The guide will include:

• Copyright page templates designed for your convenience
• A thorough explanation of each element on the page
• The importance of every element and examples for your reference

And the best part? This guide aims to instill confidence in self-publishers like yourself, empowering you to create and protect your book’s copyright page without a hitch.

This article is just one piece of a larger series, each of which focuses on different parts of book creation. As you follow along, you’ll find that this comprehensive guide covers everything from the purpose and necessity of a copyright page, to FAQs and even templates that simplify the process for you.

However, one important disclaimers must be mentioned:

The information provided in this article should not be considered as legal advice. It’s always a good idea to consult with a legal professional for specific concerns.

What a Copyright Page Does

Asserting your intellectual property rights is vital in the world of book publishing, and that’s where the copyright page comes into play. This crucial page ensures that your book is recognized as copyrighted material and not part of the public domain.

The copyright page is more than just a legal formality. It contains valuable information for:

• Distributors
• Librarians
• Retailers
• Booksellers

Located in the front matter, on the back of the title page (also known as the verso), the copyright page includes various elements, each with a specific purpose.

One of the primary functions of the copyright page is to provide publisher or author information to help readers find more books by the same author or publisher. This is particularly important for self-published authors who want to create a strong connection with their readers. They can even include their author website on the copyright page, making it easier for readers to explore their other works.

Another crucial component is a disclaimer. This simple statement can help absolve authors from potential legal liability that may arise due to the content of their book. Remember, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Lastly, the copyright page often contains the edition number and printer’s key. While these details might seem insignificant now, they can be quite relevant for book collectors in the future.

In essence, the copyright page is more than just a legal declaration. It serves multiple purposes and holds valuable information for various stakeholders in the world of books. So, make sure your copyright page is well-structured and informative, paving the way for a successful and legally protected self-publishing journey.

Is a Copyright Page Even Important?

Yes! Adding a copyright page to your book provides an extra layer of protection and is highly recommended, regardless of the book’s genre or format. Although a book is considered copyrighted from the moment it’s written, even without a copyright page, including one offers several benefits:

• Easier ownership proof: A copyright page can make it simpler to prove ownership in a court of law, should any disputes arise.
• Discourage plagiarism: Having a copyright page signals that the work is protected and can deter potential plagiarists.

Legal Disclaimers

Incorporating legal disclaimers on your copyright page can help absolve authors of responsibility for certain aspects of the book. This can be particularly useful if your book contains sensitive or controversial material.

Minimum Requirements and Additional Elements

At the very least, a copyright page should include a copyright notice and a rights reserved notice. However, you can choose to add extra elements based on your preferences or specific requirements.

Have Some Templates!

I’ve found a number of templates around, but these come specifically from the good folks at Kindlepreneur, who, as always, have a number of great resources for authors. These templates are also used in Atticus to great effect (more on them later):

The Basic Copyright Template:

Copyright © [Year of First Publication] by [Author or Pen Name]

All rights reserved.

No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

General Fiction Copyright Template

Copyright © [Year of First Publication] by [Author or Pen Name]

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permission requests, contact [include publisher/author contact info].

The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.

Book Cover by [Artist]

Illustrations by [Illustrator]

[Edition Number] edition [Year of Publication]

General Nonfiction Copyright Template

Copyright © [Year of First Publication] by [Author or Pen Name]

All rights reserved.

No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that neither the author nor the publisher is engaged in rendering legal, investment, accounting or other professional services. While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional when appropriate. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, personal, or other damages.

Book Cover by [Artist]

Illustrations by [Illustrator]

[Edition Number] edition [Year of Publication]

Public Domain Copyright Template

[Source Material Title] is in the public domain. All original additions, including illustrations and chapter summaries, are copyright © [Year of First Publication] by [Author or Pen Name] and may not be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

Book Cover by [Artist]

Illustrations by [Illustrator]

[Edition Number] edition [Year of Publication]

Memoir Copyright Template

Copyright © [Year of First Publication] by [Author or Pen Name]

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permission requests, contact [include publisher/author contact info].

For privacy reasons, some names, locations, and dates may have been changed.

Book Cover by [Artist]

Illustrations by [Illustrator]

[Edition Number] edition [Year of Publication]

Low or No Content Copyright Template

Copyright © [Year of First Publication] by [Author or Pen Name]

All rights reserved.

No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

Cover by [Artist]

Illustrations by [Illustrator]

How to Format a Copyright Page

Creating a copyright page isn’t as simple as typing out the required information. Special formatting is necessary, and some software may not handle it automatically. It’s crucial to place the copyright page after the title page, align the text to the bottom-left (for print), and use a smaller font size than the rest of the book.

Manual Formatting with Word Processors

If you’re using Microsoft Word or Google Docs, manual formatting will be required, which can be both time-consuming and challenging. These word processors don’t have built-in capabilities for formatting copyright pages, so you’ll need to invest extra effort to ensure your page looks professional.

Atticus: The Solution for Formatting Copyright Pages

Fortunately, there’s a program called Atticus that streamlines the process of formatting copyright pages. With built-in templates designed specifically for this purpose, Atticus simplifies copyright page creation:

1. Users can select a suitable template from the available options
2. Input their specific information into the template
3. Generate a well-formatted and professional-looking copyright page

With Atticus, you no longer need to struggle with manual formatting for your copyright page. By leveraging its user-friendly templates, you can create a polished, properly formatted copyright page with minimal effort, allowing you to focus on what truly matters – crafting an engaging and successful book.

Copyright Page Elements

1. Copyright notice (required): The copyright notice is one of the two essential components of a copyright page, which provides the public with information about the publisher, publication date, and copyright status. The notice should include the copyright symbol, the year of first publication, and the name of the copyright holder (which can be a pen name or company name). If the books are written and/or published under an LLC or sole proprietorship, the company can be listed as the copyright owner. Using the company address can provide legal and physical protection, and more information on creating a publishing company is available.
2. Rights reserved notice (required): The rights reserved notice is the second required element on a copyright page, and it can be as simple as stating “All rights reserved” or more specific and assertive. The combination of the copyright notice and “All Rights Reserved” is sufficient to complete the copyright page. Examples of rights reserved notices include simple statements, more detailed descriptions of the reserved rights, and contact information for permission requests.
3. ISBN: An ISBN is a unique identifier used by the publishing industry to distinguish your book from others, and it is listed on the copyright page. Although not all books require an ISBN, most do. Each format of your book requires a separate ISBN, and self-publishers must obtain an ISBN just like any other publisher. Different countries have their own ISBN issuing agencies, and buying a set of 10 ISBNs can provide a discount if planning to publish multiple books or versions.
4. Library of Congress Control Number: The Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN) is a free number that facilitates library cataloging of your book and is necessary if you want your book to be shelved in libraries. Authors can apply online to the Preassigned Control Number (PCN) program to obtain an LCCN, which is different from the Cataloging in Publication (CIP) data block. The LCCN is typically listed on the book’s copyright page.
5. Disclaimers: Disclaimers are statements that deny responsibility for specific aspects of a book and can protect the writer and publisher from potential liability. Disclaimers have become more common due to an increasingly litigious society, and some genres may require specific language to comply with regulations. Sample disclaimer language can be found in books of the same genre published by traditional companies with legal staff. Disclaimers do not need to be lengthy but can save trouble in the future. Examples of disclaimers include statements on legal advice, food safety, and resemblance to real places, people, or events.
6. Permissions notice: A permissions notice is necessary if you used any copyrighted material with permission from the owner, and it indicates that you obtained the necessary permissions. It is distinct from credits, which are a courtesy and not required for permission.
7. Credits: Credits should be given to anyone who made a contribution to your book, such as graphic designers, photographers, formatting services, editors, and proofreaders. It is important to verify that public domain photographs are genuinely in the public domain to avoid accidentally using copyrighted material. There is no obligation to disclose the use of public domain photos or to use the PD-US logo.
8. Print edition: Including your book’s edition on the copyright page, such as “Second Edition” or “Third Edition: December 2020,” is a good idea, particularly for non-first editions.
9. CIP data block: Self-published eBooks do not require a Cataloging In Publication data block (CIP), but a P-CIP (Publisher’s Catalog-in-Publication) data block can be purchased for $60-$100 and may enhance the book’s professional appearance, although CIP data is only relevant to librarians and therefore unnecessary for most authors.
10. Ordering information: The ordering information section on a copyright page provides details for those wanting to order more copies of the book, with varying information for individual and bulk orders, but may not apply to self-published eBooks.
11. Author’s website: Adding your author website to the copyright page can help readers find more of your work.
12. Printing details: The copyright page can contain additional details about environmentally-friendly printing practices, location of printing, and fonts used.
13. Trademarks: The copyright page should include any trademarks held by the publisher related to the names, logos, or imprints used in the book.
14. Printer’s key: The printer’s key, a long string of numbers indicating printing number or year, is becoming extinct due to digital printing and ebooks, and is not typical for self-published books or eBooks.
15. Publisher information: The publisher’s information is included in traditionally published books for readers to know who and how to contact for reproduction permissions, while self-published authors may put their name, pen name, and/or author website.

Make Sure Readers See the Copyright

As an author, I’ve noticed that eReaders like Kindle can sometimes skip the copyright page and jump directly to Chapter 1 when readers open a book. This can be frustrating, especially when the copyright page contains important information. To ensure readers see the copyright page first, a solution is needed to adjust the starting point of the book.

Customizing the Starting Point with Atticus

Enter Atticus, a powerful formatting program that lets users customize where the book opens for readers. By accessing the eBook settings within Atticus, you can easily change the start page to ensure the copyright page is displayed before the first chapter.

What makes Atticus stand out is its ability to insert a special code into the eBook file, directing Amazon to open the book at the desired page for new readers. This unique feature ensures your copyright page gets the attention it deserves.

Why Choose Atticus?

There are several reasons why I recommend Atticus:

• It’s the only formatting software offering this start page customization feature
• Compatible with various platforms, making it highly versatile
• More affordable than many competitors

Atticus provides a simple and efficient solution to ensure your copyright page is displayed before the first chapter on eReaders like Kindle.

With its user-friendly interface, compatibility with various platforms, and cost-effective pricing, Atticus is the ideal choice for authors seeking a seamless formatting experience.

The post Creating a Winning Book Copyright Page appeared first on Bookishnerd.

If you are struggling to get your book noticed, don’t become despondent. It doesn’t necessarily mean your work is bad. You definitely shouldn’t give up. Instead, learn how to market your book.

I’m a firm believer that the majority of self-publishers have more trouble marketing their work than they do create it. Completing the creation of a book, from its initial idea to its final rewrite, is a mammoth task in and of itself. It’s not surprising that writers often have little energy left in the tank for marketing. Plus, there are a seemingly endless array of marketing tactics and methods. It can be difficult to know which to trust and which to avoid.

Thankfully, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. Read on to discover the best ways to market your book, as taught by some of the biggest names in the game.

First, Why Is Marketing So Important?

Let’s get real for a moment.

Even the best book won’t sell if no one knows about it. That’s a cold, hard fact in today’s publishing world. In an industry that’s overcrowded with brilliant authors and captivating stories, the one thing that sets a book apart is how well it’s marketed.

The Power of Diverse Marketing Techniques

The truth is, there isn’t just one secret marketing technique to catapult your book to success. It’s about having an arsenal of tactics, such as:

• Word of mouth
• Advertising
• Email marketing
• Organic search
• Social media
• Content marketing

Word of Mouth: The Golden Goose

Now, we all know word of mouth is the most effective method for marketing your book. It’s the ultimate weapon in your arsenal. But here’s the catch—it requires support from other techniques to generate initial interest. Without that first spark, even the most captivating story will struggle to take flight.

Don’t Expect a Red Carpet Treatment

Traditionally published authors, listen up. Just because you’ve managed to land a publishing deal doesn’t mean you can sit back and relax. Newsflash! Many publishers offer limited marketing support, especially to newer or mid-list authors.

So, what’s an author to do?

Taking Charge of Your Success

Simple. Authors must take the initiative to market their books from the beginning. This means you need to be proactive in your marketing efforts, employing diverse techniques and constantly adapting to maximize your chances of success.

Build Your Author Mailing List

Building an author mailing list is one of the most effective ways to market your book out there. After all, who better to market to than a list of people who have expressed interest in, or even purchased, your work in the past?

According to Jeff Goins, an author mailing list is so effective because it is personal, private and in your control. You don’t have to rely on a platform like Facebook. Instead, you can reach out to your readers directly and start a conversation.

