Commonly Miscategorized Genres and Subgenres: Why These Mistakes Matter
Incorrectly categorizing your books can keep them away from your target readership. Worse still, this could lead to bad reviews, when readers do not get what they expect. Are your novels in the right category?
Read article5 Steps to Standing Out and Selling More in Your Genre
So, you have a concept of the tale you want to tell. Is the story truly of your own design? Follow these five steps to creating an original story.
Read articleReflections: The Inner World of a Multi-Genre Author
By Barbara Avon Enter, if you will, the mind of a multi-genre author. Images, ideas and words swirl aimlessly in my mind. A 3 a.m. wake-up call is not uncommon, but necessary to jot those ideas down before they dissipate and forever escape me. Basically, it’s impossible to silence my…
Read articleHow to mix genres and make heroes
By Johnny B. Truant When people review my Fat Vampire books, they say two things. They say them so often and so consistently that I’m almost numb to how awesome they are. Almost, but not quite. The first goes something like this: “What a refreshing twist on a ‘done to…
Read articleToronto Event: Science-Fiction: The Interdisciplinary Genre Conference at McMaster University
From Friday September 13 to Sunday September 15, join Kobo Writing Life Director Mark Leslie Lefebvre at McMaster University for the Science Fiction: The Interdisciplinary Genre conference, in honour of Robert J. Sawyer’s archival donation to the McMaster University Library Collections. Special guests at the conference include Robert J.…
Read articleEp #170 From Wedding Planner to Writer with Violet Howe
Violet Howe talks to us about her writing career and how feeling strongly about her story and characters led her to indie publishing. Violet discusses how writing two different series in the same town allows her to explore two genres. Violet also talks to us about how her past work experiences have influenced her writing but also how they have helped with other aspects of her writing business.
Read articleSix Tips on How to Write Sizzling First Love Scenes
Prize-winning author, former BBC journalist, bookseller and magazine editor Helena Halme shares her wisdom on creating gripping, sexy, and heartfelt first romantic encounters.
Read articleThe Broken Union of Narrative Voice and Story (and how to bring them back together)
Narrative voice and story content are intricately bound together, and the two must be compatible for your novel to work. Recognize the four most common issues with narrative voice and how to overcome them.
Read articleNaNoWriMo 2019: Beginning of the Trail
Our NaNoWriMo journey has begun! Check out Joanna Penn’s 5 tips to help you write a novel in one month. Plus an exclusive offer on The Writer’s Toolbox 2019 and The Successful Author Mindset.
Read articleKWL Facebook Takeover with OverDrive’s Adam Sockel and Jill Grunenwald
The Kobo Writing Life team is excited to announce our latest Facebook Live Q&A on November 21st 2019. From 12:00 PM-1:00 PM EST, our takeover hosts Jill and Adam, will be answering all your questions on the Kobo Writing Life Facebook page. If you can’t make the takeover, feel free to comment…
Read articleThe Book Scoop: October Edition and Horror Writing Playlist
Catch up on popular new releases across genres this October. Plus news on major book award winners and a spine-tingling horror writing playlist!
Read articleWar, Resistance, and Exile: Anne Allen on Writing The Guernsey Novels
Award-winning author Anne Allen discusses the fascinating history of the British island of Guernsey. The island’s turbulent past and its connection to the legendary Victor Hugo served as a backdrop of inspiration for The Guernsey Novels.
Read article5 Advantages of Writing in Multiple Perspectives
Have you ever considered telling a story in different points of view? Five key ways multiple narratives can benefit your novel, adding depth and meaning to your story.
Read articleThe Age of Audiobooks: Rising Popularity and Expert Perspectives
KWL recently launched an audiobook upload service for its authors! Whether you are considering creating an audiobook or just want to stay up to date with shifts in the publishing industry, read on for expert insight and interesting facts. For audiobook inquiries, email writinglife@kobo.com. Audiobooks Publisher’s Association The US-based Audiobooks…
Read article#164 – Learning the Habits of your Readers with Emma Chase
Emma Chase, NYT bestselling author, discusses the importance of learning the habits of your readers and setting reader expectations before the release of a new book. She discusses how she built up her newsletter audience and gives us hints about what to expect next from her Royally series.
Read articleKWL Ep. 163 How to Stay Relevant with an Authentic Online Presence with Rachel Van Dyken
New York Times best-selling author, Rachel Van Dyken discusses how having an authentic online presence offers something tangible to readers and allows authors to stay relevant in the ever-changing publishing world. She talks to us why she decided to be a hybrid author and discusses her upcoming novel Fashion Jungle which she co-wrote with model Kathy Ireland.
Read articleFacebook Live with Ryan from BookSweeps
The Kobo Writing Life team is excited to announce our latest Facebook Live Q&A on September 20th 2019. From 12:00 PM-1:00 PM EST, our takeover host, Ryan Zee from Booksweeps will be answering all your questions on the Kobo Writing Life Facebook page. If you can’t make the takeover, feel free to comment on this post with your questions and we can ask them for you! Keep reading to learn more about Ryan and his experience in the indie world, and get your questions ready!
