When creating your novel, there is an abundance of information to be found online about book cover designs, manuscript assessments/copy editing/proofreading, as well as practical tools such as book typesetting services and essential topics such as book marketing/publicity. But the practical parts of publishing, like print on demand and Ebook distribution, are just part of the puzzle to creating and publishing your first novel.  Most of the real blood, sweat and tears takes place at the start, when drafting and writing your novel and a lot of it comes down to character. When you've spent months, or indeed years, slaving over your novel, there is nothing worse than a reader saying that your characters were 'thin', soulless or otherwise unbelievable.  Writers could learn a lot from actors, who use tools such as 'Method Acting' or the 'Michael Chekhov Acting Technique' to achieve robust, deep and authentic characters. Several world class actors ...

There is nothing more exciting than seeing your book at a bookstore the title peeking out amongst writers you might admire or aspire to. If you are lucky enough to have the cover facing out, shiny and colourful in its resplendence, then be even more grateful; shelf space is limited as publishers vie for attention in a hyper-competitive market and only the most eye catching book cover designs tend to be displayed. But how likely is it that your novel will even make it into a physical bookstore? By looking around at any major retailer, you wouldn't think it would be difficult, but for every book you see, there are countless others which didn't make it. Based on the trends of global book and Ebook distribution, I'd like to talk about the challenges and opportunities for getting your book sold at a physical retailer, compared to relying solely on Print on Demand (POD) and Ebook distribution channels. Like many industries today, the publishing industry is incred...

Have you always dreamt of being a children's author?  Or maybe you have been inspired by the children's books you have discovered whilst browsing in the book store for a child who is close to your heart?  I spoke with Publicious author of children's book Trip to Greece, Melina Mallos, about her tips for writing for children.  Melina, who was born and raised in Greece until the age of 6, is a high profile blogger and commentator on the subject of childhood intercultural understanding and appreciation for a number of years. She published her first bilingual children's picture book in 2015, titled Catch that Cat!  Publicious published her second book, Trip to Greece, a few months ago! Here is some advice for all those who are keen to explore the world of print on demand and Ebook distribution in the children's book sector. Once you have completed the hard part, which is creating the story, the rest is quite straight-forward. There are nume...

Many authors who publish via affordable book publishing services underestimate the importance of a presence on social media. In actual fact, this is an important part of your book marketing/publicity strategy. Here is why you need to get tweeting, posting and commenting: Most popular authors have a strong following on their facebook, Instagram, Twitter and even YouTube platforms. This is where they share news and updates about their current and future book launches, tours and signings. Their 'fans' tend to know ahead of time when they have a new book coming out, and thanks to their social media fan base, authors sell a large number of books in pre-sales, before it has been even published.  Global Book/ Ebook Distribution and Print On Demand services (organised for you by your affordable book publishing service) allow authors to easily sell their book/s to people all around the World. Social media will reach people everywhere, so you can gather a globa...