faythompsonauthor.bsky.social - Profile | ThreadSky | a Reddit-style client for Bluesky

Every writer has a few blind spots. When they are doing an editing/typo pass these will tend to crop up. These are words they literally don't see. A no-see-um. This is why having the novel read aloud is helpful because they can hear them. #writingcommunity #booksky #editing

submitted 7 hours ago • 4 comments

I have a group of younger friends coming over tomorrow to resin my counter for me. Tonight I got the snacks. :) Should be an interesting day tomorrow. I hope it goes well.

submitted 7 hours ago • 0 comments

Gaining insight into the word count of recently published books, particularly by unknown or lesser known authors in your genre gives you a way to find the word count range that publishers are buying for that genre. #writingcommunity #wordcount #booksky

submitted 9 hours ago • 0 comments

When you multiple words per avg line times number of lines you get an average word count per page. When you acquire the last page number less any front matter before the first reading page you have reading page count. Multiply average wc per page times number of pages. #wordcount #booksky

submitted 9 hours ago • 0 comments

Estimating word count. You can estimate the word count on a printed book fairly easily. Count the number of words on a random line of type side-to-side. Count the number of lines per a full page. Go to the last page number, subtract any pages missing to your first reading page. #wordcount

submitted 9 hours ago • 0 comments

DNF books are good for donations. If you have a little free library in your neighborhood help stock it up with books you just aren't going to read. Always give books you like to your young family members and children of friends of the right age. #writingcommunity #donatingbooks #booksky

submitted 12 hours ago • 0 comments

Spring book donation time. If you are an avid reader and purchase a lot of books ongoing, plan one day each season to go through and donate books. Consider your local jail, your library book sale, your favorite charity thrift store. #writingcommunity #donatingbooks #booksky

submitted 12 hours ago • 0 comments

Self-publishing: Your job is to make the best quality of book that you can given what you are working with (equipment/knowledge). It is up to you to investigate your feasible options, their costs, benefits and deficits. Know that some people won't buy badly made. #writingcommunity #booksky

submitted 13 hours ago • 1 comment

Some people are book 'snobs'. This means they want the look and feel of a top-made book. They may feel slightly offended at the texture of cheaply made paperbacks and hardcovers. They may be appalled by typos and printing errors. #writingcommunity #booksnobs #booksky

submitted 14 hours ago • 4 comments

If you are self-publishing and going POD or publish on demand then make early inquiries about the equipment used to generate the printed book. A laser copier type of printer is NOT the same as an ink printer or offset press. Your quality changes. #writingcommunity #printing #booksky #selfpublishing

submitted 15 hours ago • 0 comments

Cover art. In general, cover art that is generated using canvas, paint, mixed media etc. or tangible art tools, is usually made at least twice the scale of the book cover in order to do the details in the art. Sometimes larger still. #writingcommunity #covers #selfpublishing #booksky

submitted 15 hours ago • 0 comments

Examine your best hard cover novels to see if the typesetter of that exact book allowed for hyphenations. Look for hyphenations and if they exist, does the writing style of the author use long words? Longer worded authors sometimes force hyphenation in typesetting. #writingcommunity #booksky

submitted 15 hours ago • 0 comments

Orphans. An orphan is when the type formatting program moves less than one line of type to the next page, orphaning it at the top. A good typesetter/editor don't want this to happen and will make necessary adjustments to correct for it. #writingcommunity #selfpublishing #orphans #booksky

submitted 15 hours ago • 1 comment

Note: An actual typesetter can select custom leading as well as other publishing options. Your program may not seem to offer these options. Check under advanced settings. #writingcommunity #selfpublishing #booksky

submitted 15 hours ago • 0 comments

Take a page from your manuscript file and generate samples using your various serif fonts at 2-3 different sizes and spacing. Justify the lines and label each to reduce confusion later. Your computer likely has multiple choices. Test them. #writingcommunity #fonts #leading #selfpublishing #booksky

submitted 15 hours ago • 0 comments

Of your top hardcover books, what font was used for the actual book? Learning to identify the common fonts is a good idea if you are planning to self publish. In general, a serif font with and open face is preferred for easy reading. Narrow and tight are out. #writingcommunity #fonts #booksky