Read articleEmpowering Wisdom from Female Authors
A follow-up to our last infographic, which did not give women authors the love they deserve!
Read articleCharacters Who Speak For Themselves: Chatting With KWL Authors
KWL authors share their experiences of how their characters came to life and took the story into their own hands.
Read articleThe Rise of Female-Centered Dystopias: KWL’s Recommended Reads
Margaret Atwood’s long awaited sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale has arrived! Plus recommended reads featuring fierce females who overcome insurmountable odds.
Read articleEp 160 — From Fan Fiction to Finalist with Kobo’s Winning Romance Author Julie Evelyn Joyce
Julie Evelyn Joyce talks to us about the inspiration for prize-winning novel Steeped in Love. Julie shares how writing Gilmore Girls fan fiction taught her about craft and how a chance meeting at RWA led her to entering and winning Kobo’s Emerging Writer Prize!
Read articleHow to Immerse Readers in Setting + KWL Fantasy Writing Playlist
Creating a vivid and realistic setting for your readers is a complex process. KWL breaks down the nuances of setting, from its relation to characters, plot, and symbolism, writing with the five senses, and figurative language. Plus, some musical inspiration for setting: get lost in your fantasy world with our playlist of the month!
Read articleHow to Get Book Reviews and Generate Buzz as an Indie Author
KWL has compiled a list of budget-friendly book review platforms that will help get readers talking about your book.
Read articleWriting Tips From Famous Authors
When it comes to writing, people who learn this craft – both for professional or personal use – can benefit from advice. When this advice comes from notable authors, those that have produced some of the best books and stories ever written, their words are worth taking into account. Assignment Helper provides an inspiring infographic featuring advice from famous authors.
Read articleFive Most Common Self-Publishing Mistakes
So you’ve written a book! Now what? Regardless of how long you’ve been writing, there’s a lot to learn about actually publishing your book. We’ve put together some of the most common blunders we see from indie authors. Some of these may seem like no brainers to you, others might spark a light bulb moment.
Read articlePodcast Ep 156 — Diversity in Romance with Jackie Lau
Jackie Lau reflects on her first year of self-publishing and the steps she took to ensure success. She discusses the importance of diversity in romance and how she wanted her characters to fill a void that is missing in the romance community. She also talks about how Twitter and Instagram are the social media platforms that work for her.
Read articleHow Music Can Benefit Your Creative Process + KWL Romance Writing Playlist
Can listening to music help you write a better novel? Potentially. Here’s why you should consider incorporating instrumentals into your creative process.
Read articleThe Essential Storytelling Ingredient That Makes Your Story More Addictive
Simply put, stakes are the negative consequences of failure. If your protagonist fails, bad things will happen. Unlike an intriguing hook or compelling protagonist, stakes put readers under tension.
Read articleKWL EP 145 Adam Cushman on Book Trailers
Have you ever wondered if a book trailer would be right for your next novel? This week on the KWL podcast, Marina and Stephanie chatted with Adam Cushman, the founder of Film 14, about the benefits of creating a cinematic book trailer.
Read articleCreating an effective cover, indie author bestsellers and the evolution of romance writing
What’s happened in the book world this week?
Read articleKWL EP 139 – Damon Suede
Damon Suede, a chart-topping M/M romance author, will change the way you think about craft and characters.
Read articleKWL EP 138 – Brenna Aubrey
Breakout star in France, Italy and Germany, Brenna Aubrey gives listeners tips on translations. Brenna also discusses how she fell into her niche (writing “geek romance”) and why ultimately, she decided on self-publishing rather than traditional.
Read articleThe 2019 KWL Reading Challenge
We’ve put together a challenge for anyone looking to embark on a reading journey and explore new genres and authors in 2019!
Read articleWhat We Read in 2018: Recommendations from the Book Lovers at Kobo
The Entire Kobo Staff 2018 has been a fantastic year for books and publishing. At the beginning of the year, we posted a KWL Reading Challenge with the aim of diversifying our own reading, trying new books and sparking great discussions around new favourites. If there’s one thing that everyone…
Read articleUpdate: New Categories for your Book
You’ll now have the option to browse through over 2,000 categories to find the ones that best suit your book and help tell your story.
Read articleGlobal Reach: Indie Publishing in the UK
Our EU Manager, Camille Mofidi, sits down to chat with UK Content Lead, Nick Coveney about the state of indie publishing in Great Britain. Welcome, Nick! Could you give our readers a bit of background about yourself, and your experience in digital publishing? My journey into the world of digital…
Read articleSetting Up a Multi-Author Bookstore Event
When my debut mystery novel, The Hanged Man’s Noose, was published in 2015, one of the first things I did was set up a bookstore event at my local Chapters. Visions of eager customers lining up outside the door danced through my head.
The reality was considerably different.
To Swear or Not To Swear: Where Are Your Boundaries As An Author?
How do you feel about swearing in your books? Hard no, or appropriate when the narrative calls for it?
Read articleWhat, Why, and How Readers Read: 10 Fun Facts
This one is for those stat-hungry authors among you! A KWL author conducted a reader survey: here are some of the take-home messages.
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