Podcast How to Self-Publish a Travel Book Show with host Jay Artale-5
Posted in Podcast: How Travel Writers Self-Publish

How Travel Writers Self-Publish Podcast Ep#15: How to future-proof your nonfiction writing niche

In this first-hand experience, Jay talks about how a coup in Turkey and the Syrian refugee crisis was the perfect storm that saw the slow demise of a travel writing niche she’d spent years developing, and how she developed a Plan B.

Marek Bron Travel Writer and author interview
Posted in Author Interviews

Author Interview with Indie Traveller Marek Bron

Author Interview with Marek Bron who shares his writing and self-publishing insights and inspiration to help others achieve their travel goals.

Should I publish and ebook or paperback?
Posted in Book Production How to Write and Self-Publish a Travel Guide

Don’t know if you want to publish an ebook or paperback?

We look at three different format strategy approaches based on your experience and budget available. Should you just publish an ebook, or a paperback as well?

Podcast How to Self-Publish a Travel Book Show with host Jay Artale- Ep14 How to create a nonfiction title
Posted in Book Marketing & Promotion How to Write and Self-Publish a Travel Guide Podcast: How Travel Writers Self-Publish

How Travel Writers Self-Publish Podcast Ep#14: How to create your non-fiction title

In this 10 minute show travel writer Jay Artale covers how to create an effective nonfiction title to entice your readers to buy your book.

Posted in Book Design How to Write and Self-Publish a Travel Guide

Travel Guide Cover Design Case Study: Moon Guides

This case study looks at how Moon Travel guides have updated their old style design to create a cover that is more indicative of a Lonely Planet travel guide cover. Includes design prompts for designing your own cover.

A-Z Travel writing tips Cliches, Cadence and Conversational
Posted in A-Z Travel Writing Tips

A-Z of Travel Writing Tips: C is for Cliches, Cadence, and Conversational

Travel Writing Prompts: C is for Cliches, Cadence, and Conversational. Use these Travel Writing Prompts to improve your writing and make it easier to connect with your readers. No matter what you’re writing.

Amazon KDP Beginners Guide to Ebook Retailers
Posted in Book Production How to Write and Self-Publish a Travel Guide Self-Publishing Advice

A Beginners Guide to Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing

This article is part of my Beginner’s Guide to Self-publishing direct with ebook Retailers series and takes a closer look at publishing with Amazon KDP.

Frances M. Thompson Author Interview
Posted in Author Interviews Self-Publishing Advice

Author Interview with Travel Writer Frances M. Thompson

Travel Writer Frankie Thompson share her writing and self-publishing journey with us. She writes contemporary fiction inspired by travel, in short story collections.

Travel writing monthly article roundup header
Posted in Writing Tips

Roundup of the best Travel Writing Articles, Books, and Podcasts

Here’s my roundup of the best travel writing articles, books, and podcasts that were published in March. Read these for valuable advice and inspiration on your own travel blogging and writing journey.

Podcast How to Self-Publish a Travel Book Show with host Jay Artale The 4 Key Elements of Content Marketing for Beginners
Posted in Book Marketing & Promotion Podcast: How Travel Writers Self-Publish

How Travel Writers Self-Publish Podcast Ep#13: The 4 Key Elements of Content Marketing for Beginners

This podcast focuses on a generic overview of the four elements you need to plan for in order to develop an effective content marketing plan. Use your Point of View and Audience definition to craft targeted content on platforms that support your brand’ authenticity.

Author Copies IngramSpark Amazon KDP
Posted in Author Resources Book Marketing & Promotion Book Production

How and why to order author copies from Amazon KDP and IngramSpark

Both Amazon and IngramSpark let authors buy copies of their book at a reduced cost, so you can sell them direct, donate them or give them away to friends or for book marketing.

PublishDrive feature to split author royalties
Posted in Author Resources Book Production

PublishDrive Introduce Team Royalties for author collaboration

PublishDrive have launched an automated solution for splitting author royalties on collaboration projects.

