My 30+1 Writing Resources
A friend recently discovered I was an author, and I had fun telling them about my writing adventure. Their response was, “Wow, that sounds tough.” I answered, “It was, but I had help.” I thought it would be interesting to explore all the people and technology that helped me to become an author.
1) Amazon
My father was one of the first people to sell books to Amazon. Back then, they were one of many online bookstores, and he sold them ceramics textbooks that he printed. Side story: He billed them with a “net 30,” meaning the company must pay you in 30 days or interest is applied. Amazon stretched this 30 days for months and refused to pay the interest. That was a big key to their success.
Amazon has since branched into many areas, including downloadable books and print-on-demand. Without this service, I would not have been able to begin publishing because they have a broad reach into many homes. The problem is that everybody is getting into the self-publishing game.
What about traditional publishing? Authors used to type up a book and send it to publishers. That is no longer possible. Authors must go through a book representative with an inside track with the publishers. Because of readership changes, big publishers rarely take on new authors. In addition, book representatives want $$ up front. In my humble opinion, like phone books, newspapers, and travel agencies, traditional publishing is in a significant decline that will never recover.
2) Generators
A generator is a simple random-number-based computer program that extracts information from a pre-developed database.
1) Amazon
My father was one of the first people to sell books to Amazon. Back then, they were one of many online bookstores, and he sold them ceramics textbooks that he printed. Side story: He billed them with a “net 30,” meaning the company must pay you in 30 days or interest is applied. Amazon stretched this 30 days for months and refused to pay the interest. That was a big key to their success.
Amazon has since branched into many areas, including downloadable books and print-on-demand. Without this service, I would not have been able to begin publishing because they have a broad reach into many homes. The problem is that everybody is getting into the self-publishing game.
What about traditional publishing? Authors used to type up a book and send it to publishers. That is no longer possible. Authors must go through a book representative with an inside track with the publishers. Because of readership changes, big publishers rarely take on new authors. In addition, book representatives want $$ up front. In my humble opinion, like phone books, newspapers, and travel agencies, traditional publishing is in a significant decline that will never recover.
2) Generators
A generator is a simple random-number-based computer program that extracts information from a pre-developed database.
To use a name generator, I first think about a character’s attributes and then generate ten names. As I read them, I try to fit the name to my mental description. The process has no logic, and I keep generating until a name fits. I prefer the rare generated names for the main characters and common names for supporting characters.
3) Online dictionary
Writers need to 100% understand their words, so it is necessary to have an up-to-date dictionary. There are hundreds to choose from, but I have found this online dictionary to be the best:
3) Online dictionary
Writers need to 100% understand their words, so it is necessary to have an up-to-date dictionary. There are hundreds to choose from, but I have found this online dictionary to be the best:
4) Online thesaurus
It is also essential for an author to have multiple word options. Using this resource prevents repetitiveness and allows a sentence to convey the exact meaning. A good example is when a character is angry. Anger is a broad term that can be refined to annoyed, bitter, enraged, exasperated, furious, heated… I have found this online thesaurus to be the best:
It is also essential for an author to have multiple word options. Using this resource prevents repetitiveness and allows a sentence to convey the exact meaning. A good example is when a character is angry. Anger is a broad term that can be refined to annoyed, bitter, enraged, exasperated, furious, heated… I have found this online thesaurus to be the best:
Besides having more options than most online resources, I appreciate the list of weak matches. I often look for a particular word I cannot remember and go to this site to jog my memory. The weak matches have proven valuable, beneficial, helpful, important, prized, and relevant.
5) Grammarly/ProWritingAid
A writer must have good grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and flow. Yeah… I am still working on that. Grammarly and ProWritingAid have proven to be incredible time-savers and tools for improving my writing. They both have Black Friday deals.
5) Grammarly/ProWritingAid
A writer must have good grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and flow. Yeah… I am still working on that. Grammarly and ProWritingAid have proven to be incredible time-savers and tools for improving my writing. They both have Black Friday deals.
6) ChatGPT
ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence writing aid, but an author must understand its limitations. ChatGPT’s writing quality ranges from excellent to dreadful. A big problem with ChatGPT is that the basic logic can have significant flaws leading to a confusing result. The raw output should never be used for a published document without expressly stating that “ChatGPT generated the following text.” However, other authors disagree, and I have read books that were 100% written with this tool. To them, I say, readers are catching onto ChatGPT because of its distinctive writing style. People who use this tool in their jobs or writing will eventually be caught.
I have found ChatGPT to be a great assistant in three areas. The first is more of a business application. When I have a huge block of wordy text, I ask ChatGPT to condense, summarize, or bullet point the document.
ChatGPT is excellent at creating character traits, an area I fall short on. “Describe a tall male character with a Western theme.” I do not copy the generated result into my book; instead, I use it as inspiration to write a solid description. It is also helpful in describing scenes and other inanimate objects.
My best use for ChatGPT is as an idea springboard during the outline stage. I feed it part of my outline and ask it to generate a story. I have also asked it to change what I have fed it or asked it to create basic plot ideas. This tool allows me to flush out the basic plot and modify the outline to enhance my story. I also ask it to list plot issues. “What problems would a car mechanic face?” “List the criteria a vampire would use to select a victim.”
7) The Chicago Manual of Style
This book is the gold standard for how to write. A modern author needs to have a copy and follow its advice. It is also essential for an editor or copy editor to follow the standard. A good one, will cite The Chicago Manual of Style in their edits.
8) The Emotion Thesaurus
This excellent book takes a deep dive into creating a detailed emotional scene that readers will enjoy. “Show them the emotion; do not tell them.” The other books in the series are excellent resources.
ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence writing aid, but an author must understand its limitations. ChatGPT’s writing quality ranges from excellent to dreadful. A big problem with ChatGPT is that the basic logic can have significant flaws leading to a confusing result. The raw output should never be used for a published document without expressly stating that “ChatGPT generated the following text.” However, other authors disagree, and I have read books that were 100% written with this tool. To them, I say, readers are catching onto ChatGPT because of its distinctive writing style. People who use this tool in their jobs or writing will eventually be caught.
I have found ChatGPT to be a great assistant in three areas. The first is more of a business application. When I have a huge block of wordy text, I ask ChatGPT to condense, summarize, or bullet point the document.
ChatGPT is excellent at creating character traits, an area I fall short on. “Describe a tall male character with a Western theme.” I do not copy the generated result into my book; instead, I use it as inspiration to write a solid description. It is also helpful in describing scenes and other inanimate objects.
My best use for ChatGPT is as an idea springboard during the outline stage. I feed it part of my outline and ask it to generate a story. I have also asked it to change what I have fed it or asked it to create basic plot ideas. This tool allows me to flush out the basic plot and modify the outline to enhance my story. I also ask it to list plot issues. “What problems would a car mechanic face?” “List the criteria a vampire would use to select a victim.”
7) The Chicago Manual of Style
This book is the gold standard for how to write. A modern author needs to have a copy and follow its advice. It is also essential for an editor or copy editor to follow the standard. A good one, will cite The Chicago Manual of Style in their edits.
8) The Emotion Thesaurus
This excellent book takes a deep dive into creating a detailed emotional scene that readers will enjoy. “Show them the emotion; do not tell them.” The other books in the series are excellent resources.
9) Word, Excel, Outlook, Acrobat, Visio, Project, PowerPoint, Photoshop
Writers must have the proper tools to support their craft. Microsoft Word is not the gold standard; it is the only standard. Why? Their programmers have spent thousands of hours tweaking every function to allow users to get their ideas onto the page rapidly. Secondly, it is what editors, formatters, publishers, and other writers use/expect.
What about Open Office, Google Docs…? They are all fine until they are not. The point is that a writer’s output is the best possible properly formatted document to convert into a book. These other word processors fall short in many areas, especially formatting. Here is an example: A document will print fine on one printer and not another. Microsoft has spent thousands of programming hours making their program work on all printers. Those other companies have not been around long enough to invest that time.
All professional book formatters, publishing sites, or printers expect a Word document. I have been forced kicking and screaming to work with Open Office and Google Docs for work or my daughter’s school projects. Their interface, output, and controls are miserable.
For example, the last editor I used did their work in Google Docs. (I did not know this in advance and will not be using them in the future.) I immediately found that the conversion process had messed up the spacing, tabs, and page breaks. I spent over four hours trying to delete the comments and eventually gave up. I had to copy the entire document, do a special paste into a new document, and then manually update the formatting. I am still finding issues.
And there is no excuse. You can eBay older versions of these programs for $10. Sites offer a legitimate copy bound to your Microsoft account for $45. This is a peanuts price for all the heartache it will save.
Be aware of what programs like Microsoft Excel are capable of. For example, put the dates into Excel if your book has a timeline. Microsoft Project can organize a super advanced timeline. How about a list? Excel is perfect for recording all the aspects, and the math functions are excellent. For example, if a plot occurs every thirteen days, put the first date in Excel and add thirteen:
Wednesday, October 8, 1975
Tuesday, October 21, 1975
Monday, November 3, 1975
Sunday, November 16, 1975
If your book needs graphics or a photo, go with the professional tools, Acrobat, Visio, and Photoshop. Readers now have very high expectations for how their books appear. I recently came across a book with an out-of-focus cover photo. No excuses!
I use Visio in my outline process because it gives me a big picture of how the plot unfolds. And I have had many occasions where I needed a PDF of a document or my entire book. Only Acrobat Professional has been able to generate this file free from formatting errors.
Finally, Microsoft Outlook. Writers do a lot of communicating, and their communications need to be precise, secure, and backed up. But you are probably using an online site like Yahoo Mail. Easy, quick, and convenient. Right?
