KWL Author Takeover Series: BRYAN COHEN
The Kobo Writing Life team is excited to announce our first author takeover on July 27th 2018. From 1:00 pm-2:00 pm EST, our author takeover host,…
KWL EP 113 – All About EPUBs with Simon Collinson and Ben Dugas from Kobo
KWL EP 113 – All About EPUBs with Simon Collinson and Ben Dugas from Kobo Join Chrissy as she sits down with EPUB experts Simon Collinson…
Where Did Your Writing Journey Begin?
I believe that everyone has a story to tell. Mine began in a library.
A Librarian’s Top Five Tips For Indie Authors
By Joni Di Placido With library distribution via OverDrive now available to all KWL authors, we want to ensure our authors can take full advantage of…
KWL Podcast – Ep. 112 – Lauren Blakely
KWL EP 112 – Lauren Blakely In this episode, Chrissy and Stephanie chat with #1 New York Times best-selling author, Lauren Blakely. Lauren talks about her…
Promoting Your Books (and Career!) Through Multi-Author Boxsets
By Erin Wright In the summer of 2017, I got together with five other Western Romance authors and we decided to put together a boxset…
Three KWL Authors to Read to Keep the Pride Spirit Alive
By Elizabeth Scott Pride month is coming to a close, but you can keep the pride month spirit alive with these three KWL authors: Clare…
How Generating a Super-Marketable Hook Has Transformed My Career—Twice
By Adam Croft As authors, we’re all looking for that one change or shift in focus which will take our careers to the next level. I…
KWL Podcast – Ep. 111 – Adam Sockel and Jill Grunenwald from Overdrive
KWL EP 111 – Adam Sockel and Jill Grunenwald from Overdrive In this episode, Chrissy and Steph sit down with Adam Sockel and Jill Grunenwald from…
How to Revise Your Novel
True revision, in which a writer takes apart a book and puts it back together again, terrified me. How could anyone pull it off?
I’ll tell you how: step by step, little by little, just like you wrote the book.
Ten Great First Lines
The opening of the novel is so important. It’s your pick-up line; you need to catch your reader’s attention, and hold it.
Never Too Late: Writing in Retirement
By Patricia Sands At sixty-three, when most people are settling into retirement, my unanticipated career as a writer began. I refer to this as my rewirement.…
KWL at RT Booklovers 2018
By Tara Cremin Last month, thousands of romance writers and fans converged for the annual Romantic Times Booklovers Convention. What most people didn’t know upon…
KWL Podcast – Ep 110 – Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant
KWL EP 110 – Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant Join Chrissy and Stephanie as they sit down with Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant, the…
Balancing Work, Life and Motherhood
It can be so easy to lose sight of what makes you, you, when you’re a working parent. Figure out what makes you happy, and do what you have to do to make time for those things.
My Title Was Rejected From a Kobo Promotion – Why?
By Elyse Daniels, Global Audiobooks Merchandiser *If you don’t yet have access to the Kobo Promotions tool and your titles are uploaded directly through…
KWL Podcast – Ep 109 – Katja Meier
KWL EP 109 – Katja Meier In this episode, Stephanie and Joni interview author Katja Meier about her memoir Across the Big Blue Sea. Katja discusses…
Now is the Time to be the Writer You Want to Be
There has never been a better time to be an independent author. Powerful platforms like Kobo have made it possible for us to write the stories we want to write and put them before a huge audience that, twenty years ago, wouldn’t have been available to us.
KWL Dashboard Update: Downloadable Sales Reports Are Here!
Rejoice, dear authors, for great news is here! We want to make KWL as easy as possible for you to use. Over the years, our authors …
DIY: Designing Your Own Book Cover
By Peter Staadecker Peter Staadecker is a KWL author and illustrator whose book The Twelve Man Bilbo Choir has been shortlisted for the 2018 Kobo Emerging Writer…
How I Became an Author in Retirement
by Michele Sabad We define ourselves in various ways, depending on time, mood, inclination. Many of our identities are stable throughout life. I am a woman.…
KWL Podcast – Ep 108 – Vivica A. Fox
Vivica Fox Actress, producer, TV host, business owner and newly minted author Vivica Fox sits down with Rene at Kobo HQ in Toronto to talk about…
Turning a Passion into a Podcast: Adam Croft and Robert Daws—Partners in Crime
There aren’t many jobs in which you can meet up with friends and colleagues for a beer or a coffee and discuss the best way to dispose of a dead body.
5 Ways Travel Writers Earn Money From Their Craft
The most successful travel writers today are not writing for magazines on the newsstand or books on a store shelf.
KWL Podcast – Ep 107 – Sarah Wendell
In this episode, Stephanie and Cristina sit down with Sarah Wendell. Sarah is a writer, blogger and podcaster and chats to us about running her successful romance book blog and podcast.
The Lasso of Truth About Entrepreneurial Publishing
Independently publishing my books gives me freedom and empowers me to pursue my passions, connect with my fans, and create the life I always dreamed of.
