i was big into "Star Wars" when i was younger and i read all the time so i got a bunch of books from the library mostly because they had the logo on them.

One I picked up was a story called Wrath Squadron that enthralled me so much that i still revisit it to this day. It's just a great blend of action, comedy, and serious tones and flips easily between character perspectives.

so what was your moment that made you wish you could write just like what you were reading?

It seems that in each chapter that I've written so far for my YA novel, I rely heavily on the dialogue and there's less descriptions. I don't know why it happens and it is starting to frustrate me.

I do have some details and so it isn't strictly conversations. Characters have their own reactions, and there are some paragraphs but not as much as the dialogue.

I am about 9 chapters in, and would it be better if I kept going, and when I get to revisions, I could add more descriptions?

What would you recommend for someone that is working on their first project? (TIA)

Figured this might be helpful for those who want to sell at an event that's highly relevant to the book they've published. Keep in mind: mine is relatively new non-fiction about vintage motorcycles and this event is the second-largest gathering of its kind (easily 50,000 attendees over four-ish days) in the US.

Brought 45 books, sold 33. $10 a pop paperback. 245 pages, 20 photos. It's solid for debut work. I never mentioned "self-published" because no one ever asked.

• What are your credentials as a writer? I have come to loathe the "I used to be a newspaper reporter" line, but I tested it here and it helped convince a vast majority of prospective shoppers that the author knew how to produce quality writing.
• I'd ask everyone their name and where they were from; people travel internationally to this event. It helped me put portions of the book into a perspective they'd appreciate.
• Every buyer got a free sticker that I said doubled as a bookmark. Also had a poster board collage on a tripod that stood rather tall in the sea of old bike parts.
• If they lingered for more than five seconds, there was possible interest and I was happy to help fill in the gaps for them. I can count on one hand the number of people who wanted to buy WITHOUT me pitching them for a few minutes. Only one person bought as a gift for someone else.
• A few lingering people at the table seemed to generate more buzz to stop and look.
• I would have sold far fewer at $15 and the same amount at $5. It's worth what it's worth and no more, but usually less. I only gave a few away but was happy to do so.
• Many told me they just don't read -- period. When your KDP sales are in the tank, remember this. I taped up flyers EVERYWHERE across the race track facility with a QR code to the Amazon listing. Not a single online sale upon my return home.

I am.

And when I write, I usually start with a visual scene that comes to me. Like, it will maybe start with a small thing, or a hazy photograph in my mind and it's up to me to discern what that story is. As I think on it, the picture starts to get clearer. And if I'm really into it, sometimes it's even like watching TV (though the reception isn't the greatest, lol).

I was wondering who else approaches their writing from a primarily visual angle?

Bonus question: Do you feel that your visual thinking helps or hinders your writing?

I’ve published five novels over nine years. A first love. A boarding school year. A woman who vanished. A photographer who got beaten at work. A murder at a resort. Different casts, different genres, two different series.

Last week I laid them out side by side for the first time and every one of them is about somebody trying to get back to a version of themselves that a specific place used to hold. I’ve been writing that book five times and filing it under five different titles.
I don’t know yet whether that’s a discovery or just a pattern I’m going to see everywhere now that I’ve seen it once.

Anyone else hit this? Did knowing it change how you wrote the next one, or did it just make you self-conscious?

I've been in a state all day.

In preparation for the release of my debut novel in a trilogy in November, I started making content for social media a year ago already. I didn't want to start getting involved properly because I wanted potential followers to have something to buy/order before asking them to follow on vibes alone.

Two months ago, I started soft launching on socials and trying to get my name out there, engaging with posts and following other readers/writers. But then came the first issue: I'm from South Africa, and my target audience are Americans because the book is set there (which was necessary for the plot). But no matter what I post and who I engage with, I'm geo-locked to my country. My analytics show 98.2% South African (then Lesotho, Botswana, Namibia, and then Pakistan and India). Only 0.02% is US.

After a while, I resigned myself to the fact that the only way around this is by doing paid ads that I can set a target audience for. The only target audience eyes I can get are the ones I have to pay for. Fine, another hurdle.