A top tip for getting started is to offer something of value for free. People are far more likely to offer their email address if they know they will be getting something in return. This could be a short story, an excerpt from a nonfiction book, or a chapter of a full novel.

Investing the time into building your mailing list will let you market your books in one of the most effective and targeted ways far into the future.

Use The Best Book Promotion Sites

One of the keys to generating momentum for a newly launched book is to ensure it gets a lot of attention early on. Book promotion sites are one of the most effective ways to generate interest in your work, particularly if you are relatively unknown. An effective book promotion site is able to put your work in front of readers who would never have been otherwise exposed to it.

There is a mix of free and paid book promotion sites, but not all are created equal. It’s important to understand how exactly each site will promote your book, and who it will be promoted to. Some sites offer targeted services to fans of particular genres or topics. It’s always better to target the readers most likely to read your type of book rather than irrelevant and uninterested fans of other genres.

If you are thinking of spending money on a book promotion service, please do your homework first. Check that they have a solid track record of getting results, and take the time to compare their pricing and benefits to whatever else is out there. It’s good to invest in a paid book promotion site but invest carefully. Be cautious.

Showcasing Your Title And Author Name

When you really think about it, what is book marketing all about?

Getting your name out there as an author, and making readers aware of your book titles, right?

Your book titles are a prime opportunity to get your author name and book titles out there in front of the eyes of readers.

This can happen in a variety of ways. Firstly, on online bookstores themselves. Even if book buyers don’t choose your title on a particular occasion, they still become familiar with your author name by being exposed to it. Book covers are also often featured on promotional sites, in online advertising, and in mailing list mailouts. As a result of that, it’s important that your author name, and book title, are clearly visible against the backdrop of your image.

If you spend some time checking out books released by major publishers, and unsuccessful self-published books, you will notice that the title and author text is always very clear on the professional books, and is often less so on the self-published books. There are countless comedy lists showcasing the worst book covers ever, just in case you need a clear example of what to avoid!

The bottom line is that making your author name and book title unclear on your cover hurts you in two ways. It not only ensures that readers miss out on being exposed to your brand – but it also brands your book as unprofessional and low quality.

Run Facebook Ads For Authors

Facebook advertising can be a true game-changer for authors. The benefits are myriad. Targeted Facebook ads can build your author mailing list, grow your Facebook fans and drive traffic towards your free downloads.

Running your first Facebook advertising campaign as an author can be a little intimidating. If you keep the following keys in mind, it should simplify and demystify the process a little.

Target.

Facebook has over 1.8 billion active monthly users. This sounds awesome but is actually a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you can use Facebook ads to reach almost anyone on the planet. On the other, the vast majority do not and will not care about what you have to offer. Target your ads to the most filtered, niche audience possible, and you will see a lot better results.

Budget.

One of the discouraging aspects of Facebook ads for many authors is the worry that the cost and duration of an advertising campaign will spiral out of control. You need to set a strict budget and duration for your campaign. This will allow you to keep your expenditure in check, allowing greater profit overall.

Monitor.

By running different campaigns, for example by targeting different sets of Facebook users, you can assess what is and isn’t working with your Facebook advertising efforts and make changes accordingly. Only by monitoring your ads can you make effective changes to campaigns and invest money into what’s working instead of what isn’t.

Implement Amazon Book Ads

Amazon Book advertising is lesser known and lesser used than Facebook advertising. It can be considered one of the current ‘hot topics’ in ebook marketing, and with good reason. Amazon has made key improvements to their advertising targeting and, as a result, authors are seeing better results than they have in the past. Why?

Amazon is a buyer’s platform. Its users are all shoppers with a history of buying behavior that Amazon understands. This does not apply to Facebook.

Amazon book ads are probably the best chance to get your ads in front of fans of similar authors and styles of writing. If you target your ads, you stand a great chance of reaching readers that wouldn’t have otherwise been possible.

How To Market Your Book? Take Action

Marketing your book effectively requires you to get your hands dirty and take a risk. The methods for marketing your book in this post are tried and tested, but they need to be tried and tested by you.

Truthfully, there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to marketing books. Learning how to market your book specifically is something which requires you to test different platforms, monitor your results and understand the reasons why your efforts are or are not working.

By combining the ideas and methods of the book marketing experts listed above with your own firsthand experience, you stand a great chance of experiencing book marketing success.

The post How To Market Your Book – Expert Methods & Resources appeared first on Bookishnerd.

You’ll learn about the key elements that quality fantasy fiction has in common, what goes into a compelling fantasy story, different subgenres of fantasy to explore, and a whopping 60 fantasy prompts to ignite your imagination. My goal is to give you plenty of inspiration to start writing your own fantasy tales.

In this article, you will learn:

• Common features of fantasy stories
• Criteria for good fantasy writing
• An overview of major fantasy subgenres
• 60 unique fantasy ideas to use as starting points

Commonalities in Fantasy Fiction

While fantasy stories can vary widely, from high fantasy epics to paranormal romance, most quality fantasy fiction contains certain core elements. Understanding these common building blocks can help you craft a compelling fantasy tale within any subgenre.

Nearly all fantasy stories contain some form of magic or supernatural phenomena. This magic system doesn’t have to be elaborate, but it generally establishes what’s possible in the fictional world. The mechanics and limits around magic guide what characters can plausibly think and do.

Additionally, fantasy novels typically take place in worlds very unlike our own modern-day reality. While urban fantasy and magical realism bend this rule, most fantasy realms feature invented geographies, histories, cultures and politics – creating an immersive setting.

Fantasy protagonists also tend to go on an epic hero’s journey, facing increasingly difficult external conflicts on quests with high stakes. Internal conflicts often run parallel, with characters battling their own flaws and demons even as bigger foes materialize.

And although tropes aren’t mandatory, incorporating classic fantasy elements like magical swords, wands, spells and mythical creatures can help signal to readers that fantastical adventures lie ahead.

What Makes a Fantasy Good?

Like any fiction, compelling fantasy writing usually shares certain basics like dimensional characters, solid pacing, an interesting plot and engaging themes. Still, I’ve noticed some particular qualities that help set great fantasy tales apart:

• Unique magic system – The magic may not be explained in granular detail initially, but original fantasy worlds feature systems governing supernatural forces that feel fresh rather than derivative.
• Rich worldbuilding – Vivid descriptions breathe life into new environments, their histories, inhabitants and cultures. This convinces readers the setting is worthy of emotionally investing in.
• Relatable characters – Whether human or otherwise, protagonists and central figures invite understanding through authentic characterization and motivations. Their beliefs and inner lives reflect the fantastic world.
• Clever dialogue – Conversation often crackles with personality even amid strange circumstances. Witty repartee between characters fuels charged dynamics.
• Riveting action – Suspense escalates through mounting confrontations, accelerating pacing, higher-stakes drama and new magical discoveries that propel the plot.

Of course personal taste plays a major role too. Composing fantasy with complex themes or injecting humor also attracts loyal audiences. But master the story essentials above while delivering the magical escapism fantasy embodies, and readers will surely come.

Types of Fantasy

Fantasy fiction encompasses a spectrum of subgenres, each with distinctive traits. Having an overview can help you orient your ideas within the style of fantasy you’re most excited to write:

• High/Epic Fantasy – Stories told on a grand scale, often in entirely fictional secondary worlds with sprawling geography and elaborate histories. Densely-plotted heroic quests to defeat supreme evil drive intense action. Prominent examples include Lord of the Rings and George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire.
• Sword & Sorcery – Quest-driven tales focused on mighty warriors, wizards and assorted fighters navigating peril with steel and magic. Generally lower stakes than epic fantasy. Often feature wanderers exploring rich lands from Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Barbarian stories to Kull the Conqueror.
• Dark Fantasy – Fantasy with horror elements and grim undercurrents. Prevalent atmosphere of darkness or dread surrounds macabre magic, death and destruction. Case in point, the harrowing worlds of The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant or the graphic novel series Berserk.
• Urban Fantasy – Supernatural stories unfolding in contemporary real-world settings, typically cities. Magic and magical beings exist in hiding, unknown to the mainstream. Series like Harry Potter as well as The Dresden Files falls under this category.
• Magical Realism – Fiction where fantastical elements subtly intrude on otherwise-normal environments. Often Literary fiction exploring cultural hybridity through a touch of the extraordinary. Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude epitomizes the style.
• Mythic Fantasy – Fantasy tales drawing on the themes, symbols and elements of ancient myths, legends, folklore or fairy tales. Modern examples include the web novel Lore Olympus, a retelling of Greek mythic romances, or Catherynne M. Valente’s Deathless, which reimagines a Russian folk tale.
• Portal Fantasy – Involves characters entering unfamiliar, magical fantasy worlds through portals connecting them to our primary Earth reality. C.S Lewis’ beloved The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe helped codify conventions of the genre.

Of course additional hybrid subgenres abound too like comic fantasy, supernatural fantasy, science fantasy and more. As you explore ideas, having touchpoints like these can unfold helpful context.

60 Unique Fantasy Prompts

Now you have a solid grounding on key aspects of fantasy and its major categories. Harness all this knowledge along with the expansive 60 fantasy prompts below to kickstart your next writing project within the genre you love.

I’ve grouped prompts into handy subsections matching different facets of fantasy. Feel free to tweak or combine prompts as you see fit to develop your own tale etched with original magic.

Portal Fantasy Story Starters

1. A child discovers an enchanted mirror in an abandoned house that serves as a portal to another world.
2. Siblings find their late grandmother’s ornate wooden wardrobe transports them to the magical land she often told stories about.
3. Every year on their birthday, a person dreams the same dream – of a glowing cave beckoning them to enter. On their 18th birthday they discover the actual glowing cave while hiking nearby.
4. A young witch-in-training finds a portal inside a tree hollow that leads her to the future domain of her powerful future self.
5. An archaeologist excavates a temple from an ancient civilization with a magical portal at its center, still active after all this time. Where might it lead?
6. A video game enthusiast discovers that the VR world of their new game engine is an actual alternate reality.
7. A photographer takes a tumble while shooting urban architecture, only to enter a portal into a bustling epic fantasy city through a clever trompe l’oeil mural.
8. Every house on a block contains a hidden portal to a different fantasy world – except the cranky old man protagonist’s home. When he discovers a young girl trapped and unable to activate her house’s portal, they set off on an odd couple adventure.
9. At a magical lake, people enter the water beneath a full moon to briefly visit whoever they’ve lost that they miss most in vision-like dreams.
10. A fairy ring of mushrooms in the forest actually serves as a portal between worlds. A mother and daughter each independently take shelter among the mushrooms from rain, ushering an unlikely reunion in the magical realm the portal leads to.

Urban Fantasy Story Ideas

11. A busy lawyer discovers their high-powered wardrobe contains enchanted clothing that allows them to manifest their words and soothe frayed nerves around them.
12. Gargoyles mysteriously appear on buildings throughout a city. When people walk beneath them after sundown, their greatest ambitions manifest unconsciously.
13. A blogger finds handwritten fairytale poems fluttering in the streets. They discover the poet they memorialize died years earlier, yet their ghost continues creating through magic ink that materializes their verses.
14. A jaded bureaucract discovers a secret pocket realm accessible through filing cabinets in their office where unwanted documents and office supplies become enchanted.
15. A vigilante hacker develops a computer virus that deploys magical rather than technological effects, serving surreptitious justice on corrupt officials undermined through inexplicable luck.
16. A chocolatier uses enchanted confections to help customers relive their most cherished memories while enjoying inventive sweets, until the magic goes awry.
17. A developer converts dilapidated warehouses into wildly successful commercial properties by making droves inexplicably view their imperfections as quaint through an enchantment. However, without keeping the spell in check the glamour produces catastrophes.
18. A painter creates impossible combinations of real realms from dreams by mixing enchanted ink into their watercolors. Trouble arises when people leap physically into the worlds on canvas without the magician’s permission.
19. A grandmother runs a magical greenhouse passed down generations where every flower’s scent imbues a unique imagining gift when inhaled. As surrounding neighbourhoods destabilize, enticing buyers threaten the family legacy and community peace the greenhouse protects.
20. A chic fashion designer sews impossible dresses that render wearers unnoticed in public spaces, allowing celebrities reprieve and young female interns escape from harassment. However when a customer wants to adapt her stealth designs to commit crimes, she must fight back.

