Publishing Lessons Introduction & Bios

This video goes over the bios of your award-winning instructors. 

All about Editing

Learn about the different types of editing and which you need for different stages of your book’s development and production, how to process and act on alpha and beta reader feedback, and how to develop an editing plan unique to your goals and your book’s purpose.

Deciding How to Publish: Traditional Publishing versus Other Common Paths

Learn about the different paths to publishing (trad, indie, hybrid, oh my!), the pros and cons of each, and how your goals, timeline, platform, and book’s topic affect which path you choose.

Literary Agents 101

Discover what a literary agent can do for your author career. This class goes into depth on why you may want an agent; what agents are looking for (in other words, how to get out of the slush pile!); when you should start querying; the best places to find reputable agents; how to write queries, synopses, and book proposals; navigating rejection like a pro; and best practices for pitching and selling yourself as a professional that agents and publishers want to work with.

Introduction to Publishing Law

Get clear on the basics of publishing law to protect yourself and negotiate like a pro! Lawyer and senior literary agent Jaqui Lipton covers FAQs about traditional publishing contracts and royalty statements, plus explains copyright, trademark, defamation (safely writing about others), fair use, and more. No matter your publishing path or the size of your publisher, the resources and information in this module are not to be missed!

Indie Publishing Paths: In-Depth Overview

Dive deep into self-publishing must-knows to understand the different types of indie-publishing services available today, the pros and cons of each, and how to determine which publishing plan lines up with your goals, budget, and timeline. 

Cover Design

Despite the long-standing advice, we all judge a book by its cover! And, as one of your most important marketing tools, you want yours to pass muster. Avoid common mistakes and woo your target audience into clicking BUY with the time-tested strategies publishers and professional cover designers use to ensure a marketable cover.

Writing Your Backliner

Your book description (sometimes called a blurb, backliner, or jacket / back cover copy) is a critical marketing tool. Competing with the front cover for importance, it will make or break your sales. Readers will expect to tell—in just a few seconds of skimming your blurb—if this book will solve their problems, intrigue and awe them, or transform their lives. So you need to know the tips and tricks to effective book copy. Get it wrong and they stop reading. Get it right and watch those clicks pour in!

Navigating Distribution and Royalty Statements 

Save time learning how to quickly navigate and understand your royalty statements from various distributors. Plus, get some insider tips that will prevent confusion and frustration if you have more than one distributor making your books available to stores.