect images while adding context or narrative value.
• Check if visual pacing matches textual pacing; do they progress together?
• Verify visuals are properly referenced within the text when necessary for understanding.

This balance maintains engagement by providing a seamless interplay between what readers see and read.

Improve character development and dialogue

Characters are the lifeblood of any story, so during line edits, take a close look at their development. Check for consistency in each character’s behavior and voice, making sure their dialogue aligns with who they are. 

Scrutinize character interactions to ensure they’re not just filling space but revealing personality or advancing the plot. Even minor characters should have clear motivations and distinct voices that add depth to your narrative.

Edit for narrative coherence in photo books

For photo books or visually-oriented narratives, your text must provide a coherent storyline that enhances understanding and appreciation of the images. Each caption should offer insight without stating what’s obvious from the image alone. 

Aim for complementary information that builds on what you show visually. Ensure there is a logical sequence that readers can easily follow as they move through your book, with transitions between text passages smoothly guiding them from one photograph to another.

Copy edits and consistency

This meticulous process is where we fine-tune writing mechanics to ensure that every detail aligns with best practices and enhances reader engagement. Now, let’s delve into each critical aspect.

Ensure consistency in fonts, headings, and size

In the realm of copy edits, visual consistency is paramount. The uniformity of fonts, headings, and text sizes throughout your document not only lends it a professional sheen but also aids reader comprehension. 

Carefully comb through your manuscript to ensure all typographic elements follow a consistent style. This helps readers navigate your work with ease and clarity.

Create your own style guide for tone and word choice

Professional book editors use style guides to have a systematic, comprehensive way to evaluate each writing project. A style guide consists of writing do’s and don’ts that pertain to the project as a whole (notes on tone, word choice, capitalization, and formatting), as well as a detailed checklist of all the book elements. 

Are chapter headers capitalized consistently? Are commas, quotation marks, and other punctuation in the right place? Research the style guides professionals use to help create your own self-editing checklist: the AP style guide for journalism and marketing and the Chicago Manual for fiction writing. 

Consider layout and design from the reader’s perspective

The layout isn’t just about aesthetics; it profoundly impacts how readers engage with content. Effective layout design guides them naturally from one section to another without confusion or fatigue. When executing copy edits, consider factors on the page like white space balance and element alignment. The goal is to facilitate an enjoyable reading journey from cover to cover.

Replace weak verbs and clichés with active alternatives

During your second round of edits, keep an eye on your verbs. Weak verbs (she says, he went) typically come to mind first when writing, but they often lack the personality of more descriptive verbs (she muttered, he scrambled). Don’t force it, but consider refining your word choice when the scene calls for it. 

Also, look for verbs in passive voice, where the object overshadows the subject (a book was given to her; the dog was told to sit). Passive verbs are not off limits, but you can bring more energy to your writing by using active ones (the neighbor gave her a book; we commanded the dog to sit). 

Proofread for grammar, punctuation, and spelling

Whether you’re self-editing a memoir, novel, poetry book, or art portfolio, proofreading is an essential last step. A solid proofread involves a final read-through to identify grammar, punctuation, spelling errors, and basic typos—all the tiny things that get overlooked during early rounds of editing. 

Proofreading is also your last chance to check your captions, text, and photo layouts for inconsistencies or design errors. Just because your photo book is 80 percent images and 20 percent text doesn’t mean you can skip this step. Nothing exudes “unprofessional” like misspelled words, uneven margins, or sloppy layouts. 

Utilizing feedback and finalizing the edit

As we edge closer to the finish line, incorporating feedback and finalizing your edit are helpful steps to ensure your book is well-rounded and well-polished.

Find and incorporate feedback

Receiving constructive criticism can be invaluable. Here’s how to do it.

• Reach out to friends, colleagues, or beta readers for diverse opinions on your draft.
• Recruit the help of a professional editor or proofreader for a final polish.
• Use AI tools as additional resources for unbiased analysis. Try tools like Squibler, Manuscripts, or Marlowe to help you fine-tune your text.

Incorporate this collective insight into your manuscript with discernment, enhancing its overall quality while staying true to your vision.

Do a final read-through and print a proof copy

If staring at a computer screen is part of your writing process, give your eyes a break and switch things up by editing your book directly on the printed page. 

Request a proof copy of your book and take to editing with your first concept in hand. The tactile process of reviewing a printed version offers unique advantages. 

Editing a physical copy of your book makes it easier to catch typos, spelling mistakes, inconsistent verb tenses, and run-on sentences. You might find opportunities to try a different font size or style, too, since that can make the work feel fresh to your eyes. 

Marking edits with a brightly colored pen never hurts, so you can keep your place and locate changes later. This final read-through is crucial for catching any stragglers that evaded earlier edits. 

Additional editing tips and strategies

As you refine your editing approach, additional strategies can enhance the quality and efficiency of your work. Here are some further tips to consider throughout the editing process.

Take regular breaks

Careful self-editing often takes longer than expected, so notice when you need a break. Stepping away from the text for a bit of time not only gives your eyes a chance to rest but also helps you mentally reset so you can come back with renewed energy and a fresh perspective. It can be difficult and emotional to edit and scrutinize your book this way, so be patient with yourself. 

Be clear and direct 

Writing is usually best when it’s simple and straightforward. Read through your text for ambiguous phrases, idioms, or confusing sentences. And unless you’re writing for a specific, highly technical audience, avoid using jargon that your readers might not understand. 

Edit visual elements, too

For works like comics and photo books where visuals are paramount, there are a few more things to do.

• Focus on how text complements imagery; ensure captions add value without distracting.
• Consider the pacing of visual elements as part of the narrative flow. Each image should progress logically into the next.
• Use tools like Lightroom to edit and elevate the appearance of your photos.

Leverage digital tools

Digital tools like Grammarly and Hemingway Editor offer valuable support alongside meticulous human review. Grammar checkers, style analyzers, and consistency trackers can streamline editing tasks.

These tools serve as an adjunct to improve manuscript quality but cannot replace the nuanced understanding a human editor brings to complex editorial decisions.

Use genre conventions

Genre conventions guide reader expectations, and editors must understand these norms. Start by researching genre-specific tropes to help tailor content effectively toward your intended audience.

By aligning your editing strategy with these established standards, you not only meet but potentially exceed reader expectations, crafting engaging narratives within any given literary framework.

Take your time

Don’t rush the editing process. It takes time to polish your writing and make it the best it can be. Make sure you’re taking enough of a break between edits to let your brain rest. Incorporate feedback from friends, family, and beta readers. And, above all, print proofs until you are thrilled with the final result.

Last word on enduring the self-editing process

The self-editing process is both a marathon and a masterclass in patience and persistence. As you journey through the meticulous task of refining your book, remember that each revision brings you one step closer to realizing your vision for your work. It’s an act of dedication to yourself as a creator, the craft, and ultimately, the audience who will enter the worlds you create. 

Should this path become overwhelming or if fresh eyes could serve your story well, consider enlisting the expertise of a professional editor whose guidance can elevate your manuscript even further. Their objective insight can be invaluable, transforming what was once just a draft into something ready to leave its mark upon shelves and hearts alike.

***

For creators ready to see their hard work come to fruition, Blurb offers a suite of self-publishing services tailored to bring your book into the world. With user-friendly design tools, high-quality print formats, expert assistance at every step, and widespread distribution options, Blurb empowers you to publish confidently. Ready to upload your book to print? Use our free PDF Uploader to publish quickly.

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After putting time and energy into creating your book, you want your best work to shine. So, how do you hire a book editor? Someone who understands the rules of writing and helps you tell your story in your own way. Here’s a guide to help you find an editor and get through the hiring and editing process, start to finish.

Outline your goals for the book

Whether you’re hiring an editor you know or working with someone for the first time, it always helps to give them a bit of context for evaluating your work. Start by asking yourself a few questions. What are the goals for my book? Is this a personal or professional project, or both? What are the key takeaways? What kind of creative or learning experience do I want my book to provide? Use your answers to create a list of goals you can share with an editor, so they know what is essential to the book. Think of it as an introduction to your project.

Share your personal relationship to the work

You’ll also want to introduce yourself to the editor. Editing a book involves finding common ground between two people, two personalities, and one manuscript. Be honest about what this project means to you personally. Is it a heart-wrenching memoir that was emotionally draining to generate and compile? Or a matter-of-fact educational guide, intended to provide knowledge and practical skills? Is it a creative compilation of stories, poems, photos, or artwork that revolve around abstract ideas or themes? Maybe it is a combination of all of the above. Identifying your connection to the work can help a book editor understand how to approach the book and how you might respond as an author.

Check their editorial experience

Editing and proofreading are essentially technical skills, so an experienced book editor can evaluate writing on a range of topics. However, some book projects may benefit from an editor with a more nuanced understanding of the content. For highly academic or technical books, you may want an editor with a background in the same field or with research and fact-checking experience. Likewise, for literature, poetry, art, and genre writing, you may want an editor who can demonstrate a familiarity with the styles and techniques specific to those creative fields. Consider which editors would be ideal for your book. What is their writing or editing background? Can they provide testimonials to support their work experience? Are they familiar with your genre?

Check out Reedsy, a great place to find editors and connect with qualified writers and designers for all kinds of projects. 

Be clear about how much you can pay

Editing and proofreading are often undervalued, despite the amount of time, work, and skill required. The big question is: How much does an editor cost? There is no simple answer. Editors may provide a cost estimate based on word count, page count, hours spent to complete the job, or the degree of editing needed (see tip 5). You’re likely to see rates ranging from $20 an hour to $300 an hour. Ask around and see if fellow writers or colleagues can recommend someone. Do a bit of research, then get a few bids and compare. Always consider your budget and be clear about pricing expectations before hiring someone for a large project.

Specify the type of edit you want 

“Editing a book” can mean something different to each author or editor. There are three levels of editing, based on the extent of revisions that are expected: developmental, copyediting, and proofreading. A developmental edit involves organizing the material at a structural level and shaping the entire manuscript, so it’s a big job that requires the most time and complex understanding of the work. Naturally, it tends to be more expensive per hour or per project. Copyediting can range from light edits (grammar, spelling, punctuation) to medium edits (sentence clarity, plot structure, consistent tone) to heavy edits (all light and medium edits, plus word choice, sentence flow, literary style). Proofreading involves a thorough check of grammar and typos, as well as layout/design issues. When you find your editor, let them know which type of edit you are looking for. At the very least, have someone proofread it before you print your book.

Hire the editor to do a short test editing project first

Found an editor you like? Before you agree to hire them to edit the whole book, pay them to edit a chapter or a short excerpt of your work. The job should be two to five hours, max. This will give you an idea of their editing style and proficiency. It will also help you figure out if they bring the right skills and perspective to your project. Yes, there are rules in writing, but editing can also be subjective. There are times to break the rules and get creative and times when a simple, straightforward sentence is clearly needed. You want an editor who understands the difference, someone who will fix errors (not introduce new ones) and who will preserve your tone of voice (not erase your style).

Give yourself time to review the test edit

Time is really an important factor here, since most people’s gut reaction to getting feedback is resistance. Remind yourself that it’s ok to feel surprised or even annoyed by comments you receive, but try not to take it personally. You may need a few days to step back, be more objective, and figure out if the editor did a good job. Did they review the elements you asked them to? Have they demonstrated an understanding of your creative vision and project goals? Did they provide clear notes with suggestions for how to improve the work? Keep in mind that an editor posing questions about your work is a valid and useful form of feedback. Good questions can help you probe deeper, find clarity, or reframe your work, so don’t assume that queries from an editor are a sign of misunderstanding. If the feedback is on point, congratulations, you’ve found an editor!

Stay open-minded and flexible

Asking someone to evaluate your writing and receiving notes is not always a walk in the park, no matter how well-meaning or well-paid the editor may be. Our author’s egos bruise easily. Taking constructive feedback takes practice, but it does get easier, and it is one of the best things you can do for your work. So, try to remain open to the editor’s suggestions. And remember, you can always revert back to the original version if you change your mind later.

The more care you put into polishing your book, the more satisfied you’ll be with the finished product. Believe it or not, editing is part of the creative process, so try to enjoy the ride.

For more tips and resources, check out this blog post on developmental editing.

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Story structure helps guide your audience from the beginning to the end of your book by introducing characters and settings, setting up the conflict, developing the main plot points, and finally resolving that conflict. It also helps create tension, suspense, and surprise—essential components of almost any story.

Most people think of structuring only novels or documentary photo books, but all the most engaging and cohesive books take structure seriously. For example, a portfolio may feel like a collection of your best stand-alone work. But, you’re weaving a tale of your journey as an artist, photographer, or designer—and telling the story of who you are professionally. Cookbooks are another great example—you must take your readers through a narrative of thematically connected, delicious recipes and why the reader should care.

Of course, you’re here because you know the power of story structure—so let’s dive in.

Definition of story structure

As the sequence and backbone of your book, story structure is the order in which you present the narrative. The linear storyline shapes the flow of events (rising action, climax, and resolution) while establishing the book’s setting and plot.

Before we get into the different story archetypes and narrative types, there are a few fundamental structural elements worth learning. While these are most often used to describe written storytelling, you can easily use this structure to push a visually-driven story along. They include:

Opener

The opener establishes your story’s setting, premise, plot, and character roles. A compelling opener teases readers with what challenges or conflicts are ahead.

Incident

Stage two is the story’s incident. As the catalyst or instigating force that compels your main character to act, the incident establishes the conflict that sets the stage for the third phase of a story’s structure. 

Crisis

As a consequence of the incident, the story’s crisis is an unfolding of the primary conflict or series of issues. A crisis must be realistic and related to the plot. If the character experiences more than one crisis, each should build on the last, heightening the sense of danger and tension.

Climax

Stage four is the climax or the height of the crisis. Depending on your perspective, you can also think of the climax as the bottom of your action. At this stage, the character has hit rock bottom in the storyline–hopeless and seemingly out of options. The climax is not the end of the book but the beginning of the end.

Ending

The final stage of the story structure is the ending or close. Success or failure are both valid outcomes, but the ending should provide a conclusion and resolution to your story. The ending should close the loop on all crises, plot twists, and loose ends but could also leave the reader wanting more. 

Christopher Booker’s seven story archetypes 

Now that you know the basics of a story structure sequence, let’s look at another structural aspect that can help shape your book. A story archetype is a basic plot focusing on the type of journey the story takes, and the obstacles characters overcome.

As defined by scholar Christopher Booker, all stories and character arcs fall under seven main story archetypes.

Overcoming the Monster

This is an underdog story where the main character sets out to destroy a greater evil of some kind. Examples include Beowulf, Jaws, and David & Goliath.

Rags to Riches

In this classic plot line, the primary character begins in a situation of poverty or despair and rises to a higher status of wealth and success. You’ll recognize it from Jane Eyre, The Ugly Duckling, and Cinderella.

The Quest 

A story archetype that takes many shapes, The Quest is a plot where a hero embarks on a journey to discover something and eventually finds success through trials and tribulations. Find it in classics like The Lord of the Rings, The Odyssey, and the more recent Finding Nemo.

Voyage and Return 

In this definitive story type, a protagonist starts on a journey into foreign territory and encounters adversity before eventually returning home. Alice in Wonderland, The Hobbit, and The Chronicles of Narnia are beloved examples.

Comedy

Contrary to what we might typically view as humor, the comedy story archetype is a plot in which destiny brings the protagonist and love interest together, but conflicting forces keep them apart. Find it in Pride & Prejudice, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Carry on Jeeves.

Tragedy 

In this story type, the protagonist has a major flaw or makes a huge mistake—this leads to their inevitable undoing. During the story, we watch as they unravel and fall. You’ll see it show up well in The Picture of Dorian Gray, Anna Karenina, and Macbeth.

Rebirth

Here the protagonist falls under the spell or hypnosis of darkness and eventually redeems themself as the story unfolds. A Christmas Carol, Beauty & The Beast, and The Secret Garden are ideal examples.

In addition to writing stories, these archetypes can also apply to filmmaking and photography. For example, a great photography book tells a story and takes the viewer on the same narrative arc or adventure. 

11 different narrative story structure types

Beyond Christopher Booker’s story archetypes discussed above, the collective writing community has established several different story structure types over many centuries. Although many share common traits and overlap in sequence steps, each helps guide a story’s style, flow, and structure. 

To know which story structure type best aligns with your book and its narrative, below we discuss eleven of the most common narrative story structure types. 

The Classic Story Structure

The Classic Story Structure, also known as narrative structure or dramatic structure, has been a standard format used for many centuries in visual stories and novels. This structure’s seven main parts include the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution, dénouement, and themes. 

While most of these elements are self-explanatory, and based on conventional story structures, the last two are slightly more unique. The dénouement unveils the main character’s long-term consequences, and the theme is the story’s underlying message. The Classic Story Structure has considerable overlap with other story structure types and is often viewed as an umbrella type to describe general fiction story structure.

The Hero’s Journey

Typically consisting of three distinct stages (departure, initiation, and return), The Hero’s Journey is a common narrative type that involves a series of eleven steps that storytellers can present in a flexible and adaptable way. Often seen in comic books and graphic novels, this structure is fantastic for visual storytelling.

These steps include the call to adventure, refusal of the call, meeting a mentor, crossing the threshold, facing enemies and adversity, building up to the climax, facing the climatic ordeal, receiving the reward, returning to the ordinary world, undergoing transformation, and disseminating the newfound wisdom.

The Three-Act Structure

The Three-Act Structure is one of the most common narrative story structures that divides a story into three main parts: the Setup, the Confrontation, and the Resolution.

• The First Act (Setup): This act sets the stage by introducing the main character, their relationships, the world they live in, and the initial conflict. 
• The Second Act (Confrontation): As the heart of the story, this act is a turning point that involves the main character encountering increasing challenges and obstacles as they work to resolve climactic challenges. 
• The Third Act (Resolution): This final act brings the story to a close, resolving the conflict and tying up loose ends. The third act reveals the consequences and outcomes of the character’s actions.

A popular storytelling format used across many photo books, comic strips, novels, plays, and films, the Three-Act Structure helps provide a clear and concise way of structuring the events of a story. 

The Seven-Point Structure

As a more detailed extension of the Three-Act Structure above, using the Seven-Point Structure breaks a story down into more segmented and granular components for storytelling. These parts include the following:

• Hook
• Set-up
• Catalyst
• Debate
• Break into Two
• Confrontation
• Resolution

The Seven-Point Structure is a traditional story structure that is helpful for writers looking to craft a compelling and engaging narrative.

The Snowflake Method

The Snowflake Method is a ten-step writing process designed to help writers expand upon ideas into a complete story. Developed by author Randy Ingermanson, the Snowflake Method guides a story’s structure and direction before actually beginning the writing process. The steps include the following:

• Start by writing a single-sentence summary of the story’s overarching premise.
• Elaborate that single sentence into a full paragraph that describes the story in greater detail.
• Expand the paragraph into a one-page story synopsis.
• Construct a character chart of the story’s main characters and their roles.
• Write a single sentence that describes each scene of the story.
• For each scene sentence, compose a paragraph that adds greater detail about the scene’s events.
• Write a complete chapter for each significant scene.
• Complete a full draft of the story.
• Revise the story’s draft as needed.
• Edit the story and its structure, and organize the flow to be most engaging.

The Snowflake Method encourages substantial planning and organizing of the story, helping writers ensure that they have a solid foundation to avoid getting stuck in the middle of their story writing.

The Five-Act Structure

The Five-Act Structure is a familiar story structure used across many tales that helps organize key events throughout your book. It’s also the most easily adaptable for visual storytellers, like photographers, graphic designers, and illustrators looking to build a book.

As a hybrid between the Three-Act Structure, Seven-Point Structures, and Christopher Booker’s archetypes, the five acts include:

• Introduction
• Rising Action
• Climax
• Falling Action
• Resolution

This type of story structure helps maintain a narrative that’s both engaging and well-paced for your audience. And for storytellers, The Five Act Structure provides a simple roadmap that clearly segments the story into distinct parts for story development.

A Disturbance and Two Doors

This narrative structure is a simple yet powerful way to create tension in a story. Common in fantasy and science fiction genres, a Disturbance and Two Doors involves a situation in which the character faces a conflict (or disturbance) and is given two possible solutions (doors to take). 