Dark Fantasy Story Ideas

21. In a realm where necromancers are priests, graveyards become animate with the rattling bones and shambling corpses of those mourners fail to appease through proper funereal tributes.
22. An amoral wizard-artificer breeds terrifying beast-machine hybrids by infusing strange pulsating relics into flesh, bone and iron during unholy experiments, slowly losing their humanity in the process.
23. A cursed charm from ages past compels its possessors to transfer the Hello through murder alone so they might live. The chain of possessed “inheritors” spans centuries leaving macabre legends, like an archeologistInheritor driven to study and ultimately pocket the ancient artifact that possesses them next despite all warnings.
24. Every year villages offer up people chosen by lottery to a towering labyrinthine prison as tithes appeasing its monstrous warden – except this year, chance selects the beloved daughter of a grieving mother who vows to topple the entire tithe system and destroy the warden who keeps it in place no matter the cost.
25. Poisonous purple clouds spread from a crater where a mysterious obsidian meteor struck, their lethal miasma driving people to madness before painful death sweeps them away. Desperate holdouts too poor to flee struggle to survive while negotiating fragile alliances.
26. A ruthless band of treasure hunters seeking mythic riches slaughter their way through an old-growth forest but encounter wrathful plant spirits and sentient trees that manipulate nature itself to violently expel the invaders.
27. An innocent child is born with emerald eyes that involuntarily turn those who behold them into lifeless onyx statues over time. They must find a way to hide their curse from superstitious townspeople who would condemn them for witchcraft.
28. Harrowed parents in in an isolated village cut off from outside aid can only watch their loved ones fall prey to a contagious werewolf curse transforming helpless victims monthly beneath the full moon. A lone misunderstood wizard may be able to help before it’s too late.
29. Shadowy nightmare beings thrive on human fear and take monstrous shape from an individual’s personal phobias before entering bedrooms unseen to feast. A young girl fights sleeplessness as she desperately learns how to lucid dream so that she may turn these creatures of darkness into her own guardians against harm.
30. A violent clan of nomadic raiders invades a suspected witch’s well-hidden sanctuary domicile seeking to capture and torture her for nefarious purposes. But they soon discover her cabin in the dark forest contains uncanny horrors guarding far greater secrets within which promise terrifying power should they seize it as their own.

High Fantasy Story Starters

31. In a land where dragon riders defend humanity against otherworldly threats, an orphan stable hand discovers an abandoned dragon egg and faces backlash as they raise the hatchling in secret, forging an unbreakable bond.
32. An exiled knight errant and mage masquerading as a common sellsword venture deep into forgotten valleys chasing legends of a fallen kingdom’s lost treasure, but release an ancient guardian entity in the perilous ruins below.
33. A womdering ronin samurai and mystic swordsman with a cursed blade joins forces with rebel guerillas and a young rural farm boy working to end a tyrannical warlord’s conquests. During a pivotal confrontation at the despot’s stronghold, it’s revealed the protagonists all hail from the same ninja shinobi clan.
34. A soldier spared from death during a decisive battle gradually transforms into an undead revenant beholden to sinister forces because of the necromantic axe that saved his life. Seeking a cure, he returns to his home village but learns even greater dangers haunt his once idyllic community.
35. A plucky thieves guild urchin who narrowly escapes captivity and her orphan friends accidentally unleash an imprisoned magical creature while hiding in castle ruins. Its freedom could spell salvation or doom for the kingdom.
36. A gifted apothecarist monastery acolyte mistakes a crucial ingredient during an accelerated plague remedy trial, inadvertently creating a ravenous undead epidemic infecting the abbey’s medicinal garden instead of the life-saving panacea everyone hoped for.
37. After an ambitious noble house launches a coup against the crown, the deposed queen entrusts her newborn heir to loyalist allies who disguise themselves as common laborers as they ferry the scion to safety through contested territory. The babe bears a unique birthmark signifying they are the rightful future ruler.
38. The sole surviving member of a legendary guardian order embarks on a dangerous quest to convene compatriots in a desperate attempt to combat the malevolent god recently freed from its aeons-long imprisonment now threatening civilization anew.
39. A court jester hailed as the cleverest in the land is actually a powerful mageSaboteur patiently dismantling the empire subjugating the mages through subtle magical pranks embarrass leading officials. However, when the king brings in an estranged childhood friend as an inquisitor who sees through the deception, the fight turns serious.
40. After frightened woodcutters report a phoenix roosting in a shadowed glen once struck by lightning during a dry storm, druids debate whether its glorious immolation ritual signals ruin or rebirth while opportunistic trappers encroach against all advice.

Magic Discovery Story Prompts

41. While salvaging equipment from an alchemical workshop, a tinkerer haphazardly activates an experimental transmutation engine revealing new metals and gemstones but can’t control what it conjures, attracting greedy opportunists and magical investigators alike.
42. An obsessive aristocrat commissions explorers to chart rumored ley lines crisscrossing her lands hoping to harness ambient magical energy flowing through them. But breaching these channels of power has unintended effects even the mysterious ley walkers they consult against better judgement couldn’t predict.
43. In a magic academy where rival factions vie for prestige and sway using illegally-obtained relics stolen from crypts, museums and private collections, a principled teacher tries limiting growing corruption as repercussions from meddling with dangerous artifacts shake the arcane institution’s foundations.
44. An antiques appraiser routinely consults mystics whenever they encounter particularly beguiling magical objects of inscrutable origin, but after they help a powerful benefactor procure a set of seven rings believed crucial for a secret unity ritual, reality itself seems to glitch and blur around them.
45. A tribal shaman hunting fungi components to restock their village’s medicinal stores realizes the magical mycelium network binding specific flora grants personalized visions of possible futures after accidental overexposure. Sharing this revelation could enable defensive premonitions yet invites outside exploitation.
46. Academics excavating a newly uncovered tomb complex note its strange hieroglyphs glow whenever workers disturbed lost relics and scrolls strewn about the premises. Exact deciphering proves difficult but points to catalogues of profound magical knowledge awaiting proper translation back at the university.
47. Over multiple generations spanning centuries, successive guardians of an enigmatic lighthouse ensure its beacon fire continues burning to luminously outline treacherous shallows and navigate ships away from rocky disaster. But the latest caretaker worries their diminishing eyesight risks losing track of a delivery shipment carrying the secret flame’s fuel – luminous nighthawk eggs harvested only under a blue moon’s sight.
48. Far from colonial authorities in balmy tropics, secreted among volcanic peaks and plunging ravines, autonomous villages still prosper by distilling elusive absinthe liquor through unique botanicals granting imbibers reality-warping and time-bending qualities when sipped sparingly. An exiled occultistdecrypts production secrets in order to barter access home.
49. When hostile treasure hunters probing a seam of glowstone in the abyssal depths of an ancient dwarven mine complex inadvertently unearth a towering titan imprisoned for instigating the legendary War of Fire Giants, their screaming vanguard flees for the surface to spread warning while veteran champions steel themselves to make a heroic last stand against the fiery colossus they’ve unleashed until reinforcements hopefully still versed in binding runes and shielding wards arrive in time.

Mythic Creatures Story Ideas

50. An amateur cryptozoologist receives photos depicting an unknown serpentine beast spied coiling amongst legendary loch waters, prompting a dangerous pursuit to confirm rumours suggesting this mystical lake entity survives against all odds using chameleonic camouflage mechanisms to avoid modern detection.
51. While surveying prospective marshland real estate, curious scouts discover timid willowy beings with leafy hair resembling botanical dryads shyly withdrawing amidst the isolated bog.their disturbance risks permanently scattering these rare sylvan spirits before conservation efforts establish protected areas.
52. Daring divers conducting submarine surveys along a remote archipelago document an elegant tribe of humanoids swimming through crystal waters with bioluminescent skin, membranes between elongated digits, and gently swirling spines running from nape down backs evoking mythical merfolk. Attempts to discretely monitor them raise urgent preservation questions once footage leaks publicly.
53. Supposed extinct miniature stallions with pearlescent spiral horns projecting from their foreheads turn up mystifying wildlife experts seeking to verify their validity as alicorns and pinpoint origins of the diminutive equines inexplicably spotted in various surprising locations worldwide given lack of previous sightings. Where did they emerge from and how did they proliferate globally?
54. While researching folk beliefs associated with a puzzling root vegetable grown by rural cultivators, an ethnobotanist finally pieces together why superstitious farmers harvest these specific tuberous plants according to lunar cycles. It seems consuming them under moonlight alters people’s perceptions towards seeing capricious pookah fae shapeshifting through forms.
55. Baffled pet owners across several cities surreptitiously consult veterinarians after hours concerning their animals’ unusual behavior patterns, but the consensus suggests certain elemental sprites remarkably reactive to pollution and habitat disruptions have begun intervening through willing animal vessels letting them convey crucial environmental restoration messages.
56. A celebrated chimera in antiquity renown for its oracular sight and wisdom unexpectedly resurfaces after centuries dormant to reluctantly help a perilously fractured kingdom, but its sphinx-like proclamations prove so cryptic that divine decipherers must convene to properly unravel prophetic statements encoded within imagery-rich verse.
57. exploring a tidal cave network reveals crude bioluminescent cave paintings depicting now extinct mega faunas living amongst early humans, yet one hitherto unidentified sauropod they spot outlined multiple times near vital freshwater outlets suggests maybe a special phoenix-like regeneration is involved accounting for why this particular colossal species still roams secluded sites according to rare sightings.
58. After inheriting an eccentric relative’s overgrown estate, the new groundskeeper gradually befriends gargantuan guardian statues prowling the property each night that their ancestor had long ago awakened from stone hibernation using ancient runic synergies. Now fully sentient yet still bound by geas-fueled oaths to defend sacred boundary wards against trespassers in perpetuity.
59. Investigating terrifying instances of dangerous predators found mysteriously slaughtered throughout remote mountain hiking trails points to the legendary involvement of a massive fur-covered humanoid people come down seasonally from hidden villages nestled amongst cloud-piercing peaks to harvest resources, leaving occasional violent calling cards warning human settlers away.
60. Clearing out a backyard garden plot, homeowners unearthed strange skull fragments alongside unusual claw and vertebrae remains resembling no catalogued regional wildlife. However, after unexpectedly animated beings self-assembling from these unknown animal bones and sinew subsequently carry their whining dog away towards the forested foothills, frantic owners contact monster hunting occultists and sabermetric scientists to identify what may have emerged and strategize safe retrievals.

Conclusion

These 150 fantasy writing prompts offer a treasure trove of story ideas you can explore within magical realms of your own imagining, whether building out entire worlds or just enhancing life’s hidden wonders. From portals leading across dimensions to mythical beasts and magical objects with cryptic purposes, let these prompts stir your creativity.

Remember the key ingredients that make fantasy tales resonate. Bake in rich worldbuilding, dimensional characters, suspenseful pacing and themes that connect with readers. Study classics of the genre you wish to emulate while putting your own distinct spin on tropes. Keep magic and supernatural forces integral without overshadowing interpersonal relationships, inner turmoil and relatable conflicts that bring fantasy down to earth even amidst the extraordinary.

Most importantly, believe fervently in the realms you envision and pour passion into each enchanted word set to page. If you thoroughly enjoy building new worlds and want readers to find the same wonder escaping routine reality, then fantasy fiction offers endless gateways forescape. Now step through the portal of your imagination – let these prompts guide your journey into fantastical storytelling!

The post The 60 Best Fantasy Writing Prompts for Your Book appeared first on Bookishnerd.

In this article, we’re going to dive into the world of large print books and explore the benefits of this accessible format.

I’ll also talk about why just increasing the font size of the book is not enough, and how you can get an easy-to-follow program that lets you create large print books with a single click.

Let’s get into it!

Large print books are specifically designed for people who might have difficulty reading regular sized font, like seniors, visually impaired individuals, or anyone who’s always getting jostled around while trying to read on the go.

These books are total lifesavers for those who need them!

Now, let’s talk about what makes large print books so accessible. To start, they use a larger font size than standard editions or regular sized prints of books.

And it’s not just a matter of making the font bigger – there are actually guidelines that need to be followed to ensure they’re easily readable for the visually impaired, such as using a sans-serif font.

When it comes to the minimum font size for a large print book, it’s usually around 18pt. However, depending on the typeface and number of pages, it could be slightly higher or lower. And that’s not all – there are other factors to consider when creating large print books. Font type, line spacing, paragraph spacing, and alignment all play a role in making sure the book is easy to read and accessible for those who need it.

So, the next time you come across a large print book, remember that it’s not just a bigger version of the regular thing. It’s a specially designed format that’s meant to make reading easier for a specific audience.

I’ve got some awesome news – large print books aren’t just for the elderly or visually impaired.

In fact, they can benefit a whole range of groups, including dyslexic individuals, tired readers, those who are frequently in motion (like those on a bus), and even impatient readers. So basically, they’re perfect for a wide variety of people.

One of the biggest benefits of large print books is that they can create less eye strain. Plus, they provide a sense of progression for readers, making it easier to track where you are in the book. And let’s be real, who doesn’t love that feeling of accomplishment as you turn each page?

But here’s the thing – large print books shouldn’t be ignored as a valuable option for these demographics. In fact, they’re incredibly important for individuals with vision impairment, such as AMD, and are in high demand. And did you know that large print editions can generate a significant portion of book income?

Producing a large print book can diversify income and increase book sales, which is pretty much a win-win situation. However, there’s a common misconception that increasing font size is the only requirement for creating a large print book. But there are actually additional requirements that are important to consider, like font type, line spacing, and paragraph spacing.

And just remember, this only applies to print books – eReaders like Kindle have their own font size adjustments.

Let’s get into some specifics of what makes a good large print book.

The American Council for the Blind has identified four key features: font size, font style, line spacing, and contrast. But it doesn’t stop there – organizations like the ADA have additional guidelines to consider.

And while there are no legal requirements for large print books for authors, closer compliance with guidelines provides a better experience for end-users.

Unfortunately, most book formatting tools do not comply with all the requirements, so it’s important to know the guidelines and use appropriate software. Trust me, it’s worth it to make sure your large print book is as accessible and enjoyable as possible for readers.

So, what are some of the guidelines?

• First, use an 18 point sans serif font, which is easier to read for many people.
• Second, line height should be 1.5 or higher, and paragraphs should be spaced for easier readability.
• Third, use ragged right text instead of justified text, which can make spacing uneven and harder to read.
• Fourth, larger font and left alignment should be used for titles and headings.
• Fifth, double-spaced bulleted items and black text only are recommended.
• Sixth, bold should be used instead of italics for emphasis.
• Finally, selecting a larger trim size is also recommended.

So, there you have it – some guidelines to make sure your large print book is accessible and enjoyable for all readers.

So after all that, are you thinking about creating a large print book? Atticus is the way to go!

Atticus complies with all large print requirements and makes changes with just a few clicks. Trust me, this will save you so much time and hassle.

By the way, I wrote a review of Atticus here, plus this other article about why it’s better than Vellum (for one, Vellum only increases the sizing for large print, it doesn’t do the other things).

So, what are the first steps to creating a large print book with Atticus?

The first step is to select the appropriate large print trim size in the theme settings.

This will automatically apply the correct font size, style, and paragraph spacing. Easy peasy!

But you may need to customize the theme to adjust font styles for chapter headings and header and footer. Don’t worry, it’s simple to do and Atticus has got you covered.

Other important considerations include resizing the book cover, checking page count, marking the book as large print, and using cream paper. Did you know that cream paper is easier on the eyes and reduces paper glare, making it a better paper type for those with low vision?

Plus, if you’re considering a hardcover option, it’s a great choice for longevity, increased sturdiness, and more likely to be picked up by libraries.

Creating a good large print book involves juggling multiple factors beyond font size.

But with Atticus, you’ll have everything you need to create a top-notch large print book that’s accessible and enjoyable for all readers. Let’s make sure everyone can experience the magic of reading!

The post Large Print Books and Why You Should Publish Them appeared first on Bookishnerd.

Generally speaking, the Harry Potter books, written by J. K. Rowling, are meant for younger readers. The first one clearly started out as a middle-grade novel, but by the time book seven rolled around they had progressed to something more like YA, and the audience had grown up with it.

So it’s clear that each book is more appropriate for an older audience than the one before it. That said, it’s still mostly enjoyable for the whole family, and if you have kids that are 8 or older, I highly recommend you introduce them to the first book so they can get started.

So to get us thinking more on this, I’ve developed a guide to the reading level of each Harry Potter book. I’ve done this by focusing on two things:

1. The complexity of the text, aka the readability
2. The maturity of the content

Because once you get to book four or so, things start to get a little darker in a way that I wouldn’t recommend for young kids.

Let’s dive in.

The Reading Level for Each Harry Potter Book

With that said, let’s look at a quick-list of the reading level for each Harry Potter book. Following this will be my breakdown of all seven books and why I’ve placed them where I did.

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone – 2-3 Grade Reading Level (Age 8 and up)
2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – 2-3 Grade Reading Level (Age 8 and up)
3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – 2-3 Grade Reading Level (Age 8 and up)
4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – 5th Grade Reading Level (Age 10 and up)
5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix – 5th Grade Reading Level (Age 10 and up)
6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince – 6th Grade Reading Level (Age 11 and up)
7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – 7th Grade Reading Level (Age 12 and up)

Now let’s take a look at each one and see why I gave it that particular reading grade.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

• Amazon Kindle Edition
• Rowling, J.K. (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 314 Pages - 12/08/2015 (Publication Date) - Pottermore Publishing (Publisher)

$11.99

Buy on Amazon

• Grade Reading Level: 2-3
• Age Level: 8+
• Lexile: 880L

The Sorcerer’s Stone starts things off easy with a fun adventure that most children will enjoy.

However, it does have some darker themes, such as how the dark Lord Voldemort is managing to stay alive in the book, and there’s the subject of parental death, which if a child hasn’t been exposed to that, it may be something you want to broach gently.

That said, it’s the shortest and easiest read of the lot.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

• Amazon Kindle Edition
• Rowling, J.K. (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 344 Pages - 12/08/2015 (Publication Date) - Pottermore Publishing (Publisher)

$11.99

Buy on Amazon

• Grade Reading Level: 2-3
• Age Level: 8+
• Lexile: 940L

While this book continues the peril and themes of death that you see in the first book, it’s relatively tame, and there’s only one action scene towards the end of the book.

Chamber of Secrets is very much at the same level as Sorcerer’s Stone, and therefore isn’t a hard read for most children. It’s Lexile measure is 940L, meaning that most children age 8+ will be able to read it.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

• Amazon Kindle Edition
• Rowling, J.K. (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 437 Pages - 12/08/2015 (Publication Date) - Pottermore Publishing (Publisher)

$11.99

Buy on Amazon

• Grade Reading Level: 2-3
• Age Level: 8+
• Lexile: 880L

This book opens up the Wizarding World a bit to show us the prison of Azkaban, and it also introduces to us the Dementors, which may be a bit scary for your younger children.

By this point, you should gauge if your kid has had a problem with the first two books. If they have, it might not be safe to venture from this point until they’re a little older, because the Dementors can be quite frightening.

However, the actual reading level is actually easier than Chamber of Secrets, with a Lexile level of only 880L. So in that sense, if your child could read the first two books with no problem, they’re be just fine.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

• Amazon Kindle Edition
• Rowling, J.K. (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 740 Pages - 12/08/2015 (Publication Date) - Pottermore Publishing (Publisher)

$11.99

Buy on Amazon

• Grade Reading Level: 5
• Age Level: 10+
• Lexile: 880L

So, while the Lexile text measure for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the same as the last book, it is also quite a bit longer. So that could be a hang-up for children with short attention spans. It can take a while to get through this book.

Additionally, Goblet encounters more mature themes, particularly at the end of the book that could be frightening for children. It involves the death of a hero, which is the first time we’ve seen a non-villain die in the series, and it can be a little traumatic for certain readers.

That said, this book contains a tournament that almost gamifies the text, making you want to read on, so if your younger reader has enjoyed the first three books, they’ll probably want to speed right through this one, especially if they’re at the right age range or grade level, or they’re just an accelerated reader.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

• Amazon Kindle Edition
• Rowling, J.K. (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 877 Pages - 12/08/2015 (Publication Date) - Pottermore Publishing (Publisher)

$11.99

Buy on Amazon

• Grade Reading Level: 5
• Age Level: 10+
• Lexile: 950L

It’s with Order of the Phoenix that the reading level really begins to rise, and this is the point where I would really evaluate if vocabulary and content are suitable for your child, or if they require a higher reading level.

Order of the Phoenix is the darkest of the books so far, with Harry, Ron, Hermione, and every student of Hogwarts school resulting in severe psychological repercussions to the events of the previous year.

It’s darker, and the Lexile reader measure is higher, so you’ll want to consider letting your child grow before tackling this one, and that’s only going to go up from here.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

• Amazon Kindle Edition
• Rowling, J.K. (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 652 Pages - 12/08/2015 (Publication Date) - Pottermore Publishing (Publisher)

$11.99

Buy on Amazon

• Grade Reading Level: 6
• Age Level: 11+
• Lexile: 1030L

We’re starting to get a little older here with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which deals with a lot more mature themes of death, and it also starts to get a little older with some romance themes. Lots of kissy-kissy faces. That began in the last book, but it hits its stride in this one.

But it’s definitely darker, and the Lexile scale is also higher than average. So you’ll want to be cautious before giving this to your 8 year old. Instead, this is best suited for kids that are 11 and up.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

• Amazon Kindle Edition
• Rowling, J.K. (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 766 Pages - 12/08/2015 (Publication Date) - Pottermore Publishing (Publisher)

$11.99

Buy on Amazon

• Grade Reading Level: 7
• Age Level: 12+
• Lexile: 980L

Lastly, the seventh Harry Potter book is by far the darkest, and a lot of horrible things happen to various characters that we’ve grown to love over the course of the novels. So in that sense, you’ll want to make sure your child is ready for more death, mutilation, abuse, and more of hat nature.

From a reading level, it’s no worse than any of the others. In fact, the literacy level required is less than the previous book. But it’s also gone far beyond a simple chapter book at this point. It’s a longer book (just like the last three), and could take your child a while to finish it, depending on their reading practice.

Then again, I finished it in all of one sleepless night back in 2007 when it came out.

The Bottom Line

While the Harry Potter books are best for readers who are at least 8 years old to start out, and at least 12 years old by the time you get to the final books, you are ultimately the best judge of what they can and can’t handle.

Standardized tests and the like can determine a reading level, but when it comes to content, you are the best judge. Because it honestly depends on their life experiences up to this point, and what you think they can handle.

Overall, I think the Harry Potter series is fine for most kids over the age of 10, and often even younger. Though with the Harry Potter films, I’d maybe wait until they’re a little older. Especially for the Fantastic Beasts films or any of the films that are rated PG-13.

The post What Reading Level is Harry Potter? appeared first on Bookishnerd.

I mean, they kind of sound like the same thing, right?

Turns out, they’re not, and in this article, I’ll walk you through both so you absolutely know the difference between all types of notes, whether they go on your foot or your…end.

Let’s just dive in, shall we.

Let’s talk about endnotes – they’re like footnotes, but not, With an endnote, you can point your readers to more information without interrupting the flow of your writing. Which is often exactly what you want to do.

Now, you might be wondering where exactly these endnotes go. Endnotes are typically found either at the end of each chapter or at the very end of the whole book. Hence the “end” in the word.

That way, your readers can easily find all the juicy details you’ve included without having to flip back and forth between pages.

But wait, there’s more! When deciding whether to put your endnotes at the end of each chapter or at the end of the book, there’s one important factor to consider: the number of endnotes you’re planning to include. If you have a ton of them, it’s best to put them at the end of each chapter so your readers aren’t overwhelmed by a giant list at the end of the book.

But if you only have a few, you can collect them all at the end of the book without a problem.

Footnotes are those little superscript numbers you see in a book that lead you to even more juicy info at the bottom of the page. Super useful.

Basically, a footnote is a way to cite a source within your text without interrupting the flow of your writing. You just pop a little superscript number at the end of the sentence where you’re using someone else’s words or ideas, and then at the bottom of the page, you provide more information about that source.

It’s like a mini citation right there on the same page – so convenient!

And here’s a little pro tip for you – if you see a superscript number in a book, that means there’s a footnote waiting for you at the bottom of the page. So when you’re reading and you come across one of those little guys, don’t skip over it! That footnote might have some super important info that you don’t want to miss.

Endnotes and Footnotes are quite similar, but they are not the same.

Footnotes and Endnotes have a lot in common, like being a way to provide additional information and cite your sources without interrupting the flow of your writing.

Another thing footnotes and endnotes have in common is that they both allow you to provide more information without interrupting your reader’s flow. Instead of having to break up your text with lengthy explanations or citations, you can just pop a little number in the text and let your readers know that more info is waiting for them at the bottom of the page or end of the chapter.

But of course, there are some differences between these two besties. Footnotes are typically found at the bottom of each page, while endnotes are usually collected at the end of each chapter or even at the very end of the book.

