Shop Talk
How to Apply for Grants and Residencies
As part of our Application Week series, Jasmine Dreame Wagner writes about putting together your strongest proposal to get funding for your work-in-progress.
How Do Algorithms Help (and Hinder) Book Sales?
As a marketing professional, I mastered the art of writing for algorithms. As a novelist trying to sell my books, it’s more complicated.
How Libraries Can Help You Earn Out Your Book Advance
While the systems and processes for how libraries acquire books differ from library to library, writers should know and should care about how public libraries purchase books.
The Beautiful Ego Death of Having My Book Fact-Checked
Every nonfiction book should go through this vetting, and every author should have this experience.
In a Digital Age, Why Still Read Print Magazines?
How do we as readers benefit from having a team with different creative specialties—writing, designing, editing, photographing, illustrating—work together to bring the story to life?
Writing for Yourself Versus Writing for an Audience
Was I being selfish and foolish by spending seven years composing the book I wanted to read, without considering why someone other than me might care?
How Do You Design a Book Cover?
A roundtable discussion with the design department of Catapult books.
How Working with Libraries Can Help Sell Your Books
A librarian shares a step-by-step guide on how writers can grow their audience and promote their books by pitching a talk to their local library—and beyond.
These Essays That Started Out as Tweets Will Inspire You to Write—or Tweet, I Guess
“This article ended up being one of my favorite assignments ever—and all from a little bit of shameless public thirsting on Twitter.”
Promoting Your Book When the World Is On Fire
Promotion—especially self-promotion—doesn’t always feel easy. So how do we do it? For Social Media Week, literary agent Mina Hamedi helps us make room for celebration.