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When other readers and writers give good reviews of your book, it will translate into additional sales. Perhaps even more importantly, it increases your name recognition, raising anticipation for and sales of your next title. The challenge then is to find reviewers



First, a word of caution: There’s a difference between asking someone to write a review of your book and paying someone to do so. There are plenty of people who make a living do the latter –but only an honest few will say up front they may write a negative review, for the presumption is if paid they’ll deliver what you want, which is positive press. Going this route, however, only hurts your book. Readers can tell when reviews are fake, and if there are too many good ones on your ŷ������ or Amazon.com page, the sheer volume of them will cause many to wonder if they’re genuine. Asking someone to write a review �� even if it’s negative �� is a whole other story, though. And if someone doesn’t like your book or otherwise feels uncomfortable writing a review, they can simply decline.



So who can you ask to write a review for you? Consider:

n People familiar with your subject matter �� Whether it be colleagues or experts in the field, from teachers of literature if writing a novel to a recognized industry professional if writing a nonfiction title, experts carry the most weight as reviewers. They can speak intelligently about your book’s subject matter and writing style to others interested in the topic, and those in the know usually respect their opinion.

n Exchanging reviews with other writers �� Writers, who often also are critical readers, make for great reviewers as they can relate to your publishing effort. Make an agreement in advance with the fellow writer that if she writes and posts a review of your book, you’ll do the same for her. Add the caveat that if either doesn’t like the book, she doesn’t have to pen one but owes on the next book (unless she doesn’t like that one either). On the downside, many writers feel an empathetic streak for their colleagues so are uncomfortable writing bad reviews; because of this, some potential readers may wonder if the opinion is genuine.

n Friends and family �� As most readers appreciate the thoughts of others just like them, having average everyday people (C’mon, admit it’s true about your friends and family!) pen reviews is a good idea. If not handled correctly, this can be a hue on the dark side of shady, though, as friends and family members are inclined to write only kind words about your book. They only should write a review for you if they honestly believe the book was good, and there should be no hard feelings on your part if they decline.



By the way, giving the reviewer a complimentary copy of your book rather than making her buy it is customary. Fortunately in today’s tech-drenched world, that’s an inexpensive option as you easily can spring for an ebook download or email a free pdf. If the reviewer asks for a paper copy (and this often will be in the case with the mainstream media), send one or resign yourself to not getting a review.



Having your book, business document or academic paper proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. I can provide that second eye.

Another important element of your book cover is the spine or the thin side that is displayed when your volume is snugly tucked between two other books on a shelf. Because this may be the only portion of the book that potential readers at a bookstore, library or friend’s house see, you want to ensure the spine includes the book’s title and your name as author.



When placing this information on the spine, follow three basic rules. First, the bottom of the wording should face the back cover’s edge. That way, when a book is placed face up on a table, the wording on the spine won’t be upside down. Secondly, ensure any portion of the photograph or illustration from the front cover that might wrap over the spine onto the back cover doesn’t interfere with the wording. A black line from the illustration that runs through the wording, for example, might make reading the title or author’s name difficult. Finally, only add your publishing company’s logo if it will fit, and when doing so, put it at the very top or the very bottom of the spine.



A common question that arises when self-publishing is how thick the spine will be. This can affect the size of the artwork if it wraps from the front to the back covers. Two basic factors determine the spine’s thickness:

n Paper quality �� The higher the quality, generally the thicker the spine will be. The typical “white�� paper used in self-publishing has a thickness of .002252 inches per page while a book using paper for color pictures or illustrations is .002347 inches thick.

n Page count �� The total number of pages has the ultimate impact on thickness. This includes every page from the half-title page all the way to the last one before you come to the back cover.



To determine your spine’s thickness, simply multiply the page count by the thickness of the paper you’re using. So a 200-page book using white paper would be 200 x .002252 or .4504 inches thick. A 200-page book using color pages is 200 x .002347 or .4694 inches thick.



Be aware that if your book is fairly thin �� say fewer than a hundred pages �� there may not be enough space on the spine to print your title or any other wording.



Having your book, business document or academic paper proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. I can provide that second eye.

When describing a fair-haired man, don’t use blonde, even if the dude looks like a lady. A flaxen-haired female is a blonde, but a sandy-haired male is a blond (no e, please).



