Our Top Blog Posts of 2023
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Greetings, fellow book lovers and wordsmiths! This past year was brimming with wisdom, milestones, and the boundless magic of storytelling. In addition to our weekly blog posts, we continued our commitment to providing valuable publishing insights with the addition of two comprehensive new guides — How to Publish a Book in Canada and How to Make an Audiobook — to our ever-growing stable of free writers’ resources. Our team completed 26 educational speaking engagements with writing groups and literary organizations across North America. We also compiled a list of vetted awards for self-published authors in North America and published our 9,000th title — a testament to the vibrant community of storytellers we are fortunate to serve.
As we turn the page on 2023, let's rewind together through the top 10 blog posts that offered inspiration, insights and practical advice to help advance the writing and publishing journey.
Here’s to many more literary adventures in the new year — see you in 2024!
For a new children’s book to succeed in a crowded market, it doesn’t need to be good. It needs to be *great*. Here are four ways you can make your children’s story stand out and be loved by today’s young readers.
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Creating beautiful, branded social media graphics doesn’t require the extensive knowledge and complicated tools you might think. We enlist the expertise of the FriesenPress Book Promotions team for the tips and advice you need to easily create visually stunning and effective images of your own.
Are you a first-time writer working on a nonfiction manuscript? We all make mistakes along the way, but book coach Steve Donahue is here to help you anticipate and overcome five of the most common mistakes made by budding authors.
BISAC codes are one of the first ways readers find new books to read (even if they didn’t know it). To better understand how they work — we’re taking a look at their categories, how they’re used in metadata, and the importance of refining your target audience.
Visual storytelling can cast a spell on readers of children’s books, cookbooks, and even blog posts. But how does that spellbinding magic actually work? Here, we explore the key principles of visual storytelling to ensure your reader efficiently absorbs your content — and remains compelled to keep turning your book’s pages.
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“Show don’t tell” is one of the most frequent pieces of writing advice, and for good reason. Here are 6 practical tips for when (and how) to use this important literary technique in your writing.
Dr. Sue Johnson is many things: a New York Times bestselling author, a renowned clinical psychologist, and (after partnering with FriesenPress) a new children’s book author. We spoke with Dr. Johnson to learn more about her empowering decision to self-publish Edgar & Elouise, the unexpected power of saying “no”, and so much more.
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Nothing grabs viewers’ attention quite like a short video, which is why book teaser trailers have gained such popularity. Learn how to engage your audience and make your book stand out in a crowded market with these 8 elements of effective book teaser trailers.
Ready to transform your life experiences into a compelling memoir? While there is no single perfect way to craft your memoir, ghostwriter Amy Russell-Coutts outlines 3 strong ways of telling your life story.
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Mark Thunderchild is the author of Kohkum's Kitchen, a heartwarming children's book celebrating Indigenous culture and the traditional knowledge passed down across generations. We recently spoke with Mark about why National Indigenous History Month is the perfect time to release this book, the inspiring role his family played in its creation, and so much more.
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