Each solution involves two vastly different realities that can shape how the story unfolds. Once the protagonist chooses a door, the consequences of their decision carry out into the eventual climax until the story reaches a resolution.

The Story Circle

A narrative structure used in drama, fantasy, science fiction, and mystery genres, the Story Circle is based on the protagonist traveling through an eight-stage circular model. The stages involve the character:

• In their familiar world or comfort zone
• Experiencing a desire to need or want something 
• Entering an unfamiliar situation
• Adapting to the situation
• Obtaining the object of desire
• Paying the price for it
• Returning to their familiar world with newly-acquired knowledge or power 
• Applying that knowledge or power

Similar to the Hero’s Journey and widely used in screenwriting and storytelling, the Story Circle provides a framework for structuring an engaging story with a clear and balanced sense of direction and purpose. 

Freytag’s Pyramid

Inspired by German playwright Gustav Freytag in the 19th century, Freytag’s Pyramid is a simple paradigm that maps the dramatic story structure into five points that make up a pyramid. This includes the exposition (lowest left), rising action (left middle), climax (highest pinnacle), falling action (right middle), and resolution (lowest right).

Freytag’s Pyramid works well for dramatic storytelling, where the protagonist faces significant obstacles and must overcome challenges to reach their goal. However, it’s also used in other types of story genres and has seen evolved iterations that include more descriptive seven stages of the story pyramid.

Inciting incident

The Inciting Incident centers around a single, unexpected event that sets the protagonist on a journey away from their typical life. This event, known as the inciting incident, disrupts the protagonist’s status quo and commences the story’s adventure. The core stages of this story structure type include the:

• Status quo
• Inciting incident
• Response
• Journey
• Climax
• Resolution

Compared to other story structure types, the inciting incident is the core element that sparks a catalyst for change by upsetting the character’s status quo and triggering the story’s journey. This structure is fantastic when used in documentary photo books—where a single event is explored visually.

Fichtean Curve

Based on the work of German philosopher Johann Gottlieb Fichte, the Fichtean Curve is a narrative structure that’s centered around a protagonist’s story of self-discovery and perpetual conflict. The story’s rising action is a series of crises the protagonist must overcome, thereby building tension until they reach the climax. 

Often characterized by a story of constant ups and downs, the Fichtean Curve is a gripping story structure used across many genres and formats, including film.

Adding story structure to your book

As we’ve seen, you can use many different story structure types to guide the creation of your self-published book. From Freytag’s Pyramid to the Fichtean Curve, these structures provide a clear and practical framework for telling a compelling story. 

You can create a story with a precise balance of pacing and tension, impact and engagement, well-developed characters and themes, and a satisfying resolution when you follow a structured narrative or story archetype. 

Ready to begin crafting your story? Learn more about how to get started creating your book with Blurb.

The post What is story structure? appeared first on Blurb Blog.

For aspiring writers just getting started, finding a balance of time and discipline can feel especially hard—so here are some writing tips and ideas for getting over that hurdle.

01 Have a dedicated space

One of the great advantages of writing is that it can ultimately be done anywhere, with very few supplies. However, when you’re trying to establish a new writing schedule, it’s best to keep your writing location consistent. It doesn’t take much—a small desk, a comfortable chair, and good lighting. Keep your workspace free from clutter and try to minimize household activities or interruptions happening around you (reach for those noise-canceling headphones).

02 Choose a time of day

Schedule your writing sessions at a time of day that you feel the most alert and energized, as it will increase your chances of staying focused and motivated. It also helps to choose a time slot that you have control over (don’t schedule your writing time to start at 5 p.m. on the dot if your workday meetings often run late). It’s up to you to protect this time for yourself. Some people prefer all their writing sessions to start at the same time. If your day-to-day schedule varies, you may need to customize accordingly (Monday/Wednesday/Friday 6:30 – 7:30 a.m., Tuesday/Thursday 7 – 9 p.m.). Just make a clear plan, so you can actually commit to it.

03 Decide on a duration for each session

Start with a minimum amount of time you want each writing session to last, and be realistic. Will you be happy if you get 20 solid minutes of daily writing time, or are you aiming for 2 hours? Create a writing schedule that you can really stick to for two to four weeks. Then once you’re in a groove, you can start to reserve time for longer sessions that allow you to keep the momentum going. Growing as a writer does involve stamina!

04 Maintain a sleep schedule

Writing takes energy, concentration, and creativity, so it will be very hard to stick to a daily writing routine if you’re always physically tired and losing focus. Make sure that you’re getting enough sleep so you can feel refreshed and motivated the next day. Keep an eye on habits you’ve developed around bedtime or early morning activities that are highly distracting and cut into your sleep or writing schedule (minimize TV/screen time and social media scrolling at the beginning and end of each day).

05 Make time for reading

Reading is probably what inspired you take up writing in the first place, and it’s one of the best ways to keep your writer’s mind active. It is absolutely essential to read books in the same genre you write in, and obviously highly encouraged to read up on other subjects too. Dig into the classics and contemporary works, read bestsellers along with small press publications and literary journals. You may even consider joining a book club. Stay curious and be discerning. The more you read, the more your language and writing skills will improve—and the more you’ll want to write.

06 Set a daily goal (by number of words or pages)

At first, it may feel like you do more sitting than active writing at your desk, so consider setting a goal for each writing session. Maybe you are working on a novel and you want to write 1,000 words per day. Or you want to finish a new poem for your poetry collection or two pages of dialogue for a short story. Whether you are measuring by word, by page, or by scene, have a target in mind before you start so you can track your progress and build confidence.

07 Study the craft

Learning writing techniques is part of thinking and working like a writer. You can read essays, book reviews, writing websites, or blogs that discuss the craft of writing and analyze written works. Online writing exercises and prompts can push you outside your comfort zone and help you develop new skills. You can study specific literary techniques or poetic terminology—anything that you can add to your toolbox as a writer.

08 Prioritize your projects 

Many writers are inspired to start a writing schedule because they have a specific project in mind, whereas others have a lost list of ideas going. Create one notebook or journal where you can record new ideas and inspiration, and use a different notebook for composition (the same applies if you are creating documents on a computer). Then you can choose one project to focus on for the week or month. Most people find it easier to stay organized and be productive when prioritizing one book or one project at a time.

09 Reward yourself (and be kind)

While it’s important to have a writing schedule, it’s also important to know that some days will be harder than others—so don’t expect a flawless, breezy experience every time you sit down. On days when you do make an exhilarating leap of progress or reach a weekly or monthly goal, make a point to reward yourself—visit a friend, take a walk, treat yourself to a special meal. Remember to nourish the other sides of yourself and that will in turn feed your writing.

10 Join a writing community

The company and conversation of fellow writers is invaluable. If you enjoy discussion, consider joining a writing group in your community or online. Having friends and writers in your life means you can exchange work and provide feedback to each other, share updates and resources, and discuss all things literary. Talking and thinking about books and writing also keeps those things top of mind as you move through each day.

For more ideas, explore the blog and check out our beginner’s guide to writing a book.

The post How to create a writing schedule appeared first on Blurb Blog.

So what exactly is it? Flash fiction refers to a brief, contained story ranging from 5 to 1,500 words (not to exceed 2,000 words, otherwise it enters short story territory). Stories that are 1,000 words or less are typically considered micro–fiction. Depending on which literary circles you run in, you may also hear other names or sub-genres tossed around: short shorts, sudden fiction, micro-stories, postcard fiction, nanotales, or napkin fiction.

No matter what you call them, these tiny literary treasures have big potential. Writers use flash fiction to explore all kinds of themes and narratives—from science fiction, fantasy, and horror to romance, adventure, and mystery. The only limit is your imagination.

What are the origins of flash fiction?

Compact stories are not necessarily a new invention, since modern day short fiction can be traced all the way back to the concise yet powerful format of classic folklore, fables, and parables. (Think: Aesop’s Fables from ancient Greece, or Grimms’ Fairy Tales from nineteenth-century Germany.) The short story form has evolved through the generations, gaining momentum in the early 1900s as magazine publishing flourished, and enjoying another wave of popularity with post-war literary fiction after 1945.

Writers continued to test the limits of narrative, and eventually carved out a bold new genre. These ultra-short stories burst onto the scene with shiny new labels—first, it was Sudden Fiction, a 1989 anthology edited by Robert Shapard and James Thomas, followed by the Norton anthology Flash Fiction a few years later. Some critics might argue that the medium of Twitter has opened up yet another version of micro-storytelling in 280 characters or less!  

What are the key elements of flash fiction?

Aside from having a maximum page count, flash fiction is about challenging expectations and testing boundaries. These supremely short works tend to highlight deep truths and universal emotions, so they are often playful, exciting, edgy, bizarre, dramatic, and experimental.

Flash fiction does not rely on traditional plot structure or character development, because each sentence has to do the work of several paragraphs or pages. Every character, object, image, and action reveals something new, so writing with precision and specificity is essential. No room for tangents or long-winded descriptions here!

Flash fiction makes up for its short form by packing a punch in the storyline. Surprise endings marked by a shocking reveal, moment of triumph, sudden violence, or a twist of fate are common.

Tips for writing flash fiction

Flash fiction can be a good exercise for new writers who want to dip their toe into story writing, and a great way for experienced authors to practice crafting succinct, powerful prose. Some authors may even use flash fiction to help them transition from writing poetry to fiction, or vice versa. Here are some ways to get the most out of your flash fiction:

• Focus on one moment or scene.
• Start with the height of the action.
• Include a hook to grab the reader’s attention, followed by a conflict or turning point.
• Keep the beginning clear, and save any ambiguity or mystery for the end. 
• Tell a story. There may not be room for a complex plot, but you still need to build action and tension.
• Use tone of voice to convey a strong emotion or mood.
• Simplify dialogue and limit characters (one or two is usually enough).
• Cut the backstory.
• Try first person point of view.
• Craft each sentence like you mean it (use precise nouns and verbs, go easy on the adjectives).
• Avoid clichés and obvious scenarios. Instead, opt for unusual images, sensory language, and original figures of speech.
• Choose a great title.

When done well, flash fiction can be memorable, and even magical. When done poorly, it can easily disappoint (but at least it’s over fast!).

What are some examples of flash fiction?

In addition to publishing short stories, novellas, and novels, these writers have created notable works of flash fiction. For example:

• Lydia Davis, “The Outing”
• George Saunders, “Sticks”
• Amy Hempel, “Housewife”
• Margaret Atwood, “Happy Endings”
• Joy Williams, “Aubade”
• Stuart Dybek, “Initiation”
• Jamaica Kincaid, “Girl”
• Paulo Coelho, “Rebuilding the World”
• Lucy Corin, “Miracles”
• H.P. Lovecraft, “Memory”
• Ernest Hemingway, “Chapter V”
• Joyce Carol Oates, “Widow’s First Year”

Writing flash fiction doesn’t require a big investment in time, so there’s no reason not to try! If your story grows into something larger, check out tips for writing short stories and novellas.

The post What is flash fiction? appeared first on Blurb Blog.

Our favorite stories and poems are full of figurative language, but we also come across these expressions all the time in daily conversation, songs, and advertisements. One of the joys of reading and writing is learning how these figures of speech work so you can come up with your own.

Types of figurative language

Figurative language includes a variety of literary devices and techniques, each with its own form and function. For many authors, figurative language is a way to add style and depth to their writing and to help readers visualize something in a striking way. Writers may want to give their words more power or simplify a complex idea. In poetry and fiction, figures of speech can be used to set the mood in a scene or add personality to a character.

Here are some of the most common types of figurative language.

Metaphors

A metaphor is a direct comparison of two things that do not resemble one another, in order to emphasize what they have in common. The relationship may be obvious, or it may require a bit of imaginative thinking to make the connection.

Examples

• You are my sunshine.
• The world is my oyster.

Similes

A simile is a type of metaphor, using “like” or “as” to compare two different things that share the same trait. Similes encourage the reader to conjure up fresh images and make new associations.

Examples

She moved around the room like a butterfly.

• His voice is like thunder.

Personification

When you assign a human trait to an object, animal, natural element, or abstract thing, that’s personification. This kind of figurative language can be playful or dramatic, depending on whether human emotions are introduced to the description.

Examples

• This painting speaks to me.
• The wind howled furiously, rattling all the doors.

Hyperbole

Hyperbole relies on exaggeration to make a point, often creating an intentionally ridiculous, absurd, or funny visual. Many writers and speakers also use this type of figurative language to add a sense of urgency or drama.

Examples

• That movie tickled my funny bone.
• She is faster than lightning.
• We waited in line forever.

Idioms

Our everyday speech is full of quirky idioms. You know an idiom when you hear one. This type of figurative language comes in the form of a common expression that does not make sense literally but has a metaphorical meaning that is familiar to native speakers of a language or members of a group. There are at least 25,000 idiomatic expressions in the English language alone!

Examples

• That math problem is a piece of cake.
• You don’t have to bite my head off. 

Symbolism

Like visual artists, writers use symbols to add depth and drama to their work or to express a truth in a unique way. A symbol is an object, person, action, event, or situation that has deeper meaning or significance and is used to represent something else entirely.

Examples

• Using an image of a rose to represent love or romance.
• Setting a scene in a storm to symbolize something ominous, hostile, or volatile.

Metonymy

Metonymy is a rhetorical device in which a characteristic or symbol is used to represent a larger object, concept, or phenomenon. Again, the phrase won’t make sense literally, but metonymy can make the description more compelling or concise.

Examples

• Give that man a hand with his suitcase.
• Hollywood is focused on launching the next big movie star.

Oxymoron

A figure of speech that combines contradictory words to illustrate a point or problem is an oxymoron. These expressions seem to defy logic by setting opposite descriptions side by side, but they can add wit or humor to everyday conversations and stories.

Examples 

• He got himself into a fine mess.
• The first item on the menu was jumbo shrimp.
  

Onomatopoeia

This is one type of figurative language that uses sound for emphasis. Onomatopoeia is the creation of a word based on the sound associated with it. Think superhero action words (pow, boom, crack) and animal noises.

Examples

• After the snake hissed, the duck responded with a quack.
• We heard the neighbor’s engine vroom.

Pun

A pun is a clever play on words, using a phrase that has a double meaning. Puns usually involve homonyms (words that have the same spelling and pronunciation but different meanings, like tree bark and dog bark) or homophones (words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings, like bear and bare).

Example

• The carpenter demonstrated different tools in order to hammer home his point.

***

Once you’ve polished up the figurative language in your own stories or poems, turn your creative writing into a bookstore-quality book with Blurb. You only need 24 pages to print a trade book!

The post What is figurative language? appeared first on Blurb Blog.

1. Write less, but do it often

In other words: write a little bit every day. When you’re trying to develop a solid writing practice, short, frequent writing sessions are more effective than long, infrequent sessions. That’s because mastering a skill is all about developing a habit, which means repetition and discipline. To get in the habit of writing, block out time each day (even 30 minutes) and make it a priority.

2. Stay focused

Distraction is a persistent and powerful enemy when you are cultivating any creative practice, so you’ve got to train your focus. Once you settle into a writing session, resist the urge to get up for coffee, water the plants, check emails, or scroll through social media. Even a small disruption can take away precious minutes of attention and interrupt your flow. For the best results, remove the biggest temptations before you begin writing (silence your phone and close any open windows on your computer).

3. Read as much as possible

Successful writers have clocked countless hours studying other authors. If you want to become a better writer, you should read more books in a variety of genres, make notes when you find writing you love, and think about what excites you. Also, notice what causes you to lose interest in books: the language, the plot, the characters? Getting familiar with different styles of writing will help you discover new techniques and develop your own voice as a writer.

4. Organize your ideas

Though some writing sessions will be more open-ended, make sure you are writing with a purpose before you get too far along on a project. That could mean creating an outline and following it as you write. Or you may finish a few pages and then review the storyline or main arguments for gaps in logic. The trick is to zoom out from your pages periodically to ensure that you are organizing your ideas in a clear, meaningful way.

5. Set goals

Writing goals look different for every author depending on experience, genre, deadlines, and discipline. If you’re serious about becoming a better writer, it’s important to set goals for yourself and stick to them. Maybe it’s reaching a minimum page count or word count each day, or finishing a chapter by the end of the week. Just keep your goals realistic and measurable, so you can build momentum. The more progress you see, the more confident you’ll become.

6. Use strong descriptive language

First off, eliminate clichés (happy as a clam, nerves of steel, cotton candy clouds, etc.). These overly familiar phrases will quickly bore readers. Second, avoid passive verbs (he was given an ultimatum, hard work is being done, she was overjoyed), and replace them with active verbs (his boss delivered an ultimatum, the chefs worked hard, she squealed with joy). Always look for ways to reveal a character’s personality by describing their actions rather than explaining emotions (She meticulously arranged the spices while waiting for the phone call.)

7. Avoid editing as you go

While you definitely want to reserve time for editing and find readers who can provide feedback, the most effective time to make revisions is not mid-sentence. Writing and editing require different mindsets. Use momentum to your advantage, and go with the flow when you’re in the writing zone. Allow yourself to finish the draft before dissecting it.

8. Reward yourself

On days when you have longer writing sessions, be sure to give your mind a rest every few hours so you can recharge. The last thing you want to do is write to the point of total exhaustion and frustration (i.e. burnout). The solution? When you meet a daily, weekly, or monthly goal, take a moment to reward yourself. Go for a walk. Listen to music. Treat yourself to a snack. Building positive reinforcement into your practice will keep you motivated, and in the long run, help you become a better writer.

9. Stop worrying

Everyone has fears, doubts, and insecurities about how their work will be received—but all that worry will not make you a better writer. If you start spinning out or feeling negative, take deep breaths, pick up a book, go for a jog, and reset. Finding ways to quiet the critical voice in your head will help you make room for more creative and productive thoughts.

10. Embrace challenges and take risks

Many great works of literature exist because the authors took a creative risk or defied expectations. If you’re in a rut, try writing at a new time of day or in a new location. Explore writing in a different style or genre. Increase your daily quota a few days a week. Dedicate one writing session a week to creative writing exercises to keep your language skills fresh. By challenging yourself, you just might discover a new technique or project idea.

11. Ask for feedback

It’s hard to ask for help, and even harder to hear feedback on writing you care about. Learning how to accept constructive criticism may be one of the trickiest parts of growing as a writer, but revision is key, and no one can do it alone. We are all too close to our work to evaluate it thoroughly and objectively. Find a peer, a professional editor, or a writing group to help you revise—and see what a difference it makes.

12. Write what you love

Aspiring writers often ask, How do you become an effective author? It takes time and effort to build new skills and productive habits, but it’s also crucial to write what you love. When you feel strongly about your subject, it shows. So another great question is, Are you excited to see how your story unfolds? If the answer is no, chances are your reader won’t be interested either. If the answer is yes, you’re on the right track! Stay in the moment while you’re writing, and let yourself enjoy the process.

***

Are you wrapping up a writing project and ready to take the next step? Find a bookmaking tool to fit your project.

The post How to become a better writer appeared first on Blurb Blog.

Let’s take a look at what defines a novella, and what makes them so unique.

The length of a novella

A novella is defined as a work of narrative fiction that runs between 20,000 and 50,000 words (the average is around 30,000). Once a story exceeds 50,000 words, it is entering novel territory. On the flip side, anything between 10,000 and 20,000 words would be considered a novelette (it sounds too cute to be real, but it is an actual category of fiction writing).

What is the difference between a short story, a novella, and a novel?

If the short story had a big sister, it would be the novella. Short stories are usually only a few thousand words long and are designed to be read in one sitting, whereas novellas require more time and attention. Fiction genres are typically distinguished by word count, but you can also think of the average short story as 10 to 25 pages, and the average novella as 100 to 150 pages. That makes a novella short enough to get through in an afternoon, with a break or two. A standard novel is 250 to 300 pages, so you may need a few days to get cover to cover.

In terms of structure, a novella features more conflicts and plot development than a short story, but fewer subplots than a novel. Even though novellas may follow a traditional story arc and create the same kind of unifying effect that short stories are known for, they often lack the complexity and multiple perspectives found in novels.

The history of the novella

The term “novella” comes from the Italian word for “new.” From the Middle Ages to the Renaissance (1350 – 1600), Italian and French authors published collections of 70 to 100 tales and dubbed these individual stories novellas (the first volume was Boccaccio’s Decameron). These early works did not resemble the novella as we know it today, but the genre continued to evolve.