John Meyer Fictional Travel Memoir podcast
Posted in How to Write and Self-Publish a Travel Guide Podcast: How Travel Writers Self-Publish Self-Publishing Advice

How Travel Writers Self-Publish Podcast Ep12: Publishing a Fictional Travel Memoir

This week our podcast features fictional travel memoir author John Meyer. He talks about his writing process and what book marketing techniques have worked in this travel niche.

Carmen Amato
Posted in Author Interviews

Author Interview with Travel Anthology editor and contributor Carmen Amato

Ever since I became a full-time author I’ve wanted to collaborate on joint projects with other authors. Initially I thought the…

How to build the back cover of your nonfiction paperback
Posted in Book Production

How to Build the back cover of your nonfiction Paperback

Here’s the different back cover elements you should consider when building your nonfiction Paperback. They’re not all mandatory, but choose the best ones based on your content niche.

Posted in How to Write and Self-Publish a Travel Guide Podcast: How Travel Writers Self-Publish

How Travel Writers Self-Publish Podcast Ep#11: How and Why to Define your Book’s Content Scope

In this 10 minute show travel writer Jay Artale covers how to approach your book’s content scope and why it’s an important step in your book writing process.

188 Travel Writing Prompts
Posted in Writing Tips Writing Tools

Roundup of 221 Travel Writing Prompts

Need some travel writing inspiration? Here’s a roundup of 221 Travel Writing prompts to get your creative muscles working. Use them to stop procrastination and trigger some personal travel stories for your journal.

How to use image grids in your ebook
Posted in Book Design How to Write and Self-Publish a Travel Guide

How to create image grids for your ebooks

If you’re including images in your ebooks you don’t have to settle for single inline images. How about including some full page image grids to wow your reader?

Zaina Brown Fire in the Belly
Posted in Author Interviews

Author Interview with travel memoir writer Zaina Brown

Author interview with bellydancing travel memoir writer Zaina Brown, who shares her writing and self-publishing tips to inspire other travel bloggers to combine their travel and writing passions.

IngramSpark process for transferring a title from Amazon KDP
Posted in Book Production

Print on Demand Title Transfer Instructions from Amazon KDP Expanded Distribution to IngramSpark

Here’s how to transfer title ownership from Amazon to Ingram Spark, after I opted out of Expanded Distribution through KDP.

Posted in Author Resources Podcast: How Travel Writers Self-Publish Writing Tools

How Travel Writers Self-Publish Podcast Ep#10: The Benefits of using Scrivener for Non-Fiction AND Fiction

In this 10 minute show travel writer Jay Artale is joined by fiction author David Penny. Listen to how Scrivener is versatile for fiction and non-fiction authors alike.

A-Z Travel writing tips. B is for
Posted in A-Z Travel Writing Tips

A-Z of Travel Writing Tips: B is for Bounce, Beginning and …

Travel Writing Prompts: B is for Bounce, Beginning, Books, and Blog. Use these Travel Writing Prompts to improve your writing and make it easier to connect with your readers. No matter what you’re writing.

Posted in How to Write and Self-Publish a Travel Guide Podcast: How Travel Writers Self-Publish

How Travel Writers Self-Publish Podcast Ep#9: How to Identify your Target Audience to focus your writing

In our latest How Travel Writers Self-Publish Podcast we cover How to Identify your Target Audience to focus your writing.

Essential Podcasting Tools Zencastr for recording interviews. Free account.
Posted in Author Resources

5 Reasons for using Zencastr to Record your Podcast Interviews

Are you looking for a free #podcasting tool to help you record, manage, and edit your podcast show? Try #Zencastr. It records audio at source so it doesn’t matter how bad your internect connection is.

A-Z Travel writing tips. A is for Audience, Action, Anecdotes, Angles, Adjectives and Adverbs
Posted in A-Z Travel Writing Tips

A-Z of Travel Writing Tips: A is for Audience, Action and …

Travel Writing Prompts: A is for Audience, Action, Anecdotes, Angles, Adjectives and Adverbs. Use these Travel Writing Prompts to improve your writing and make it easier to connect with your readers. No matter what you’re writing.

