How To Publish Your Book – Without Spending Any Money – Part 2

By Word Ninja

Part 2: Craft​

In a previous post, I wrote about how to create seed money for publishing the novel of your heart by first producing a prequel. In this article, I’ll cover how to develop your craft so you can write the best book you can—without spending money.

Grammar and Style​

I know, I know, everyone would rather skip the vegetables and go straight for the chocolate cake. But really, writing is easier if you know the rules. Or, rather, the guidelines. Because if you’ve been speaking a language all your life, you already know its grammar rules. Usage guidelines, by contrast, comprise an agreed-upon set of practices that makes the comprehension of written language easier.

The predominant style guide for book publishing in the US is the Chicago Manual of Style. It’s most likely available as a reference book at a library near you if you live in the US. If not, you can get a one-week free trial subscription to the Chicago Manual of Style online. Especially read chapters 5–7 and take notes.

Learning the Craft​

Countless resources offer help on the art, craft, and business of fiction. Here are a few I trust.

• Writer’s Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers
  Writer’s Digest is a long-running and respected publication that’s been putting out this list for decades.
• Sarra Cannon’s Heartbreathings YouTube Channel
  I knew Sarra when she first started out more than a decade ago. Even then, she was sharing everything she knew about becoming an indie author. Now, her YouTube channel has over 70,000 followers. She has playlists on plotting, editing, and time management, to name a few. And she’s every bit as nice in person as she is in her videos.
• Writer Unboxed Blog
  A team of authors, agents, and writing instructors have been publishing this blog since 2006. The archives are full of valuable information about indie and traditional publishing.

Some other suggestions:

• Sign up to receive BookBub alerts when craft books (or books in your genre) are offering free runs. Written Word Media also runs several promo newsletters offering free and discounted books.
• Study books and movies in your genre to learn about story structure, plot beats, and popular tropes.

In the next article in the series, I’ll share some tools and tactics for packaging your book for publication without spending money.

Written by Word Ninja

Sample book cover created for free in Canva