Do you own the Yahoo Mail, AOL Mail, or MSN hard drive? Of course not. And if that email gets deleted? I have four backup copies of my critical emails, and all my current emails are on my computer. No internet? No problem. I can read my old emails and compose new ones. Granted, I cannot send or receive without a connection. The point is I am in complete control of my communications. In addition, I have complete control over the email quality, including the font, formatting, spell-checking, signature, and contact list.
10) Temp File
This may seem an odd thing to include, but I have a Word document named temp. It has many uses, and the first is a scratchpad. I copy and paste text and graphics there. It is like a big cut-and-paste clipboard. It is super helpful when I am working with many documents. The most important use is with Grammarly/ProWritingAid and a large document. It takes forever for these two programs to analyze a large file. So, I copy and paste the section I am working on (like one chapter) into the temp file, do the analysis, and then copy it back into the main file. Word has a cute feature: if you do not touch the main file while editing, you can paste (replace) the text exactly because it remembered where you cut the cut.
11) Hotkeys
Hotkeys are shortcuts in Word and other programs. They are a huge time saver, but I did not know all of them. So, I found a list and posted it next to my computer. In addition, I have mapped the paste function to my center mouse button.
12) Track Changes Hotkey
When editing with tracked changes turned on, switching back and forth between the results and the red edits is helpful. But… There is no key for this. So, I found this article that shows how to create a hotkey. This has saved lots of time and mistakes. Surprisingly, despite its incredible usefulness, most editors are unaware of this function.
Writers must have the proper tools to support their craft. Microsoft Word is not the gold standard; it is the only standard. Why? Their programmers have spent thousands of hours tweaking every function to allow users to get their ideas onto the page rapidly. Secondly, it is what editors, formatters, publishers, and other writers use/expect.
What about Open Office, Google Docs…? They are all fine until they are not. The point is that a writer’s output is the best possible properly formatted document to convert into a book. These other word processors fall short in many areas, especially formatting. Here is an example: A document will print fine on one printer and not another. Microsoft has spent thousands of programming hours making their program work on all printers. Those other companies have not been around long enough to invest that time.
All professional book formatters, publishing sites, or printers expect a Word document. I have been forced kicking and screaming to work with Open Office and Google Docs for work or my daughter’s school projects. Their interface, output, and controls are miserable.
For example, the last editor I used did their work in Google Docs. (I did not know this in advance and will not be using them in the future.) I immediately found that the conversion process had messed up the spacing, tabs, and page breaks. I spent over four hours trying to delete the comments and eventually gave up. I had to copy the entire document, do a special paste into a new document, and then manually update the formatting. I am still finding issues.
And there is no excuse. You can eBay older versions of these programs for $10. Sites offer a legitimate copy bound to your Microsoft account for $45. This is a peanuts price for all the heartache it will save.
Be aware of what programs like Microsoft Excel are capable of. For example, put the dates into Excel if your book has a timeline. Microsoft Project can organize a super advanced timeline. How about a list? Excel is perfect for recording all the aspects, and the math functions are excellent. For example, if a plot occurs every thirteen days, put the first date in Excel and add thirteen:
Wednesday, October 8, 1975
Tuesday, October 21, 1975
Monday, November 3, 1975
Sunday, November 16, 1975
If your book needs graphics or a photo, go with the professional tools, Acrobat, Visio, and Photoshop. Readers now have very high expectations for how their books appear. I recently came across a book with an out-of-focus cover photo. No excuses!
I use Visio in my outline process because it gives me a big picture of how the plot unfolds. And I have had many occasions where I needed a PDF of a document or my entire book. Only Acrobat Professional has been able to generate this file free from formatting errors.
Finally, Microsoft Outlook. Writers do a lot of communicating, and their communications need to be precise, secure, and backed up. But you are probably using an online site like Yahoo Mail. Easy, quick, and convenient. Right?
Do you own the Yahoo Mail, AOL Mail, or MSN hard drive? Of course not. And if that email gets deleted? I have four backup copies of my critical emails, and all my current emails are on my computer. No internet? No problem. I can read my old emails and compose new ones. Granted, I cannot send or receive without a connection. The point is I am in complete control of my communications. In addition, I have complete control over the email quality, including the font, formatting, spell-checking, signature, and contact list.
10) Temp File
This may seem an odd thing to include, but I have a Word document named temp. It has many uses, and the first is a scratchpad. I copy and paste text and graphics there. It is like a big cut-and-paste clipboard. It is super helpful when I am working with many documents. The most important use is with Grammarly/ProWritingAid and a large document. It takes forever for these two programs to analyze a large file. So, I copy and paste the section I am working on (like one chapter) into the temp file, do the analysis, and then copy it back into the main file. Word has a cute feature: if you do not touch the main file while editing, you can paste (replace) the text exactly because it remembered where you cut the cut.
11) Hotkeys
Hotkeys are shortcuts in Word and other programs. They are a huge time saver, but I did not know all of them. So, I found a list and posted it next to my computer. In addition, I have mapped the paste function to my center mouse button.
