Duo Storytelling

Forever a fantasy writer? Take a stab at sci-fi or action-adventure. Always been a plotter? Try out being a pantser for a moment. You only know your limits when you test them. Want more writing tips? Check out our blog: https://buff.ly/3uDNqPo #Publishing #SelfPublishing #Amazon #AmazonKDP #KDP #Kindle #writer #writerscommunity #writercommunity #amwriting #justwrite #fiction #nonfiction

If you happen to be one of those writers who obsessively edits as they go… this one’s for you. We promise that weird-feeling sentence will still be there later if you step away. Looking for more writing content? Sign up for our newsletter: https://buff.ly/3uDNqPo #Writer #Author #SelfPublish #SelfPublishing #Amazon #AmazonKDP #Kindle

Character development isn't usually our first thought when thinking about satisfying readers. Often we focus on an exciting plot or a big, unexpected twist. But authors shouldn’t underestimate the importance of sending their characters on a transformative journey. ???????? ???? ?????????????????? ??????????????????????? The term character development has a couple of meanings. The first is the process of creating a character, their personality traits, motivations, and so on before you write.? The second definition of character development refers to the process of change that your characters experience throughout your story. It’s literally how they develop in your story! Today, we’ll be focusing on the second form of character development. ?????? ???????? ?????????????????? ?????????????????????? ????????????? Character development matters because static characters are, well, kind of boring. What’s the point of seeing a character go through an epic adventure or overcome hardship if they aren’t affected by it? Imagine if Harry Potter came out of the maze in The Goblet of Fire and then immediately went to have a butterbeer as if nothing had happened. It would be a bit of a letdown, right? In other words, character development provides a payoff for your reader. Let’s dive in. ?????? ???????? ???? ?????????? ???????? ?????????????????? ?????????? For you to understand how your character changes throughout your story, you first have to understand who they are at the start.? This means establishing some basics, like general character traits, motivations, desires, and flaws. A character’s flaws make the character feel real but also behave imperfectly. That means a well-developed character will make mistakes, take wrong turns, or sometimes get in their own way. For example, an arrogant character might overestimate their ability to make something happen, and their failure may set the plot in unexpected directions.? ?????????????????? ?????????????????????? ???????????????? ?? ???????? ?????????? It’s not enough for you to know your character before they start developing in your story; your reader needs to have a good feel for them as well. This is why it’s important to show your reader who your characters are early on. You can do this through character action, dialogue, or even narrative backstory. Just don’t start info-dumping. That can cost you a reader’s attention. Focus on building dynamic scenes that allow you to explore both your character as well as the story you’re setting up. Take a mystery novel for example: You could show personality through candid conversation between characters in a scene that also reveals new evidence for your mystery. Now that the basics are out of the way, next week we tackle the meat and potatoes. ???????? ??????????????: https://buff.ly/3yZAWDU #Amazon #KDP #Kindle #Publishing #SelfPublish #SelfPublishing

Sometimes it seems like more fun to get started NOW, but that’s usually because we’re ignoring the issues this creates later. Don’t rush through your creative process. Hang out. Marinate in your brilliance a little. Want more writing tips? Sign up for our newsletter: https://buff.ly/3uDNqPo #Selfpublish #Selfpublishing #Amazon #AmazonKDP #Kindle #Writer #Author

Last week we talked all about how ARC readers can be the linchpin to self-publishing success. Now that you're in-the-know, let's talk about how to actually get your first ARC readers. ?????????? ???? ?? ???????? ?????? ??????????????? A common question among self-published authors is, How the heck do I even find people to read my ARCs? Luckily, there are a couple of ways you can make this happen: ???????? ??????-?????????????? ?????????????? ???????????? Search out ARC reading groups on social media websites like Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram. There is even a dedicated subreddit, r/ARCreaders, where authors can promote their work for reviews. ?????? ?? ?????????????? There are a number of businesses and organizations that offer ways to connect authors with advanced copy readers. Voracious Readers Only allows authors to submit applications to give twenty copies of their book to VRO’s exclusive ARC reader list. There are also sites such as NetGalley, BookSirens, and BookSprout that can connect authors and ARC readers. However, some of these options ask for compensation up front, so it’s important to consider cost as you plan. ?????????? ?? ???????????????????? A newsletter, or mailing list, can be fertile ground for finding ARC readers. If someone wants to sign up for your newsletter, they’re probably interested in your writing. Don’t shy away from putting yourself out there and building a community of your own. You’ll get better support for your future work because of it. ?????????? ?????????????? ???????? ???????????? ?????????????? One tried-and-true way of getting a solid ARC review is to find other authors in need of the same. Don’t hesitate to seek out writers in your genre and ask if you can swap ARC copies. They get a review, you get a review, and your network grows in the process. ?????????? ???????????????? Whether you choose to go grassroots or pay for a service, finding ARC readers is essential to positioning yourself credibly as an author. Find the path that works best for you and run down it. But whatever you do, don’t ignore this critical step. ???????? ??????????????: https://buff.ly/4cjZKEj #selfpublish #Amazon #KDP #AmazonKDP #Ebooks #Selfpublishing #Publishing