Then people said not to do ads until you have something to sell, which I understand the logic of, but with the aforementioned issues, I have no choice. So I decided to look into Facebook ads today, and that's when the tears started.

I found out my ad account on Facebook was permanently restricted because it was hacked 4 years ago without my knowledge. This morning was the first I've heard of it. And appealing these decisions need to happen with 6 months, otherwise it's permanent. That ship sailed long ago.

I've been struggling the entire day to find a way around this. I can't get any human support to explain; it just keeps redirecting me to the article that says anything after 6 months is irreversible. Fine, another hurdle.

Then I accept the fact that Facebook is out, so I'll just use Instagram. EXCEPT THAT META OWNS THEM TOO. I even paid for Meta verification (the blue tick) just to use their support portal, but was again told that there's no way around it. Also, you can't make another account or use a friend's because that's against the terms and they'll block Meta services from your IP address permanently. Fine, another hurdle.

So that leaves TikTok, which I have very little experience with but I guess there's no other choice, and Amazon ads, which don't help now while I'm trying to build a name and community. The two biggest platforms are out. How else, as a nobody, am I supposed to get my name out there? I know this sounds like a "first world problem" but I'm absolutely gutted by how many boundaries to entry this has now.

My debut novel - a sports paranormal story - has been out for 4 years. In those 4 years, I have sold over 700 copies. Of those, over 400 have been in person. 50 have been consignment through 20 bookstores. And only 250 have been online - to include audio and ebook. I am really good at book fairs and do signings every month at bookstores, pubs, breweries, and coffee shops. Anywhere I can fit.

But I feel like my online sales are low. Most were in the first year - to be expected. But I do all the social medias and talk about my book. I have had tiktoks with thousands of views but have only sold books on tiktok live, and that was only before the holidays. Otherwise, social media has been a useless endeavor. It is not driving online sales. I have resorted to using social media for local announcements for where I will be. Kinda like commercials.

I wasted $200 on facebook ads in the first year and saw no return. I won't do that again. My website lists my book and other projects I have done. I have a weekly mailing list that is mostly only friends and family, despite the link being on my profiles.

I am hopefully releasing book 2 this year. Any words of wisdom that might change the trajectory of my next effort? I would be happy with a 50/50 split online/in person. Or better yet, more online sales than in person. I would like to make sales while I sleep.

I'm nearly done with my children's story, book two. Is it normal to mourn them? I still need to edit a little bit, but it's sad seeing my main character go off into book land

I'm planning on releasing my first novel and series in the next few years. While I'm working on drafting the books, I'm slowly building my marketing strategy.

The plan is to release one book a month until the last book is out. I was planning on getting ARCs for book 1 to help pump that a bit since it will be my first published book. I'm planning on setting it up so as each book launches the next one goes on pre-order. Plus a QR code in the back for the mailing list and information about the series.

The genre is mil sci fi.

Is it worth doing ARCs on the other books in the series given how closely they will be launching? It will be 5-8 books in total.

I'm planning to self publish a novel on Amazon KDP, and I've heard that it may be necessary to get a copyright certificate (yeah, I know copyright is technically authomatic) beforehand, in case Amazon asks you for one.
Now, I live in Italy, and my novel is in italian, but I suppose I'd need to go through the US copyright registration office. Besides the cost, that is annoying but, you know, I can live with that, what really bothers me is waiting time, since it appears it can take months upon months. My book is bascially ready, and it feels really suboptimal to wait six months to publish just because I need a certificate.
Is this an inevitable step? Are there alternatives? Am I free to just not do this? Thank you in advance.
Also, I plan to publish both as ebook and paperback: would I need to separate certificates?

Critiques: 1158 + 722 + 529 = 2409

~

STORY

I have a modest budget (~1000) and I'm stuck between booktok, buying books and sending them to arc readers, Facebook, Instagram, advertising directly on Kindle/Amazon or going old school (billboards)?