By the 18th and 19th centuries, German writers had a new definition of the novella—a fictional narrative that revolves around a single conflict or dramatic event, with a clear turning point and a logical yet unexpected ending. Many classic European novellas that are used in today’s classrooms emerged during this era: Voltaire’s Candide, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Leo Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Ilyich, and Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome.

Different types of novellas and examples

Similar to novels and short stories, novellas may be written in a variety of styles, on a range of subject matter or themes. These are just a few prominent examples of novellas.

• Gothic literature: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson (1886)
•  Science fiction: The Time Machine, H.G. Wells (1895)
•  Political satire/allegory: Animal Farm, George Orwell (1945)
•  Mystery: We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Shirley Jackson (1962)
• Historical fiction: One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, Alexander Solzhenitsyn (1962)
•  Children’s literature: The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1943)
•  Autobiographical: The Lover, Marguerite Duras (1984)

Publishing a novella

Novellas present a unique challenge for writers and editors. They are typically too long to publish in a literary journal, and too short to compete alongside more substantial novels on the new release shelf. Even though Joseph Conrad saw his 1899 novella, Heart of Darkness, first appear as a three-part serial in a magazine, today’s authors are rarely so lucky. Commercial publishers often shy away from novellas, because readers will not pay hardcover prices for a slim volume of work.

A great solution is to self-publish a novella. That way you can have complete creative control over the design process, set your own deadlines, and make your own decisions about distributing your book locally or internationally.

Well-known and famous novellas

• The Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka (1915)
• Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck (1937)
• The Stranger, Albert Camus (1942)
• The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway (1952)
• Giovanni’s Room, James Baldwin (1956)
• The House on Mango Street, Sandra Cisneros (1983)
• Home, Toni Morrison (2012)

Do you have a short story that keeps growing? Make it a novella! Learn how to write a novella on the blog.

The post What’s a novella? appeared first on Blurb Blog.

When were paperback books invented?

Turns out, the paperback book, also known as a softback or softcover book, has been around for a long time. In the early nineteenth century, improvements in printing technology enabled printers to produce cheaper, smaller versions of popular books aimed at railway travelers. British and German publishing houses, like Routledge & Sons and Reclam, found success marketing these new paperback books. The portable volumes could be mass-produced and distributed to non-traditional locations, where they reached an even wider audience.

In 1935, the British publishing imprint Penguin Books entered the scene and gained popularity by reprinting softcover editions of classics (often in large print runs, around 20,000 copies). Simon & Schuster followed suit, launching the Pocket Books label and releasing the first mass-market, pocket-sized paperback printed in the United States: Pearl S. Buck’s The Good Earth. During World War II, the US military also distributed 122 million special edition paperbacks to troops. As paperback books began popping up in newspaper kiosks and bookstores, people found themselves with more access to literary and scientific knowledge, at a fraction of the cost of hardcover editions.

Paperback book sizes

How do these little gems stack up size-wise? The original railway paperbacks measured in at a compact 4 3/8 in. x 7 in. (the same as those mass-market romance and mystery novels we see all over airports, drugstores, and supermarkets today). In the US, books known as trade paperbacks come in two standard trim sizes: small (5 1/8 in. x 7 3/4 in.) and medium (5 3/8 in. x 8 1/2 in.).

Paperback books versus hardcover books

Unlike hardcover books, which are larger, more expensive, and bound by stitches or staples with a cloth or leather cover, paperback books are characterized by generally lesser quality paper, glue binding, and a flexible cover made from thick paper or paperboard. Trade paperbacks are often printed on acid-free paper, whereas small, mass-market copies are printed on the lowest-quality paper, which allows printers and publishers to keep the price so affordable. When it comes to new books, publishers release most fiction and nonfiction books in hardcover first, followed by a paperback version the following year.

In the world of book aficionados, hardcover books tend to be highly regarded, based on the attention given to material design, paper quality, and page design. However, the paperback also provides its own lo-fi, approachable, and highly flexible aesthetic. Paperback books are clear winners in terms of price and portability, even if they lose points for durability. And perhaps most importantly, the paperback is the ultimate shareable tool, easily passed from one reader to the next, taking on the weathered patina personality many of us come to enjoy.

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Do you have a creative project you plan to self-publish as a trade book? This format not only gives you beautiful and economical printing options, but it also offers the most possibilities for worldwide distribution. Download BookWright and start designing your trade nook today. Or learn more about the types of book covers available.

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So what is the secret behind those potent, carefully written gems? Here we tackle the definition of a short story, the key elements, examples, and some of the most common questions about short stories.

What is a short story?

A short story is a work of prose fiction that can be read in one sitting—usually between 20 minutes to an hour. There is no maximum length, but the average short story is 1,000 to 7,500 words, with some outliers reaching 10,000 or 15,000 words. At around 10 to 25 pages, that makes short stories much shorter than novels, with only a few approaching novella length. A piece of fiction shorter than 1,000 words is considered a “short short story” or “flash fiction,” and anything less than 300 words is rightfully called “microfiction.”

What are the key elements of a short story?

The setting of a short story is often simplified (one time and place), and one or two main characters may be introduced without full backstories. In this concise, concentrated format, every word and story detail has to work extra hard!

Short stories typically focus on a single plot instead of multiple subplots, as you might see in novels. Some stories follow a traditional narrative arc, with exposition (description) at the beginning, rising action, a climax (peak moment of conflict or action), and a resolution at the end. However, contemporary short fiction is more likely to begin in the middle of the action (in medias res), drawing readers right into a dramatic scene.

While short stories of the past often revolved around a central theme or moral lesson, today it is common to find stories with ambiguous endings. This type of unresolved story invites open-ended readings and suggests a more complex understanding of reality and human behavior.

The short story genre is well suited to experimentation in prose writing style and form, but most short story authors still work to create a distinct mood using classic literary devices (point of view, imagery, foreshadowing, metaphor, diction/word choice, tone, and sentence structure).

What is the history of the short story?

Short-form storytelling can be traced back to ancient legends, mythology, folklore, and fables found in communities all over the world. Some of these stories existed in written form, but many were passed down through oral traditions. By the 14^th century, the most well-known stories included One Thousand and One Nights (Middle Eastern folk tales by multiple authors, later known as Arabian Nights) and Canterbury Tales (by Geoffrey Chaucer).

It wasn’t until the early 19th century that short story collections by individual authors appeared more regularly in print. First, it was the publication of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales, then Edgar Allen Poe’s Gothic fiction, and eventually, stories by Anton Chekhov, who is often credited as a founder of the modern short story.

The popularity of short stories grew along with the surge of print magazines and journals. Newspaper and magazine editors began publishing stories as entertainment, creating a demand for short, plot-driven narratives with mass appeal. By the early 1900s, The Atlantic Monthly, The New Yorker, and Harper’s Magazine were paying good money for short stories that showed more literary techniques. That golden era of publishing gave rise to the short story as we know it today.

What are the different types of short stories?

Short stories come in all kinds of categories: action, adventure, biography, comedy, crime, detective, drama, dystopia, fable, fantasy, history, horror, mystery, philosophy, politics, romance, satire, science fiction, supernatural, thriller, tragedy, and Western. Here are some popular types of short stories, literary styles, and authors associated with them:  

• Fable: A tale that provides a moral lesson, often using animals, mythical creatures, forces of nature, or inanimate objects to come to life (Brothers Grimm, Aesop)
• Flash fiction: A story between 5 to 2,000 words that lacks traditional plot structure or character development and is often characterized by a surprise or twist of fate (Lydia Davis)
• Mini saga: A type of micro-fiction using exactly 50 words (!) to tell a story
• Vignette: A descriptive scene or defining moment that does not contain a complete plot or narrative but reveals an important detail about a character or idea (Sandra Cisneros)
• Modernism: Experimenting with narrative form, style, and chronology (inner monologues, stream of consciousness) to capture the experience of an individual (James Joyce, Virginia Woolf)
• Postmodernism: Using fragmentation, paradox, or unreliable narrators to explore the relationship between the author, reader, and text (Donald Barthelme, Jorge Luis Borges)
• Magical realism: Combining realistic narrative or setting with elements of surrealism, dreams, or fantasy (Gabriel García Márquez)
• Minimalism: Writing characterized by brevity, straightforward language, and a lack of plot resolutions (Raymond Carver, Amy Hempel)

What are some famous short stories?

• “The Tell-Tale Heart” (1843) – Edgar Allen Poe
• “The Necklace” (1884) – Guy de Maupassant
• “The Yellow Wallpaper” (1892) – Charlotte Perkins Gilman
• “The Story of an Hour” (1894) – Kate Chopin
• “Gift of the Magi” (1905) – O. Henry
• “The Dead,” “The Dubliners” (1914) – James Joyce
• “The Garden Party” (1920) – Katherine Mansfield
• “Hills Like White Elephants” (1927), “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” (1936) – Ernest Hemingway
• “The Lottery” (1948) – Shirley Jackson
• “Lamb to the Slaughter” (1953) – Roald Dahl
• “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” (1955) – Gabriel García Márquez
• “Sonny’s Blues” (1957) – James Baldwin
• “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” (1953), “Everything That Rises Must Converge” (1961) – Flannery O’Connor

What are some popular short story collections?

1. The Things They Carried – Tim O’Brien
2. Labyrinths – Jorge Luis Borges
3. Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman – Haruki Murakami
4. Nine Stories – J.D. Salinger
5. What We Talk About When We Talk About Love – Raymond Carver
6. The Stories of John Cheever – John Cheever
7. Welcome to the Monkey House – Kurt Vonnegut
8. Complete Stories – Dorothy Parker
9. Interpreter of Maladies – Jhumpa Lahiri
10. Suddenly a Knock at the Door – Etgar Keret

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Do you have a short story collection or another book project in the works? Download our free layout software, BookWright, today and start envisioning the pages of your next book!

The post What is a short story? appeared first on Blurb Blog.

Renowned mystery writer Edgar Allen Poe claimed that the power of the short story form comes from its brevity. He believed short stories are designed to be read in one sitting, which allows the reader to become fully immersed in the fictional world, without interruption. Considering most short stories are between 1,000 and 7,500 words, each sentence needs to work extra hard toward creating an overall mood and meaning. With a little practice and patience, you can craft a story with compelling characters, surprising plot points, and a memorable conclusion. Check out our short story writing tips to get started.

1. Read all kinds of short stories

Before you start your short story writing, get to know the work of your fellow short story authors! Reading should become part of your creative process—for literary inspiration and for concrete examples of plot structure, story pacing, and dialogue. Pay attention to each author’s word choices, even the way they put together sentences. The goal is not to imitate someone else’s storyline or characters or style, but rather to broaden your understanding of the short story format. You will discover a million different short stories, but upon closer look you’ll notice they have elements in common. Start with a few well-known short stories and popular short story collections to build your own reading list today.

2. Establish a clear setting

When writing a short story, it’s important to establish a clear setting. Simply put, this is “when” and “where” the story takes place. In literary terms, it can be so much more. The location and time period can be used to set up the character’s dilemma or motivation at the outset of the story or to establish a sense of mystery or oddity. Just make sure the details are consistent (for example, if the action starts inside a car, the characters cannot walk away mid-scene). The setting doesn’t have to be revealed in the first sentence, but after a page or two, your reader should be able to identify a historical time and place, even if it’s as simple as a diner in a small town, present day.

3. Create memorable characters

When you’re just getting started with writing your short story, it can help to sketch out the traits of your protagonist (main character). What do they look like? How would you describe their personality? Could you list their hopes, fears, quirky habits, likes and dislikes? What does an average day look like for them? What do they find challenging or rewarding? Even if some of these details are not explicitly revealed or included at all in the story, it is important for you to know the answers. Readers will connect with the people in your story, so you want to create believable characters with their own set of strengths and faults.

4. Select a unique opening line

The first sentence of your short story is like an invitation to your reader. It sets the mood for the rest of the action. Think about mentioning a person, a secret, an obstacle, a question, a conflict, or even a statement that piques interest. You may want to write an opening scene which is particularly significant or dramatic for the protagonist, even if the situation feels ordinary to someone else. This is also your chance to choose a point of view for the story. Will your main character be telling the story in first person (“I” statements), or will there be an all-powerful narrator? As an experiment, write the first paragraph of your story, then go back and switch the perspective just to see how it affects the tone of the story.

5. Plan the ending in advance

Some writers find it helpful to outline the major plot points, characters, and scenes in their short story. Regardless of what your planning phase looks like, knowing where your characters and story will end up can help you make the most of every moment that comes before. For instance, you may want to build suspense with foreshadowing (hinting at upcoming events through descriptive imagery or symbolism, plot details, flashbacks, or character dialogue). It’s hard to foreshadow unless you know what happens next! Creating tension and anticipation keeps your audience emotionally invested and wanting to read more.

6. Use consistent language, tone, and style

Since you only have a short time to create an emotional impact, using consistent language is key to short story writing. If you start off using a lot of flowery, formal language and complex sentences, then switch to simple, conversational diction (word choice) and short sentences, it can be jarring for your reader. Likewise, if the tone of your story changes from ominous to lighthearted to comedic over the course of a few paragraphs, your readers will be confused. Also, make sure the story is written in the same verb tense and doesn’t fluctuate between past and present (unless it’s a flashback scene). You want to use literary techniques like imagery, point of view, and figurative language (metaphors, similes, idioms) to strengthen your story theme, not distract your readers.

7. Read dialogue aloud

Just because we talk to each other all day doesn’t mean writing good story dialogue is simple! Beginner writers often fall into the habit of including unnecessary greetings (“Hello, how are you?” “Hi, I’m fine.”), overly formal phrases, or repetitive information. These extraneous bits of conversation can make an otherwise great scene fall flat. Instead of talking around the issue, just dive right in. What questions feel most urgent to your character? Think of someone you know with the same personality and focus on how they speak. A great remedy for editing dialogue is to find a friend to run lines with you out loud. With real speakers, you can hear what sounds natural and where to pause.

8. Include a turning point or climax

A traditional story arc includes exposition (description), rising action (a series of events that create tension), a climax (peak moment of conflict or crisis), and a resolution. However, a lot of contemporary short stories begin in the middle of the action (in medias res). No matter what plot structure you choose, captivating short stories involve a moment where the character faces a major conflict. This turning point or climax should add tension and show the true nature of your character. Consider your favorite fictional characters from literature, movies, or television and think about what motivates them. Do they act out of fear, love, redemption, desire, vengeance, jealousy, ambition, justice?

9. Get feedback to help you revise

Every author reaches the moment of writing when it’s time to stop and ask for help. Receiving constructive feedback can be a tremendous gift for a story writer. You can give someone a list of areas to focus on, and practice editing your own work at the same time. Are there too many characters or changes in setting? Try to streamline the story by combining characters or cutting extra scenes. Do you have long descriptive passages that are not advancing the plot or adding substance? Challenge yourself to make one strong sentence out of five weaker ones. Is the dialogue revealing new character details or key plot points? If not, trim those unnecessary lines!

10. Choose a captivating title

Don’t rush this step when writing your short story. A strong short story title can create intrigue, introduce key images, and even convey the tone or theme before the first sentence begins. Some authors use a phrase or important symbol from the story to serve as the title. You don’t want to give all your story secrets away here; you want to show just enough to grab your reader’s attention. Let this task be fun, and make a list of possible titles you can add to as you write and revise your story.

Now that you know the elements of good short story writing, you can create compelling pieces of work for the world to enjoy!

Do you have a work of fiction ready for print? Design a Trade Book to showcase your short story collection! Our free, desktop software, BookWright, comes with built-in tutorials to help you through the design process.

The post How to Write a Short Story in 10 Steps appeared first on Blurb Blog.

There’s no simple answer. The process of becoming a children’s author may look different for everyone, however the most successful authors made a name for themselves through a combination of hard work, talent, planning, persistence, and even a bit of luck.

If you plan to write and publish a children’s book, use these tips to help you strategize from beginning to end.

Clarify your goals

Some people simply want to create stories for the kids in their lives. Others want to build a career as children’s book authors and earn a living by writing children’s books. If you aim to sell your book to a wide audience, that will influence your story and design choices, as well as your publishing, distribution, and marketing approach. Ask yourself what you want to achieve from publishing a children’s book. Is the process more about personal creativity or professional advancement? Maybe it’s a bit of both. Heading into the writing process with clear motivations can help set you up for success.

Read dozens of children’s books  

Think of this step as part research, part inspiration. Check out the classics and the contemporary book award winners and browse the kids’ section at your local library or bookstore. As you read, you’ll notice similar themes or character behaviors that make for good storytelling. Also, pay attention to how the text and pictures work together on each page. Making note of which creative choices you like and which ones you don’t will help you craft your own story.

Know your audience

If you haven’t spent much time around kids, but you expect to magically be able to captivate them with your words, you could be in for quite a surprise! The key is knowing what makes kids tick—what catches their eye, how their attention span works, and what inspires laughter or curiosity. Take some time to explore your own inner child and hang out with the kiddos in your life to see their imaginations in action.

Write every day

Aspiring children’s book authors need to flex their writing muscles regularly—even daily—in order to improve their skills and thrive as professionals. If creative writing is not something you are used to doing, this can feel like a hurdle. There are a lot of elements to keep track of when you start creating a children’s book, so try to stay focused. Rather than jotting down a bunch of different storylines, try writing one at a time until you map out a beginning, middle, and end. Once you finish a rough draft, you can go back and work on the details, like rewriting dialogue or developing characters.

Manage your expectations 

Becoming a successful children’s book author can be more difficult than becoming any other kind of author. There’s a lot of competition because everyone thinks that writing for kids is easy. In reality, the road is steep! You must write for kids because you absolutely love it and not because you are expecting instant acclaim or money. Start your book project with realistic expectations for the “big picture,” so you can focus on the creative side of things and make each “little picture” extra special.

Join a community of children’s authors

These days connecting with other writers can take almost any form. Avid social media users can find countless literary organizations and creative forums to follow online. If there is a writers’ group that meets in your area, check it out. Go to readings, conferences, and book fairs, where you will cross paths with authors at all career stages and learn from experts in the industry. Your goal should be to join a writing community to help you absorb as much as you can about the world of children’s literature while making writer friends and developing a professional support system.

Find an illustrator

If your drawing skills are up to par, you may decide to illustrate the book yourself. Otherwise, you’ll need to collaborate with an artist or illustrator. This person is going to bring your words to life and create an even more vivid and emotional story, so choose wisely. Find someone whose pictures stand out and whose creative style is a good fit for your story. You’ll also want to discuss your individual goals for publishing a book, so you both go into the project with similar expectations. Be ready to work as a team, and remain open to their ideas. A creative partnership based on trust, respect, and good communication is key!

Ask for feedback

What better test audience for your children’s story than real kids, right? Reading a draft of your book to children or asking them to read it with you can be enlightening (be ready for direct, honest feedback since kids rarely hold back when asked for opinions!). However, you’ll also want some focused feedback from fellow writers, ideally experienced authors or editors who know the children’s book genre well. They can give you expert tips on your story idea, structure, and illustrations.

Be prepared to rewrite

As every author knows, the first draft is not going to be the best version. Writing a children’s book can seem deceptively easy, but a lot of care and creativity goes into making each page memorable—it could take hours of revision to get one drawing or one sentence just right! So be patient as you rewrite, redraw, and reorganize your story. If you stay open-minded about the process, you just might make an exciting creative discovery.

Build an audience

You can start creating excitement around your children’s book before you even finish writing it. The simplest and fastest way to get the word out and cultivate an audience is to tease your book on social media in the months and weeks leading up to your launch. Maybe you’ll decide to reveal a character detail or a couple of sketches along the way. If you start building a group of fans before you finish your book, imagine all the attention you will have when it’s time for publication!

Promote your book

Once again, the early bird gets the book sales. Even if you’re still revising your children’s book, start putting together an email list and drafting a launch announcement, so you’re ready to hit send when the book goes to print. It’s never too soon to begin building an author website with promotional materials, book images, and an author bio. Create a press release to showcase your book, and get in touch with local libraries and bookstores to schedule reading events and storytime activities. If you plan to self-publish, learn how to market and promote your book ahead of time so you can keep friends, family, and new readers in the loop.

Time to bring your creative vision to life! Check out the exciting possibilities for your children’s book in the making. What will your story become?