12) Track Changes Hotkey
When editing with tracked changes turned on, switching back and forth between the results and the red edits is helpful. But… There is no key for this. So, I found this article that shows how to create a hotkey. This has saved lots of time and mistakes. Surprisingly, despite its incredible usefulness, most editors are unaware of this function.
13) My “Things to Check For” list
I have a list of my writing quirks. I check each item when I am ready to submit a document to my beta reader, editor, or formatter. It takes me about an hour per big document, but using it has been invaluable.
14) Upper Ribbon
In Microsoft products, it is possible to map often-used commands into the upper ribbon. I have save, redo, draft format, print format, paste text only, and thesaurus. Another feature is to see if I am in draft or print format because the icons show the document status.
15) Wikipedia
Wikipedia is my primary research tool. It is loaded with facts, statistics, pictures, and clear explanations, but an author must understand the limitations. Amateurs maintain Wikipedia, and the articles are famous for containing errors, especially on sensitive topics.
For example, many articles have highlighted the massive bias in the Wikipedia global warming article. When researching, be sure to check critical facts with other sites. Helpful tip: Do not directly copy Wikipedia entries into your book. Readers also read Wikipedia, and its style is distinctive.
16) The Internet
The internet is the greatest invention ever and a giant leap forward for authors. It allows me to do endless research without leaving my desk, keeps my computer updated, lets me communicate with anybody, and allows my books to be sold. I would not have published without this invention.
17) My computer
This incredible device allows my thoughts to come alive. It is a powerhouse of modern technology and a universal writing tool. I spent big bucks on my machine, including large monitors to clearly see my words, a tactile keyboard to input them, and an ergonomic mouse to navigate. It is not loaded up with junk, and I go to great lengths to keep it healthy, backed up, and updated.
18) Virus protection
It is no secret that people are out to get us, and a personal computer needs to have virus protection. For the past ten years, I have settled for Panda Free. It is not the best, but it does a reasonable job. I have found many issues with Norton, Symantec, and McAfee. They add bloatware, miss critical stuff, have been hacked, have had ethical issues, and apply high-pressure sales for their other products/services.
I have a list of my writing quirks. I check each item when I am ready to submit a document to my beta reader, editor, or formatter. It takes me about an hour per big document, but using it has been invaluable.
14) Upper Ribbon
In Microsoft products, it is possible to map often-used commands into the upper ribbon. I have save, redo, draft format, print format, paste text only, and thesaurus. Another feature is to see if I am in draft or print format because the icons show the document status.
15) Wikipedia
Wikipedia is my primary research tool. It is loaded with facts, statistics, pictures, and clear explanations, but an author must understand the limitations. Amateurs maintain Wikipedia, and the articles are famous for containing errors, especially on sensitive topics.
For example, many articles have highlighted the massive bias in the Wikipedia global warming article. When researching, be sure to check critical facts with other sites. Helpful tip: Do not directly copy Wikipedia entries into your book. Readers also read Wikipedia, and its style is distinctive.
16) The Internet
The internet is the greatest invention ever and a giant leap forward for authors. It allows me to do endless research without leaving my desk, keeps my computer updated, lets me communicate with anybody, and allows my books to be sold. I would not have published without this invention.
17) My computer
This incredible device allows my thoughts to come alive. It is a powerhouse of modern technology and a universal writing tool. I spent big bucks on my machine, including large monitors to clearly see my words, a tactile keyboard to input them, and an ergonomic mouse to navigate. It is not loaded up with junk, and I go to great lengths to keep it healthy, backed up, and updated.
18) Virus protection
It is no secret that people are out to get us, and a personal computer needs to have virus protection. For the past ten years, I have settled for Panda Free. It is not the best, but it does a reasonable job. I have found many issues with Norton, Symantec, and McAfee. They add bloatware, miss critical stuff, have been hacked, have had ethical issues, and apply high-pressure sales for their other products/services.
19) My Test Machine
I have only had two virus-related issues on my main PC in the last ten years. Panda was able to clear the issues, but it was still scary. To further prevent viruses, I have an older computer called Test Machine. I use it for nonstandard programs, one-time applications, risky programs, web surfing on risky sites, and questionable applications.
There have been many issues with that machine, and I wiped the entire operating system three times. Because it is my test machine, I do not store files or passwords. You can get an old machine on eBay, or at the thrift store, or swap meet cheaply. There are no excuses for causing a failure on your main computer.
Alright, truth. Over the last twenty years, I had to wipe my main machine twice. The first was due to a bad graphics card driver, and the second was an “update preview” from Microsoft.
20) Backup drive
A backup drive is critical. You can buy a low-capacity USB stick for a dollar and a used fireproof lockbox for $10 on eBay. I go to the extreme of having a dedicated drive on my PC for daily backups. Every month, I fully back up all critical files on two drives I have in my safe. Every six months, I do a full backup on another drive that I keep in a small fireproof box hidden in the attic.
