Author: Melissa Pearl

Melissa Pearl is a Contributing Author for Indies Unlimited and author of multiple novels spanning a variety of genres, from YA fantasy and paranormal to romantic suspense, including award-winning novel, BETWIXT. For more on Melissa, visit her blog or her Amazon author page.

My Writing Hero – Cambria Hebert

indie heroes logo darkI’m excited to write about an author who inspires me: Cambria Hebert. She is not a New York Times Bestselling author. She’s won some awards, made it into the Amazon Top 100 a couple of times and is one of the best writers I’ve ever read. I love her books, and I love her style. She’s kind, honest, responsive, and is in the position I one-day want to be. This is why I have chosen to highlight the amazing Cambria Hebert. To me, she is a true hero in this indie business and an author I am very happy to call my inspiration.

Cambria was nice enough to answer some interview questions for me.
. Continue reading “My Writing Hero – Cambria Hebert”

A Self-Publishing Book Worth Reading…

for love or money by susan kaye quinnThere are so many books out there about publishing and marketing and writing and…well, it can get a little overwhelming. Whose advice do you follow? Which author is right? I’ve read a fair few since publishing my first novel in 2011 and one I recently came across was a total revelation. I found it really helpful and inspiring, so I wanted to share it with you.

For Love or Money by Susan Kaye Quinn is well worth a read. In this book she unpacks the difference between writing books you love and writing books to earn money. I didn’t even realize there was a difference, but there really is. Continue reading “A Self-Publishing Book Worth Reading…”

Authors: Do You Have A Business Plan?

business plan for authors business-idea-831053_960_720One of the hardest things about being an indie author is learning the business side of writing. You can be the best writer in the world, but if you can’t figure out a way to sell books and maintain those sales, then it’s going to be really hard to turn your talent into a career.

I’ve been published for just over four years now. I have over twenty books under my belt and I still have so much to learn. Over the past few months, I’ve set aside some time to really get my head around the business side of writing. I’ve somehow managed to wing it this far, but 2015 was a rough year for sales and I need to up my game.

So, this month, I decided to take the time to write up a proper business plan. I have found the task challenging, but also insightful. I hope it will keep me on track as I attempt to make 2016 my best year yet. Continue reading “Authors: Do You Have A Business Plan?”

Accessorize Your Characters: Paint a Picture with Fewer Words

tattered character tattoo-999793_640To avoid bogging down prose with overly detailed narrative, it’s important to make wise choices when we write descriptive passages in our stories. Three paragraphs describing a setting or character’s appearance is a big no-no in my book. As a reader, it will turn me off faster than grammatical errors. I know! Bad, right? So how do we create a mental picture with the minimal amount of words? Continue reading “Accessorize Your Characters: Paint a Picture with Fewer Words”