Podcast How to Self-Publish a Travel Book Show with host Jay Artale-Episode 8
Posted in Book Marketing & Promotion Podcast: How Travel Writers Self-Publish

How Travel Writers Self-Publish Podcast Ep#8: How to Research your Travel Book idea using Amazon

Listen to our latest 20 minute podcast to find out how to Research your Travel Book idea using Amazon, and pinpoint the research elements you need to focus on.

John Meyer author fictional travel memoir
Posted in Author Interviews Self-Publishing Advice

Author Interview with fictional travel memoirist John Meyer

Join me in finding out about John Meyer’s fictional travel memoir writing and publishing adventures. His books combine facts of history with present-day drama and humor—revolving around a fictitious love story and always based on his own thrilling journeys.

Travel and Adventure Show Los Angeles
Posted in Author Resources

Are you attending the Travel & Adventure Show Los Angeles?

It’s not just tourist boards and companies promoting what they have to sell. Located right on the show floor and included with your ticket, are dozens of seminars on four separate stages that will help you with your next travel experience.

How does Amazon KDP Expanded Distribution work?
Posted in Book Production Self-Publishing Advice

How does Amazon Expanded Distribution work?

Not sure whether Amazon Expanded distribution is right for your paperback? Here’s how it works and what you need to know before your check the expanded distribution box in your KDP dashboard.

Podcast How to Self-Publish a Travel Book Show with host Jay Artale-Episode 7
Posted in Podcast: How Travel Writers Self-Publish Travel Blog Advice

How Travel Writers Self-Publish Podcast Ep#7: How to reach more readers with your travel blog content

In our latest How Travel Writers Self-Publish Podcast we cover how to reach more readers with your travel blog content.

Posted in Book Design

How to choose the words and terms to index in your nonfiction book

Here’s some tips for choosing the words and terms to include in your nonfiction book’s index. So that you can print a paperback that your readers find easy to navigate.

My Writing Life Podcasting using Garageband and Podbean
Posted in Podcast: How Travel Writers Self-Publish

My Writing Life: Podcasting for Beginners

How I use GarageBand and Podbean to record, edit, and publish my How writers self-publish podcast.

How Travel Writers Self-Publish Podcast Ep#6: How to Brainstorm a viable Travel Guide idea
Posted in How to Write and Self-Publish a Travel Guide Podcast: How Travel Writers Self-Publish

How Travel Writers Self-Publish Podcast Ep#6: How to Brainstorm a viable Travel Guide idea

Listen to this 20 minute podcast to learn how defining your theme and angle helps to differentiate yourself against other books in your travel niche. Also pick up brainstorming tips for generating book ideas.

My Writing Life Header Technology and Apps for Writers and Authors
Posted in Author Resources Writing Tips Writing Tools

My Writing Life: Voice to Text and Canva

Read about the Technology and App discoveries that have streamlined my writing and content creation process this week.

Ordering Author copies on KDP amazon
Posted in Book Production Self-Publishing Advice

A beginners guide to Author copies from Amazon KDP

Want to order a retail version copy of your paperback book at a reduced cost to give away, ship direct, or sell at a book reading or author event? If you’re distributing via Amazon, here’s the how and why about ordering Author Copies.

Page numbering tips for Nonfiction authors
Posted in Book Design How to Write and Self-Publish a Travel Guide Self-Publishing Advice

Page Numbering Tips for Nonfiction authors

Do you want a professionally numbered nonfiction but, but aren’t sure which pages get numbered, and which don’t? Here’s how to handle blank pages, and front and back matter.

Podcast How to Self-Publish a Travel Book Show with host Jay Artale What Travel Guide Category should you write in?
Posted in How to Write and Self-Publish a Travel Guide Podcast: How Travel Writers Self-Publish

How Travel Writers Self-Publish Podcast Ep#5: What Travel Guide Category should you write in?

An introduction to the major travel guide categories: Destination, Side Trip, Special Interest, Event Specific, Journey, Culinary, and Advice Travel Guides, and a look at the key considerations when writing each category.

TRAVEL WRITING SPRINT Are you exercising your writing muscles
Posted in Writing Tips

Travel Writing Sprint – are you exercising your writing muscles every day?