And while footnotes tend to be shorter and to the point, endnotes can go into more depth and provide even more detail.

Now, one thing to keep in mind is that even if you’re using footnotes or endnotes, you still need to have a bibliography at the end of your work.

This is a list of all the sources you cited throughout your writing, and it’s important to include it so that your readers can easily find and reference those works themselves.

Footnotes and endnotes are not just for academic writing, you know! They can add some serious pizzazz to your writing and even take your fiction to the next level.

So, you probably know that both footnotes and endnotes use a superscript number to indicate an in-text citation. What you might not know is that the first time you cite a source in a footnote or endnote, you should provide the full information. After that, you can use an abbreviated version to save space and keep things tidy.

And here’s another fun fact – most footnotes and endnotes include the specific page number from the source they’re citing. That way, your readers can easily find the exact information you’re referring to.

Now, footnotes and endnotes aren’t just for citing sources – they can also be used to add all sorts of fun tidbits to your writing. Think primary sources, parenthetical information, author’s notes, copyright permissions, and even background info on your story’s world.

And here’s where things get really exciting – footnotes and endnotes can be used creatively in works of fiction! You can use them to add extra details about your characters, provide more info about the world they live in, or even include comments from your characters themselves.

Usually, we see footnotes and endnotes in nonfiction books, but they can be used creatively in fiction too. By using footnotes and endnotes, you can reveal additional details about the world-building in your story, making it seem more fleshed out and academic, like it’s an actual place.

And the fun doesn’t stop there, y’all! You can also use footnotes and endnotes to add comments from other characters.

Imagine a character reading a book within your story and leaving their own commentary in the footnotes, or the narrator commenting on their own words. It’s a super unique way to make your writing stand out and make the reading process even more enjoyable.

Let’s talk about the bane of every nonfiction writer’s existence – formatting footnotes and endnotes. It’s enough to make you pull your hair out, right? But fear not, because there are ways of doing it, and there’s a new player in town that makes creating and formatting footnotes and endnotes a breeze – I’ll get to that in a moment!

Now, sure, you can use programs like Microsoft Word or Adobe InDesign to create footnotes and endnotes, but let’s be real – it can be a total nightmare. It’s time-consuming, frustrating, and can mess up your formatting if you’re not careful.

And don’t even get us started on formatting tools like Vellum that only offer endnotes, not footnotes.

But with my new favorite formatting tool called Atticus, you don’t have to worry about any of that. (see my review of Atticus here)

It’s an all-in-one software that automatically creates footnotes and endnotes for you, so you can focus on the fun stuff – like writing your novel! And that’s not all – Atticus can also format ebooks and print books in various trim sizes, create large print books, and even allow you to customize fonts and sizes. Plus, it creates beautiful chapter themes that will make your book stand out from the rest.

And here’s the best part, babes – Atticus is over $100 cheaper than the leading alternative and available on many platforms. So you can save some serious cash while also making your writing life easier.

All you have to do is specify that you want to use either footnotes or endnotes (note: ebooks only use endnotes), then when you’re inputting your text, it’s super easy to click a button and insert your note.

Easy peazy!

The post Endnotes vs Footnotes: How Do I Tell the Difference? appeared first on Bookishnerd.

• What the hero’s journey is and why it’s so prevalent in storytelling
• The origins of the hero’s journey concept by Joseph Campbell
• The 12 main stages of the journey outlined by Christopher Vogler
• Examples of the hero’s journey in famous myths, films, novels, and stories
• Tips for using the hero’s journey structure in your own writing

When I first learned about the hero’s journey, I was fascinated by how this template seems to capture the essence of storytelling and the universal human experience. In this article, I’ll share my own excitement and perspectives on this captivating concept as we explore what makes the hero’s journey such a timeless and powerful narrative structure. Let’s begin our own adventure into the world of the monomyth!

The hero’s journey, also referred to as the monomyth, is essentially the common template of stories that involve a hero who goes on an adventure, faces various challenges, comes through a crisis or major ordeal, and returns home transformed in some fundamental way.

This basic narrative arc can be traced back centuries and is found in myths, legends, folklore, and religious tales across vastly different cultures. For example, the epic of Gilgamesh from ancient Mesopotamia, the Odyssey by Homer, the legend of the Buddha’s enlightenment, the Bible stories of Moses and Jesus, and medieval Arthurian legends, all follow this fundamental template.

The hero’s journey was popularized in the 20th century by American mythologist Joseph Campbell. In his seminal 1949 book The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Campbell analyzed myths across cultures and found this common throughline structure he called the monomyth. He summarized the journey in this way:

“A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.”

Ever since Campbell published his work, the hero’s journey concept has been applied extensively in understanding myths, legends, films, novels, plays, video games, and all types of stories. Writers, directors, storytellers, and artists have latched onto this idea because it seems to resonate with universal themes about human experience.

We all face trials and challenges in life. We go on both physical and emotional journeys to overcome obstacles and grow. In stories, we get to live vicariously through the heroic protagonist. The hero’s journey allows us to relate to them and be inspired by their perseverance. At its core, this monomythic cycle ties into concepts like love, sacrifice, courage, transformation, and fulfilling one’s destiny. These timeless themes and character arcs continue to captivate audiences and new generations.

While Joseph Campbell originally outlined 17 stages of the monomyth in his book, screenwriter Christopher Vogler simplified it into 12 stages in a popular guidebook for writers. Known as the hero’s journey model, these 12 steps are:

1. Ordinary World
2. Call to Adventure
3. Refusal of the Call
4. Meeting the Mentor
5. Crossing the Threshold
6. Tests, Allies, Enemies
7. Approach to the Inmost Cave
8. The Ordeal
9. Reward
10. The Road Back
11. Resurrection
12. Return with the Elixir

Let’s look at each of these 12 stages in more detail:

The hero exists in the ordinary world, their normal environment, when we first meet them. This allows us to see what their daily life is like before the adventure begins. In The Matrix, we see Neo living an ordinary life as a computer programmer before he is called to his destiny. In Harry Potter, we witness Harry’s difficult life with the Dursleys until he’s summoned to Hogwarts.

The ordinary world establishes the status quo that will eventually be disrupted as the journey unfolds. It lets us relate to the hero as an everyday person like us before they embark on something extraordinary.

The hero receives a call to go on an adventure that disrupts their ordinary world. It may come in the form of a threat to the hero or their community. This call could come from a herald like Gandalf summoning Frodo in Lord of the Rings. Or it may be adventure itself that calls to the hero, spurring them to seize new opportunities.

However it arrives, the call ignites the hero’s journey as they are drawn into a new world of possibilities. But hearing the call is just the beginning of their transformation.

When presented with the call to adventure, the hero may initially refuse or express reluctance to embark on the journey. Refusing the call hints at their fears or shortcomings that must be overcome.

At this stage, heroes might believe they are unfit for the journey ahead. Bilbo Baggins tries refusing Gandalf’s request for him to join the dwarves in reclaiming their home. Other times, refusal comes from a sense of duty preventing the hero from leaving home.

The hero needs guidance to answer the call, which comes in the form of a mentor figure. The mentor prepares the hero for the journey ahead by training, advising, and empowering them.

The mentor can appear as a wise old wizard like Merlin or Dumbledore. Or they may impart wisdom in less obvious ways. In The Karate Kid, the unassuming maintenance man Mr. Miyagi mentors Daniel through karate lessons and life advice that transform him. Whatever form they take, the mentor molds the hero toward being ready to face their destiny.

The hero commits wholeheartedly to the adventure by crossing the threshold into the special world beyond their ordinary one. There is often an actual threshold representing the boundary between worlds.

Dorothy leaves Kansas behind by squinting through the door of her tornado-blown house into the colorful Land of Oz. By committing to the journey, the hero enters Act Two, facing tests in the special world. The threshold marks the point of no return.

In the special world of Act Two, the hero faces a series of tests that allow them to gather allies and enemies. The tests are part of the training the hero must undergo to prepare for the bigger ordeals yet to come.

The hero discovers new abilities, but also weaknesses that they seek to overcome. Allies join the hero on the journey and work with them to pass tests. Enemies create obstacles and complications for the hero. Through these trials and relationships, we see the hero change and grow.

The inmost cave may be an actual location in the special world, but really represents the innermost darkness of the hero’s psyche, their deepest fear they must face. As they approach this critical juncture, they prepare themselves for facing this ultimate ordeal.

On the approach, the hero may appear to be reaching their goal or think the journey is coming to an end, only to find this is yet another prelude to a more difficult confrontation with death ahead.

Here, the hero undergoes the supreme ordeal of facing their greatest fear in the hope of being rewarded or resurrected anew. This is the climactic central confrontation often representing facing death and rebirth both metaphorically and literally.

The ordeal allows the hero to conquer their enemies or shadowy aspects of themselves once and for all. By dying to their old self, they can be reborn as their true heroic self.

After surviving death in the ordeal, the hero gains the reward they’ve sought like the holy grail or some elixir to save their people. It may come in the form of new knowledge or insight. This rest period lets us see the hero enjoy the fruits of their labor and sacrifice.

Carrying the reward, the hero begins their return journey home to the ordinary world. But the adventure isn’t over yet. New dangerous obstacles arise that imperil the hero’s journey home.

The stakes are raised once more as the hero must stay resilient on the road back, holding onto the reward and wisdom gained from their difficult trials. The journey is about mastery of two worlds.

As the hero nears the threshold home, they must endure one last test where everything learned so far is put to the ultimate test. Facing mortal danger, they may need rescue from without. This final trial leads to the hero’s resurrection and ascension as a superior being.

This brings the hero full circle as they return to the ordinary world, but able to bestow gifts on that world as a powerful guide ready to lead others. Their elixir is the wisdom gained from the ordeal. The hero comes back from death transformed and enlightened.

By mastering and balancing both worlds, the hero is a carrier of boons to help renew their community. They return wiser and more enlightened than when they started.

Joseph Campbell’s original 1949 outline of the monomyth actually had more stages – 17 steps versus the simplified version’s 12 steps. Campbell’s 17 stages, grouped into a three act structure, are:

1. The Call to Adventure
2. Refusal of the Call
3. Supernatural Aid
4. Crossing the First Threshold
5. Belly of the Whale

1. The Road of Trials
2. Meeting with the Goddess
3. Woman as Temptress
4. Atonement with the Father
5. Apotheosis
6. The Ultimate Boon

1. Refusal of the Return
2. Magic Flight
3. Rescue from Without
4. Crossing the Return Threshold
5. Master of Two Worlds
6. Freedom to Live

While containing more steps, Campbell’s outline aligns with Vogler’s simplified version covering departure, initiation, and return. The expanded 17 stages provide more details about certain phases of the journey. Both models offer a guide to crafting an archetypal heroic story.

The hero’s journey monomyth structure has been analyzed in many myths, legends, films and stories. Here are some of my personal favorites:

• The Odyssey – This classic epic by Homer shaped much of the hero’s journey template through Odysseus’s long difficult voyage home after the Trojan War.
• Star Wars – Luke Skywalker’s journey follows the hero template faithfully, one reason the film resonates so powerfully.
• The Matrix – Neo’s journey from hacker to hero/savior closely aligns with the monomyth. Facing Agent Smith is akin to an ordeal and resurrection.
• Harry Potter – Harry progresses through each stage, mentored by Dumbledore, gaining allies like Hermione and Ron, facing enemies like Voldemort, dying and returning to defeat evil.
• The Lion King – Simba’s epic quest contains numerous stages like crossing a threshold into the elephant graveyard, undergoing an ordeal facing his evil uncle, and returning to restore the kingdom.

Each example above takes the universal monomyth template and makes it singular and unforgettable by creating iconic heroes, mentors, allies and villains. The hero’s journey is infinitely malleable.

If you want to employ the hero’s journey structure in your own novel or screenplay, here are some tips:

• Have a clear vision of your hero and their ordinary world before disrupting it with the call to adventure.
• Make your mentor, allies and enemies dimensional, memorable characters that impact the hero.
• Structure key events like the ordeal, the climax, and the hero’s resurrection around the middle and end to shape the emotional arc.
• Customize the template to fit your unique story needs. Not all 17 stages must be included.
• Outline the stages before writing, but also allow some to emerge organically from story and characters.
• Include symbolic thresholds like crossroads, gates, bridges, or actual magical portals marking transitions into new worlds.
• Use tests in the special world to allow your hero to grow incrementally through small wins and losses.
• Consider how bringing back the “elixir” transforms not just the hero but also their community.