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No matter where you’re starting from, it helps to have a plan of action. Use this beginner’s guide to learn how to write a book and keep on track as you embark on this exciting creative journey.

1. Choose your genre and subject

When it comes to starting to write a book, intention is everything. It may sound obvious, but an important first step is to ensure that you have a solid idea of what you plan to write about. Without a clear focus, it is far too easy to get off track during the early stages of the writing process. When you do not have a strong grasp of what you are creating, it will not only become frustrating for you as the author, but it is also likely to confuse your readers. Unfocused writing and a disinterested audience are not what you are aiming for!

So take a moment to frame your project. Will it be a work of mystery or science fiction? Do you want to write an autobiography or a novel? Maybe short stories are more your speed. Or perhaps you have an idea for a graphic novel. Whichever genre or subject matter you choose, allow yourself this first moment of clarity because before you know it you will be heading full speed into a whole new creative world.

2. Make an outline

Ask three authors how to start writing a story from the beginning, and chances are they will have three different answers for you. However, one common suggestion from successful writers is to break down the project into smaller, more feasible pieces. Start by jotting down a few keywords or phrases that come to mind regarding the setting, theme, plot, or characters. Reserve a few pages or even a whole notebook where you can record these book ideas or inspiration and build on them in the coming weeks.

Then turn to a clean page, and start outlining your book. If you’re drafting a novel, you’ll probably think in terms of chapters. How and where is the protagonist introduced, what are the key events or conflicts in their story, where does the rising action take place, who else has a supporting role, and does everything build toward a climax or resolution? If you’ve started writing a memoir or collection of essays, decide if you want sections of the book in chronological order or grouped according to a theme. If you’ve started writing your book about a certain period of history or culture, you may even find yourself doing some research along the way. That’s part of the process, too—embrace it!

It’s tempting to want to skip the outline stage and just figure everything out as you go along. Try to resist that urge. Outlining may take a bit longer than anticipated in the beginning, but you need to get a sense of the big picture before diving in. Plus, you’ll be grateful to have this road map to return to as your project develops.

3. Write on a regular basis

Talent is a blessing, but it doesn’t equal hard work. Focus, determination, and persistence—these are the driving forces behind whether you will finish writing your book or not. Once you have several writing sessions under your belt, pay attention to when and where you work best.

Do you enjoy the privacy of writing at home, or do you prefer cafés and communal workspaces? Are you most productive in the wee hours of the morning when your mind is clear, or are you a night owl who gets a second wind after everyone goes to bed? Maybe your work style is something in between. There is no right or wrong answer. Just find a time of day and location that works for your schedule and allows for minimal distractions or interruptions, and you will be far more likely to create a routine.

Equally as important, take a moment to identify the tools that work best for your creative process. Sure, in the beginning, you will probably be doing a lot of writing during your dedicated work sessions, but once you get farther along, you will find yourself stuck with an idea when you least expect it—out on a walk, at lunch with a friend, in your car, on the train, at the grocery store. Creativity knows no bounds, so be prepared when the impulse hits! Do you tend to use note-taking or voice-recording apps on your phone, or are you more of a journal user? You’ll want to remember that perfect sensory detail or piece of dialogue later on when you sit down to write. Use the method that makes sense for you—notebooks, laptop, sticky notes, napkins, you name it!

The bottom line is: Develop a schedule and routine and commit to it, day in, day out. Whatever you do, just keep writing.

4. Prepare for ups and downs

Some fortunate writers may be able to skip this step because they absolutely cannot wait to put pen to paper, or hands to the keyboard. However, it is far more common to experience periods of writer’s block from time to time. Feeling stuck or at a loss for words is natural, whether you’re writing a 20-page essay or an entire novel. In fact, if you’re working on a project over the long term, it’s almost unavoidable. The trick is to not panic when it happens.

If you’re having an especially difficult time getting into the flow of writing, try a brief exercise to mix things up:

• Make a list of adjectives or verbs that capture your character’s personality
• Try writing from the perspective of another character in the book
• Choose a topic of conversation and brainstorm pieces of dialogue for one of your characters
• Return to your book outline and add in a few more details
• Research a place, activity, or character’s profession that appears in the book to get new inspiration

Other times you just have to be patient and take a break. Listen to music, take a walk, read a book, meditate. Even 10 or 15 minutes away from your desk can be enough to relax and recharge your mind.

Letting go of perfection is often a big part of making progress on creative projects. For many writers, it helps to just focus on getting the ideas out, rather than worrying about grammar and punctuation in the first draft of your book. There will be plenty of time to refine your sentences later on. No matter what holds you back in this moment, remember you cannot write something good until you actually start writing!

5. Track your goals and progress

It’s no secret that people tend to function best when they have clear goals and predictable rewards. Use your book outline to create daily, weekly, and monthly objectives, then be sure to acknowledge or reward yourself when you reach a certain point on your project tracker.

You are going to experience moments of free-flowing creativity, mixed with slower, steadier periods of writing or editing. Think of each phase as an opportunity to learn about your personal work style and motivation. Some writers find it energizing to keep a log of how many words or pages they write per day. Others might group writing tasks differently week to week, focusing on a section of dialog one session, then tackling a character’s backstory the next.

Reminding yourself of your original goal for writing a book can also be helpful when you need a boost. If you’re feeling introspective, you might even start to reflect on the sense of triumph you will feel upon completing your project. It’s up to you how you want to measure your progress, but creating benchmarks and incentives can be very effective for beginners.

6. Find an editor

Writing an entire book from start to finish is difficult, no matter how much experience, talent, or enthusiasm you bring to the table. It’s important to acknowledge and invite the wisdom of another writer or editor into your project. After spending weeks or months immersed in your own manuscript, it’s easy to develop blinders regarding what works and what doesn’t. Most of us simply lack the distance and awareness to be effective critical editors of our own writing, especially as beginners tackling a full-length book.

Consider exchanging manuscripts with a writer friend, and use your joint editing efforts to provide motivation and accountability for each other. Check out local book groups and develop contacts in the writing community in your area. If meeting an editor in person is not possible, go online. There you will find a plethora of professional and peer resources designed for fledgling authors just like you.

Whichever route you choose, accept that you will need some outside perspective along the way. Even though getting feedback can be hard to stomach at times, remind yourself this is a necessary step to make your book the best it can be.

7. Rewrite and revise

First drafts are rarely, if ever, our best work. Make things easier on yourself by preparing to go through multiple stages of revision. You may love the first chapter you write, only to realize months (and many pages) later that you are less fond of it, or that it no longer makes sense with the newer sections you’ve written. That’s okay. Writing is a creative process, so your work will evolve as you do.

Are there parts of the book that you or your editor have lingering concerns about that could benefit from a focused rewriting session? Start there, and consider whether the problem is a matter of content (too much or too little information), organization (think about the sequence of events), or style (consistent vocabulary and tone of voice). Again, this is where recruiting an outside perspective can be invaluable to your editing process.

In the final stage of revision, enlist the help of a professional proofreader. You’ve put an incredible amount of energy into telling this story, so you want to ensure you’ve crossed all your t’s and dotted your i’s.

8. Celebrate

Congratulations, you finished writing a book! All those early mornings, late nights, and long afternoons have led up to now. This is the day you’ve been waiting for when you can finally breathe a giant sigh of relief or let out a shriek of joy. Call a friend or family member, go out for a celebratory dinner, make a toast! Whatever your style, take the time to enjoy this feeling of accomplishment.

9. Self-publish your book

Time to get those prized pages out into the world! Preparing your book for publication gives you the chance to stand back and look at your project from the perspective of a new reader. Nothing compares to seeing all your hard work come to fruition as a professional-quality book.

After spending countless hours poring over manuscript pages, many beginner authors find it rewarding to maintain creative control of the book design process as well. If you want to preserve the integrity of your first book project cover to cover, self-publishing has its advantages. With Blurb’s free desktop publishing tool, BookWright, you can create the layout that fits your project, along with the format, cover, and paper type. It’s all about realizing your creative vision!

As you look ahead, remember that there is a first time for everything, and know that you are in great company (think of all the authors you know and love setting out to write their first book!).

Ready to start writing your book? Layout your project with our free, easy-to-use software. Learn more today!

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The best memoirs create a story that the reader is able to identify with and apply their own personal experience.

1. A memoir is not an autobiography

While they are similar, a memoir and an autobiography are not the same thing. An autobiography is about a person’s entire life, telling a chronological story from childhood through to adulthood. A memoir focuses on just one story from your life and aims to establish an emotional connection with the reader. You don’t need to write your whole life story from beginning to end in a memoir, just the parts that pertain to the story you are trying to tell.

Learn more about the differences between autobiographies, biographies, and memoirs.

2. Decide on one event

You may have several stories that you’d like to tell. Before you even begin to write your memoir, pick just one that you want to share with your readers. Some people find it helpful to create a life diagram. Start by putting your six most significant life moments down on paper. You may want to look through old photos or letters to stir up memories. When you are finished, see which one event stands out as the most pivotal and meaningful. If a single event doesn’t stand out, don’t worry. Keep digging and breaking the events down until there is just one theme or story left that you really want to share.

3. Begin in the middle

Yes, really. When writing a successful memoir it isn’t necessary to start at the beginning. In fact, you are encouraged not to. Some of the best books pull you in by starting right in the middle of the story. Think of it as a teaser. Your readers should get just enough of the story to make them want to know how it all began and how it will all end. Then once you’ve got your readers’ interest, you can flash back to the beginning and move forward from there.

4. Be vivid

A memoir can never have too much detail. You want your readers to know exactly how a room looked, what it smelled like, and what you were wearing. Use all five of your senses to bring the words on the page to life. Some writers find it helpful to brainstorm, write down the key details of a scene, and build the story from there. This is another time when looking back on old photos will help. Close your eyes, picture yourself at that moment, and then recreate it on paper.

5. Set daily goals

Sitting down to write an entire memoir can feel daunting, even to the most seasoned writer. Instead of putting too much pressure on yourself from the beginning, set writing goals for yourself each day. Most writers find it useful to set word count goals rather than chapter goals but do whatever works best for you. There is no right or wrong way to go about writing a memoir. Just make sure that you are strict with yourself and dedicated to meeting your goals each day.

If you still need a bit of inspiration to get started writing your own memoir, here are 10 famous ones, guaranteed to make you pick up your own pen.

• A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
• Out of Africa by Karen Blixen
• Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt
• Born Standing Up by Steve Martin
• This Boy’s Life by Tobias Wolff
• Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer
• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
• My Life in France by Julia Child
• Wild From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
• Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs

***

Ready to get started on your memoir? Download our free desktop software, BookWright, to get started today.

The post 5 tips for writing a memoir appeared first on Blurb Blog.

Simply put, a biography is the life history of an individual, written by someone else. An autobiography is the story of a person’s life, written by that person. And a memoir is a collection of memories written by the person themselves.

What is a Biography?

A biography, also called a bio, is a non-fiction piece of work giving an objective account of a person’s life. The main difference between a biography vs. an autobiography is that the author of a biography is not the subject. A biography could be someone still living today, or it could be the subject of a person who lived years ago.

Biographies include details of key events that shaped the subject’s life, and information about their birthplace, education, work, and relationships. Biographers use a number of research sources, including interviews, letters, diaries, photographs, essays, reference books, and newspapers. While a biography is usually in the written form, it can be produced in other formats such as music composition or film.

If the target person of the biography is not alive, then the storytelling requires an immense amount of research. Interviews might be required to collect information from historical experts, people who knew the person (e.g., friends and family), or reading other older accounts from other people who wrote about the person in previous years. In biographies where the person is still alive, the writer can conduct several interviews with the target person to gain insight on their life.

The goal of a biography is to take the reader through the life story of the person, including their childhood into adolescence and teenage years, and then their early adult life into the rest of their years. The biography tells a story of how the person learned life’s lessons and the ways the person navigated the world. It should give the reader a clear picture of the person’s personality, traits, and their interaction in the world.

Biographies can also be focused on groups of people and not just one person. For example, a biography can be a historical account of a group of people from hundreds of years ago. This group could have the main person who was a part of the group, and the author writes about the group to tell a story of how they shaped the world.

Fictional biographies mix some true historical accounts with events to help improve the story. Think of fictional biographies as movies that display a warning that the story is made of real characters, but some events are fictional to add to the storyline and entertainment value. A lot of research still goes into a fictional biography, but the author has more room to create a storyline instead of sticking to factual events.

Examples of famous biographies include:

• His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph J. Ellis
• Einstein: The Life and Times by Ronald William Clark
• Princess Diana – A Biography of The Princess of Wales by Drew L. Crichton

What is an Autobiography?

An autobiography is the story of a person’s life written by that person. Because the author is also the main character of the story, autobiographies are written in the first person. Usually, an autobiography is written by the person who is the subject of the book, but sometimes the autobiography is written by another person. Because an autobiography is usually a life story for the author, the theme can be anything from religious to a personal account to pass on to children.

The purpose of an autobiography is to portray the life experiences and achievements of the author. Therefore, most autobiographies are typically written later in the subject’s life. It’s written from the point of view of the author, so it typically uses first person accounts to describe the story.

An autobiography often begins during early childhood and chronologically details key events throughout the author’s life. Autobiographies usually include information about where a person was born and brought up, their education, career, life experiences, the challenges they faced, and their key achievements.

On rare occasions, an autobiography is created from a person’s diary or memoirs. When diaries are used, the author must organize them to create a chronological and cohesive story. The story might have flashbacks or flashforwards to describe a specific event, but the main storyline should follow chronological order from the author’s early life to their current events.

One of the main differences between an autobiography vs. a biography is that autobiographies tend to be more subjective. That’s because they are written by the subject, and present the facts based on their own memories of a specific situation, which can be biased. The story covers the author’s opinions on specific subjects and provides an account of their feelings as they navigate certain situations. These stories are also very personal because it’s a personal account of the author’s life rather than a biography where a third party writes about a specific person.

Examples of famous autobiographies include:

• The Story of My Life by Helen Keller
• The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
• Losing My Virginity by Richard Branson

What is a Memoir?

Memoir comes from the French word mémoire, meaning memory or reminiscence. Similar to an autobiography, a memoir is the story of a person’s life written by that person. These life stories are often from diary entries either from a first-person account or from a close family member or friend with access to personal diaries.

The difference between a memoir vs. an autobiography is that a memoir focuses on reflection and establishing an emotional connection, rather than simply presenting the facts about their life. The author uses their personal knowledge to tell an intimate and emotional story about the private or public happenings in their life. The author could be the person in the story, or it can be written by a close family member or friend who knew the subject person intimately. The topic is intentionally focused and does not include biographical or chronological aspects of the author’s life unless they are meaningful and relevant to the story.

Memoirs come in several types, all of which are written as an emotional account of the target person. They usually tell a story of a person who went through great struggles or faced challenges in a unique way. They can also cover confessionals where the memoir tells the story of the author’s account that contradicts another’s account.

This genre of writing is often stories covering famous people’s lives, such as celebrities. In many memoir projects, the celebrity or person of interest needs help with organization, writing the story, and fleshing out ideas from the person’s diaries. It might take several interviews before the story can be fully outlined and written, so it’s not uncommon for a memoir project to last several months.

Memoirs do not usually require as much research as biographies and autobiographies, because you have the personal accounts in diary entries and documents with the person’s thoughts. It might require several interviews, however, before the diary entries can be organized to give an accurate account on the person’s thoughts and emotions. The story does not necessarily need to be in chronological order compared to an autobiography, but it might be to tell a better story.

Examples of famous memoirs include:

• Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt
• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
• Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant by Ulysses S. Grant

Autobiography vs. Biography vs. Memoir Comparison Chart

Check out some of our blogs to learn more about memoirs:

• What is a memoir?
• 5 tips for writing a memoir
• Your memoir is your legacy

Ready to get started on your own memoir, autobiography, or biography? Download our free desktop book-making software, BookWright.

The post Autobiography vs. Biography vs. Memoir appeared first on Blurb Blog.

Reviewing a book is more than just summarizing the plot. It’s about sharing your experience with other readers to help them gauge if it is something that they would enjoy reading as well. A good book review includes a definitive opinion, shares your own personal experience, and offers a recommendation on what type of person would like the book. Read on to find out how to implement these elements when writing a book review. 

Get Started Writing a Book Review

Before putting pen to paper (or in this case fingers to keyboard), there are certain preliminary steps that will help you get started writing a good book review.

First, take some time to think about what initially drove you to pick up the book, what kept you reading, and what you want other readers to know about your experience. You may want to spend some time researching book review examples or revisiting specific reviews that drove you to read a certain book.

Next, decide what it is that you want to say in your book review. Then gather specific examples from the book that support your position. The more you can offer a strong, yet subjective position supporting your view, the more credibility you will have with your reader.

Finally, identify your target audience. Since not every genre of book is going to appeal to every reader, you want to be specific about who will enjoy it. Let your readers know who the review is geared towards. For example, the audience for a review about a science fiction book is going to be different than the audience for a cookbook.

Tips for Writing a Good Book Review 

Now that you’ve prepped what you want to say, how you want to say it, and who you want to say it to, it’s time to start writing. Below we’ve gathered our favorite tips to help you write a good book review. Wait… make that a GREAT book review.

1. Include general information

Make sure to include all the relevant book information for your audience, including the title, author, genre, and publisher in your review. While not necessary, it is also helpful to include the number of pages, list price, and ISBN number.

2. Provide a brief plot summary

After the hook, you can then move on to the brief plot summary. This summary shouldn’t be too long, but it can be a paragraph that explains the basic plot so that the reader better understands if it’s a topic of interest. One pitfall to avoid is to give away spoilers in the plot summary. Don’t give away any plot twists, and err on the side of caution if you feel that the information is too much. For example, tell the reader that the plot has unexpected twists rather than explain any surprises in the summary.

3. Focus on the book, not the author

Keep in mind that your main job as a reviewer is to share your opinion on the book, not to critique the author. Keep the focus on the story. Avoid referencing pitfalls in any of the author’s past books or what you about them as a writer. You can provide a brief introduction to the story mentioning the author and past books, but don’t spend too much time focused on the author. The review should focus on the content of the book and its characters.

4. Be clear and specific

It is not enough to just say that you did or didn’t like the book. Let your readers know why. Make your thoughts clear as early as possible and explain the reasons why you liked or disliked specific storyline components and characters. Be specific about what you loved about the writing, what drew you to the characters, or what left you feeling lukewarm about the plot. You don’t need to explain every aspect of the book, but the reader should walk away with a sense that they understand the basic plot and determine from the review if they want to read the book for themselves.

5. Remain subjective

Not all book reviews have to be glowing, but they should be subjective. Rather than just saying you didn’t like something, support it by letting your readers know why. We all gravitate towards different things, so what may not appeal to you may appeal to someone else. If you remain subjective, then you can explain to the reader the basic story and let them decide for themselves. The review can include your likes and dislikes, but they should focus on what you felt the story did well and what parts of the story you didn’t like. However, the main focus of the review should be to explain the story so that readers can determine if they want to read the book further.

6. Avoid spoilers

We know it can be tempting, but do your best not to let any spoilers slip in your book review. Have you ever been excited to see the latest blockbuster hit (or watch the season cliffhanger to your favorite TV show) and then someone spoils the end before you even have time to watch? That is exactly what you don’t want to do to your reader. As you explain the book in your summary, ask yourself if what you are explaining ruins any surprises or twists. As you write the review, keep it vague. For example, explain that there is a major plot twist but don’t go into the specifics.

7. Be transparent

Always share if you received an incentive to review the book, got an advance copy, or have any connection to the author. Your readers will appreciate your honesty. Plus, it helps you avoid the negative impact on your credibility if they find out later. Getting paid for a review is a perfectly reasonable excuse to read a book, but it does allow readers to determine if you’re being unbiased. By specifying if you have any relationship with the author, the reader can better trust your opinion, even if they feel you’re being more biased.

8. Keep it short

While book reviews can be any length, it is always best to keep it short and succinct. Pull in your reader with a strong first sentence that sets the tone of the review and end with your recommendation. Remember, most people start to scan when something gets too long. A book review is a short summary, so writing a novel-length review loses reader interests. Keeping it short will ensure that your readers will dive into your likes and dislikes and use your reviews to determine if they have an interest in the books.