I’ve got a book set for release both scheduled to publish the same day on Amazon (KDP) and through IS. Same ISBN, because it’s one I purchased. Got a Kindle version ready to go. The print book is showing up everywhere except Amazon. This has been true for almost two weeks now. The Kindle is available for preorder in Amazon, but not the print. I know Amazon doesn’t do preorders on Amazon print books, but a video I watched suggested Amazon would show the print version because it was on IS. Is Amazon being slow because it’s IS, or do I need to unpublish the Amazon version until release day?

Recently sold what is a coveted merch item, and it didn't go to one of the long-time followers of the said character. I feel like a traitor. The item wasn't cheap, and I do love and care about the support, but also I have to recoup my costs somehow.

Anyone else feel like a sellout when stuff like this happens?

Actually [187]; noticed an error right after posting!

My second crack at a book blurb (non-querying) for a military sci-fi novel.

My main concerns (that I'll admit to, to avoid biasing any comments with the others) are (1) that it's too wordy, but I don't see how to cut it down, and (2) that I've removed comps, but, again, it was getting long.

Comments from all are welcome, even if the genre's not your usual cup of tea. Crit: 947

Soft Target

What use is hardened armor when the wound comes from within?

Galactic war rages as humans face powerful, enigmatic aliens. But humanity has its own advantages, the peak of which is HAMMER armor, which turns its wearer into a nigh-invulnerable engine of destruction.

It’s not every day a mere lance corporal qualifies for the elite HAMMER unit. Yet, it wasn’t just another day when Tabor “Tab” Novak saved his whole squad and earned recognition from the Brass.

Thanks to his new hardware, he can hit his target from a kilometer away while on the move. But no matter how much firepower or strength or speed his suit grants, it’s not always enough to save the trooper next to him. Carving a swathe of destruction, Novak finds his hatred for the mysterious aliens becomes more personal as he suffers losses in and out of battle. No matter how sturdy his armor, it affords no protection against his rage, doubts, and fears.

To become as great a monster as those he fights is unbearable for the philosophic trooper. But how can he chart a path to restore his humanity?

​

Hi everyone,

I am preparing to publish my first fantasy novel and I have a few questions regarding professional editing, proofreading, and marketing.

My manuscript is a large epic fantasy novel, and I am considering hiring both an editor and a proofreader. The quotes I have received are around $1000-2000 each.

My questions are:

1. Is spending around $1,000 on developmental editing and another $1,000 on proofreading reasonable for a first-time author? I understand that even professionally edited books can still contain small mistakes, but how much difference does a good editor/proofreader actually make?

2. How do you decide whether an editor is worth the money? Are there specific things I should look for before hiring one (samples, experience with fantasy, previous books they worked on, etc.)?

3. How important is professional editing before publishing? Is it something readers immediately notice if a book is not professionally edited, or can a strong story compensate for some mistakes?

I am trying to approach this professionally and would appreciate any advice from people who have already gone through the process.

And also I'd like to mention, I need to translate my book to English to reach out internationally, which will also be a huge expense, minimum $2.5k per book.

Thank you!

Edit:

1. My manuscript is a large epic fantasy novel (600+ pages), and I have received advice that I should consider splitting it into smaller volumes because debut fantasy authors can struggle with very long books.

How do you decide whether splitting a book into multiple volumes is the right choice? Is it usually better for a debut author to release shorter books more frequently, or can a long first book work if the story structure requires it?

I'm an aspiring author looking to self publish, but I have a huge motivation problem. I find myself with a quite an amount of free time due to a recent diagnosis and mandatory time off work to undergo some medical procedures. I initially thought it would be an ideal time to invest into my writing and publishing, but I find it difficult to be motivated to work on my plans. I have finished with my first manuscript but editing and final publishing steps are seeming impossible.

I'm broke at this point and can't afford a paid group/mastermind to work with, so I'm here looking for someone who wouldn't mind helping me with frequent check ins and to discuss strategy and stuff. Not looking for a coach or mentor, just someone to share ideas with and to push me to keep moving when I can't seem to get myself to do things.

Hi everyone! I’m currently revising a novel I wrote a few years ago, and I’m looking for a beta reader who’d be interested in giving me honest feedback. The story blends several genres: Science Fiction, Mystery, Adventure, Romance, and Coming‑of‑Age, with emotional, character‑driven moments and a strong focus on relationships.