submitted 15 hours ago • 1 comment

Font styles. All fonts are not the same. Select your favorite hardcover novels and really look at how they are constructed. Learn the difference between serif and non-serif fonts. In general, serifs are EASIER for people to read with less eye fatigue. #writingcommunity #fonts #booksky

submitted 15 hours ago • 0 comments

Proportion Scales (for art): A proportion scale allows you to easily size up and down artworks in the real world. If you order artwork from a real life artist they need to know the size. This scale allows you to mock up your finished book to size. #writingcommunity #selfpublishing #proportionscale

submitted 15 hours ago • 0 comments

Keep a best practices typesetting notebook for paperback and hardcover books. As a self-publisher YOU need to learn about publishing as defined by traditional publishers. I recommend the leading gauge and a proportion scale. #writingcommunity #selfpublishing #publishingtools #booksky

submitted 15 hours ago • 0 comments

If you are self-publishing and want a library to shelf your book, then your book needs to meet the guidelines for large print/easy read. Go to your library and check out a few new purchased novels and go home and use your typesetting gauge to find out what they want. #writingcommunity #library

submitted 15 hours ago • 0 comments

For someone self-publishing having a leading ruler is important as it allows them to precisely understand how a sample book was created if they want to match type size and leading as well as width of lines. All of these factor into readability. #writingcommunity #leading #blurbs #booksky

submitted 15 hours ago • 0 comments

What is leading? Leading in typesetting is the distance between the bottom edges of each line. Here is an image of a Leading Gauge Ruler. These are inexpensive and helpful to a writer sorting out leading on sample books. #writingcommunity #blurbs #leading #booksky

submitted 15 hours ago • 0 comments

Blurbs have a fixed word count. Blurbs have a 'best' font size. This is for easy readability in a store environment. No, you cannot squeeze in X more words by going smaller with tighter leading. Do your word count and check the leading on samples. #writingcommunity #blurbs #booksky

submitted 15 hours ago • 0 comments

By analyzing our own preferences, we can determine what one reader likes. You are that reader today. After you feel comfortable with your understanding of what your next novel needs in its blurb, try writing a fresh blurb for your new novel. #writingcommunity #blurbs #booksky

submitted 15 hours ago • 0 comments

Re-read your favorite blurb that you just wrote. Why is it your favorite? There is a preferred format or formula to the type of blurb you prefer. Sort out the structure of how you wrote it. Was the MC introduced and named? Was action described? #writingcommunity #blurbs #booksky

submitted 15 hours ago • 0 comments

Learning to write a persuasive blurb takes on more meaning when you realize random book purchasers glance at the front cover and if it passes as okay, they turn the book over to read the blurb. This means your blurb is IMPORTANT. Order your blurb samples best to worst. #writingcommunity #blurbs

submitted 15 hours ago • 0 comments

All writers have a slightly different style/tone. You should have 8-10 different samples after this practice. Which would make you buy this book? While writing the new blurbs, which did you favor the most and would likely use for your next paperback? #writingcommunity #blurbs #booksky

submitted 15 hours ago • 0 comments

Move on to the next book in your blurb pile and write a new blurb following the format and style of this book. You are writing each blurb about your favorite book (without rereading it). Continue on until you have 8-10 blurb samples. #writingcommunity #blurbs #booksky

submitted 15 hours ago • 0 comments

Think about your favorite book. You know the story well. Take the first book in your blurb pile and after reading the sample blurb. Write a blurb about your favorite book following the format of the sample blurb. ID which book you followed. #writingcommunity #blurbs #booksky

submitted 15 hours ago • 0 comments

Visit your bookshelf today and locate the best book blurbs you can find. Make a stack. Blurb writing is another form of writing. What do you like the best about a blurb? How long is it? What details excited you? Jot some notes for your future self. #writingcommunity #booksky #blurbs

submitted 15 hours ago • 1 comment

Good Blurbs: The majority of people answering this weeks #bookstore question felt the book blurb was important to their purchasing of a book. The evidence of a good book blurb is likely on your book shelf. #writingcommunity #booksky #blurbs

submitted 15 hours ago • 0 comments

I had a nice swim today. Now tired and hungry. :) Next swim is Tuesday as I have a busy 3 days coming up over the weekend. Hopefully we finish the resin Saturday, that's the big one.

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments