Features

Articles, how-to’s, opinion and tips and tricks in the self-publishing arena

Writing The Antihero (And Why So Many Authors Get It Wrong)


We all like to love a rogue – or even a criminal mind. But why is it so many self-published authors seem to just get the balance all wrong when it comes to writing an antihero?

The antihero[1] or antiheroine[2] is a leading character in a film, book or play who lacks some or all of the traditional heroic qualities,[3][4] such as altruism, idealism,[5] courage,[5] nobility,[6] fortitude,[7] and moral goodness.[8] Whereas the classical hero is larger than life, antiheroes are typically inferior to the reader in intelligence, dynamism or social

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2014-01-29T12:45:33+02:00November 21st, 2013|Categories: Features|

Creating Attention-Grabbing Children’s Stories in a Tech-Driven World

montage of childrens books
Nearly every child has heard, “Stop staring at that screen and go read a book!” Before TV, parents were probably saying something similar about the radio. And before that, well, marbles might have been a child’s object of obsession.

Today, however, children have such an enormous plethora of distractions — from the Internet to video games to smartphones and even social networks — that TV has become the least of parents’ problems when it comes to getting their kids to read. It can be easy for a parent to give up and let the video games win the war for […]

2022-05-21T01:21:21+02:00October 17th, 2013|Categories: Features|Tags: , |

What Font Should You Use In Your Self-Published Book?

Having reviewed books at SPR for sometime now, it is a huge bugbear of mine to have to read a book in a horrid font. You see, I studied graphics at university and did my thesis on typography. And so this article is refreshing for me, and I hope self-publishers everywhere will take heed. Please do.

Wise Ink published this advice on fonts to be used in your self-published book – wise indeed!

The font that you choose for your book is more important than you think. It contributes to creating a more compelling book that readers are drawn to.

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2014-01-07T23:00:00+02:00October 12th, 2013|Categories: Features|

Two Good Self-Publishing Posts

A couple of good posts that cover well-trod info about self-publishing, but good nonetheless.

The Fortress Walls Have Been Breached, Captain

In 1917 Virginia Woolf and her husband Leonard unpacked a small printing press in the front room of their home. They set up the Hogarth Press to enable them to print small volumes of books that “the commercial publisher would not look at”. The Hogarth Press gave the writers of the Bloomsbury circle, which included TS Eliot and EM Forster, the freedom to write what they wanted, rather than write what established publishers judged saleable.

Nearly one hundred

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2013-08-23T13:49:34+02:00August 23rd, 2013|Categories: Features|

The Dilemma of Dumbing It Down for e-Book Sales

Self-publishing a book can be a labor of love and for some of us, it’s what we live for. But why is it so many people now fancy themselves an author? And why is it that so many simple and frankly unreadable works are hitting the Amazon e-book charts? Should we all join in and get stupid?

Many books are intelligently written and beautifully constructed, but it is the pulp romance thriller that used to be a throwaway holiday read that catches the “public”‘s attention. Young Adult fiction, mostly about reckless sixteen year-olds fancying each other are leaving the digital […]

2014-01-07T22:54:25+02:00August 1st, 2013|Categories: Features, Lead Story|

Book Marketing Using Paid Advertising – A Study

The current buzz in book marketing is paid on-line advertising. Some authors report excellent results, other complete disappointment. This study is divided into two parts: the Good News and the Bad News, as reported by authors who have paid to promote their books.

The study started with a conversation with a fellow author whose blog helps support fellow authors for a nominal fee to cover the costs. Her newsletter has a modest membership and provides a good service to authors.

While discussing paid on-line book advertising, one of her first question to me was “Is there a payback to the

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2020-02-21T04:35:31+02:00July 24th, 2013|Categories: Features, Lead Story|Tags: |

Thank You SPR

For over a year, I’ve been reviewing books for Self-Publishing Review. I can’t remember how many I’ve reviewed, but I do know I have learned much from each and every author. I joke now that I shouldn’t have wasted the money on college to chase my dream of becoming a writer. Instead I should have dived head first into reviewing books. Luckily I’ve read many novels from self-published authors who have knocked my socks off. Their writing encouraged me to continue down my own path. Years ago there was a stigma about publishing your own work. It was the last […]

2014-05-06T10:19:35+02:00July 24th, 2013|Categories: Features|

Free eBook Promotions Can Be Pure Gold for Authors

Well it’s time for another Free Book Promotion. The last one pushed by mystery novel, Black Mountain Secrets, up the Amazon ranking ladder to number ten. But it was definitely a learning experience.

One lesson I learned was you needed more than a general goal of being a successful writer. Giving your work away for nothing had to have a purpose for me. I know some authors refuse to give their books away. Being a relatively new author, I needed to get my work out in the reader’s hands.

As I always do in this type of situation, I […]

2020-02-21T05:52:27+02:00June 3rd, 2013|Categories: Features, Lead Story|Tags: |
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