Having your book, business document or academic paper proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. I can provide that second eye.

An editing

client of mine published his first short story this week. Adam Folgers�� “Modification Program�� tells the tale of a late 21st century prison guard and his days overseeing convicts who for punishment must “live�� out their sentences in a holodeck-like program of brutal and inhumane conditions. The story is published in , a webzine that has been going strong for several years now. “Modification Program�� can be .



Having your book, business document or academic paper proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. I can provide that second eye.

Stories don’t have to be told only from the main character’s perspective. Indeed, the story’s author often narrates a story about a character rather be that persona. When this occurs, authors are writing in third-person point of view.



One type of third-person point of view is third-person limited. This is when the narrator tells the story only from the perspective of what the main character can observe and think, but unlike first-person limited, we also observe the main character through the author’s eyes.



Consider this excerpt from �� science fiction short story “Not For an Age��:



A bedspring groaned and pinged, mists cleared, Rodney Furnell awoke. From the bathroom next door came the crisp sound of shaving; his son was up. The bed next to his was empty; Valerie, his second wife, was up. Guiltily, Rodney also rose, and performed several timid exercises to flex his backbone. Youth! When it was going it had to be husbanded. He touched his toes.



Notice how we see events unfolding through the eyes of Rodney Furnell, the main character: waking up, the sounds around him, exercising. We do not see the world through the perspective of his son or his second wife. Further, the word "I" never would appear in the piece unless spoken by someone; that's because Rodney isn't telling the story - the author is. The author even offers a small comment, describing Rodney’s exercises as “timid�� (certainly Rodney would not describe them as “timid��!).



Third-person limited offers several advantages, including:

n Giving the writer more flexibility than first-person point of view �� If the story above were told only from Rodney’s point of view, the author could not offer his perspective on him. The audience no longer would be looking upon the stage that the main character acted but would be standing upon it in the main character’s body.

n Providing a less biased perspective - Stories told in first-person also carry the weight of the main character’s subjective views and perspectives. Sometimes this can make the protagonist less acceptable likeable to a reader who is more enlightened than that character. Third-person limited moves the reader to the usually more enlightened perspective of the author.

n Offering a clear sense of who the reader should identify with and invest in - Stories told only from the main character’s perspective sometimes don’t make that persona the hero but someone whose weaknesses cost him. The author’s insertions in third-person limited show readers how they should view the main character. Because of that, readers often like this point of view.



One danger of third-person limited, however, is that the reader loses a sense of intimacy with the main character. Rather than fully experience the universe with the main character, the reader can feel superior to him. If your goal is to have the reader relate to the main character, this may not be the best choice for your story’s point of view.



Having your book, business document or academic paper proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. I can provide that second eye.

An editing
client of mine, Tony Gaines, this past week published his first novel, . The book follows the story of Tom Jones, a shy Christian adolescent of the 1970s who after surviving an attempted suicide learns to use writing in his diary as a means of communicating with himself as his family settles in on a new life in West Texas. High school football in Texas seems to be the states�� unofficial religion, yet it’s the emergence of television, “the new God,�� that starts to shape Tom’s newly found pop culture world. Then star quarterback Reggie Thomas moves in across the street and takes Tom under his wing, tutoring him on the road to the end of innocence. Will the duo score on a last ditch drive to escape with their souls intact, or will they lose themselves in the forbidding world of sex, drugs, and rock and roll? “Dairy of the Lost Teen Age�� is available in a number of platforms and can be .



Having your book, business document or academic paper proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. I can provide that second eye.

My book

Hikes with Tykes: Games and Activities received Monday at Seattle Backpackers Magazine. “This great little guide contains enough ideas to engage even the most stoic, couch-loving tween,�� wrote Erika Klimecky, editor of SBM and a book about her trek through Nepal. “All in all, Hikes with Tykes: Games and Activities is a great resource for parents who need a little (or a lot) of help encouraging their kids on the trail.�� Hikes with Tykes: Games and Activities can be or at independent bookstores in Minneapolis and the Wisconsin communities of Eau Claire, Menomonie and Hudson.



Having your book, business document or academic paper proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. I can provide that second eye.

By getting the word out about your book, the goal is get people to talk and write about it. This largely will occur when reviews of the title begin to appear. Such reviews might run on blogs about your genre or subject matter (hence the importance of sending them a press release to make them aware of your book), on or ŷ������ pages for your book, or even in published periodicals.



