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How to have your best year ever (what is my purpose)

How to have your best year ever (what is my purpose)

I ended 2021 with some weird posts about the general apathy most people are feeling towards the new year. We’ve been burned before. Maintaining hope for positive change in the face of practical concerns takes more effort. One of my favorite phrases, from Moby Dick, is the call to “Lower the conceit of attainable felicity.”...

January 10, 2022 Derek Murphy inspiration, motivation 424
Starting over with nothing at 42

Starting over with nothing at 42

Nearly 2 decades ago, only a few streets over from where I live now in Tainan, Taiwan, I had a panic attack about my future. What will I do when I’m OLD. What am I building and creating that will actually last; rather than all my efforts consumed in fire. I could argue, looking back, The 3 secrets to book marketing, and a haunted castle...

December 21, 2021 Derek Murphy goals, motivation, productivity 333
25 signs of amateur writing (first chapter red flags to avoid!)

25 signs of amateur writing (first chapter red flags to avoid!)

FIRST CHAPTER MISTAKES What follows are some insights I’ve collected, after providing feedback on hundreds of first drafts. I’ve tried to only share general examples that I notice frequently in the majority of inexperienced manuscripts. There is nothing implicitly or inherently wrong with any of these: they are simple, common...

December 12, 2021 Derek Murphy writing mistakes, writing tips 927
How to write a satisfying conclusion to your novel (final battle scene/character resolution)

How to write a satisfying conclusion to your novel (final battle scene/character resolution)

After I finished writing BookCraft, I got a little obsessed with the particularities of writing a satisfying conclusion or resolution. It’s something I started noticing in TV shows and movies, especially: how the hero’s personal quest was deliberately illustrated with a hard comparison, a “before and after” that...

June 15, 2021 Derek Murphy plotting, writing, writing tips 519
How to show, not tell (3 simple ways to fix your writing)

How to show, not tell (3 simple ways to fix your writing)

What does it mean when you get feedback on your writing or advice to “show don’t tell”? I get this question a lot but didn’t have a clear answer until now. It’s hard to teach without showing exactly how to do it with writing examples… but I actually came up with three great tricks recently The 3 secrets to...

June 14, 2021 Derek Murphy writing, writing tips 147
Going Short: Ten Flash Fiction Tips for the Flash Curious

Going Short: Ten Flash Fiction Tips for the Flash Curious

There’s a revolution happening in literature: writers are going short. If you’ve been paying attention, you’ve already heard of flash fiction, those tiny, compressed stories flourishing in the literary underground. Writers and readers are falling in love with the form and discovering something delightful and poignant in these small spaces...

April 7, 2021 Derek Murphy short stories, writing tips 181
How to write a nonfiction book or memoir (free chapter outlining templates)

How to write a nonfiction book or memoir (free chapter outlining templates)

When I wrote my huge guide to book writing (Book Craft) I cut out all the nonfiction tips and strategies last minute; I’d already explored a bunch of material in my writing courses but wasn’t quite ready to share the nonfiction resources. Mainly, because, while I’m proud of the detailed 24 chapter novel outlining templates...

March 27, 2021 Derek Murphy nonfiction, writing tips 2816
Atticus book formatting tool (Better than Scrivener & Vellum?)

Atticus book formatting tool (Better than Scrivener & Vellum?)

For years authors have been hoping for something that makes book formatting easier. Vellum is a great solution for Mac users but there’s never been anything comparable to it for PC users, who have to rely on buggy formatting with MS Word, a steeper learning curve with InDesign, or some functional but limited online book The 3 secrets...

February 24, 2021 Derek Murphy formatting, writing 3382
Confessions of a six-figure author (writing advice they banned Reddit)

Confessions of a six-figure author (writing advice they banned Reddit)

This evening I realized I’m (now over) 100K in lifetime book sales, so I set up an “ask me anything” thread on Reddit’s largest writing group. I was nervous, because Redditors can be hostile, but having frequented the site more recently, I knew a LOT of writers were struggling with some pretty basic, common writing...

February 22, 2021 Derek Murphy self-publishing 3906
Master the magical craft of book writing (essential tips for authors)

Master the magical craft of book writing (essential tips for authors)

After spending years as a developmental editor, a decade getting my PhD in Literature and a few writing courses where I helped thousands of writers nail the basics of plotting out their story, I decided to put my best tips on the craft of writing together in a book. I already knew I had unique The 3 secrets to book marketing, and a haunted...

November 28, 2020 Derek Murphy fiction, writing tips 240
How to write a blurb, pitch or synopsis for your novel or book

How to write a blurb, pitch or synopsis for your novel or book

A few years ago I wrote about how to craft a blurb that converts… but today I need to make a confession: I still suck at blurbs. Sometimes I think I get them right. Sometimes other people think my blurbs are awesome (and I’ve seen authors copy what I’m doing). But other times, competitors destroy The 3 secrets to book...

October 8, 2020 Derek Murphy self-publishing, writing 2128
Best Fantasy Fonts for Book Cover Design

Best Fantasy Fonts for Book Cover Design

A few years ago I made this epic list of 300+ fonts to use for every genre. But the truth is, I rarely use those anymore, and some are even cringeworthy. So recently I spent a lot of time going through my collection and choosing NEW fantasy fonts I love. Keep in mind: most of The 3 secrets to book marketing, and a haunted castle tour...

June 29, 2020 Derek Murphy cover design, self-publishing 3403
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Book Writing & Publishing Tips from a Creativity Alchemist
Art, Design & Writing Tips for Creatives
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2023 predictions for authors about publishing (AI writing, chatGPT legal issues and copyright)
2023 predictions for authors about publishing (AI writing, chatGPT legal issues and copyright)
10 days ago10
Free social media templates for reviews, excerpts or book marketing
Free social media templates for reviews, excerpts or book marketing
December 20, 202275
110 haikus about life, love, inspiration, passion and creativity
110 haikus about life, love, inspiration, passion and creativity
December 14, 202279
Love poems (poetry examples that will make her swoon)
Love poems (poetry examples that will make her swoon)
December 14, 202276
How to make a children's book in a weekend with AI... (and why you probably shouldn't)
December 12, 2022100

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Free fiction writing template to help you outline your novel (Word, Scrivener, G-Docs, Plottr)
Free fiction writing template to help you outline your novel (Word, Scrivener, G-Docs, Plottr)
10074
Free novel outlining template for Google docs
Free novel outlining template for Google docs
9787
The 8 brilliant fonts you NEED to use in your book layout (with type combos & samples)
The 8 brilliant fonts you NEED to use in your book layout (with type combos & samples)
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300+ Fool-Proof Fonts to use for your Book Cover Design (an epic list of best fonts per genre)
300+ Fool-Proof Fonts to use for your Book Cover Design (an epic list of best fonts per genre)
5814
How to make a full print book cover in Microsoft Word for KDP, Lulu or IngramSpark
How to make a full print book cover in Microsoft Word for KDP, Lulu or IngramSpark
5385
The horrible hidden truth behind the Secret Life of Walter Mitty that’s keeping you from your dreams.
The horrible hidden truth behind the Secret Life of Walter Mitty that's keeping you from your dreams.
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How much does the average author earn publishing their book?
How much does the average author earn publishing their book?
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