Writing Break

It’s break time, writers. We have a lot of publishing news to get through today, and we’re continuing with our four-part series on how to write better than AI.

• More Writing Tips
• 10 Things Author-Publishers Should Know About Amazon Advantage
• AI book publishing platform Spines raises $6.5M to disrupt centuries-old industry - SiliconANGLE
• Fake AI law firms are sending fake DMCA threats to generate fake SEO gains | Ars Technica
• The Bookseller - News - Trade debates shift towards shorter books for children
• How One Author Pushed the Limits of AI Copyright | WIRED
• PEN America Cancels 2024 Literary Awards Ceremony
• Free Style Sheet Templates

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

“Gazing Out of a Café Window on a Rainy Day” by The Turquoise Moon

“Jazz You Up” by Julian Gross

Since the release of ChatGPT, the number of freelance writing jobs is shrinking. Can writers even compete? I hope so, which is why today we are beginning a four-part series that will highlight several writing techniques that elevate any work, be it fiction or nonfiction. Let’s see how many of them you already incorporate into your work.

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• The Forgotten Painting: A Historical Mystery Novella (The Jack Rogan Mysteries) by Gabriel Farago - Featured Author
• Underground Bookstore, Carrollton, GA - Featured Bookstore
• The jobs being replaced by AI - an analysis of 5M freelancing jobs - bloomberry
• The Boom in Middle Grade Novels Turned Comics
• Real Person Fan Fiction
• American Library Association reports record number of unique book titles challenged in 2023 | News and Press Center
• Where Do We Draw The Line With Real Person Romances in Publishing?
• Free Style Sheet Templates

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

“Warm Spring Groove: Chill Lo-fi” by The Turquoise Moon

“Our Love Will Fight” by Humans Win

“Midnight Cool” by Yagull Music

“Late Night Jam” by Eno Orefice

Today we are looking at innovations in book publishing and discussing subtitles. The Writing Break cafe is open, and we have a lot of publishing news to get through today, so let’s grab a drink and a snack before settling in at our usual table.

• More Writing Tips
• The Art of the Mini Sales Pitch: How to Subtitle Your Book So People Will Read It ‹ Literary Hub
• The Art of the Mini Sales Pitch: How to Subtitle Your Book So People Will Read It ‹ Literary Hub
• Romantasy, AI and Palestinian voices: publishing trends emerge at London book fair | London book fair | The Guardian
• The Bookseller - Rights - Transworld wins five-way auction for Antony Johnston's interactive crime novel
• Dutch Publisher Develops AI Books - Publishers Lunch
• A Rise in Ai-Generated Unauthorized Book Biographies
• Authors Guild Response To Findaway and Spotify’s Audiobook Terms of Use - The Authors Guild
• Brandon Sanderson Says Deal with Audible Is in the Works
• Free Style Sheet Templates

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

“Casa De Frio” by Jon Presstone

“Before You Go” by Humans Win

As an editor, my authors’ late-night, semi-coherent correspondence, choppy first drafts, and deepest darkest secrets die with me. However, today I am sharing an email exchange between an author and myself, with the author’s permission, of course.

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• The Touch of Her Voice by Sara Scott - Featured Author
• Blush Bookstore, Wichita, Kansas - Featured Bookstore
• Why romance novels are having a moment - Marketplace
• From Boston to Chicago, romance bookstores are popping up
• Sexily ever after: how romance bookstores took over America | Romance books | The Guardian
• Tor Books Criticized for Use of AI-Generated Art in 'Gothikana' Cover Design
• Thin Margins: The Paper Shortage and Its Toll on the Printing Industry: Episode 1 — Baldwin Technology
• Free Style Sheet Templates

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

"Space Cassette" by Humans Win

"Wichita" by Humans Win

"Before You Go" by Humans Win

In this episode, we are discussing book awards, book marketing, and the bit of writing advice Neil Gaiman gave out this week.

