This Week on Books Direct -
9 December 2018
Here's a list of some great articles you may have missed this week. Enjoy!
Heinlein’s Rules For Writers by James Scott Bell for Kill Zone Blog
Read James’s commentary on Heinlein’s “Five Rules for Writers”.
You’ve Finished Your First Novel! What To Do Now: 7 Do’s And Don’ts by Anne R. Allen
So, you finished your first novel during NaNoWriMo last month. What comes next?
Tuk Tuk Library Brings Joy Of Books To Jakarta's Poorest Children by Hassan Ghani for Al Jazeera News
The mobile library bringing books to children in some of Jakarta's poorest neighbourhoods.
Campaign: Governments Must Support Indie Author Earnings Through Encouraging Financial Independence by Orna Ross for ALLi
Orna Ross, founder and director of the Alliance of Independent Authors, calls for governments to recognise and support indie authors and the contribution they make to society and to the global economy by encouraging and facilitating financial independence and business education.
A collection of 60 Beatrix Potter first editions, including the much-loved author’s first book The Tale Of Peter Rabbit published in 1902, is to be sold at auction.
2018: The Year Of AI-Powered Communication by Devon Delfino for Grammarly Blog
Every year brings with it new innovations to be mastered and new challenges to tackle. But when it comes to writing technology, this is clear: It was a year of artificial intelligence-powered tools and features.
9 Ways To Share Your Favorite Books With Fans by Audrey Derobert for BookBub
Every author understands the value of people recommending their books, driving exposure via word of mouth and ultimately boosting sales. But what some authors might not know is the value of making book recommendations themselves. Recommending books can be a great way to engage with fans, find new readers, and boost fellow authors.
“Axe The Reading Tax”: Book Industry Demands End To VAT On Ebooks by Alison Flood for The Guardian
Following EU directive that allows governments to waive duty on digital publications, calls grow for the UK to end “illogical
and unfair” levy.
Dumb It Down, Or Clear It Up? by David Leonhardt for The Happy Guy Writing Services
When you write in plain English, you are not “dumbing it down”. You are clearing things up.
What Makes A Compelling Romance Novel? by Ann Leslie Tuttle for Reedsy Blog
Romance eaders come to the genre knowing they will (almost) always get a happy ending in which the protagonists find and profess their love. Therefore, it’s usually the writer’s crafting of the two main characters and their emotional journeys is what will keep the reader hooked. Here’s a list of trouble spots and ways to surmount them.
Attract Instagram Followers Like Magnets by Bonny Albo for Mark Dawson’s Self Publishing Formula
Are you an Instagram newbie? Find out how to attract more followers.
Money Management For Authors by Jaren Nichols for The Creative Penn
Most creative types are more interested in honing their craft than bookkeeping - but making a good living as an author or freelance writer depends on more than just your wordsmithing. Whether writing is your side-hustle or full-time gig, managing money well is what will keep you in business.
Nearly 130 Public Libraries Closed Across Britain In The Last Year by Sian Cain for The Guardian
Services continue to be targets for local authority budget cuts, with remaining services increasingly reliant on voluntary staff.
5 Tough Tips For Surviving (And Triumphing Over) Really Rotten Book Reviews by Pamela James for Writer’s Digest
Negative reviews of your work can cut deep. Author Pamela Jane offers five proactive measures you can take to stay strong and move forward when dealing with bad book reviews.
Goodreads Choice Awards: Best Books 2018 by Goodreads
Announcing the winners of the 10th Annual Goodreads Choice Awards, the only major book awards decided by readers. Congratulations to the best books of the year!
Further to last week’s article, the result is now in:
Literary Review’s Bad Sex in Fiction Award by Literary Review
And the winner of the 26th Bad Sex in Fiction Award is … James Frey has won the 26th annual Literary Review Bad Sex in Fiction Award for Katerina. Warning: graphic sex scenes.
If you enjoyed this blog post, please visit the other This Week posts for links to more great articles.
