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

If you need to participate in a critique group (SF&F&H). The well-known online Critters is one place to go. www.critters.org #writingcommunity #critique #booksky

submitted 3 minutes ago • 0 comments

Writers are intimately connected to libraries. In today's environment it is more important than ever for writers to actively go to their library and take out books. Your activity HELPS the library stay open. Your activity HELPS fight book banning. #writingcommunity #libraries #booksky

submitted 9 minutes ago • 0 comments

Carrying a writing notebook. Keep one in your vehicle or in a backpack or larger purse that you carry around. Give yourself permission to pull it out and jot down ideas, story, plans, notes to yourself. Be ready for when muse pops up so you can capture things. #writingcommunity #writing #booksky

submitted 13 minutes ago • 0 comments

Today is resin day. They will be here (my friends) in about an hour to get going. I've received several semi-panicked texts already as they all watched you tube last night. :hee hee:: It should be an adventure for sure. I've never done it either.

submitted 24 minutes ago • 0 comments

As a writer you may have to teach your immediate family and friends how to support your writing life. It is common for others to call your writing a hobby. It isn't. This would be like calling mental health therapy a hobby. It isn't. Challenge negativity. #writingcommunity #writing #booksky

submitted 34 minutes ago • 0 comments

Some writers benefit from joining local writing groups. In such groups the writer learns that every writer has their own struggles. When a writer really understands that their issues are common, it takes some of the pressure off performing (writing more). #writingcommunity #writing #booksky

submitted 37 minutes ago • 1 comment

Move forward with your writing life. When you notice the intrusion of negative judgy thoughts, recognize these were likely adopted from other people and now you are trying to agree with them. Don't. Your writing life is fragile and vulnerable to side assaults. #writingcommunity #writing #booksky

submitted 38 minutes ago • 0 comments

On days when you simply can't get your brain to write, have a running list of other things to do with your writing time that will help move you toward your writing goals. This can be organizing files, making marketing decisions, drawing out timelines. #writingcommunity #writing #booksky

submitted 40 minutes ago • 0 comments

Many better known writers write around 3,000 words a day. The next day they first re-read yesterdays words, catching typos and fixing a few things, then they write today's 3,000 words. Tomorrow they will do the same. Train your brain to consistency. #writingcommunity #writing #booksky

submitted 41 minutes ago • 0 comments

As you practice writing more and more often you will find it is like shifting gears in a vehicle. You practice shifting into writing headspace. It will become easier as your brain learns what you are doing and helps you. You need pro writing consistencies. #writingcommunity #writing #booksky

submitted 43 minutes ago • 0 comments

If you harden up your internal support for you as a writer, a lot of the procrastination and excuses will sluff off. Your objective is to know you can write at any moment, no matter if your circumstances aren't optimum. You need to say yes to your writing. #writingcommunity #writing #booksky

submitted 45 minutes ago • 0 comments

It is often popular to self-label around your writing process. I encourage you to stop doing this. Don't tell yourself how things work for you. If you do you can stop yourself from writing. You can write, anywhere, anytime, by pen, by computer. Write. #writingcommunity #writer #booksky

submitted 47 minutes ago • 0 comments

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 15 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 15 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 17 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 17 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 17 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 20 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 20 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 21 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 22 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 23 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 23 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 23 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 23 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 23 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 23 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 23 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 23 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 23 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 23 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 23 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 23 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 23 hours ago • 0 comments