Author Resources
Books on the Craft of Writing
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Just Write: Creating Unforgettable Fiction and a Rewarding Writing Life, James Scott Bell
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Yes, You Can Become an Author: Writing, Self-Publishing, and Marketing Your First Book, Lisa May Bennett
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On Writing: A Memoir Of The Craft, Stephen King
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You Can Write a Novel, James V. Smith, Jr.
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The Emotional Craft of Fiction: How to Write the Story Beneath the Surface, Donald Maass
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Writing Tools: 55 Essential Strategies for Every Writer, Roy Peter Clark
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Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft, Janet Burroway
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Story Trumps Structure: How to Write Unforgettable Fiction by Breaking the Rules, Steven James
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Plot Perfect: Building Unforgettable Stories Scene by Scene, Paula Munier
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Creating Characters: The Complete Guide to Populating Your Fiction, Writer's Digest
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The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression, Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi
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The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing, Writer's Digest
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Save the Cat! Writes a Novel: The Last Book on Novel Writing You'll Ever Need, Jessica Brody
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The First 50 Pages: Engage Agents, Editors, and Readers, and Set Up Your Novel for Success, Jeff Gerke
Online Resources on Craft
Facebook Groups on Craft
Facebook Groups on Publishing/Marketing
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20BooksTo50K®
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Learn Self Publishing — Community
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Self Publishing Community
Self-Publishing Resources
GENERAL
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Yes, You Can Become an Author: Writing, Self-Publishing, and Marketing Your First Book, Lisa May Bennett
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The Indie Author Mindset: How Changing Your Way of Thinking can Transform Your Writing Career, Adam Croft
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Successful Self-Publishing: How to Self-Publish and Market Your Book, Joanna Penn​
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https://selfpublishingadvice.org/how-authors-use-ingramspark-and-kdp-together/
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SELF-PUBLISHING PLATFORMS
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FORMATTING SOFTWARE & RESOURCES
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Vellum: https://vellum.pub/
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Format Your Book with Vellum, Jody Skinner
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Vellum Users (Facebook group)
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The Indie Author Toolkit (Facebook group)
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Atticus: www.atticus.io/
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Scrivener: https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overview
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Adobe InDesign: https://www.adobe.com/apps/all/all-platforms/pdp/indesign
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Book Design Made Simple: A Step-by-Step Guide to Designing and Typesetting Your Own Book using Adobe InDesign, Fiona Raven & Glenna Collett
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LinkedIn Learning (multiple InDesign courses)
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The Design of Books: An Explainer for Authors, Editors, Agents, and Other Curious Readers, Debbie Berne
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The Elements of Typographic Style, Robert Bringhurst
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Thinking with Type, Ellen Lupton
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COVER DESIGN SOFTWARE & RESOURCES
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Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign: www.adobe.com
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Affinity Photo, Designer, Publisher: https://affinity.serif.com/en-us/
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Canva: www.canva.com
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GIMP: https://www.gimp.org/
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The Non-Designer's Design Book, Robin Williams (general graphic design principles)
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Trusted Author Services Providers
Seneca Author Services may not be the best fit for your needs, so below are other trusted providers you may wish to explore:
COACHING
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Open Roads Coaching & Editing: https://openroads.life/
FORMATTING/BOOK DESIGN
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Sleeping Cat Books: https://sleepingcatbooks.com/
EDITING
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Essie Creative Studio: www.essiecreativestudio.com/
COVER DESIGN
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Miblart: https://miblart.com/
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Get Covers: https://getcovers.com/
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Face Out Studio: https://www.faceoutstudio.com/
BOOK MARKETING
- Mixtus Media: https://jenndepaula.com/
DIY Cover Design & Formatting
In May 2025, I presented workshops on Cover Design and Formatting at the annual Pennwriters Conference. Click the button below to view or download the PowerPoint slides containing general information and best practices, plus basic instructions on using Canva (for cover design) and Word (for formatting).