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Publishing craft, without the fluff
Specific, mechanical advice on the parts of publishing that quietly decide how a book performs. Search or filter by manuscript, cover and publishing.
Showing 5 of 5 matching articles (15 total)
Manuscript · Formatting
Seven formatting mistakes that make a self-published book look self-published
Readers cannot always name what feels amateur about a book, but they feel it on page one. Here is what actually causes it.
June 18, 2026 · 7 min read
Manuscript · Risk
Copyright and trademark basics every author should know before publishing
You do not need a law degree, but you do need to know which four situations warrant a second look.
May 2, 2026 · 8 min read
Manuscript · Craft
Readability scores explained, and why yours is probably fine
Grade-level metrics are useful diagnostics and terrible targets. Here is how to read them without ruining your prose.
April 11, 2026 · 5 min read
Manuscript · Front matter
Copyright page template for self-published books (with the exact wording)
Every element a copyright page needs, why each one is there, and copy-ready wording you can adapt for a KDP paperback or ebook.
July 22, 2026 · 6 min read
Manuscript · Formatting
Manuscript formatting guidelines: the standard submission format, and how KDP differs
Standard manuscript format for agents and publishers, the ways Amazon KDP diverges, and how to convert between the two without breaking anything.
August 3, 2026 · 8 min read