Since my writing adventure began, I have retrieved old files many times, including yesterday. The files I am looking for include prior versions and accidentally deleted ones or files I moved to a new location and forgot. But what about that copy in the attic? On two occasions, I recovered files from that drive because I did not save the files on the drive in the safe.
I have had one major incident that I could not recover from. I spent three months editing my fourth book after a beta read. One day, I returned to the first chapter and saw the beta edits were missing. I believe what happened is that I was not editing the current file. I could not find my edits despite backing up the entire directory of all my writing files. I lost two months of work.
What about Microsoft OneDrive, iCloud, Google Drive, or Dropbox? I have the same argument as with email. Do you own the drive? What happens when the internet is down? If they decide to delete your files or get hacked, what happens? No excuses!
21) Identity Scam Protection
This may seem odd to include, but identity scam protection is now essential for an author. Authors are in the public eye and, therefore, valuable. Hey, everybody reading this. Famous author Bill here. Visit naughtysite.com. In 2024, our credit card was nefariously used twice, a person took over my eBay account and purchased soap (Really? Soap?), somebody posted on Reddit claiming to be me, and Amazon removed many book reviews because of a scammer.
We use Experian to help with identity theft, but not for the reason you think. It was free with AAA but has proven itself valuable on several occasions. Most importantly, they have an experienced team to clamp down on the scammers.
22) Outline
I cannot stress enough how important it is to begin every book project with an outline. This tool allows the author to see the story unfold, ask big questions, and make massive changes. At the beginning of my writing adventure, the motivation was completely missing, and an outline would have revealed this glaring flaw.
The outline goal is to sort out the plot flow, prevent mistakes, and identify something that is not working. It takes me three months to develop a solid outline and six to work it to the point where I am ready to write. Side note: I find writing based on a solid outline less stressful. This is because there is less pressure to invent and I can concentrate on the fun of creating something.
23) Character Biography
A character biography is a basic description of the main character’s traits, relationships, and personalities. It is essential to have the basics established before the writing begins.
They are very easy to create. I use a name generator and then invent basic physical and behavioral details. As I write, I refer to this sheet and add to it. I estimate that it takes less than ten minutes per character but saves many hours during writing and editing, plus the story is better.
24) Beta Reader
A beta reader has two crucial functions. The first is to vet an outline. The main question is: Does this make sense? And the secondary question is: Is this something you find interesting? Treat their comments like gold.
Next, your beta reader should review an early draft vetted by Grammarly and ProWritingAid. At this stage, you are looking to get basic questions answered, not grammar issues. Does this make sense? Is it interesting? Is something missing? Are you confused? You want comments like, “Delete this.” “I do not understand this part.” “Where did he get the car?” “More description.” “Women will not like this.”
This last comment type is critical. A writer gets close to the words and can miss obvious issues like something offensive. A second perspective can see the bold issues.
I was lucky to have a mother willing to help, and remember, a beta reader is just that. You are looking for a basic perspective. Anybody can look at a document and say, “I do not understand this.” But how do you find one? My advice is to beg a friend who likes to read. They do not have to be a book expert. This makes them better beta readers. Alternatively, you can search the Editorial Freelancers Association. Their main website is confusing, and here is their member directory page:
I have only had two virus-related issues on my main PC in the last ten years. Panda was able to clear the issues, but it was still scary. To further prevent viruses, I have an older computer called Test Machine. I use it for nonstandard programs, one-time applications, risky programs, web surfing on risky sites, and questionable applications.
There have been many issues with that machine, and I wiped the entire operating system three times. Because it is my test machine, I do not store files or passwords. You can get an old machine on eBay, or at the thrift store, or swap meet cheaply. There are no excuses for causing a failure on your main computer.
Alright, truth. Over the last twenty years, I had to wipe my main machine twice. The first was due to a bad graphics card driver, and the second was an “update preview” from Microsoft.
20) Backup drive
A backup drive is critical. You can buy a low-capacity USB stick for a dollar and a used fireproof lockbox for $10 on eBay. I go to the extreme of having a dedicated drive on my PC for daily backups. Every month, I fully back up all critical files on two drives I have in my safe. Every six months, I do a full backup on another drive that I keep in a small fireproof box hidden in the attic.
Since my writing adventure began, I have retrieved old files many times, including yesterday. The files I am looking for include prior versions and accidentally deleted ones or files I moved to a new location and forgot. But what about that copy in the attic? On two occasions, I recovered files from that drive because I did not save the files on the drive in the safe.
I have had one major incident that I could not recover from. I spent three months editing my fourth book after a beta read. One day, I returned to the first chapter and saw the beta edits were missing. I believe what happened is that I was not editing the current file. I could not find my edits despite backing up the entire directory of all my writing files. I lost two months of work.
What about Microsoft OneDrive, iCloud, Google Drive, or Dropbox? I have the same argument as with email. Do you own the drive? What happens when the internet is down? If they decide to delete your files or get hacked, what happens? No excuses!
