The essential guide for Canadian writers seeking to have their work published today. How do you get your writing published in Canada? What are the industry standards for publishable work and how do you reach them? This lively, practical guide shows you how to think more creatively, cultivate a strong writing voice, and make your sentences powerful. It explains the elements of style and offers writing prompts to help you apply what you learn. It gives strategies for finding critique partners and beta readers and for getting useful feedback before you send your drafts to agents or editors. The chapters are packed with up-to-date information about the publishing industry, including how to find an agent, how to submit manuscripts to literary journals, how to query independent presses, and how to apply for writing grants. The Canadian Guide to Creative Writing & Publishing confidently leads you through the process of polishing your writing and finding an audience for your work.

Essential and engaging essays about the joys and challenges of creative writing and teaching creative writing by a host of Canada’s leading writers. Writing Creative Writing is filled with thoughtful and entertaining essays on the joys and challenges of creative writing, the complexities of the creative writing classroom, the place of writing programs in the twenty-first century, and exciting strategies and exercises for writing and teaching different genres. Written by a host of Canada’s leading writers, including Christian Bök, Catherine Bush, Suzette Mayr, Yvette Nolan, Judith Thompson, and thom vernon, this book is the first of its kind and destined to be a milestone for every creative writing student, teacher, aspirant, and professional.

In her entertaining and edifying New York Times bestseller, acclaimed author Francine Prose invites you to sit by her side and take a guided tour of the tools and tricks of the masters to discover why their work has endured. Written with passion, humour and wisdom, Reading Like a Writer will inspire readers to return to literature with a fresh eye and an eager heart – to take pleasure in the long and magnificent sentences of Philip Roth and the breathtaking paragraphs of Isaac Babel; to look to John le Carré for a lesson in how to advance plot through dialogue and to Flannery O’ Connor for the cunning use of the telling detail; to be inspired by Emily Brontë ’ s structural nuance and Charles Dickens’ s deceptively simple narrative techniques. Most importantly, Prose cautions readers to slow down and pay attention to words, the raw material out of which all literature is crafted, and reminds us that good writing comes out of good reading.

If you almost had everything that you wanted, how hard would you fight to protect it? Kira is engaged to the man of her dreams: he’s charming, handsome, wealthy, and a great dad to their baby, Evie, and his thirteen-year-old daughter, Olive. Having grown up with a troubled relationship with her mother and mostly estranged from her father, Kira craves a close family and secure home, and with Aaron, Evie and Olive, she almost has it. The only problem is Aaron’s ex-wife, Madison, who’s out of control and trying to get to Olive. When Kira takes the girls out of town to her childhood summer home and finds out that Madison has followed them, she panics. Between the beach and the forest on Manitoulin Island, Kira fights to protect Olive, Evie and her fiancé, until a dark secret threatens to unravel the life that is almost hers. With the future she has built hanging in the balance, and her past haunting her at every turn, Kira must choose who to believe and who she wants to be.

Alright, let's ditch the formalities and dive into the world of self-publishing paperbacks! Whether you're a newbie or a seasoned author looking to take charge of your destiny, this guide is your treasure map to navigating the wild west of independent publishing. We're going to dissect the top 10 platforms that cater to your paperback dreams, each with its own quirks and charms. First up, the big kahuna: Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). This titan offers an easy-to-use platform and a global reach that's hard to beat. We'll delve into formatting your manuscript, crafting an eye-catching cover, and harnessing Amazon's marketing muscle to get your book noticed. Next, we'll tackle IngramSpark, the brainiac of the bunch. They offer print-on-demand services and access to a massive distribution network. We'll crack their pricing code, decode their quality standards, and navigate their vast array of sizes and paper options to make your paperback a masterpiece. Then, there's Lulu, the friendly giant. Their simple publishing process, competitive pricing, and handy cover designer tool make them a popular choice. We'll uncover how Lulu's worldwide distribution can get your book into the hands of readers everywhere. Blurb, the photo book aficionado, also knows a thing or two about text-based publications. We'll explore their intuitive book creation tools, scrutinize their print quality, and reveal how to tap into their niche marketing magic. BookBaby, the full-service maven, offers everything from editing to distribution. We'll dissect their pricing models, investigate their marketing packages, and discover how their personalized support can empower authors at every turn. Xlibris, one of the trailblazers of self-publishing, has a variety of publishing packages to suit every taste and budget. We'll break down their options, assess their pros and cons, and help you decide if Xlibris is your perfect match. For our Indian and South Asian friends, Pothi is a local hero.

