By Cali Gilbert You’ll read below how I came to meet Cali at a local publisher’s meeting, but what’s way more impressive to me is the way Cali has persevered to publish the books of her dreams, and how that…

Perhaps you’ve heard that there’s a brand-new, never-before-attempted survey coming out later this week on self-publishing and self-publishers. Real data from real authors is something we’ve been lacking in the indie publishing field. We try to get insight from comments…

We’ve been having some technical problems here at The Book Designer and we’re hard at work fixing things. The site has been offline some of the weekend and we are going through a security audit and hope to have everything…

Another good week for the bloggers who are out to help you get your books published and profitable. Ebooks, audio books, understanding Amazon (a continuing story) and some quick help for your marketing efforts. I’ve added a link to a…

Attention Bloggers: I’ve seen the future, and you’re missing it. Oh sure, we bloggers think we’re the most up-to-date, leading-edge, tech-savvy people on the planet. But one of the biggest changes in the long history of content creation is taking…

I don’t know about you, but I hate disappointing people. Authors have something to say, a message to get out, or a story that has to be told. They may have products to sell, too, but it’s no small thing…

by Nina Amir (@NinaAmir) I wrote about Nina last April when I published Blogging and Books: 4 Questions from Nina Amir. We have a common interest in helping authors use their blogs to produce books, and this article shows just…

I just finished judging half the entries in the Bay Area Independent Publishers Association (BAIPA) annual Book Awards competition. This contest is open to members of BAIPA, an organization that includes many self-publishers but also small independent presses, professionals in…

Welcome to this edition of the e-Book Cover Design Awards. This edition is for submissions during April, 2012. Here’s what we received: 82 covers in the Fiction category 11 covers in the Nonfiction category Award Winners and Listing I’ve added…

One of the amazing things that happens when you start self-publishing is a certain kind of evolution. Almost all self-publishers start off as writers, of course. But it’s what happens next that’s really interesting. Follow along here and see what…

by Leanne Hunt (@LatticeWindows) I “met” Leanne in the comments section to an earlier post on Author Blogging. Part of what she said was: “I don’t think there is anyone else out there writing about the things I do—I am…

The faces looking at me were excited but a little concerned. I had just finished a presentation on how blogging can be an amazing weapon in your book marketing arsenal, the remarkable effects you can achieve by just investing your…

The sun is making more of an appearance every day here in northern California, just the way self-published books are really starting to shine in the book world. Every week publishing your own books seems to become a viable option…

by Susan Daffron Last year was the first time I participated in the Self-Publisher’s Online Conference, and it was a great experience. Run by Susan Daffron and James Byrd, owners of Logical Expressions and longtime self-publishers themselves, this online event…

Do you remember the last time you went looking for a book at the local bookstore? Maybe it was recently, but for a lot of people it might have been some time ago. Now more than ever, book sales are…

Hi, my name is Joel, and I’m an addict. Like a lot of you, my graphic design addiction started innocently enough. It was long ago, in a different and simpler time. There I was, designing brochures and advertisements, keeping the…

Welcome to this issue of the Carnival of the Indies blog carnival. This issue is for April, 2012. We welcome your submissions on topics related to writing, self-publishing, book design or marketing books. This is a collection of articles recently…

by Lin A. Lacombe Lin is one of the first people I met at the Bay Area Independent Publishers Association (BAIPA) meetings when I joined several years ago. As a board member and past president she put in an incredible…

Let me ask you a question: Do you think bloggers are broadcasters, or conversationalists? This isn’t a trivial question, it gets right to the heart of your online writing, the blogging style you adapt, and your relations within your own…

As interest has continued to grow in self-publishing in the past few years, thousands of writers have jumped in to test the waters. Some have had a good experience and sold books, made friends and learned a lot of new…

Spring is rapidly encroaching and brushing off the winter doldrums. Announcements, launches and openings shouldn’t keep you from these great articles this week. We’ve got ereaders, ghostwriters, social media marketing and the real cost of self-publishing. Dive right in. Nate…

In the May/June issue of Writer’s Digest, you’ll find my feature article on “Publishing Strategies for Savvy Self-Publishers.” Here’s a brief excerpt where I talk about getting specific with your approach to publishing: Understanding your own goals and expectations is…

by Paul La Rosa (@PaulLaRosa) I met Paul La Rosa when he was referred to me by friend and fellow blogger Betty Ming Liu. Paul’s story of growing up in the projects of New York City and climbing up the…

Back when I was growing up, science fiction was full of wonders that seemed impossible at the time. One that fascinated me was the “personal communicator,” like those used by Captain Kirk on Star Trek. These amazing devices would…

Important Note: TheBookDesigner.com will be offline Wednesday night – Thursday morning (depending on where you’re located) for 1 – 4 hours while we switch to a new server. Switching Servers for Better Performance My little blog on book design has…

Have you spent any time on Goodreads, the big reader site? I’ve been building a platform there for a few months, but haven’t written about it yet. Goodreads is a great place to meet people who love books, and love…

Anyone who wants to do their own book design can spend some very worthwhile time studying books that are old. I mean really old, like going all the way back to the beginning of printed books. Early on, I found…

Lots of action in indie publishing this week, and some great articles for your examination. Of the many, here are my five: Russell Blake on Russell Blake Thank you readers!!! “It is possible to make good money as a self-pubbed…

Book discounts can be confusing and make your head hurt. Should you give a big discount to stimulate distribution? Or a small discount to maximize your per-book profit? And if you pick the wrong one, will retailers shun your book?…

At some point in the mythic past, soon after blogging itself was invented, some enterprising web designer married the blog to a sidebar. Sidebars—the narrow vertical area next to the text of a blog, on one or both sides…

One of the subscriptions I’ve held onto through a lot of inbox purging over the last year is the feed from Nieman Journalism Labs, a part of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University. Even though its subjects are…