Latest Articles
The Printed Book is Here to Stay – A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Ohio
As many of you know, I have been a bit “under wraps” since this time last year. Over that year, there have been quite a few technology changes … all seemingly pointing to the demise of the printed book. Within a few short days and about 5 hours hanging around airports, I’m convinced that the … Read More
Infants, Tots, and Toddlers?
Welcome to the Coach’s Corner! If you’ve talked with me live, you’ve probably heard me say, “your book is your baby!” Most everyone agrees when I suggest that you need to let a manuscript gestate as long as it needs to gel into a well-put-together book. “You can’t rush that baby!” … Read More
Writing & Publishing Books Today
The last year has been filled with uncertainty because of all the transitions in the publishing industry. As a result, many writers have been searching for new directions with the collapse of the economy and transition in the publishing industry to high-profile celebrity authors. Meanwhile, … Read More
Mastering Theme in Storytelling
This article is a continuation of my “Best advice I’ve learned” series. You can catch up on my other posts by clicking the links below. The competencies I cover here are my interpretation from my favourite fiction-writing book: Story Engineering by Larry Brooks. A re-cap: Story Engineering … Read More
Do You Know Your Non-Fiction Book’s Best Target Audience?
One question I ask emerging authors is, "Who is your primary audience (target market)?" They often say, "Everyone needs my message." They have an idea and just start writing. They don't think ahead with a marketing point of view, so sadly their books and their services don't sell well. My answer is, … Read More
What’s an Amazon Five-Star Review Worth? Pervasive Fraud Devalues Praise, Tars Honest Authors with Same “Cheater” Brush
I attended college at the University of Virginia, one of a relatively small group of schools (including all the military academies) with an honor code, and one of the very few whose code is totally student-administered. The terms of the code are clear: any student caught lying, cheating or … Read More
Past Articles
Infants, Tots, and Toddlers?
Welcome to the Coach’s Corner! If you’ve talked with me live, you’ve probably heard me say, “your book is your baby!” Most everyone agrees when I suggest that you need to let a manuscript gestate as long as it needs to gel into a well-put-together book. “You can’t rush that baby!” … [Read More...]
ASK RON: “How in the world do I know what a good price range is when considering publishing options for my book? So far the cost has been between $550-$2000.”
This is probably the most common question I’m asked by new authors wanting to self-publish. How much? The answer to this lies somewhere between “How much is a car?” and “How much is your $14.95 muffler?” Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of what you are going to find on the Internet … [Read More...]
“I Hate My Editor!”
Do you writers seriously think your editor doesn’t know how you really feel about him or her? Oh sure, most of you are polite enough when interacting directly with editors. But I’m not delusional. I know what you’re really thinking when it’s you and your heavily marked-up manuscript that … [Read More...]
The Corporate Kiss
Again I stand on the verge of a familiar milestone with an unfamiliar wisdom. Feverishly I type away the midnight oil with the sounds of tapping on laptop keys. “The End” will bless the final page of my second novel and I cannot help but to dwell on the journey before this one. I cannot help but … [Read More...]
Recent Comments