Alright, let's dive into the world of self-publishing with a fresh perspective. Imagine you're at a cozy coffee shop, chatting with a friend who's just spilled the beans on their secret dream to become an author. You pull out this book, "Self-Publishing Platforms Explained," and their eyes light up like a kid in a candy store. This isn't just another dry how-to manual. It's like having a savvy mentor in your back pocket, ready to guide you through the twists and turns of the publishing jungle. We kick things off by tackling the elephant in the room - copyright. Don't worry, we won't bore you with legalese. Instead, think of it as learning the rules of the game before you start playing. Now, picture yourself standing at a crossroads. Each path leads to a different self-publishing platform, each with its own quirks and perks. We'll walk these paths together, starting with the behemoth that is Amazon KDP. It's like the New York City of publishing - if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. For the polyglots among us, Babelcube is your ticket to reaching readers in languages you never thought possible. It's like finding a magic wand that turns your words into a universal language. By the time you finish this book, you'll feel like you've just completed a crash course in publishing, taught by your coolest professor. You'll know the ins and outs of formatting, pricing, and marketing your book across multiple platforms. It's like being given a Swiss Army knife for your writing career - versatile, practical, and always handy. Remember, in this brave new world of publishing, you're not just an author - you're a literary entrepreneur. This book is your trusty sidekick, ready to help you conquer the publishing world, one platform at a time. So grab your pen (or keyboard), pour yourself another cup of coffee, and let's turn that manuscript into a published masterpiece. The world is waiting for your story - let's give it to them!

The definitive source of information, insight, and advice for creative writers, from the nation’s largest and most trusted organization for writers, Poets & Writers. For half a century, writers at every stage of their careers have turned to the literary nonprofit organization Poets & Writers and its award-winning magazine for resources to foster their professional development, from writing prompts and tips on technique to informative interviews with published authors, literary agents, and editors. But never before has Poets & Writers marshaled its fifty years’ worth of knowledge to create an authoritative guide for writers that answers every imaginable question about craft and career—until now. Here is the writing bible for authors of all genres and forms, covering topics such as how to: -Harness your imagination and jump-start your creativity -Develop your work from initial idea to final draft -Find a supportive and inspiring writing community to sustain your career -Find the best MFA program for you -Publish your work in literary magazines and develop a platform -Research writing contests and other opportunities to support your writing life -Decide between traditional publishing and self-publishing -Find the right literary agent -Anticipate what agents look for in queries and proposals -Work successfully with an editor and your publishing team -Market yourself and your work in a digital world -Approach financial planning and taxes as a writer -And much more Written by Kevin Larimer and Mary Gannon, the two most recent editors of Poets & Writers Magazine, this book brings an unrivaled understanding of the areas in which writers seek guidance and support. Filled with insider information like sample query letters, pitch letters, lists of resources, and worksheets for calculating freelance rates, tracking submissions, and managing your taxes, the guide does more than demystify the writing life—it also provides an array of powerful tools for building a sustainable career as a writer. In addition to the wealth of insights into creativity, publishing, and promotion are first-person essays from bestselling authors, including George Saunders, Christina Baker Kline, and Ocean Vuong, as well as reading lists from award-winning writers such as Anthony Doerr, Cheryl Strayed, and Natalie Diaz. Here, at last, is the ultimate comprehensive resource that belongs on every writer’s desk.