9. Proofread before posting

The quickest way to lose credibility is to post a review filled with typos. Make sure to give your final book review a thorough read before posting it and double check the spelling of any character names or places that you mention. Even better, ask someone else to read it over. It is always good to have a fresh pair of eyes proof to catch any typos. If you don’t have a family or friend who will help with proofreader, you can join a writing community where members offer test reads and proofreading. Make sure that you don’t post the review publicly, because search engines will index it and the review will no longer be unique content.

Also, keep in mind that you will want to write different book reviews for different sites. Don’t just copy and paste the same review. Google search engines scan for duplicate content and if flagged, your review won’t appear.

10. Add a hook

The hook is one or two sentences that grab the reader and convince them to keep going. It should be interesting, but it should also stick with the topic without misleading readers. The hook could be a simple statement that explains the main character of the book, or it could ask a question that resonates with the reader. Don’t make the hook too sensational to avoid sounding like a sales pitch. It should simply provide an introduction that grabs reader interests.

11. Explain what you liked about the book

Writing your own book review is a way to explain what you liked about it, and what you liked could be of interest to another reader. This section allows you to personalize the review. You can explain what you liked about the characters, who was your favorite character, what part of the book was your favorite, and if the book invoked any personal feelings (e.g., you laughed or cried).

12. Explain what you disliked about the book

You likely have something that you disliked about the book, and this section explains what you wish would have been different about the storyline or the characters. Just like the other sections, make sure that you do not reveal too much and give away important plot lines that could be considered spoilers for the rest of the story.

13. Include brief quotes as examples

Brief quotes provide readers with better insight into characters. Using quotes from characters will help the reader follow the plot summary and determine if the characters are people they can relate to. Avoid using excessively long quotes. Since the reader hasn’t read the book, a long quote could ruin plot twists or overpower the review.

14. Reference similar books

A great way to introduce readers to a specific book is to compare your book review with other books. For example, you can explain to the reader that they will like the current book you’re reviewing if they like another similar book. Alternatively, you can also compare characters between books to provide better insight into the story’s characters and the dynamic between individual characters.

Ready to make your own book? Get started quickly and easily with our free bookmaking software, Bookwright.

The post How to Write a Good Book Review appeared first on Blurb Blog.

In most cases, authors start with what is called a “working title”—a temporary title that is used until the book is complete. Don’t stress out if your working title isn’t perfect. It’s not permanent and will only be seen by you and a select few people that you share it with

Here are 14 tips to help you generate new book title ideas. Pay special attention to the first five¬, since these are key characteristics of a good book title. Then work your work down the list to get your creativity flowing.

1. Keep it concise

Keep your book title as concise as possible. A good rule of thumb is to keep your title between 3-5 words. Long book titles are difficult to remember and don’t stand out to readers as much as short titles do. If you feel like you can’t get your complete message across in just a few words, consider adding a subtitle as well. One famous example is “Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus” by Mary Shelley.

Attributes of a good book title

Titles should be concise but convey the general goal of your book. It’s arguably more difficult to write concise words than it is to explain your thoughts in several words. Coming up with a good book title is one of the most difficult components in writing a novel.

Here are a few attributes of a good book title:

• Attention grabbing: It must grab a reader’s attention but without making false promises or containing fluff.
• Memorable: You want a title that a reader will walk away remembering it so that they can tell their friends and family about your title.
• Informative: Don’t use a title that has nothing to do with the content of the book just to “trick” readers into buying it.
• Easy to say: Memorable titles are easy to repeat and use a vocabulary that engages readers without confusing them.
• Not embarrassing: Even in more racy novels, the titles should not use words that would embarrass a reader should they decide to mention the book to friends and family.

2. Make it easy to remember

Your book title should be easy to remember. Potential book titles can include the name of the main character, your favorite line in the book, the setting of the book (where it takes place), or the theme of the book.

A simple, yet memorable title will also help when it is being passed on by word of mouth after a customer reads your book content, or when someone goes to find the title in the bookstore to buy it. The more complicated the title, the easier it will be to forget or confuse with another book. Be sure to include keywords in the book title that describe the most important character, place, image, or idea of your story.

3. Create something original and intriguing

A good book title needs to be as original as possible. Your book’s title must compete with hundreds, if not thousands, of other similar novels. You want a title that will stand out from the crowd, so you may have to think outside the box and get more creative than currently published authors. Don’t be afraid to try a title in the form of a question, a command, or even a list.

Think of your book title as an invitation: it should provide the reader with a hint of what can be expected from your story without giving too much away. Leaving something to the imagination is what will motivate people to buy your book. A good title along with great illustrations and book cover art can sell a browsing buyer in a bookstore.

Book title ideas

Even though you know the best attributes, coming up with a title is still difficult Your book title should convey ideas from the book but stay catchy so that readers remember it. Take, for instance, a book about cooking and recipes. It’s likely that the book title “How to Cook” is taken and doesn’t grab readers.

A few alternative ideas could be:

• Cooking Made Easy
• The Best Way to Cook Like a Chef
• 5 Steps to Amazing Food
• Chef Advice 101
• The Perfect Chef: Easy Recipes for Delicious Food

The above titles are just book title ideas and examples, but they encapsulate a good working title. These titles are short and concise, but they also convey the concept and content within the book. They are memorable, and they are easy to read for the average reader.

4. Appeal to your target audience

Always keep your audience in mind. You are writing for a specific group. For example, writing a science fiction story will appeal to a different group than a romance novel. If your story is an international thriller or takes place in another country, play around with some non-English titles. For non-fiction stories, your book title should describe the content without sounding too sensational.

5. Note down ideas as you write

Some writers get hung up on the idea that they need to come up with the perfect book title before they start to write their book. That is absolutely not the case (in fact, many great books may never have been written if authors were limited to that line of thinking). Many editors suggest writing the title last so that authors don’t feel that they need to stick to a specific storyline. They suggest that writing the story first provides authors with more freedom to take the story in any direction, and then the title can be written to wrap up the content in a few concise words.

You will find that as you dig in and start writing your story, ideas for titles will naturally come to you. Keep a running list as you go. Don’t feel like you have to edit yourself either. Write everything down, even the titles that may feel ridiculous at the time. You never know what will stick.

6. Give your book a thorough read

Once your book is finished, give it a thorough read and think about what it is trying to say. Take notes as you go in case you come across a descriptive phrase, image, or piece of dialogue that perfectly captures the theme of the book.

Then brainstorm book titles that are related to its core message. Consider what inspired you to write the book, the emotions that you felt during the writing process and how you felt after reading it. Is it a story of triumph, mystery, joy, fear, or love? Think about the key takeaways a reader will have and try to find a title that matches the overall mood.

7. Recruit friends for brainstorming sessions

We all have that friend who is incredibly creative and good with words. Recruit them for a brainstorming session. You may want to have them read a few chapters of your book first or summarize the story and characters to give them some context. Then sit down and have some fun coming up with different book titles. You’ll be surprised how far you will get when someone else helps with the process.

8. Browse similar genres

Poetry books are typically going to have different kinds of titles than autobiographies or other works of nonfiction, browse book titles in similar genres to gain inspiration and ideas. Notice if there are particular trends or styles that authors follow in naming their books. Think about what appeals to you in certain titles, and brainstorm ideas for your book with similar characteristics.

You can also do an internet search for “best-selling mystery novels” or “nonfiction best-sellers” and see if these popular books have something in common. Remember, you don’t want to copy an existing title, but something could spark an idea that leads to you creating your own.

9. Read it out loud

When you have your list narrowed down to your top book title contenders, read each one out loud to see how it sounds. Is it easy to pronounce? Does it have a good flow? If it doesn’t seem to flow or roll off the tongue, then it probably isn’t the best title on your list.

Having a hard time letting go of a title even though it’s a mouthful? See if you can shorten the phrase, or keep one or two keywords and combine them in a different way. Creating a strong title often involves trial and error, so play around until it feels right to you.

10. Try out some book title generators tools

When you’re feeling stuck, sometimes it can help to get outside your head and let a book title generator do the work for you. Think of it like doing a short exercise that instantly shakes things up and helps break you out of your writing habits. Don’t be surprised if some of the options fall flat, sound nonsensical, or are just plain unappealing. The goal is simply to give you wide range of options and potentially spark new inspiration.

Here are some of the top book title generators, by genre:

Nonfiction: Self-Publishing, Portent, Copywriting Course

Fiction: Writing Exercises, Story Toolz, Adazing

Science Fiction & Fantasy: Fantasy Literature, Pulp Sci-Fi Title-o-Tron, UK Rifter

11. Identify the problem your book will solve

Many readers like to know what they’re getting into when they pick up a new book. That’s especially going to be true if it falls into a nonfiction category that is primarily educational or instructional, like self-help, personal finance, home improvement, cooking and nutrition, or hobbies and crafts. The title of your book should clearly state what skill you are teaching or how it can help the reader solve a particular problem. The more straightforward the name, the more likely it is that your ideal readers will find it.

12. Include your subject in the title

This is probably a no-brainer for nonfiction books, how-to guides, and biographies but it’s still worth mentioning. If you’re writing a book on knitting techniques, be sure the word “knit” or “knitting” appear in the title. In some cases, it may help to add a subtitle. That can give you a bit more flexibility, so the full name can be clever and catchy, while still including essential keywords and descriptive terms: Smart Stitch: A Beginner’s Guide to Knitting.

13. Check for copyright, trademarks, and popularity

Before you use any images or content from others, check for any copyrights or trademarks. There is a fine line between “fair use” and copyright infringement, so you should ensure that you have permission to use anyone else’s content, images, or videos. It’s a common misconception that anything published on the internet can be used, but much of what is published on the internet is copyrighted. Any logos could be trademarked, which could land you into legal issues.

14. Include keywords for search engines for non-fiction books

Search engines answer queries for users, and non-fiction books often discuss topics of interest. These topics could be anything of interest to a general audience or very niche content. If you decide to self-publish or market your book, you should choose a title that has keywords in it. The title should still make sense and be memorable without being too sensational, but it should match keywords search engine users would enter to find information about the book’s topic.

Google isn’t the only target search engine. Many of your potential sales will come from Amazon. Amazon hosts its own search engine where readers enter keywords to find non-fiction books of interest. Keywords used specifically for Amazon search results are also a useful marketing strategy.

Popularity is important for book sales. If no one is searching for your book’s topic, then it’s unlikely that you will get any readers. You need a title that people want to read. It doesn’t need to be the most popular topic, but it must have an audience looking for more information. Your book must satisfy a popular search to ensure future book sales. So, do a little research on Google and Amazon to see what is ranking to get ideas for your own book title.

Ready to get started on your book? Trade Books are a flexible, affordable format, and are perfect for novels, memoirs, and poetry books. Learn more about trade books today!

The post How to come up with a good book title: 14 tips appeared first on Blurb Blog.

Firstly, a memoir is autobiographical, meaning it is based on the personal memories, experiences, knowledge, or reflections of the author.

Secondly, a memoir is a piece of creative non-fiction, based on real-life events.

Memoir versus autobiography?

The terms memoir and autobiography are often used interchangeably. On Amazon, for example, autobiographies, biographies, and memoirs are classed as one genre. However, although there are certainly similarities between the two, there are also distinct differences.

Firstly, an autobiography is the story of a person’s whole life, from childhood to the present day. A memoir, on the other hand, will usually have a narrower focus, detailing a particular event or period.

Secondly, an autobiography is written in a linear chronological style, recounting facts and events from the author’s life. In this way, it is more factual or objective than a memoir, which is more concerned with how the author experienced a certain time or event. A memoir is a subjective retelling of true life, told from the author’s point of view.

 “…a memoir is how one remembers one’s own life, while an autobiography is history, requiring research, dates, facts double-checked.”
Gore Vidal, Palimpsest

Types of memoirs

You don’t have to be a celebrity or have lived a life of danger and adventure to find content for a memoir, as these examples demonstrate.

1. Personal essays

Traditionally, great thinkers and commentators of the day would publish personal essays to share their views and opinions with the world. From religious and spiritual reflections to your thoughts on politics, science, or literature, a collection of essays detailing your personal experience or opinion on a subject or issue can make for a fascinating memoir.

Memoir examples
Feel Free: Essays by Zadie Smith
I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes With Death by Maggie O’Farrell

2. Significant events

From war to the birth of a child, our lives are a series of events that shape who we are and how we see the world. Some of them will be a turning point, dramatically altering the way we live our lives. Sharing your experience of an event, personal or global, is an ideal subject for a memoir that will be a revelation for some and a comfort for others.

Memoir examples
Night by Elie Wiesel
A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah

3. Phase of life

Sometimes it’s only when you look back that you see the formative impact of living or working in a certain time and/or place. Exploring a specific period of time, such as your childhood or time at university, in a memoir can help you understand how it shaped you. You may also find that readers recognize and enjoy the memories you share, as relatable to their own history and experiences.

Memoir examples
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt

4. Behind the scenes

A memoir can be an inside peek into a particular job, hobby, or passion. This could involve detailing the skills you’ve developed to help others learn, your experiences practicing a particular craft, or playing a sport. The memoirs of the rich and famous could also be included here, as they give readers an insight into what really goes on behind the curtain.

Memoir examples
All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot
Breaking the Code: Westminster Diaries by Gyles Brandreth

5. Challenges

Stories of endurance, strength, and overcoming the odds to succeed will always be popular, especially when they’re true. Why not turn a challenge you faced or a feat you accomplished into an inspiring memoir?

Memoir examples
West with the Night by Beryl Markham
Night of the Gun by David Carr

6. Understanding culture

A desire to understand the complexities of cultural identity has formed the basis of many famous memoirs. These memoirs can also be important in preserving cultural traditions and the stories behind them for future generations.

Memoir examples
I’m a Stranger Here Myself by Bill Bryson
Beloved Strangers by Maria Chaudhuri

7. Reflections

Many memoirs are written as an exercise in personal reflection, an attempt to understand how we got here, including the decisions and mistakes we’ve made along the way. In this way, a memoir isn’t for anyone else. Only you as the author.

Memoir examples
Boys in the Trees: A Memoir by Carly Simon
The Light of the World: A Memoir by Elizabeth Alexander

Does a memoir have to be written?

While many people might think of memoirs as a sort of written diary, others have used illustration or combined text and imagery to better tell their story. The use of images can make sensitive topics more accessible and help the reader truly see the world through the author’s eyes.

Memoir examples
American Splendor by Harvey Pekar
The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui

If you only take one thing away from this post, let it be this: You don’t have to be famous or indeed infamous to write a memoir worth reading. The best books are the ones that tell the everyday stories of our lives, exploring their meaning in a way that everyone can relate to. A memoir can be a therapeutic exercise for you as the author that helps others on their own journeys too.

“I thought this memoir would be the closing chapter in the journey but it proved to be just the start of something that I could never have dreamed of. I printed one book for myself, and then 100 and another 100, as word spread. My humble project has not only helped me heal but in turn, encouraged others too.”
Debbie Ivins, Author of Whole Pieces

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Blurb is a self-publishing company made for indie creators and writers, like you. Ready to make your own memory book? Start by laying out your words and images with our free, easy-to-use software, BookWright.

The post What is a memoir? appeared first on Blurb Blog.

In reality, very hard! Having a great concept for a story is essential, but for most people, that’s the easy part. Getting your story down on paper in a coherent and engaging way isn’t always as straightforward. Luckily, there’s plenty of help at hand in the form of apps designed specifically for anyone writing a book.

Here’s our list of the best book-writing apps out there at the moment.

Book-writing apps to kickstart your creativity

Even the most prolific authors experience what is commonly called ‘writer’s block.’ For me, it feels like my imagination has gone numb. There are lots of ways that people recommend overcoming writer’s block, such as going for a walk or simply doing something else for a while. But if you’ve only got a limited amount of time to dedicate to writing, you don’t always have time to wait for your imagination to thaw out. That’s where these book-writing apps could come in handy:

The Brainstormer

Available on: Android, iOS
Costs: $1-$2.50 (additional in-app purchases available)

When you’re finding it hard to get started, use the Brainstormer app to generate random plot twists, settings, characters traits, and more. This book-writing app is beautifully designed and easy to use, based on the simple concept of a spinning wheel. It’s the best for sparking your imagination by offering up truly random elements of a story for you to build on. Paying a little extra will get you access to the World Builder and Character Builder wheels, helping you to add detail and depth to your story.

Lists for Writers

Available on: Android, iOS
Costs: $2.99

As the name suggests, this book-writing app provides lists of prompts to help you brainstorm specific elements of your story. The lists cover everything from facial characteristics to bad habits, political structures, and weather conditions. Thinking methodically about each aspect of your story in this way not only kickstarts your imagination but also helps to organize your thoughts and ideas more clearly—so you know which ones to run with and which to save for your next book. Plus, with prompts as specific as color values and units of measurement, using this app will ensure your story is rich in the details needed to fully immerse readers in the world you create.

Mindnode

Available on: iOS, Mac
Costs: Free (in-app purchases)

Sometimes, writer’s block emerges as a result of too many creative book-writing ideas buzzing around your brain. Overwhelmed with possibilities, you’re unable to form any of them into anything coherent. That’s where a book-writing app like Mindnode can come in handy. Mindnode is designed to help you clarify and map out your thoughts and ideas in a mind map format. Once you’ve captured your thoughts you can manipulate the mind map to find connections and patterns, and dive deeper into individual ideas.

Book-writing apps to help you focus

Distraction and procrastination are thorns in the side of many aspiring (and established!) writers. As something of an expert in procrastination myself, I rely on a myriad of tools to help me stay focused and off YouTube. If you’re having trouble concentrating, perhaps one of these book-writing apps can bring your attention back to the task at hand. Writing your book.

Zoho Writer

Available on: iOS, Android, Mac, Windows
Cost: Free

Scrivener is a popular writing tool amongst many writers, but if you’re on a budget, Zoho is an excellent free alternative. A minimalistic and simple interface free of distractions will help you stay focused on your content rather than your book format. The fact that it syncs with your Word docs, PDFs, and more means that you can open any document and get on with the task of writing without worrying about losing any part of your work.

Marinara Timer

Online app
Cost: Free

A personal favorite of mine, the Marinara Timer app uses the Pomodoro technique to help improve focus and productivity. Essentially, it’s a timer that encourages you to work in short 25-minute bursts, followed by a 5-minute screen break, and a longer 15-minute break after four 25-minute intervals. This book-writing app is definitely worth trying if your daily word count is lower than you’d like.

Coffitivity

Online app
Cost: Free (paid premium version available)
If your productivity hits an all-time high when you’re settled in your favorite coffee shop, but your wallet isn’t thanking you, Coffitivity is the answer. Use this book-writing app to recreate the gentle background sounds of chatter, clinking, and drinking that gets you in the zone without forking out for a chai spice latte.

Apps to perfect your writing

Once your first draft is down, it’s time to step away for a few days and then come back to it with fresh eyes to edit, rewrite, and proofread. As well as asking someone you trust to proofread and sense-check your work, there are a variety of book-writing apps that are designed to help polish and perfect your manuscript.

Hemingway Editor

Available for: Windows, Mac
Costs:$19.99

This online editing tool is designed to help make your writing clearer, bolder, and more direct. Simply copy and paste your text into the tool to check for overly complex sentences, over-use of adverbs and the passive voice, and instances where a shorter word could serve the same purpose. One thing to note is that the Hemingway Editor doesn’t offer a spell check, so you will need to do this separately.

ProWriting Aid

Available for: Windows, Mac
Cost:Free (premium tier features not included)

In addition to extensive grammar and spelling checks, ProWriting Aid also offers a style review, based on other books and authors within your specific genre. With this book-writing app, you’ll also have access to a contextual thesaurus offering relevant alternative word choices. The best bit about ProWriting Aid for me is the detailed explanation it gives for suggested changes, which helps you to learn and develop your writing style rather than just making changes blindly.

Grammarly

Available for: Windows, iOS, Android
Cost: Free (paid premium version available)

No list of best book-writing apps would be complete without Grammarly. It’s one of the best tools around for catching spelling and grammar mistakes. Available as a desktop extension and app, Grammarly works in the background, scanning your writing for spelling and grammar errors and flagging them as you go. More advanced and in-depth checks are available with the premium tier, but the free version is more than enough to minimize errors when you’re working on your first draft.

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Ready to start your own book? Get more tips and tricks on how to write a book.

The post 9 free book-writing apps you should be using appeared first on Blurb Blog.