Your writing muscles need exercising every day. But if you don’t feel like writing, how do you force yourself to get creative—even if it’s only for 20 minutes?

Tom Fay Author Interview Must See Japan Travel Guide Writer
Posted in Author Interviews Self-Publishing Advice

Author Interview with Travel Writer Tom Fay

Hybrid author Tom Fay has established his travel writing brand around his knowledge of his adopted home of Japan, and shares his writing and self-publishing journey for his Travel Guide, which is an insider’s guide to seeing the best of Japan in one trip. 

Which amazon KDP royalty rate should I choose?
Posted in Book Design Book Production How to Write and Self-Publish a Travel Guide

Which Amazon KDP ebook royalty rate should I choose?

Take the guesswork out of whether you should include images in your Amazon KDP ebook. Here’s a way to calculate the financial implications of choosing the 70% vs 35% royalty rate.

Adventure Writers' Club
Posted in Writing Tips Writing Tools

January Writing Sprint with Jon’s Adventure Writers’ Club

I’m using my January writing sprint to bang out the first rough draft of my Cambodia Travel Guide. Follow along to see how successful my first attempt at a sprint will be.

How Travel Writers Self-Publish Podcast Ep#4: How to become a local travel guide author
Posted in How to Write and Self-Publish a Travel Guide Podcast: How Travel Writers Self-Publish

How Travel Writers Self-Publish Podcast Ep#4: How to become a local travel guide author

In our How Travel Writers Self-Publish podcast we cover how to research and get inspired to become a local travel guide author.

Types of Travel Guide Advice 8
Posted in How to Write and Self-Publish a Travel Guide

Types of Travel Guide #8: Advice Travel Guide

So you want to write an Advice Travel Guide? Here’s some books in this niche, and tips for writing your travel guide.

Case Study 500 Hidden Secrets Luster
Posted in Book Design How to Write and Self-Publish a Travel Guide

Travel Guide Cover Design Case Study: Luster’s 500 Hidden Secrets series

Check out this cover design case study from prolific, but lessor known travel guide publisher, Luster. See how they’ve incorporated niche norms into their covers, and what they could have done differently.

Is your blogging niche taken?
Posted in How to Write and Self-Publish a Travel Guide Travel Blog Advice

Establishing your Travel Blog and Writing Niche

Just because someone has already established themselves in a niche in the blogging landscape, doesn’t mean it’s ruled out for you. If you want to compete with them, you can bring your unique perspective and voice to your content in order to stand out.

Rick Steves Cover design case study
Posted in Book Design How to Write and Self-Publish a Travel Guide

Travel Guide Cover Design Case Study: Rick Steves

This case study looks at the different line-looks Rick Steves uses for his travel guides. He’s carved a niche for himself in Europe, and is a one-man travel dynamo. See what design tips you can pick up from his book covers.

How to remove your book from KDP Expanded Distribution
Posted in Book Production

How to remove your paperback from KDP Expanded Distribution to sell your book via IngramSpark

What happens if you chose Expanded Distribution for your paperback through Amazon KDP and then change your mind after you’ve published? I ran into duplicate ISBN issues when I tried setting up my title through IngramSpark, and here’s how I handled expanding my distribution network, without having to set up a new book listing on Amazon or assign a new ISBN.

Benefits of self-publishing a POD paperback
Posted in Book Production How to Write and Self-Publish a Travel Guide Self-Publishing Advice

Benefits & Disadvantages of self-publishing a Print on Demand paperback

Read about the benefits and disadvantages of self-publishing a POD paperback, before you decide on your indie author publishing strategy.

A Turbulent Mind Kobo Writing Life Cover Competition
Posted in Book Design

Cast your Vote in the Kobo Writing Life Cover Competition

The cover for my book A Turbulent Mind is in the top ten nonfiction covers of 2018 in Kobo Writing Life’s Cover Competition.

Benefits of self-publishing an e-book
Posted in Book Production How to Write and Self-Publish a Travel Guide Self-Publishing Advice

Benefits of self-publishing an ebook

Read about the benefits and disadvantages of self-publishing an ebook, before you decide on your indie author publishing strategy.