ARC Readers—reviewers who read books before they’re published—are an important asset for any self-published author. From providing important feedback to adding a layer of credibility, they can be critical to a book’s success. ???????? ?????? ?????? ??????????????? The answer is hidden in the acronym. ARC stands for advanced reader copy, which is the term for a book that is publish-ready but not available to buy just yet. ARC readers are the people who read those pre-published copies and provide last-minute feedback before the book hits shelves. Much like beta readers, ARC readers are usually unpaid, where the reward for their time is a free copy of the book. ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????????????? ??????????????????? ARC readers provide an essential function in both the traditional and self-publishing industries by providing insight as well as reviews and quotes for promotional use. You’ve probably seen it before: a newly released book that somehow already has review blurbs—sometimes in the book description itself. Those come from ARC readers, and they can be critical to adding credibility to your book. It’s pretty simple: people feel more confident reading a book that someone else has vouched for. This can be especially true for indie authors, where gaining name recognition can be difficult. But ARC readers are good for more than blurbs for your listing. Sometimes they’re the last line of defense for plot errors or story inconsistencies. By using ARC readers, authors can also capture any other errors or missteps that were missed by previous editors, beta readers, or sensitivity readers. ?????? ????. ???????? ?????????????? You might be thinking that ARC readers are sounding more and more like another group of publishing heroes: beta readers. However, there is a distinct difference between the two. While both ARC and beta readers provide pre-publishing feedback, they support different phases of the process. Beta readers are often engaged earlier in the process when feedback may focus on critical areas of improvement. ARC readers are brought in after the drafts and edits are done to provide feedback on the “finished” product before last-minute adjustments. Next week we'll cover how to find these all-important ARC readers. Or you can jump ahead and read the full article on our website. Full Article: https://buff.ly/4cjZKEj #SelfPublished #Selfpublishing #Publishing #Author #Amazon #Kindle #KDP

Don’t get us wrong, feedback is important too, but nothing will beat what your gut is telling you. You’re the author for a reason. Interested in more writing content? Sign up for our newsletter: https://buff.ly/3uDNqPo #writer #publishing #selfpublish #amazon #kindle #KDP #Kindlepreneur

Last week we talked about what you need to know before you start your book research process to make it easier. This week, we dive into how to get down to some good, old-fashioned search queries and source vetting. ?????? ???????????? ?????????????? ???????????? These days it’s unlikely that a text won’t reference multiple online sources. However, it’s important to know how to find the best possible search results. While typing a keyphrase into a search engine might get you a list of possible links, the top results may not be the best or most reliable. They’re just the highest ranked. To better refine your results, take full advantage of the search tools at your fingertips: - Use words like AND, OR, or NOT to refine how the search engine returns results. Using “AND” will combine your search terms. “OR” will have it search one search term or another. “NOT” will tell the search engine to ignore a particular word. - Use quotation marks around your search terms to find results that contain the exact word or phrase. - Refine results to the domain type you’re interested in by adding “site:” and the type of website you’d like in the results. This could be .edu, .gov, .org, etc. ???????? ???????????????? ?????????? Don’t short-change yourself with vague information capture. When gathering sources and supporting information, remember to take note of why it’s important, what purpose it serves, and how it supports your message. This helps you better understand your structure and how information flows from one point to the next. Equally important is ensuring that you capture all the needed information to convey your intended message. When in doubt, reference your outline to make sure all your dots are connecting. ???????? ?? ???????? ???????????? ???????? ?? ?????? ?????? It’s important more important now than ever to know when you’re getting bad information. This may mean brushing up on your media literacy and doing some pre-research into which publications, professionals, or organizations are in good standing. Critically, don’t go with sources just because they support the narrative or concepts you’re building. Giving in to confirmation bias can kill your credibility, so it’s best to stick with sources that have clear, replicable information. When in doubt, always look for a second or third source that confirms your findings. This greatly reduces the chances of being misled and ending up with egg on your face. Read the full article here: https://buff.ly/4fiHdLc #Publishing #Published #SelfPublish #Authors #Amazon #KDP #Kindle #Editor