In essence, incorporating a monomyth structure provides a time-tested narrative arc while leaving plenty of room for your own imaginative embellishment. Allow the template to guide, not limit, your creativity.

That concludes my personal guide to the hero’s journey draws from myths, films and literature! I hope relaying my own perspectives and enthusiasm brought this monomyth template to life. Now that you’ve completed your own vicarious adventure through the world of the hero’s journey, you have all the tools to craft an epic tale full of memorable characters, riveting ordeals and triumphant returns. Wishing you the best as you set forth on your own writing journey ahead!

The post The Hero’s Journey: The 12 (or 17) Steps for Writers appeared first on Bookishnerd.

It’s absolutely overwhelming. There are a whole host of voices vying for our attention and, more often than not, our cash.

Perhaps the most common mistake when starting out is thinking that we have to discover the right way to do everything for ourselves. We end up spending a lot of time and wasted effort figuring out the most basic of tasks, and inevitably making a lot of mistakes along the way.

I am a firm believer that there is no need to reinvent the wheel in life – and making money online is no different!

Over the coming weeks, NerdyBookGirl will be presenting a series of case studies about people who have absolutely crushed it at making cash on Amazon.

As an introduction to the series, read on to discover how to make the most of Amazon role models, and why they are a serious shortcut to success.

The Killer Benefits Role Models Bring To The Table

The benefits of having a proper role model to follow are too many to fully list. However, some of the key benefits are as follows –

• Learn from the mistakes of others
• Follow a tried and tested path
• Shorten your learning curve
• Adopt efficient processes

Perhaps the best reason to have a role model for your Amazon endeavors is to avoid fundamental, rookie errors which you would inevitably make on your own.

Think about any new skillset or process you set out to master in your life. There were probably a lot of simple mistakes you made starting out which look absurd in hindsight.

However, as trivial as they may seem in retrospect, the time you spend making and learning from those basic rookie errors is the time you will never recover.

By following the advice of a role model, you eliminate all of the basic rookie stumbling in the dark, and instead, take a more disciplined and focused approach to start out generating wealth on Amazon.

Paying attention to the wisdom of a role model also stops you from trying out an idea which simply wouldn’t work.

If you are new to Amazon then you may have an idea for a product which you think is a sure ticket to success.

However, as plausible as it may seem to an outsider, an Amazon role model may be able to nix your idea right away.

Why? Their experience and familiarity with Amazon allow them to more accurately assess if any given product has a real chance of doing well or not.

This may be down to something as simple as your idea violating one of Amazon’s rules or regulations – something you simply wouldn’t know as a newcomer.

The right role model can also point you down a refined path of learning. Think about a wise professor or teacher – they can give you a helping hand with regards to the best resources, the right things to read and the tried and tested names within any given field.

By following the learning tips and guidelines of a role model who has experienced success on Amazon, you can dramatically shorten the time it takes for you to progress. The end result? More money made in less time.

Who wouldn’t want that?

Who Makes The Right Role Model?

Hopefully, by now, you are sold on the benefits of Amazon role models in general.

Like anything else online, it’s absolutely vital to be discerning and only pay attention to the right people. After all, following bad advice is almost always worse than not following any advice at all.

So, how can you know who to trust when drawing inspiration for Amazon?

You should be able to see some kind of tangible track record of success from anyone you are considering following. If they claim to be able to help you sell a lot of fiction books, for example, you will want to see evidence of their own success, as well as satisfied clients who have in turn been helped by them.

A lack of a clear and credible track record is a major red flag which you always need to listen to, no matter what.

The second key thing to consider when vetting potential role models are the concept of suitability. Basically, ask yourself if someone is the right person for you to learn from.

Something to keep in mind when considering this is how closely the person you are going to be learning from one’s own activities resemble what you want to get into.

For example, if the person you are considering as an Amazon role model has published fiction, but you want to publish non-fiction, wouldn’t it be better to find a role model more closely aligned with your own activities?

Yes, you can almost always learn something from anyone successful – but it’s better to learn as much relevant information from a person as possible.

Another thing to think about when seeking out a role model is what the person’s motivation is, and whether they would be a good fit for your personality.

If it seems like someone is entirely motivated by making money, steer well clear of them. There is no harm or problem with legitimate teachers/experts charging for their services – however, if money is all they care about, you are sure to have problems with them in the future.

Instead, seek out a role model who seems to genuinely care about helping people and sharing their knowledge with them. You are likely to benefit a lot more from the search for a person. You also want to consider whether the potential role model’s personality is a good fit with your own – we are a lot more likely to take on board the ideas and information from a person we genuinely like and get on well with, rather than someone who is very different from yourself.

How To Make The Most Of A Role Model

Once you have found the right role model, it’s important to make the most efficient use of them in order to gain the maximum level of benefit for your own Amazon efforts. Consider the following rules for making the most out of a role model relationship –

1. NO ONE IS PERFECT

A trap you must avoid falling into is seeing anyone role model as infallible or seeing them as some kind of guru whose advice cannot be questioned.

Understand that even the best online money making experts, even the people with the most knowledge and experience, are just people like you or me. They still make mistakes and can still give bad advice.

Of course, if you have been careful to find the right Amazon role model, then they will give less bad advice than you would expect on average. However, it’s still crucial to avoid following them blindly. Instead, listen to their ideas and suggestions, but always remain a critical, logical frame of assessment towards them.

2. TRY THINGS FOR YOURSELF

It can be tempting to fall into the trap of becoming addicted to ideas and information.

This occurs when you spend an excessive amount of time learning about the many ideas and avenues which exist for you on Amazon – instead of actually putting them into practice and seeing which you are able to experience success with!

It’s a lot better to take one, actionable piece of advice your Amazon role model talks about, and actually implementing it before moving on and trying out anything else.

This will ensure you avoid the trap of information overload and instead focus on seeing what really does and does not work for you.

3. CONSIDER IF ADVICE IS A GOOD FIT

Sometimes, your Amazon role model may offer you some advice which is good advice – just not for your circumstance.

Always consider if whether the advice on offer is right for you. For example, some good ways of making money on Amazon may require some form of upfront cost, for example taking out Facebook ads to drive traffic towards a particular product.

This may be a tried and tested strategy which has worked for many – but if you don’t have the advertising budget to make it work, it’s not right for you.

Never fail to consider whether you have the resources at your disposal, and the timescale over which to use them, in order to make any Amazon strategy work out.

4. NEVER FEEL CONSTRAINED

Realize that an Amazon role model’s job is to guide you – not to constrain you.

You should never feel as if you are held back simply because a role model suggests you should do things a certain way, but you want to try out something else.

Never be afraid to trust your intuition, and to try things out for yourself. Learning from your own mistakes can be valuable at times.

Ideally, you will use the ideas and advice of your Amazon as a foundation, on which you can then build your own approach.

Role Model Roundup

So there you have it – the main reasons why you need an Amazon role model in your life, and some of the best ways to ensure you thrive on the advice offered.

So, who should you consider as a candidate for your Amazon role model?

Don’t worry – BookishNerd has got you covered.

Starting soon, we will be presenting you with some case studies on tried and tested Amazon champs, and how you can apply their ideas and experiences to your own online endeavors.

The post Amazon Role Models appeared first on Bookishnerd.

The truth is, writing faster is something that most authors want to do. But it’s not the easiest thing in the world. You can’t just sit down and tell yourself you’re going to write really fast. While this may work here and there, it won’t change your writing habits. And habits, my friend, are what will turn 500 words per hour into 2000 or more!

So let’s get to it! Here’s everything you need to know about how to write faster. 

The Basics – Setting the Scene

Okay, before we get into more advanced tips for fast writing, I want to be clear on a few basics. These are things that you may or may not already do. Just because I say they’re “basics” doesn’t mean you should already know them. We all start somewhere!

And by the way, all these tips work whether you’re writing fiction, a blog post, an email, or an essay. But I’ll mostly be discussing them in terms of book writing. 

Set a Writing Goal

This is the very first thing most professional writers will say. You need to set a goal. But not just any goal. A realistic one. This goal should be slightly uncomfortable, but not impossible. 

If you’re working on a larger project, then set yourself an end date and a word count goal. Like 50,000 words in six months, or whatever it may be. Then, break that down into monthly, weekly, and then daily goals. If you only have time to write three days a week, break down your weekly goal by dividing it by three. 

Create a spreadsheet or a simple document to record your progress. If you need to revise your goal, that’s okay. Just be honest with yourself. You know when you truly need to revise it and when you’re just doing it to cut yourself some slack. 

Remember, writing faster isn’t supposed to be easy—but it’s also not supposed to feel like you’re Sisyphus rolling a boulder up to the top of the hill.  

Ditch Those Distractions

Distracted writing is slow writing. So the first thing you should do to speed up your words per minute is to eliminate any potential distractions. This usually means finding a room with a door you can close. If that’s not an option, maybe a quiet corner and some noise-canceling headphones are in order. 

Also, turn off your phone or leave it out of reach! If you’re like me, you don’t even realize you’re reaching for your phone until you have it in your hand. It’s a great way to waste writing time, so set it aside or just turn it off.

Find Your Focus

Now that you’re in your distraction-free environment, it’s time to focus on the task at hand. Most of us write on the computer with a writing tool like Atticus (my favorite) or Microsoft Word. If so, then close out all other tabs and silence any pop-up notifications. All you want is the page in front of you.

Straighten Your Spine

Finally, it’s important to maintain good posture while you write. If your chair doesn’t facilitate this, try another one. If you’re having to fidget to get comfortable every couple of minutes, it will seriously cut down on the time you spend actually writing. 

Besides, health equals longevity, and we’re in this writing thing for the long haul. Taking care of your body is essential to pursuing your craft in the long term! 😉

Writing Faster: Pro Tips

Now for more advanced techniques. Implementing these all at once might be difficult, so you may want to choose just one or two to focus on. Once you have them down, add the other ones to your routine. 

Make it a Habit

You’ve already done all the things above, right? Good. Now keep doing them just like that. Turn them into a habit. And try to do them at the same time every time. This doesn’t have to be every day. Maybe it’s Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for you. Maybe it’s only one day a week. 

Whatever the case, put it on your calendar. Schedule it like you would anything else of importance in your life. Because consistency is key to writing faster. 

Test Your Writing Speed

In order to make progress, it’s important to know where we’re starting from and where we’re going. This is why I recommend using one of the many free online tools to test your typing speed. Here are a few good ones:

• LiveChat
• Monkeytype
• TypingTest.com

This can give you a baseline from which to start. And then, a few months down the line when you test it again, you can see the progress you’ve made! After all, if you can learn to type faster, you will be well on your way to writing faster. 

But lest we forget that writing isn’t only about sitting down and punching keys. We also need to consider the entire writing process to ensure we’re doing everything we can to make a meaningful change to our writing speed. Which brings me to my next tip. 

Research and Outline

Hey, Discovery Writer. Yeah, you! Don’t skip this section. It’s important. I know you have no plans to start outlining your novels, and that’s fine. But this tip can still help you. 

It’s easy for writers of all kinds to think only about the time they spend actually putting words on the page. This is a dangerous habit to get into because it causes us to focus too much on that portion of the writing process. 

Research is especially important to increase your overall writing speed because it can mean fewer interruptions when you have to stop and look something up. If you take the time to research your idea first, you can be ready with the pertinent information in your head or in a separate document. 

The less time you spend switching between tasks (typing and researching, for instance), the more focus you’ll have and the easier it will be to get into that magical “flow” state that we all love so much. 

If you like to outline, you may find it easier to put your research and outlining together. This is especially the case if you’re a nonfiction author, freelance writer, or blogger. Taking your time and doing a thorough job of researching and/or outlining can really streamline the writing process. 

If you’re a discovery writer, you may simply need fifteen or twenty minutes at the beginning of every writing session to research the things you might need to know for the day’s writing. 

Try Writing Sprints

Sometimes called word sprints, this technique involves setting a timer and writing nonstop until the timer goes off. Some people find this easier than looking at a whole hour or two-hour session. It allows you to break your writing session up into manageable chunks. 

If it’s an hour, you can do three fifteen-minute sessions with a five-minute break after each one. Then you can increase your overall time as you see fit.

But remember how I said to keep your phone out of reach? Yeah, that still counts. Luckily, most operating systems come equipped with a timer tool. Or you can do like me and use the built-in writing sprint tool in Atticus. It allows you to choose your word sprint time along with a break if you need one. 