Potential readers often base their decision to buy a book on the reviews. For most, it’s a far more important factor than the price. And the more reviews you have on your page, the better the odds that a potential reader will purchase your book.



Some writers unfortunately fear reviews. After all, your book is your baby, and no one wants someone criticizing their infant, especially in public. Remember, though, that negative reviews aren’t necessarily bad for you. Just because one person doesn’t like something about your book doesn’t mean another reader won’t like it either �� indeed, some readers may not want what the negative reviewer claims was missing from the book and so actually are more inclined to make a purchase in spite of it. Further, if bad reviews appear alongside good ones, a potential reader is more likely to believe that the positive reviews are genuine. If only good reviews of your book appear in your Amazon.com page, then potential readers may believe you’re stacking the reviews in your favor.



Another advantage of reviews is that they tend to increase traffic from social media sites to your website or on online page where your sell your book. If the reviewer posts his review to or Tweets it, then that’s just one more place that someone will learn about your book; if it’s of interest to them, they’ll go to your site to find out more.



Finally, reviews increase the “stickiness�� of your page at Amazon.con or ŷ������; that is, the more reviews there are about your book, the more time a potential reader will spend on your page. And the longer they spend at your site, the more likely they are to buy the book �� or at least to remember the title and make a purchase at another time.



Having your book, business document or academic paper proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. I can provide that second eye.

The most important part of your book’s back cover is the cover blurb. This is the text on the back of the book that attempts to convince a potential reader to purchase the book. To a degree, it tells about the book, but it is more advertising than synopsis.



Once you’ve hooked a reader into actually picking up your book at a brick or mortar store, they’ll likely check out the back cover blurb to see if the book matches what they’re looking for. If writing a novel, the reader might want to learn that there’s lots of action and adventure or perhaps a character undergoing a significant ethical crisis (Much of what the reader is looking for depends on the genre). If writing nonfiction, the reader probably will want to see if the book contains answers to all of the questions in her mind about the subject.



There are no hard and fast rules about writing a cover blurb except that you should thoroughly think about who your audience is and how to best appeal to them in fewer than 200 or so words. You may want to read the cover blurb of several published books in your genre to get a feel for how other authors or marketing wings of major book companies are attempting to accomplish that. You’ll probably notice some common denominators.



Typical elements of a cover blurb include:
n Headline �� This line or two aims to pull the reader into checking out the rest of the blurb and usually is in all caps and in larger type than the text that follows. For example, you might write “The aliens came bearing gifts�� or “Sophie swore she’d never fall in love again.��

n Compelling paragraph �� This can take a variety of forms. It might be a few intriguing lines of text from the book that establish the novel’s central problem or dilemma. It could be positive quotations from reviews. It can be a list of interesting characters and their traits or personal issues.

n Intriguing synopsis �� In three or four sentences at the most, summarize the book, focusing on the central problem or major ethical dilemma facing the main character. Don’t give away the ending, though!

n Encouragement to purchase book �� At the end of the blurb, in a larger point size than the text before it (but smaller than the headline), encourage readers to purchase the book, such as “An all new stunning novel by Randy Polk!�� or “This is your field manual to hiking with kids!��



If possible, sneak the book’s title and author into the blurb.



The blurb can double as a “description�� of the book on your website or your Amazon.com page. For example, the back cover blurb of my book Hikes with Tykes with some minor modifications also is the wording on my website’s home page and is used as the book’s description at Amazon.com.



Here are two examples of back cover blurbs (as used on the book’s websites):

n

n



Having your book, business document or academic paper proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. I can provide that second eye.

An editing
client of mine, David J. Daynes, published his first book this past week. “Made This Way�� follows Daynes�� own personal story of an adopted boy who as growing up struggles with the realization that he is gay and comes to understand that God stood by his side through all of his trials. Along his journey, Daynes is a victim of a teacher’s sexual abuse, overcomes alcoholism, and meets his biological mother. “I re-live my nightmares,�� Daynes said, “…and eventually come to terms with my sexuality �� and my religion. �� It truly was an incredible culmination of Heavenly influence.�� Daynes�� book is available at and .



Having your book, business document or academic paper proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. I can provide that second eye.