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When the Truth is Stranger than Fiction

Articles

September 12, 2023

Dear Self-Published Author, You Have Options!

While Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing is excellent, there are other options for print-on-demand publishing that self-published authors can explore. Draft2Digital Draft2Digital is a gem. D2D is an aggregator that distributes your books to major retailers online, from Barnes and Noble to Apple iBooks to Baker & Taylor. They have merged with Smashwords and now also… Continue reading

Articles, self-publishing

48 Hour Books, amazon, Amazon KDP, authors, blog, blogging, Bookbaby, choices, creativity, Draft2Digital, indie, indie author basics, indie authors, Ingram, Ingram Spark, lulu, options, publishing, self-publishers, self-publishing, strategy, wordpress, writers
August 13, 2023

Dear Self-Publishers, Don’t Limit Your Potential

The Martian started as a self-published book. Its author, Andy Weir, said he didn’t think the book had mainstream appeal and was surprised anyone was interested. It began as a series on Weir’s website, and when readers complained it was hard to read the stories sitting at their computer, Weir listened to his audience and… Continue reading

Articles, self-publishing

audiobook, authors, blog, blogging, creativity, indie, indie author basics, indie authors, potential, publishing, readership, self-publishers, self-publishing, strategy, The Martian, wordpress, writers
August 9, 2023

Historical Context is Important

I was away spending time with family when the now-viral Montgomery Riverboat brawl occurred. When I finally logged into social media, I saw hilarious memes of folding chairs and pictures of Louis Farrakhan clamping his hands together proudly with the words: “Black people across America watching that video today…and ya’ll know what video I’m talking… Continue reading

Articles, General Topics

Alabama, blog, blogger, blogging, boat, chair, context, dock fight, fact check, fight, folding chair, historical, history, meme, montgomery, montgomery alabama, nathaniel alexander, riverboat brawl, wordpress
July 26, 2023

Why You Shouldn’t Worry about Family Not Supporting Your Books

When the Power series was first hot, my cousin said to me: “You should write books like on Power! The way we grew up, I know you can put some stuff together.” That bothered me for two reasons: Self-Publishing is a lot of work, and not feeling supported by our family and friends can be… Continue reading

Articles, self-publishing

#WWWblogs, authors, blog, blogging, creativity, indie, indie author basics, indie authors, publishing, readership, self-publishing, strategy, target, target audience, target markets, wordpress, writers
July 23, 2023

Preparing Your Self-Published Book for Bookstores (Part 1)

Contrary to popular belief, self-published books can get into brick-and-mortar bookstores. Ask me how I know… Here Are Three Easy Ways to Prepare Your Self-Published / Indie Book for a Store: 1. Have a professionally designed cover with your name and title on the spine. Usually, I will tell you to ensure it’s edited first (do that,… Continue reading

Articles, self-publishing

authors, blog, blogger, blogging, bokkstores, brick and mortar, creativity, financial, indie, indie author basics, indie authors, publishing, self-publishing, strategy, wordpress, writers
July 20, 2023

The Habit of Rushing Time as We Age

A 28-year-old might say, “I’m almost thirty.” A 38-year-old might say, “Wow, I am almost 40.” A 48-year-old might say, “Sheesh. I am almost 50.” Rarely do we appreciate where we are without becoming anxious about where we are going. I wonder why this is and if it keeps us from being grateful for where… Continue reading

Articles, General Topics

#ThankfulThursday, age, aging, appreciation, blog, blogger, blogging, grateful, gratefulness, gratitude, maturing, maturity, seasons, Thursday Thoughts, time, wordpress, writing
July 19, 2023

My Viral Experience on TikTok (What I Learned)

I wouldn’t say going viral is fun. I find it overwhelming. However, it could be less stressful if you are prepared. Here’s what I am learning. Proper Preparation When I first joined TikTok, I made my account a business account. I didn’t wait until a bunch of people followed or anything like that because I… Continue reading

Articles, General Topics

#WWWblogs, author, black history, blacktiktok, blog, blogger, blogging, creative writing, growth, historical, history, Indie Author, journey, process, tiktok, viral, wordpress, writers wednesday, writing

About Me

My name is Yecheilyah (e-see-li-yah), and my work confronts historical erasure and advocates for a more inclusive understanding of Black history. Through book reviews and poetry contests, I uncover and preserve the rich, often underrepresented stories of African Americans.