“The customer is always right” doesn’t mean what most people think—and for authors, understanding what it actually means changes how you write, market, and respond to feedback about your book audience.

CMS, APA, AP, AMA, MLA — choosing the right style manual depends entirely on what you’re writing and who you’re writing it for. Here’s how to find yours.

"Write more" is not a goal. Here's how to set meaningful, measurable writing goals across quality, quantity, productivity, and budget—and how to tell the difference between what you control and what you don't.

Manuscript evaluation, developmental editing, line editing, copyediting, proofreading—they're not interchangeable. Here's exactly what each type of editing covers, what you'll receive, and when you need it.

Every time you publish, you're asking readers to bet their time on you. These five poker-inspired strategies will help you hook them fast, keep them invested, and leave them wanting more.

Learn how professional proofreaders read book proofs—from checking front matter and tables of contents to catching widows, orphans, and composition errors. A step-by-step process for authors and editors.

Choosing fonts for your self-published book? Learn what's legal, what glyphs you actually need, and which free font pairings will make your interior look professionally typeset—plus the one font you should never, ever use.

What is a Creative Commons license—and should you use one for your writing? Learn the difference between open access and free access, all 6 CC license types, and what open access means for federally funded research.

Book returns can cost self-publishing authors real money—but most don't know how the system works until it's too late. Learn how returns work with IngramSpark, KDP, and brick-and-mortar bookstores before you decide how to publish.

What goes on a book cover—and why? Learn the anatomy of professional book cover design, from front cover to spine to back cover blurbs, with insider tips for both traditionally published and self-publishing authors.

Learn how to create a manuscript style sheet from scratch—and why every author needs one. This step-by-step guide covers what goes on a style sheet, when to start it, and how editors use it throughout the publishing process.

Wondering if Kindle Unlimited is worth it for your self-published book? Learn how KDP Select and Kindle Unlimited work, how royalties are calculated, and what to consider before enrolling your e-book.

Writers make three common comparisons that quietly destroy their confidence — comparing their drafts to published books, to peers in their writing group, and to writers at a similar age or stage. Here's why those comparisons are unfair, and two useful comparisons you can make instead.

Formatting your own print book interior is doable if you know what decisions to make. This guide walks self-publishing authors through trim size, text block placement, gutter margins, running heads, folios, font selection, leading, chapter openers, and PDF file specs — everything needed to produce a press-ready interior file.

Publishing predators target new and developing authors — and they're getting more sophisticated. Here are five clear warning signs that the "publisher" or "agent" in your inbox isn't legitimate, and what each scam actually looks like in practice.

From "you need to apply for copyright" to "mail it to yourself" — bad copyright advice is everywhere. A 21-year publishing professional debunks the five most common copyright myths writers believe, and explains what copyright actually does and doesn't protect.

Reviewing books on Goodreads and Amazon gets complicated when you're an author yourself. Learn the ethics of author book reviews, how to handle books you didn't like, when to say nothing at all, and whether to use a separate identity for your reviewing account.