• More Writing Tips
• Science fiction authors were excluded from awards for fear of offending China
• Author J.D Barker Apologizes, Dropped by Agent After 'Creepy' BookTok Request
• GUNGNIR: tales for the dreamers & thinkers
• Book Sales in France
• National Book Awards Expand Eligibility to Non–U.S. Citizens
• Pulitzer Prize Rules Expanded Eligibility
• Akutagawa Prize winner credits ChatGPT for 5% of 'Sympathy Tower Tokyo' | Daily Sabah
• Free Style Sheet Templates

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

"Cool Jazz Background (Trippy Trombone Version)" by Tencher Music

"Yes Or No" by Precarious Perch

“Jazzy Jingle V1” by bzur

“Little Duke” by Humans Win

Tune in for wall-to-wall writing and publishing tips for authors.

• More Writing Tips
• Start Here: How to Write a Book Proposal + Book Proposal Template | Jane Friedman
• Free Style Sheet Templates

Music licensed from Storyblocks

In the last episode we discussed what makes a good opening line in fiction, and in this episode we’re doing the same with nonfiction, some of which overlaps with fiction. I also share some examples of good opening lines from nonfiction.

• More Writing Tips
• Fit for the Throne: The Trial of Ten Kindle Edition by S. McPherson - Featured Author
• Lost Books, Montrose, CA - Featured Bookstore
• Big Five Domination of Adult Bestseller Lists Slipped in 2023
• In Major Win, Appeals Court Upholds Block on Texas Book Rating Law
• Free Style Sheet Templates

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

"California Blues" by Style da Kid

"Down to Get Up Again" by Humans Win

This week we begin a two-part series on writing memorable opening lines. Today we’re discussing fiction, and in the next episode we’ll be covering nonfiction.

• More Writing Tips
• Hay Festival Cartagena 2024
• Ábaco, Cartagena, Colombia - Featured Bookstore
• Public Domain Day 2024 | Duke University School of Law
• Judge Blocks Key Provisions of Iowa Book Banning Law
• The New York Times Complaint Against Microsoft and Open AI
• Free Style Sheet Templates

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

“Colombian of Latin Music” by Gushito

“The Way You Move” by Sleeping Ghost

This final episode for 2023 is a short one but a juicy one. We are looking at corporations behaving badly, authors behaving badly, and readers behaving well. Because we know readers can do no wrong.

• More Writing Tips
• Cait Corrain Goodreads Controversy Explained
• Author Apologizes After Review Bombing Books on Goodreads | TIME
• The Bookseller - News - Tolkien estate wins two lawsuits against author of unauthorised Lord of the Rings sequel
• TikTok's #BookTok trend 'literally changed my life'
• Five years and 2m copies later, self-published author lands UK book deal | Crime fiction | The Guardian
• Meta Used Copyrighted Books AI Training Despite Warning from Lawyers
• Free Style Sheet Templates

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

"Atmospheric Auld Lang Syne" by Humans Win

"Stay Right There" by Humans Win

In this holiday episode I share new book trends on Amazon, new publishing awards, and the latest publishing news.

• More Writing Tips
• First Year in Estonia Kindle Edition by Pynchon Woo - Featured Author
• Rüütel & Matilda, Tallinn, Estonia - Featured Bookstore
• The Paranormal Romance eBook Market
• The Fantasy Romance Book Market
• Screen Door Press - The University Press of Kentucky
• The Yale Review | The Yale Nonfiction Book Prize
• Penguin Random House, Authors Sue to Block Iowa Anti-LGBTQ Book Banning Law
• Julian Sancton v. OpenAI Inc
• Free Style Sheet Templates

Music licensed from Storyblocks:

“More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory

"Dreaming of Christmas" by Boomer

"Christmas Happy Home Relaxing Atmosphere [Version 3 | 30 Sec]" by Volodymyr Piddubnyk

"Santa's New Suit" by Humans Win