Unless you’re a born novelist, try your hand at non-fiction first. Not only do you get to start from a place of passion and familiarity, but you also have the market on your side. It’s easier to write, sell, and promote. Non-fiction has a bigger market for both traditionally published books and self-published books. More publishers publish non-fiction than fiction, more book buyers purchase non-fiction books, and it’s easier to build a career out of it by writing articles, giving seminars, and selling related products. Non-fiction writers have it a bit easier than novelists.

To get you started, here’s a list of 50 book ideas, including possible story title ideas, prompts, genres, and topics where you might find your next book.

Ask yourself questions

Your everyday life is a goldmine of material for your creative work. Ask yourself these questions to figure out your next book idea.

1. What challenges are you facing? 

Telling your story about where you struggle can help other people feel less alone. Think about goals and obstacles in your personal, professional, or creative life and how you approached them.

2. What are you learning right now? 

Share whatever you’re working on and however you’re learning it—whether it’s about relationships, health practices, work efficiencies, or athletic competition, other people might benefit.

3. What’s happening in your day-to-day life?

Are you going through a big transition? Is there a weekly routine or yearly celebration that means something to you? Don’t overlook these things. Sometimes what has the most universal meaning is actually the most particular and personal.

Look around you

Be an explorer of your world and the people in it. Ask questions. Make observations. Travel down these paths to find out where your best book ideas are hiding:

4. Compile your family history

Who in your family has a story that needs to be told? How did your family (and you!) come to be how you are? A family history book is the perfect way to tell your story.

5. Explore your hometown history

What are the stories of how your town came to be? Highlight the famous people that put your town on the map, or include fun facts about local landmarks and insider tips for places you love.

6. Share your personal history

What were the key factors in your personal origin story? Reflect on the events and relationships that made you who you are today. 

7. Draw attention to a meaningful cause

Have you done any volunteer work that deepened your understanding or perspective? Do you have stories of how your organization changed lives and made a difference? Get the word out!

8. Talk about special events

Maybe you’ve been to over 30 Pearl Jam concerts, and you have the set list and memory for each one of them. Maybe you hosted a speakers’ series at your school. Maybe you attended a rally, and the conversations inspired you.

9. Share your travel stories

Put together a travel book filled with your writing and discoveries made while visiting distant lands, then combine them with your photographs.

Become your own storyteller

10. Try an experiment

Do something for 30, 60, or 90 days and document your experience.

11. Write the story behind your favorite topics

What are your favorite books, albums, songs, films, or paintings? Use each of these as story starter ideas to craft a creative and relatable book.

12. Highlight your biggest success

How did you set this goal? What led up to your achievements, and who helped you along the way?

13. Reveal your biggest failure

What did you learn? How can you help other people deal with fear, failure, or recovery and be resilient? 

14. Do something epic, then write about it 

Raising $20,000 for cancer research, tackling a big life obstacle, summiting a peak, visiting all 50 states—if you have an eye on writing a book, you’ll do these things differently and keep careful records. Wanting a story to tell might also inspire some pretty incredible adventures.

Pick a non-fiction genre to get started

15. Write a big idea book

These kinds of stories focus on a new concept, tool, or learning that will change how people love, work, and live. Teach other people one big thing you know.

16. Make a list book

The lists you keep for yourself—like a gratitude list or a list of local restaurants—can inspire and inform someone else. Take one of your lists and make it into a creative book!

17. Publish an educational photo book

Pair your most impressive photographs with interesting captions or stories of the local geography, history, flora, and fauna.

18. Compile a series of letters

If you have been part of an enlightening correspondence (and the other party involved is willing to share their story, too), document your dialogue in a book.

19. Create an interview book

Compile interviews with inspiring individuals in your life, community, or professional field. Organize the book around a particular theme, or turn the conversations into a series of essays that change the way people think.

Consider content you have already written

You might already have created a body of work that can fill the pages of a book, it just needs to be compiled, organized, and formatted. The process of pulling these ideas together might even inspire another project of new material.

20. Print a series of blog posts

If you’ve already taken the time to compose daily or weekly articles, you’re well on your way! Look for a common thread or topic running throughout, organize your posts into chapters or sections, and take your stories to the next level—in print.

21. Make a book of postcards

The art of snail mail doesn’t have to be lost forever. Make a fun, quirky, or insightful coffee table book of postcards you’ve received or ones you’ve collected.

22. Publish love letters

Making love letters public is not for everyone—but if you and your beloved agree to the project, you just might find yourself with a one-of-a-kind collaboration featuring poems, stories, and reflections. You can also get creative and write a series of fictional love letters to people, places, objects, or events you adore.

23. Turn your journal entries into a book

The unique journal pages of artists, writers, photographers, travelers, and introspective individuals are a fascinating genre all their own. Sharing your personal reflections can inspire readers of all kinds.

24. Publish your own cookbook

Do your friends and families love gathering around your table to taste your culinary creations? Are you a foodie inspired by certain ingredients, dietary trends, family traditions, local or international cuisine? Share your favorite recipes.

Look to the non-fiction bestseller categories from Amazon

Here are some possible book-writing ideas that fall within categories that represent Amazon’s bestselling non-fiction. Try these on for size:

Biography and memoir book ideas

25. Try making a new city home

Most people can identify with the challenges of relocating to a new place—whether it’s a different city, state, or country. Take your readers through the ups and downs of that transition.

26. Share your 25 best or worst date stories

Do you have a history of finding love in all the right (or wrong) places? Do tell.

27. Write a biography of a family member

Chances are, there’s at least one person in your family with a unique, inspiring, or powerful life story to share. Maybe you have a distant ancestor or living relative who defied all odds to make an astounding journey, overcome hardships, find personal success, or pave the way for others.

Self-help book ideas

28. Describe the experience of intuitive eating

Have you made personal strides in your approach to healthy eating and food? Share your story of empowerment from start to finish.

29. Explore new rules for dating

Take a lighthearted, compassionate, or serious approach to a popular topic. Depending on your area of expertise, you might include research, personal anecdotes, observations, or interviews.

Religion and spirituality book ideas

30. Design an inspirational gift book

Gather all your favorite quotes and pair them with photography, illustrations, or designs to create a motivational book.

31. Publish a religious study or devotional workbook

Share the divine wisdom and traditions that you know best, including classic teachings and lessons for personal growth.  

32. Write a religious memoir

Create a memoir based on personal events, learning, or transformations that led you to your current religious beliefs.

Health, fitness, and nutrition book ideas

33. Inspire someone with 10 life lessons in food

Maybe you learned how to maintain a healthy weight, or you discovered how the food on your plate affects your mood, sleep, or overall health. Don’t keep your success a secret!

34. Summarize your experience of 30 days on a specific diet

Ketogenic. Intermittent fasting. Low sugar. Mediterranean. Gluten free. If you tried it, it’s time to tell all.

35. Compile a research summary of how to exercise

Use your scientist-meets-fitness skills to create a guidebook with training tips, health facts, and exercise inspiration.

Politics and social science book ideas

36. Explore public policy, ideologies, or politics

The debate lover in you already has plenty to say about these big topics, so you bring your persuasive book to life with data and insights.

37. Forecast political and cultural trends

This kind of book takes a knack for research—so use your authority as a demonstrated expert or passionate professional to tell it like it is (or like it soon will be).

Cookbook, food, and wine book ideas

38. Collect recipes from the family restaurant

Cultivate a love of cooking and share your special kitchen traditions, recipes, and food photography with an audience who’s craving more. (Just make sure to get the a-ok from the original chef!)

39. Print a guide to local wineries with photos and reviews

Malbec or Shiraz? Moscato or Chenin Blanc? You don’t have to be a sommelier to share your love and knowledge of great wines.

40. Explain 10 things you learned about cooking

What do you know about baking the perfect cake? Got tips and tricks for southern barbecue? Write what you know.

Business and money book ideas

41. Tell your story of getting out of debt

Did you learn financial lessons the hard way? People of all ages are eager to know how you did it.

42. Write about securing investments for a project

You organized a first-of-its-kind fundraiser or wrote a grant that saved the day. Offer your best money advice to project leaders everywhere.

43. Offer tips on how to earn a living from creative work

Think of it as your gift to the next generation of artists, writers, filmmakers, and photographers.

44. Share advice on running a large business

Money makes the world go round. What’s your secret to managing a successful company?

45. Show what you learned from the failure of a startup

Big dreams, harsh reality. If you had to do it all over again, what would you want to know?

Education and teaching book ideas

46. Publish a classroom curriculum you designed

Did you create lesson units that your students absolutely loved? What kind of project materials were successful, and how could other people use them? Make a workbook, ebook, or even a magazine that details your process.

Crafts, hobbies, and home book ideas

47. Develop a guide to meaningful photography

These days everyone fancies themselves a photographer, but there’s more than a filter to making great images. Tell them what to aim for.

48. Make an instructional knitting or sewing guide

If you can stitch like a pro, share your project tips and expertise in a practical craft book.

49. Create an interior design guide book

Put your creative instincts in print by sharing your style advice and favorite trends, from Boho chic to French country to modern minimalist.

50. Encourage people to learn a new hobby

Beginner projects in woodworking. One room, twelve ways. Introduction to jewelry making. Your creative skills and talents are invaluable to others who are just starting out, so lead the way!

Just pick one book idea and start writing

Print-on-demand makes it easier than ever to create one copy or a thousand. Whatever your next project idea, think of it as just that: your next project, not your only one. If the first book you create isn’t the book you know you have in you to write or make, that’s ok! This is just your first book. Once you do one, you’ll have what it takes to do the next one and the next one after that.

The key is to start the journey toward the book you want to write by reading more books to help you improve your writing skills, gain inspiration, and discover new ideas. And then making your next, knowing that the books that come in your future can take many different shapes.

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What are you waiting for? Start your book today!

The post 50 book ideas for writing a book you can start today appeared first on Blurb Blog.

What is a book proposal and what’s the point?

The point of your book proposal is to make a fan out of your acquisition editor. Your book might have a very particular audience, but your proposal’s audience is your agent and your editor. Craft the proposal with them in mind.

Writing your book proposal is about three things:

1. Your idea
2. Your built-in audience
3. Your show-stopping content

Idea

Your book needs to make an original and compelling promise to its audience. What’s yours? What need does it fill? What problem does it solve? How is it unique? For visual books, why would someone want to see these images? What can they gain from experiencing the photography? Why is that important?

Audience

Publishers are looking for authors who already have a platform—a significant following who are likely to buy your book. They want to know you can help sell the books when they’re printed, and that you’re expert enough for people to want to listen to you. It’s not enough to have a good idea and a well-crafted manuscript; for non-fiction books, an author platform is everything. It’s worth noting that you’ll want to be building your audience as you work on your project so that you have something to offer here. Big-name publishers are looking for projects that will likely sell between 10,000-20,000 copies. You’ll need to do your part to make that happen.

Content

What would make someone pay twenty dollars for your book? What would make them read it over scrolling through Instagram? Is your content good enough for people you don’t even know to spend 20 dollars (or more, for visual books) and hours of their time? Publishers are looking for exceptional content that stops people cold.

Everything in your proposal is making the case that your book is capable of selling well. Photo books are expensive to make and expensive to sell, and they don’t sell as well as novels. Still, hundreds of visual books are published every year, so why not try for yourself? Keep this in mind as you do the work of preparing your book proposal.

11 Elements of a Book Proposal and a Template to Follow

Selling a publisher on your book means showing them your qualifications, detailing a chapter-by-chapter outline, and most importantly, how your book is going to be marketable, and ultimately, profitable. Expect your proposal to be between 20-55 pages, not including sample content with the following elements.

Title Page

This should include:

• Working title and subtitle of your book
• Your name and complete contact information
• Proposed alternative titles
• One-sentence book description: the tagline/hook for what the whole book is about. Include your project’s strongest selling point up front.
• The categories and sub-categories your book will be listed in. Check Amazon or Barnes and Noble to get a sense of what these official ones might be, using another book like yours.
• One-sentence reader benefits—the promise you make to your readers about learning, change, discovery. What your readers will take away from your book.

Note: For visual books, you’re going to want to mock-up the cover and design this page with the look and feel of your book. It’s also worth noting that your title and your cover mockup are what will make your book proposal stand out, so spend the time to get these right.

You’ll also want to include a table of contents for the book proposal after this section, too, with page numbers for the main sections.

Author Bio

This book proposal section is where you introduce yourself and your qualifications, but be brief—only share what you need to in order to prove you can actually do the project. Include the following:

• About the author
• Links to your author website, blogs, articles, YouTube videos, etc.
• Relevant writing experience
• Credentials, awards/accolades, previous publications, a few fun personal facts that show you’re interesting and relatable
• Contact info
• Sales history of previous books—this is a list of titles, along with publisher name and publication date.
• Total sales numbers on the book, from publication-to-date

Book Description

Your book description in your proposal will only be about 200-300 words. The first paragraph explains what the book is about, and the promise you make to your readers. Your second and third develop that: how the book is organized, a few key points, your writing credentials.

For a photo or image book, you’ll need to explain how many images there are, how you see them laid out, what your general concept and thinking behind the book. You’ll want to explain the genre of your visual book—is it a catalog? A monograph? A Documentary collection? A linear narrative? Or a poetic collection where the images work together, but not in a sequence? Why?

Try to use the same style you use in the book for writing your description. Agents and editors should be able to get a feel for your writing from this, too.

Audience

There are two parts to your audience within your book proposal: The ones you know and the ones you don’t. This is about BOTH the market and your personal platform but talk about your platform first.

Your Platform (people you know):

• Email list size
• Social media following
• Video marketing views or subscribers
• Professional website, plus page views.
• Speaking engagements scheduled; past and future
• Endorsers and corporate sponsors;
• Endorsements or big name people who could write your foreword
• Previous book reviews
• Links to regular publication, media contributions, or your blog, with as much readership and engagement data you can give
• Community events you’re attending relevant to your book

Your Market (People you don’t):

• Fans of insert bestselling comparable titles
• Members of organizations likely to support the book
• Number of people engaged in activities that relate to your book
• Google search analytics for your keywords
• Target reader demographics
• What are their habits, lifestyle and beliefs?
• What solutions does your book offer for them?
• How big is this group?
• Where can they be reached? Where do they visit online? What are their habits and communication patterns?

Show an awareness of current trends and patterns that relate to your book, and put up compelling numbers that position your book as part of it.

 Marketing Plan:

Think of this section of your book proposal as a list of things you’ve already done or accomplished, that you can increase. You have to prove that you can do these things, not that you would do these things.

• Upcoming gallery or museum shows
• Upcoming (already booked) speaking engagements
• Relationships in the media
• Articles already published, showing media relationships
• Potential sales outlets for the book
• Key connections, endorsements, and partnerships where you’ve already had success

Completion and Delivery

In this section of your book proposal, you’ll list the format, the eventual word count, the page count, the deadline by which a finished manuscript will be turned in, following a signed contract.

Competition

Show where your book fits in the market by listing 6-10 others that are similar. What books would sit next to yours on a bookstore shelf?

• Pick successful books that have sold many copies
• Make sure they are within the last 3-5 years
• Include the Title: Subtitle, author, publisher, date of publication, format, page count, trim size, price point.
• The ISBN-10
• Your assessment of each: Which were your inspiration? Which are your direct competition? Which are books that missed opportunities your book doesn’t?
• Add a comment that’s something like “Includes this (similarity to your book) fails to cover that (Thing which your book will do better)

Author Qualifications

Make your case for why YOU are the person to write this book in your proposal. Showcase your academic background, cite particular experiences, anything else you achieved or accomplished that contributes to your authority. What’s your unique angle? This will be 200-300 words.

Book Organization/ Table of Contents

This is an overview of your book structure. Give a quick list of chapter titles, and then do a more detailed outline. Your chapter titles need to be as thoroughly considered and intriguing as your main title.

Underneath each chapter heading in your book proposal, you’ll also list the sections of the chapter, with heads and subheads. You’ll note any repeated sections for each chapter like charts, discussion questions, interviews, case histories, etc.

After your chapter list, you’ll do a chapter-by-chapter synopsis. This is 50-100 words explaining what’s in each chapter and how it contributes to the overall book. For visual books, this will be a written description of image and text, how it works together, and how it contributes to the overall book.

Project Needs and Status

Tell the potential publisher how far along you are on the project. How much of a manuscript is actually written? How many interviews conducted? Also list any assistance you’ll need in completing the project, including permissions to use other work, research budget, further research trips, etc.

If you want to use quotes, photo inserts, indexes, maps, and recipes, put in those requests for those special features here. Those are permissions and design work your publisher will need to be doing for you and they should know that upfront.

Submitting the Book Proposal

Some publishers only accept email submissions, so check the website. Many prefer hard copies of proposals—this is especially true for visual books—because physical copies are easier to track as they move through the approval process. Be sure to take the proper postal steps to get your manuscript into the right hands, and don’t expect it back.

Note: Find the actual name of the acquisition editor or agent you’re trying to reach, not just the title. LinkedIn is a good tool for this.

Cover Letter Tips

Make your best case for your book with the cover letter accompanying your proposal. Introduce yourself, your project, and tell the publisher why they should consider it. Use these questions as a guide for talking points:

• Who is the target reader and what specific needs/problems/questions are they facing?
• How big is this audience, and what are the stats and studies that agree with you?
• How are you the one qualified to write this book?
• Why must this book be written now?

Your letter should be one page, with paragraphs that introduce your project, it’s audience, and you, the qualified author.

Final Thoughts

Doing the work to create a solid book proposal helps you understand how to make decisions for your project as you go along. You’ve done the research and understand what’s likely to sell and why. A well-crafted book proposal forces you to understand your own marketplace and your projects place within it. It may have been arduous work, but your proposal is still no guarantee. As you submit your book proposal, prepare for rejection. When it comes, make adjustments and try again. Refining your proposal throughout the submission process is really common—often authors keep revising and revising it until it’s finally sold. At some point, you may decide to publish it yourself. By then, all you have learned about your project and the market through the proposal process of traditional publishing has only set you up for success.

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The post How to Write a Book Proposal and Why You Need One to Publish appeared first on Blurb Blog.

But with a plethora of fantasy novel authors and titles already out there, how will your book stand out on the shelf? Here we consider how to write a fantasy novel that offers something original for the avid readers of a much-loved book genre.

1. Know your genre
2. Build your world
3. Develop your characters
4. Outline your plot

1. Know your genre

Choose a fantasy sub-genre

Before you even put pen to paper, you need to decide what kind of fantasy novel you are going to write. As you might expect from such an imagination-filled genre, there are a number of fantasy sub-genres, each with its own unique characteristics.

A few popular fantasy sub-genres include:

• Epic fantasy: sweeping stories of good versus evil like The Lord of the Rings fantasy series by J.R.R Tolkien.
• Dark fantasy: containing elements of horror like The Dark Tower fantasy series by Stephen King.
• Contemporary fantasy: set in the known modern world as opposed to a more traditional medieval-style world like the Harry Potter fantasy series by J.K Rowling.

Deciding which one your fantasy novel will fall into will help you learn how to define your setting, characters, and storyline later on.

Common fantasy clichés and how to avoid them  

There are a few common tropes within the fantasy genre, such as:

• An innocent character being transformed into a hero
• A secret legacy or unknown heritage
• Stereotypical characteristics of fantasy beings such as elves or dwarves

Steering clear of these cliché fantasy themes or learning how to reinvent them in new ways will result in a more original story. There are a couple of ways you can do this:

• Add new, unexpected details to traditional elements of the genre. Could ancient runes or broomsticks be used in new ways?
• Blur the lines between good and evil. George R. R. Martin does this particularly well in the Game of Thrones stories, with characters such as Theon Greyjoy playing the role of both villain and hero at different points.
• Find inspiration in lesser-known myths, legends, and fairy tales. Expanding your reading material will help stoke your imagination beyond the traditional themes and features of the fantasy genre.
• Try combining elements of different cultures or beliefs with different groups from different periods. See what new races, religions, or laws you can conjure up.

2. Build your world

Once you’ve determined the focus of your fantasy novel and have some ideas for avoiding replicating existing stories, it’s time to start setting the scene. World-building is perhaps the most crucial step in the development of your fantasy novel. The work you put into this will determine the depth of experience for your readers.

Before you begin to write your fantasy story you should have a fully formed world, including details of its inhabitants, landscapes, history, beliefs, laws, and possibly even languages.

