It’s time to get ready for that thrilling, nerve-racking moment when you approach an agent or publisher with your work. Every writer anticipates it, even the seasoned ones, but are you truly prepared with a query letter that will grab their interest? In order to get your foot in the door, you need a polished,
Break these Genre Rules at Your Own Risk How important is identifying your genre? Authors who are ambiguous in identifying their genre, or don’t do it correctly, can run into problems when pitching their manuscript to an agent or publisher. We’re here to nip that in the bud and keep you from breaking genre rules.
Put on the Brakes! You Mean there Are Word Count Limits? Just like speed limits, there are word count publishing standards. Go too fast down that freeway, and you’re breaking the speed limit. If you’re too slow, then you are under the limit which can also be hazardous. Most signs along your writing journey recommend
Black Château is listed among the top 20 digital marketing agencies in Los Angeles: DesignRush Top 20 Digital Marketing Agencies for 2021. The list is curated by DesignRush, which is an online marketplace that helps people find and compare the most qualified professionals and agencies from marketing, branding, website design, and app development services. After
There is a common misconception that social media is free or that it is easy to do because you just need to post compelling content, and then new fans and customers will naturally find you, follow you, and automatically buy your book or service. Easy peasy, right? After all, your 14-year-old niece has 10,000 followers
In the same way that auditioning is part of the job for actors, self-promotion is important for writers. It’s a great way to make vital connections and keep your name out there. Networking is a powerful tool for anyone who is creative, an author, or a business leader. One of the best tools you can
You’ve heard the jokes about having a “writer’s body.” Maybe you’ve made them yourself. It’s not about weight. Instead, it’s usually about our fitness and health. We’re sedentary as a rule, and there are dozens of studies out there that show that a sedentary lifestyle can be damaging to our health. It’s so easy to
The Snoodles Book Series They have been watching my back for five books. They have become my family and that is how I feel I have been treated. Got much press/media because of their help! Steven Joseph, author of The Last Surviving Dinosaur: The TyrantoCrankaTsuris, the Snoodles children’s book series, as well as A Grownup
Authors work hard to write, publish, promote, and champion their books. We know because we work with authors every day through Black Château, Books That Make You, and The BookFest. We also know how important it is for authors to recognize legitimate opportunities when they arrive in their inbox. That is why we created Curated
Turning a Brilliant Manuscript into a Marketable Author Brand When molecular geneticist Sara Winokur came to Black Château, she had a compelling manuscript and ambitious goals for her debut mystery novel. What she did not yet have was the author platform that captured her unique brand, a book cover, logo, or public awareness needed to
Is That Email Really from Black Château, The BookFest, or Books That Make You? How to verify suspicious emails, avoid scammers, and make sure you are communicating with our official brands and people. By Desireé Duffy, Founder of Black Château, Books That Make You, and The BookFest Adventure® I can’t tell you how much it pains me that scammers are impersonating
As a marketer, I can build targeted audiences and draw interested readers to books through advertising, branding, and public relations strategies. But my power ends where yours as the author begins. No matter what, I cannot make a reader buy your book. It’s like the old saying, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink,” only in our case,