21) Identity Scam Protection
This may seem odd to include, but identity scam protection is now essential for an author. Authors are in the public eye and, therefore, valuable. Hey, everybody reading this. Famous author Bill here. Visit naughtysite.com. In 2024, our credit card was nefariously used twice, a person took over my eBay account and purchased soap (Really? Soap?), somebody posted on Reddit claiming to be me, and Amazon removed many book reviews because of a scammer.
We use Experian to help with identity theft, but not for the reason you think. It was free with AAA but has proven itself valuable on several occasions. Most importantly, they have an experienced team to clamp down on the scammers.
22) Outline
I cannot stress enough how important it is to begin every book project with an outline. This tool allows the author to see the story unfold, ask big questions, and make massive changes. At the beginning of my writing adventure, the motivation was completely missing, and an outline would have revealed this glaring flaw.
The outline goal is to sort out the plot flow, prevent mistakes, and identify something that is not working. It takes me three months to develop a solid outline and six to work it to the point where I am ready to write. Side note: I find writing based on a solid outline less stressful. This is because there is less pressure to invent and I can concentrate on the fun of creating something.
23) Character Biography
A character biography is a basic description of the main character’s traits, relationships, and personalities. It is essential to have the basics established before the writing begins.
They are very easy to create. I use a name generator and then invent basic physical and behavioral details. As I write, I refer to this sheet and add to it. I estimate that it takes less than ten minutes per character but saves many hours during writing and editing, plus the story is better.
24) Beta Reader
A beta reader has two crucial functions. The first is to vet an outline. The main question is: Does this make sense? And the secondary question is: Is this something you find interesting? Treat their comments like gold.
Next, your beta reader should review an early draft vetted by Grammarly and ProWritingAid. At this stage, you are looking to get basic questions answered, not grammar issues. Does this make sense? Is it interesting? Is something missing? Are you confused? You want comments like, “Delete this.” “I do not understand this part.” “Where did he get the car?” “More description.” “Women will not like this.”
This last comment type is critical. A writer gets close to the words and can miss obvious issues like something offensive. A second perspective can see the bold issues.
I was lucky to have a mother willing to help, and remember, a beta reader is just that. You are looking for a basic perspective. Anybody can look at a document and say, “I do not understand this.” But how do you find one? My advice is to beg a friend who likes to read. They do not have to be a book expert. This makes them better beta readers. Alternatively, you can search the Editorial Freelancers Association. Their main website is confusing, and here is their member directory page:
Important tip: Do not treat your beta editor, editor, copy editor, or formatter like a garbage collector. Give them the absolute best possible document. That way, they are not wasting time on something you could have fixed and instead focus on issues you are unaware of.
25) Editor
A good editor is necessary because today’s readers do not tolerate poor English. Editors locate logic, grammar, spelling, plot, scene, character, and flow errors. Plus, they often have publishing contacts and provide writing tips. To find one, go to the Editorial Freelancers Association. Pick one from the directory and ask them to send you a document they edited. Look at the before and after. Are you still spotting errors? Did the edit indeed make the document better? Or did the editor introduce errors? What is the comment tone? “This character is stupid.” Are they supportive and helpful to the writer? Do they offer tips?
If an editor does not provide a sample edited document, move on to the next person in the Editorial Freelancers Association directory. I learned this the very hard way. If they offer to edit a chapter for free, I have learned (again, the hard way) to pass. Why? They will try hard for the sample and then coast on the rest. This is a psychology thing. They feel like you should have gone with them in the first place and not made them give you a sample chapter.
I have one more word of advice for picking an editor. Writing is supposed to be fun. Look for an editor with passion. They should be fun, friendly, and encouraging when you interact with them. Again, I have learned the hard way that if they are all business, pass.
Side note: I have used six editors. One was fantastic, but she passed away. The rest were subpar. The overall problem was they were burned out. In ~6 weeks, I plan to start over with the Editorial Freelancers Association directory to try another one.
26) Copy Editor
Today’s readers expect perfection. To be taken seriously, modern authors must take the extra step of hiring a copy editor. They find the tiny mistakes and catch things the editor missed or author corrections suggested by the editor. How do you find one? Editorial Freelancers Association. Ask them to provide a copy-edited document.
Note: The initial sample document the copy editor worked on should be nearly flawless. The changes they make should be minor but on point. Ideally, 0-4 per page. Something is wrong if you go with them, and you are getting more/less than 0-4 per page. This issue might mean your editor was off, you are off, or the copy editor is off. Either way, it is critical to identify the root cause.
27) Cover Designer
The cover is the first thing a reader will see; it is 90% of the advertisement. The people who create covers are ultra-specialized and have an eye for what makes a good cover. This attention to detail includes fonts, colors, placement, graphics, photo manipulation, marketing, and understanding what printers/formatters/publishers/Amazon require. Modern readers can spot a bad cover from a mile away.
Important tip: Do not design your cover or have your “artistic friend” do the job. As I said, this is an ultra-specialized discipline. And I will say it again. Modern readers can spot a bad cover from a mile away.