Silence Spell Check

If you’re anything like me, you can’t help but stop and correct a mistake when one of those red lines appears under a misspelled word. While this may feel good, it’s not good for becoming a fast writer. This break in the writing flow can make starting again difficult. 

So while you’re writing, turn off your spell check. This is easy to do no matter what word processor you’re using. The same goes for tools like ProWritingAid or Grammarly. 

You can always take ten or fifteen minutes after you’re done writing to go back over the day’s words with spell check back on. Or, as many writers do, you can check the writing you did in the previous session before you start your next session. 

Change Your Tactics

While this tip may not be for everyone, I think it’s worth a try. Some writers find that changing how they write works wonders for their writing time. There are two primary ways to do this. 

The first is to try writing shorthand. If you’re already used to handwriting, getting your story or idea down in shorthand form using a pen and paper could actually increase your writing speed. Of course, shorthand is a skill that many people don’t have these days. That said, handwriting could be something to try if you think it will help your writing practice!

The other way to write faster is through dictation. There are plenty of options for dictation tools these days, and they keep getting better. Most people can talk faster than they write, so dictation could help you become a faster writer while still generating quality content. 

Both these tactics take some getting used to, so if you try them, give yourself some time to see if they will work for you!

Jump Around

Buy yourself a trampoline and get to jumping! No, not really. By “jump around,” I mean to write what you already have in mind, even if it means jumping around in your novel. This is also a great way to combat writer’s block because it can keep you from getting stuck on one scene. 

Similarly, you can use placeholder text if you come to a spot that will take some additional research you didn’t foresee. Just put a few sentences or a paragraph there to remind yourself what your idea for the scene was, then keep on moving!

Reward = Motivation

Writing a book is a seriously long endeavor, even if you’re one of those people who has a few extra fingers to help you along the way. This is why it’s important to create goals and break the writing up into smaller tasks. But to keep you motivated, it’s also important to reward yourself when you meet those goals. 

These don’t have to be major rewards—save the big celebration for after you publish the book. Maybe you have a cup of coffee with your favorite creamer after you finish the day’s writing. Or you reward yourself with a movie after you hit your writing goal for the week. 

These little rewards can help you keep going. Pretty soon, you’ll have a writing practice and you won’t need to focus so much on the little rewards. Your excellent writing skills will be reward enough!

Don’t Forget to Read!

Whether you’re a nonfiction content writer, a novelist, or a short story writer, it’s important to set aside reading time. Not only will reading help you become a better writer, but reading in your genre (or category, or industry) can help you become a faster writer. 

When you know the tropes your readers are looking for, you don’t have to spend time wondering what to write. This is why reading in your genre is so important. It can help you determine things like which tense to use, whether to write in first or third person, and how to craft a story readers will love!

How to Write Faster: Wrapping Up

Faster writing isn’t just about increasing how fast your fingers fly across the keyboard (or your gel pen across your notepad). After all, writing faster won’t do you much good if you have to spend more time editing or revising afterward. The idea is to write faster while maintaining or increasing the quality of the content you produce. And by following the tips above (and making little changes to fit your unique writing practice), you can do just that!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this. I’m super pumped about helping you write faster so you can wow the world with your next great story sooner than you ever thought possible!

The post Super-Speedy Writing: 13 Ways to Write Faster appeared first on Bookishnerd.

Well I’m here to take the dread out of that horror with this article on formatting your very own table of contents.

I specifically go over my favorite formatting tool to use (spoiler alert, it’s Atticus), as well as how to do it with more common tools like Microsoft Word and Google Docs.

So let’s dive in!

In this section, we’re going to discuss the easiest way to format your Table of Contents (ToC), so you can get back to doing what you do best – writing!

First things first, let’s talk about why a ToC is necessary. Whether you’re writing a nonfiction or fiction book, a ToC is crucial in organizing your content for your readers. It helps them quickly navigate your book and find the information they need.

Plus, it just looks professional.

Now, when it comes to formatting a ToC, you need to make sure it works for both print-on-demand and ebook versions of your book. This can be a daunting task, but fear not! There’s a tool that can do all the heavy lifting for you – enter Atticus.

I’ve talked about Atticus in a lot of my other posts, but in case you’re new here, Atticus is an all-in-one writing tool that not only allows you to write your entire book, but it can also create a ToC with just a few Bridgerton book reviews

.

You can see my review of Atticus here.

If you’ve already written your book in a Google or Word document, no problem! You can import it into Atticus and it will automatically create the ToC based on the Heading 1 and Heading 2 styles used for your chapter headings and subheadings.

One of the great things about Atticus is that it allows you to include subtitles in your ToC. You can choose to list subheads with chapters or hide back matter, depending on your preference. P

lus, when you’re ready to export your book, Atticus will generate an EPUB file with a navigable ToC for ebooks and a print-ready PDF file with a professional ToC for print books.

Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

However, not everyone has or wants Atticus, so in the next two sections, I’ll cover how you can do the same with Word or Google Docs. Just understand that it would be a lot easier with Atticus.

To get started with your table of contents in Word, make sure your ToC goes at the front of your book. To do this, insert a new page before the ToC. To insert a new page, navigate to the Insert tab, select the Blank Page option, and make sure the cursor is in the right place.

Now it’s time to add the ToC! Navigate to the References tab and select the Table of Contents button. A dropdown menu will appear with several automatic table of contents options to choose from, or you can select a custom table and customize the options to fit your needs.

It’s important to ensure that your chapter headings and subheadings have the proper heading level (Heading 1 for chapter titles and Heading 2 for subheads) from the Styles menu on the Home tab. This will ensure that the ToC is properly formatted and easy to navigate for your readers.

But what if you make changes to your document after creating the ToC? No problem! To update the ToC, simply click on the top of the table and select the Update option. This will automatically update the ToC with any changes you’ve made.

Creating a ToC in Google Docs is a breeze! Simply put the cursor where the ToC will appear, go to the Insert dropdown menu, hover over Table of Contents, and choose a style – either page numbers or blue links. It’s that easy!

To separate the ToC from the body of the document, use a Page Break, which can also be found in the Insert menu. This will ensure that your ToC is properly formatted and easy to navigate for your readers.

Proper formatting of your chapter titles and subheads is necessary for the ToC to work correctly. Make sure to use the appropriate headings styles, such as Heading 1 for chapter titles and Heading 2 for subheads. This will ensure that the ToC is properly formatted and easy to navigate for your readers.

But what if you make changes to your document after creating the ToC? No problem! To update the ToC, simply click anywhere on the ToC section and select the Refresh symbol. This will automatically update the ToC with any changes or new chapters you’ve added.

Now that you know how to create a table of contents (ToC) in Microsoft Word and Google Docs, it’s time to talk about other formatting needs for your book. While inserting a basic ToC is simple, formatting your book for publication is still necessary to ensure a professional-looking final product.

Some tools may have trouble populating an existing ToC, requiring you to troubleshoot the formatting on your own. That is why I recommend Atticus (is there a broken record in here?).

Atticus takes care of all the formatting for you, so you don’t have to spend hours trying to figure out the technical details. And Atticus allows users to preview the ToC (and other formatting needs) in various pre-made themes and formats.

Atticus is a one-time fee ($147) tool with all future updates included, so you can use it to format all your future books as well.

Plus, with Atticus, you can focus on writing the best book possible while the tool takes care of the technical formatting details.

The post Tables of Contents: How On Earth Do I Format These??? appeared first on Bookishnerd.

Modern technology allows writers to work from remote destinations and even on the go. Thanks to laptops and Wi-Fi connections, you can complete writing jobs from the comfort of your home or even while sitting at a local coffee shop.

So, why are some writers more successful in certain regions than others? Well, for one thing, writers are higher in demand in certain cities than others. For another, some cities just have a better vibe to encourage creativity and productivity.

If you are a writer looking for a good place to inspire you to write more often or want to travel to some inspiring locations, consider going to the following best cities for writers.

Before we dive into our list of great cities for writers, it is important to take note of a few things. First, some cities like New York or London might be fantastic for writers but have a very high cost of living. Other cities offer the right romantic vibe but are filled with too many distractions.

If you are looking for a good city to make your permanent home, you should always consider the cost of living, the environment, and activities available. If a city has a very high living cost or if the location offers an unpleasant living environment – such as a desert – and there are too many distractions keeping you from finishing your work, then these areas might not be ideal for you to make a permanent home.

But even if a city isn’t ideal for a permanent home, all literature inspiring cities are great to visit if you want to gain more knowledge or get a better feel for what other successful writers choose as a good place to live.

According to one famous author, Robert Louis Stephenson, this is one of the best places to settle down and write. The weather in South Queensferry is pretty bad most of the time. But this is exactly what makes it such a great place for writers to live in. Most of your time will be spent indoors in the warmth of your home writing or in pubs looking for juicy stories to write about. Scotland’s gorgeous natural landscapes also provide plenty of inspiration to help you create ideas to pen down.

Hay-on-Way isn’t exactly a big city. It is a town found in the foothills of Wales. What makes this such a hotspot for writers is the fact that this town has the most bookstores per capita in the world. If you need a bit of inspiration, you can simply pop into one of the many bookstores for a bit of light reading. The scenery and landscapes in this town are also beautiful. Even though it can be a bit pricey to live here, a low population of 1,900 people ensures that you won’t be disturbed while writing.

If a busy environment is what fuels your writing then this city with a population of over one million people might just be a good pick. Famous author, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, certainly feels like this is one of the best places to live. Despite its massive size, this is a very affordable place to live and there are tons of festivals to look forward to each year.

And if you think that all of these people and activities might keep you from writing, then you are dead wrong. Most of the people that live in Cartagena don’t speak English, which means that there will be plenty of time for you to sit down and write.

Northampton is home to many famous authors like Augusten Burroughs, Elinor Lipman, and Kurt Vonnegut, which already proves that it is quite a terrific place to settle down in. This town is located in the northern part of America and things can get a bit chilly, but this is exactly what is going to keep you indoors and snuggled at your writing desk. The area also offers lots of beautiful scenery and many colleges that can help spur your creating juices.

This city is the home of famous authors T.S. Eliot and Jamey Stegmaier. It also has a writing community and an annual writing conference which is held there every year. With a strong network of writers, affordable housing and many things to do, this is a good spot for you. You will find inspiration to write about and can simply visit if you want to increase your knowledge on writing.

Oxford, Mississippi is home to the famous authors William Faulkner and John Grisham. This town has a population of 12,000 people. This town is often referred to as a place of all things literary. Despite the beautiful scenery and all the writing prospects, this isn’t the cheapest town to live in. But it is still a great place to visit or study if you want to increase your writing and traveling experience.

This is quite a busy city with a population of 74,000 people. Famous authors like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Charles Frazier, and Thomas Wolfe all lived in this city at one point. Asheville is recognized as an artist’s town. There is a lot of beautiful scenery to marvel at, and it is a relatively affordable place to live in. The beautiful scenery and writer’s workshops are exactly what makes this a great city to live in while you are completing a new book.

Many famous writers originate or live in America. Writers like Mark Twain, Mel Brooks, Luisa May Alcott, and George R.R. Martin all drew inspiration for their great works in this country. America isn’t just a great place for book writers; it is also a good place to live for other types of writers like journalists.

It makes pretty good sense to live in America if you want to become a successful writer. But what city should you live in? Here are our top picks:

New York is a capital city and a top pick for writers because of its many publishers and its thriving writing communities. This city is known for its bustling vibe and offers a great many things for you to do. The only downside to choosing New York City for your home is that the busy environment can sometimes distract you from getting projects completed.

Famous writers like Theodore Dreiser and Ernest Hemmingway once lived in Chicago. This city offers lots of writing workshops, conservations, and festivals as well as many book expos and even the Evanston Literary Festival. With so many festivals and workshops, this is an ideal place for student writers to live. Here you can expand your literacy knowledge, learn how to write, or start working on your next big book.

Washington has many publishing houses and quite a few writing communities you can join. This is a great place for writers to live in because most of the writing competition here is on a political level.

You have a much higher chance of getting published by local publishers if you focus on a non-political writing topic such as fiction or creative writing. Washington also offers an essence of spirit and synergy that might just put you in the mood for writing, so you can get those books done much quicker.

Seattle also has many publishers and there are many writing communities you can join. The average writer here earns $60,500 which is quite impressive. With lots of writing communities and writing clubs to join or attend, you can learn a lot about literacy and various writing styles. As the highest paying city for writers, this certainly is one of the best places to consider for a new home.