Introduce some logic

One of the golden rules of writing a fantasy novel is to make the world you create as authentic as possible. Although readers will be suspending belief in the reality we know, your characters and plot must still be shaped by some limitations, rules, and logic that make your story ‘believable’. For example, magic being able to solve any and every problem does not make for a very exciting read. Where does the magic your characters wield come from? Does it need to be replenished? How? Details such as these can introduce elements of tension and danger and offer potential for character development, as well as grounding your imagined world in some form of reality that your readers can relate to.

Don’t reveal it all

Although you might spend a large chunk of time developing your world, try to avoid including too much descriptive detail about it in your fantasy novel. Backstory, lore, history, and commentary on the physical features of your world should only be used to explain character motivations and behavior or plot development. It can also increase suspense if readers are aware of the context of an unfolding situation that the characters, themselves, are not.

That does not mean that all your creative work goes to waste. There is plenty of potential to self-publish additional books about the lore, history, races, creatures, and languages of your fantasy world, for true fans to purchase. Or, why not offer these supplements as a free gift to encourage people to buy your novel?

3. Develop your characters

Just as important as your fantasy world are the beings and creatures that inhabit it. Your fantasy novel’s characters must be engaging enough that your reader cares about them and their quest or adventure on a personal level, beyond the sweeping themes and messages in your book.

Your characters are also the way that readers navigate and experience your imagined world. This means they must have a strong and defined identity that the reader can use as an anchor in what may otherwise be a disorientating setting.

The key players

Remember to consider blurring the lines between good, evil, and other traditional characteristics for a more interesting take on each of these archetypes.

• The Bilbo Baggins: your protagonist and hero.
• The Voldemort: the villain.
• The Gandalf: a mentor to aid your hero’s development.
• The Ron Weasley: a relatable sidekick to ground your hero and perhaps provide comic relief.
• The Arwen: a love interest who introduces new dimensions and challenges to the quest of your hero.

To create engaging characters with real depth, consider using a character development tool. Most of these take the form of an interview or questionnaire. By answering questions in the voice of your character, you’ll begin to build up a picture of their hopes, fears, motivations, skills, and flaws. You can then use this profile to determine how your character might react to events in your story, how you introduce them to the reader, and the role they might play in unfolding events.

4. Outline your plot

As with any type of novel, your fantasy story should have a cohesive narrative arc.

• Set the scene and introduce key characters.
• Introduce the source of conflict.
• Your characters develop and grow in response to a threat or problem.
• The conflict reaches its climax.
• The problem is resolved.

Now comes the fun part! This basic structure introduces questions that you then answer in the context of your developed characters, the world you’ve built, and pure imagination. What is the source of conflict? Why has it arisen now? How do your characters react? Do they need to learn new skills to resolve the conflict? Do they need to work together with former enemies?

As you answer these questions, you might find that your fantasy novel has, in fact, become a fantasy trilogy. Great news! You don’t need to have finished the whole story before you publish the first installment. Releasing one book while you’re working on the second part is a great way to build up a loyal following of fans.

Learning how to use this formula of establishing the setting and characters before you jump into the story itself will help you bring your ideas and imagination to life in a coherent story, with a spark of originality.

Discover how to format a novel in just eight steps.

Ready to get started on your fantasy novel? Our free desktop software, BookWright can help. Learn more today!

The post How to write a fantasy novel appeared first on Blurb Blog.

We’ve picked a few of our favorite websites to help you get started, find your community, improve your writing, develop your characters and plot, and learn how to edit and promote your work. Ultimately, we want to help you become a more confident and productive writer. But remember, besides writing tools, reading more books is the best way to improve your writing because it exposes you to a wide range of writing styles, vocabulary, and language structures.

Resources for getting started

Nothing strikes fear into the heart of an aspiring author more than the blank page—the endlessly flashing cursor. Even when your head is full to the brim with plot twists and characters, getting it all down on paper in a coherent form is another thing altogether. Luckily, this is a common first hurdle for lots of writers, so hundreds of tools and apps have sprung up dedicated to helping you gather your thoughts and start writing.

1. Writer’s Digest Creative Prompts

Writer’s Digest Creative Prompts is one of the jewels in the crown of writing resources. This goldmine of creativity offers endless prompts and ideas to push past any form of writer’s block. Whether you’re looking to spark a new story or breathe life into an existing one, these prompts can offer a new perspective or challenge that ignites your creative spirit. With categories that cater to every genre, from fiction and poetry to nonfiction and scriptwriting, this resource is an empowering tool in your writing arsenal.

2. DIY MFA

For those looking for a more structured approach to their writing, DIY MFA is an online resource that offers writing workshops and courses taught by experienced authors. They also have a wealth of free resources on their website, including articles and podcasts covering character development, world-building, and balancing writing with daily life. Their community of writers is supportive and encouraging, making it a great place to connect with like-minded individuals on your writing journey.

3. The Time is Now

Check out this section of Poets & Writers Magazine online to get weekly writing prompts—poetry on Tuesdays, fiction on Wednesdays, and creative nonfiction on Thursdays. It’s a great resource to help you build a daily writing practice, get new ideas, and improve your craft. Most prompts are inspired by specific books, so you can also grow your reading list!

5. NaNoWriMo

November is a special time of year for writers. If you are struggling to write your own story, joining NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is the perfect opportunity. Confident that anyone can write a novel in just 30 days, NaNoWriMo provides tools, advice, and resources throughout November to help writers do just that. Be spurred on by the hundreds of writers worldwide who join across social media and NaNoWriMo forums to cheer each other on and share learnings from their own experiences. All you need to start is a draft title for your book.

5. The Marginalian

If you’re looking for inspiration, look no further than The Marginalian. Creator Maria Popova weaves together insights from literature, science, art, philosophy, and more. It’s a space where her reflections—much like notes in the margins of a book—chart her intellectual and creative development. Every Sunday, she curates a newsletter that dives deep into the highlights of the liberal arts world, crafted to enrich and expand her readers’ engagement with the vast landscape of creativity.

Sites for notes and writing

6. Evernote

This bookmarking tool is a great way to collect moments of inspiration and ideas for your story together in one place, where they can be filed and organized, ready to be put to good use. It might be a ‘how to’ article you want to read, a quote that reminds you of one of your characters, or an image that would be the perfect setting for your next scene. Inspiration strikes in the most unexpected places, but as Evernote is available on almost every platform, you can collect notes wherever you are. You can choose to have one notebook that you throw everything into, or you can set up separate notebooks to help you organize your thoughts and ideas as you go. If you’re working on a novel, why not set up separate notebooks for each character or each chapter?

7. Scrivener

While some writers prefer to stick with the traditional pen and paper or word processor, for others, technology can be a game-changer. Scrivener is a powerful writing tool that allows you to organize your notes, research, and writing all in one place. You can create separate documents for each chapter, scene, or character and easily move them around as needed. You can also set word count goals and track your progress, making it an empowering tool for both planning and writing your work.

8. Storyist

Another popular writing app is Storyist, which offers a wide range of features for novelists, screenwriters, and playwrights. From corkboard view to character and plot development tools, Storyist helps you bring your stories to life in an organized way. It also has a distraction-free writing mode, making it easier to focus on your writing without any distractions. Plus, with its built-in formatting tools, you can easily export your work into a professional-looking manuscript when it’s time to self-publish.

9. Calmly Writer

For those who prefer a clean and minimalist interface, Calmly Writer is a great option. This writing app allows you to focus on your writing without any clutter or interruptions. You can also save your work as you go, making it easy to come back to where you left off. And with its auto-save feature, you don’t have to worry about losing your work in case of any technical issues. It’s available on both desktop and mobile devices.

10. Ommwriter

For writers who need a tranquil and calming environment to get their creative juices flowing, Ommwriter is the perfect writing app. With soothing background music, minimalistic design, and customizable backgrounds, this app offers a meditative experience for writers. It also has a “focus mode” that allows you to hide everything on your screen except for your writing, helping you stay in the flow and avoid distractions. Ommwriter also has a mindfulness timer that reminds you to take breaks and practice self-care while writing.

Writing community resources

In the realm of writing, the adage “It takes a village” is extremely true. Having a community as a writer isn’t just important—it’s essential. While writing is often seen as a solitary endeavor, there’s nothing like the support, inspiration, and feedback from fellow wordsmiths. It’s about belonging to a group that gets the highs and lows of the creative process and turns struggles into shared successes.

Here are a few of our favorite sites to find your village.

11. Catapult’s Don’t Write Alone

The blog Don’t Write Alone was created by the team at Catapult, a publisher and magazine dedicated to nurturing and enhancing writers’ talents. Founded in 2005, Catapult showcases a diverse range of literary works and is now sharing its vast knowledge. The platform offers a huge collection of content, including insightful interviews, detailed essays on the craft of writing, and explorations of the writer’s life. Its mission is to offer comprehensive support and inspiration to writers at any stage of their journey.

12. Gutsy Great Novelists

Are you a novelist seeking motivation, accountability, and encouragement? Look no further than Gutsy Great Novelists, a free online community just for you. With the tagline “where serious creative writers gather to finish their novels,” you can’t really go wrong. Award-winning novelist Joan Dempsey founded this platform to help writers feel less isolated. Members get access to critique groups, lots of online resources, and events and classes that will keep you on track until your novel is complete.

13. Lambda Literary

For writers and readers alike, Lambda Literary is a community-driven organization that champions LGBTQ+ literature. With a mission to elevate voices and stories that have been historically marginalized, this platform offers various resources for writers, including workshops, literary events, and publishing opportunities. It also hosts an annual writing retreat for emerging queer writers, providing a safe and supportive space for creative expression. Sign us up!

15. Writing.com

Writing.com is one of the largest online writing communities out there. It’s a super supportive environment for writers of all levels—and you have a portfolio to store and share your writing. You can also join various groups based on your interests or genres, providing opportunities for networking and collaboration with other writers. Plus, Writing.com regularly hosts contests and challenges to help improve your writing skills and gain recognition for your work. Whether you’re seeking support or looking to expand your audience, this community has something for everyone.

16. Reddit’s r/WritersGroup

If you’re a Reddit fan, you probably already know about r/WritersGroup. This subreddit serves as a testament to the strength of community in the writing process, offering a space where writers from all walks of life can share their drafts, seek advice, and provide constructive criticism. Whether you’re battling writer’s block, seeking feedback on a new chapter, or just in need of inspiration, this is your go-to sanctuary.

17. She Writes

Created by women, for women, She Writes is a supportive community that celebrates their diverse voices and experiences. With more than 32,000 members and 350 groups, it’s the largest online community of women writers in the world! With forums and tons of articles, this platform provides a safe space for women to share their work and receive feedback from other writers. 

18. SFF Chronicles

For science fiction and fantasy writers, SFF Chronicles is a valuable resource for learning, connecting, and honing your craft. With forums dedicated to discussing the latest trends and tropes in the genre, as well as sections for feedback and critique, this is your virtual writing workshop. It also hosts contests and interviews with established authors, if you’re seeking insight and inspiration.

19. The Insecure Writer’s Support Group

Imposter syndrome is hard to battle alone. Step into the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, where those whispers are drowned out by the resounding voices of support, encouragement, and understanding. This haven is dedicated to writers at any stage of their journey, providing you with resources, advice, and, most importantly, a community that gets it. Conquer your insecurities by reading their blogs and monthly newsletters, joining their social media groups, and joining their pitch event to find an agent or publisher (every January).

20. Underlined

Formerly known as Figment, Underlined is a website that provides story starters, writing inspiration, and advice from published authors. You can also join a community of aspiring writers, share excerpts of your work, and provide feedback to each other—all valuable parts of the creative life.

Sites for improving your writing

Now that you’re equipped with a plethora of platforms to connect and expand your creative horizons, it’s time to take your writing to the next level. Improving your craft is a continuous, evolving process—whether you’ve just penned your first poem or are on your tenth novel.

Here are the resources you need to refine your skills, find your unique voice, and perfect the art of storytelling. From grammar guides to story structure tips, these sites offer the tools you need to elevate your writing.

21. 750 Words

As with any skill, the best way to improve your writing is to practice, practice, practice. The website 750 Words provides a daily nudge to get your creative juices flowing. Based on The Artist Way‘s morning pages, the goal is to write 750 words (roughly three pages) every day, without any distractions. By just writing without an agenda and without judgment, you’ll make writing every day a regular productive habit and steadily build your confidence.

22. Helping Writers Become Authors

The Helping Writers Become Authors site, created by award-winning author K.M. Weiland, offers practical tips and advice on story writing, from structure and plot to character identity and dialogue. It’s a great, regularly updated resource to take you from writer to professional.

23. Grammar Girl

Get a grip on the quirks of language and the rules of good grammar with this entertaining and useful podcast based on the hugely popular blog by the same name. Top listened-to Grammar Girl episodes include “Affect Versus Effect” and “Active Voice & Passive Voice.”

24. Coursera

Looking for a more structured approach to learning? Coursera offers online courses on writing, from writing your first novel to academic writing. With options from top universities such as Stanford and Wesleyan, you’ll have access to expert instruction and peer feedback to hone your skills.

25. Masterclass

Masterclass brings together some of the biggest names in writing, like David Sedaris, Margaret Atwood and Neil Gaiman, for online video courses on pretty much any aspect of writing you’re looking to learn. With a subscription, you’ll have access to their wisdom and techniques for crafting powerful stories that captivate your readers.

26. Critique Circle

Join a community of writers, both published and aspiring, on Critique Circle to get feedback on your writing and provide critiques for others. With tools for tracking your progress, finding beta readers, and connecting with fellow writers, this platform offers valuable resources for improving your craft. Plus, the supportive atmosphere encourages growth and development as a writer.

27. Now Novel

For those looking for a more structured approach to writing, Now Novel offers personalized coaching and guidance throughout the writing process. From outlining and character development to editing and publishing, their team of experts will provide valuable feedback and support to help you bring your story to life. Whether you’re just starting or need help revising, Now Novel offers a community and resources tailored to your specific needs as a writer.

Resources for characters and plot

We’re betting you have more than one favorite character from more than one book. Characters like Elizabeth Bennett, Albus Dumbledore, and Bilbo Baggins live on in our minds long after we’ve turned the final page. Your characters should become like old friends that you know inside and out to add depth and humanity to your story. These are the resources you need to make it happen.

28. Writer’s Digest’s Character Development Sheets

Subscribing to the Writer’s Digest mailing list gets you access to this free worksheet designed to flesh out each of your characters. Working through a series of questions, you’ll develop their key hopes, fears, and skills, their personality quirks, how they might act in different situations, and how all of this will be revealed to the reader throughout your story.

29. The Write Practice’s Characterization 101

This free course from The Write Practice guides you through seven key steps to creating memorable characters, covering important character archetypes, character motivations, how not to introduce a character to your story, and much more.

30. The Novel Factory’s 150+ Character Questions

Building on the idea of character development sheets, The Novel Factory offers a comprehensive list of over 150 questions to help you fully flesh out each character in your story. From physical appearance and background to their biggest secrets and flaws, this resource will help you create well-rounded and dynamic characters that readers will connect with.

31. TV Tropes

Ever come across a character or plot twist that seems oddly familiar? That’s because many writers use common tropes and archetypes in their stories. TV Tropes is a user-edited wiki page that outlines these common patterns and themes found in media, providing examples and analysis for each one. It’s a helpful resource for understanding how to effectively use, subvert, or avoid these tropes in your writing.

32 Fantasy Worldbuilding Questions

Need some guidance in creating a fictional world for your story? This list of 123 questions from Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America can help you think through all aspects of your world, from its physical laws to its social structure and cultural customs. By taking the time to fully develop your world, you’ll make it feel more immersive and believable for readers.

33 Reedsy’s Plot Generator

When you’re stuck on where to take your story next, Reedsy’s plot generator can help spark new ideas. Simply select a genre and hit “generate” to receive a random plot outline that you can use as a starting point for your own story. It’s a fun tool for getting unstuck and exploring new directions for your plot.

Resources for editing and reviewing

In addition to proofreading for spelling, language, and grammar errors, two other forms of editing should form part of your review process. Developmental editing, which is editing for the structure, flow, and consistency of your story, and substantive editing, which is concerned with clarity, accuracy, and reader comprehension.

When your manuscript or first draft is complete, let it sit a while before reviewing. It also helps to have a second and third set of eyes on your work. Even better, if your budget allows, hiring a professional editor can give your story the polished finish it deserves.

34. Grammarly

Available as a Google Chrome extension or device app, Grammarly works across your web pages and documents as you write to help you catch common writing errors. It highlights and fixes grammar, punctuation, and contextual spelling mistakes. The premium version can also suggest alternative vocabulary choices.

Remember not to rely on online spell checks alone to proofread your work. Always give your text a thorough check yourself, too.

35. ProWriting Aid

ProWriting Aid takes your writing beyond mere spell checks, offering a holistic approach to improve your writing style, tone, and clarity. What sets it apart from Grammarly is its in-depth focus on your writing’s overall readability and engagement level. It provides detailed reports on style, overused words, sentence length variation, and even readability scores, making it invaluable for writers looking to polish their manuscripts to perfection. While Grammarly excels at real-time grammar and spelling corrections, ProWriting Aid is the go-to tool if you’re looking for comprehensive feedback on your structure and style.

36. Hemingway Editor

As the name suggests, Hemingway Editor is an online editing tool and website that will help make your writing clearer, bolder, and more direct—just like the author it’s named after. Simply copy and paste your text into the tool to check for overly complex sentences, overuse of adverbs, and the passive voice. It will also highlight instances where a shorter word could serve the same purpose.

37. Reedsy

Every writer needs a good editor, and Reedsy only works with the best. Their hand-picked, experienced, professional editors can review your story development, structure, consistency, and style, helping to perfect and polish your manuscript. Reedsy also offers a tool to easily write and format a book, the same way a professional typesetter would. (You can print from their tool with Blurb, too!)

Artificial Intelligence for writers 

AI gets a bad rap, but in our digital age, its emergence is nothing short of a revolution in creativity. Whether you’re battling writer’s block, seeking the perfect synonym to elevate your prose, or plotting a novel, AI-powered writing assistants can offer a wealth of resources at your fingertips. These innovative tools are not doing the writing for you—they’re about enhancing your creativity and offering insights and suggestions that might not have crossed your mind.

38. Sudowrite

Using artificial intelligence, Sudowrite offers suggestions and ideas to help you improve your writing. It can generate plot twists, character names, and even entire paragraphs based on the information you provide. While it’s not meant to replace human creativity and imagination, Sudowrite can be a helpful tool for sparking new ideas and breaking through writer’s block.

39. Claude

Claude has emerged as a dynamic counterpart to ChatGPT, due to its ethical and safer approach to AI. What sets Claude apart is its focus on nuanced, open-minded text generation—working to understand context and intent before replying. It can help you with brainstorming, research, structural analysis, line edits, critique, and even productivity—with writing sprints, prompts, word count, and positive reinforcement. It’s not replacing creativity, but supporting you from blank page to final polish.

40. Jasper.ai

Jasper is another AI-powered writing tool that can assist with plot development, character creation, and even research for your story. Jasper also has a feature that allows you to collaborate with other writers in real time, making it a useful tool for team projects or brainstorming sessions. What’s great about Jasper is that it has a document feature, so you can write, edit, and save your work like you would in Word or Google Docs, rather than chatting back and forth with AI.

Resources for promoting and marketing

Once your masterpiece is polished and ready to shine, the next thrilling chapter of your author’s journey begins: promoting and marketing your book. This can seem like a Herculean task, especially in a world flooded with content. But with the right tools and strategies, you can cut through the noise and get your book into the hands of eager readers.

We’ve lined up the best resources to transform you from a writer into a savvy marketer!

41. Wattpad

Use this storytelling platform to connect with writers and readers around the world, build an audience, and even get discovered. On Wattpad, you start by sharing a story, and then if you build a big enough fan base, you may have a chance to work with entertainment companies and publishers looking to feature your work. Just remember, some publishers won’t print work that appears online, so be sure to do your research before uploading your entire novel!

42. Medium

On this writing and reading hub, you’ll find stories, articles, and inspiration that are curated to your taste and written by people like us. Want to share your own writing, photos, or videos? You can do that on Medium—and potentially earn money. The platform lets you see how your stories are performing and what kinds of readers like your writing. It also offers tips for starting a newsletter, submitting to publications, and curating your work.

