Hi Reader, I'm sorry if you missed the All About ISBNs session on Monday—there were some Zoom notification issues and then video production issues that delayed the availability of the replay materials. The links below will take you to my Author Friendly Substack, where you can watch the replay, view the slides, leave comments, and ask questions. Here's the link to the slides and the video replay. SLIDES & VIDEO REPLAY In the session, I walk through all four pages of the ISBN record for a...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, For those of you who already know me, you've probably heard me say: Free ISBNs might be one of the most expensive "free" things you'll ever use to publish your book. Find out why on Monday at the Publishing Professionals Network's free Noon Zoom. I'm walking through the process of buying and filling out all four pages of a book's ISBN record at Bowker MyIdentifiers — plus Library of Congress Control Numbers, Cataloging in Publication Blocks, MARC Records, Barcodes, BISAC Codes, and...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Last chance to enroll in the Mini-Memoir Method live sessions before we begin tomorrow, Tuesday, June 9th at 9 am PT / 12 pm ET. Work on your story in June. Publish your story in July. You have a story you've been meaning to write. This is the month to do it — with structure, community, and two experienced instructors reading your work and helping you shape it. Most writing courses teach you concepts. This one gives you a method — a repeatable four-step framework for finding your...
5 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, I'm excited to see you live on Tuesday for the first session of the Mini-Memoir Method led by me and Linda Joy Myers. Please set aside 30 minutes before Tuesday to review these instructions — it will make a real difference in your experience. Required Reading Please login to the Mini-Memoir Method course. All the information you need lives here. Find links to access the sessions, the course materials, and the discussion group. Please get familiar with the rules and discussion group...
5 months ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, Thank you for registering for Introduction to the Mini-Memoir Method, an introduction to our four-week course that begins June 9th. Enroll by May 30th for the early-bird discount. Start reading the class materials and watching bonus pre-recorded videos as soon as you join. The community is open June 2 through July 7 to give you a chance to connect with us and other writers in the group. It was a joy to spend this time with you this morning. Here's the replay and other links we...
5 months ago • 4 min read
Hi Reader, If you're working on a memoir, you know it's a long road. But what if you could start publishing parts of it now — while it's still in progress? Join me and Linda Joy Myers to discuss how to turn scenes, chapters, and standalone memories into polished, publishable stories — for literary journals, anthologies, your blog, or Substack. Already published? You can adapt chapters into short pieces that generate new readers and keep your book alive. Introduction to the Mini-Memoir...
5 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, I'm thrilled to be offering this class with my longtime colleague and friend Linda Joy Myers at the National Association of Memoir Writers. If you've ever felt stuck staring at your manuscript wondering where to begin—or begin again—this class is for you. Here's what I've learned from years on the road and on the page: the big story gets clearer when you write the small ones first. One scene. One memory. One true moment. That's the mini-memoir approach, and in two hours Linda Joy...
6 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, Before anything else, I want you to know this: you currently have full access to Author Friendly, my writing and publishing Substack as a thank-you gift from me. It’s equivalent to an $80 annual subscription, and it’s my way of saying thank you to longtime subscribers who’ve been reading, learning, and showing up over the years. There’s nothing you need to do to receive it. AUTHOR FRIENDLY: PUBLISHING HELP FOR WRITERS ON SUBSTACK I also wanted to take a moment to explain how Author...
9 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Publishing 101 begins this Tuesday, January 20 and, just a heads up, I won't be opening enrollment again until next year. If you're working on a memoir, novel, or any fiction or nonfiction book, and you want to finish it with confidence and professional publishing standards, this is the moment to join. Publishing 101 is designed to support you while you draft or revise, so publishing decisions don't become a confusing slog after your manuscript is finished. This program isn't about...
9 months ago • 1 min read