Good Reference for Authors
358619
I used this book as a reference while writing my most recent novel, and I found it very useful. When I got stuck trying to write something funny, I'd look through the examples he gave and I'd usually come up with a decent joke of my own. This is well worth the inexpensive price he's asking.
3820703
I have been a self-published author for several years and have found some success with my books.  I am always looking for ways to improve my methods, both in writing and promoting my books once published.  I think that N.P. Martin has written a really well-organized and comprehensive guide for anyone who wants to get into writing and doesn't know how to get started, or even for someone like me who is looking for some useful tips.  There is some good info for both Fiction and Non-Fiction writers, for cultivating ideas, for structuring books, and for promotion once published.  Very well done and a great resource.
407556
I liked this book as it gives you several ideas on writing and publishing your book. A good start to novel writing.
152821
I highly recommend Self-Editing for Indie Authors to aspiring authors. Michelle Lowery clearly explains the need for professional editing while also providing numerous tips that writers can use to improve their writing and therefore save money by providing cleaner manuscripts to a professional editor when the time comes. She also is understanding of new authors with tight budgets, providing some alternatives to hiring a professional editor. Overall, this is a great little reference book!
91160
A valuable reference for writers. Concise and to the point. It is relatively simple to find exactly the information needed. Concise and to the point.
2595933
This is perfect reference for any author who wants to write with accurate description. Im so glad I bought this.
4946559
This was a great reference for me as I work on my first novel. I expect to be checking back on certain areas along the way.
2876157
A good book for writers to keep nearby.  Just looking through the book breaks up the writer's block, really.  I've found it very useful and will be purchasing the others as well.
2023215
Very helpful info for authors who are new to self-publishing and navigating the sometimes-scary world of online self-promotion.  There's a lot to master, but Martin does a good job of breaking it down into digestible bits and explaining how each one works.  The handy lists of resource links alone make it worth the purchase.
3645289
Author James Thornson has compiled a good dictionary of "how tos" for the aspiring nonfiction writer.  He gives suggestions that are often right in front of us but we neglect to see.  I especially liked the "idea notebook" suggestion and think it would give any aspiring author a useful book of information for creating a non-fiction book.  I liked that the book didn't go into writing and publishing as much but stayed true to the title.

Mr. Thornson has compiled a lengthy list of links for reader use.  I didn't check them all out, but did go to a few sites and found them just as he described.  For that reason the book would be a bargain for any author's library.

I rated the book four stars because of the repetition.  It actually might be a good thing, as we sometimes forget what has been suggested, but it felt a little like a fourth grade math class at times.  I don't mean that as a derogatory remark.  We can all use a little positive reinforcement, and that's how I took it.  However, it did get old by the end of the book.  Perhaps if the book were organized a little differently it wouldn't have been noticeable.

I am thankful to the author for the hours of research that must have gone into the writing of this book.  Overall it is a valuable tool to any writer who is considering writing non-fiction.
574853
This is a good book for additional reference to others I have.  Probably not my first choice but glad I bought it.
4535621
This is a good book for someone who wants to start writing books.
3423040
I found this book to be full of good tips for authors ranging from those hoping to break even on their self-publishing efforts to those looking to make it a full-time career. That's especially true in the area of social media, which can benefit every level of author. I appreciated the step-by-step nature of the advice wherein you only move to advertising and more traditional marketing steps AFTER you've completed some fundamental tasks. Because of that I recommend authors read this BEFORE their book goes into the design/print process. Not everything in here is for everyone, and certainly the author leaves room for disagreement, but I came away with many helpful tips.
785885
This is a great book of sources for freelance projects. It has interesting articles and tons of people to contact. You do need to read through carefully to pick publishers who are more likely to need your services.
73583
This is more of a collection of the details of individual authors' lives than of their writing tactics, lessons learned, or other habits, but it does include all of the above. If nothing else, it shows us that writers, even the ones we recognize the names of, are regular people, all of various backgrounds and brought to the "call of writing" by different means.

The various essays help us beginners to remember that we are not starting out with any less advantage than those that have preceded us...or beat us to publication. There are also useful excerpts from authors' daily lives, showing us how they battle writers' block or just fit in a personal life with their writing life.

All in all, the book takes more of a literary slant than a very down-to-earth and practical one, but that does vary by the included authors. It would've also been nice to have short bios or publishing histories of the authors listed in the book for those that come across as particularly interesting or are unfamiliar to the individual reader. But, we do have Amazon.com for that info., don't we? :)
2815848
I'm glad I bought this book.  We have used it as a reference many times.  As another reviewer mentioned, color pictures would have been nice.
644117
Other writer's market books have had resources for query letters, editing, manuscript format, etc. This book is merely a list of publishers and what they publish. Not a problem; it's still a very necessary and viable resource. It's just not the "ultimate" resource as described.

Well laid out, and very complete publishing resources.