How do you find one? I got lucky, and a friend recommended a great cover designer. They gave me homework. I studied many covers to look for good and bad elements. The next step was identifying what elements I wanted on the cover, and I found several example covers of what I wanted mine to look like.
Here is how I recommend you locate one. Studying many covers to get an idea of what you are looking for. Learn what you are not looking for. This process should take over a week of one-hour study sessions.
Then, do an internet search for cover designers and evaluate their creations. Are their book covers on best-seller books? Have they been doing it for a while? Would you buy one of the books they did the cover for?
If you have done enough studying, you should recognize some of the patterns and be able to choose a potential designer. A good cover is expensive but worth it. Also, be prepared to pay for images on a site like:
25) Editor
A good editor is necessary because today’s readers do not tolerate poor English. Editors locate logic, grammar, spelling, plot, scene, character, and flow errors. Plus, they often have publishing contacts and provide writing tips. To find one, go to the Editorial Freelancers Association. Pick one from the directory and ask them to send you a document they edited. Look at the before and after. Are you still spotting errors? Did the edit indeed make the document better? Or did the editor introduce errors? What is the comment tone? “This character is stupid.” Are they supportive and helpful to the writer? Do they offer tips?
If an editor does not provide a sample edited document, move on to the next person in the Editorial Freelancers Association directory. I learned this the very hard way. If they offer to edit a chapter for free, I have learned (again, the hard way) to pass. Why? They will try hard for the sample and then coast on the rest. This is a psychology thing. They feel like you should have gone with them in the first place and not made them give you a sample chapter.
I have one more word of advice for picking an editor. Writing is supposed to be fun. Look for an editor with passion. They should be fun, friendly, and encouraging when you interact with them. Again, I have learned the hard way that if they are all business, pass.
Side note: I have used six editors. One was fantastic, but she passed away. The rest were subpar. The overall problem was they were burned out. In ~6 weeks, I plan to start over with the Editorial Freelancers Association directory to try another one.
26) Copy Editor
Today’s readers expect perfection. To be taken seriously, modern authors must take the extra step of hiring a copy editor. They find the tiny mistakes and catch things the editor missed or author corrections suggested by the editor. How do you find one? Editorial Freelancers Association. Ask them to provide a copy-edited document.
Note: The initial sample document the copy editor worked on should be nearly flawless. The changes they make should be minor but on point. Ideally, 0-4 per page. Something is wrong if you go with them, and you are getting more/less than 0-4 per page. This issue might mean your editor was off, you are off, or the copy editor is off. Either way, it is critical to identify the root cause.
27) Cover Designer
The cover is the first thing a reader will see; it is 90% of the advertisement. The people who create covers are ultra-specialized and have an eye for what makes a good cover. This attention to detail includes fonts, colors, placement, graphics, photo manipulation, marketing, and understanding what printers/formatters/publishers/Amazon require. Modern readers can spot a bad cover from a mile away.
Important tip: Do not design your cover or have your “artistic friend” do the job. As I said, this is an ultra-specialized discipline. And I will say it again. Modern readers can spot a bad cover from a mile away.
How do you find one? I got lucky, and a friend recommended a great cover designer. They gave me homework. I studied many covers to look for good and bad elements. The next step was identifying what elements I wanted on the cover, and I found several example covers of what I wanted mine to look like.
Here is how I recommend you locate one. Studying many covers to get an idea of what you are looking for. Learn what you are not looking for. This process should take over a week of one-hour study sessions.
Then, do an internet search for cover designers and evaluate their creations. Are their book covers on best-seller books? Have they been doing it for a while? Would you buy one of the books they did the cover for?
If you have done enough studying, you should recognize some of the patterns and be able to choose a potential designer. A good cover is expensive but worth it. Also, be prepared to pay for images on a site like:
Top tip: Be aware that certain buildings (and other objects), like The Eiffel Tower, are copyrighted even if you took the picture. If you use your own photo, make sure it is the absolute best quality or, even better, have a professional take it. I will say it for a third time. Modern readers can spot a bad cover from a mile away. And finally, do not include anything copyrighted in your book or on the cover. Companies like Amazon have no sense of humor and will ban you for life if you pull a fast one. A fellow author learned this the hard way.
28) Formatter
The formatter converts your document into an eBook and print on demand. It is essential to get an expert to do this. I have read so many poorly formatted books and seen many reviews commenting on the bad formatting. “Pages not aligned.” “Table of contents did not work.”
This next pill will be hard to swallow. Request that the formatter use Adobe InDesign, which is sort of the default standard (many people would disagree) for eBook/print-on-demand formatting. This is a super professional program; not all formatters know how to use it. And they are going to complain. “Oh, I use Vellum, Scrivener, Calibre (Side note: I love this program, but would never use it to create an eBook), or Atticus.” Some have even developed their own script, “know this free program like the back of their hand,” have a Microsoft Word plugin, or generate the .mobi file directly.
