21 hours agoThe Truth About Typesetting & Why it MattersMake your typesetting look as professional as your writing! We work with self-published authors so we know the importance of great writing, solid editing, and a good cover. Your book looks incredible — or does it? What’s with that typsetting? Now, we have professional book formatters so we’ve got a few tips on typesetting your manuscript yourself. What is typography? What it’s got to do with typesetting?Typesetting7 min readTypesetting7 min read
Jan 20Writers Won’t be Replaced by AIAt least not for a very long time It’s unsurprising with the rise of AI art to feel that artifical intelligence is coming for writers, too. We’re the ones who’ve written and read about the harmful effects of technology — Big Brother, Ex Machina, Iron Man’s ‘Jarvis.’ Maybe I was…Artifical Intellegence5 min readArtifical Intellegence5 min read
Jan 163 Mistakes Article Writers MakeAs an editor, I can tell you why your articles don’t get a lot of views Here at The Book Shelf, we work with writers and professional editors. Editing articles is a pretty standard part of our day. Now, I’m not going to admit I’m a world-class editor. I’m still…Writing4 min readWriting4 min read
Jan 13Top 5 Books to Read to Start 23' Right“When I look back, I am so impressed again with the life-giving power of literature,” said Maya Angelou. “If I were a young person today, trying to gain a sense of myself in the world, I would do that again by reading, just as I did when I was young.” …Books7 min readBooks7 min read
Jan 9January ’23 Nonfiction ReleasesNew year, same us. You already know that this list is procured with the love and attention of a proud bookworm. — You may have read the nonfiction released in December (just in time for your final Christmas gifts) or even trending nonfiction BookTok titles, and now you’re here scouring for new January 2023 nonfiction releases. Some of these will be included in our monthly reviews, believe me, I’ve got my pre-order…Nonfiction5 min readNonfiction5 min read
Jan 3Essential Writing Hacks for Neurodivergent Writers: ADHD/AutismA couple of weeks ago, we discussed (and subsequently smashed) the ‘Myth of the ‘Natural’ Writer’ and discussed the absolute best thing to do to improve your writing skills (spoiler alert: it’s practice). This week, we’re addressing another toxic preconception challenging a key group in our community; the idea that…Neurodivergent7 min readNeurodivergent7 min read
Dec 19, 2022Alpha and Beta Readers: Who are they? Why do I need one?Alpha? Beta? These Greek semantics serve a different purpose in the writing process. New and veteran authors alike find these phrases peculiar, so let’s break it down: What do Alpha and Beta Readers Do? These readers provide feedback to authors and writers. They help improve, examine, and review plot holes, tonal issues, and errors the writer usually…Beta Reading2 min readBeta Reading2 min read
Dec 15, 2022How to Price Your Nonfiction Book on AmazonSo, you’ve written a book. You’ve spent a lot of time researching, planning, and editing your manuscript, and it’s finally ready to go out into the world. If you’re self-publishing on Amazon KDP (or another book platform), you might find yourself asking: how should I price my book? …Self Publishing4 min readSelf Publishing4 min read
Dec 14, 2022Lessons on J.K Rowling’s Success and Where to Find ThemIf we were to equate J.K. Rowling’s impressive rise to literary fame to one of the seven basic story archetypes, it would be Rags to Riches. From twiddling her thumbs on the platform of a delayed train to using those same thumbs to write the best-selling series of all time…Jk Rowling4 min readJk Rowling4 min read
Dec 2, 20225 Books that Inspired Me to Write“The Six Golden Rules of Writing: Read, read, read, write, write, write.” Ernest Gaines Like most writers, I started because I love reading. I read every day; I’ve done a book-a-day challenge (but all of these are less than 150 pages, so I cheat a little with this hack), I…4 min read4 min read
