Writer's Blog | Blue Dragon Publishing

The first thing I ask my clients is, “What is your reason for publishing?” TIME usually becomes the biggest factor in the decision. How much time and effort do you want to spend on your writing career? Vanity A vanity press is an organization that will take whatever you give them, make copies or prints […]

There is so much more to being an author than writing. It never ceases to amaze me how much more time I spend on my writing career that doesn’t involve getting my story on paper. There is setting up book signings, then doing the signs for it, then the pre-advertising, and, and , and… Oh, […]

If you ever see an author sitting behind a table with stacks of books in front of them, take pity. Stop and say hello, even if you don’t need another book. Give them human interaction so their time goes by more quickly. It’s really hard to put yourself out there on display. It’s even worse […]

Short answer is…no. At least I don’t. Getting away from my desk is a relief and something I look forward to, but my laptop is never left behind. What if the urge hits me to knock out a few thousand words? I can’t pass up that opportunity. Although many authors recommend having a set schedule […]

This is a fun bit of trivia I wish I could go back and show my high school English teacher: according to the Chicago Manual of Style 5.206, it’s okay to begin a sentence with a conjunction. A conjunction is a joiner, typically of two sentences or thoughts—and, but, however, therefore, etc. The CMoS authors […]

Creating cover art is a specialization in the book world. It is NOT my specialty. There are trends to track, colors to express emotion, and fonts that convey meaning. Some authors start with a distinct idea of what they want on their cover. It’s their book, after all. In the traditional publishing world, the author […]

A book is always a great gift. One with special meaning resonates with the receiver because thought was put into it. My daughter gave me a wonderful gift. I love dragons (hence Blue Dragon Publishing). But because I love reading about them, I felt any story I came up with has already been done. I […]

Picture books are tougher to write than you think. Things to Consider The words have to be simple enough to fit the age group, but interesting enough to catch the parents’ eye. Rhyming is good for children because of the sing-song tone which is comforting to them. But it can’t be annoying because the parents […]

After your book has gone through the editing process but before final printing, you should receive a printed copy of your book. The proof copy may or may not be bound. This is a great time to read your book yet another time and look for any typos or words that aren’t quite right. Hopefully […]

I know it’s frustrating to hear that you need an editor. Then, to add insult to injury, not even your schoolteacher father or mother should edit your work. Why? You are too close to the story. You may try to argue that your parents are particularly hard on you when giving feedback. It’s great that […]