This is all great until you must revise your book. Poof! Start over. If your book is in Adobe InDesign and you have the source file, updating an eBook or print-on-demand book is trivial. The point is that you are in control. Granted, I can tell you firsthand that you will get pushback. Why? As I said, it is a super professional program.
I have some fantastic news. Formatters are easy to find! Go to the Editorial Freelancers Association and pick one. Any formatter will do if they agree to use Adobe InDesign. When you get your eBook back, look at the result on the free program Calibre:
28) Formatter
The formatter converts your document into an eBook and print on demand. It is essential to get an expert to do this. I have read so many poorly formatted books and seen many reviews commenting on the bad formatting. “Pages not aligned.” “Table of contents did not work.”
This next pill will be hard to swallow. Request that the formatter use Adobe InDesign, which is sort of the default standard (many people would disagree) for eBook/print-on-demand formatting. This is a super professional program; not all formatters know how to use it. And they are going to complain. “Oh, I use Vellum, Scrivener, Calibre (Side note: I love this program, but would never use it to create an eBook), or Atticus.” Some have even developed their own script, “know this free program like the back of their hand,” have a Microsoft Word plugin, or generate the .mobi file directly.
This is all great until you must revise your book. Poof! Start over. If your book is in Adobe InDesign and you have the source file, updating an eBook or print-on-demand book is trivial. The point is that you are in control. Granted, I can tell you firsthand that you will get pushback. Why? As I said, it is a super professional program.
I have some fantastic news. Formatters are easy to find! Go to the Editorial Freelancers Association and pick one. Any formatter will do if they agree to use Adobe InDesign. When you get your eBook back, look at the result on the free program Calibre:
Do the chapter links work? If you have a hyperlink to your website, does that work? Are the tabs and chapters aligned? Are the fonts the same? Do things line up? Then, put your book on a Nook and a Kindle and do the same check. $10 each used on eBay. Do an online search for “eBook validator” and upload your .epub and .mobi files to multiple sites. For unknown reasons, formatters always seem to skip this step and get surprised when there is an issue.
Also, check in Calibre to make sure the metadata is correct. (The text is listed on the right side when you load your eBook on Caliber. It has the book description and author’s name.) Formatters always have an issue with this step.
The point is that you can check 100% of the formatting with your eyes and do not pay until you are satisfied. If a formatter cannot make the chapter links work, they do not deserve to be paid.
It is the same with a print-on-demand book. Get a sample printed copy, read it, and submit formatting corrections. Pay them when it is done.
Helpful tip: Ask the formatter to help submit your eBook/print-on-demand for the first time to Amazon. There are some confusing settings.
29) Writing space
This is the place where I write. My space is comfortable, practical, functional, and free from distraction.
30) Publishing assistant
When I began my journey, I was fortunate to locate a publishing assistant, Bethany, who helped me get my first three books on Amazon. Her service included great advice, tips, finding an editor, formatter, and cover designer. She was encouraging, knowledgeable, and helpful.
I learned the process for my fourth book and have since assumed her role, but my experience with Bethany was invaluable. You can find a “publishing helper” on the Editorial Freelancers Association, or you can contact Bethany:
Also, check in Calibre to make sure the metadata is correct. (The text is listed on the right side when you load your eBook on Caliber. It has the book description and author’s name.) Formatters always have an issue with this step.
The point is that you can check 100% of the formatting with your eyes and do not pay until you are satisfied. If a formatter cannot make the chapter links work, they do not deserve to be paid.
It is the same with a print-on-demand book. Get a sample printed copy, read it, and submit formatting corrections. Pay them when it is done.
Helpful tip: Ask the formatter to help submit your eBook/print-on-demand for the first time to Amazon. There are some confusing settings.
29) Writing space
This is the place where I write. My space is comfortable, practical, functional, and free from distraction.
30) Publishing assistant
When I began my journey, I was fortunate to locate a publishing assistant, Bethany, who helped me get my first three books on Amazon. Her service included great advice, tips, finding an editor, formatter, and cover designer. She was encouraging, knowledgeable, and helpful.
I learned the process for my fourth book and have since assumed her role, but my experience with Bethany was invaluable. You can find a “publishing helper” on the Editorial Freelancers Association, or you can contact Bethany:
31) Marketer?
This is a person or service that assists with book marketing. I do not have one because I have not found one. The services I located were glorified spam generators, hucksters, or scammers. Not one “marketer” could prove their services were ever successful. Do I need one? I do, but I am weary of hiring one.
I hope you found this list useful. Let me know if I missed one.
You’re the best -Bill
January 01, 2025
This is a person or service that assists with book marketing. I do not have one because I have not found one. The services I located were glorified spam generators, hucksters, or scammers. Not one “marketer” could prove their services were ever successful. Do I need one? I do, but I am weary of hiring one.
I hope you found this list useful. Let me know if I missed one.
You’re the best -Bill
January 01, 2025