If you are not easily thrilled by steel bridges, lots of money, and bustling businesses then Philadelphia can be a great place for you to live in. This city offers historical architecture and the beautiful tree lined streets. There are also many writing communities you can join and many publishers that you can help you get published.

Creative writers tend to love this city. It is especially great for songwriters and play writers. Technical and business writers also fare pretty well in this area. Writers in Los Angeles earn a pretty good salary and there are plenty of opportunities in this city.

It is entirely possible to become a successful writer despite living in a remote location or never traveling around the world. Books are, after all, an instant portal to far off places and imaginary worlds that you can explore with just your mind.

However, many do feel that actually traveling will benefit your writing. Here is a quick look at some of the top benefits of traveling while or before you start writing.

Everything about traveling can offer you inspiration for your next book. It can be the scenery of a new town, a foreign language, a different culture, or even sampling new foods that inspire you to write a book or create a new character.

When you travel, you get to visit all types of markets where you can sell your books. Traveling also increases your general knowledge and experience which looks great on a resume. These enhanced experiences could just land you a writing gig with travel magazines or other companies looking to recruit good authors.

Being stuck at home all day, every day can decrease your productivity because you become less and less motivated to work hard. Writer’s block is also pretty common amongst writers who never travel.

Traveling a lot can help you overcome writer’s block and will motivate you to work much harder on your book. It is, after all, great fun to travel but to do so you will need quite a bit of money. And since money doesn’t fall out of the sky, you do need to keep writing to earn a good income.

Sitting at your writing desk day in and out isn’t healthy for you. That is why it’s so important to get lots of exercise. Traveling naturally increases your fitness levels because you move more, experience more, and try a variety of new things along your journey.

Writers find lots of time for writing down new ideas while they are traveling. There is often a lot of time between flights, on flights, and in vehicles that you can spend working on your next big novel.

While these are some of the best cities in the world to visit if you are a writer, nothing should stop you from pursuing your dreams. Writers have been known to flourish and have a huge success despite living in only one place. But living in a literature-rich environment does offer more opportunities for you to expand your knowledge, and these cities do tend to inspire writers to work harder on pursuing their dreams.

The post Best Cities for Writers appeared first on Bookishnerd.

In this article, I’ll draw from my personal experiences participating in and creating book clubs to provide you with a comprehensive guide on choosing the perfect book club name. You’ll learn the benefits of joining or starting a book club, tips for authors looking to utilize book clubs, and my list of over 150 book club name recommendations separated by category so you can easily find the ideal fit for your group. Get ready to feel inspired to either join a book club or finally launch the one you’ve been dreaming up!

In this article, you will learn:

1. The benefits of joining or starting a book club
2. How authors can utilize book clubs
3. An extensive list of over 150 creative, funny, literary, genre-specific, and niche book club names
4. Tips for actually creating your book club after selecting the perfect name

Why Have a Book Club

As both an avid reader and a budding writer, I understand first-hand the profound power of connecting deeply with a story or losing yourself in an imaginary world. Reading provides us endlessly positive benefits: it enhances empathy, reduces stress, prevents cognitive decline, improves vocabulary and writing skills, and so much more. Of course, as any book lover knows, the magic happens when you find someone else who has read the stories you cherish and you dive into impassioned discussions about everything from themes and social commentary to a love triangle plot twist that you simply can’t stop dissecting.

That special community is precisely why book clubs exist – and in my opinion, why every reader should join or start one. Beyond the joy of sharing your thoughts on literature with fellow bookworms, here are some of the key benefits I’ve discovered from my years of book club participation:

• You expand your reading tastes by exposing yourself to books selected by other members that you likely wouldn’t have picked up on your own
• It holds you accountable to actually finish reading books you may have abandoned otherwise
• Friendships form quickly over this shared interests in books and reading
• Your analytical skills strengthen as you discus symbolism, character development, themes, and other literary elements with different perspectives
• It’s an enjoyable, stimulating way to socialize without the presence of screens or technology

If you’ve been hesitant to join a book club, I assure you diving into one will enrich your reading life tremendously. And if you’re ready to take the plunge into creating your own, use the name ideas I’m sharing here to get started on the perfect note!

Why Authors Should Use a Book Club

As an aspiring writer myself, I’ve learned that authors can gain immense value from book clubs as well. While the most obvious benefit is utilizing an existing book club to promote your latest release, here are some of the key advantages I’ve observed from writer friends who have successfully leveraged book clubs:

• You can get unfiltered feedback on your books from “average readers” outside of your social circle. While friends and family likely offer praise and positive reviews, book club members will give thoughtful critiques.
• In a similar vein, observing discussions about other popular books in your genre allows you to see what plot lines, character types, and themes resonate most with readers. Apply these learnings to your future writing projects.
• Making personal connections with avid readers gives you the chance to gain loyal fans who may even be interested in advance review copies in exchange for an honest early review.
• When you eventually launch a new book, an engaged book club makes for enthusiastic evangelists who can support your launch by spreading the word about your book to their own networks. I’ve seen authors gain incredible traction on launch day from mobilizing all the book clubs their previous titles have resonated with.
• And if you have yet to publish your first book, proposing it for your existing book club is a great way to gain confident and constructive feedback from target readers.

In summary, authors have so much to gain from building relationships with book clubs and their members. Whether you want to harness the power of word-of-mouth promotion or simply wish to better understand reader preferences, book clubs check all the boxes. Now let’s explore some catchy, clever names for your future book club!

The Best Book Club Names You Can Use (Or Find Inspiration)

When brainstorming the perfect name for your book club, consider elements like the genre of books you’ll read (mystery? historical fiction?), location/demographic of members, desired atmosphere (super serious or social?), or specific niche interests that unite members. Then start assembling words that nod to the distinguishing qualities of your group and form them into the name options below that start capturing your book club’s essence.

To get your creative juices flowing, I’ve compiled an extensive list of over 150 book club names split into categories inspired by the different kinds of groups I have been part of over the years. I truly believe every book lover with an ounce of creativity can find inspiration from this diverse collection of names:

The Best Clever Book Club Names

• Bibliophiles Anonymous
• The Literary Underground
• Shelf Indulgence
• Dinner & Dialogue (for discussion-heavy groups)
• Nothing But Good Books
• The Great Read Discoverers
• Novel Ideas
• A Novel Bunch
• The Cliffhangers
• Literary Escapes
• Between the Lines
• Well Read Renegades
• The Page Turners
• VIP (Very Impressive Page-turners)
• Final Drafts (for writer/critic groups)
• Binding Words
• Tall Tales & Short Stories
• Happy Endings Book Club
• Paperback Riders
• Coffee & Classics
• Critically Acclaimed
• A Novel Approach

The Best Funny Book Club Names

In my experience, funny book club names are fantastic at capturing attention from potential new members and making existing members smile. Some of the most memorable clever names I’ve heard are:

• The Wine Downers (for boozy book clubs!)
• Shelf Esteem Issues
• Buttoned Up Book Club (for prudes)
• Gin & Titonic (historical fiction & gin!)
• Margarita by the Books
• Mother Cluckers (for “moms only” groups)
• Books & Booze on the Rocks
• The Book Was Better
• Shelf Care
• Read Em & Weep
• Dictionary Divas
• The Book Look
• Reading Between the Wines
• The Book Stop
• For the Love of Books
• Booked Solid
• Never Judge a Book by It’s Club
• Well Read Badly Behaved
• Beer and Book Club

The Best Book Club Names for Women/Feminists

While book clubs composed entirely of passionate women readers aren’t difficult to locate, coming across proudly feminist book clubs that uplift works written by women or tackle feminist themes are rarer finds. Luckily in recent years, I’ve discovered some seriously inspiring feminist book clubs with names like:

• The Bookish Broads
• BYOBook (Bring Your Own Book by female authors)
• Trailblazing Tales
• Playing off classics by famous literary women or feminism itself, here are additional feminist book club names:
• Austen’s Army
• Brontë Besties
• Fierce Femme Readers
• Woolf Warriors
• Matilda’s Misfits (inspired by Roald Dahl’s iconic character)
• We Should All Be Feminists (nod to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s essay)
• Gloria’s Girls (inspired by feminist icon Gloria Steinem)
• Badass Book Babes
• The Feminist Book Club
• Clinton’s Book Girls
• RBG Readers (Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg)
• Fearless Feminist Readers
• Boss Babes & Good Books

The Best Cool Book Club Names

Ideal for groups composed of trendsetters, hipsters, or fans obsessed with “cool” elements like science fiction, dystopian plots, edgy coming-of-age stories and more – here are some cool book club names I absolutely love:

• The Galactic Readers
• Strange Worlds Society
• Rocket Readers
• The Dream Weavers
• Galaxy Gazers
• The Space Cadets
• Moonlight Readers
• Universe Lit
• Stargazers Society
• Cosmic Book Club
• The Time Jumpers
• Dimensional Readers
• Luna Lit Society

The Best Book Club Names for Pop Culture

For fans obsessed with a specific pop culture phenomenon like Harry Potter or celebrities like Reese Witherspoon, incorporating those pop culture references into your book club name instantly provides context for members and helps attract fellow fans. Some pop culture-themed names could include:

• Potterheads Anonymous
• Reese’s Book Club Rebels
• Oprah’s Angels
• Game of Tomes
• Dystopian Dreamers
• Hunger Games Diehards
• Twilight Twisters
• King’s Court (for Stephen King superfans!)
• Jameson’s Journalists (if your club analyzes Jamie Fraser from Outlander!)

The Best Creative Book Club Names

I’m a strong believer that brainstorming a creative name unique to your club yet universally intriguing results in the stickiest book club identity. Some examples of creative names from clubs I’ve joined are:

• Page Turning Paragons
• Bookmarked for Life
• Plotline Partiers
• Happily Ever Readers
• The Story Collectors
• The Novel Bunch
• Words with Friends
• Coffee Books & Conversations
• Between Covers
• Genre Benders
• Endless Prose
• The Riveting Readers
• Tales of Tomorrow
• The Fantasy Fanatics

Genre Book Club Names

For groups specifically oriented around a popular fiction genre, incorporate imagery and language readers will connect to. Genre examples and names could include:

Mystery/Thriller Names

• Clue Crew
• Whodunit Book Club
• Crimes & Chapters
• Murder Ink Society
• Detective Book Club
• Thrilling Pageturners

Romance Names

• Happily Ever Book Club
• Love Letter Readers
• Swoon Worthy Stories
• Heartthrob Readers
• Besotted with Books

Fantasy Names

• Spellbinding Stories
• The Fellowship of the Reads
• Mythic Marathoners
• Fairytale Fanatics

Sci-Fi Names

• Future Focused Readers
• Interstellar Book Club
• Universe Explorers

You Have a Name, Now What?

I often hear from newly minted book club leaders uncertain on the actual logistics of launching their real-life or virtual group after naming it. Having created my own fair share of clubs from scratch, here are my top tips for ensuring your book club gets off the ground smoothly:

• Decide on an online platform that works for all members like a Facebook group, Discord chat, Slack workspace, Google Community or subreddit. These facilitate discussions when not meeting in person.
• Send out “Save the Date” invites to the first official meeting allowing members to get the book and finish reading before attending either virtually or in person!
• Designate roles like Discussion Leader, Refreshment Planner, Treasurer, Location Scout, etc. to share the planning.
• Create a schedule for selecting future book picks so members know to keep their calendars cleared.
• Set ground rules regarding meeting times, communication preferences, attendance expectations, how future books are nominated so members feel secure in expectations.

And most critical of all – start actually discussing that first juicy read and let the organic book chats flow!

Conclusion

Joining a book club has profoundly enriched my life as a reader by enhancing analysis abilities, exposing myself to new genres, forging friendships and fueling a sense of community. I genuinely believe every bookworm should seek out their perfect book club or finally launch the one they’ve been dreaming up. Hopefully this extensive collection of over 150 book club names organized by clever, funny, feminist, genre and niche themes makes it easier than ever to choose the ideal identity to capture your club’s spirit and purpose. Pair your shiny new name with these tips on actually creating your club, and you’ll be hosting engaging book discussions in no time!

And for the writers and authors reading this, remember that book clubs represent an incredible opportunity to forge relationships with super fans, gain pre-launch exposure for ARCs, accumulate launch momentum, and master writing craft based on reader conversations. Use this knowledge combined with a strategic book marketing plan to propel your work to new heights!

Now grab a fresh bookmark for holding your page, pour a hot cup of tea or wine, cozy into your favorite reading nook and feel your excitement begin to build for the book club adventures ahead of you!

The post The Best Book Club Names You Can Use appeared first on Bookishnerd.