You know you've done it. Walked through your favorite bookstore and picked up a book SOLELY because of the cover. It could be vintage and romantic, bold and graphic, movement and action, or classic and literary - but a good cover will draw you in. Next, you flip it over and review the back cover blurb. It has to catch your attention in the first couple sentences or the party's over. If it loses you, the book gets discarded and you move on to the next sparkly object.

​Book covers are the most important marketing tool an author or publisher has at their disposal. Think of them as mini-movie posters, it's the same concept. You have ten seconds TOPS to draw in your reader or viewer and convince them they want, no need, to read your book or watch your movie.

​Celebrities help, flashy review blurbs help. But those aren't always available to new authors. So what's a writer (or publisher) to do? Hit 'em with your best shot. When working with a publisher, it's important to have a concept ready for what visually represents your book. You're the creator, you know your book intimately. Think about what images floated through your head while you were writing the book. What one or two key images or action sequences rise to the top?

​Although publishers will work with professional designers and artists on your cover, many of them (like us) are interested in your visual concepts and ideas for the cover. There are even times when authors have a special artistic talent and can contribute graphical elements to the story that they've created.

​Covers, like a book's positioning in the market and genre/theme, follow trends. Search for titles that are similar to yours. Check out the best-sellers and their covers. Note the ideas, themes, colors, design and look and feel elements that you like. You can share these with your publisher to give them an idea of what you feel represents your book.

Romance titles, for example, have gone from the Fabio-clinch days to more love-based visuals to chick-lit high heels...and back again. Read more about romance cover evolution in this illuminating Publisher's Weekly article. Regardless of genre, each cover must distinguish itself from the competition but still work within a brand aesthetic—all while enticing readers to give something new a try, but still represent the story readers expect. Whew!

​All this is to say - you don't have to be an artist or designer to have a great idea for an eye-catching book cover. All you have to do is close your eyes and let the images speak for themselves.

Short stories, novellas, and other forms of short fiction are getting a makeover with the prolific access to publishing channels and innovative marketing campaigns. Short stories, the backbone of short fiction, prevails with short story contests and award-winning anthologies. Traditionally defined as stories in length from 1000-4000 words (some go longer, though, up to 20,000), short stories have been the entrée for many an author to get noticed. Many short stories have been adapted into plays, films, and other media. Check out the Goodread's list of all time bests.

The novella, once out of fashion in the publishing world (even though many classic novels, like Animal Farm, Of Mice and Men, and The Metamorphosis, could be considered novellas based on lengths from 20,000 - 50,000) are breathing new life marketed under new names. James Patterson and Harper Collins' recent foray into the short novel - they call them "Book Shots" - focus on short, genre fiction, no more than 150 pages (about 30-40,000 words or so). Released this month, the author's first two releases came out strong with sales of 30,000 copies in the first week or so! These new short novels can be read quickly and feel like watching a film. Expect other publishers to pursue this rebirth of short fiction. They'll be looking for content, content, content...a great opportunity for writers to get in the game.

If you want to go even shorter and really flex your word-efficiency, you can write flash fiction - defined as a few hundred words (or shorter). These are fun tidbits from any genre that tell a story or evoke a mood...and can be read in minutes. Read some of the genre's top flash fiction at Flash Fiction Online. You can learn about the format and submit to their literary magazine.

​At the micro end of the short fiction scale, #twitterfiction, allows writers to create the most creative narrative, tweeting as adopted personas, or tweeting a story from multiple characters' points of view. Check it out if you have a few seconds.  

Whatever form your short fiction takes, there's a home for it these days. So get in the game...and keep it short!

We often get questions from prospective authors about what we will do to market their titles. And while even the best publishing company for new authors has a vested interest in selling books, marketing is truly a team sport. We view marketing as a partnership with our authors, and it really doesn’t work any other way. Many times, authors believe that being published is all you need…but there’s way more to it than that. Yes, publishing companies offer wide and broad distribution, making your title available across the internet, to local retailers, and across the world. But bringing the title to life for your specific readers…garnering your specific following and followers (social media, anyone?)…and spending time developing your own personal brand as an author are key to successfully selling your titles. There are lots of ways to skin this cat and simple keyword searches will lead you to easy-to-use website builders with awesome templates that will allow you quickly put up a simple but effective site. As an author, all you need is a voice – and you already have that. Just remember, simple is best. You may already use social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for your personal life. If so, it’s not a big leap to create a second presence for your author persona. Register a new email address, keep the content informative, educational, and personal to you and your unique brand, and you will gain followers. All of this is to say that while a publishing company can and should be helping to sell your titles, it doesn’t work without your committed involvement as an author. So get out there and sing your own praises!