LET’S TALK about WRITING BOOKS

 

How Much Can an Author Expect to Make on Their Book?

I can’t tell you how many times I googled “how much money does an author make per book” before getting a book deal, myself. It’s such a black hole. It also varies tremendously... So while I can’t give you a specific answer for how much money you will make per book, let me start with the basics.

Read More
Publishing Adkins Mary Publishing Adkins Mary

3 Things No One Tells You About Getting a Literary Agent

Today I'm sharing three things that no one tells you about getting a literary agent. First, I'll cut to the chase. Yes, you need a literary agent, probably.

There are two exceptions. One, if you're self-publishing, you don't need a literary agent. And two, if you're only pursuing small publishers that accept submissions directly from writers. And these smaller publishers will say on their website if they accept what they will call unrepresented submissions, or they'll just say, we accept submissions directly from authors, but there aren't too many of these and you're going to need to seek them out.

Read More
Publishing Adkins Mary Publishing Adkins Mary

How Much Could I Make as a Writer?

I get this question all the time from people who want to write and publish books, and it’s a fair question. The problem is that the publishing industry is often extremely opaque when it comes to money, and the amount of money you can make varies tremendously: are you writing a novel or memoir? Are you a first-time author? What genre is your book?

But good news: I’ve got the data! Yep, I’ve got numbers. Today, I’m going to break down how much you can make as a writer so you know what to expect. Let’s go.

Read More

4 Signs You're Ready to Hire a Book Writing Coach

Years ago, I was stuck writing and rewriting my draft, having been previously traumatized by a couple of fiction classes that left me bewildered and discouraged.

I felt I needed...someone. I wasn’t sure who. Like a friend, but a friend who was a good writer, and willing to meet with me regularly and talk through my book progress and writing struggles. I wanted someone to read my new pages and give me feedback but not edit them yet.

Read More
Publishing Adkins Mary Publishing Adkins Mary

5 Things No One Tells You About Becoming a Published Author

Today I want to share three things that no one tells you about becoming a published author. I published three novels over the last few years, which I'm not going to lie, was truly a dream come true.

Sometimes people ask me what it’s like to see your book on shelves when you didn't even bribe someone to put them there or sneak it in yourself? And it's awesome. I mean, it feels mostly amazing, but there are a few surprises you may not expect. I sure didn't. And I'm going to share those with you in this post.

Read More
Craft Adkins Mary Craft Adkins Mary

3 Steps to Avoid Hack Topics & Clichés in Writing (A Warning for Writers)

The last thing any writer wants is for someone to think we aren’t original, or that we’re just recycling commonly used phrases and ideas, right? So how do you avoid recycling other people’s writing, whether it’s a plot premise or a turn of phrase? How do you avoid hack topics and cliches? Today, I’m going to share 3 strategies to make sure you’re leaning into your own originality. Let’s go.

Read More
Process, Craft, Best of the Blog Adkins Mary Process, Craft, Best of the Blog Adkins Mary

Top 10 Tips for Authors: Advice from Bestselling Writers

Today I'm sharing 10 top writing tips from bestselling authors! The truth is that what works for one writer, isn't going to work for every writer, so one way to help yourself is to explore all the different ways you can find your own success to go from amateur to best selling author yourself.

I'm going to share my favorite strategies from these best selling authors.

Read More