7
Suggestions
to New, Aspiring Writers
By Breakfield and Burkey
https://pixabay.com/photos/writing-writer-notes-pen-notebook-923882/
B
reakfield and Burkey recently attended
fiction typically has a cover reflective of the con-
a live author-selling event at a library
tent rather than a dark background with a hooded
in a small town in North Texas. Many
killer, whereas self-help appeals to a problem the
attendees were avid readers, but were
content solves. The words, covers, formatting, dia-
also interested in becoming writers. The event was
logue, pictures, or call-outs stem from your choice.
well attended, and we thought others might enjoy
Making this one selection doesn’t mean you are
the discussion. We selected the best ones to share.
stuck forever. But each manuscript must get tar-
For argument’s sake, let’s say you can’t decide on being a full-time or a part-time writer yet. That
geted to the audience of a specific market.
and pay bills. Conversely, working can disrupt your
2
writing cadence, and may take longer to complete
ask the sales folks what makes a specific title appeal
your project. You can decide when you are ready.
to their readers. Which of these have you read and
1
why did you like it? If they read a few pages, check
choice won’t change what we consider the top seven elements. The good news is you can keep your day job for a couple of years—eat regularly
Do Your Homework In your chosen genre, who are you competing against? Identify the top 100 best sellers
on Amazon. Visit a bookstore, see the top books, and
Decide Your Genre
them out. Read the back cover. Note the top authors,
Your decision is often based on what you like
too. Authors' names and book titles will be useful in
and what you know. Picking a category allows
your future marketing. Don’t read all of them unless
you to clarify your target audience. It is easier to
you want to. We suggest this as a skimming session.
successfully bring new works to the market when
Make notes on the covers that drew you and those
you understand the primary readers of the subject,
you dislike. Thumb through the pages observing
be it fiction or non-fiction. For example, romance
the formatting, font sizes, and readability. www.indtale.com
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