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53 guidesWriting & Publishing
Craft, structure and getting the finished thing into print. The reference section — useful whether or not you ever hire anyone.
The short answer
Should you self-publish or go traditional?
Self-publish if you want speed, control and the higher royalty (typically 60–70% versus 8–15%), and if you already have an audience to sell to. Go traditional if you want bookshop distribution, an advance, and the credential that comes with a recognised imprint — and if you can wait 18–24 months after the deal. Self-publishing a book properly costs $3,000–$9,000 in editing, design and setup.
Start with these
The six that matter most
If you read nothing else in this section, read these.
Self Publishing vs Traditional Publishing: Finding Your
/self-publishing-vs-traditional-publishing/
Mastering Structure in Writing: How to Build Your Book From the Inside Out
/structure-in-writing/
How to Format a Book: A Guide for Authors Who’d Rather Be Writing
/how-to-format-a-book/
How to Create a Book Outline (Without Losing Your Mind)
/how-to-create-a-book-outline/
How to Promote Your Book: A Practical Marketing Guide
/how-to-promote-your-book/
How to Get a Book Deal: Your Guide from Dream to Bookshelf
/how-to-get-a-book-deal/
Skip the reading
Three tools that answer this faster
Start with these
The six that matter most
If you read nothing else in this section, read these.
Self Publishing vs Traditional Publishing: Finding Your
/self-publishing-vs-traditional-publishing/
Mastering Structure in Writing: How to Build Your Book From the Inside Out
/structure-in-writing/
How to Format a Book: A Guide for Authors Who’d Rather Be Writing
/how-to-format-a-book/
How to Create a Book Outline (Without Losing Your Mind)
/how-to-create-a-book-outline/
How to Promote Your Book: A Practical Marketing Guide
/how-to-promote-your-book/
How to Get a Book Deal: Your Guide from Dream to Bookshelf
/how-to-get-a-book-deal/
Everything else
All 53 guides in this section
Every article we’ve published on this topic. Nothing removed, nothing hidden.
Crafting the Perfect Beginning of a Story
/beginning-of-a-story/
The 7 Best Places to Find the Best Storytelling Books in 2026
/best-storytelling-books/
The 12 Best Tools for Writing a Book (and Finally Finishing It) in 2025
/best-tools-for-writing-a-book/
Biography Writer Guide: How to Bring a Life Story to Life
/biography-writer/
8 Great Book Blurb Examples to Hook Readers (2026)
/book-blurb-examples/
Book Editing Software: The Ultimate Guide for Authors
/book-editing-software/
Your Guide to the Perfect Book Outline Template
/book-outline-template/
A Winning Book Proposal Example and Friendly Writing Guide
/book-proposal-example/
10 Brilliant Book Title Ideas to Name Your Masterpiece
/book-title-ideas/
Your Guide to the Perfect Book Word Count
/book-word-count/
How to Define Plot Structure for an Unforgettable Book
/define-plot-structure/
10 Powerful Examples of Narrative Stories to Shape Your Book
/examples-of-narrative-stories/
7 Funny Story Ideas to Start Writing Your Book Now
/funny-story-ideas/
Your Guide to Getting a Book Published: From Dream to Done
/getting-a-book-published/
Getting a Novel Published: Your Guide to Holding That Book in Your Hands
/getting-a-novel-published/
Avoiding Grammar Errors in Books: A Guide for Authors
/grammar-errors-in-books/
How to Become a Good Writer and Finish Your Book
/how-to-become-a-good-writer/
How to Become a Published Author: A Friendly, Honest Guide
/how-to-become-a-published-author/
So, Your Masterpiece Is Stuck? A Practical Guide to Finishing Your Book
/how-to-finish-a-book-when-youre-stuck/
How to Get a Book Agent Without Losing Your Soul
/how-to-get-a-book-agent/
How to overcome writer’s block: Practical Steps to Finish Your Book
/how-to-overcome-writers-block/
How to Publish a Poetry Book: A Complete Guide
/how-to-publish-a-poetry-book/
How to Publish an eBook: From Your Heart to the Digital Shelf
/how-to-publish-an-ebook/
How to Start a Novel From Just an Idea
/how-to-start-a-novel/
How to Start Writing a Book People Will Actually Finish
/how-to-start-writing-a-book/
How to Write a Book Fast: A Practical 90-Day Blueprint
/how-to-write-a-book-fast/
How to Write a Book for Dummies: A Friendly Guide to Your Story
/how-to-write-a-book-for-dummies/
How to Write a Non Fiction Book: From Idea to Legacy
/how-to-write-a-non-fiction-book/
How to Write Better Dialogue: A Friendly Guide to Making Your Characters Talk
/how-to-write-better-dialogue/
How to Write Your First Book: Your 2026 Guide
/how-to-write-your-first-book/
12 Brilliant Ideas to Write About for Your Future Bestseller
/ideas-to-write-about/
Internal and External Conflict: The Heartbeat of Every Great Story
/internal-and-external-conflict/
10 Key Literary Device Examples to Make Your Book Unforgettable
/literary-device-examples/
Your Guide to Man Vs Self Conflict Definition
/man-vs-self-conflict-definition/
Outlining a Short Story: The Easy 2026 Method
/outlining-a-short-story/
How to Choose the Perfect Paperback Book Size for Your Story
/paperback-book-size/
How a Professional Biography Writer Can Immortalize Your Story
/professional-biography-writer/
Publishing on Amazon: Launch Your KDP Book in 2026
/publishing-on-amazon/
A Guide to the Sections of a Book
/sections-of-a-book/
How to Sell a Book on Amazon: A Guide for First-Time Authors
/sell-a-book-on-amazon/
Crafting the Storytelling Book: From Idea to Legacy
/the-storytelling-book/
Third Person Narrative Examples: 8 Breakdowns You Can Use
/third-person-narrative-example/
7 Top Book Publishing Companies for Authors in 2026
/top-book-publishing-companies/
How to Turn Voice Memos Into a Book Service That Works
/turn-voice-memos-into-a-book-service/
What Is a Subtitle of a Book and How Do You Write Yours?
/what-is-a-subtitle-of-a-book/
What Is Writer Block? Causes & Solutions for 2026
/what-is-writer-block/
Writing Your First Book: A Beginner’s Guide from Someone Who Gets It
/writing-a-book-for-beginners/
Straight answers
Common questions
How long should a book be?
60,000–80,000 words for most non-fiction and memoir. 45,000–70,000 for business books. 70,000–100,000 for literary fiction. Below 40,000 words a print book feels thin on the shelf; above 110,000 the printing cost per copy starts to hurt.
What does self-publishing actually cost?
$3,000 to $9,000 done properly: developmental edit, copy-edit and proofread, cover design, interior layout, ISBN and setup. You can spend nothing, and it will look like you spent nothing.
How do I get an agent?
For non-fiction you need a book proposal, not a finished manuscript — roughly 30–50 pages covering the concept, the market, comparable titles, your platform and two sample chapters. Agents take 15% and are worth it if you are going traditional; they are pointless if you are self-publishing.
How do I promote a book after it’s out?
Start before it is out. The promotion that works is the audience you built during the writing — email list, podcast appearances, a speaking circuit, an existing customer base. Launch-week tactics applied to a book with no pre-existing audience reliably do nothing.
Keep going
Where to next
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