Looking For Inspiration?
This week we’re announcing our upcoming takeover of the Reedsy short story contest!
Kobo Writing Life Podcast – Episode 106 – Maxwell Alexander Drake
In this episode, Chrissy Munroe interviews award-winning author and creative writing instructor Maxwell Alexander Drake.
The 5 Traits That All Successful Authors Share
Great authors are seldom born; instead they’re moulded, sculpted and polished over time.
Marie Force: Building a Self-Publishing Empire
My life was changed forever by self-publishing, and I’ll always be thankful for the opportunity to take control of my career.
KWL goes to Canada Reads
This week, the KWL team was lucky enough to be part of the live studio audience at CBC’s Canada Reads, Canada’s annual Survivor-style battle of the books!
Kobo Writing Life Podcast – Episode 105 – Ariel Bissett
KWL EP 105 – Ariel Bissett In this episode, Stephanie McGrath interviews popular YouTuber Ariel Bissett. Ariel gives listeners a behind-the-scenes look into the life of…
Indie Publishing: Making Time and Everything Else Your Friend
For me, becoming an independent publisher (nice ring, right?) has given me back the happiness and joy I used to receive from writing.
Turning My Instagram Followers into Book Buyers—and a Movie Deal
Today’s #KWLWonderWoman is seriously inspiring. Katja Meier is a social worker at a refugee camp in Tuscany, working with women who are survivors of human trafficking. She wrote and self-published a memoir about her experiences which has now been optioned for a movie adaptation. Here Katja explains how she used her favourite social media platform, Instagram, to reach out to her audience and market her book.
Play Time: Fun and Pain in Characterization
A character in a story is an action figure . . . a fun, functional component necessary to a story. Just like literal toys, characters have pieces and joints, edges and options, a fixed appearance and range of motion that begs to be played with
10 Things Top Kobo Authors Have in Common
Christine will be hosting a free Bublish webinar on Wednesday, March 21 to talk about what’s new and exciting at KWL and what’s driving book sales at Kobo today.
Kobo Writing Life Podcast – Episode 104 – Julia Kent
Join Chrissy Munroe as she interviews best-selling author, Julia Kent here at Kobo HQ.
Exclusive Preview of Holly Evans’ Latest Book!
The Kobo Writing Life blog is getting the first peek at Holly Evans’ newest title, Blood of The Wolf, available for preorder now only on Kobo.
The Queer Eye: LGBT+ Voices in Fiction
When I’m asked why on earth I write gay and bi protagonists, the answer’s really very simple. I’m bi, I grew up around a lot of LGBT+ people, and the majority of my close circle are LGBT+, so I’m doing what writers are told to do again and again—I’m writing what I know.
How I Make a Six-Figure Income From My Writing
I’m in this business for the long term, so I’m always looking to the future and keeping an eye on the volatility of markets. The publishing industry can and does change on a dime, sometimes without notice
Empowering Female Writers Through Self-Publishing
Suddenly, the freedom of self-publishing and my empowerment as a female author were inextricably linked. There was no one to tell us we were unworthy or incapable or shouldn’t do a thing because that thing had never been done.
Not Taboo Anymore: The Rise of Self-Publishing in the Netherlands
The idea of the indie movement is slowly spreading in the Netherlands and I personally think that our 17th century forefathers would be proud to see that their adventurous and entrepreneurial spirit is still alive and well.
What Makes Your Story Unique to You?
I’m talking about writing a book for genre readers that meets trope expectations, elicits emotional reactions, and satisfies the cravings of romantic suspense and thriller readers, but also brings something new that’s missing from the market. A way to make a space for me at the table.
Becoming Sophie: A Unique Way To Engage Your Readers on Social Media
We know that social media is a great way to engage with your readers as an author. But have you ever thought about engaging with your readers as a character in your novel?
Interview with Cecile Bertod (AKA Celia Hayes)
Sandra Lonchamp, our European Coordinator, interviews Italian KWL superstar Cecile Bertod.
Kobo Writing Life Podcast – Episode 103 – Kevin J. Anderson
KWL EP 103 – Kevin J. Anderson Join Chrissy Munroe as she interviews best-selling science-fiction author, Kevin J. Anderson. KJA gives listeners a peek into…
Indie Author 101
Thinking about publishing independently? Our latest #KWLWonderWoman gives her top tips for new authors!
What Makes A Good Author Bio?
Like yodelling on a mountaintop, when I say the words ‘author bio’ I can hear the collective author groan echo from every corner of the globe. Like eating your vegetables or doing your taxes, writing your author bio is unfortunately an inescapable part of literary life.
20 Quirks & Strange Habits of Writers
Do you have any quirky writerly habits? Share yours in the comments!
“I can’t imagine giving up the control I now have over my books and career.”
Some might consider money to be too puerile a reason to choose one option over another (as opposed to the illusive concept of prestige), but we were struggling financially. Really struggling. I’d wake up in cold sweats at night. Writers have to eat; writers’ children need clothes, and school supplies.