There is a common myth in adult literary circuits that young adult (YA) books are just for teens. Adults are old and should therefore read mature, realistic content; suffering is key, and the weight of reality should permeate every page. They also say that the prose and vocabulary of adult novels should be elevated and more complicated than in YA novels. So what could young adult literature possibly offer to sophisticated adults?
Style guides and style sheets are both important documents to use when editing. Both style guides (standard and in-house) outline the style, grammar, and layout guidelines that the manuscript should follow. Editors should be familiar with both style guides and consistently apply them to the manuscript. Style sheets are just as important, and as an editor, you should always be sure that you match what is on the style sheet for the manuscript you are working on.
Giving up your writing to others—being vulnerable to their feedback—is the key to sparking the creativity that is essential to good writing.
Readers should trust the process of translation and not fear reading stories from other languages. Translated books transport readers not only to places far away but to places where the authors grew up, and their experiences open windows into new territories, bring up new feelings, and offer broader perspectives.
Less intimidating than it sounds, a "book mock-up" is the general term for a number of online templates that are designed to turn your cover image into 3D promotion graphics just like the professionals make. Keep reading to learn more about how to create book mock-ups, where to find them online, and suggestions on where to use them in your book's marketing materials.
Dark skies, misty drizzle, and towering trees hang heavily over the treasures of fantasy in Portland. The Pacific Northwest is home to a host of fantasy authors, and our city is no exception. Here are three authors who span fantasy's roots to fantasy's present in this beloved genre.
Recently, an uptick of hate and xenophobic violence has called attention to charities such as Stop AAPI Hate and #HATEISAVIRUS, which work to end systemic violence and protect Asian communities in America. A list of charities to support, including the ones above, can be found here. In the meantime, you can help uplift Asian American voices by supporting the works of Asian American authors who create and contribute to the richness, diversity, and culture of the Pacific Northwest.
You've written a book, and it's been published—now what? First of all, congratulations! It's not easy to get to this point. If your book has done well in the domestic market, you might consider trying your chances abroad. Like any new venture, research is key. A quick perusal of international editions of books reveals that they all have different covers—even American books published in England (or vice versa) get different covers.
This post will give you a few tips, tricks, and resources to help you get your book baby into the right hands and onto the shelves. As anyone familiar with publishing will tell you, publishing itself is a process.