For authors and those of us who hope to become authors, you are the midwives and nurses of our dreams. Thank you for keeping that in perspective, for your patience and forbearance.
Malik Wilson, Author
Is Collaborative Writing Right for You?
on April 15, 2014 8:30 am
The thought of participating in a collaborative writing project might bring you back to your school days. When the teacher or professor assigned a group project, were you excited or were you one of the people that rolled their eyes and dreaded the entire thing? While collaborative writing projects might work better for certain personality types, there really is a lot to gain from collaborative writing if you are willing to let go of some of the “control” of a project. View Article…
Tasks That Are Never Beneath a Writer
on April 8, 2014 8:30 am
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all a writer had to do was sit down at the computer and type out their story? Unfortunately, that’s not how it works, especially for authors that self-publish. The actual writing is only a part of the equation. Writers today are expected to wear many hats if they want their work to be seen and if they hope to benefit monetarily from their writing. Unless a writer is a household name, they don’t have the luxury of being “above” doing certain tasks. In fact, many of these tasks can actually help a writer with their writing over the long run. View Article…
Copyediting versus Proofreading: Two Sides of the Same Coin
on April 2, 2014 8:30 am
When it comes to the many editorial services Bookmasters offers, most authors have a fairly clear idea of what “indexing,” “accuracy checking,” and “securing permissions” entail. But authors sometimes stumble over the differences between 
“copyediting” and “proofreading.”
“After all, it’s the same thing,” they’ll say. “In both instances, you read my book and point out and fix any errors. Right?” View Article…
Bookmasters Has You “Covered”
on March 25, 2014 8:30 am
When it comes to making your book appealing to a potential buyer, the old adage is false: You can judge a book by its cover – and many readers do just that.
Your book can have a sweeping narrative filled with interesting characters embroiled in a thrilling plot line, but a potential buyer won’t initially thumb through a few pages to get a feel for your book. The first thing they’ll look at is the front cover. What does that front cover image tell them about your book? What’s their first impression when they first lay eyes on the cover? Then, a reader will flip the book over to read the summary on the back cover. What will they see there? Does the text engage their interest? It’s only when these two milestones are passed will a reader open up a book to read a few sample pages. View Article…
Bookmasters Signs Sales Agreement With The Wybel Marketing Group
on March 24, 2014 7:00 am
Bookmasters, one of the largest integrated providers of book publishing services in the world, has signed an agreement with The Wybel Marketing Group to provide sales representation throughout the Midwest region of the United States for Bookmasters and its book publishers.
The Wybel Marketing Group is led by publishing industry veteran, Terry Wybel.
“I am very happy that The Wybel Marketing Group has joined Bookmasters and our established sales representation partners to continue to connect Bookmasters’ publishers and their titles with potential readers,” said Jon Ackerman, senior vice president of sales at Bookmasters.
“Terry and his team are a terrific group of sales professionals with meaningful and well-established contacts throughout the book publishing industry. Our publishers and customers will be well-served by their good work.”
The Wybel Marketing Group, based in the northwest Chicago suburb of Barrington, Ill., was founded by Terry Wybel more than 35 years ago. Since then, The Wybel Marketing Group has called upon independent bookstores, museum shops, university and campus bookstores, library wholesalers, regional wholesalers, and other bookselling retail chains in 13 Midwestern states. Most recently, the Group has added specialty markets such as mail-order catalogs and online retailers to expand their complement of sales offerings. The Wybel Marketing Group consists of three representatives and one marketing support and sales coordinator.
Bookmasters, based in Ashland, Ohio, is one of the largest integrated providers of publisher services in the world. For more than 40 years, Bookmasters has offered services to publishers and authors such as printing, print book warehousing and distribution, eBook conversion and distribution, editorial, and design.
Buy “Do Your Laundry or You’ll Die Alone” by Becky Blades
on March 20, 2014 8:30 am
“Do Your Laundry or You’ll Die Alone: Advice Your Mom Would Give if She Thought You Were Listening” by Becky Blades is a thought-provoking, conversation-starting book that blends bite-sized morsels of coming-of-age common sense such as “Keep at least one stuffed animal,” and “A bad attitude makes your butt look big,” and tiny essays on topics like forgiveness and phone etiquette. It’s based on an email that she sent to her daughter before she started college classes. View Article…
Typesetting: Avoiding Page Design Pitfalls
on March 18, 2014 8:30 am
Typesetting is one of the most important design elements of your book-to-be, but, sadly, it’s also one of the least understood and often-neglected facets of the process. Simply put, “typesetting” is the art of taking your manuscript and creating the 
final pages of your book. It’s at this stage that the interior pages take their final form, and when decisions regarding font, formatting, margins, and art placement are made. View Article…
Bookmasters is a Partner Sponsor of the Independent Book Publishers Association’s (IBPA’s) 2014 Publishing University
on March 13, 2014 8:30 am
On March 21-22, 2014, Bookmasters representatives will be attending Independent Book Publishers Association (IPBA) 2014 Publishing University, which is the premier educational event for independent publishers and self-published authors. The conference is in its 30th year and is being held at the Sheraton Fisherman’s Wharf Hotel in San Francisco, CA.
IBPA’s Publishing University is an event for independent publishers and self-published authors that are looking for the strength of community and the potential afforded by continuing their education. The conference features: View Article…
15 Movies That Feature Writers
on March 11, 2014 8:30 am
We thought it would be fun to take a walk down movie memory lane and brainstorm a list of movies that feature writers, authors, and writing. Add others you can think of in the comments section!
Freedom Writers
Erin Gruwell is an English teacher at Woodrow Wilson High School, a school that has implemented a voluntary integration program. Many of the students are in gangs or know someone that has been killed by gang violence. The students only begin to open up to her after she gives them an assignment of writing a daily journal.
The Proposal
Margaret Tate is the chief-editor at a New York City publishing house. When she faces deportation, she forces her executive assistant and aspiring writer, Andrew Paxton, to marry her.
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
Andie Anderson, a writer for Composure magazine is writing on article titled “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.” The target, Benjamin Barry, is an ad exec that thinks that he can make any woman fall in love with him in 10 days. View Article…
Useful Apps for Writers
on March 4, 2014 8:30 am
There are thousands and thousands of apps out there now. While some can be serious productivity killers, there are plenty of apps that can actually help you with your writing. Authors that are looking for some assistance should take advantage of the technology that is available to them today.