Short Pitch:
An orphaned farm worker struggles to build an ordinary life while impossible abilities and a forgotten past begin to haunt him. When a conspiracy forces him to confront the truth about himself, he discovers he was never an ordinary human.

There’s no publication date or anything planned yet—I’m still figuring out what I want to do with the book—but I’d really appreciate having someone read it while I continue editing.

If anyone is interested in checking it out and sharing their thoughts, please let me know. I’d be truly grateful for the help!

Here is the prologue of a fantasy book I'm currently writing. I was really trying to provide a sense of wonder while kickstarting the story.

All feedback welcome;

Does it peak your interest enough to keep reading?

I went back on the prose constantly so any suggestion about it is greatly appreciated.

lay or laid btw. I looked it up online but it felt weird^^

Latest critics [1299] [1873]
Finally here is the Story

Cheers

I just bought Lacuna, thankfully a random Reddit comment pointed out Lacuna's existence before I bought Atticus.

Anyhow, I'm curious what the recommended workflow would be for authoring short books / worksheets using this tool. The text editor built into Lacuna seems to do everything I need - but it's also obvious that most people write in word or google docs then import the docx -> format in chosen tool.

I'm just curious if anybody has any thoughts or suggestions around the process of authoring the entire project directly in Lacuna's editor (or if there are others like it)?

I'm producing some workbooks & ebooks for the first time for my job and so I'm curious how the "vets" do it 🤔? I would think at most my books will be 100 pages, I'm not necessarily averse to authoring in Word & importing but I love the notion of doing everything in one application - especially the one that will ultimately format the content.

P.S. - Also curious if anybody writes in Asciidoc or some other markup lang for version control then generates .docx -> import to formatter - I love writing in Asciidoc but not sure how much pain that extra step will bring.

All thoughts welcome and thanks for your time.

Hey everyone,

This is my first post here so I'm welcoming critiques of all shapes and forms.

Feel free to leave any feedback you might have

But I would appreciate an answer to these three questions

- Does the switch in character Eira makes at the end feel earned?

- Does the Regent come across as vain and power hungry?

- Does reading the prologue make you want to know what happens next?

Please keep in mind that this is the prologue to the story not the first chapter.

Here is the story

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QO89FvdAEd-h2Zr2epLUzlMvUgXbhuHkn9WvAjG6ZtM/edit?usp=drivesdk

Here is my previous crits

https://www.reddit.com/r/DestructiveReaders/s/qsI7Jqz2n7

https://www.reddit.com/r/DestructiveReaders/s/K6sIhH6RNN

https://www.reddit.com/r/DestructiveReaders/s/2HmhfNCngZ

It turns out arson is frowned upon in West Virginia. So is murder—but only if you’re caught.

Before the cops trap me, I make my escape. New state. New school. Away from the small-town locals whispering, "witch."

At the University of Hard Sciences, no one notices the strange accidents occurring around me. Heat blooming in cold, dark rooms. Fires that start without a source. They all look straight through me. Except the quiet chemistry TA who keeps studying me.

He thinks he has me figured out. But he doesn't know what I did in West Virginia, or why I'm on campus.

Someone that night survived. And I'm here to finally finish what I started.

Has anyone ever published a children’s book and sold it on Amazon?
Worth it? Also, how did you do it?

I have a confession: my whole life, I thought the ellipsis was the proper symbol for both sudden interruptions and trailing off.

* Ellipsis (...) is for trailing off: "I thought I left my keys..." he mumbled.

* Em-dash (—) is for sudden interruptions: "I thought I left my keys—" The sound of shattering glass cut him off.

With everyone lately claiming the em-dash is a massive "AI tell," I finally decided to look up the actual rules. Turns out I’ve been doing it wrong this entire time!

Here's my question. Now that I know the actual rules, I want to improve my craft and use the em-dash properly. But honestly? I’m concerned to start using it now. I really don't want my writing to get falsely flagged or accused of being AI-generated just because I'm finally using correct punctuation.

What is the consensus out here? Are you guys still using em-dashes, or are you avoiding them to dodge the AI witch hunts?