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The Journal.

Writing craft, publishing insights, and behind-the-scenes stories from our editors — for authors at every stage.

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From the editors’ desk.

Book Writing September 2026

Too Busy to Write Your Book? 7 Signs It’s Time to Hire an Ebook Writer

If your manuscript has been stalled for months, these seven signs will tell you it's time to hire ebook writer support and finally get your book finished and published.

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how to protect your book draft from copyright theft
Writing Craft June 2026

How to Protect Your Book Draft From Copyright Theft: A Step-by-Step Guide for Authors

The opening pages of a memoir carry more weight than any others. Here is how our editors approach structure, voice, and the one question every first chapter must answer.

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Publishing Guide May 2026

KDP vs. IngramSpark: which distributor is right for your book?

A straightforward comparison of the two dominant self-publishing platforms — royalty rates, reach, print quality, and what the numbers don't tell you.

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Cover Design April 2026

The five things readers judge in the first three seconds of seeing your cover

Thumbnail recognition, genre fit, typography legibility — our cover designers break down the invisible decisions that separate books that sell from books that don't.

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For Authors March 2026

What a ghostwriter actually does, and what they don’t

There is a lot of mythology around ghostwriting. Our lead writer clears up the most common misconceptions, from ownership of rights to how the collaboration really works.

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Writing Craft February 2026

Children’s book word counts: the numbers that matter by age group

Board books, picture books, early readers, middle-grade — every category has a target range. Here are the numbers, and why breaking them rarely works in your favour.

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More posts coming soon.

Our editors are writing. In the meantime, if you have a question about your book project, we are happy to answer it directly.

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