A Nonfiction Author’s Guide to Citation Notes and Bibliographies

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Planning to refer to studies, articles, books, websites, or other published works in your book? You’ll need to provide full bibliographic information for each of your references. Compiling this material can feel like a chore when your attention is focused on completing your manuscript, but it’s a good idea to make it a regular part of your writing practice. By keeping accurate, comprehensive notes while you write, you’ll save yourself stress and aggravation when it comes time to format your citation notes and bibliography.

Why cite your sources?

The reas... keep reading

5 Best Practices for Writing Partners

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Every author has their own preferred environment and process for writing, which makes it especially challenging for teams who must consider the preferences and proclivities of both writing partners. While this makes it difficult to lay out a one-size-fits-all set of writing best practices, there are common pitfalls to watch out for.

Here are some tips and tricks to help writing partners get the words out and keep on top of the material.

1. Set up a regular routine

You will be astonished by how quickly a week, two weeks, or even a month can evaporate wit... keep reading

Five Questions to Ask Yourself Before Writing a Book

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As a publisher of nonfiction expert-written books, I have seen first-hand the transformative difference that becoming a published author can make in an individual’s personal life and career. In fact, it’s the single most powerful way to position yourself as a thought leader—if you do it right.

There are more routes to publication available than ever before. While there is no one “best” way to publish a book, there is a way that is best for you. To help you navigate the complex world of modern publishing, here are five questions every aspiring nonfiction author... keep reading

6 of the Best Book Outlining Apps

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It’s one thing to want to write a nonfiction book. It’s another to actually do it. A good starting point is to write a book outline, which can help you clarify your message and key points, and structure your arguments in a persuasive and digestible way. Nowadays there are plenty of accessible digital programs to make the outlining process quicker and more efficient.

Here are six top options to help you set your book up for success.

For brainstorming: MindMeister

If you’re a visual thinker, MindMeister... keep reading

Three Mistakes New Authors Make When Writing a Nonfiction Book

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Every author starts out with great intentions and ambitious goals, but they don’t necessarily have good publishing instincts. In countless meetings and consultation sessions with aspiring authors of nonfiction books, I’ve found that there are three key mistakes that most new authors make.

1.   They write about what interests them, rather than what interests their audience. Over the course of your career, you’ve acquired a wealth of information, not all of which is useful to your target reader. Your book is not the right forum in which to explore the arcane ... keep reading

What I Learned About Confidence from Writing Growing Strong Girls: A Guest Post from Lindsay Sealey

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This post was written by Lindsay Sealey, author of Growing Strong Girls.

Last year, I set an intention to become a stronger, more resilient person. I committed to taking one risk every day for a year—one act of bravery that would challenge me to grow. Out of these 365 actions, the bravest one was my decision to write a book.

I had wanted to write a book for a long time because I felt strong... keep reading

Writing groups: what they are and how to join one

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You might stumble across them in libraries and coffee shops across the country: a circle of writers surrounding a paper-covered table. Armed with their notebooks and a desire to master the use of language, these writers have committed to their writing groups, and you may want to as well.

At its core, writing groups (or writing circles) are places for you and other writers to come together, share ideas, and get feedback on your work. They might be a peer critique in your living room over a glass of wine, a workshop or class with an instructor, or even a Facebook discussion group with ... keep reading

New guidelines in the Chicago Manual of Style are an enlightened step forward

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This week the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) announced the changes that will be made to its upcoming new edition, which comes out in September. As an editor, a publisher, and a progressive idealist, I am applauding one of those changes in particular: approval of the use of the singular pronoun they.

The English language is one of the most shape-shifting languages in the world. Every year, English speakers add new words to the lexicon and repurpose old ones. Some of these innovations are widely adopted and become part of the language; others fall by the wayside. Ther... keep reading

An Editor Stumbles into a Writing Workshop

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Nine a.m. on a Sunday morning and I rolled into the conference hall.

I’d had a long week and was looking forward to sitting in back row of some interesting talks that I had no responsibility to develop, edit, or promote, until the caffeine from my large cup of tea kicked in. It was this editor’s day off! Little did I know I was about to discover something unexpected inside myself and to glimpse that spark that draws me to my vocation in the first place.

I set out to attend Limmud, an all-day festival of Jewish learning in down... keep reading

Footnotes vs. Endnotes: How to Choose and How to Use

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There are four ways to deal with citations, explanations and references: In the text, in footnotes, in numbered endnotes, and in contextual endnotes. Most publishers have a house style and preference for how and when they use each method. It’s useful for you to understand the difference and determine your own preferences, especially if you are self-publishing.

In text: Writing a reference directly into the text itself is the most reader-friendly way to cite your sources. This works best when the reference is simple and easy t... keep reading