Writing a successful nonfiction book takes more than a good idea or even decades of personal knowledge. It also takes detailed research and dedication to successfully drive your message home. If you're new to publishing, brushing up on research for beginners is a great place to start. ???????????????????????? ???? ?????? ???? ???????????????? ?????? ?????????????????? One of the most important parts of research takes place before you start your first Google search: creating a system to organize all that information. Organization is important to research for beginners because it helps you keep track of what is going where and where more research may be needed. The best system for organization is the one that works for you. There's no one-size-fits-all solution. Depending on your author style, research organization might look like a collection of databases, spreadsheets, or productivity platforms like Trello or Notion. Organization can even be nondigital, such as physical folders, color-coding systems, or some combination of all of them. Use whatever approach best helps your process. ???????????? ?????????????????? ???????? ?????????????? To conduct effective research, the first step is to figure out what you need to know. A strong outline gives you a head start in that direction. When outlining, it’s important to consider not just what you want to talk about, but the potential knowledge base your readers will have that differs from yours. Those are nooks and crannies that will often lead to more information and research gaps to pursue. ???????? ?????? ?????????????????? ???????? While working with your outline, note sections or chapters that will need supporting information, case studies, quotes, or other content. In particular, look for a mix of information supporting high-level insights and more granular, specific anecdotes. Looking for gaps helps you build the skeleton of your research needs and highlights further areas where research might be required. To save time, and for the best results, consider having peers or a professional look over your outline to help highlight weaker areas. ?????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? Once you have your outline and have found some of your knowledge gaps, split your research into buckets to keep yourself from running in too many directions at once. These buckets could be organized by topic, chapter, asset (e.g., quotes and case studies), or theme. By separating research into categories, you're better equipped to conduct lean, effective research and cut down on lost time by researching multiple points at once.? Next week we dive into the nitty gritty of the actual research process. ???????? ?????? ???????? ?????????????? ????????: https://buff.ly/4fiHdLc #Selfpublished #Selfpublishing #Nonfiction #Amazon #Kindle #KDP #Publishing

Last week we talked about the fundamentals of keywords for your KDP listing. This week we're tackling how to find an efficient combination of keywords to get your book noticed. ?????????????????? ?????? ???????????????? A successful keyword strategy often involves combining keywords to create more specific search phrases. This can be critical to differentiating yourself in a sea of genre fiction or nonfiction, as it helps narrow the search for the right readers. For example, instead of romance, you might use historical romance, or contemporary romance suspense depending on your subgenre or themes. Niching down like this helps you access those specifically looking for what your book offers. If you find yourself struggling to combine keywords effectively, go back to the research phase. It may take some time for you to lock in what you need. ???????? ?????????? ?????????? ???????????????? ?????? KDP listings have special fields for your keywords, but you shouldn’t neglect to optimize your blurb either. Incorporate genre and theme keywords into your description to help boost your search results outside of Amazon. Just don’t go overboard—your blurb should still read like a blurb, not a hashtag section. ?????? ???? ?????? ???? ???????????? ???????????????? Now that you know how to choose the right keywords, let’s talk about getting them into your listing. Adding or updating keywords in your KDP listing is a straightforward process: - Log in to your Amazon KDP account. - Go to your Bookshelf and select the book you want to update. - Click on the “Edit eBook details” or “Edit paperback details” link. - Scroll down to the “Keywords” section and enter your chosen keywords. - Save and publish your changes. - Review and Update Keywords Regularly - Self-publishing is a dynamic world and keyword trends can change quickly. To keep your listing relevant and maintain your book’s visibility, regularly review and update your keywords. Not only does this maximize the lifetime sales of your book, but it also keeps you apprised of what’s happening in your market. You don’t need to research every day, but it’s important to keep yourself aware of shifting interests and attitudes. Set a regular time to review your listing, whether that’s every month, quarter, or whatever works for you. When things feel out of date or sales start to slow, it may be time to revisit research mode. No matter what genre or market you’re in, the prepared self-publisher will always come out ahead, so make sure you’re one of them! ???????? ?????? ???????? ?????????????? ????????: https://buff.ly/3T3rmHg #publishing #Amazon #KDP #Kindle #Selfpublishing