43. Kindlepreneur

Kindlepreneur is a treasure trove of resources for authors, especially those venturing into self-publishing. From book marketing and advertising strategies to optimizing your Amazon sales page, author Dave Chesson has got you covered with his helpful blog posts, videos, and courses. He also offers free downloadable templates and worksheets to help you plan and execute your book marketing strategy.

44. NY Book Editors

Need help proofreading your manuscript or marketing your book? NY Book Editors provides editing and proofreading services, as well as an extensive blog full of helpful advice for writers. They also offer a free guide to writing the perfect query letter to help you attract agents or publishers—and plenty of other useful publishing and marketing information.

45. Agency Query

If you want to get an agent or a publisher, use Agency Query to build your list of potential agents and publishers. The website also provides features like tracking the status of pitches sent out to agencies, keeping notes on each agency’s submission requirements, and more.

46. The Creative Penn

The Creative Penn is a website run by bestselling author Joanna Penn. It offers a wealth of information on how to, “write, publish and market your book—and make a living with your writing.” Penn also has a vibrant YouTube channel and podcast where she shares advice for authors, helpful if you are a visual or auditory learner.

47. Publishers Weekly

Stay up to date on the publishing industry and get insider tips from publishers, editors, and literary agents with Publishers Weekly. This website offers news, reviews, job postings, and other helpful resources for writers. They also have a dedicated section for independent authors if that’s you.

48. Storiad

Storiad is a tool designed to help you promote and market your book through social media, website creation, book trailers, and more. They offer various packages for authors at different stages of their careers, from beginners to established writers. Storiad can also help you create a professional author website with built-in marketing tools.

49. BookBub

BookBub is a popular platform that lets you promote your book to millions of readers through daily email newsletters, targeted ads, and featured deals. You can submit your book for consideration or use their blog for free marketing advice and trends in publishing. BookBub also offers webinars, courses, and other resources for writers.

50. Author Marketing Club

Author Marketing Club is a community of authors helping each other promote their work through free and paid book promotion tools, tutorials, webinars, and more. They also offer a powerful search engine that allows you to find relevant blogs, websites, and book promotion sites to submit your work for exposure. Joining this club can help you reach a wider audience and get more readers interested in your writing.

How Blurb can help

From collecting inspiration to the final finishing touches, there’s a whole world of tools, websites, support, and advice out there to help you with every stage of writing your own story and making your own book. You have all the tools you need. Now write!

And when you’re ready to publish and share your work with the world, Blurb can help. Our self-publishing platform allows you to turn your manuscript into a professional-quality book, whether it’s a novel, memoir, poetry collection, or any other genre. With customizable book formats and design tools, as well as tons of options for distribution, we make it easy to bring your writing to your fans.

So what are you waiting for? Start creating and sharing your stories with the world today. We believe in you!

***

Blurb is your platform designed to turn the dream of publishing your book into reality. Whether you’re crafting a photo book, a novel, or a poetry collection, we’ve got the tools and support to help you professionally design, self-publish, promote, and sell your work.

The post 50 writing websites and online resources appeared first on Blurb Blog.

Some of the most famous poetry books of all time were originally self-published and self-marketed, like Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman. There’s a long tradition of success with self-published poets, and this new generation is finding an audience dedicated to buying print. Success as a poet doesn’t depend on traditional publishing—now, less than ever.

Have your own collection of poems? Here’s how to put your work in print, so it’s ready for the delight of your friends, fans, and followers:

1. Write a lot of poems

The average poetry collection is between 30 and 100 different poems. To create a unified collection of this size, you’re going to need a big body of work to pare down. So, get writing!

2. Choose your poems

Poetry collections aren’t just about putting all your poems together. They’re about creating a conversation between poems that are related and work together. Choose your poems around a particular theme, idea, style, subject—something with clear commonality to unify it.

3. Decide on your poetry book format

Your book format, in part, determines your number of poems. If you’re planning on black-and-white pages of text, then you’ll only need a trade book, and probably the smallest size. If your poems correlate with visual work, like sketches, photographs, or paintings, then you may want to explore photo books, which offer a range of sizes to complement any kind of work.

4. Organize your poems

Put your poems in order, so that the reader experiences them in the order that lets the conversation unfold. Putting the poems together and in order should feel like you’re writing a poem of poems.

5. Edit your collection

Just like poetry is about creating the deepest meaning with the most powerful, minimal language, you’ll need to ruthlessly edit your collection down to its most essential poems. Take out any poem that isn’t intimately connected to your theme and the others. Save the remaining poems for promoting your book, or for your next collection.

6. Design your page layouts

Poetry books are unique in that the white space around your text is as important as your text. Remember your poems need lots of room to breathe on the page, so people have space to think. Don’t put more than one poem per page, unless it’s a deliberate decision to link two poems that way. Let each one have its own page, and if its longer, as many pages as it needs to surround each part with plenty of white space.

7. Create your poetry book

The best part of self-publishing a poetry book is getting to make all the creative decisions yourself. You decide on paper type, cover, layout, size—all of it. Just be mindful that your book creation decisions have a direct impact on your ability to sell your self-published poetry book. You’ll need to balance your creative vision with the cost of creation so that you can still have a profit margin and sell it at a price your friends, fans, and followers will pay. To create a trade book, which is priced to sell, you can use Blurb’s free book design tool, BookWright.

8. Upload your book and order a proof

No matter how many times you edit your poetry book or how many times you and other people have read it on the screen, there will be inconsistencies and gaps you can’t catch until you’ve printed it. Order a single print copy and check every page and every margin. Read it backward, give it to a friend or professional proofreader—whatever it takes—to find all the mistakes. Your book cannot be edited or changed once it goes into distribution, so you’ll need to catch all the mistakes upfront.

9. Revise and proof your book again

Once you’ve made your edits, order another proof and double-check. Sometimes making changes causes new errors, and again, once your poetry book goes into distribution, it’s not possible to make any changes.

10. Set your book up for sale

Blurb books can be sold through the Blurb Bookstore, or they can be put into distribution through Amazon and others. Blurb photo books and trade books take different selling paths to Amazon, but if you’re working with a digital audience, they can buy your book from any link. How you set your poetry book up for sale depends on the best fit for your profit goals and your audience.

If you’re a poet, this is the time to shine. You have more opportunities than ever to build your audience and more platforms for selling your self-published poetry book. The work you are doing to give language to the human experience and illuminate those human moments belongs in the hands of your readers. Put your poems in print and open new channels—not only for profit—but for getting your words into the world.

The post How to publish a poetry book on your own appeared first on Blurb Blog.

A few years ago, I started trying to get him to write them down. I tried recording some stories after dinner. I gave him a book with questions to answer. But I wasn’t really getting anywhere asking him to write his biography was just too daunting a task.

That’s when I had a simple idea. Each week, I’d email my dad one question about his life—questions like “Where did you go on vacation as a child?” or “What things are you proudest of in your life?” All he had to do was reply with a story. I would share the stories with my brother and then print them all in a book.

As more and more of our friends started using it with their parents, my wife and I decided to launch StoryWorth: the easiest way to record your family stories.

Today, customers around the world are using StoryWorth to record their stories and connect with family members.

One customer has seen her mother come alive because her grandchildren now see her “as a real person”. Another mentioned feeling closer to his father-in-law because they now email once a week instead of speaking only a couple of times a year.

We have a 101-year-old customer who writes her stories without fail each week and one customer who read her mother’s stories at her mother’s funeral.

My son just turned one, and I feel so lucky that he and my father have had a chance to meet each other. Hopefully, they’ll have many more years to get to know each other. But I know that when my son is old enough, I’ll have hundreds of pages of my dad’s stories to share with him.

We’re excited to be partnering with Blurb! Going forward, they will be printing all of our beautiful books (and memoirs). At the end of the year, all your stories will be bound in a keepsake hardcover book. Simply visit StoryWorth.com/blurb for more information.

This has been a special guest post by Nick Baum, StoryWorth.com founder

The post Introducing StoryWorth: An Easy Way to Write Memoirs appeared first on Blurb Blog.

When it comes to books about writing, there are endless guides and manuals that can teach you what to do—and what not to do. Many books find their way onto our writer’s shelves and never leave. But there are those best books on writing that we want to pull out time and time again. We’ve put together a list of five books on writing—the five we can’t get enough of.

The post The Five Best Books on Writing appeared first on Blurb Blog.

Not just limited to selling hardcopy titles in an indie bookstore, blurbs play a vital role in sales of ebooks and digital publications as well. Blurbs have become necessary even for web-based content, like long-form blogs, articles, web pages, and book reviews. 

While the evolution of blurbs extends to many facets of creative writing, we’ll focus specifically on books and help you learn how to write alluring blurbs that move and inspire prospective readers. But before we get into the nuts and bolts of blurb writing, let’s grasp the full meaning behind blurbs and what they do.

What is a blurb?

As the persuasive summary of any book, film, or creative work, a blurb is a short promotional description. Blurbs typically appear on the back cover of printed books and are intended to encourage readers to buy into the book. For ebooks and digital publications, you’ll usually find a blurb after the main cover image or used as the product description in an online bookstore.

Compelling blurbs employ a mindful balance of promotion, psychology, and creativity to highlight the core of a book’s contents without revealing too much information. Think of it as a sales pitch that reels in readers by invoking a sense of interest and curiosity.  Blurbs can also include short snippets about the author or quotes and testimonials from acclaimed readers and critics. In short, there are no hard rules for writing book blurbs. But some practices can help sharpen your blurb artistry.

One challenge you may face in writing a book blurb is length. While there’s no concrete best practice for blurb length, the rule of thumb is to target between 100 and 200 words, with a rough average of 150 words for back cover book blurbs. However, some blurbs can be as few as 50 words and others as long as 250+ words. It largely depends on the nature of the book, your audience, and how much space you have to write.

Tips for writing a compelling book blurb

Several practices can help leverage your blurb as an effective lure. Check out these tips to elevate your blurb writing skills and make your book all the more successful.

1. Align tone with your book and genre

One of the most important aspects of writing a great blurb is appropriately reflecting your book’s tone. If it’s a fiction drama or romance novel, it likely will feel touching, harrowing, and emotional. But if it’s a non-fiction self-help book, your blurb might have a more candid and conversational tone that’s sharp and articulate. Just as aligning your blurb with your book’s tone, matching your blurb’s tone with your book’s genre is critical to sending the right signals and resonating with your audience.

It can be helpful to read blurb examples to get inspired—like the ones at the end of this article. Research blurbs from bestselling (and less popular) books in your genre, too. Take note of the elements that draw you in, word choices that resonate, and blurb formulas that work. This can also provide ideas on structure, flow, and blurb length.

2. Make your opening line count

The opening line of your blurb serves as your first impression. Short, pithy, surprising sentences or jaw-dropping facts will grab the reader’s attention. It’s not a bad idea to lead with your most outrageous claim. We’re not suggesting you make something up, but a clever use of words to create a need-to-know urgency in your reader never hurts.

3. Structure your blurb effectively

When crafting the perfect blurb for your book, a few vital structural elements should be followed. 

• Hook: Determine what’s most compelling and interesting about your book and capture that in the first couple of sentences. The hook should immediately grab the reader’s attention and provide a unique perspective about what your book entails.
• Character: Common across fiction book blurbs, you’ll notice they give readers an enticing sense of who the main characters are. All you need to convey is a brief hint of their personality.
• Conflict: Critical for fiction novels, be sure to share a taste of the underlying conflict driving the story without giving too much away. You want to leave the reader craving more.

Use these components as a guide to writing a blurb that provides substance and intrigue but also has a cliffhanger effect of motivating readers to want to learn more.

4. Share your subject matter expertise

Depending on the type of book you’re self-publishing, it’s also good practice to highlight your experience or successes in the world you’re writing about. It doesn’t have to be more than one sentence, but many authors will reference their book-writing or professional status as it relates to the book.

When you take a look at the blurb examples at the end, you’ll note that most blurbs speak about the author in the third person. So if you’re writing your own, be sure to do the same!

5. Maintain a consistent voice 

Your blurb should be written in the same voice as your book. This sounds like obvious advice, but you’d be shocked to know how many writers miss this mark. 

A potential reader looks at the blurb the same way they would look at the book itself. In a non-fiction book, you sell your knowledge, writing, and yourself. In a collection of short stories, you’re selling your writing abilities and plot lines. 

If the blurb doesn’t represent the typical language you use in your book, the reader will feel a disconnect when they open it to page one. Besides, writing like yourself will only make your words more authentic and impactful.

6. Avoid clichés and overused lines

Openers like “In a world,” “Unlike most people,” and “I always told myself that,” have become overused clichés that you should avoid when writing your book blurb. Clichés are previously-written phrases that have become so popular they’ve lost their impact. Strive for originality and minimize overused lines, not just in your blurbs but in your writing in general.

7. Edit, edit, edit

Remember, blurb writing is an art form. While it feels like it should be relatively easy to write a 150-word blurb when compared to a full book, you shouldn’t expect it to happen quickly. As with any kind of writing, blurb-building requires editing and revisions.

Check for typos and grammar errors as well as unnecessary content that can be cut. You want your blurb short, sweet, and impactful!

Then, once you feel happy with your blurb, have someone else take a look at it for grammar, clarity, interest, and tone. Try sharing it with people who haven’t read your book, too. This will help you to understand if they immediately get what your blurb is trying to convey—and if they’d consider flipping to chapter one.

Book blurb examples and anatomy

While there’s no perfect formula for writing the best blurb for your novel, some patterns are worth noting. Look at the blurb examples below and take notes on how they grab their readers and reel them in. 

Blurb Example #1: Kiss Me Like This by Bella Andre

This is an exemplary model of a well-structured fiction blurb that introduces the romance novel’s main characters, the hook, and the drama-charged conflict that sparks the book’s emotions and allure. The tone and word choice are on-point with the novel’s genre, and the blurb leaves readers wanting more. Plus, the author’s accolades are mentioned at the top, so readers don’t have to worry about the writing style.

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Bella Andre, comes a New Adult contemporary series about The Morrisons!

Sean Morrison, one of six siblings and the top college baseball player in the country, is reeling from a heartbreakingly painful loss. Nothing seems to matter anymore … until the night Serena Britten unexpectedly ends up in his arms.

Serena is a world-famous model who has only ever wanted to be normal, even though her mother has always pushed her to become a superstar. Though it isn’t easy to try to leave everyone and everything she knows behind, Serena is determined to enroll in college. More than anything, she wants to turn her love for books into a new career that she actually loves. Only she never expected to meet someone like Sean on campus—or to be instantly consumed by their incredible chemistry and connection.

But when the pressures of her high-profile modeling career only get bigger and more demanding, will it make living a normal life as a college student–and falling in love with the hottest guy on campus—impossible?

Blurb Example #2: Deskbound: Standing Up to a Sitting World by Kelly Starrett

Using a subtle yet powerful opener that resonates with just about anyone confined to a chair for several hours of the day, this non-fiction blurb helps readers reshape their perception of one of the most fundamental human positions: sitting. Starrett, who seamlessly underlines his credibility as a subject-matter expert on the topic, hits all of the pain points while alluding to the potential solutions readers can expect when they delve into the book.

Sitting can wreak havoc on your health, and not just in the form of minor aches and pains. Recent studies show that too much sitting contributes to a host of diseases—from obesity and diabetes to cancer and depression. The typical seated office worker suffers from more musculoskeletal injuries than those workers who do daily manual labor. It turns out that sitting is as much an occupational risk as lifting heavy weights on the job. The facts are in: sitting literally shortens your life. Your chair is your enemy, and it is murdering your body.

In this groundbreaking new book, Dr. Kelly Starrett—renowned physical therapist and author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller Becoming a Supple Leopard—unveils a detailed battle plan for surviving our chair-centric society. Deskbound provides creative solutions for reducing the amount of time you spend perched on your backside, as well as strategies for transforming your desk into a dynamic, active workstation that can improve your life. You will learn how to:

• Easily identify and fix toxic body positions
• Eradicate back, neck, and shoulder pain
• Mitigate carpel tunnel syndrome forever
• Organize and stabilize your spine and trunk
• Walk, hinge, squat, and carry with peak skill
• Perform daily body maintenance work using fourteen mobility templates for resolving pain and increasing range of motion

Whether your goal is to maximize your performance in or out of the workplace, lose weight, or simply live pain-free, Deskbound will work for you. It is a revolutionary cure for death-by-desk.

Blurb Example #3: The Goldfinch by Donna Tart

In this gripping fiction novel blurb, Tartt wastes no time introducing the main character in his youth and sharing the isolating hardships that challenged his upbringing. Packing a full story in just a few punchy sentences, this eyebrow-raising blurb stokes the reader’s interest while leaving a lot on the table. Tartt’s poetic tone is intoxicating and warming, making The Goldfinch an inviting read for anyone looking to detach from their own reality and explore what life is like in the character’s shoes.

WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE. Theo Decker, a 13-year-old New Yorker, miraculously survives an accident that kills his mother. Abandoned by his father, Theo is taken in by the family of a wealthy friend. Bewildered by his strange new home on Park Avenue, disturbed by schoolmates who don’t know how to talk to him, and tormented above all by his longing for his mother, he clings to the one thing that reminds him of her: a small, mysteriously captivating painting that ultimately draws Theo into the underworld of art.

As an adult, Theo moves silkily between the drawing rooms of the rich and the dusty labyrinth of an antiques store where he works. He is alienated and in love—and at the center of a narrowing, ever more dangerous circle.

The Goldfinch is a mesmerizing, stay-up-all-night and tell-all-your-friends triumph, an old-fashioned story of loss and obsession, survival and self-invention, and the ruthless machinations of fate.

Blurb Example #4: Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins

This autobiography blurb from one of the world’s most disciplined men, David Goggins, sums up his transformation story in just two sentences, solidifying his succinct, no-nonsense attitude. He checks all the boxes establishing his credibility and accolades, which validate the legitimacy behind his book. The tail-end of the blurb effectively dangles a carrot for hardwired Type A personalities who want to get inside his mind. 

For David Goggins, childhood was a nightmare—poverty, prejudice, and physical abuse colored his days and haunted his nights. But through self-discipline, mental toughness, and hard work, Goggins transformed himself from a depressed, overweight young man with no future into a U.S. Armed Forces icon and one of the world’s top endurance athletes. The only man in history to complete elite training as a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller, he went on to set records in numerous endurance events, inspiring Outside magazine to name him “The Fittest (Real) Man in America.”

In Can’t Hurt Me, he shares his astonishing life story and reveals that most of us tap into only 40% of our capabilities. Goggins calls this The 40% Rule, and his story illuminates a path that anyone can follow to push past pain, demolish fear, and reach their full potential.

Blurb Example #5: The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel

Author Morgan Housel is a creative wordsmith who proves that less is more in a concise 128-word blurb for this finance-meets-self-help book. Housel is punchy and conversational in writing, making for uber-efficient information transfer. The concept is approachable and relatable for just about anyone. With subtle clues highlighting his experience, the book blurb wraps by painting a clear picture of the structure of the book and what to expect. 

Doing well with money isn’t necessarily about what you know. It’s about how you behave. And behavior is hard to teach, even to really smart people. Money—investing, personal finance, and business decisions—is typically taught as a math-based field, where data and formulas tell us exactly what to do. But in the real world, people don’t make financial decisions on a spreadsheet. They make them at the dinner table or in a meeting room, where personal history, your own unique view of the world, ego, pride, marketing, and odd incentives are scrambled together. In The Psychology of Money, award-winning author Morgan Housel shares 19 short stories exploring the strange ways people think about money and teaches you how to make better sense of one of life’s most important topics.

Bring your blurb to life

Whether you’re writing a novel or a short story, few selling tools are as critical as a solidly written blurb. Sure, the cover design creates intrigue. But, if you have caught a potential reader’s attention, the blurb is what will sell your book—and convert readers.

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Are you ready to self-publish your book? Get started today!

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You’re sitting at your computer, staring at a blank document. You’re poised in front of your notebook, but can’t seem to move your pen. Sound familiar? Writer’s block strikes again. But you don’t have to suffer for long. Great writers throughout the years have faced this problem and come up with clever tricks to get the words flowing again. If you’re having trouble getting your writing project finished (or started) here is some advice to get you going.

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