It’s one of the first questions new authors ask us: “How long should my book be? How many words should I write in my manuscript?” Here is some useful guidance, from children’s books to fantasy novels.

Go straight to the Infographic

First-time authors come to us for help to take their book idea to the next level. One of the first issues to address is the desired word count of the book. That determines everything from the ghostwriting fee to the outline they’ll need for their manuscript. We get questions like:

• How many words make a novel?
• How many words should your first novel be?
• What should be a picture book word count?
• What should be a fantasy novel word count?
• What’s the minimum word count for a novel?

[Read more…]

The stories we love best are filled with subtle (and not-so-subtle) lessons and perspectives. These quotes from 15 modern Canadian books offer unique insights into the lives we live.

Most people look for words of wisdom in self-help books or in the Bible or other religious guides. But you will find much to think about in the passing comments of characters in works of fiction and other books, too.

Consider my favourite motivational quote: [Read more…]

It is right to rethink old literature. But does cancel culture amount to book burnings?

It was on Twitter that I first saw news that people were cancelling Dr. Seuss. Sooner or later, everybody gets cancelled, but I could not imagine why anybody would pick on Dr. Seuss, a childhood favorite of mine.

It turns out that all the discussion is because Dr. Seuss Enterprises, the organization in charge of Dr. Seuss’s legacy, announced that it would no longer publish six of his books, saying that “These books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong.”

It was a proactive action. But it got media play and people have weighed in both against and for Dr. Seuss. [Read more…]

Entrepreneurs! Consultants! Experts! CEOs! Professionals! Have you written your book yet? If not, now is the time.

This blog post is specifically written for anyone whose personal reputation is vital to their business success.

If your credibility, if your knowledge and skill, if your personality can help increase your conversion rate, keep reading.

If your credibility, if your knowledge and skill, if your personality can help increase the value of your sales, keep reading.

If your lack of credibility, if your unknown skills, if your unexplored personality can – oops! – lose you sales and cost you business, keep reading. [Read more…]

Writing and publishing are two different worlds. But if a writer self-publishes, one needs to know a few things about publishing.

There’s nothing quite like the high of finally completing you manuscript. Yes!

But a manuscript is not a book. You still have to get it published.

And you have many options for publishing. [Read more…]

If you plan to self-publish your novel, the most important thing you will ever write is the cover blurb for your book. Here’s how to do it right (with examples from top authors of the 21st century).

If you self-publish, you have to do it all. That includes preparing the cover of your book. Just as the packaging helps sell crackers and cereal, the cover sells the book.

Yes, people do judge a book by its cover.

A cover is more than just a title and an image. On the back, people read the author’s bio. They read the reviews. They look at the author’s picture. But most of all, they read the back cover blurb. Those few lines answer the book buyer’s critical question:

“What’s this book all about?”

[Read more…]

To publish your book through a traditional publisher, you will need a literary agent and a query letter. These query letter tips will help.

Whether you have written the next great literary masterpiece or a reputation book to promote your business, one hard truth appears at the end of your last edit. You still have to get it published. As we zoom through the 21^st century, you have more publishing options than Agatha Christie or Mark Twain had. [Read more…]

eBooks are taking over the world of reading. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Here are some pros and cons of eBooks.

A book is no longer just a stack of papers bound together. More and more people are reading electronic books, or eBooks. Some are PDFs. Some are on Kindle. Some come in various other formats.

There are pros and cons of eBooks replacing paper books. Before I list a few, let me say that I still love paper. I spend so much time staring at a screen for work, that I really don’t want to stare at a screen when I don’t have to. But there are some undeniable advantages to eBooks. [Read more…]