Here is part 2 of my monthly writers’ updates, with some fascinating information about using A.I. As a developmental editor, and a survey of the self-publishing market in 2024, among other tidbits. With my second novel almost done, I’m going to try out the AI to see if it works for me.

Scrivener, one of the best writing/organizing software programs for writers, is offering some added features outside its main program. In November, they offered ways to prep your novel, and December focuses on helping you finish your first draft, ready for the holiday season. Watch, read, and explore for some inspiration – you might discover some previously unknown Scrivener tips on the way. They have a podcast too, and the most recent episode of the Write Now with Scrivener features thriller author Holly Seddon, sharing the story of how she wrote her first novel and got her big break with a publisher. Upcoming blog topics include: How to Maintain Motivation When Writing a Novel, 11 Writing Podcasts You Should Be Listening to in 2024, Why You Might Want to Retype Your Draft when Revising, Using WikiLinks in Scrivener, How to Carve Out Time to Write During the Festive Season, and more.

I’m often asked to recommend reputable publishers – most frequently hybrid publishers, who take a fee for publishing your book. I always suggest researching them by buying a copy of a book they’ve published, preferably in the same genre, checking that their pricing is transparent, and most important, looking for reviews and objective assessments. Some sites list self-publishing scams too, which are increasing in volume. Here are some resources for checking out publishers. Alliance of Independent Authors, Selfpublishingadvice.org/ratings, ​and Writer Beware. ​

Jane Friedman pointed me in the direction of Authors AI Marlowe, an artificial intelligence that helps authors improve their novels and long-form fiction. It doesn’t write your book for you, but it does do a kind of developmental edit to analyze your manuscript and gives you a 32+ page critique in 5 minutes. You can buy a single report for $45, or subscribe for a monthly fee that allows you to run multiple versions of your report and can be used at every stage in the life of your manuscript. The purpose is to let Marlowe identify and help you solve early issues before your manuscript reaches an editor or beta readers. It was born as the creative child of Matthew Jockers, Ph.D., co-author of The Bestseller Code, with other bestselling authors who have been contributing ideas and enhancements to its reports.

Alison McBain, leader of the Poet’s Salon, publishes a monthly list of  poetry events and submission opportunities that are taking place each month. Her Poets Salon Zoom Meetup takes place every second Saturday from 10-12 ET.

Become an Associate member of Connecticut Book Festival for free. This associate membership is for pre-published authors – those who have a finished but as yet unpublished manuscript. You’ll be able to join full members at book fairs, seek advice from them, see what hand-selling books is about, and more. Join here.

Member Richard Seltzer mentioned RedBubble, a site where you can upload your book cover and have them fulfill orders for “branded” merchandise like apparel, phone covers, mugs, stickers, and more. They print and send them out and you get a small percentage of the sale. The purpose isn’t to make money, but to have your book cover in front of people!

Every year, Written Word Media asks indie authors about their experiences with writing, publishing, and marketing. This year’s survey, with over 1,500 respondents, brings the biggest insights yet into what self-published authors are doing—and what’s working for them. Whether you’re just getting started on your first book or you’re a seasoned indie veteran, this data will help you understand the trends shaping indie publishing in 2024. Some of the questions include 1) How Are Authors Publishing in 2024? Book Formats & Print-On-Demand, Cover Design, and Marketing Insights. Check it out.

One of AuthorsPublish.com’s recent lists contains their recommendations for the top 44 publishers for new authors. Worth checking out. They also publish a list of publishers outside the US. They also have a long list of international journals here that they update every year, and have recently added UK- and Canada-based journals.

Hope some of this is helpful – have a good Thanksgiving!